So sometime during July I decided to train for a sprint triathlon (500M swim, 15.5 miles Bike, and a 5K run). Carol and I have been biking a lot this summer so I wasn't worried about this part of a tri but I have no real experience with swimming laps. I had to find a tri that was at least a month and a half away so I would have enough time to practice. Most of them were on Sundays so I picked the Montrose Triathlon on October 6th, a Saturday. I thought it would be a nice way to turn 28. I invited friends to do it with me and there were a lot of people who were excited. However, when it came down to it, almost everyone backed out. Carol, Bo, and I were the only participants. The first time I went swimming I thought that my heart was going to explode it was beating so fast but each time I went, it got easier and easier. Here,I have documented our journey.
Since the triathlon was in Montrose and it is 1 1/2 hours away from Grand Junction, we decided we would need to get a hotel. Carol and I took the day off work even though we left at 3:00pm. We met Bo in Grand Junction and drove to Montrose. We wanted to go to the information meeting that night but I got pulled over in Montrose for being in the left lane too long without passing. I was trying to find the road that we were looking for. Basically the state trooper was bored but he didn't give me a ticket. This caused us to miss the meeting but it wasn't a big deal. We decided to eat at Chile's that night after we drove around trying to find a movie theatre. Carol ordered a Diet Dr Pepper to prepare her for the tri.
Here is Bo showing off his really really tight swimming/biking/running shorts.
Bo is getting the bikes ready.
I am at the transition stage setting all our stuff out. We really didn't know what we were doing. We just kept looking at everyone else and copied them.
They had to write our number on our legs and arms. It only took a couple of showers to get rid of it.
The bike portion was the part that we were the least worried about. The swimming was actually really easy. The bike was horrible. It was really windy and at one point it blew me off the road. No matter what direction we rode the wind was in our face. It seemed like it would never end. I got to the transition zone first and waited for Bo and Carol. Needless to say our transition time wasn't that fast.
Here is Bo and Carol running for the finishline. The run was up a hill and back down.
Here is a picture of us at the finishline. They had to take the finishline down while we were biking since it was so windy.
After the tri we decided to award ourselves with Wendys.
I had a great hamburger and fries.
Carol enjoyed her frosty.
I think Bo had a hamburger and the frosty.
Since the triathlon was in Montrose and it is 1 1/2 hours away from Grand Junction, we decided we would need to get a hotel. Carol and I took the day off work even though we left at 3:00pm. We met Bo in Grand Junction and drove to Montrose. We wanted to go to the information meeting that night but I got pulled over in Montrose for being in the left lane too long without passing. I was trying to find the road that we were looking for. Basically the state trooper was bored but he didn't give me a ticket. This caused us to miss the meeting but it wasn't a big deal. We decided to eat at Chile's that night after we drove around trying to find a movie theatre. Carol ordered a Diet Dr Pepper to prepare her for the tri.
Here is Bo showing off his really really tight swimming/biking/running shorts.
Bo is getting the bikes ready.
I am at the transition stage setting all our stuff out. We really didn't know what we were doing. We just kept looking at everyone else and copied them.
They had to write our number on our legs and arms. It only took a couple of showers to get rid of it. 
The bike portion was the part that we were the least worried about. The swimming was actually really easy. The bike was horrible. It was really windy and at one point it blew me off the road. No matter what direction we rode the wind was in our face. It seemed like it would never end. I got to the transition zone first and waited for Bo and Carol. Needless to say our transition time wasn't that fast. 
Here is Bo and Carol running for the finishline. The run was up a hill and back down. 
Here is a picture of us at the finishline. They had to take the finishline down while we were biking since it was so windy.
After the tri we decided to award ourselves with Wendys. 
I had a great hamburger and fries.
Carol enjoyed her frosty. 
I think Bo had a hamburger and the frosty.
