Marquee Triathlon Race Report

This race had some high points (PR in the 5K) and some low points (um...the swim). Like all my multi-sport events, I made some mistakes and walked away with a list of things to work on.

I knew that I was under-trained for the swim.
However, since it was only 750-meters, and since I was wearing a wetsuit, I didn't think that it would be much of a hindrance. Well, I felt that way at least up to the start of the race - then my trepidation appeared.



I got into the water and swam to the start. They make you wait awhile for the previous wave to get a few minutes ahead. During this time, you have the opportunity to pee (I have never met anyone who did not pee in the water) and test your goggles.
Only then, with 2 minutes to the gun, did I remember that my goggles had a leak. How could I forget this?
I pressed them hard to my face. The suction made my left eye hurt.
There was no turning back at this point though.
I am somewhere among this sea of pink caps:


The blow-horn goes and off we go. I immediately forget about goggles as I am too busy trying to move in the mass of limbs that surrounded me.
My Dad took this photo so apparently he believes I am one of these girls:


I found myself tired almost immmediately.
My friend, Shelly, who does swim, described the swim course as "short."
I described it as "annoyingly endless."
I found myself wondering, How did I ever swim 1500 meters??? as I often came up gasping for air and choking on noxious lake water.

My swim time was 15:18.
My swim times for the 2 Olympic distances last year were 27 minutes (with wetsuit) and 29 minutes (no wetsuit). So this was not only my shortest swim - it was my longest.

I was just so grateful when I was out of the water.
Wet suit strippers pulled me to the ground, yanked off my wetsuit and flung me back up.

Unlike last time, I found my bike with eased since I marked it with floral colored tissue paper.
I collapsed on the ground and put on my bike shoes. The right shoe did not feel right.
Huh.
I took it off, and put it back on.
It still did not feel right.
After wiggling and squiggling my toes, I decided to deal with it and hopefully, like my goggles, forget about it.

But as I started to run my bike out of transition, it hurt.
So I stopped.


I ended up laying my bike down, taking my shoe off and adjusting the insole.
It worked!
But it cost me. My transition time was 3 minutes.

Flustered, I began my bike ride.  (I think I did not dry my foot enough).


The bike was good. I passed a lot of people and no one passed me.
The results say my average speed was 20.5 - my bike computer said 21.7. But the course was a little long (13.2 miles vs 12.5) so the 21.7 is accurate.  Maybe a little slow for such a short course.

My second transition was not great either 1:39 - I should be able to take 30 seconds off this.

But my run was fabulous.
All my brick workouts have paid off because my legs felt fresh, as if they knew they were supposed to run fast.

My Garmin gave me these results:
Mile 1 = 6 min, 1 second
Mile 2 = 6 min
Mile 3+.11 = 6:52 (6:10 pace - this had the hill)
Avg pace = 6:04
Final Time = 18:54

My Garmin says I broke 19 minutes!
Race results say my time was 19:07 though.
19:07 is still the fastest female run time - and a 20 second PR. I wasn't tired at the end either...just a few deep breaths and I ran 6 more miles to cheer on the longer races.

Final triathlon time = 1:15:36.
Not bad. Not great.
But good enough to win the age group (just barely, I made a pass at the end of the run resulting in the win).


6th overall and with fixed transitions and better swimming, there is potential. But potential means nothing during a race, you get out what you put in. I need to suck it up and swim this summer.

This race was very well-organized with a good course and good crowd, including my beloved fan club at the finish:


And, as always, I enjoyed the company of the community and my friends. That part alone makes the swimming worth it.


I have noticed that all my friends are attached to some sort of club except for me. Clubs provide coaching, camaraderie and clothing.
It sounds nice!
Until you hear the monthly price tag.
Maybe one day.... when the kids are no longer in preschool (since that has a nice price tag, too).