B n T Payne Family: Triathlon

Last summer, I made a goal: Either 1. Have a baby OR 2. Do a triathlon. Baby didn't come, although I was hopeful right up until May (sigh), but I did try to prepare for the triathlon. I even registered back at the beginning of the year for the Dog House Sprint. However, May 12th came fast and furious, and I would like to say that's how I completed the triathlon, but alas, it was my first (but not my last) triathlon. Training takes time, and that's just not something I have a whole lot of at this stage in my life. Jess (sister-in-law) drove up to Lubbock with her two cute girlies to do the triathlon with me. It was a ton of fun, and like I said, I want more...

I know, I know, you are already so impressed with the triathlon, just because of the redneck sign. :) Jess and I were feeling the excitement of the race for sure (with a little anxiety, since we were told the night before that the water was 61 degrees, and we didn't have wetsuits).

When we arrived, we set up our bikes in the transition area, got our numbers painted, and inspected the coarse a little.

Here we are lining up to start--we just crossed the sensors and are waiting for the "GO."

500 meter swim...

17.6 mile bike...

5 kilometer run...

It felt so good to cross that finish line. It was such a beautiful day, and I learned a lot. For example, swimming in a pool is very different than a lake (ha, ha); lake water also tastes worse when accidentally inhaled; $3 goggles fog very easily and make it hard to see (so does brown water); road bikes are not the same as mountain bikes (this was my 2nd time ever riding a road bike-I rented it from Texas Tech); transition time does matter; it takes at least one mile to feel your legs again after transitioning from biking to running; and I think I better stop there. But I finished, felt great, and--most importantly--was able to go home and still be a mommy all day. :)

Daisy came to the race with Brian (B's the one taking all the pics), and our very nice neighbors watched the rest of the little Paynes. Brian loved hangin' with Dais, and I was very glad to have another fan cheering me...