Pirate Tri...Arrgh

At least 1/3 of the pirate tri for me, guess which 3rd?  Give up, it was the bike part.  Normally, I'd snub my nose at a relay team because those people are cheating.  I wasn't really planning on doing this as a relay.  At first I was planning on it, then I wasn't because I hadn't swam yet this year.  Then, a friend came to us and said that she was already entered but didn't think she could do the bike part.  So, to help out a friend in need I offered to cheat in a triathlon and do it as a relay.  Which is good because I really didn't want to do competitive swimming anyway.

Fast forward to the race start, the relay teams are the last wave to go off.  Our swimmer hits the water which she reports as horribly cold despite her wetsuit, again, glad it wasn't me, and has an asthma attack about 15 seconds into the swim and nearly turned back.  That was 4 days ago and she's still punishing herself.  Peg, we not only forgive you but thank you for getting us out there, pressing on and now drowning.

About 15:43 later she arrives at the bike transition area, about 6 minutes longer than she can do on a good day.  Now my part begins!  My nerves are a little on edge because our swimmer arrived a little late and this is the first road race I have actually been in.  Let the passing begin. I was on a relay team so it's not fair to compare myself to those who just swam and had to save some to run...but I will. I was up in the 20 fastest riders out of around 400.  Better than I expected, really.  Between starting in the last wave having a slow swim time and being a fast rider I passed a lot of people that day, like 300, not that I'm bragging.  Actually, I am obviously.  Luckily, hills are my specialty, hills are not most peoples specialty and it was a hilly course.  I rolled over the 14 mile course in 39:59 give or take a few tenths.

(Picture may be inserted here once they are posted)

The timing chip is handed off and now it's our runner's turn..........I don't know what happens here because she left.........24:16 later she is sprinting for the finish line.

Even with our slow start our team came in 5th out of 24 in the mixed relay class.  Had our swimmer not had an unfortunately timed attack we were right in the running for 1st place.  Full Results Here

My wife and I have already resolved to do a tri as individuals within the next year and are glad we got to "get our feet wet" without getting our feet wet...Even if we were cheaters.