Race day started at 6am. Got up and made the decision that yes I am racing today. I had fumbled back and forth with the idea since I have been dealing with this UTI. Which by the way still hasn't gone away. I had raced this inaugural event last year along with my husband and father. I surely didn't want to miss year number two.
So even though my focus has not been on this race I decided I would do my best and hope for the best. All I could keep playing in my head was how fast this race is. I have never seen people run so fast at the start of a race. This year was no different.
Husband, kids and I were all out the door just before 7. My oldest was volunteering and had to be there by 7:15. It's so nice when you get to race in the town right next door. More sleep, less stress, easy to get to and from and usually you get to see people you know. Dropped the bikes off in our designated area and then of course I got in line for the porta potty. So far this morning I was doing ok but I could feel the change happening. I have the need to go before every race as it is due to nerves and being anxious. With 20 mins to go I was doing the potty dance. I had to go so bad. But of course I really didn't. Lines were too long now and really there was no point because I would just go and then I would still feel like I had to go. So I did my best to ignore it for a very long 20 mins. Finally the gun went off.
Just like last year people took off. Now I know it's only 2 miles, but do they forget that there is a 12 mile bike and another 2 mile run? I heard a girl actually say what I have thought for 2 years now out loud on the course. "Do they not know they have to run again?" But I have to say I know that because everyone is pushing hard it makes me push hard. The first mile I struggled to hold pace and not think about peeing all over. Every step was a jolt. But I know my body well enough that if I push hard enough that those feeling will go away. But I have to be pushing the limits or have been running for at least an hour before that happens. So I pushed my limit. They were a long, quiet, two miles. Quiet as a mouse run. No one was talking. No one was hooting or hollering. No one. All you could here was footstep pounding the pavement and once in awhile some leaves getting crushed. It was very odd. I was running with a group yet sounded like I was all alone. No music no distractions. Just gut out 2 miles and don't stop running through transition.
2 miles 15:44
Sunglasses, helmet, bike and I'm off. I chose not to use bike shoes and changed out my pedals. I think that was the right decision. Otherwise I would have to change shoes twice and I thought it would take more time to do that then I would have saved. If I was an excellent biker I would of went with the bike shoes. As it can save you a ton of time. I'm off on the bike and happy to not have peed on myself yet. Last year I had trouble getting breathing under control after the run. Took about 3-4 miles before I could breathe normally. So I made a point to try and get a grip on that right away. This year was much better. Even though I ran faster I didn't have any trouble with breathing on the bike. A lot of people passed me at first but I let them and just got comfortable in areo position. After about 3 miles I started passing a lot of people. The people I once was with the crappy mountain bike riding their little hearts out. I would cruise by like it was no effort. I know what they were thinking. That's not fair, I need a bike like that. I want to ride like that. Been there thought that. It makes a ton of difference. Though there are those few that passed me on a mountain bike. Most were men in there 20 or 30's that should be faster than me in the first place. There thighs were large, calves bulging. Yup they have the power to do that. I know the route well. It's what I drive on and ride on all the time. SO I settled in got passed and passed about the same amount of people.
Bike time with transition in 45:22
Back into transition...run the bike in do not walk. Drop the bike, helmet, glasses, coat and off I went. The hardest part of any race that includes biking and running is the run right off the bike. It's a feeling that is hard to explain. You feel incredibly slow. Have no concept of how fast you are running unless you have your trusty garmin to tell you. I can be off by about 30-45 seconds in what I think I'm running. The first .50-.75 miles are the hardest. You are switching over from biking legs to running legs. My breathing labored at this point. Wanting to stop and walk. But I heard this woman right behind me for awhile. Drafting off of me. Which always makes me annoyed. So I picked up the pace slightly and dropped her. Then another girl passed me but then slowed down to my pace. For the next mile we were only 3 steps apart. Switching who was in first. I finally said something as we were running shoulder to shoulder. "I don't know about you but I'm ready to be done." She responded with a snotty "What?" I repeated myself and she didn't answer. Maybe she couldn't. Heart rate may have been to high. I realized mine must not be high enough as I could speak a full sentence not once but twice. So I pushed the pace and she kept with me. The last .25 miles she out kicked me. I just didn't have it in me mentally to get her. I held my pace and crossed the line.
Run with transition out from bike 18:13
Total time 1:19:20.1
Last year 1:22:52.9
PR by 3:32
For a short race like this a 3:32 improvment is great. Even better, it got me 3rd in my age group. I got to bring home some bling. That always makes my day. I thought for sure that being in the 34-39 age group would not be a good thing. To much competition. But after looking at everyone results had I been 40 I wouldn't of gotten a metal. Not even close. There are some very very fast 40-44 year olds. About 6 of them. About 10 mins faster than I am. That running a 6 or 7 m/m and biking an avg of 22 mph. I better enjoy my metal now because next year there won't be one!
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