I finished my first triathlon of the season! After missing the first sprint of the season, I was really looking forward to the challenge of my first swim/bike/run race. Plus, I feel like I've been studying forever - without the pressure - or the pressure relief -  of the exam. I wanted to test what I've been working on for the past six months! 
Belews Lake, NC
I did this race in 2012 and had a fairly good race. Back then, I was riding Lola and training by heart rate. My swim was okay, I had technical trouble on the ride (my chain fell off twice) and my run was crampy.This year was different - and better. I didn't want the swim to end, I raced with Lucinda and my run was four minutes faster!

Of course, the race always starts the day before. Erica, Jen and I loaded up the tri-wagon around noon on Friday and hit the road to Greensboro. Jen DJ'd with Spotify most of the way up and we heard everything from the Humpty Hump to Pat Benatar.  We headed to pick up our race packets at Off'n'Runnin' Sports where the pros at SetUp Events and the staff at the store treated us to run belts, socks and of course, water bottles as swag! We checked into the hotel about 5:00pm and then headed out to dinner at Pollo Pasta - at 5:30pm. (awesome!)
 
The one thing that I did that night that made me nervous was order chicken and rice. It is usually my go-to meal -- I have a great casserole recipe that is easy to make, that travels well and is semi-bland. This was NOT semi-bland. Think curry! The chicken was actually a garlicky rotisserie chicken - but the rice was not. I mostly ate around it - anxious about weird dreams and heartburn. 


I slept well and woke up the next morning excitedly calm (or peacefully excited - whichever). I ate breakfast before 6:00a - a small blueberry bagel and a cup of coffee. We loaded up bikes and bags and bottles and hit the road again for the race site at Belews Creek Marina about 45 minutes away.

Jen, Me and Erica

It was a beautiful day to race. The race is a 1,500-meter swim, a 27-mile bike ride and a 10-kilometer run. The water was 65-68 degrees and wetsuit legal. It was sunny, in the low 50s at race start and a bit windy (but so is every race). By the time we got to the run, the temp was in the mid-sixties and climbing.  

Random Fastees
We set up in transition and donned our wetsuits. The swim start is different than most open water tris where wave starts by age group seem to be the norm. For this one, there is a time trial start based on your pace-per-100-yard average. Each swimmer is paired with another athlete with a similar pace and sent off in 15-second increments. We lined up on a floating dock two-by-two and inched forward every 15 seconds. Most swimmers dove off the dock. As we stepped up to the start line, though,  I actually sat down on the edge - just like I do every Tuesday and Thursday at the pool. When the starter said 3-2-1-Go! I jumped in, did two breast stroke kicks and took off. My goggles stayed in place and actually positioned myself to draft off my partner for about 50 yards. 

The swim was beautiful. I really didn't want it to end. I felt smooth and strong. I remembered to draft off people's feet when I could and worked on finishing my stroke at my hip. At one point, I came up on a father and son team. The father was swimming with a small inflatable boat behind him, carrying his son! We were approaching a turn buoy and my one thought GO NOW! I knew if I didn't make it first, I'd have to clear the buoy and the boat. I picked up my pace for 50 yards and was able to pass.

Jen was Out on the Bike While I was Lolly-Gagging in T1
If I could choose a do-over, I'd probably choose both transitions. I didn't want it bad enough. I walk-jogged to my bike - in part because I wanted to bring my heart rate down and in part because it was uphill. My main glitch in T1 was my wetsuit - and not because it was hard to take off, but because it came off with ease - and took my chip right off my ankle! The velcro didn't even release on the ankle strap. It slipped right off and landed near my bike. I scooped it up and attached back on my ankle. 

My bike was great. If you're planning on doing this race - whether as a sprint or international - don't be intimidated by the hill coming out of transition. You can do it. It only looks straight up a cliff. Remember to set your gears to the small ring up front and you'll climb right up. 





The ride is two long loops. I mentally handled the crosswind which offered no help on either side of the loop - after all, there is usually wind in all directions here on the coast. My challenge, of course, was the hills, but Lucinda handled the uphills and the downhills like a champ. There is a nearly 125 foot climb in a mile and half at miles 12 and 26. I kept my effort steady and my cadence smooth. I kept thinking, stick your foot to the top of your shoe and was able to pass two (younger) girls ahead of me.




Elevation for the Ride

Marblized, not Concrete


The weirdest thing to happen on the bike - right after that first big hill - was a loss of power. I felt as if my legs would not turn over. I freaked out a little bit as those same two girls passed me. My legs felt like they were filled with concrete. About that time my Garmin beeped at me - TIME ALERT! Aha! I realized I was low on calories. It had probably signaled me to drink during the downhill or uphill of 12-mile giant and I missed it. For the next few miles I sipped at my concoction of Amino Vital and felt MUCH better. I listened for my alert and finished my aero bottle by the end of the ride.

Transition 2 was slow and deliberate. Again, I wish for a do-over. But, it set me up for a good run.  My plan was to run a progressive effort - easy for two,  moderate for two, hard to the finish. I took off -- up the steep incline and then up a long slower climb (109 feet in less than half a mile). My heart rate in that first mile was super high - but it leveled off and I felt strong. The hilly course was challenging and the temps were climbing. At mile three I remembered thinking: stop running scared. I realized I was running conservatively on a downhill - worried putting on the brakes for the downhill, worried about cramping, worried about having enough for the finish. Stop running scared! Take advantage of the downhills, deal with the side stitch if it happens and worry about the finish when you fall across it!

At mile 4.5, a woman in my age-group passed me. I realized going hard included staying with her. I moved in behind her on the last uphill and hung tight for over half a mile. She was holding 7:30-8:00 min/mile pace. The hill caught me and she pulled away. The saving grace of this race is that the long slow uphill on the way out, turns into a long, swift downhill to the finish. I picked it up when I hit the downhill and watched her back as she pulled away. I finished in 54min41 seconds - my fastest triathlon 10K (by about four minutes)!

My most satisfying moment was not crossing the finish line, or sipping icy cold water after the run or even the finisher's pint glass at the line. Twenty minutes later as I was breaking down transition, I looked at my watch and nearly cried. It read 2:55:46. My heart fluttered in disbelief. My goal was to finish in 3:00:23. I was five minutes faster than I thought I could be and I took nearly 15 minutes off my time from 2012. I was thrilled.  

Pooped out Peeps
I found out later that my carrot on the run was the winner in our age-group.  I finished third! Jen finished first and Erica finished fourth.  We had a great time at the awards ceremony and a hilarious road trip home. I can't wait til the next race! 




Curtsy for the Podium!
  




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