We are the champions. Again.

Okay, perhaps CHAMPION is too strong a word for what actually happened, but it feels good to be a finisher. This is how it looked the first time at Franklin Lakes.

And this is how it looked this time at Bumpass (which does NOT rhyme with compass).

So, the long awaited trip to Bumpass, VA for the Giant Acorn Triathlon was a success, and last night we returned triumphant. May, Becca, and I rented a car and drove down to DC on Friday night to meet up with my friend Micah. He and his roommates were kind enough to give us a place to sleep. (Thanks fellas, you're wonderful hosts.) I've been dreading this triathlon for several weeks. I had every intention of training well for this tri, but I caught something horrible the first week of September (this is not just an excuse, it's TRUE) and my training went down the tubes. I kept on imagining myself drowning for reals this time and the thought was sort of terrifying. I slept very little that night (it had nothing to do with the accommodations which were perfect) because I was so scared. We were up and ready to leave at 6am for the 2 hour drive from DC to Bumpass. The temperature in DC when we arrived Friday was about 2 degrees F. That may be a slight exaggeration, but it was cold. The next morning wasn't much warmer and, as we drove, we discussed the expected water temperature of Lake Anna (74 degrees). I regretted my hasty decision not to bring my wetsuit.

We got to the race site at 8:30ish, nervous, but somewhat ready to accept our fates. It was still pretty cold, the wind was blowing, and the water was choppy. As we looked out at the swim course and tested the water, I wondered if it was really going to be worth it. After all, I already had in my possession the Bumpass t-shirt and although 0.5 miles doesn't seem far, I assure you it is. Had I been there by myself, I think I would have jumped in the car and gone home. I wasn't, thankfully, so I didn't. Our nerves started to subside as we went to work setting up our transition area. We walked around the course thinking happy thoughts, and soon realized that the sun was starting to warm everything up.

As 10:00 approached, we donned our various colored swim caps and proceeded to the water. Micah was in the first wave, Becca in the second, and May and I in the fourth. Unlike Wyckoff, we started the swim in the water instead of on the beach. That was good because although the water wasn't freezing (it depends on who you ask, but I thought it was perfect once I started swimming) it still took some getting used to. It was too crowded to see any of the other waves begin and I even lost May once we got into the water. I correctly assumed that I wouldn't see anyone again until the run.

The bike and run courses were great. The bike course contained lovely "rolling hills" and took us across several bridges. There were tree lined streets and thankfully very little traffic. The run was flat, a little sunny in parts but overall quite enjoyable. (I still can't believe that this is the same person who refused to run without a purpose for the first 27 years of her life.) Here I am. We all enjoyed it so much we're thinking about next season. I'm shooting for another sprint or two in the Spring, and an olympic in the summer. I've decided that I never want to be that afraid of a swim again. The only way I know to overcome it is to actually learn how to swim. I did improve on my last time, but it wasn't as significant as I thought. Overall I did better and I'm excited to start preparing for the next one.

Micah, May, Me, and Becca; tired and happy.