I completed my first tri of the year today and while I took 5th in my age group, I'm proud of my effort. This is the third year that I've been doing tris. I've decided to move from sprint to olympic distance this year, and maybe half ironman, and have been training very hard. The only discipline of the three that I could be competitive in has been the bike and I was so super slow in the swim and run. I've worked really hard and while I'm still not fast by any means, I am improving and that means a lot.

Today's tri was a 450 meter indoor pool swim, 15.5 mile bike and a 5 mile run--the longest distance I have ever attempted. Besides the distances being longer, the bike and run were VERY hilly (it was at a river town on the Mississippi if that gives you a clue) and it was really warm. I completed the swim without issue and only walked twice in the run on two hills. I finished in 2:10 and was happy with that. My first full olympic distance with open water swim is next month and after today I feel confident that I will be able to complete it.

It was a great day for me. I'm not very fast but for a 53 year old that just learned to swim 3 years ago, I think I'm doing pretty darned good.

I just want to tell other beginning triathlon TErs out there to keep training. It's a process and takes time but the benefits of the training do pay off. I just keep telling myself that I'm faster than all the folks still sitting on the couch!!!