My First Aquathon: A Story Told Only with Pictures

I completed my first aquathon last week–you swim for a quarter-mile and then run a 5k–and I lived to tell about it!  The most hilarious thing to me is that it was such a small group competing (only 40 people), so it was quite clear that I was not, ahem, an expert with these things.  Moments before the race started, I was nervously texting my sister things like, “I can’t let them get to me” and “I’m just here to finish” and “I believe in myself.”  All this in the face of the Pam Man sitting next to me, covering himself in cooking spray, and the Aloe Queen across the way, noisily squirting green gel onto her limbs before pulling on her wetsuit (for more information on this very common tactic, please see the second paragraph of Number Three on this list of triathlon reflections).

Whatever, man.  Let’s just do this.

And now, without further ado…

MY FIRST AQUATHON:  A PHOTO FLIP BOOK  (as much as possible)

I got off work at 5:00pm sharp on Wednesday and headed toward the freeway as quickly as I could.

Wow!  It’s turning out to be a beautiful day in Seattle!

I mean, look at those clouds!  Everything is right in the world!  It’s sunny in Seattle!

Wait a minute… what is this???

WHAT IS THIS??!!  I should be ten to fifteen minutes away from my destination!  Not 45!

Ahhhhh!!  I’m going to miss the race!  I’m going to miss my first aquathon!

I am determined to get there.  I will get there on time.

I have an idea!  I’ll jump on the south-bound freeway, take it all the way down and around the water, then jump back on the north-bound freeway and make it there with plenty of time!  I’ll outsmart everyone!  (I have no idea how I’m going to do this.)

Look at these clouds!  Everything is right in the world again!

After all, it’s sunny in Seattle!

I made it–with enough time to go to the bathroom and talk myself into completing this race.  Look how beautiful it is!

A little lower than I needed to be, so I grabbed a few glucose tablets and donned my yellow cap.  Let’s do this!!

I DID IT!

Let’s celebrate with a delicious salad, some mac & cheese, and a good friend.

Until next time…

Emily Patton

Emily Patton is one of those not-diagnosed-until-age-27 people with Type I. She is currently living in Seattle, Washington, where she admires Mt. Rainier from her car window during daily commutes. She grew up in Columbus, Ohio, but has since lived in Berkeley, California, Austin, Texas, and even served short stints in a small village in the Cascade Mountains.