It just amazes me how wide awake we are on the weekends, before the sun comes up, before our alarms go off.  If there is a race event, Ted and I are ready to go, no matter what the time.

Saturday morning we were leaving the house before the sun came up, heading toward Emerson Park for the Owasco Man Sprint Triathlon.  Last year, we left late and had to really scramble to get Ted set up and over to the swim start which is quite a hike from transition.  This year, we had 45 minutes to spare.  The extra time meant going through the check list and making sure everything was strategically placed and ready when needed. 

Ted’s 2012 Tri – Owasco NY

It was windy and the water was choppy.  Not a concern at this point since we didn’t realize how choppy it really was.

Ted was slow on the swim. I ran to transition just in case I missed him. His bike was still there and I was getting concerned.

When I saw him come from the water, his wet suit was already down. 

My initial thought was that he got too warm since it was hot in spite of the wind.  No, he said it was a tough swim because the waves were high and water was rough. 

He pushed through transition and was on his way for a 51 minute bike – with a smile.

My time was spent making up for a missed run on Friday. I cross trained Friday and passed on a 40 minute run. Making the best of the beautiful weather at the Tri, I ran 4 miles while waiting for Ted to transition once again.  It was so nice running in a different area, no pressure, just enjoying new scenery. I made good time, 4 miles at an average pace of 8:51 which felt easy.  It wasn’t 40 minutes but it was a worth while run.

As I waited for Ted to come in from bike, I started to get concerned again. I wasn’t sure of the miles they had to bike and had my mind set on a predicted time of 45 minutes.  My thoughts switched to “flat tire?” “heat exhaustion?” …”stopped due to some kind of ache or pain?”… such a pessimist!

FINALLY – here come my honey

The bike course heads out up hill which is tough on the legs when coming off the swim and not warming up.  Ted forgot about that and only remembered the down hill back side of the cycle course. How convenient!?!

Now we only had the run left.  He was still smiling and joking as he ran past.

Looking towards the finish

Done!

I’m so proud! This was a tough day to swim due to the choppy water. Ted doesn’t train with that kind of a challenge. He fought and won!  It was hot, there were some pot holes and obstacles to overcome on the bike course (a trailer began backing up into him), but he kept going.  The run, his least favorite part of this triad challenge.  He has some knee pain and his feet don’t take to running too well.  Gosh, I’m amazed! I don’t have that kind of drive.

Every time Ted completes one of these triathlons, I give him so much credit, wishing we could run as a team.  Unfortunately, I don’t have the patience or calm attitude Ted has when swimming against all odds, transitioning from one event to another, dealing with flat tires, cars, and other bike riders.  Once again, GOSH! I’m SO proud of my husband. He’s just THE BEST!

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