The Curvy Cyclist First Triathlon Relay
So today I was able to try a new thing. St Louis had a triathlon today. The first one of its kind here in the city. It was called the 370 Lakeside Triathlon. My friend Doc, who I met in a bicycle group on Facebook asked in the group if someone wanted to accompany her for a relay. That post is how all of this started.
When I first met Doc, whose first name is Heidi (she is also from New Orleans and not a St. Louis native (which is an important fact for my readers going forward), she mentioned that she was a triathlete and filled me in on the deets about triathlons, particularly about relay style triathlons (which I didn’t know existed before this conversation).
Anyho, as I read the post that Doc posted in one of our many shared FB cyclist and runners groups, I perked up because I can definitely take the bike portion of a triathlon. I told her that I was interested in taking the bike portion of the relay race. Now we were off to find the runner to complete our team. Doc was able to find another Black woman, Jenine, that wanted to join us and so we became The Ohio Players relay team (both Doc and I were born in Ohio).
And so today, we had to be there before 6:30am in order to be counted for the race. It was quite an experience. Yesterday, I actually had to drop my bike off at the location so I was very fearful because my bike is just gonna be sitting out in the elements on the bike rack. Of course I questioned, “ who’s gonna be watching my bike all night?” Now, please know that there were MANY bikes there that were THOUSANDS of dollars more than my lowly unknown aged Cannondale Synapse running on a Shimano 105 groupset (which I recently upgraded from a Sora a month ago) and new Bontrager Paradigm wheels. Regardless, I was very worried for Baby.
And so we went yesterday: I dropped the bike off, we picked up our packets and our numbers and our stickers and our little RFID ankle bracelet thingie. This morning I woke up to a phone call from Doc who needed a ride to the event. After days waiting for her car to be repaired, it was still waiting on a part. Actually, picking her up was what God had intended. I was so nervous about everything with this race so it was really good to walk in with Doc and her experience.
We met and chatted it up with some cool people, some of them this was their first triathlon first relay. I watched all of the swimmers start their races. Even Doc. I was simply in awe.
Doc went first. She did a 750 meters swim in open water, which I thought was amazing. Swimming? 750M? In a lake? She started off with the backstroke only to find out that they would not allow her to do that, and so she completed the race with a side stroke, which again is very difficult to do. When Doc finished her swim, she runs back into what they call the “transition area” which was where the bikes were stored. And she puts the little RFID bracelet thingy on my left ankle, and I take off. I have no idea where I’m going. All I know is I’m following the other bikes out of the park. T
Thank goodness that the route was marked just so that I could understand. Now, I was a little worried because they had green, blue and yellow arrows (am I supposed to be following the blue, or the green??) It’s good to know that I’m listening to folks even when I’m not tuned in! I briefly remember talking to another relay participant in the transition area who told me that the blue markers were for us. Yes!
And so I’m off, and I was a little nervous because I have a team now rooting for me and I don’t want to let them down. I want to make sure that I get good time and that I’m on the right route. They did not close the streets although they did have police stationed and the different intersections, but otherwise you were kind of on your own, making your own ride.
I need to work on my breathing. Definitely need to work on my breathing.
I really tried to push myself throughout this entire ride and again I only did 20k which equated to about 11 to 12 miles. The route was an out and back. I came back, took the thing off my leg and wrapped it around Jenine’s leg and she was off on her 5k run (just about 3.1 miles.) So overall, we did well. I am excited that I was able to do it with some phenomenal women, but here are my few takeaways.
- I need to ride more, my breathing was not very good.
- I couldn’t keep a fast pace for very long, I really need to work on that.
- I need to shed some of this anxiety. Get control of it.
- It’s always fun to do things with other people who share your same hobbies and interests.
I was so nervous about everything. I know I don’t want to be that way. I want cycling to be a sport that I love and that I enjoy that doesn’t cause me anxiety.
I think I will take some swim lessons. (I was taught how to swim at a young age, but that’s a story for another day)
I am a little disappointed with myself; just a little down because I’m tired. And after a 12 mile bike ride, I shouldn’t be tired. My left knee hurt and that’s causing me some frustration, and my left thigh kind of seized up on me and so I don’t know if that’s because I need to get the bike refitted or there’s something else going on. Needless to say, I really need to get these things dealt with quickly, otherwise, it’s going to make cycling not as happy as it usually makes me.
So that’s all I got for today guys and gals.
Keep cycling guys just keep cycling.
Curvy Cyclist OUT!
