Whew!

 This the before picture from the Big Lake Triathlon this weekend.  My friends "convinced" me to do this race.  I am not fond of lakes, swimming in lakes or the weeds that inhabit the lakes.  Nonetheless, the peer pressure got to me and I signed up for the race.

 Here is everyone in the water.  It was funny that there was a pack at the front jockeying for position and a group at the back trying to get closer to the back.  I was somewhere in the middle trying to get my nose plug to stick.

 I didn't think that I would make it through the swim.  I couldn't get my breathing in order.  Apparently, my lungs were a bit panicky.  It might have had something to do with my brain being a bit nervous.

 The wetsuit removal is never very pretty, but I managed it.  I was flying on the bike and passed all the people that swam around me in the lake.  I got going 30 on a downhill.  It all changed at mile 10.  My front tire went flat.  I rode a bit and wondered if that was all right.  I did and then it was totally flat and rendered my steering obsolete.  Alas, I made a snap decision to run the remaining 2 miles of the bike course.  My bike shoes were a bit of an obstacle so I did some barefoot running.  I made it back and ran with my friend to the finish.

She is number 2 and could have blazed the 3 mile run, but ran with me.  It was fantastic and it meant that I didn't walk at all.  It was a fantastic race - not withstanding the panicky swim, flat tire and tiring run!  Good Times.  A big thanks also to my mom for taking the pictures, making signs and giving me a wonderful hug at the finish line!