San Diego International Triathlon - WOOO HOOO!

Back at home and #1... see those "dirty" spots on my shorts?  Those are salt deposits...
at the end of the race, I had so many salt crystals on my skin that
Anna said I was wearing "gliltter!" :-)

WHAT... A... DAY!  Let's start out with the BIG NEWS... I TOOK 1ST PLACE IN MY CATEGORY (AND, came in faster than the winner of the under 40 Athenas!)... which means that I was the FASTEST BIG GAL... of any age... at today's race!!!
For those of you that want the full story, here we go!

My day started at 3AM... up... shower... take in calories (which I usually have to choke down because the last thing I want to do at 3AM is eat breakfast... not to mention the nerves), re-check my transition bag, hydrate, and the all important 1st bathroom "movement..."

We parked about 1 mile away from the transition area at 5:30AM... and I found out that I would be racking AND swimming with the men (more to come on this.)  Transition set up was incredibly relaxed, which was a surprise because this is where I usually start to freak myself out.  After my epic bonk at my first international tri in March, I thought this was a good start to the day!
Another bathroom stop (actually 2) and it was time for a quick swim and on to the start.  From here, I think I need to let the photos tell the story...

Briony and me about to warm up...
funny thing... the rolls you see
are from my short and shorts... unlike...

...not even 2 years ago, my first "wetsuit tri"
... those rolls are me (sadly)... and almost
a 50 pound difference!

My swim wave... swimming with the men was a strugle... they have bigger
hands to hit you with and bigger bodies to swim over you.  All that being
said, this was my most "comfortable" swim (if you can say that for a tri swim)
I was in the top half of this field, finishing almost 4 MINUTES faster than
my training!!!! WOOO HOOO!

Getting out of the water... I'm always surprised how many people finish
after me at the swim... even all those guys... :-)

From the swim to the bike... I was racked with the guys... and look how many
 of them were still there (or not yet there) as I head out of transition!

I'm coming to the downhill to the dismount of the bike... SERIOUSLY...
for someone that is afraid of the downhill, I'm doing pretty good!

SERIOUSLY... my coach and awesome friend, Laura,
started 20 minutes behind me.  I knew I could hold her off
during the swim, and perhaps within a few minutes of
the bike, but she is a RUNNER!  I knew she would catch me
on the run... but I didn't know I would hold her off until the
finish... where she caught me and although I was DONE,
she asked me "what I had left."  I told her that I was done
a mile ago... she said she wanted to cross the finish we me...
... and I ran as hard as I could...
... and I finished with my coach...
(yes... insert happy tears here!) 

Our Palomar YMCA Tri Club... Briony (Fitness Director), me, Laura (my
original weight loss coach and friend), Alfredo (Director of our Y and
inspiration), and Matt... fellow member and my 100% inspiration... Matt,
you are a ROCK STAR!

I was (just a little) excited that I took 1st place for the Athenas...
and having our Y team there cheering for me...
... NO... BETTER... FEELING!
(Seuiously, who cares if I looked like a dork... I just took FIRST PLACE
in an International Triathlon!!!

I was SHOCKED how many people were following my journey and emailing, Facebooking, texting to see how I was doing.  It doesn't matter how much you weigh... or how out of shape you are... tomorrow is another day!  Make it the first day of something AWESOME!