Candice beats her target time at her 1st open water tri: Enghien

Enghien les Bains - XS distance - May 21st 2017

Race Reporter: Candice M After having completed the Paris Super Sprint with the Expatries, in a moment on sheer madness, I registered for my first open water XS triathlon. A quick google search and 28€ later here I am bib #109 ready to face 400m in open water of an undetermined colour, 14km bike ride and 3 km run. The night before the competition, I’m duly packaging my bag, crossing off my list and trying to remember all the great advice Bertrand and Kathryn H gave me. I am also preparing the children’s clothes as this is a family affair. 21st May 6:30 am, my first triathlon starts with my mummy duties of getting everyone ready, fed and buckled in the car seats whilst the hubby mounts the bike on the rack. Enghien here we come. At 7:45 the parking is soon to be full but we find a wee spot and get the children, bike, bag and me on the road off to the “parc a velo”… When we get there, I remember clearly Kathryn’s words “find a landmark so you’re not lost”, here I am doing a reconnaissance from the water exit to my bike. The little ones are in full cheering mode with a “go mummy go”, I can’t let them down and keep thinking I want to beat my target at 1h05. 8:55 in the water and I remember another piece of advice from Bertrand, put your head in, do a few strokes… my stress level is rising on my internal Richter scale, breathe in and out, arms as far as you can.