Not only was this our team's first event of the season, this was my first athletic event... EVER! And although I was undeniably nervous when I got there, I was honestly thinking I'd get through it pretty easily. After all, I had been running at the gym and taking regular spin classes for three whole weeks now! (You can laugh at me now, I won't blame you.) Needless to say, running and biking outside is very different than running on a treadmill and taking spin!! Especially when you're dealing with a hilly uneven course that even Jen, one of our coaches who has not only done Wildflower numerous times but has also completed an Ironman, said was much harder than the one we'll be doing in May. I quickly learned how to use the gears on my bike as I huffed and puffed up one hill after another and by the time I was on my last leg of the race (the 3 mile run), my legs felt like there were bricks tied to my feet... They felt sooo heavy! But you know what? I did it. I pushed through. I survived.
Well just barely.
Out of 19 members on my team, I finished the race second to last! Yep, that means I came in eighteenth place! And you know what, I'm okay with it. I learned a lot today, which is far more valuable to me. I'd like to share with you a few of my new found nuggets of wisdom:
- One: Training outdoors is crucial in preparing for an outdoor race... (duh.)
- Two: Just when you think you've given everything you could, push harder. Chances are, you have a lot more to give.
- Three: A supportive team makes all the difference! In training and in life, make sure you have positive and encouraging people around you.
- Four: As hard as today was for me (and it was hard), it pales in comparison to what cancer patients have to go through everyday, from just dealing with the physical effects of the disease to going through one draining round of chemo after another. A duathlon is a walk in the park.
