Janice Field is going World Championships!
Read Janice's testimony of her awesome race.
Well I have some news about my recent triathlon race. First - It was a SPRINT triathlon race, which means you SWIM - 750m; then transition into the BIKE for 20km, then transition into the RUN for 5km. The race was in Brampton and there were two types of races going on. The first kind was for the Juniors (Under 19) - it was their National Championship and the top contenders go on to compete in the World Championships in Germany at the end of the summer. Also in that pool of athletes were the Under 23 and Pro (Elite) athletes who were also racing for spots for Germany AND the pros for the money bag!! These were VERY exciting races...and I got many tips from watching them!!
The second type of race that was going on was for the age group athletes. This means that anyone can compete, and you compete against others in your 5-year age category. So I was competing against other women in the 35-39 age group. Well...there were only 10 women signed up to race in this group...and I know how hard-core all these athlete women are (for this particular race)...so I knew I had to step it up despite being a bundle of nerves!! The reason why it was so important is because they take the TOP 8
The PRAYERS
Yep - lots of this up to our Saviour...thankful for competing, thankful for giving me the motivation to train, thankful for the skills and people placed in my life (coaches, etc). Very thankful for the gift of athletics...and to a super Mom and Dad for being so enthusiast and supportive towards being in sport. Also, prayed for peace and calmness in my heart while racing and to focus on what I needed to have a good race, as well as all the other competitors...the best we could all do at this time. Especially thankful for this amazing LIFE filled with Him.
The SWIM
Well...we all lined up 3 minutes to go...and one women yelled frantically...I FORGOT MY TIMING CHIP. (A timing chip is necessary for competing, it's wrapped around one ankle and keeps track of your time. If you don't have one on, then you get disqualified because there's no recorded time)....UG...I FORGOT MINE TOO...so I RACED like a mad woman back up the beach and with as much politeness in my voice, asked for my chip...which got handed to me quickly...I wrapped the thing tightly around one ankle and darted back to the starting line...ONE MINUTE TO GO...Whew...rest and refocus.....We swam in open water at Professor's Lake. 3....2......1....the horn went off and 72 women ran into the water and dove in to start the swim leg of the race. Yes - 72 women all at once...these women made up all the age-groups and later it would be sorted out who would finish first, second, third, etc in each age group.....anyway...I started hard and felt good in the water...my stroke came easy and I felt God's confidence upon me to go strong. about half way I could feel my arms feeling worked...but persevered...I figured when it's all over I can rest then! One stroke at a time! Well it worked...I exited the water and started running towards the transition zone to strip off my wetsuit and put on my biking gear...
The BIKE
The bike course was something new for me...usually there's a big honkin' 20km loop and all you have to do is ride...but for this race there was this crazy 5km loop with 3 places in it where you had to do a 180 degree turn...it kinda resembled an "F"...which is great for our family name FIELD...but for a bike loop?????..so...we had to do this lap 4 times...I guess they set it up this way to please the crowds...they get to see everyone go by 4 times! When I came out of transition...I headed down the long road and made some amazing time due to the wind pushing me along!! I thought "this is easy!!" BUT when it was time to turn around and head back...holy rip roaring cow...the head wind was like nothing I'd ever experienced before...I had to fight to keep a consistent pedal...not once...but FOUR TIMES due to the loops! By the fourth time my legs were beginning to be like the burnt toast that Dad loves to eat so much...but I finished the bike leg okay, made it back into the transition area to park my bike, and put on my running gear...note: I just LOVED coming around the end zone turn cause I could hear "GOOOOOOO JANICE"...:-)
The ragged RUN
Well...what do you do when you start to get a cramp...slow 'er down and breathe through it...that's what I usually do...but this time I had not one, but three, YES THREE!!!.....Lower and upper left side and lower right side...but I kept running...for the first lap....the run was 4 laps of 1.3km loop...by the time I hit the second lap I was finding it hard to breathe, so I had to take a short rest (like 20s) and tried to stretch it out...at this point I wanted to give up...but the message in my head was JUST FINISH THE RACE...KEEP YOUR FEET MOVING...so I did...and got through a second lap...on the third one the cramp peaked and again I couldn't breathe very well so again I stopped, trying to walk, but even that hurt...and again the voice in my head was...FINISH THE RACE...JUST GET ACROSS THE LINE...MOVE YOUR FEET...so I did...continued slow and steady...feeling a little embarrassed at this point cause I figured I'd come last...last lap...I was still hurting, but I at least switched my attention to the finish line and had a strong last 500m run for the line...and was SOOOOOOOOOOOOO THANKFUL to be finished that race!!!
At this point I was both glad to have finished the race, but also a little disappointed, cause I truly felt that my chance was lost and with that horrible run (it was literally the worst run I have EVER run in my existence of racing!) I'd for certain come in last...
Well...here's the fun part...the stats got posted about an hour after the race and all the age-groupers were frantically gathering around to see if they qualified for the World Championships being held in Germany this year....Two women were ahead of me and one happily yelled out that she was 6th...and they found her friend's name...who came 7th...they were going.....well...they departed, and I stepped up and was looking down the list for my name...there it was...
The swim: I was in the top section of all the women for this leg
The bike: I was in the top middle for this one
The run: I was at the bottom section compared to all the women
I kept moving across the stats to the final finishing place for my age group...and it said 4/10. I kinda shook my head and had to ask the guy next to me what this statistic meant...
He said..."Well honey, you came fourth of the ten women in your age group...you qualified for both World Championships"...
I said "Both??? What do you mean?"
And he said that the top 8 in each age group qualified for the 2007 World Championship (held in Germany), and also for the 2008 World Championship next summer in Vancouver, and that I could go to both!
YIPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!
So...I'm in cloud nine right now, I signed up and will be going to both...I"ll hear from the Canadian National Association in a few weeks with all the details for travelling, uniforms, fund raising, etc. I wanted to share with each of you this fun bit of news...I"m so thankful to God who I truly feel kept me in that race...never failing us, never leaving us, He is always with us in the craziest of circumstances. It really showed me not to focus on what I thought was the "worst" part of the race...but to enjoy the process...enjoy the challenges set before us, and to bear and grin through it because during this process, our character is being built up, making us stronger to endure and take on challenges. It reminds me of a verse of scripture in Romans...
"Since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us" Rom 5:1-5.
Anyone want to go with me!!!!!
Love you all & bountiful blessings,
Janice