Tri Tag

I was recently tagged on my Urban Farm blog (6 Weird Things About Me), and thought it would be fun to do a game of Tri Blogger Tag. I'm going to tag the people in my Favorite blogs list: TriGirl40, J. at Ironmanlife, Hakado Ru, Flatman, TriSaraTops, TriJack, Sheila at Mind & Body of Iron, and the Iron Kahuna himself.

If you've been tagged, answer these six questions, then tag six more folks.

1. Describe a memory from your first triathlon ever

2. Describe a memory from your most recent triathlon

3. What's the most embarassing thing that has ever happened to you in a tri?

4. What's the most thrilling thing that's happened to you in a tri?

5. What is something you discovered about yourself by doing triathlons?

6. What is The Big Goal that you're working towards?

My answers:

1. When I did my first triathlon, it was 1986 at Forest Grove, OR. My main goal was not to walk on the run, but my memory is of the bike course. It wasn't well marked and I don't remember any marshalls, just some chalk on the pavement. Several people got lost. I was biking along just looking at the pavement for arrows and almost ran into a cyclist ahead of me. It hadn't dawned on me that I might catch someone, so I wasn't even looking!

2. My most recent Tri was IMFL 2006. I had read in the race brochure that they wouldn't be letting anyone in the finisher chute but athletes, so when I came up the ramp and saw my husband and kids standing there, I just about burst into tears. We ran across the line together. The kids kept trying to stop and talk to me, and I said "We've got to run now!"

3. Hmmmm, that's a tough one since I've fallen over my own untied shoelaces before (I've gotten quick ties since those days). But it's probably the time I got passed in the run by a pregnant lady. I mean really pregnant. Did I mention I'm a slow runner??

4. Other than crossing the Ironman Finish line, I think it was a couple of years ago in the Hagg Lake Enduro Tri. I was coming out of T1 on my bike and there's a real steep upgrade out of the parking lot. This damn truck was in my way and driving very slow, I guess I thought some spectators or something. Then it stayed ahead of me driving very slowly and I was a bit annoyed. Until I realized it was the pace vehicle and I was the Race Leader! I've never come out of the water ahead of all the women and men before. I kept the pace truck through the whole first bike lap. Now that was a thrill!

5. Another tough one. I've been doing triathlons for half of my life now and I think so much of what I know about myself I've learned during training and racing. I guess the most important discovery for me was that I could change myself a little at a time. That big change doesn't have to happen immediately. In a society focused on instant gratification, this is such a huge thing to know and understand. I see it in training all the time, what is difficult today becomes easier tomorrow. But it has unending ramifications in all areas of life.

6. The Big Goal. I think I would like, someday, to qualify for Kona. I was only an hour and change away from the last qualifying spot in my age group at IMFL, my first Ironman. And with the dislocated toe and all that limping and my almost 5 hour marathon, I'm guessing I could be a whole lot closer than that. I think it's within my reach, one of these years. I'd probably wilt in the heat on the Kona course, I'm notoriously bad in the heat. But it would be cool to be there.