1st Triathlon done - totally addicted

Completed my first tri this past Sunday (Colchester VT Sprint - 1/2 mile swim in Lake Champlain, 12 mile bike, and a 5k).  i live on Long Island, but was there visiting family.  My sister did a relay.

I have been training pretty vigorously for about 8 weeks and went from 210 lbs to 184 race day weight.  I have kept a personal log in a composition notebook although i really should start keeping my log on here.  The fitness gains were the primary reason I started, but I must now admit, I am hooked.  I will fill out a complete race report but i figured I'd post a synopsis.

The race itself was amazing and brutal.  I had neglected my swim training until about 3 weeks before the race, and paid for it.  The lake was warm (76 degrees), but the chop was relentless.  very weedy at the start and at the last qtr-mile.  If you tired (like i did), the weeds would grab your legs.  Scary stuff.  I managed a decent freestyle the first qtr mile, but needed to backstroke for a good portion of the 2nd qtr.  toes cramped, felt overheated in the wetsuit, etc. etc.  I'll be hiring a swim coach.

The bike was hill after hill after hill, with very little recovery available to hydrate and set a decent cadence.  it was a gear fest.  I tried to stay on my middle ring (i rode my trk fx 7.7 hybrid which is fairly fast) as much as possible, but i did feel some burn.

The run was a pleasure (my strength, although i labored a bit after T2 as was to be expected...my bricks always included a bit of struggling for the first 100 yards or so of a run).  Coming out of T2 I knew that in just a few more minutes that I would have done this thing.  I was ecstatic on the run.  totally refreshed after a scary swim, and a tough bike.

I finished in 1:34:44.  The 1st split included the T1 time (which also included a 300 yard run uphill to T1).  My swim time was 0:22:11 with a 5 minute T1 (slow..i was gassed and looking for a match to light my wetsuit on fire!!).  I did a 0:38:40 12-mile on the bike and a 0:02:00 T2; and did a 0:26:42 5k. 

i have no clue how that measures up to other 1st timers; but i feel that i did my best for my first race and have zero regrets (other than a committment to better swimming).  PR has been established.  I am hooked.  I appreciate all of the excellent support on this website.  cant wait to get out there again.