If at first you don't succeed.....Tri, TRI AGAIN!

***WARNING, WARNING!!!  There are pictures that very well could make your eyes bleed!  I'm sorry for the floppy, flabby arms, the belly with it's own zipcode and the legs.  You try losing 200 lbs., then having 2 babies, losing weight again and tell me what it does for the ol' bod.  Confirmation number 1 billion, being food is so NOT worth it. Just know you have been WARNED!***


Yeah, if you're on to my clever word play, you get that this post is all about my 2nd annual Triathlon. 

Last year there was so much build up to it on the blog here.  I trained and challeneged and trained and was oh so ready!  I had people waiting with baited breath to read about the results.  This year, not so much. I've been a bit low key.  However, I did train (not as vigorously) and I did do it!  And I will report.....it was MUCH better than last years  which shall heretofore be known as "The Tragic Tri".  If you're new and want to know why the name, go take a peeksy, I'm tellin ya, it was a doozy of a story.

So, as I was sitting here at 10:30 last night on facebook, my friend Karen chimed in and said, "WHAT are you doing up, you have to get up so early?"  Frankly, I had no idea what time it was.  I was gettin ready for the big day, had bills to pay, etc.  So, I finally dragged myself into bed at 11:15, ONLY to remember, I hadn't shaved.  SERIOUSLY?  I had to pull myself out of bed and get in the tub and shave a roo all my parts for the big race.  What?  I do have a teeny modicum of pride sometimes.

Here is my stuff all set up and ready to go for the morning.  How cute is this bucket?  My friend Juliana brought this over with gatorade and candy.  How adorable!  All us girls of the 85201 represented.


5:10 a.m. the alarm rudely blared.  I seriously layed in bed and had this conversation....
"Are you REALLY doing this today?"  "Why are you doing this?"  "Are you sure you want to do this?"  "I'm tired." 
To which my stronger self apparently replied:

"Eh shudup already you big pansie, get the hell outta  bed and get goin!"

Apparently my stronger self sounds like a burly gangster from Brooklyn.

A quick self shot after I'd lathered on the sunscreen and got all dressed and ready for the big event.  I also ate the prescribed breakfast of an ensure, a banana and a piece of toast.  I couldn't finish any of those items.  I was nervous.

Dixie and Lana showed up, we got my bike loaded and my heavy ass bucket in the car and Lana took my pic.  You know, full body must be seen.  Please note I fully wore my blingy flips to the tri.  I AM a girl.

Once again, Dixie is giddy as a school girl with her first crush, whilst Lana is trying not to doodle in her pants, or cry, whatev.  I was, as I've mentioned, nervous and my tummy was screaming out for a toity.  What, doesn't EVERYONE need a toilet when they're extra nervous?  No?  Just me?  Oh well.

NOTE:  You have been warned, first bleeding eye picture just below.  I apologize now for the flab.

Jenny, Lana, Dixie,Diane (friend who I shall discuss later), Dana, Me

This picture pains me on so many levels, it's almost more than I can bare. Not the least of which is, how is it that I weigh within TWO pounds of what I did last year at this event and yet look about fifty heavier.  So gross!  But, not nearly as disturbing as the next pic.  But, in the spirit of FULL DISCLOSURE, I am showing it. 

Here I am running out of the swim.  If you learn nothing else from this, learn this....ANYONE can do a tri.  I have this hot bod and still did it.  So, the swim this year was a little strange.  I had a mini pannick attack right at the beginning of the swim.  For whatever reason, I could NOT get my breath.  Try as I might it was like I was not breathing at all.  I flipped on my back for just a second, got my barings and then got under way.  And you know what, I did pretty dang good.  I passed people from two waves in front of me.  I got out of the water before some of my friends from the wave IN FRONT of me. So, I had nothing to be ashamed of there.  I ran into the transition for my bike.  It took me a little longer 'cause I had to put bandaids on my heels, so as to not repeat last years heinous blister incident.  Once I was dressed, I hit the road for the bike portion. 

I look so "awesome."

I can't begin to tell you what a different and fabulous experience this was this year.  To actually be IN the race this year, instead of the tragic END of the race.  So fun to have family and friends and lots of spectators out on the side of the road cheering me on.  I rode my sister Jenny's bike and it was soooo great!  I only wish I'd done some more road training, cause the hills on this course nearly killed me.  I was certainly not setting any speed records, that is for SURE!  It's always awesome when 63 year olds are flying past you.  Whatev, all that matters is, NO FLAT TIRES!

After making it in from the bike, I jumped off, threw on my hat and actually ran out of transition into the run portion.  Again, so GREAT not to be last.  I did not feel quite as patronized this year, though there was still some of that going on.  I mean really, why do people feel it necessary as they're passing you to "encourage" you in the way of, "you can do it."  Because I'm the fat girl?  Trust me, they were not all yelling that at eachother for good times.  Just to the chubbys out there. Whatev, I kicked your butt in the swim.

So, here's the deal....my lesson learned from this year:

A triathlon comes down to ONE THING.  The run!  If you don't run, it doesn't matter how well you do anywhere else.  Apparently, if you walk, even briskly, and everyone else runs, no matter how far behind they were, they will pass you.  Who knew?!

How irritating was it for me to be out on the run course (where if you must know I would run in very SHORT spurts and then just speek walk the rest) and see 25 year olds, 21 year olds, 30, 33, 58, 60, 45 year olds, etc. start passing you.  What that means is, people that left 2 waves BEFORE me, a full 12 minutes BEFORE me, I had passed in my swim/bike, but now they caught up and passed me in my run.  And the older women, people that had left 4 minutes BEHIND me were now catchhing me and passing on the run.  So, now to Diane (HI DIANE) (she's one of my secret, quiet readers).  Diane is my sister Danas best friend and neighbor.  She saw Dana do this last year and was so inspired, she decided to start training and do it.  She has worked hard this year, and totally become a running fool.  So, I was well ahead of her  from my swim and bike.  Even in the run I was ahead.  Because at the very near end, just before the hill to go up and onto Mill Ave. Bridge, she joggled up behind me.  I hear "yay Allyson."  I KNEW she would catch me.  So, I turned to her and said, "DANGIT, I KNEW you and your running would catch me.  Now I'm pissed (with a smile of course)."  She laughed and said "barely" and then scooted right on past me.  She ended up finishing a few minutes ahead of me.  So THAT was not my favorite part.  Watching all these people pass me.

But, I hate running.  I really do.  It's hard, and not enjoyable.  I have what I'd like to call a wide load there in the booty region.  You trying jogging about with that kind of badunka dunk.  It's awkward and sometimes painful.  But, I do know that it's all excuses.  I CAN do it, I just have to put my mind to it.  So, I've decided that clearly, all i need to do to train for next year is, start running now.  Not just piddling around here and there on the treadmill, but for reals figuring out how to get stronger and run longer.

Here I am running into the finish line.  By the way, my shorts getting hiked up in my fat inner thigh, SU-OO-UPER HOT!

See, that is A LOT of junk in the trunk.  Well, mostly hips for days.  But hey, I beat that chick in, so I can't be THAT bad.

 A quick shot of all of us at the finish line.  Well, we rudely didn't wait for Dana, as she wasn't quite in yet.  But, Livy jumped right in and took care of her place for us.  In the end, Lana survived the swim, did well in the rest.  Dixie rocked the house with a 40 something finish out of 600+ women.  Jenny did awesome, improving her time overall.  And well, I did good too.  I finished in 2 hrs. 13 minutes.  That is decent enough.  My goal next year, besides running more than point nothing miles, is to finish under 2 hours.  Oh YES, there will be a next year.  This is a fun event, good to work toward and fun to do! So, I'll throw the challenge out AGAIN!  Who is in for NEXT YEAR?

These are my cute Aunts and cousin.  From Left to Right:

Kim (my cousin), Jenny my sis and my Aunts Lucy and Laura.  How adorable are they for showing up and cheering us all on.  Love it!

I don't have any pics, but my cousin in law Kim did the race too, after watching us all do it last year she decided she was in.  Thanks ladies for coming and supporting!

I'm so thankful for the opportunity to get to do this race with my family and friends.  Mostly i'm grateful that I'm even capable and able to do it.  Thanks to any and all who have given me words of encouragement and support.

Until next year:

THE END

I'm mostly just laughing at Maggies bum to the world here (that cute pink plaid on up there on top).  All the little cousins had such a great time playing and waiting for us to all come in.