I'm in control, I could do this all day

That's my new mantra: "I'm in control, I could do this all day"

It's a result of the main man calling me out that I am indeed not afraid of drowning but rather of being out of control... touche. 
Saturday was my first Triathlon, it was Sprint distance (1/2 mi swim, 12 mile bike, 5k run.)
I freaked the frick out with the swim.  Wednesday was the first time I learned to sight, and I got all confused about breathing, got bumped around a bit and went to a very dark place. I finished fine but was scarred.

Getting Ready

Brother, brothergal, big sis and new niece came and made a sign and it was rad, despite a lingering deep horror at the swimming. I talked to my coach that night, she said don't worry, all first tri swims are traumatic.
Most people wait a week or more soon forget race trauma and want to do another.  I did another the next day, with full force fear.
Saturday eve was food carts and friends, Portland summer wonderful, and lots of well wishes for the race.
Woke up at 5:30 on Sunday, sweating.  Triathlon number 2: 1 mile swim, 21 mile bike, 10k run.  Couldn't stop shitting, scared animal shit.  I can't remember not wanting to do something I was going to do so much.  SO scared for the swim. 8am rolled around, I was standing on the beach in my wetsuit pretending not to cry scared ass tears. We got in the corral, the horn tooted, we went.
It's a head game.  As long as I don't think, it's fine.  Don't think, focus on exhale, I'm in control, I could do this all day. Coming in from the swim I lost my nose plug and main man was there yelling along the shore, easy to spot because luckily he never changes his clothes,  like a champ.
The bike was good, same mantra.  I didn't take a watch so I wouldn't be able to feed the thought gerbils in my head numbers and get all worked up.  A bunch of war planes took off over us, that was noisy.  A lady behind me kept hollering "Thanks for the great pace, keep it up" which was rad.  At one point a 60 year old lady rode up next to me on my same bike and told me she had my same outfit.  She was a badass.  I saw a guy in a tri suit that said "Ted Nugent" on it, like a sponsor? I stopped to pee.  And I spend a lot of time imagining people naked to keep my mind distracted.  It's super easy when everyone's wearing see through spandy suits.

The Finish!

The run was good, I passed a lot of people.
End of race was good, main man, strawberry short cake, no more fear.
I picked up my brother, a free egg incubator, free chicken feeder, free foam leg roller, and a German hitch hiker and we got to come home.  All in time to get to bed early enough so I could get to work this morning at my new job as a bread baker here in Hood River.

Here's my times:
Saturday Sprint
Overall Time: 1:32:10
Division place: 17th
Swim: 19:37, Bike:  39:52,Run: 26

Sunday Olympic:
Overall Time: 3:04:11
Division place: 21st
Swim: 36:29, Bike: 1:25:21, Run: 56:08