Being a triathlete in California definitely has its benefits, and one of them is the abundance of small beach town race venues. I absolutely love racing by the ocean… it’s like a vacation and a race all in one! I kicked off my 2015 triathlon season with an olympic-distance triathlon in Half Moon Bay… and the venue did not disappoint. Even though it was foggy the entire time we were in town, racing by the ocean still put a smile on my face and made me extra grateful that I have the opportunity to train and race in California.
We were fortunate to rent an amazing house right on the harbor where we stayed the night before the race. Not only was it by the ocean, but it was within walking distance to transition, which is always a plus!
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| A little relaxing at our rental the day before the race |
For me, one of the best parts of racing is sharing the experience with others… and there was a lot of that at Half Moon Bay. I was joined in the race by my good friend Brittany, my Freeplay teammates Anna and Robin, and Robin’s husband Brian. Not only that, but Stephanie and Sean from Freeplay Magazine made the trip to watch us race and cheer us on. It was really nice to see so many familiar faces, to share Anna’s excitement when she ran a 10K PR by 3 minutes, to watch Brittany win her age group, and see Robin take the overall win!
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| Enjoying the flat, fast bike course! (Photo by Sean Dulany of Freeplay Magazine) |
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| Running by the ocean…one of my favorite things! (Photo by Andy Jessop) |
At Half Moon Bay, I was able to execute my race plan to a tee. It was one of those days when everything fell into place, which is a great feeling. I felt strong from start to finish, and hit my run splits exactly as my coach and I had talked about before the race. Races definitely don’t always go that way, so it’s fun to enjoy the times when they do.
Next up: A weekend filled with friends, fun, and racing at the Wildflower Triathlons!
