#24 - Sunday 6th

enjoying

Today was the day I did my first triathlon. What an incredible experience. Waking up - post last nights cocktails I drank plenty of water and ate a good breckie, the race organizer picked myself and Rebecca up & we set off over to Stromness - so beautiful with the sun out. (& quite a few trees!). Still no bike... Little wander through the adorable town - very loveable. Arrived back to the pool, a lot of action taking place, transition now full of bikes and lycra clad people. Found Alex with my bike! Very exciting, and what a fabulous bike - lilac and perfect size - it rode like just amazing, I've never ridden a proper racing bike before, I surprisingly loved the cycling. Time to register, I had my body permanently marker-penned with the number 18, my left arm and right calf and I was given a snot green swim cap! I had suddenly realized last night, logistically triathlon presented some issues... like I'll be swimming, getting wet, getting from the pool to a bike... for instance what do you wear, do you get changed...wear socks?! Everyone else had neat piles beside their bikes & they were talc-ing their shoes and hats - eek. Race briefing cleared up a few points - like getting hit on the head with a float when you have two lengths left.... Just to clarify, I didn't really train for this, two practice swims before the tri - just to check I could still do front crawl and work out swimming with goggles! The cycling on Westray and the odd run with my GP.... I really expected to feel more terrified and ready to run away.... instead I was sat stuffing my face in the sun & only felt like running away when I was stood in the pool with 30seconds to go.... its crazy how relaxed Orkney makes you feel! All lined up in the pool, set off at 10second intervals, really really enjoyed it, you just kind of get into it, lengths 20-25 were hard and I'd miss-counted and wasn't hit on the head when I expected! I managed to overtake one swimmer though. In a daze made it into transition, closely followed by the guy in speedos... helmet on, shoes (without socks, Pete was right, there was no time!) and double knots tied... I was all set for my most feared stage. Cycled up out of Stromness, i can't describe the beauty of the setting, huge bright blue lochs, set in fresh, lush green - very distracting. Flying along averaging 20mph up to 30 at one point, loving life.... (somehow avoided a catastrophe with my water bottle falling out of the bottle holder) very slowly and pathetically turned at the furthest point and turned into an 'Orkney Breeze', aka full force wind. Averaging 9.5/10mph home felt a bit longer! Into transition two, nearly fell of the bike (right in front of the guy I'm borrowing the bike from)... Rebecca cheering and filming, helmet off and taking off with just my feet back into the town. Such a lovely route... felt okay really, a few passing waves of nausea but just so enjoying it - finally back to the finish line & a sit down! I was accused of not even sweating - it felt like I was trying even if it didn't appear so! So many cakes, the baklava was like phenomenal and to end the event, prize-giving (t-shirts and medals) Unfortunately I'm not able to claim third woman in the most northern UK triathlon like I'd hoped (due simply to few entrants) but I can absolutely say I completed the most northern UK triathlon and loved every minute. 1:28 was my time but that really didn't seem to matter. Oh yes and I managed to ask the winner, (no not me, Mum) if he'd done triathlons before... yes he said, a few.... Rebecca later told me he was Commonwealth standard... but wanted to train for an ironman instead... well how was I to know?! I was still racing when he'd finished!