Race Report- Sprint Triathlon #5

Race Summary= ABSOLUTE DISASTER!!! 

Sprint Triathlon #5

Date: July 25th, 2015
Event: Sprint Triathlon (750m lake swim, 15 mile bike, 5k run)
Time: 2:11:18
(Swim: 21:33, T1 + Bike + T2: 1:07:43, Run: 42:04)
Age Group Place (25-29): Last...10/10

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The Swim- 750m Lake Swim (21:33)

Average Pace: 2:52 per 100m

Now that I've been swimming consistently for a couple of years now, and have competed in Masters Swimming Meets, my swimming is my strength...that is if I can put my goggles on right!

Race Error #1:  Put goggles on upside down.

The gun went off and I started swimming.  I didn't realize anything was wrong until I looked up to sight for the first time.  I couldn't see, but I attributed that to the thrashing water that was all around me from the chaos of an mass swim start.  I kept opening and closing my eyes, and everything was just cloudy.  I finally figured out that there was water in my goggles.  It wasn't a leak, they were completely full, which made it hard to distinguish that there was water in them.  I emptied the goggles and kept going.  They filled right back up! I emptied them again, and same thing.  I finally turned on my back and treaded water and realized that I had put the goggles on upside down.  I had to take them all the way off my head and flip them.  There were several concerned triathletes that tried to stop and help me.  Many thought that I couldn't swim.  This was funny to me, because of all the people in the water, I am one of the best swimmers, and my time would have shown it...you know if I managed to put my goggles on right.  I told them that I was ok, just trying to figure out my goggles.  I finally got them situated, but when I turned back around, I realized that I was far behind the group of triathletes I started with, and the next wave was upon me.  I used this to my advantage and challenged myself to keep up and draft from the better swimmers of the wave behind me.  I ended up passing several in my wave by the end of the swim, but obviously I lost minutes of valuable time fighting with my goggles.  My swim was still about 2 mins faster than last year, but I was bummed that a stupid mistake like putting my goggles on wrong sabotaged my time.

The Bike- 15 miles + Transitions (1:07:43)

Average Speed: Not sure

Race Error #2:  Forgot timing chip in transition. 

About a mile into the bike course, I looked down at my ankle and realized that I forgot my timing chip in transition.  I have to take it off after the swim in order to put my socks on, and I forgot to put it back on!  I was already down from the swim debacle, and now this!  I shook the mistake off and kept riding.  The hills were challenging, I have only been training for a few weeks since my trip, but overall, I was happy with my performance.  I don't have an accurate ride time since my transitions were included.  After finishing the bike course and changing into my run gear, I had to run my chip back up to the bike finish to record the end of T1, which actually represented T1+ bike split +T2, before moving on to the run.  That was embarrassing.  Other athletes and even my former tri coach were yelling at me to go the other way towards the run start, and I had to explain to all of them that I had to go run my chip to the bike timing gate first.

The Run-5k (42:04)

Average Pace: 13:32 min/mile, Average Speed: 4.4 mph

Race Error #3:  Watch malfunctioned.

 As if I needed any more drama for the day, my GPS triathlon watch malfunctioned.  It wouldn't switch to run mode and start tracking my mileage and time.  This race error was the least of my worries, since I am perfectly capable of running without feedback from my watch, however it is what I am accustomed too.  I usually use an interval timer, I like to see how much mileage I have completed, and monitor my pace and time.  I had to just run the course based on feel and mile markers.  At mile 1, I switched my watch to a normal stopwatch, so I did have at least time feedback for the remaining 2 miles.   When I crossed the finish line, I don't think I have ever felt that relieved.  I wanted to quickly put this day and race behind me.

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Reflection

My race was an absolute mess today, but I refocused my energy after each debacle and finished with my head held high.  Let's hope that I've gotten all the race glitches out this time and won't have these issues for my international and half iron distance tris coming up this fall.

Back to training

Trip dust has settled, done signing up for surprise races...time to get back to my regularly scheduled programming.  I have many triathlons coming up, therefore, it is time to get back in shape!

I rejoined my swim and tri team.  I started weekly rides with my local bike shop.  I upgraded my road bike and added aero bars and some sweet neon colored bar tape. I have had some trouble returning to running, my posterior tibial tendons are tight--they have had a great vacation away from serious training.  I had to go back to my compression socks, elevation, icing, stretching, strengthening routine.  They are getting back in shape day by day, but I will continue to take it easy on them and focus on my swimming and cycling.

Race Report- 1st Criterium Cycling Race

I'm a runner.
I'm a triathlete.
I'm a swimmer.
I'm a cyclist!

When I started this year, or this life, did I ever dream that I would compete in a cycling race? NO! Well...this is what happened: I was invited to watch a local criterium race with some friends on Friday.  Criterium racing is when cyclists complete several laps of a 1-2 mile loop at high speeds.  At first, you just complete laps for a certain period of time, the goal is to just stay with the pack.  And then, at some point the race officials will announce that there are 10 laps left, and then the real racing begins.  Competitors jockey for position to ultimately sprint around the last corner for the win over the finish line. It's intense to watch, even more intense to be in the race.

I was talked into participating in the beginner's racing clinic the next day and was told that I should also be prepared to race an hour after it finished.  My friend gave me an ultimatum, "If you participate in the clinic, you are also going to race!"  When I went home on Friday, I thought that there was no way that I was going to go back the next day and race.  I am not even trained.  I am still trying to catch up from taking time off of training for my vacation.  But...I really want to improve my cycling skills by participating in the clinic, and you only live once, right?  The next morning, I packed my bike in the car and all of my cycling stuff and mentally prepared myself for what I was about to do. The beginner clinic was tough, I had to learn to draft from the other riders, to corner (take tight turns), and to ride in a pace line.  These skills were all out of my league, but I did pretty well.  I decided that I would go ahead and race in the women's novice race that came up after the clinic. Let's just say that it was an experience of a lifetime, and something I will probably NEVER do again.  From the time the gun went off, those ladies clipped in and got going so fast, that I was already left in the dust from the start line.  I sprinted the first few laps to try to catch up with them, but that was a near impossible feat since they were moving as a pack and getting the benefit of drafting.  I quickly burned myself out (terrible race strategy). Needless to say, I was lapped a few times, but I DID NOT QUIT.  I also managed to average well over 16 mph, which is fast for me at this stage of my training and recovery from my surgeries.  The reason I say I will probably never do it again is because it is dangerous.  Riders are very close to you, they whip around corners at full speed, and there is a very high likelihood of crashes.  Not my cup of tea. On Friday, several riders were rushed to the hospital.  I'm lucky to have gotten out of there without a scratch.

The grand irony of my cycling experience is that two years ago on July 12th, 2013, I posted the comment and picture below from the PT clinic.  On July 11th, 2015, I competed in my first cycling race, as shown in the second picture!!!  Thanks to the wonders of Facebook and their "On this day" reminders, the picture from the clinic popped back up on my timeline.  I texted my physical therapist (#1), whose clinic I was in when I took the picture back in 2013, and he said, "I got so happy reading your text.  So proud of you.  You make what I do worth it."  I was happy that I made him happy, and happy that I made myself happy by going after another first and doing something I never dreamed of even when I had perfectly functioning feet.  

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Reflection