woman of steel

On Saturday May 16, Nan, my mom, and I participated in American Fork's Woman of Steel Triathlon. I've been preparing/dreading/working for it since January.

Apparently this thing was a big deal. There were about 600 women participating. Outside the American Fork Rec Center they had set up rows and rows of bike racks. Every foot or so they had a name taped to it signifying where you were to put your bike and all your other gear. This was called the Transition Area. Anything you needed for the swim, bike, or run were kept here.

We arrived at 6:30 am to the bustling Rec Center where hundreds of bikes where dangling by racks. I couldn't help but feel nauseated thinking about the impending race. All I could think about was the swim. I kept telling myself if I could just get through the swim, I'd be home-free. We made final preparations such as the staff writing your race number (38) on your arm and your age (23) on your leg. At 8 am everyone headed poolside for the National Anthem.

THE SWIM - It was held in a mere pool, but I was still pretty terrified because, let's be honest, swimming has never been my strong suit. 300 meters doesn't sound like a whole lot, but people, is it. Think of the long length of a pool - and then swimming six laps of that non-stop.

All participants were given a hot pink cap. You didn't have to wear it, but I did because I figured I would disappear into the sea of pink and no one would notice the girl who couldn't swim.

A new swimmer would enter the pool every 12 seconds until every one had gone. As the line grew shorter, I grew less nervous. I realized that a lot of people couldn't swim like me, and that I would be okay. I finally just got out there and basically faked it. My swim took me 9:54. I am pretty proud of that considering I've been convinced the last few months that I would drown.

THE BIKE - When you hop out of the pool, you run back to the transition area and throw on your socks, shoes, helmet, and mount your bike. The bike loop left the Rec Center and took you up into Highland. At the start of the loop, there are these two massive hills (they don't look as such by car, but trust me). My thighs were burning while biking up these hills. But what goes up, must come down. You then made your way to the Alpine Highway which was a nice down hill ride.

The loop obviously returns to the Rec Center, where you do it one more time. The thought of biking those hills again was daunting, but I was excited to get it over with. After loop number two, you've completed 12.4 miles. My bike time was 50:27.

This is Nan completing a bike loop. Her and I rented these sweet road bikes. They're much faster than mountain bikes.

THE RUN - After the biking I quickly returned my bike to the transition racks and threw on my running shoes. My legs felt like noodles. It was a weird sensation trying to run when your legs feel like that.

The running loop followed the bike loop for the most part. We had to run up those hills I mentioned before in the bike loop. Not fun. But the loop cut off earlier than the bike loop and set back toward the Rec Center. The run consisted of three miles. During the run I was so ready to be done and the finish line couldn't have come any sooner. Once back the the Rec Center, they had the red finish line set up and I proudly ran on through. What a relief. My run time was 28:07.

You can barely see me, but there I am running through the finish line.

Once at the finish line, the booths were full of oranges, grapes, apples, cookies, water, chips, salsa - every thing you need to make a full recovery. This was all very welcome.

This is my cool road bike. She got me thru the tough times.

And here is Nan again being her exhibisionist self again. As you can see, she loved her skin-tight TRI shorts.

And my rockin' mom. She encountered a few minor setbacks when we got to the race that morning. As we were walking our bikes on the sidewalks of AF, she walked her bike through a patch of those sticker pokey things. As she gingerly pulled them out, one let out a burst of air. Fortunately there was an awesome dude there you changed out both of her tubes free of charge. Nice guy. She also forgot her race numbers at home. Bummer. But after these trials, she did awesome out there.

Our finishing times (including transtion times) were as follows:

Me - 1:33

Nan - 1:39

Daunetta -1:53

This was a pretty awesome experience. I was dirt tired after, but it was totally worth it. You all can refer to me as a triathlete from now on.