Crazy is the new Cool

For those of you who I have not blabbed to....yes I know...there are few and far between...but Jim and I last year signed up for a Triathlon, 8 months in advance (yikes...we know!). I really don't think our minds were clear when we signed up for it. Or perhaps we just assumed that we were in better shape than we truly are!
Well, it just so happened that the weekend of the Triathlon was Easter, and the event was held in Missoula, MT (Jim's home town). So as time went on, more family signed up for the event, and as it turns out a whole bunch of family decided to come into town, not just to celebrate Easter but...as Jim would say..."Watch me drown in the race"!!!

So now, all this family is coming into town, we can't bag out of the race (let me tell ya...we seriously considered it!). So setting our fears aside, we hit the gym....alot!!!! Our swim, bike, and run times kept getting better and better...what the "hey".....Triathlon, here we come!

Fast forward (after seriously weeks of hard training) and we are in Montana, night before the race. The family is all over at Nana and Papa's house, visiting....having a few brews....and Jim and I are enjoying some good old fashioned H2o (fun times...), not to mention, watching the snow fall (did I tell you we were swimming!). So we hit the sack early (have to be well rested for the race), not to mention we had to be there at the "butt crack of dawn". Neither one of us slept...it was ridiculous!!!

D-Day..... 1 banana....2 banana (need potassium....not going to poop for a week)...a little H2o.....little Gatorade....I think I am going to barf.

We pile in the truck, Jim....me...and Jim's cousin's (mind you everyone else in the family is still peacefully sleeping) heading down the road to the University where the race is being held. On our way to the race, we pass a reader board on a bank that shows the outside temperature...it's a delightful 22 degree's outside! Are you *#&@$*%ing kidding me?????? Now I'm really going to barf!

We get to the race, check in, change...get tatt'ed up with sharpie numbers on our leg's, start stretching...a little more H2o, and hit the bathroom like 4 times (talk about pre-race squirts...I know nasty....but that banana did nothing for me!). Anyhow, it's go time. They call our heat, Jim and I are in one lane, with two other people...circle swim.

My nerves' are going nuts, I feel like I just chugged a 6'er of Redbull, then as they are starting the countdown for the swim to start, in the background they blare Van Halen.....seriously....how did they know (I'm a fanatic)....game on.

Let's just say that both Jim and I beat our original swim times, and we didn't just beat them...we killed them.

As we transitioned to the bike, neither one of us even felt the cold (at that point, it was about 36, and the sun was shining) even though we were soaking wet. We both beat our bike time, and came in pretty close to even on our run. Mind you, during the run, was also raced up the side of a mountain (which we did not train for).

To say the least, it was amazing! I was shocked at how well my body adapted, and did not let me down. I am so ridiculously proud of Jim and myself. Honestly, crossing the finish line was one of the best feelings I have ever had in my entire life!

This experience was sooo great that we will definitely be competing again next year, and the family had so much fun, that a bunch of them are going to join us!

Enjoy the pictures.....we worked hard for them!