First 'Triathlon' Experience

So this last Sat I had my first open water swim. I got to this beach at Long Beach. It was kind of cool because it was inside a bay with those barrier thing so there is not crazy wave.

I put on my websuit but I can't really pull up my zipper so my teammate Eurie helped me out. I feel like I was a girl going to a dance and I need help with my back zipper... exactly it was totally not sexy.

The coach talked for several minutes then we start running toward the water. Again, I feel like one of those couple running toward the ocean like... minus the romantic feeling.

So we got out and I noticed I can't see !#@#. The water is green. I also notice the water is salty. I develop this bad habit in the pool where I swim with my mouth open so now I am constantly tasting the sea water.

We gathered around and Coach Paul started talking again. I was like... sir... you didn't tell me how to tread water (For those of you who doesn't know... I only know why do swim free-style... nothing else). Before I state my complain Paul was like... 'see... wetsuit is like the biggest life vest... now just lay back and look at your toe'... I did that and I was floating!!! Great... I am not drowning... but now I can't listen to him because my eye was in the water. So I go back to the standing position.

Coach told us the first 400 yards were bad and then the swim will get better. He also said we swim faster! I call it bull for me (I am sure he is right) because I was tiredddd!!! I can't see and I was tired... I soon realized I was tired because of the wetsuit hunging my body. I changed my breathing a little... taking deeper breath and I was ok. So we did the swimming thing for a while and I was beat. I got out lightheaded =P

We then do our transition to do our 3.5 hours bike ride. It was fun!!! We rode from Long Beach to pass Irvine. We passed thru small town with lot of traffic and I have to travel very close between cars. It was a learning experience.

After the ride we did 30 minutes of run. Not much happening there.

Overall it was a very good experience. My first race is this sunday 3/8. I am looking forward to it. I hope I don't vomit in the swim.