I cannot believe that in 11 days I will be hauling my packed 38L backpack to JFK, boarding the first of many planes of this summer, and closing the chapter on my D.C. life.
But, in typical Katie fashion, I could not go out without a bang! Part of closing this chapter in my life involved finishing my first ever Triathlon! And, of course, for my first ever race, I signed up for the Olympic Distance. Go big or go home! Seems to be my motto as of late.
The course was perfect, starting off with a refreshingly cool swim in the disease infested waters of the Potomac. I hope to not walk away from this race with a case of leptospirosis as my friend did the previous year (I only wish this bit were sarcasm).The bike and run portion coursed through Rock Creek Parkway, Whitehurst Freeway, by the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, over the Potomac, and finally down Constitution Ave. Those are not the sights I think of when I consider actually living in D.C. In fact I don't even seen most of these sites all that frequently. And yet I couldn’t help but get nostalgic as I passed through the districts most notorious landmarks and thought about leaving them behind.
Finally after the mile swim, 24k bike ride, 10k run, and 3:05 hours of continuous heart pumping, adrenaline producing, nausea inducing workout, I crossed the finish line with the Capitol behind me. I still managed to take note of the irony in the imagery as I fought the sudden urge to dry heave that overtook me the minute my feet stopped moving.
After six years of nothing but the highest highs and lowest lows of my life, I am sprinting through the finish line and leaving D.C. behind. Not running away from things, but rather closing this chapter, and finishing this race; the first race of many. I hope that all my training here -school, work, relationships, friendships - has paid off and prepared me for all of the races to come.