I participated in and completed my first ever mini-triathlon on yesterday. The Quintana Roo Sports Barn Sprint Triathlon had quite a bit of personal meaning for me because it was an opportunity to measure the results of recent lifestyle changes I have been pursuing.
Dietary changes. Sleep habit changes. Attitude changes. Quitting smoking. I wanted to know if these changes were paying off in increased health. They certainly are. I am not a top competitor, but I am holding my own, and now I have a yardstick to measure my own personal progress. I came in 289th out of 611 participants in the triathlon.
I need to work on my swim time, my transitions and my general conditioning, although I met my personal goal of completing the event in an hour. Time to get ready for the next one, which is double the distance in every event and only two months away. The Sunbelt Cohutta Springs Triathlon feels a little intimidating. Thinking of how tired I was after half that distance, I cannot imagine what I’ll feel like after a 1/2 mile swim, a 16-mile bike ride and a 4-mile run. Only one way to find out and that is by participating in the triathlon.