I got RESCUED during a tri!!!

[light_sabe_r]

O_O

Yesterday I completed the Bribie Island Short Course Triathlon and I almost drowned.

I think I am a "FAIR" swimmer. I'm no Libby Lenton but I know I can swim 300m. I can even swim in the surf.

Yesterday was a 300m tidal assissted swim. BUT The conditions were terrible. It wasn't like the surf where there's a pattern to the waves when you can feel the water dragging you forwards or back depending on where the wave was.

Nope. the water was so choppy that every time I took a breath I ended up with a lungful of water - Not air.

I ended up treading water for a bit when all of a sudden I found myself on a livesaver's board. PHEW. I chilled out there while I hacked up whatever salt water went down came straight back up. I was physically sick but continued the reamining 100m of the swim. Ended up 7th out of 8 yet still managed a decent 4th place ride of just under 30mins for 13km. Not bad considering on the ride I was still having a gag reflex.

Toughest tri I've ever done. Even tougher than the Caloundra Tri where the distance was longer and I came dead last!

I will do bribie again and hopefully there won't be as much chop.




Has anyone else needed to be rescued??? Or am I just really that sad. (Apparently the life savers had their hands full yesterday)

[KnottedYet]

Whoa, Nelly!

[Starfish]

Wow, really glad you're OK, and also, may I say it takes courage to keep racing with a belly full of saltwater!

[Wahine]

Wow, I'm glad you're OK. Good job on the bike!!

[sbctwin]

Wow, I am glad you are ok and you even say you will do it again. You have good mental strength...

[Tri Girl]

Yowzers! I'm proud of you for finishing, when it would've been easier (and perfectly acceptable) to stop after inhaling all the salt water. Ick!

[Running Mommy]

Oh goodness Light! How scary!!! But I def. know the feeling. Last year at a sprint I did south of San Diego I was caught off guard. Same thing happened to me. It was very choppy, and I'm not used to ocean swimming. I used to SURF back in the day- but of course then I had a board to float on!
Ocean swimming is a whole other animal, and can be scary in bad conditions.
Like you I remember saying to myself, "CRIPES I can do an IRONMAN swim in a lake, but I can't do 500m in the ocean!"... And yes, I heard the lifeguard yell to his buddy "I'm going to stay with this one and make sure she makes it in ok"...

Glad you made it tho, and sounds like it was a fair race after you emptied your lungs of the sea water.
Good on you for keeping at it!

[mimitabby]

at least there were no crocodiles in the water, glad you're all right!

[light_sabe_r]

To tell you the truth Mimi I was more worried about Jellyfish in the water and the BULL ANTS NEST I'd been positioned on top for transition

I'm packing Stingoze next time.

Running Mommy - Yeah those lifeguards are worth their weight in gold.

I'm definatley donating to the Surf safe appeal this year. They really helped me out!

[alpinerabbit]

So glad you survived both the sea and the stings....

[margo49]

Woo- hooo, Light, me mite!
You shaow them what ozzies and kiwi's are made of!
Sea water in the lungs ...nah, no worries!. Not a biggie!

[luv'nAustin]

You're one tough triathlete! I'm glad it turned out well and you were able to finish the tri. Congratulations !!!

[roadie gal]

Wow, scary. I'm glad you're OK. Congrats on the finish!

[RoadRaven]

Just goes to show that we can never take anything for granted... we can nearly drown or we can be settled on top of bull ants!

So pleased this finished with you in tact - many would have flagged the whole thing once they were hauled out of the water.

Even though you are one tough spirit... I wish you no more choppy, water-swallowing moments for the rest of your season, and transition areas free of bugs.