(Photo courtesy of Natalie)
This year, my Triathlon season started with an Inddor Triathlon hosted by Dare2Tri in Lake Zurich.
The format for these races is typically a 10 minute swim, 10 minute T1, 30 minute bike, 5 minute T2, and 20 minute run. Because they’re done in an indoor pool, the waves are 4 – 8 people.
I participated in the Adaptive wave with other Para athletes. Because of the awards ceremony for the prior wave, we started late. But once we did, the swim went really well, with me setting a PR (400m).
After changing, we headed up to the bikes. It took a little bit of time to find the right place, and I believe they waited for everyone to show up, even though it meant a T1 of greater than 10 minutes. This bike leg was different than most of the others I’ve done.
Typically, the spin bikes will be set and locked at a consistent resistance. So to get a long distance, you’re having to really push on the pedals. But you could adjust the resistance level on these bikes. This helped a lot, and most likely led to another PR (10.35 miles).
After a short T2, we headed to the treadmills for the run. Because of my vision, I have always strugged with treadmill runs. Most have narrower bands, which leads to me hitting the sides if I run as “normal”. So it ends up making it harder. The run was 1.22 miles.
Overall, it was a great event and a lot of fun. I did finish 2nd in the Adaptive wave! Thank you to Dare2Tri for organizing the event and to LifeTime Fitness for all their support!
