I DID IT without shoes, but I DID IT!

As most of you know one of my goals was to do a Triathlon this year. So yesterday May 20th 2010 in Woodlake, NC I did my first triathlon. It was a Sprint which consisted of 600yds swim, 17.2 bike, and 3 mile run. The first thought that ran threw my head when getting into the cold water was, 'Why am I doing this, I'm crazy' but I pushed on. I swam getting kick only twice which was not as bad as the nightmares I had envisioned. Once finished I ran and got all my bike stuff on and grabbed my bike to start the bike portion. It was a beautiful bike trail with amazing trees all around (thank you N. Carolina). About mile 7 my right shoe was giving me a lot of trouble. I finally decided to just take it off. So for the next two miles I rode with just one shoe(my shoes are the clip on to the peddle kind).
WITH SHOES

Normally this wouldn't have been a problem but Thursday night at a church Relief Society Meeting I slipped on some water on our nicely redone wood floors, bruising up my knee pretty bad. My knee started to give me a lot of problems. So at about the half way point I just ditched both of them (I gave them to the nice man who helps pump up flat tires) and rode the rest of the bike ride in socks.
NO SHOES

I had to stop twice and walk my bike up the hills because it was getting to much for my feet digging into the bike peddles. I finished the bike portion and changed into my tennis shoes. I started to run but at this point my knee wanted none of that, so I walked as fast as I could. I would run until I couldn't and then walk and until the end of the race I ran and walked, ran and walked. About a 1/2 mile from the finish line a little old Grandma who was the very last person passed me. This left me as the very last person. Now most people might take this as a defeat, but not me. Their were so many times I wanted to quit and be finished. Honestly I would have had numerous reasons to stop, but I didn't. I kept going! As I got to the finish line I had a great friend named Amanda waiting for me who said, "I couldn't let you do this all by yourself." I am so blessed!

Billy so wanted to be there and by all means was there just not physically. He called me on my ride home from the race. I think he was shocked and a little surprised by it all. This was an amazing experience and I am so glad I did it!