Tri-ing for Children's--7/28/13

I had done Tri-ing for Children's once before.  I signed up for the Olympic distance in 2010 and a few weeks later my two biggest fans arrived at my doorstep and training came to a screeching halt.  Darned if I would DNS though, so we showed up and I came in about as close to dead last as one can come.

While "only" the Sprint this time, I came to Ottawa State Park this year with one word in mind:  Redemption.  In a new age group and the best shape of my life, I wasn't planning hardware like I'd managed the past few races but I did expect FOP (Front of the Pack) and maybe even a 20 MPH bike or a run PR.  Plenty to shoot for.

My athletic supporters stayed home again.  My Brave Bear was getting her tonsils and adenoids removed the next morning and we valued her sleep more than her presence.  I arrived, checked in, set up and waited the hour or so for my wave, shivering violently with chattering teeth.  Was it really the end of July?!  Cloudy, 55 degrees and breezy made waiting for the start the most difficult part of this race.

And then we were off.  The water is warmer than the air and my drafting is exquisite.  I'm sighting like a maniac (lesson learned from Rock Roll n Run) and even passing people.  This wasn't expected--my time in the pool this summer has been embarrassing and I'm surprised to say the swim has become my weakest leg.  But the stars aligned that morning and I finished a reputable swim.

Quick transition--I'm getting pretty good at those things--and I'm off.  Damn, I can't feel my toes. Why won't they go into those shoes?  Eventually we worked things out and I settled in for the bittersweet ambivalence of a mostly-flat course with a headwind.  I did what I could but settled for a 19 MPH average in the end.

Ready to run, but can't feel my feet.  The first half-mile was like running with rubber brick-feet, a most bizarre sensation.  But thanks to the looping run course I'm now seeing few if any females my age ahead of me.  Could I place after all?  Suddenly a runner with "41" (her age) whizzed past--guess not.  I was passed again by a "43" so with dwindling chances to place I focused on my best race.  Here I am getting the crowd riled up for my finish:

No idea why my face looks like this, and I really have to do something about those chicken arms.

When results were posted I took a gander:

3

Third in my (new) age group after all, which made up for the no-PR run and 19 MPH bike.




Next up, Waterloo Fit City.  

Rock Roll n Run--7/6/13

First tri of the season, first race without my lobster (home with tired kids), first time-trial start, first river swim with a current...I was anxious to feel the rush (literally) so I set up in transition, walked down the beach to the starting pier and hopped into line.

It was another smaller race and the possibility of hardware was there, giving a push comparable to the flood-stage river.  What I wasn't counting on was my sighting technique, or lack thereof.  Coasting with a current isn't enough to keep you on track, and after a substantial veer to the right (and the struggle to get back where I belonged), I shamefully climbed out on the beach with a swim time a good two minutes longer than it needed to be.

A quick T1 and I was off.  On the map the bike course had a moderate climb for the first four miles or so, but it felt more like normal rollers.  It's a nice change of pace when hills are not as bad as you anticipate.  Not much to write home about this bike--pace was one of my highest, and I was only passed once.

One of my longstanding short-term goals stuck in my brain throughout this run:  "9 minute miles".  When I hit the quarter-mile cliff-of-a-hill about halfway through I wondered if it was still possible, but..."9 minute miles".  The results page posted after my finish gave me 8:27 miles, and I took it with a smile.  So why I look so uptight in this photo I'll never know:

In the end I was 3rd in my Age Group, missing 2nd by three seconds and first by 30 seconds.  Stupid swim.

Beautiful weather, great volunteers, fun ride in the river (just watch where you're going), scenic bike and fast run....I'll be back.