I DID IT!!!!! After 3 months of training in the intense heat, getting hit by a bus and having a few minor panic attacks, I completed my first triathlon on Saturday, October 1st.
Sorry, let me rephrase – I didn’t just complete my triathlon, I kicked its ASS! I’m not sure if it was the adrenaline pumping through my veins or the fact that the temperature was about 30 degrees cooler than what I was used to training in, but something propelled me that day and I surpassed my goals farther than I ever thought possible.
The night before was restless, as was to be expected. I woke up about every hour worrying that perhaps I had set my alarm to PM instead of AM – I was wrong every time. But I managed to get a good amount of sleep and felt surprisingly refreshed as I walked out of my hotel room at 6 AM. The knots in my stomach made it difficult to eat a hearty breakfast but I was able to get some oatmeal and a piece of toast down. Luckily my dad and Bryan were up early too so I didn’t have to eat alone – it was so nice to get one last hug of encouragement before making my way to the swim start.
It was about 65 degrees that morning and my tri suit was far from equipped to keep me warm. So I wrapped myself in the towel I would use during my bike transition and headed out to get marked with my race number. After taking a few pictures and laying out my items for the transition, it was 5 minutes until we had to be down at the starting line. As I heard the announcer, my stomach completely dropped. Bryan had been with me up until this point but had to go meet my brother and dad back at the hotel – suddenly, I was all alone. Instead of letting my anxiety overcome me, I decided to use the cool air to get my blood flowing. I fidgeted, walked and jumped around, and then began the walk to the swim start. After a few minutes I saw my brother, my dad and Bryan and was immediately reassured. Watching the first wave of swimmers was motivation enough for me – if they could do it, so could I.
Before I knew it, it was time to get in the water and await the start. About 35 of us were treading water in extremely close proximity – and then the gun went off. Almost immediately I was being kicked and pulled in every direction by the girls who wanted to get to the head of the pack. I tried not to let this bother me, although my nerves were running wild. I decided to start off slowly, swimming breast stroke to the first buoy until I had enough room. After turning the corner, it was time to speed up and swim freestyle. Before I knew it, the end of the swim was in my sights! In just over 13 minutes, I climbed out of the water and began the long walk up a steep hill to the bike transition.
Everything after that transition is a blur – I dried off, put on my gear, opened up a gel pack and walked my bike to the mounting area. All the while, my wonderful spectators were cheering me on and taking pictures. After hopping on my bike, a sense of tranquility overcame me. The air was crisp, the sun was coming up and I had a burst of energy. The bike course itself was absolutely gorgeous – a nice alternative to the routes I took in Austin over and over. We rode over valleys and water and even through some side streets. The course was flatter than I had anticipated and for that I was grateful. Throughout the ride, I was passed by a few and managed to pass some people myself. Despite this, I kept telling myself , “This is about you, no one else”. I started to lose some steam around mile 11 but managed to keep a steady pace throughout the ride, averaging 17 MPH. After all, I was going to finish the ride in under an hour – something I never thought I would do. As I finished my last lap and turned into downtown Kerrville, I saw Bryan, my dad and brother Will cheering me on once again – god it felt good to see them!
The transition to the run was exhausting to say the least. As I changed my socks and put on my shoes, my legs were shaking and fatigued. I set out on the run, gave my dad a high-five and then I was alone again. To my surprise, I kept a steady pace through the run even though the terrain was less than desirable. After about 3/4 of a mile on a road, the course took us into a wooded area where we had to run through some thick grass, dodge rocks and hop over tree roots. Before I knew it I was at the turnaround point – only 1.5 miles to go. By far the best part about the run was the little kids who were handing out Gatorade and water. They were so excited and full of life. As I got closer to the turnaround, a group of girls kept cheering “G-O Let’s GO!” I was so inspired by their enthusiasm and decided to make that my mantra for the remainder of the run. Pretty soon I was back on the road and was on the home stretch to the finish line! I took my final turn and saw exactly what I needed to see – my friends Donnie and Laura, their son Hayden, Mike, Bryan, my dad and brother. Seeing their faces light up as they saw me gave me the last bit of energy I needed to literally sprint to the finish line. As I picked up speed, I heard the announcer say “And that’s how you do it, Emily! This is Emily Bernard finishing strong”. Talk about a rush!!
And then, it was over. I had completed my first triathlon, gotten my medal and was being rushed by my family and friends. As Bryan picked me up in celebration, I began to cry. I was so overwhelmed with emotion and felt the most intense sense of accomplishment I had ever felt – it was by far one of the most amazing moments of my life.
Me with my amazing trainer, fiance and best friend. I LOVE YOU!
When all was said and done, I finished the triathlon in 1 hour, 54 minutes and managed to place second in my age group! Luckily Donnie and Laura stuck around to hear the awards – we were already back at the hotel! They were able to get my trophy for me, for which I am so thankful. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would place in the triathlon, much less second in my age group. It was breathtaking to hear those words.
While I attribute a lot of my success to my dedication and training, I couldn’t have done it without everyone’s support. Not only did I have an amazing cheering section the day of, but all the comments and words of praise I got on Facebook and in person leading up the event fueled my passion to succeed. So thank you, to everyone who helped keep me going even when I wanted to give up. I couldn’t have done it without you! And special thanks to Bryan for training me, pushing me when I needed it and for putting up with my attitude on the way to Kerrville as the stress began to set in – you do so much for me babe and I fall more and more in love with you every day!
Now the only question remaining is – when is the next one??
I love you Dad and Will!
insatiable curiosity 