Well, I guess the best thing about this Triathlon is that I did not drown. This was my 2nd triathlon and my 1st OPEN WATER swim. The day started out good, I felt good, I was loose and ready to go. We lined up on the boat ramp to start the swim and I was ready to go. The gun sounded and we were off. For the 1st 75 yards I was rolling, then all of a sudden I lost it, I could not get a breath, and I was drinking water. I rolled over to my back and tried to get some air. I rolled over again and began to do breaststroke, nothing was working. Now I was really starting to PANIC. I continued for another minute or so doing breaststroke and I wasn't coming around. It was at this moment that I called for the canoe. The canoes are guys who follow the swimmers incase there is a problem. Well I had a big problem, something I had never experienced before, I could not swim. I grabbed onto the canoe and hung on trying to catch my breath. As I was hanging on I began to contemplate quiting. With about 600 meters still to swim, I didn't know if I could do it. Finally after hanging on the canoe for about 2 minutes, I decided there was no way I was going to quit. So I let go and continued to breaststroke. At about 100meters to go I tried to swim it in. I gave it about 6 strokes and went right back to breaststroke. I finished the swim and headed for the bike (see photo). I was totally wrecked. I could not believe what had just happened and it took about 6 miles on the bike before I got my head back. I finshed the 12 mile bike and then the 3.1 mile run. This was much more difficult than the previous Triathlon. Although this event took place at 6000 ft elevation and feels like a complete disaster and I missed my goal of finishing under 2 hours (2:01:31). I have to remind myself that I did not need the ambulance, I smiled at the finishline and "I FINISHED"; and at this time, that is the true goal. Thank you Caraline, Chelsea, and Mom for cheering me through the toughest atheletic event of my life, so far!
PS-Never stay at the Quality Inn in Flagstaff, AZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Monday, July 9, 2007
Just a quick note; Today begins the 16 week training program for the SOMA Olympic Distance Triathlon. The SOMA Triathlon is the one I signed up to do with The Leukemia, Lymphoma Society- Team in Training and the one you all donated too. It is going to be an awesome experience and I'm very excited to share it with all of you. Thanks to all of you I have reached my fundraising goal and can now focus on the training. If anyone is interested in donating some additional funds to this cause, please take a minute to check out my wife, Caraline's page: http://www.active.com/donate/tntdms/tntdmsCJones
She is training for a Century Ride in Honolulu, Hawaii with TNT.
Right now, I am really struggling with the running portion, I just can't seem to get any distance before I have to stop and walk. I will be putting some extra miles on my running shoes this month.
I want you all to know how much your emails and comments on this page mean to me. I love them all, even the betting on the heart attack, so please keep them coming.
Aloha,
Bruce
She is training for a Century Ride in Honolulu, Hawaii with TNT.
Right now, I am really struggling with the running portion, I just can't seem to get any distance before I have to stop and walk. I will be putting some extra miles on my running shoes this month.
I want you all to know how much your emails and comments on this page mean to me. I love them all, even the betting on the heart attack, so please keep them coming.
Aloha,
Bruce
Monday, July 2, 2007
JUST FINISH
I started this race with two goals, finish the race and have a smile on my face afterwards.
I mentally set a time goal of under 2 hours (swim 20 min, bike 45min, and run 45 min)
I started the swim feeling pretty good, I was loose and relaxed. Each swimmer left 15 seconds behind the next. I caught the guy in front of me on the 1st lap. I then made my 1st mistake, I thought “I must be going to fast, I need to save my energy” so I did not pass him. As I settled in to my pace I noticed that most of the swimmers do not get a very good push of the wall. I would fall slightly behind the guy in front of me, but when we hit the wall I would pull right back up to his feet. After about 100 meters I was passed by a guy who I never saw again, and about 400 meters I was passed by another guy. I probably should have passed this guy back around 500 meters, but I again made a decision to settle in behind. I didn’t want to burn out in the swim. I finished the swim in just over 16 minutes-right on my race plan
As I moved toward the transition area, I saw Chelsea and Madison holding up signs they made and cheering me on. It took a few seconds to clear my head and get to the bike.
T1- transition from swim to bike
I grabbed a drink of water, I threw on my shirt, helmet and glasses. I then took an extra moment to put on my socks and bike shoes. I did not use my heart rate monitor. I unracked my bike and headed to the exit.
The Bike- 12.0 miles (3) 4 mile loops
It was a little shaky getting started, but by the first turn I felt OK. I merge onto the course, grabbed my TNT water bottle and took a quick sip. Then, as I went to put my water bottle back, I missed the holder and BANG my water bottle was sliding down the road behind me. Oh, well I can’t stop now and I have another one! I played with my gears a little and started pumping my thighs. I thought I was moving out at about 20 miles an hour on the slightly down hill section and then I heard this sound, I would hear this sound over and over again for the next 45 minutes LEFT, ON THE LEFT- These were other racers blowing past me. I felt like the tortoise, but I tried to remember-JUST FINISH. Each time I came by the transition area, I would get rejuvenated, everyone was cheering and Chelsea and Madison were holding up more signs, bells were ringing, it was awesome. I was pumped up and as I started up the slight incline, I saw my chance to make a move and pass another cyclist. She was a very large woman, but at this point it didn’t matter to me. I yelled “LEFT” and I motored by her. Powering my way up the slight incline ( more on her later). As I came down the front stretch on my final lap, I began to remove my feet from my shoes (this is common in Triathlon, you leave your shoes clipped to the bike). I had practiced this at home, but it took a lot longer in the race than it did at home. So my feet were out and I’m ready to transition to the run, I coasted into the transition area. As I got off my bike, I almost ate it. My legs were like jello, I really didn’t have any control of them for about the first 10 steps. The course volunteers asked me if I was OK, and I said “yep, just git n er done”
T2
I walked into the transition area and racked my bike, cleaned the pebbles off my socks and slipped on my running shoes and hat, then attached my run belt with my number (#139) facing forwarded and headed for the exit.
THE RUN 3.0 miles
As I exited the transition area everyone was cheering, I grabbed a cup of water and started to jog. I could not feel my legs, there was nothing there, but the with everyone watching there was no way I was going to start walking already, so I pushed out around the 1st turn and then I walked. Remember this is only one 10th of a mile into the run portion, I walked for a while and then I ran for 30 seconds and then I walked again. This continued for the 1st lap. As I neared the end of the 1st lap a guy jogged up next to me and asked how I was doing, I said “ I’m git’n er done” he said, I’ll hang with you until the turn off, he was on his 2nd lap. So I tried to hang along side as he talked to me for a minute or two, all I could do is huff and puff- no words were coming out of my mouth. We continued on for a few more seconds and I had to start walking again. He said come on you can do it, and I gave him the finger. No just kidding-I thanked him for hanging with me and told him to finish strong. I grabbed a cup of water and continued on my second lap. Just then it happened, I heard the sound again….. “LEFT. It was the large women I passed during the Bike leg, she was motoring by me like I was standing still. I poured the remaining water in my cup, over my head and told myself, com’on Bruce, pick it up man, you can do it. So I picked up the pace and just when I got close to her, I heard an ambulance and I thought man “Just Finish”, and started walking again. I felt that I needed to save what little I had left in the tank for the big finish. After completing my second lap in the same fashion as the 1st, I knew I needed to spend every last bit of energy on the last ½ mile. So I picked up my feet and began to bring it home, As I rounded the last corner with the finish line in sight, people starting screaming and cheering really loud, and I thought man this is awesome, all this for me? And just then two guys that had started 45 minutes after me, came sprinting past me, side by side, they were moving. I had the best seat in the house, right behind them, and after they scorched past the finish line I heard the announcer say, “here comes number 139- Bruce Jones”. The crowd screamed and cheered me all the way through the finish line. The best thing was I had a smile on my face and Caraline and Chelsea were standing there waiting to give me a hug. It was a great day!!!
The TRI-Tucson people were great. They put on a well organized and fun event. I don’t think I could have chosen a better place to run my 1st Triathlon.
I want to thank Mike for running in the event with me and most importantly my cheering section, Chelsea, Madison, Carla, and my ultimate supporter, personal photographer, and wife, Caraline. I love you guys- Aloha!
PS- I finished in 1:46:44. GOALS ACCOMPLISHED!!!!!!!!
I mentally set a time goal of under 2 hours (swim 20 min, bike 45min, and run 45 min)
I started the swim feeling pretty good, I was loose and relaxed. Each swimmer left 15 seconds behind the next. I caught the guy in front of me on the 1st lap. I then made my 1st mistake, I thought “I must be going to fast, I need to save my energy” so I did not pass him. As I settled in to my pace I noticed that most of the swimmers do not get a very good push of the wall. I would fall slightly behind the guy in front of me, but when we hit the wall I would pull right back up to his feet. After about 100 meters I was passed by a guy who I never saw again, and about 400 meters I was passed by another guy. I probably should have passed this guy back around 500 meters, but I again made a decision to settle in behind. I didn’t want to burn out in the swim. I finished the swim in just over 16 minutes-right on my race plan
As I moved toward the transition area, I saw Chelsea and Madison holding up signs they made and cheering me on. It took a few seconds to clear my head and get to the bike.
T1- transition from swim to bike
I grabbed a drink of water, I threw on my shirt, helmet and glasses. I then took an extra moment to put on my socks and bike shoes. I did not use my heart rate monitor. I unracked my bike and headed to the exit.
The Bike- 12.0 miles (3) 4 mile loops
It was a little shaky getting started, but by the first turn I felt OK. I merge onto the course, grabbed my TNT water bottle and took a quick sip. Then, as I went to put my water bottle back, I missed the holder and BANG my water bottle was sliding down the road behind me. Oh, well I can’t stop now and I have another one! I played with my gears a little and started pumping my thighs. I thought I was moving out at about 20 miles an hour on the slightly down hill section and then I heard this sound, I would hear this sound over and over again for the next 45 minutes LEFT, ON THE LEFT- These were other racers blowing past me. I felt like the tortoise, but I tried to remember-JUST FINISH. Each time I came by the transition area, I would get rejuvenated, everyone was cheering and Chelsea and Madison were holding up more signs, bells were ringing, it was awesome. I was pumped up and as I started up the slight incline, I saw my chance to make a move and pass another cyclist. She was a very large woman, but at this point it didn’t matter to me. I yelled “LEFT” and I motored by her. Powering my way up the slight incline ( more on her later). As I came down the front stretch on my final lap, I began to remove my feet from my shoes (this is common in Triathlon, you leave your shoes clipped to the bike). I had practiced this at home, but it took a lot longer in the race than it did at home. So my feet were out and I’m ready to transition to the run, I coasted into the transition area. As I got off my bike, I almost ate it. My legs were like jello, I really didn’t have any control of them for about the first 10 steps. The course volunteers asked me if I was OK, and I said “yep, just git n er done”
T2
I walked into the transition area and racked my bike, cleaned the pebbles off my socks and slipped on my running shoes and hat, then attached my run belt with my number (#139) facing forwarded and headed for the exit.
THE RUN 3.0 miles
As I exited the transition area everyone was cheering, I grabbed a cup of water and started to jog. I could not feel my legs, there was nothing there, but the with everyone watching there was no way I was going to start walking already, so I pushed out around the 1st turn and then I walked. Remember this is only one 10th of a mile into the run portion, I walked for a while and then I ran for 30 seconds and then I walked again. This continued for the 1st lap. As I neared the end of the 1st lap a guy jogged up next to me and asked how I was doing, I said “ I’m git’n er done” he said, I’ll hang with you until the turn off, he was on his 2nd lap. So I tried to hang along side as he talked to me for a minute or two, all I could do is huff and puff- no words were coming out of my mouth. We continued on for a few more seconds and I had to start walking again. He said come on you can do it, and I gave him the finger. No just kidding-I thanked him for hanging with me and told him to finish strong. I grabbed a cup of water and continued on my second lap. Just then it happened, I heard the sound again….. “LEFT. It was the large women I passed during the Bike leg, she was motoring by me like I was standing still. I poured the remaining water in my cup, over my head and told myself, com’on Bruce, pick it up man, you can do it. So I picked up the pace and just when I got close to her, I heard an ambulance and I thought man “Just Finish”, and started walking again. I felt that I needed to save what little I had left in the tank for the big finish. After completing my second lap in the same fashion as the 1st, I knew I needed to spend every last bit of energy on the last ½ mile. So I picked up my feet and began to bring it home, As I rounded the last corner with the finish line in sight, people starting screaming and cheering really loud, and I thought man this is awesome, all this for me? And just then two guys that had started 45 minutes after me, came sprinting past me, side by side, they were moving. I had the best seat in the house, right behind them, and after they scorched past the finish line I heard the announcer say, “here comes number 139- Bruce Jones”. The crowd screamed and cheered me all the way through the finish line. The best thing was I had a smile on my face and Caraline and Chelsea were standing there waiting to give me a hug. It was a great day!!!
The TRI-Tucson people were great. They put on a well organized and fun event. I don’t think I could have chosen a better place to run my 1st Triathlon.
I want to thank Mike for running in the event with me and most importantly my cheering section, Chelsea, Madison, Carla, and my ultimate supporter, personal photographer, and wife, Caraline. I love you guys- Aloha!
PS- I finished in 1:46:44. GOALS ACCOMPLISHED!!!!!!!!
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