So this past Saturday was a quick sprint triathlon in Amesbury, Mass, it started at 8am so it was getting super warm at the time. I was excited about racing because a bunch of my friends were going, however, I knew I was throwing a party for 75 people that night at my house so I had a lot of stuff on my mind and knew I just needed to get the race over and head home to finalize everything.
My friend Erica picked me up at 5:30am to go to the race, so much fun to chat with someone pre race and not discuss race stuff at all, makes me less nervous and seriously I don't think I thought of the race more than 5 minutes in the car ( good or bad, it was just fun). We got there with plenty of time to set up our transitions and scope out the scene. We found out that the water temperature was 82 degrees so it was a non-wetsuit swim, I didn't care much but besides swimming at the pool I haven't done any open water without a wetsuit and I didn't try out my new tri shorts in the water yet ( came to bite me in the ass but oh well), I certainly don't mind any crazy stuff when it comes to the swim ( waves, cold or hot temps, wet suit/ no wetsuit, long, short, whatever) I won't be the fastest swimmer but I'm not the slowest and I feel any adversity gives me an edge so I'm cool with that.
My girlfriend Erica was a bit nervous about the swim and she felt it looked a bit long, I saw panic setting in her face and I really did try to talk to her and comfort her before our wave started. Little did I know it was her first triathlon in open water, her last two were pool swims so she was exceptionally nervous about this . Two years ago I experienced that same look and sense of fear when it came to the swim and I sat my ass right down on the beach and then drove myself home, I didn't even compete in the race, I completely talked myself out of it. Not Erica, she didn't quite finish the swim, she got a bit panicky and turned around and was helped to the beach but she hopped on her bike and finished the bike and run of the triathlon. I was so proud of her and just inspired by her to put the swim behind her and finish what she started, probably 9 out of 10 people would of cashed it in, but not her. Way to go my friend. I only wish I had the magic words to have helped her more before the race start. Anyway, I promised her we would work on open water swimming together and have fun and build up her confidence. I can't wait.
Anyway, my swim was ok, slow ( no wetsuit) and my tri shorts gatherered water in the front, I had a natural drag suit on, pissed me off but there was nothing I could do. I think it was a bit long but not much over 1/2 mile. Ran out to T1 and felt fine. Didn't see many women in my age group but then again I only start looking when I'm on the bike. On the bike it took a while for my legs to really start feeling ok, I don't know if it was the fact that I"m not training for sprints or that I kicked too much on the swim ( normally with a wetsuit my legs just drag behind me, I don't use them much, but I used them a lot more without the suit), so they were tired. The course had some good hills and some rollers but also some downhills so it was fine. I think I averaged 20.7mph, sucked, but oh well, and don't ask me my overall wattage because I so underperformed on the bike it sucked, however no women passed me and I passed a gazillion people so in the end it was still ok.
The run was hot, nothing really more to say about my performance on the run, I didn;t feel great until mile 2 when the legs finally said oh, ok, we are running now, then I was able to pick up the pace but overall again, an area I desperately need to work on when tri season is over.
I finished 4th overall female and 2nd in my age group. 2nd-4th place were within 30 seconds of each other which pissed me off because I had to stop twice on my bike because of cars for some significant periods of time, however, my run could always be faster and then the 30 seconds wouldn't be such an issue, so Im not going to bitch because I should be faster and those other girls where, next year I'll get them.
Anyway, stuck around with my friends got my award and then went home. I ran another 5 miles when I got home to finish the workouts for the day and started in on finishing up all the stuff for the Luau.
The Luau of course was a blast and it wouldn't be the Furse Luau if it didn't rain/lightening and thunder, but by the time the party started it was perfect. The food, the music, my friends, it was awesome. The party ended around 2am, I finished cleaning by close to 3am, my hubby was a bit under the weather so he slept in until past 12p, I of course was up at 5:30am with the kids and struggled to keep them entertained until daddy could help. I didn't drink at my party but I was exhausted being up for over 24hrs, racing, planning, the works. However, in the end I wouldn't do anything different, the party has become a staple in our neighborhood and Phil and I look forward to it every year. Thanks to everyone who came.
I think 20.7 mph is awesome for having trained for IM and not sprints!! Geez!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on great placing and a final speedy race before the big day! Yay! And good job on the party. You are a better woman than I... I can't host! It panics me worse than racing! (and it's exhausting, too, of course.)