We Earned the T-Shirts (Our Triathlon Domination)

Matt's sharpied leg number.

Friday night:

- Walked to Seven Peaks and picked up our race packets, and had our numbers sharpied onto our shoulders and legs.
- Filled bicycle tires with air and lubed chains.

Jessica, ready to tri like a champ.

Saturday morning:

6:15 am - ate banana and leftover muffins, donned swim suits, clean socks, and filled our water bottles.

7:00 am - rode bikes to Seven Peaks and left them in the transition area. Morning air was chillier than it has been all summer. Picked up our time-tracking anklets and anxiously peered around at the hardened athletes around us.

7:28 am - all the athletes lined up at the wrong starting line...

7:29 am - all the athletes moved to actual starting line ...

7:29.30 am - shuffling and sizing up the competition...

7:30 am - GO TIME !

Transition area for the bicycle leg.

Time stopped ... first we ran (5k around the Utah State Hospital campus ... no small feat considering the hills), then we biked (12 miles total ... the hills were worth it because we could come back down them) , then ... prepared for an icy plunge into the final swimming stage, but we were pleased to find a heated pool. Too cushy, some may say ... but we were plenty tired (and extremely elated) sloshing out of that thing 350 meters later.

All in all, we earned these awesome new T-shirts and enjoyed a perfect first triathlon experience. Definitely something we want to repeat ... if not tomorrow :)

Proof that we earned the t-shirt and the title of "triathletes", as well as photographic evidence that Matt has a farmer's tan. We wore those t-shirts the rest of the day...and will probably wear them again on Tuesday :)

Training Interruptions

Matt and I just started back into our training schedule this week. It is really difficult when exercising schedules get interrupted because it is hard to get back into the rhythm. First, I got into a minor bike accident that messed up my left shoulder and hand. Although the damage wasn't very visible on the outside, my shoulder still doesn't move certain ways without hurting. And in the picture, I'm pointing to the bruise on my elbow. You can hardly see it in the picture, but it got pretty yellow and gross. I have to admit that the physical pain wasn't the worst part of the accident. It actually took me a few days to get back on a bike at all. All the confidence I'd built up when we rode around cars was shattered. I didn't like seeing lots of cars on the road or when Matt would stop without warning. Things seem to be back to normal now though. We've been biking to school for a while now. I just have to keep reminding myself that bikes aren't danger free. At least we wear helmets :)

We also went on vacation for a couple days. Even if it is possible to go running when you're on vacation, it just never happens. There are way too many things to do and people to see. Fortunately we were able to go swimming two days ago without any serious problems. But it was hard to come back and have only half the endurance I'd built up in the past month and a half. At least we know what we're capable of. Here's to training and building endurance! We'll get back up there soon!

Training

Matt and I have been pretty good about keeping up with our training, but I have only one word to describe my transition: exhaustion. I guess it should have been expected. I haven't been swimming this regularly for years. Plus, I am definitely not used to swimming, biking, and running all at the same time. Even though Matt and I have been really good about getting 7-8 hours every night, I wake up so tired every day. It doesn't help that I have a desk job. Research definitely doesn't get the blood flowing. We figure that we've only been training for a week and half, so we'll get used to it soon, right?

The biking has definitely been the biggest adventure. Matt and I bike to school/work every day. It's pretty fun to bring my helmet around campus and have people comment. And it has been SNOWING in APRIL. I am not enjoying that so much. The weather is always colder on a bike! The wind is twice as chilling when you are moving twice as fast! I will be SO excited when spring is finally here to stay. Then I will be much more ready for long bike rides!

This is us just after we biked home in the pouring rain. Notice the joy on our faces :)

Aqua Triathlon

We are finishing up our semester and starting to look towards the summer. There are so many great things to do! We are especially excited to go camping. The weather has finally started to warm up and the mountains look so inviting! We're hoping to plan a few trips with our outdoorsy friends. On a related note, we are both planning on the Aqua Triathlon in September. We are starting training this week. Matt reads his favorite triathlete beginner's book (Triathlon 101) every night and has come up with a great training program. We are starting small--walking, 50 yard swims, and short bike rides--but by the end of the summer we should build up enough endurance. We'll give updates on our training as we go along.

In between all the recipes, vacations, camping, and triathlons, we will be working, taking summer classes (gack), and studying for the GRE which we scheduled to take in July. This year involves a lot of sprinting to finish lines!