My First Race                 
                    by Randy Leinhauser

If this is your first triathlon. Congratulations! You are probably a little nervous and wondering if you've made the right decision. You may not know anyone that has raced a triathlon before. Maybe peer pressure motivated you to register. Maybe your getting older and you feel like you need to jumpstart your life and accomplish something big. You probably have run either 5Ks or 10Ks. Maybe your a recreational biker. But this is a triathlon. This is different. This is big. You have accepted a challenge that sets you apart from most of the population.
 
Every triathlete has a first race. Some of the more talented traithletes forget that a large majority of the racers in this sport are not racing to win an award. (Just watch them at the awards ceremonies acting like it was sooo easy.) Well...I'm not one of them. I may never be one of them. But, that's not the reason I race, nor the reason many of us do triathlons every year. The real reason I continue to race every year, (going on my 18th year) is the feeling of accomplishment I get after every race. Even as I get older, when other people my age are feeling like they should slow down. Maybe they are taking blood pressure medication, cholesterol medication and who knows what else they need to take because...they're getting old. Well...I'm still doing triathlons. Maybe after you read this, you'll see why.

Anyway, if you've read this far, you're either curious, bored or first time triathlete. As a first timer, I can't imagine that my experience will be much different than your experience so I thought I would share my story with you.

Why?
I began doing triathlons at the age of 30. Mostly by default. I was never into running. I really only went for an occasional jog to keep my weight down. I owned a bike that sat around collecting dust. (A 40 pound Schwinn Varsity 10 speed that I got when I was 12.) I also wasn't a great swimmer either, but I knew how to swim. I was actually on the diving team because I hated swimming laps.

I remember seeing an add for a triathlon in Salisbury, MD. A 1/2 mil swim, a 15 mile bike, and a 3.2 mile run. It was being held on the the first weekend in May, 1992. Should I try this? It's only a 1/2 mile swim. What's a 1/2 mile right, I know how to swim. A 15 mile bike, no problem, I had been using the stationary bike in the gym for 45-60 minute periods. The final readout showed that I completed 12-15 miles. OK, got that. Then a 3 mile run. Heck, I've jogged that far...I think. (Remember when running was called "jogging"?) I remember driving down the highway, measuring distances between telephone poles then trying to guess how far I needed to swim and run. A 1/2 mile didn't look very far between telephone poles, so...how bad could this triathlon thing be. 

My friends and co-workers thought I was ridiculous. Triathlons weren't popular in the 90's. People would say with some doubt in their voice, "hey that's cool," and wished me luck. (After the race I  think everyone expected to hear some lame excuse for not doing the race.)

My parents were very supportive....cough cough. "A triathlon, what's that? Why do you want to do something like that, (at 30 years old), your too old for that stuff." Of course I always took my parents advice...right? So, as the "rebellious" son trying to prove them wrong, I signed up. Why is proving someone wrong so motivating?

 

Race Day
I woke up on race day way before the alarm. I didn't sleep well before the race (I still don't). I was nervous that the alarm wouldn't go off. I wasn't really hungry, so I started to get ready. I still had over an hour drive to the race but I got to the race very early. It was still dark.

I remember pulling into the parking lot and pulling up next to other cars. I had to give myself enough room to the side of the car to slide my 40 pound Schwinn bike out. I didn't have the cool roof rack like everyone else adn I especially didn't have any idea what I needed to do next or where I needed to go. So, I just followed everyone else.

I followed everyone to the registration table, then to the transition area. I watched everyone set up their bikes. I had no idea if I just put my bike anywhere or if I had my own spot so...I asked. "Nope, put it anywhere," was their answer.

I found a spot to put my 40 pound bike then I looked around. Should I even be here, did I make a mistake by entering this race? I didn't need to "hang" my bike like everyone else....NO, not me, I had a kickstand. Almost everyone had these slick, aerodynamic, lightweight bikes. They looked nothing like my 1974, light blue Schwinn Varsity Sport, original cost: $122.95 given to me for Christmas by my Mom and Dad. 

I figured out the "wave" thing for the swim and I followed everyone to the start. People were wearing wetsuits. I know it's May but the water can't be that cold. Oh yeah, the water was cold. It didn't matter. I was so nervous, my heart was racing so fast and I was shaking from the nerves. The cold water only added to it.

Oh, I almost forgot to mention, as I walked to the water, I rubbed my eye and my contact lens fell out. Exactly what I needed minutes before the race. The good thing about triathlons, everyone becomes one big family, and within seconds, I had about 5 or 6 people helping me look for that contact. We found it in about two minutes and I was on my way to the start.

The Actual Race
The adrenalin at the start of the swim pushed me about 50 yards into the swim before I realized I wasn't really breathing. I slowed to catch my breath but other swimmers were swimming over me. I was treading water but switched to breast stroke so I could move with the crowd. Then it was a side stroke, followed by a breast stroke, then a back stroke and sometimes a freestyle stroke. Anything to get to the finish. The 1/2 mile swim was a little farther than I expected. NOW, I'm thinking that training for the swim may have been a good idea. Eventually, I made it through the swim. I figured that based on my swim, the bike and the run should be easy.

 

Once out of the water, I was happy to get to my bike. I have been riding this bike for 18 years. I put on my running shoes and helmet and followed everyone else out of the transition area. The bike ride was fun. It was an out and back ride, very simple. I received many "compliments" on my killer blue Schwinn bike. I also got a great deal of pleasure every time I passed one of the "high tech" bikes that obviously cost more than the hard earned $122.95 my father spent for my bike. (Remember, it's not the bike, it's the motor that makes the difference).

At the end of the bike leg, I didn't need to change my shoes like the other racers. I just put down my kickstand and I was off. I didn't know where to go, again...I just followed everyone else.

I thought the run would be so easy. I was an athlete in High School but nothing prepared me for this. Different muscles, different terrain. My legs felt like concrete, they could hardly move. The other racers were very supportive. Some struggled like I did, others would pass me saying "hang in there," "your almost there," "you can do it." I just kept thinking, I can run 3 miles AND I only have 3 miles, then 2 miles, then 1 mile left. I didn't have the strength in my legs to do anything but run straight. It seemed like there was no end to the race. I would pick out objects a few hundred feet in front of me and run to them. It may have been a sign or telephone pole, anything to keep going. Then, finally, as I turned the last corner, I could see the finish line a few hundred yards ahead. This is it!!! This is the end of my 1st triathlon. My adrenaline really picked up and I could feel my energy level build. I began to sprint toward the finish line. People were lined up on both sides clapping and cheering. The finish line, unbelievable, I have finished my first triathlon.

I grabbed a water and caught my breath. As I watched others finish the race I thought, wow, guess what, I'm triathlete? How cool is that. What a feeling. You get this feeling of euphoria when your finished et and the total feeling of accomplishment from finishing your first triathlon.

The Following Years
The next day I immediately began looking for my next race. I registered for another race that was one month later. However, this time I trained. One month later, I completed my 1st Olympic distance triathlon, then another and another. I think I did 7 races that year, 8 the following year. I have never placed in any event or won a prize but I love doing triathlons.

Life gets busy and your life changes. What's nice is that you know you can always get back into shape and race. It becomes part of your life.

 

When I turned 40, a friend challenged me to the "Escape from Alcatraz" race in San Francisco. This race was longer than anything I have ever done. But now, I know what I need to do. I went from "just knowing how to swim" to swimming from Alcatraz Island to San Francisco. It wasn't as hard as I expected and I actually did well in the swim. (and I beat my friend). It's amazing what you can do with the right attitude.

 

Now, at (gulp) 48 year of age, I still feel I need to complete a least one triathlon a year. (Yes, it's the Dewey Beach Triathlon). Although my training time is limited because of work and family, I can usually find just enough time to train for the race. It keeps me in shape. Physically and mentally and as long as I am physically capable, I will keep racing so that I can again get that feeling you get after finishing a race.

 

The Dewey Beach Sprint Triathlon
By entering this race, you've taken the first step to the completion of your first triathlon. There are no short cuts. I've looked for them. But, the way I approach it is that swimming uses different muscles than you use everyday and 33 laps (1/2 mile) sounds like a lot. Just like training for the run and the bike, break it down into smaller, achievable distances. Add a little distance each time you train. 10 laps, then 15, etc. I think you'll find that you reach 33 laps sooner then you expect. 

A triathlon is NOT an easy race. But keep in mind, this IS something you can do. For motivation, take a look at the race results from previous years and see how many people are over 50, or even 60 that do the race. Look at the slowest times in your age group. See how fast they swim or bike or run and use that as a reference. You can do this?

"The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a person's determination."        
--- TOMMY LASORDA

 

Feel free to ask me or Ava (the Race Director) any questions you have about the race. Keep a positive attitude and keep focused on your goal and most important, know that you can do this. Look for me at the finish line, (I'll have a beer in my hand and a smile on my face).

 

(Remember to SMILE and say "Hello" when you pass the 48 year old guy in the race, he's having a blast.)

 

Good Luck,

 

Randy

(The views in this story are in no way professional recommendations and I am not in any way a professional triathlete. However, I have been doing this for 18 years and I have learned a thing or two. But most importantly, I have not forgot what it was like to do my first triathlon.) Enjoy!

E-mail me: randolphL1@verizon.net