This is the brief version of my 6 page race review I wrote earlier today...
Swim: 1.2 miles deep water start, open water swim (38:21)
I love the water, but in the past I have been terrified of anything which lives in the water. I'd only swam in the ocean once prior to this trip where I couldn't touch and it wasn't something I was looking forward to doing.
I worked on my mind and knew it was not an issue. On race morning, just before hopping in the water a gal next to me asked about sharks. I had 2 options: Freak out or choose confidence.
Confidence chosen.
Great swim AND I'm prepared for a beach vacation with ocean swimming now!
I have not ever ridden my bike with consistency, until I started training for this race in January. It hurt my butt and I wasn't comfortable. Like my fear of the creature of the water, I had to learn to love my bike. I did.
I had the best ride ever, since getting a road bike 1.5 years ago. I smiled and sang and prayed and kept my head on the bike. I followed my nutrition plan and race plan written by my coach and all went well.
bike + me = friends
This is a good thing, as we have many, many more miles together in the future.
I hit the run feeling strong, but my quads felt like they would lock with each step.
I prayed.
I prayed some more and tried to get my heart rate down. I had to do that to make it 10 more miles strong, then I hit the airport...game changer...a hot, hot game changer. I do my very best to take a "no excuses" approach to triathlon. Meaning, I don't want to blame my nutrition choices, fear of water, flat tire, failed equipment on a crummy race. I want to own what I do. Yes, there are some thing out of my control, but I want to prepare for them and if I do not, then I want to own my being unprepared.
That being said, I was not prepared for the heat. I did not properly prepare my body in the weeks prior, storing in my muscles, the necessary nutrients to make it through a hot & humid run. Well hydrated, yes, but the 2 salt pills I tool were not enough to last the run. So, I ran slow, really slow. I walked aid stations, stuck ice and sponges in my kit and tried my best to smile. I learned much on that run and have a feeling this summer I'll have ample opportunities to improve my ability to run in the heat.
It wasn't easy, but it was not as difficult as I anticipated. We celebrated with a lovely dinner at a local fish restaurant and yes, I had bubbly in a plastic hotel water cup and offered a toast to 70.3 and those who were with me on the journey.
I tried my very best to answer texts, emails, tweets, phone calls and notes. If I missed one, please accept my apology, knowing it was not intentional. Each dose of encouragement meant the world to me. Thank you.
I sent a general message to my triathlon club at home before falling asleep and now will share it here:
I just wanted to say thank you to each of you who have trained with me &/or encouraged me as I embarked on this 70.3 goal achieving journey. I could go back and dissect the race, finding fault in areas where I fell short, but I will not. For today, I did something which was once a dream. I wanted my actions to be a prayer of thanksgiving and I wanted to smile. DONE! Thrilled beyond what I thought possible, I am filled with gratitude to be granted the ability to race. I smiled in the water, sang on the bike and did my best to stay cool on the run. I have the most supportive husband and boys and pals and a coach and his family who are a dream. I'm sleeping in my compression sleeves and a smile. I know my dreams will be sweet. I hope yours are too. G'Night.
My pals from left to right: Shawn, Kevin, Richard, Patty, me, Barry and Jonathan
Many have asked what is next...I'm skipping a duathlon this weekend to stand on the sidelines of the soccer pitch cheering for Chas as he plays. Jonathan will take Elliott to race the Iron Pig 5k, then join us at the pitch. I have a number of local races I'll participate in as I train for a training race twice as long...at least that's where I think I'm headed.
1 comment:
Loving the race report, so good to get the deets... oh boy, you really rocked and rolled!!!
Post a Comment