Sunday, June 24, 2007

Watchless in Effingham

This morning, soon after I started swimming, I felt my watch come off my wrist in the murky lake water. I looked down and could see it tumbling downward. I reached for it, and touched it, but it tumbled, out of my grasp, toward lake bottom.

I was tempted to dive for it. But this was the start of a triathlon. Every second counted - even though I would no longer be able to count them. So I shrugged it off and kept swimming.

On the surprisingly hilly bike ride, I had a speedometer with a clock. No worries.

But on the run, in the heat, I was unsure of my plodding pace.

When I turned the final corner of the run, I could see the finish line clock: 6:40.

6:40 had been my best time ever at this distance. In 2000.

I cranked up my speed and made it to the finish line before the clock ticked over to the next minute.

It wasn't a good competitive time. Out of 130 people, I was 118th.

But tying my younger self
Is top shelf.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well, I ran a half-marathon yesterday, too, and finished in 1:46:00, but my only exertion prior to the running portion was getting dressed, eating my cheerios and driving to the event, I didn't swim 1.2 and bike 56!

Nice work!

What was your time for the 13.1 after all of that - our software here at the office to make sure I don't goof off too much won't let me look it up?

Hope it was a cheap watch, like the ones I wear...

Mike

Anonymous said...

I like how you've written this post. ANd I'm always amazed at your atheletic feats!

John Enright said...

Thanks, Ergo. Truthfully, I'm still surprised I can do this sort of thing. I'm glad you like the way I wrote it because I was trying to give the first person perspective to the story.