Picking yourself up from a dark place during a triathlon AND feeling like a champ after ...

This is a story about a not so fit girl and a triathlon. You do the math, or keep reading.

Thinking about the year that we've just left behind, there's really one thing that will stay with me for a long time. Literally, because I got a scar from it, but I will come back to that in a bit ... Also, I went through hell, and sort of picked myself up, which taught me a lesson and two about life. But let me take you through that day when it all happened ...

In August I participated in a triathlon (or fourathlon?), called Tripp trapp triatlon (which is by the way is the stupidest thing I've ever signed up for). It's a competition in which you have to padle 25 km in a kayak (had never been in a kayak when I signed up for it), then walk 4444 wooden stairs (bum too heavy), hike 12 km (bum too heavy pt.2) and then to finish it up; bicycle 30 km (that I thought I could do). You get to do this in beautiful surroundings in a fjord in the south west of Norway, but for me, it was a nightmare. But that was all my fault, so if you're looking for a challenge, then I think you should check it out.

Anyways. It started out not too bad. My previous boss and I did the kayaking part together, and it felt alright. We knew we had to finish within four hours in order to be allowed to continue the race, and a few minutes before our time was out, we hit the wooden stairs. My legs felt like jello, and I had NO energy. My armpit hurt and it turned out I had a pretty bad blister. I'm sorry for showing a picture of it, but this is actually still red today, many months later. Oh well.

Lovely

As I was dragging my body, which felt like 500 kg, up those wooden stairs (I actually think it's the longest in the world), I had no clue how the heck I was going to survive. Somewhere in the middle of it, we decided to take a picture, and I don't think I look like myself. I had to make it black and white due to ugliness. You're welcome.

Don't be fooled by that fake "smile".

I'm going to try and not make this the longest post on Steemit, but let's just say; after around 6 km of hiking, I was out. Finished. Kari out. I told my boss to keep going, while I took a break. I was in a very, very dark place, but knew I had no choice but to finish, because going back was just as long ... Then, all out of sudden, I realized that I wouldn't finish the whole thing, but I WAS going to finish the hike. Knowing that my parents were somewhere along the trail waiting for me, I picked myself up, and started walking again. I actually felt great! It was okay to not finish, I'd still completed the kayaking, those terrible stairs and then the hiking. Oh, a small detail: I was the last one, so I was all by myself. As I could see my parents, I kind of started crying ...

A dad looking for his daughter ...

There I was! Super happy it was almost over, proud, tired and filled with adrenaline.

So what did I learn (except never again signing up for anything I'm not fit for)? Well, first of all; I'm mentally strong. I managed to pick myself up, alone, in the middle of nowhere, and keep going. I think that's something that will come in handy if life gets tough again. Also: it's not a negative thing to give up. The fact that I didn't finish the race doesn't bother me at all, because I know that it was just not an option. And the last thing I learned was not to take too many pain killers when you're in a kayak, because that will make you feel seasick ...

Thanks for reading :)

/Karianne