Trial By Water

In my ongoing campaign to fit into a particular suit by 518's wedding, today I did a "sprint triathlon" up in a Smallish State mountain town. This involves 1k of swimming, a 25k bike, and 5k run. As luck would have it, some good friends had loaned out their front meadow as the starting point and "transition" station for the swim. A few phone calls to track them down, and reminders that I've been splitting firewood for them for over a decade, netted a convenient spot to sleep the night before the race.

Not being a remotely competitive person, at least athletically, this whole deal was a bit of a stretch for me. In particular, I have not swum anything close to 1k since probably junior high. Also I am virtually blind without my specs. And in fresh water, I found, I sink like a stone. So the first event was a bit of a challenge, but as you can see, I didn't drown. The bike was no sweat. The run, unfortunately, was on some stupefyingly hard cross-country trails, with uphills that belong in hiking guidebooks. Pain and agony.

Not sure how I actually placed in the race (I did not receive any prizes, that was clear) but it certainly provided a sense of accomplishment. Perhaps I'll do another, once I get all the pond water out of my nose and lungs.