I Tri'd Again!

Sometimes in life we need to push ourselves outside of our comfort zone. Push the boundaries of what tests us. What scares us.

For me, that was swimming.

When I was young I did the customary swimming lessons for school but then that was it. Swimming "laps" never appealed to me and the most I did was frolic in the water and do "bombies" from the side of the pool.

Last year I watched from the side lines as my 2 friends participated in the 2012 Women's Triathlon here in Perth. I was so angry with myself for backing out at the last moment but the thought of needing to be rescued from the ocean simply because of my inability to swim scared the absolute crap out of me. Not just a little bit - terrifying heart pumping fear! I couldn't swim.

Late last year that all changed when I started adult swimming lessons. My initial thoughts of "OMG that's embarrassing at my age" went straight out the window with a "Screw being scared of being embarrassed! This is fucking awesome - I am a swimmer now!!!"

My plan was to start small and get to 100m and work my way up to be able to swim 300m without stopping. I quickly smashed past all the distances I set myself until low and behold I was swimming 750m freestyle without stopping! Huzzah!

300m was the distance of the swim leg in the triathlon I had my sights set on. It was meant to be my first ever triathlon until I snuck a sneaky little tri in on Australia Day this year. Turns out it wasn't so little as it was the toughest course in the Perth area! Eeeek! You can read about it here.

So on Sunday 3rd March I set out at some ungodly hour in the morning for the long trek to Whitford's Nodes Beach Park, Hillarys with my sleepy support team in tow.

We arrived early, met up with my triathlon BFF in the car park and headed towards the excitement.

Our bikes were racked, our little area prepped for transition and we began the wait trying not to let my nerves take hold.

The weather was in our favour and the water looked pretty calm. Could have been calmer. Pool like even.

My awesome friend Sarah arrived to join my support crew.

Pretty soon it was time to head down to the beach for the briefing and the start of the short course waves.

My tri BFF was in wave 6 and I was next in wave 7.

The swim was 100m out, turn right at the buoy, 100m along the beach, turn right and come 100m back towards the shore.

Even though I know that I can swim now the nerves were ripe. Swimming in the ocean is much different to the pool. But mostly the feeling of swimming in a huge crowd, I'm talking in the middle of 100 other people, is horrible. Really horrible!

I just kept telling myself to chill, swim my own race and try to block everyone else out. Easier said then done yeah?

My tri BFF headed off on her swim and moment later I was off.

The first 100m were easier than I expected. I found a nice spot not too close to others and managed to stay nice and calm.

Until I turned at the first buoy....

..... and copped a kick to the head....

..... and went under....

..... and panicked....

FUCK!

I quickly got my shit together after hanging onto a nearby surfboarding chicky for a couple of breaths and took off again....

I found my rhythm again.

Until the turn at the next buoy and regretted my decision not to wear the mirrored goggles as the sun was rising and I couldn't see anything each time I sighted to make sure I was going in the right direction.

I picked some feet just in front of me and hoped that they were at least going in the right direction!

Thankfully they were and I was soon running up the beach to the sounds of "Go Toni! Go Mami" from my awesome support crew. Sarah can yell really loud!

I ran through to transition. Threw on my number belt, shoes (without sitting this time thanks to elastic laces), helmet and glasses, grabbed my bike and ran towards the bike exit. 

During this time my support crew had made it up to the start of the bike leg and were there to scream out to me.

The bike leg was 7km and a lot easier than the 7km from the Australia Day tri thanks to no huge hills. Just some gradual ups and downs. Nothing too bad and I managed to make up some time and passed heaps of people.

Back from the bike leg and being spurred on from all the shouting of my name I ran back into transition to rack my bike and helmet and head out on the run.

3km this time and although my goal was not to walk at all during this I failed miserably and had a few mind f*ck moments and a killer hurty knee. Still managed the run in 18 minutes though which is 10kph so I can't be too hard on myself since I just swam and rode too.

The run was 1.5km out along the path with a turn around along the same course. 

Coming back I could hear the crowd, could tell I was close and hit the speed to sprint it home to loud applause from my awesome support crew.

 

My tri BFF was there with a big hug waiting for me.

Afterwards we drank champagne and toasted our awesome effort.

 

Can't wait until my next one. I'm officially a "triathlete" now. Apparently.

Hopefully I don't have a "near drowning" experience in the next one.

Crappy Swim - 12:35

Ride (includes T1 and T2) - 22:34

Walk Run - 18:04

Total - 53:14

Feeling of accomplishment - timeless

Do you tri?

Do you like washing machine ocean swimming?

You can also follow me on

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If you've been following me on facebook you may or may not know that I have registered for a 220km bike ride  for the Perth Ride to Conquer Cancer in 2013. This is a cause close to my heart as I have lost some very special people to this horrible disease. As part of my entry I need to fund raise a minimum of $2500 to take part in the actual ride. I really hate asking for donations but I've been told that it's the only way! Do you have a spare $2? Every little bit helps. All money raised will go directly to support cancer patients and their families and all donations $2 and over are tax deductible. Thank you!!

I promise to TRI!

Today for Australia Day I decided to do something Cra-zy and signed up for my first ever triathlon!!

I know. Crazy!

You may or may not remember that up until recently I was not a very good swimmer.

Today's tri wasn't actually the first tri that I was planning on doing. No. That tri is coming up in March. It's a womens only tri and it's the one that I was planning on doing in 2012 but chickened out of as I didn't want to be the one who needed to be rescued in the swim leg because I totally sucked at swimming!!! 

Instead I enrolled in adult swimming lessons and got my shite together!

So back to todays tri. I decided as a last minute decision to do the Australia Day tri as a "warm up" to the Womens Tri in March. A bit of a test run if you will.

I was worried. Very worried.

I'd been sick all week and apart from heaps of swimming practice, I hadn't really done much road running or riding of late. Everything has been taken place at the gym. While that's great it doesn't really mimic the crap that was about to be thrown at me today!

So. Today I was up at 4:30am for some honey on toast and some last minute checking that I'd packed everything. Then it was off towards Point Walter.

Once there I racked my bike and went to register (check in)

I'm not naked I promise!

Then it was a blur of "where the feck do I head for the ride?" and "which way is the run going?" followed by a quick rundown of all those answers.

By this time I was doing the pee dance and was praying I had time to go find a toilet as my wave was up first.

I choose to go with the novice event. That's a 200m swim, 7km ride and a 2km run. Yeah I know. Ok stop laughing. I get it. It's not that big. But remembering that 4 months ago I couldn't even swim 50m, I wanted my first tri to be an easy and doable one!! To get familiar with the transitions etc.

So the swim started in the water. No need to run in from the beach. I started in the middle at the front and quickly got over taken by a few people. Whatever.

Can you see me??

OH. MY. GOD. What a trippy experience. Swimming in the pool has spoilt me. How different it was to swim in open water. Zero visibility apart from seeing all the jelly fish that I was swimming through. Hundreds. Every scoop I did with my hands was scooping the jelly fish away. What a trip! At least I didn't see any sharks!

I don't know my official times yet but the swim went very quick. Although I think many swear words were screaming through my head during that time.

Coming out of the swim the first hill came into view. Feck. I have to run up that? Ok I'll admit it. I walked a little (remember, I've been sick)

My first transition was daunting. I'd been practising but until you've actually done one you don't really know what to except. I had planned to stand up to the do my shoes but I ended up sitting. 

Yeah I sat. What of it?

Oh well. I was out of there pretty quick. Sock. Shoes. Race belt with number. Glasses. Helmet. Bike. GO!!!!!

I ran my bike out and mounted. Up a hill. Feck!! Ok low gear. Go.

Go! Go! Go!

The ride started on a hill but once at the top I got to fly down it. The bad news? I had to go back up it didn't I. Doesn't matter. I managed to pass a few people who had gotten out of the swim and first transition quicker than me. Then all the "professional" riders started to pass me. On the fecking hills. What's up with that crazy shit. That hill was kick arse crazy!! 

Nearing the end was down hill. Great! A chance to stretch the legs and to "spin" them as this helps with going from the ride to the run. BUT. To get to transition was a climb back UP the hill. Crap! At this point I think I walked my bike (albeit, fast) back to the rack.

Helmet off. Twist the race belt so my number is at the front. GO!

Speed walk through transition and go, go, go............

The run sucked. A down hill run away from the transition area then up and down, up and down.

This is where I got so cranky with myself because even though I promised myself I wouldn't walk, I fecking did. What's up with that? I can run. I can run far. Apparently just not after a swim and a ride! :(  In my defence I had been so crappily sick this week. Something had to give. BUT, it wasn't for long and then I toughened up. The home straight was up hill. A steep hill. Yay! (Not)

Is that the finish line? Thank feck!!

But I did it. I passed the finish line and got a big kiss from Mr Hausfrau! Yay!

As I said, I don't know my times. But I don't really care. I did it as a test run for the Womens Tri in March. I don't think the times will be all that great but it just means I'll have something to beat for next Australia Day! I can't guarantee I will, but I promise to Tri!

After todays tri, I find out, by the officials talking at the presentations that the Point Walter course is the toughest tri course in Perth. Great! Figures. Stupid hills!

It was a great morning. Followed by an afternoon of catching up with friends for a BBQ, drinks and pool volleyball. I hope you all got to celebrate Australia Day in great fashion too!

I hope you all had a fantastic Australia Day - However you celebrated!

You can also follow me on

facebook | www.facebook.com/TheAussieHausfrau

Twitter | @AussieHausfrau

Instagram | @aussie_hausfrau

If you've been following me on facebook you may or may not know that I have registered for a 220km bike ride  for the Perth Ride to Conquer Cancer in 2013. This is a cause close to my heart as I have lost some very special people to this horrible disease. As part of my entry I need to fund raise a minimum of $2500 to take part in the actual ride. I really hate asking for donations but I've been told that it's the only way! Do you have a spare $2? Every little bit helps. All money raised will go directly to support cancer patients and their families and all donations $2 and over are tax deductible. Thank you!!

My Ride to Conquer Cancer

Sorry, I don't mean to offend anyone, but really... f#ck cancer!!

 I was 8 when cancer first visited my family. The year was 1986 and I remember seeing my Dad very upset and telling me that he had to fly to Melbourne. His sister had lost her battle with bone cancer. I was too young to remember her as we lived in North Queensland and she was in Victoria but I remember how it hurt my Dad.

In 1992 cancer struck again and I lost part of my heart. My Mums sister, my beloved Aunty, lost her battle with cancer. She had Hodgkin's lymphoma, a cancer of the lymph tissue. She was only 30 years young.

I was 14 when she died and I'd watched her suffer for over 2 years. I remember feeling so helpless that I couldn't help her. 

She was a very special part of my life. 

It sucks but I don't have any photos of Aunty other than these old ones. No such thing as digital cameras back then and all the old photo albums are with her kids now. She didn't like photos in the last few years of her life anyway :(

My weekends were spent at her place. Riding horses and running amok! She taught me to drive, took me where ever I wanted to go and pretty much spoilt me rotten! 

She left behind 4 kids. 4 year old twins girls, a 6 year old daughter and an 8 year old son. Four children would grow up without a Mum and I lost my gorgeous Aunty.

Life went on. Somehow.

Then 4 days into the new millennium in 2000 my Granddads body couldn't take any more and cancer took another member of my family. This time is was bowel cancer. He was only diagnosed 6 weeks earlier. I was 7 months pregnant and he was 46 days short of meeting his first ever great grand child. My Nanna was to be a widow, my Mum and my other Aunty lost their Dad and me, my siblings and my cousins were without a Granddad.

Cancer had taken yet another member of my family and it sucked! But what could I do? I was young and didn't really know anything.

Now that I'm older and as fit as I've ever been I think it's time to give back! I heard about The Ride to Conquer Cancer for 2012 but not with enough time to fund-raise.

The one for 2013 is different! Way different! I have 354 days left to do it!

The Ride to Conquer Cancer is a cycling journey throughout the scenic countryside of Western Australia that I'm embarking on to fight cancer. It will be a challenge in a number of ways, but with my bike, my helmet, and hopefully, maybe, possibly, your generosity, a real impact can and will be made!


Funds raised in The Ride to Conquer Cancer will help support ground breaking  critical cancer research being undertaken at the Western Australian Institute for Medical Research (WAIMR), Western Australias premier adult medical research institute, investigating the genetic and environmental causes of a range of diseases.

I'm doing this in honour of my family members lost to this horrid disease and to give others the opportunity for more time with their special people!

As part of my entry I need to fund raise a minimum of $2500 to take part in the actual ride. I really hate asking for donations but I've been told that it's the only way! Do you have a spare $2? Every little bit helps. Any donations, however big or small will go a long way to supporting this amazing cause. All money raised will go directly to support cancer patients and families. 

Thank you!!

click any photo to donate

Your donation will be paid directly into a WAIMR bank account, so funds will be available for its immediate use. There will be no need to wait until the event is over for the presentation of a big cardboard cheque.

WAIMR is registered with the Australian Taxation Office as a Deductible Gift Recipient, so everyone who donates $2 or more will receive a Tax Receipt.

I'm hoping to also hunt down a few big sponsors in the way of Perth businesses  If you have any other ideas or experience with fund raising large amounts of money I would absolutely LOVE to hear them!! I'm thinking car washes and sausage sizzles. What else???

Please click here or any picture above to donate!

Please feel free to share my plea for help!

Big smooshy thank you kisses in advance!!

Doing it for

Theresa Ballantyne passed away on the 30/08/1986

Veronica May Stuart 05/05/1962 - 17/11/1992

James John Stuart 01/03/1932 - 04/01/2000

and everyone else who has been affected by cancer

Joining up with Jess for her last ever #IBOT over at Diary of a SAHM before her big unveiling over at Essentially Jess!

And because this is such an awesome important cause I'm also flashing my blog over with Bree at Twinkle in the Eye and flogging my blog with Grace at With Some Grace