Hi, friends!
Yes, I'm alive and surviving year two of graduate school thus far! Labor Day weekend was much needed and appreciated, and Ty and I had a blast watching football, riding bikes, eating pizza, and best of all...going to his triathlon!
Back in the spring, we visited a new local triathlon store. They were running bunch of promotions and gave us each two free raffle tickets when we entered. Well, a week or so later, I received a call informing me that I had won a free race entry! I opted out of a race this early in the semester and gave my entry to Ty! That's right, he got to race free! (Best kind of race, if you ask me!)
The race took place on Labor Day, and for once it didn't start at 6AM! There were to kids' races before the adult tri, and those ended up delayed due to the cone-roadblock-bearing semi truck breaking down. It was nice to somewhat sleep in and enjoy the holiday, but we definitely payed the price with the heat.
The race was hosted by "Tri Now Endurance" and was located at the Oak Point Recreational Center in Plano (about 30 minutes northeast of Dallas). Ty and I were both impressed by the facilities and the company. They did their best to get back on schedule after the early morning cone mishap.
Friends from church had a son participating in the youth event, so we watched his race first. Because of the delays, we were there in time to see all the youth events. I'm not sure of the distances of "junior class" race (ages 6-10), but we were seriously impressed by the speed and transition efficiency of these little guys! The first boy into the transition area had the most incredible transition -- no joke, about 10 seconds. His shoes were already clipped into his bike and rubber banded to be upright. He put on his helmet and left, still dripping wet from the pool. Ty and I looked at each other and agreed his dad must be an IronMan. And then there were the adorable little girls with bunny helmets and confetti on their handle bars. So stinkin' cute!
 |
| Transition area! Can you find Ty? |
Finally it was time for Ty's race to start! The swim was 300 meters indoors. All the athletes lined up around the pool based on the order of their estimated swim times. So the people who came out first didn't necessarily have the best overall times, they we're just the fastest swimmers.
Our friends watched Ty's swim, but I stayed central in the transition area, so I could catch the bulk of the action. After the swim, the had to run up this walkway and to the transition.
 |
| And here he comes -- smiling after the swim! |
 |
| Transitioning to the bike (2nd from the left) |
 |
| Ready to ride and headed to the mount line! |
 |
| See the "mount" sign? You are automatically disqualified if you mount before reaching this sign. |
 |
| And he's off! |
During Ty's 15-mile ride, I chatted with our friends and gawked at all the nice bikes. It was so nice to have some company!
 |
| Proper dismount. Good form, good form. |
By the time Ty headed out for the run, it was after 11AM, and the sun was mercilessly beating down. I
walked to the car once during the race, and I felt like I had jumped in a pool. I knew Ty had to be incredibly tired from the heat.
 |
| Run time! |
The race finished in an outdoor amphitheater about a half mile from the transition area. We all walked over in time to see Ty finish strong!
Sprint triathlon number three complete! Way to go, Ty!
It was a tough race for him, but he still had some great times! The swim was a personal victory for him, as he greatly improved his previous time and hit his goal for this race. He said the bike course was very hilly (yes, we do have hills in Dallas) and the run was on the open pavement and ridiculously hot! I checked the temperature when he finished, and it was 97 degrees before the heat index. Those are some seriously tough conditions, but he rocked his race anyway!
We picked up some Chipotle and then enjoyed a good nap. I'm not sure why, but I was wiped out, too! Being a spectator is hard work! Maybe it's like how a husband gains sympathy weight when his wife is pregnant? I experienced some intense sympathy post-race exhaustion. :) Or maybe it had something to do with the whole graduate student thing.
Our day ended with a much-needed trip to Sprouts! Athletes gotta fuel!
I love you, Ty, and I'm so very proud of you!!
