The Tri Dash!

I DID IT!
Well, really, WE did it!
My sister and I, that is.
Yesterday, before the sun was even up, at 6AM we left the house and headed to the lake where the triathlon dash was being held, start time 8AM.
Our nerves were really going. We weren't sure if we were ready of 200yds cold lake swim, 6.5 miles of biking, and a 2 mile run.  In separate bits these things were no big deal, but combine them and it is a Triathlon Dash!
But as we paid our $10 for parking, saw the giant Red Bull tent, all the Fleet Feet stalls, and the racks and racks for bikes, we bit our lips and headed over to the transition area.
I learned that my sister and I were not in the same heat, because I had been put in the over 40 category.  My 29 year old pride was a little hurt at the point I must admit.  But I decided to make waves in the water instead of with the organizers and we set up out stuff.
Bike: set, Shoes: untied, Socks: in place, Number: on the shirt, Clothes: laid out, Helmet: unbuckled.
Now to put the suction cup of a wet suit on.  God Bless BodyGlide! It really did help.  Now, swim shoes, cap and goggles on, and start?
After a short, but scary briefing by the announcer, we headed down to the water, and got in.  God Bless wetsuits!  They made all the difference in the world.
As 8AM quickly approached, my sister's heat was set, and then they were off!  She rocked in, the awesome swimmer she is, and was 7th out of the lake. And on to the bike.
Now it was my turn and all I could think was, What in the World am I doing! But the gun went off, and off I went.  I started swimming as soon as I could, and my shoe was quickly knocked 1/2 off by a swimmer behind me.  I fixed it and then really felt the cold.  Taking a breath was hard!  And little did I know that it wouldn't become easy again till at least the last mile of the run.  But for now I was in the water and having a hard time breathing. So I rolled over onto my back and did back stroke.  Ok, I thought, I can make this.  The 200yds were over quickly, then up the hill to the transition area.  My family cheering me up the hill.
I got the wetsuit off after shimming it down and doing what I can only call, a version of the pee pee dance.  Next clothes, shoes, some water, and honey goo.  Now helmet and off.
I had done this part before, but never out of breath like this.  I knew that there were 6 true hills to tackle, but tunnel vision came and I lost count.  I passes my sister just as she was coming back from the turn around, so she was maintaining her 6 min lead.  Just as I was coming back from the turn around, the tire of the woman in front of me went off like a shot.  Her day was done, but I keep going, knowing I would send help to her, if I saw a volunteer.  I did pass a few people, but was passed by more.  Each hill was something to pump up and the downhills always proved short lived.  But the 6.5 mile loop was completed.  And back to the transition area, where the bike and helmet was dropped and the honey goo and water bottle was picked up.
I tossed the wrapper of the goo to my family, and tried to jog off.  The jog only lasted for the first little bit of the 2 miles, and was picked up whenever I felt I could do it.  My legs weren't as bad as I thought, but I was still breathing really hard.  The path quickly became a trail, and my mantra became "No poison oak, no poison oak, no poison oak...." I did grab Gatorade at the aid station that seemed far longer than the 1 mile marker said.  But on the last 1/2 of the run loop, my new mantra stayed in my head.  And then I realized I was almost done with a triathlon!  And the best part was, when I finished, I never had to do one again, if I didn't want to!  I saw my family cheering me on about 300yds from the finish, and they got me to sprint in.
I finished it hard! And in just over 1 hour.  (I thought if I could do it in 2 hours I would be good)
My sister and I celebrated with water, cuties and graham crackers at the lake.  At home a hot shower and a nice nap awaited us, followed by hamburgers off my new grill!  It was a good day, a hard event, but a good one.  And as for doing it again, we;;, we'll just have to wait and see.