I completed my first triathlon in April 2003 at Bonelli Park. I came in 4th in my age group with a time of 1:20 and some change. Yesterday, and 7 years later, I finished with 1:35:07 and I’m okay with that. I came into this race off 3 months of a medical leave, and during those three months I swore I would swim as much as I could. Yeah, that just never happened. Nonetheless, at the end of the race it was a great day.
I arrived at about 6:35am. I needed coffee in the worst way, thus my tardiness in arrival. I got in line and found Valerie. I had decided to move down to the Express sprint from the Championship course. Just from the lack of training I know my body wouldn’t have been able to handle it despite my brain telling me “it doesn’t seem that far”. Overriding my brain was the best decision I made all day. Lisa, Valerie, Gail, Neil, Amy, Nancy, Ben, and Michel were all there to proudly represent the club.
From the get go I knew I was going to have to take it incredibly easy, but I wanted to go out hard on the swim. Alas, that was never going to happen. Valerie and I walk down to the swim start and get a little warm up in. I felt like a kid splashing around and having a good time. For the first time in a very, very, very long time I had absolutely no anxiety at all. As Ben was in the first wave, Nancy, Val and myself were in the absolute last wave. Since this was my first race in awhile I positioned myself in the back of the pack on the inside. HUGE MISTAKE! The start was easy with just a touch of effort. It was after the turn off the first buoy when it became a challenge. I was literally sandwiched in with two women in front of me (one doing the side stroke, and the other was just a slower swimmer), one on my right side (she was doing the breast stroke) and then two behind me I think they were trying to draft. Everytime I tried to swim through the two women in front of me I would get blocked. At one point I actually pleaded with them to move over because I was putting too much effort into a swim I should have been done with already. They politely moved over and I thanked them. Next time I start at the front on the inside!
Swim Time: 7:58
Goal swim for June: 6:15
On to transition! All I can say is that I used to have an amazingly fast transition. I would actually practice my transitions, wetsuit and all, and time myself. However, that was PE (pre-Emily, my precocious 3 ½ year old). I haven’t done a transition since I actually completed my last triathlon in 2008. With this T1 time, I know it’s time to get back to basics and get to practicing.
T1 Time: 4:56
Goal T1 for June: 2:45
As I was exiting T1 and hopped on my bike I felt amazing…..until you have to turn right at the end of the driveway and climb that hill! Okay, it’s maybe a ¼ mile climb at best, but I really, really need to work on my climbing. You have a false flat? I’m your girl! I get to the top and go into a long decent. After all, what goes up, must come down. I was counting on getting my legs back during the first decent but that didn’t happen. Actually, it never happened. I think all the additional effort I put into trying to get out of the group in the swim was what did me in. Nonetheless, I climb every hill before me, with one exception. That last incline before you get back into Bonelli Park, yeah, I walked that. Next month, not only with I ride it, but I will attack it and get my rear out of the saddle!
Bike Time: 42:46
Goal Bike for June: 36:15
T2 was SO MUCH BETTER than T1. I got in, racked my bike, took the helmet off, took a sip of water, and quickly switched shoes. However, there is always room for improvement.
T2 Time: 2:00
Goal T2 Time for June: 1:30
Lastly was the run. Since being released from my medical leave, well, the running is what has suffered in my training. I went in knowing if I needed to walk all of the 5k I would walk, but I would give it my best shot. Val went out about 15-20 seconds before me, but stayed in eyeshot the whole run. I went out and tried to employ a run for 5 min and walk for 1 min, but that dramatically changed into a walk uphill and run downhill method. The run went by much faster than I thought, so that made it all that much easier mentally to take.
Run Time: 37:27
Goal Run for June: 31:45
Alas, in all, it was a great race day. What more could you ask for from a race: great weather, great volunteers, great friends, and an all around perfect race day! Now I know that with my training this week to hit the hills for my run AND the bike and just keep up my swim, but position myself in a better spot for the race in June!
Total Race Time: 1:35:07
Goal Race Time for June: 1:18 to 1:22
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