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09-15-06, 10:42 AM
A good friend of mine completed his first triathlon a few days ago. He chose the FirmMan half-iron distance triathlon in Narragansett, RI for his very first attempt at the sport. And while he wasn't particularly fast (or fast at all, really), he actually finished. There was something like 700 athletes competing. It was nuts!
I'm quite proud of him. Here's his race report (words by him, pics by me):
"September 10th, 2006, I participated in the Firm Man Triathlon down in Narragansett. It was an official Half-Iron Man and the first Tri I had ever attempted. I pushed myself to a limit I had never been to before and I can honestly say that I could not have performed any better then what I did.
Swim (1.2 miles) - Time: 0:58:12
I knew this would be my slowest leg and I was right.... In fact, I came in dead last here. Here are some reasons. I did this entire leg using the breast stroke because of my shoulders. The stroke in and of itself is slower and weaker. It didnt help that there were 3 foot waves rolling in on me, nor did the fact that the tide was going out. I basically got pulled out "to sea." I was a good 75 yards off course, and probably turned the swim into 1.5 miles easily. But, I finished.
Bike (56 miles) - Time: 3:15:11 (4:11:23 total)
I moved up 138 places on this leg. I was flying strong until around mile 41. Then I was informed by my body that I was done. I laughed at it, told it it was crazy, and pushed on. By mile fifty I was dry-heaving and had to slow way down for the last 6 miles. Note: I hate the wind.
Run (13.1 miles) - Time: 2:37:44 (6:49:07 total)
Very slow, very tough. Actually the first four miles were cake, until I realized I still had 9 to go. By mile 7 all I wanted to do was vomit, but I knew if I did that I would be too dehydrated to finish. By mile 10 I was swearing at all the people who would stop and walk infront of me, just to rest and jog past me later, until I caught up to them again because they were walking (there is nothing in the rules against this, but I was determined to finish without stopping). During the last quater mile of the race, my lungs decided to stop working. I think I took in around seven breaths for the entire quater mile (not enough at all). I crossed the finish line, collapsed on my friend's shoulders, and he carried me to the ambulance.
Afterwards, he told me he wasn't sure he'd ever do it again. But the very next day, I get a call on the phone... "Hey, there's a sprint distance triathlon this weekend. You wanna enter with me?" lol.
I'm quite proud of him. Here's his race report (words by him, pics by me):
"September 10th, 2006, I participated in the Firm Man Triathlon down in Narragansett. It was an official Half-Iron Man and the first Tri I had ever attempted. I pushed myself to a limit I had never been to before and I can honestly say that I could not have performed any better then what I did.
Swim (1.2 miles) - Time: 0:58:12
I knew this would be my slowest leg and I was right.... In fact, I came in dead last here. Here are some reasons. I did this entire leg using the breast stroke because of my shoulders. The stroke in and of itself is slower and weaker. It didnt help that there were 3 foot waves rolling in on me, nor did the fact that the tide was going out. I basically got pulled out "to sea." I was a good 75 yards off course, and probably turned the swim into 1.5 miles easily. But, I finished.
Bike (56 miles) - Time: 3:15:11 (4:11:23 total)
I moved up 138 places on this leg. I was flying strong until around mile 41. Then I was informed by my body that I was done. I laughed at it, told it it was crazy, and pushed on. By mile fifty I was dry-heaving and had to slow way down for the last 6 miles. Note: I hate the wind.
Run (13.1 miles) - Time: 2:37:44 (6:49:07 total)
Very slow, very tough. Actually the first four miles were cake, until I realized I still had 9 to go. By mile 7 all I wanted to do was vomit, but I knew if I did that I would be too dehydrated to finish. By mile 10 I was swearing at all the people who would stop and walk infront of me, just to rest and jog past me later, until I caught up to them again because they were walking (there is nothing in the rules against this, but I was determined to finish without stopping). During the last quater mile of the race, my lungs decided to stop working. I think I took in around seven breaths for the entire quater mile (not enough at all). I crossed the finish line, collapsed on my friend's shoulders, and he carried me to the ambulance.
Afterwards, he told me he wasn't sure he'd ever do it again. But the very next day, I get a call on the phone... "Hey, there's a sprint distance triathlon this weekend. You wanna enter with me?" lol.