My First Triathlon

Cohutta Mountains, Somewhere:
http://pe.southern.edu/triathlon/

Arnaldo San Martin, deserves the credit for this one. Arnie and I decide that we are going to do a triathlon. So after buying my first bike since my Fuji Sagres we get back into riding. A shiny new 2004 Trek 1200. Introductory bike at best, but still a hella bike! We ride in Buckhead, we ride in Stone Mountain and we ride the Vinings. We ride, we ride, we run, we however do no swimming. How hard could it be I said? Well for me it was hard, for Arnie, not so hard-he never went through with signing up. Dork.

So race day arrives, Jen and I head up I75 to someplace we could never find again and proceed get setup. Got my tri shorts on, my cap, and my goggles. The one thing that has been neglected is my ability to swim. Kid you not,the thought of dying was coming to mind. Seriously. after making it 100 yards out, there was gasping, overheating, and beginning to float on my back to stay up. The swim was a killer at only a half mile, the water murky and cold, my dignity on shore with Jen who did not think grown men actually did the doggy paddle.

I love bikes, road bikes, mountain bikes, tri-bikes, cruisers you name it. Love -em. This was the best part, 18 miles total, out and back. The only time that seems to make it to memory is the 57 minutes it took me in the hills. The bike was uneventful to say the least, just a few hillbillies hanging around and a few dogs chasing ya, but all the while and average ride.

4 miles, that's it really. Just 4 miles. Oh crap that was the hardest 4 miles ever! Looking back now wondering why the hell puking at 4 miles seemed ok. My gosh, what a wiener. Anyway 4 miles total, out and back was a pretty easy concept except the fact draining all ones energy in the swim was prone to show itself now at this time. Some kind of start for a guy who calls himself an endurance athlete now. Guess starting somewhere was a requirement! Who knew it would lead to the life lived today.