Triathlons, Racing, Gratitude & Ramblings

Soooo, I just competed in my 2nd triathlon! The race was a blast! It was 11.5 miles long. I placed 5th in my age group, boys/girls aged 16-20, with a total time of 00:45:40. Overall I took 99th place, out of 240 soloists. There were a total of about 500 racers, the rest being on a three person team, one person for each leg of the race. It was a skiing, biking, running event. Running was my weak link, as my knee was pretty stiff & sore from an injury I got about two months ago. Skiing was the best, I skied 2.5 miles in about 3 minutes! I love racing, (mainly skiing) the sport & excitement is fun - The starting point for the race was on top of the mountain. I skied 2.5 miles down to the bike transition, from there biked downhill 6 miles. Then I ran 2.5 miles to the finish line!

The day was beautiful, so cold with a fresh blanket of snow sparkling on everything, pristine & bright. 

I also participated in the Grizzly Peak Adventure Race it's very first year. 

It was April 2011.  I did an 11 mile triathlon: 2.5 mile of skiing: time 0:3:37,2.5 miles running: time 0:25:47,6 miles biking: time 0:18:03. Total time: 00.47.21. I took 27th place out of 66 female soloists, & 2nd place in my age group, boys & girls 16-20 years. Running was clearly my weakest place. But, in my defense, I got a reallly bad cramp, & actually walked for about a half a mile. Not fun. There were over 300 racers.

But overall, the race was so exciting, that feeling inspired, I started doing just a little bit of jogging on the side, maybe once every week or two. ;)

On July 4th, I did a two mile run, & took 2nd place with the time of 0:14:? min. for the female age group 15-20.

Now I was jogging, on the weekends whenever I could.

Then in like August 2011. I ran in a little 3K. I took first place, (age group) with an average time of 0:17:49. Overall place of 10th, out of about 70 racers. (Yes, it was a very small event.) I started "training" about a week before hand. Again, not a good idea, but it musta worked, that or all the other racers were reallllly crummy. (hehe!)

October 2011. I ran a 2 mile run, took 3rd place (age group) with a time of  0:14:23.  This was a large event, with over 300 runners, but the data is incomplete. I don't know anything other then that I placed 2nd. 

In November, I was in great running schedule. (I was actually running, not doing the jogging thing most people call running.) I did about 3-2 miles, every-other to every day, with good times: 7 − 6.30 minute miles.

But then I started skiing in December. I got lazy with my running. I became a "weekend warrior".  And in January 2012, I injured my knee in a skiing race. Now I've got to tell you about it — 

It was a smaller event, that lasted for 6 weeks. January- February. Timed slalom racing, with 106 racers total. Overall I placed 30th. But I had a bad crash while practicing, & hyperextended my leg, tore some little muscles holding my knee cap in place, & generally really twisted things up. (But I didn't know that, until about 8 months later, when I went in for Xrays & a MRI.) I just thought I'd pulled some muscles, or something. It hurt sure like the dickens, when it happened, I limped around for a few days & took pain meds. (NOTE: if you ever have a bad ski crash & limp for more then a week, go see the doctor, asap!) But after a week or so, the knee was just really stiff & weak feeling. I honestly didn't think much of it, thinking it would heal in time…

This is me slalom racing! 

Now I've caught you up to date, April 2012 & the triathlon I just competed in, & told you about.  (This post became a lot longer then I originally intended!) If you are a runner or a biker or a skier  - Keep pressing onwards! Don't stop & never, ever give up! NEVER take your good heath for granted! Be thankful - You have so much! Legs that take you places, eyes to see the beautiful world with, energy to burn & time to do it all. Enjoy what you do & find the beauty in God's amazing creation while you are on the roads, trails or slopes!  Stay strong, fit & thankful, while always remembering that Jesus is where your strength comes from!

"The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father's God, and I will exalt him." Exodus 15:2 

-GB