Tri Suit Up!

I'd like to start this post with a little OMG.  OMG! I'm competing in my first triathlon this weekend!  Do I feel ready?  Nope.  Am I scared about swimming in Tempe Town Lake?  Yes.  Yes.  Yes to infinity.

Although I am usually a pretty positive person,  I would like to just air out all my worries about this particular event.  The worries are not going to stop me from competing, so that's why I think it's safe to just write them out for the entire world to see.  Some of the worries, might even be considered as "silly."

Worry #1:

Everyone else will be wearing wetsuits and I will not.  

According to USAT rules (the "t" stands for triathlon, you can figure out the rest), if the water temperature is 78 degrees or below, competitors are allowed to wear wetsuits.  Tempe Town Lake is usually around 78 degrees this time of the year so race officials will not make the call until race morning.  Wetsuits give you two things: 1) the obvious - you won't freeze your butt off in the water, and 2) the suit gives you a natural buoyancy.  Therefore athletes who wear the wetsuit have a competitive edge since they will only need to work on their forward motion and not need to expend as much energy keeping themselves afloat.

I do not own a wetsuit, nor did I buy one for my first event.  They are pricey - around $500 - and since I'm not sure if I'll enjoy triathlon, I decided to skip it for this race.  All good reasons.  I'm just hoping the water isn't too cold.

Ironman swim in Tempe Town Lake.

Worry #2

Tempe Town Lake will be nasty.

A news article posted this week reported on conversations about closing Tempe Town Lake to swimming events forever due to freeway runoff (eww) and runoff from the water treatment facility up stream (gross).  I keep telling myself that I am swimming a short 400 meters so I will probably be out of the water in 10 minutes.  That will be too short of time for lasting contamination.

Worry #3 

Doing a swim, bike and run back-to-back will cause me to collapse.

I've run a marathon, but I've never switched events like this before in one race.  The combos I have done - bike/run and swim/run - have been very difficult in transition.  I'm a little scared that when I put them all together, I'll self-destruct.

Worry #4

I'll forget something in transition.

I have no experience.  What if I forget something in the transition area.  Like my hat for the run?  Or my gloves on the bike?  I hear transitions can be crazy.  See below.

Worry #5

My tri outfit won't fit right.

Tri top and shorts.  In the dressing room at Tribe Multisport.

Two weeks ago, I bought tri shorts and a tight tri top.  I needed an outfit that I could swim, bike and run in, and this outfit bought m all of those things.  However, it is tight.  It needs to be tight for the swim, but I am a little self conscious about this.

Despite my worries, I realize that doing this triathlon will fulfill a goal I've wanted to accomplish for a long time.   I just need to get in the water, and I'm sure I will be find.  I'm just dealing with a lot of nervous anticipation right now.

Time to Tri Suit up!