My name is Kim and I'm a TRIATHLETE!

I wasn't really nervous until about 3:00am Sunday morning...race day. I woke up with some stomach issues of course and thinking about all the things I had learned leading up to this event. I felt deep down that it was going to be a great day for me...I just knew it would be my best performance ever. I had set goals for each discipline and did better then planned.

We arrived about 5:30am and seeing 2000 people with tricked out bikes was pretty inspiring. The crazy thing was...I wasn't nervous anymore. I was completely calm and totally focused on what I needed to do.

While waiting to swim, all I could think about was what Cliff had taught me about swimming in a crowd. I held my line, kicked hard when touched and was not going to back down to anyone who tried to swim over me. Nobody was going to disrupt my swim and sure enough, I took 4 minutes off my time from just 4 weeks ago! I did it without taking rest breaks this time. I really focused on sighting and "thumbs to hips" in the water and I'M THRILLED at how I felt when I got out. Strong, relaxed and ready to ride.

The wet suite strippers were just great but eekss...I could have lost my shorts in the whole ordeal :0 I wonder how many people did...


The bike section was great. We figured out my average speed based on my time and I'm at 15mph. Not bad, but I need to improve. Here is what I need to fix. I packed TONS of food in my Bento Box but I forgot to open the baggies. That posed a challenge. I slowed way down so I didn't fall while I tried to open them with one hand and my teeth. Going around all the corners slowed me way down too. I tried to be a little fearless and use the turn techniques Dave and I have practiced but some time was lost there. Oh, when I drink I tend to stop pedalling so time was lost there too. Don't get me wrong though. I felt super strong on the bike and could have done another 30 miles!

I kept myself pretty entertained through the bike section. For any person I passed I got one point and if that same person passed me then I lost a point. I didn't want to pass people if I didn't think I could put distance between us. It was fun. I went back and forth with one gal but in the end I took her out because I was tired of playing games with her. I had an 18 - 20 mph pace during sections and 9 mph up Curry. So between the turns, eating and drinking I lost some time...

When I got to the run section my stomach was full of fuel and I was feeling groovy. My goal after all this was a 15 minute mile giving me just over hour and 30 min to finish the 6.5 miles. The pavement was really hard on my knees so I felt slow. My only walking was through the water stations and I really didn't know what my mile time was at this point. As it turns out I finished the run in 1:20...about 15 minutes faster then planned.

Hearing Rick and all our friends cheer was fantastic. It really helps pull you through a race when you know that people are waiting to see you. Thank you SO MUCH for the encouragement. Congratulations to Dave, Windy, Vickie and Hollon (who is also a 1st time Triathlete) for a great job yesterday. None of this would be possible without Dave's training and Cliffs swim coaching. A special thank you to both of them for accepting nothing less then my best at all times. I hope I made you proud :)

I have to add one special thank you to Rick. Race day was also our 6th anniversary. He never stops supporting me in all my adventures and he truly is my biggest fan - I love you babe...happy anniversary!