Triangle race report.

Sunday I raced the triangle tri. It’s a local sprint that practically everyone in the area comes out for and that means some FAST people. I never really got too nervous or excited or really anything for this race. It was a last minute add to my schedule and I thought it would be good to go out and have fun. I had forgotten my watch so it was a new thing for me to have absolutely no idea what my time was. Even on the bike I didn’t reset my computer so I was just out there going!

The swim was a point to point and my goal was to go out hard and for the first time try to find some feet. I started out a veering a little right, fighting the chop, and had to get myself back with the pack. I thought the current would pull me more left and cancel out my veer-ing but didn’t happen. After the first turn I came across some draft that I thought would be good. I was just giddy that I was drafting. And it was, until the girl started doing breast stroke. Maybe that should have been my clue not to follow her… maybe next time I’ll choose better…the chop in the lake was a bit rough going out and then after the last turn coming in and I thought I had handled it ok... I came out of the water 13th in my AG, which for me was pretty good, I still didn’t have a great swim but by golly I’m trying! Its just not coming like I’d want it to. I think this race was really too short! It takes me so long to get into a rhythm, the swim was over before it started for me. I’m not sure what happens to me out there. I’m not waving at the fish, I’m not chatting with the kayakers, I’m swimming, but apparently not fast enough. ugh.

The bike. Oh the bike. I was sooo excited to ride my new bike. In fact I think I was too excited and too enamored with my new wheels that I maybe didn’t think about the race as much as I should have. I never really let up and thought I had a pretty good ride. I took some of the down hills a bit easier sitting up – cause I still feel squirrely and somewhat out of control and honestly scared sh*tless going aero down some of these hills! – I had no gauge of how fast I was going, I was just trying to pass as many guys and any girls that I saw. I was setting little goals of always catching the next group up a head. The course was really good, pretty nice roads. Some rollers and a few climbs. The worst part was the mile in and out of the park where we had to go over 4 huge speed bumps. The ply wood ramps they made were of no help and it was jarring (to say the least) to go over them.

I was ready for the run. I've had some pretty decent run workouts lately and was looking to see how I would feel off the new bike. GREAT. that’s how I felt. Light and strong and ready. I thought I was going to need to kind of gingerly test out the legs, but then I realized that they were good and I just started running. Wow what a concept right? 3 miles never went by so fast. A run in a tri never went by so fast. Ha! At mile 2 when I realized that I only had a mile left and not 11… I was so excited that I actually skipped a little bit. At one point I passed some guys walking and I was like WTF? Its not that hot out, its only three miles and you are only 32 years old! Ok so maybe those were mean thoughts but….I was hoping to go under 20 minutes, but missed that by a little.. but still was happy with the split.

Over all ended up 2nd in my AG. Won me a nice little back pack. Decent, but puts that fire in there for next time. Tough week on the training front but gonna do my best to get thru it. Michigan awaits.

congrats to BG who had a super race, despite random floating objects in the water...