Iron Girl - the Beginning: by Linda Hightower

This year I really want to become more involved in the social part of the club as I don't know anyone in my circle of friends/Mom's (even my husband) that has any interest in doing tri's. They think I am crazy and compulsive! I think they aren't crazy and compulsive ENOUGH! I would like to meet others that share my joy for the sport.

I had run a few marathons in the past, but never biked more than around the block on my broken pink Walmart mountain bike, let alone used gears or even thought about changing a flat. As a swimmer? I was the tanning by the pool and splashing with the kids kind of "swimmer". I never swam face down, never with goggles, didn't know how to head turn and breath. Nothing. Not to mention I was (and I still am) very terrified of the open water. As silly as it sounds I have a fear of the fish and other "dangerous animals" swimming around and under me in that dark unknown! I grew up in Orange County and spent a lot of time at the beach - but never would I dare to get in past my calves (not even in my 20's when I lived in Hawaii for 3 years). I still refuse to do so, unless its the race day getting closer and/or a must time for training purposes. Otherwise I'm still strictly a pool laps girl and even that is not a great time for me.

In February of 2008, I was looking for something other than marathons to do and I came across an ad for the Iron Girl. I thought, why not? Maybe it would help conquer my fears of those pesky water animals - it hasn't. So last year, from mid-February to the race in the beginning of April - a whole 2 months - I did what I thought I should do to train. I read books and I joined the tri club! Unfortunately, due to my schedule and my kids/husbands schedule, I was only able to do one brick workout, one short bike ride at Lake Mead (and still on the Walmart mountain bike), and two open water swims with Jackie Arcana. The rest of my training was just me out there on my own. I taught my self to ride a road bike (and one month before the race, I "invested" in an inexpensive refurbished 20 year old specialized road bike - its old, but I love it!). I taught myself to swim with goggles and face down, breathing to the side and learned to change a flat (albeit very slowly) and I did the Olympic Distance Iron Girl.



That morning, after I checked my bike in and as I was walking to the swim area, I literally had tears roll down my cheeks because I was convinced that I could feasibly come in dead last (which to me was/is worse than not finishing at all - I think I I am very all or nothing person). At the start of the swim I had tears well-up again, I managed to blink them away, but I was very close to the hyperventilating point. It was seriously the most nervous I had been in my entire life.

That Iron Girl day I came in with a time of 2 hours and 51 minutes - which was 37th place overall and good enough for 5th place in my 35-39 age group. I was relieved (and proud) because I really did go into that race just not wanting to be the very last person across the finish line - or having to put my tire changing skills to use! I have not been able to do another tri since then and I have slacked on the training, but I loved the feeling I had that day and I am determined to carve out time this year for more than one race.

I have the Mom/Wife/Job schedule....taking care of the house, shuttling kids (a preschooler and a 3rd grader) to/from school, then to after school activities 5 days a week, I work part-time as a substitute teacher, and I help my husband run our small trucking business and in this economy, taking care of that business, has been rough and stressful. Lately we seem to be just hanging on - trying to ride out the slumping economy. This year the Iron Girl is in the beginning of May and this year I want to do better than my first try/tri. I have moved up to the 40-45 age group and I am hoping to have a great year celebrating turning 40!

My future goals for this sport are to eventually do the Silverman half and Silverman full. After that, something I really, really, really want to do is to someday take part in the original Ironman in Kona. When I say this, I have people tell me that its not possible, or they just nod their heads and give me that "good luck on that" look; the ones that don't say anything at all are probably thinking the same thing. I just shrug and think that it's good for me to have personal goals and dreams and eventually, someday, I will get there. Anything is possible.