We got up at 4am last Saturday to head down to the Tritonman Triathlon at Mission Bay in San Diego.  The caravan met at the Lindahl’s at 4:30 and we were “off to the races” as they say.  Ciara Lindahl’s fiancee, Ted Bell, came into town and the whole Nielson crew came to the race to support Dave. 

My two biggest fans came to support me.  Lindsey took all of the pictures so she’s not in any of them (plus she’s become very camera shy during her pregnancy).  But Skilly was wide awake and ready for a picture:

Me and Skilly

The race venue is a nice flat and easy course.  Although it is an ocean swim, the bay is completely protected from waves.  The water wasn’t too cold for this time of year, about 65 degrees, but that brought in the jellyfish.  We swam through hundreds of them.  At one point I thought that I got kicked in the face, but when I looked up there was nobody near me.  This meant two things: 1. I had been stung by a jellyfish on my cheek. 2. I was way off course.  What’s new?

Kirk couldn’t breathe in his new wetsuit and thought that he might be having a heart attack.  But he finished the swim and rode hard on the bike. 

The bike course was a flat three loops around Fiesta Island.  The only thing we had to deal with was a strong headwind on the back side of the loop. 

Tritonman Finishers

Everybody was happy with their finishing times.  Kirk gutted out the run, and we all did our part to help him in.  Everybody cheered along the course, Devin and I ran with him for the last half mile, and as he approached the finish line, we heard Lindsey’s voice booming over the PA system, “Here comes Kirk Lindahl, bringing up the rear in style.  The only guy to take a potty break during the race.  Whooooooo!”  Classic Lindsey.

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