We did it! :-D

Today was totally amazing and worth every single morning I had to get up and drive to the Y in subzero temperatures at 5:15 in the morning. It was worth every single biking, um, mishap (a couple of which I think might leave scars). It was even worth that very first horrifying plunge (I can't call it a swim, because it wasn't) in Lake Geneva.

Between nervousness and my borderline-OCD need to be on time, I ended up at the park at 5:20, which gave me ample time to set up my stuff and freeze. I'm glad I had a pair of gloves in the massive pile of junk in my back seat. Once my fellow rockstars arrived, we got marked (which, by the way, so didn't wash off in the shower), checked out the newbie meeting, and did introductions with our respective posses. Then it was time for the swim!

I was pleasantly surprised at how little trouble I had getting through it, and I was pleased with my time. I only got bumped into a couple of times, and never actually got kicked in the head. ;-) And please allow me to say one more time how much I love my rental wetsuit. (And Linda, anytime you need another wetsuit rescue, I'm your woman!)

On to the bike. I'll be honest--it was scary, especially when I got toward the end of the course and the lane wasn't closed to traffic like I thought it would be. I did fine (thanks to Linda and Kathy making me face up to the cars in the two weeks leading up to the event) right up until I got back to the park entrance and there was chaos because they were letting people out before all the bikers were back in. I ended up having to walk it back into the park, but I finished! Oh, and I did fall once on the way--I stayed upright, but I can't say the same thing for poor Thor. ;-)

I'm thrilled with my time on the run: 27:58, which is 1:27 faster than my previous best. I was ready to be done by the time I finished, though.

I'll definitely be continuting my triathlon career (come on, I own a tri-suit and a bike now!), but I need to work on my bike proficiency or find an event with a truly closed course first. I've been eyeing this book at Schuler's for awhile, and I'm going to pick it up tomorrow. I'm shooting to be ready for another event by late August or early September.

I know I've said this before, but it really has been an honor to do this with you guys. Linda, your perseverence through your mom's illness has been inspiring and Kathy, you've been a rock (not to be confused with rockstar, which we all are!) for everyone.

Here's a photo of us with our medals. I'll figure out what to do with the rest of them when I see what we have. (I'm thinking it might be easier to set up an online album somewhere and just put a link here since posting more than five pictures at a time here is kind of a pain).



And with that, I'm off to bed--I'm a little more tired than I thought I'd be!

--Jess :)

PS--My favorite congratulatory comment came from my brother who is currently in the middle of moving to Seattle (quite literally--he was in one of the Dakotas when my parents talked to him last night). I sent him a text message saying we finished, and his reply was "Nice work, bada$$." Haha.