Lake Powell3 Triathlon (this ones a doosy)

Well...hope you have time.
Also a little disclaimer. The Jewkes have always been known to be a little bit of exaggerators, so if your thinking "whoopty...its just a 5k, whats the big deal about"
This really was a big deal to me.
Also. I did NOT make my goal of 22 minutes. I did it in 23. You will find out my excuse later.

The triathlon has come and gone. My first experience in a competitive race is over. Feelings...feelings...*breaks out into song

-Lets start with the night before.

Friday-
4pm
Drive to Powell- Gorgeous, short. Why haven't I done this before? (gone to Powell from St George.)
Arrive at the Best Western in Page Arizona.
Ask for room...They do not have me booked. Typical.
"No problem" she says. "We have availability."
"Is there a DIFFERENT Best Western in town???" I ask.
"Not that we are booking you guys at." is the reply.
WHAT IS THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?
Well..OK we will take it I guess. -Get on the phone to Steve who is already checked in.
"Steve, what room are you in? Is there another B.W. in town? They said they didn't have me booked."
"Yes. there is one right across the street..."
Long story even longer...she thought we were Jehovah Witnesses, and they were booked full of them for some JW convention. (not that there is anything wrong with that :)
ANYHOO...After haggling, loading, unloading, and switching rooms a few times, we got settled.
Dinner anyone?
"The DAM Bar and Grill." Long wait. Excellent Food. Horrible service.
Hurried to the marina to pick up our packets. By this time it is waaaay past Zanders bedtime. I don't even need to mention how he was acting.
Get to bed. Fall asleep. wake up. asleep. awake.asleep. awake. You get the drift.
4 hours later. Rise and shine. You have to go exert yourself now. (why am I doing this I ask myself?)

Mom comes into town...Thanks for the support.
Hurry up and wait. Hurry up and wait. Steve and Jake are waiting for us. Nervous perhaps?
Check out the homeless version of George Michael.


Finally. The horn blows! Swimmers are off.
...

Not just yet. The race was broken into 4 waves so that everybody doesn't kill each other.
Wave1- Olympic Male
Wave 2-Olympic Female
Wave 3-Sprint Male
Wave 4-Sprint Female/Relay Teams(us)

20 minutes later the horn blows. Finally! Steve is off and swimming. Jake now has to run up to the bike station and wait for the baton.
Steve BLOWS everyone away. Like nothing you have seen before, short of Phelps a few weeks ago.
His lead grows...and grows...and grows. Really? Is that him ALREADY coming in??
13 minutes.
CANT BE!
IT IS!!! GO JAKE GO. GO. GO.

This was so unexpected, Jake didn't even have his helmet on yet. He is frantically getting ready while Steve is dying to catch his breath. After all he DID just lap most the swimmers in Waves 1-2 and 3! Also, he has run up a 500 yard boat ramp. (talk about trying to kill you)

Jake hops on the bike and bolts off. for those of you that do not know Jake...lets just say he is one of those people that excels at EVERYTHING without too much effort. We weren't too worried about him, but it was starting to set in that he was really going to have to work for this one.
I'm starting to get really nervous...it's almost my turn. My shin splints had been acting up, but nothing a little Advil couldn't take care of ( I hope.) I have butterflies in my stomach, doing my stretches, trying to visualize running.
I start saying to Jessica how I hope Jake doesn't surprise me the way Steve surprised him...
BOOM. There is Jake! 40 minutes! It was supposed to take him an hour!
I yell oh crap and run over to meet him at the switch off.
I'm frantically trying to pull off the leg bracelet, and we have to switch the safety pinned number from his shirt to mine. FORGET THAT! We are just switching shirts!

And I'm off.

Everything before is just a blur. My mind is completely clear. I'm calm, I'm running a great pace. I barely even notice any other people around me. Just me and the road. The cheers start to fade behind me. The directional signs are the only things on my mind. I'm doing AWESOME!
Bystanders are cheering me on...what a great feeling.
Then I see it...a hill.
I had been training the previous month in a gym. On a track. No hills. It was OK though, I expected it. I would just have to push a little harder. All the sudden I realize I was halfway, and my shins didn't hurt AT ALL!! woot woot. I had to say a little prayer after that realization.
At this point, Im starting to be pretty tired, but Im just focusing on breathing. I had done pretty well. I knew I wanted to leave some gas in the tank for the final push. I cut down across the road, to the beginning of the final stretch...maybe 300 yards. I put the pedal to the medal and flew as fast as I could possibly run all the rest of the way. Actually sprinting, not running now. I was getting the chills from the sounds of the cheering...zoom...there was Jessica...Zoom there was mom It was all a blur..One thought only. Finish.
WOW!!!
I felt soooo great!
I was done. We had finished. Accomplished.
There are no words to describe the feeling I had that day. Hugging my wife and hearing how proud she was. Knowing I had given my all.
To top it off, We won first place in the Mens relay division. I told you I would have a medal to show. Here it is!

Anyone wanna join me next year??
For more pics check this link.
http://picasaweb.google.com/jjewkes7/Triathalon?authkey=wxHrhUicYq4#