Triangle Sprint Distance Tri RR

First of all, let me start by saying... This one was FUN! 

Swim

I was on the 5^th wave with all women 34 and under, as well as the athenas.  Coach wanted me to take a risk and start at the front of the pack to see if that would make me swim faster. I obliged. The start line was so wide it looked like everybody was on the front; so I positioned myself smack in the middle. I figured, if I am not going to have people swimming through me from the back, then I will have the people that are trying to get close to the buoys swimming towards me. Same effect, right?  I started as best as I could and FINALLY figured out that the first 5 minutes of my swim is when I freak out. I start to doubt if I can do it, and “panic” sets in. I think about just quitting (happens every single time) and luckily I am able to talk myself out of it. 

I found a rhythm that works, it’s not super fast and every 12^th stroke I sight and sort of stick my head out of the water (almost go vertical all the way). This somehow helps me regain composure and tackle other 12 strokes. I know it slows me down, but it works, so I keep doing it. I just want to get out of the water. I get passed by about 10 guys from the swim wave after mine. I reach the shore and I am not the last one with my cap color. Glance at my watch, see the time (about 2 minutes faster than my best .5 mile OWS) and that just makes my day.

T1

Run to T1 and do my best to hurry up. Put on my socks, shoes, glasses, helmet. Unrack bike and GO. The run to the mount line is LONG…. On big gravel and my feet are finding every single “pothole” hidden under the rugs we are supposed to run on. Finally get to the mount line, get on my bike and get to work.

Bike

I start passing people, but the first ¾ mile the road is super narrow and there is not much room to move around. And since there is no drafting allowed, it slows me down because I do not want to get penalized. I had seen the USAT officials all over the place and I wanted to play by the book. As soon as the road opens, I am all over the bike course hills. It was a hilly... Rolling hills, the only truly flat section was the beginning and the end. I pushed hard throughout, trying to spin my legs when I could. The course was full of U turns (at least 3) and I am NOT comfortable cornering, so it slowed me down considerably. I got passed by some  people on the bike, mostly guys riding disc wheels and zip wheel sets. So I am not too worried. I am OWNING this race. It is all about me. My goal for this bike was to have an 18 mph average and to stay seated on the climbs. I was able to accomplish both; except for the last hill. I stood up half way through it. I wanted it to be over, I was done climbing. 

When I got to the home stretch (the flat part, 3/4 miles to go), I get into the big ring and push. One of the things that had worried me during the bike was not being able to ride the big ring a lot because of the climbs. I thought that was going to be detrimental to my speed, but apparently it wasn't. 

The last ¼  mile was pretty chaotic; there were a lot of people everywhere, bikes, people running, spectators (young children running around). I slowed down because the kids were all over the place and I did not want to crash. Hit the dismount line, unclip and go.

T2

Run the way back to T2 (same gravel road as before, my feet still manage to find every pot hole). Slip of my bike shoes, run shoes on and I go.

Run

The run is a total blur.  The goal for the run was to break 28 minutes on the 5k. I looked at my watch and saw 1:07:xx. At that moment I said to myself "you need to come under 1:35 to meet the goal, get to work". I remember wanting to stop a lot during the first mile. Never did. I walked through 1 water stop (the first one) and then I think I might have hit cruise control, because I don’t remember much. The only other thing I remember is seeing one girl I know fly by me, that and saying "No thanks" to the volunteers at the water stops. Next thing I knew I was crossing the finish line, and I felt GOOD. I looked at the watch and saw my time 1:32:xx. Where in the world did this speed come from? I smile and sing a little victory song in my head.

 

The race was awesome! It is definitely going in my schedule for next year! The only thing I would have changed is not related to the race itself, but to the fact that I went all by myself. I did not know anyone, and felt kind of lonely while the rest of the people got to mingle with their friends and family. 

It was a great race for me, and helped me figure out a couple of things I can improve upon.