Yesterday Matt and I completed our very first triathlon.
After reading and hearing so much about triathlons, it was exciting to actually take part. These events require a lot of planning and coordination, and I was impressed with how well organized this race was. We took part in the Bucker Mission Man Triathlon in Burlington, NC.
Burlington is about an hour away, and the drive through farmland was lovely. We arrived bright and early at 6:45 a.m. with a car full of bikes and transition gear.
Our first tasks were packet pickup and getting our race numbers marked. Numbers were written on our arms and legs, we wore timing chips on our ankles, and our age was written on the back of one leg so competitors could see age groups.
After checking in, we set up our transition area. I brought two bags: one packed for the bike leg and a second prepared for the run.
Swim-to-bike transition items:
- Towel
- Shoes and socks
- CamelBak with water and ice
- Garmin watch and ID bracelet
- Shirt with bib already pinned
- Hair tie and bobby pins
- Camera
- Fuel (gels and chews)
On the bike I already had my helmet, sunglasses, and two water bottles—one plain water and one with honey added.
Bike-to-run transition items:
- Visor
- SpiBelt for fuel and camera
I wore a tri suit that a family friend kindly sent. For the swim I used the shorts and a sports bra, then put my shirt—already pinned with my bib—on for the bike and run. The suit was comfortable and worked well.
Before long, it was time to start.
Event #1
Swim: 750 meters (half mile)
Time: 17:11
The swim took place in a lake at the marina. It was a beautiful setting. Matt’s wave went off at 8:04 and mine at 8:12, and we wore different colored caps based on our waves.
Matt was nervous—his originally planned race was a 250-meter pool swim that got canceled—so a 750-meter open-water swim was a big step. He did great, though he swallowed some lake water and felt rough starting the bike. He said he’d practice swimming more if he does another tri.
I paced myself during the swim, alternating freestyle and breaststroke to avoid burning out. I could have pushed harder but focused on steady progress and staying on course in the choppy water with other swimmers around.
Event #2
Bike: 15 miles
Time: 1:07:15
The bike leg was the hardest for me performance-wise, even if it was the most enjoyable. The scenery—lakes, bridges and country roads—was lovely and the cool breeze kept me comfortable, but many riders passed me. A 73-year-old woman even passed me on the bike, which was both humbling and inspiring.
I fueled with chews and honey water and drank constantly from my CamelBak. Matt stayed nearby; since he’d exerted a lot on the swim he hung back while I set the pace. The course was flatter than our usual rides, which felt nice.
Before we knew it we were back at transition and ready for the run—the bike portion flew by.
Event #3
Run: 5k (3.1 miles)
Time: 26:57
The bike-to-run transition was much quicker than the swim-to-bike change. I swapped my helmet for a visor, pulled on my SpiBelt, grabbed some fuel, and set off.
We spotted Matt’s parents near the start of the run and his dad took action photos for us. Matt wasn’t feeling great because of the swim and recent travel, but we began the run at a solid pace and entered a shady, hilly trail that made the route manageable despite the heat.
On the trail Matt decided to walk and told me to go ahead. I kept running and finished in 26:57. My watch showed a slightly short course at 2.8 miles and an average pace around 9:30 per mile on the hilly, rocky trail.
The run was a loop, and Matt experienced severe leg cramps near the finish after the first lap and had to stop. He made a smart decision to avoid injury, but afterward I regretted not staying with him. He reassured me he might not have finished either way, but I wished I had shared the finish with him instead of pushing on.
Crossing the finish line felt great. Volunteers handed out icy wet towels and cold water immediately—perfect after the effort.
Stat Breakdown:
- Swim — 750 meters — 17:11
- 8th of 12 in my age group. I can improve now that I’m more comfortable in group swimming.
- T1: Swim → Bike — 6:27
- Very slow compared to others; a clear area for improvement.
- Bike — 15 miles — 1:07:15
- 12th of 12 in my age group. I’m a slow cyclist relative to the field and need to train more on the bike.
- T2: Bike → Run — 2:03
- Better than T1 but still room to speed up.
- Run — 5k — 26:57
- 5th of 12 in my age group. Running is my strongest event, though I wish I’d finished together with Matt.
- Overall Time: 1:59:50
Reflections:
- Triathletes tend to be strong in one or two disciplines; strengths vary across swim, bike and run.
- If I race another tri, I’ll prioritize more bike training.
- Practice will also speed up transitions—wearing a tri suit helped reduce time significantly.
- Push the swim a bit more next time; I likely won’t burn out as quickly as I fear.
- A two-hour triathlon felt easier to recover from than a two-hour run for me—likely because I didn’t push every leg to the limit.
Overall, it was a successful and fun first triathlon. These events are addictive—maybe it’s time to sign up for another one soon.
