I AM a woman of Steel

Race day finally came! I've been training since last July for the Women of Steel Triathlon. In July my SIL Amber asked me to do a triathlon with her. So I bought a family membership to the local pool, and have been swimming 2 days a week (the swim leg of the race was going to be my advantage- While I'm not fast- I'm certainly better at swimming than running or biking) I started Couch to 5K running program (it took me much longer than 9 weeks to make it through the program- as I had to repeat a few weeks) And Ben and the boys got me a new bike for my birthday last summer, and I've been on it as much as weather allowed. So I was as ready as I thought I could be.

Today was the day I've been training for. The big race. It was a cold, cold, cold, raining morning as Amber and I unloaded our bikes and got ready. As we got to the transition area, they announced over the loudspeaker that the swim leg of the race was being replaced with a 1 mile run instead. So instead of swim-bike-run we would be run-bike-run-ing. I was a bit dissapointed- as the swim is my best leg, but by the same token it was SOO cold- swimming in an outdoor pool and then biking and running- I probably would have frozen to death. ;)

We started out running 1 mile, (instead of swmming the 300 m- that I was TOTALLY prepared for) I was number 261- so I was 2 minutes behind the first group of runners- Amber was in the first group. Here I am on mile number 1- just starting out.

After a 1 mile run- was the bike leg- 2 loops at just over 6 miles each- for a 12 mile ride.

I rented a road bike for the race- and I'm SO glad I did- it made the bike leg much easier!

Here's Amber in transition area- getting onto her bike. Amber in the bike leg- Amber is an awesome biker- and has done big long bike races before- this year she's doing a 100 mile race in just a couple of weeks. (Amber- YOU ROCK!)Ok- last but not least- the 3 mile final run- YOUCH! There was a MAJOR hill to climb- (note to self- IF I do this again- train on hills!) And the finish line! I DID IT!!! Ok- so it wasn't fast- and it wasn't pretty- but I DID IT! Here's my results- I came in just under 2 hours- at 1:55:50.7! WEEEHAAA!