Entered my first Triathlon in over 11 years this weekend that just passed - The triathlon was the last one of 4 series – off road triathlons called the Sasol Cross Triathlon. Now dating back to my last Triathlon I was roughly 10 years old and only training I ever received was swimming, and I once joined the runners at my school, but no one waited for me as I was slow, so I gave up training in running. My last race, can’t remember where it was, but I hated the race and the sport because my chain on my bike got stuck and I didn’t have the strength to get it right again and asking people to help, I got chirped left right and center that this is a race competition. So you can imagine the 11 year gap.
A friend of mine asked me in December to join her one morning for a swim set. I stopped swimming in 2005 after I spent most of my matric year in hospital with heart and chest problems. I use to be one of the top athletes at the time with selection for the elite squad for the 2008 Olympics, and the doctors said I won’t be doing sports again at any competitive level. I stopped all sports as I couldn’t handle the fact that my dream got crushed. I didn’t want to know anything about swimming ever again. So here I was 6 years later, up early on December 22nd 2010 back in the pool swimming a not so easy set of 4km, but I missed my swimming beyond words.
That week I met a wonderful lady at the Gym (Angie) who asked if I was a runner, because I am apparently am built like a runner! I must have missed that talent when they were handing it out. But besides that, she has been trying to get me to join the BCC running guys in the mornings. I did a great job at avoiding them, and two weeks ago, I had my Saturday off and she found me roaming the gym and said Tuesday she will see me for a run. During the last three months I have been training swimming and light gym workouts, and really keen to get back on my bike and get back into mountain biking socially J and every day I see the BCC Triathlete’s at the gym swimming and running and it struck me that I now wanted to start triathlons again, and for some reason the crazy idea of competing in the Half Iron Man in January. Where these ideas came from, no one knows. Despite the fact that I have still got my heart and chest conditions, I now have more will power than I have ever had. More like the saying that I won’t stop till it stops me! Wish I was not so naive when I was younger, then I would be a hell of a lot fitter and maybe have reached my goals.
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| Second on right Tyrone / Phillip / Shireen and Myself |
I entered two open water swims this year, Germiston 1200m and the Makulu 1000m swim, where I placed in the top 5 at both. Was rather ecstatic that I still had it in me to be among the other swimmers who have been training and here I was 6 years later and still get recognized as a come back swimmer. The feeling was great and it was fantastic to see some ex-swimmers still competing like Tyrone Venter and Shireen Sapiro. The good old days! I use to win both these events back when I still swam. But getting back, I started training with the BCC runners in the mornings, and I quite enjoy it. I enjoy the fact that they inspire you and if you slow down, they come back and fetch you and that really built me up that Im now looking forward to entering a few road running races. Never thought in my life I would say such a thing. So after entering my first Triathlon in over 11 years and definitely my first off-road Triathlon (thank goodness I have some mounting biking skills) I managed to finish the race in a time I m alright with, but compared to the winners I am quite far off.
My experience of the race
Packed my gear and headed by myself to Abrahamsrust by the Vaal river on Sunday. Think I got heatstroke from Saturday working at an event all day in the sun. Was not feeling the greatest, but I arrived with triple beats in my heart and stress on my face. J Got my race number and timing chip and off I went to saddle up my bike, and a little out of it, I checked what everyone else had by their stations, and added what I had. But none the less, I had everything I needed and next thing I knew it was time to head to the water. With cold and miserable weather, you would expect the water to be a little warmer, but it was colder due to all the rain I guess. But once you’re in the water your body gets use to it, and soon it was comfortable. I found myself among top other athletes and I know I can get great start with my swim, but the rest – well that needs some work. So the race started and I got a good start, and ended up being the second lady out the water, seconds after Carla van Huysteen who is the former champion and the feeling was great, but I knew when the cycle and run came, I was done. Heading out on my bike, was not the easiest after the swim, but was entertaining to see the top guys pass and get stuck in the mud and bail, and before I knew it, I was with everyone bailing in the mud and running through swamps carrying my bike. Everyone passed me as I had no energy to try keep up. (its called unfitness) – the cycle was so much fun, I think I spent a little too much time out on the track. * My excuse for now* but heading back I found myself among the last bunch of athletes heading out for that lovely 6km run. And I must say I enjoyed it, ran and chatted with everyone, and cheered people on, because I needed that when I was 10. The last three kilometers was fun running in the rain and I guarantee that it only started raining because it’s the first time in years I’m competing in a Triathlon again and the closer I got to the finish, the more it poured and the more I smiled.
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