Here are some of my highlights from the Wildflower Triathlon weekend.
Camping
Fun:
Hanging with teamies, their hubbies, new & old friends and my family.
Friday night Diamondback golf cart driving by campsite with free Choco-tacos!
Not so fun:
No sleep.
Loud neighbors.
Snoring, coughing daughter.
Saturday morning 4am siren (what the ?).
Free Choco Tacos!
Saturday
Fun:
Watching pros and teamies kill it out there on a tough half ironman course!
Not so fun:
Knowing I had a race the next day.
Sleeping in the car to get better sleep (didn’t work).
5am siren (what the what?). Blerg.
Sunday Race Day
The Swim (1.5K, .93 mile):
Temp was great!
Thought I was in lead pack so I kept with them to save energy for the rest of the tough race.
Transition 1a + first run (2.1 miles):
Out of swim and up steep boat ramp.
Change out of wetsuit into running gear.
Run up rest of steep ramp onto dirty, dusty trail.
End dirty, dusty trail with a run up 2nd steep boat ramp.
Didn’t see any women so I thought I was in the lead.
Hard to go from run to bike! I was tired.
Highlight: giving my daughter a high five while running into T1b.
Trail run to 2nd boat ramp
Finishing 2nd ramp, time to go bike. wheee.
Transition 1b + Bike (40K, 24.8 miles):
Change out of running gear into bike gear.
Pushed the wrong buttons on my Garmin by mistake (blerg!).
Messed with it up entire Lynch Hill climb (double blerg!).
Got to a bike function but didn’t know exactly what mile I was on. At least I could see my speed.
Bike was an out and back, and uphill both ways. In the snow. Hot. (some of that is true).
Transition 2:
Left shoes clipped in pedals and didn’t fall off bike (bonus).
Messed with Garmin again to get a run function.
Ran out of T2 and Greg yelled to me “she’s right in front of you!” and I thought “who?”
Then I saw her.
Apparently I wasn’t in the first swim pack.
One swimmer was way ahead of us (is she part dolphin?)
Taking shoes off AND staying upright
The leader is in my sights starting the run. Spectators were super fun and encouraging! Especially the college boys mooning me midway through the run. Kidding, that wasn’t fun or encouraging, just gross. And a little funny.
Run (4.1 miles):
Passed dolphin-girl before mile 1.
Thought I might be a stronger runner.
Got a good lead, then Beach Hill hit (1 mile straight up. Beach Wall a better name).
I walked/ran until dolphin-girl passed me.
She kept running (part mountain goat too?) so I kept “running” up too.
Toughest hill I’ve ever done in a race. Or in training. Or on a hike. Or ever. (All of that is true. Well, except I’ve hiked Half Dome. So this was a close second)
Finish:
One minute behind first place, 9th woman overall.
Felt like crap after so I did give it a good go.
Learned dolphin/mountain goat girl (now it just sounds mean) is a veteran, top finishing age grouper and she knows how to race.
Hindsight (is 20/20) I should have stayed out of her sights on the run and tried to pass her after Beach Hill/Wall.
Thanks to my teamies and their hubbies, my friends (new and old), for all the cheers out there on the course! And to Victor Plata for the fun shoutouts! And a special thanks to my husband and kids. So fun to have you guys there with me. I love you all!
Next up – Auburn Triathlon!
Elise
