I started out by doing a light open water swim to loosen up and prepare for a tough weekend. I also took special care to ensure I fueled and ate properly. My nutrition wasn't perfect, it is a work in progress, but apparently it was sufficient. Up and at 'em early Saturday morning for a 93 mile ride from the house door to the cottage door, oh how fortunate Dad and I are to have such a perfect training route and set up for long rides! I enjoyed good conversation and quality time with my Dad on a ride that I found very pleasing mentally and physically. It's so important to have a positive attitude while out training for hours on end, I am amazed at how much a good disposition can positively impact a workout. Upon arrival I did a quick light swim just to loosen up the legs again and try out my new wetsuit for the first time. I got a protein shake in me immediately, smooth move Megan! I spent the rest of the afternoon resting and eating properly. Ok, I better admit it, I did enjoy 2, ok 3 S'mores after dinner, I just can't help myself!
While I was resting the fact that I had to turn around and get up at 4:50am to drive 1.5 hours to do my first Olympic Triathlon (I've done sprints and one half Ironman before) would not stop running through my head and creating a pit in my stomach. But, I got up early and headed to the tri with the best support crew a person could have, Mom and Dad!
I arrived to see the water temp was 100-101F, yeah right, in little letters below that it told the truth, 57 degrees, WHAT! I set up my transition, as Dad griped at me for having socks in my transition area - SOCKS, you don't need SOCKS, that is such a waste of time. I did a light jog for about 15 minutes to warm up a bit and then stretch lightly. Notice how I do everything "lightly". I still don't understand warming up for triathlons, but I did know that getting in that lake was NOT going to "warm" me up. I decided to go to the pre-race meeting and hit the start line shocking my body as I entered the water. Adrenaline must have been with me because it didn't seem too cold.
The water was choppy and sighting was difficult. People were swimming all over the place. I just kept reminding myself that this was good practice. It was a two lap swim too, just like Ironman, so even better practice. In the end I swam as close to shore as possible, I almost "beached" myself. Mom and Dad said I did the best swimming up to shore, many people were running for quite awhile in waist deep water, not good. But, the swimming to shore did NOT help with the fact that I need more swim practice and I am apparently NOT good at transitions. As my Uncle said a few days later, "I hear you need to learn to take your clothes off faster!" I could not get the wetsuit off over the chip, such a disaster, I took too long putting on socks and apparently looked like a lost puppy fumbling around in transition.
Then heading out onto the bike I was ready to roll, stay focussed I kept telling myself, go, go, go. The first female to pass me popped me right back into gear and I told myself, no way, I hit the pedals and got her back. Here came my competitive side rearing it's head after years of sleeping (although not nearly as strong and overwhelming as it used to be, which is not a bad thing). As I tried to push myself I struggled, I dislike feeling uncomfortable on the bike. Ultimately I t hink I could have gone faster, but I did have my own PR for average speed, so I can't complain. The only issue was apparently drinking Nuun out of my new Aero bottle (first day using it) resulted in the regurgitation of the Nuun! First time for regurgitation during a workout and first time for a few other things too, good learning situation for sure.
As I transitioned to the run, still slowly, I was ready to do what I enjoy the most, RUN. yet at the same time I feared what my faster than normal speed on the bike would do to my run. I never felt very smooth on the run and I felt slow, but I was picking people off left and right. After the first lap Dad told me I had to pick it up and informed me there was a girl about a minute ahead of me. I said told myself to relax and let 'er roll. I had the girl in my sights but couldn't seem to reel her in any closer. Then all of sudden I had her and she was great cheering me by her. I love good sportsmanship and cheerful competitors! I finally was feeling like I had a bit of a rhythm, but I didn't have much distance left on the run. As I closed into the finish line I came up on a guy and tried to sprint past him, he went from jog to sprint so quickly that we had a super fun sprint to the finish. Finishing with a huge smile on my face was the best part, oh how fun it is to sprint, which I have not done in years. So many firsts today.
I finished first in my age group, which I was pleased with, only to find out I was 4th overall female, missing 3rd overall by a mere 19 seconds. As we analyzed the results I discovered I lost third entirely in transition. My transition from swim to bike was 39 seconds slower than the 3rd overall girl, I literally lost 3rd place twice in transition alone :( This did not make me happy and I could not let it go. But, a good friend told me, it's good you didn't get third, you might not be as motivated to improve those transitions. I will be working on my transitions, I will be creating a plan for Ironman transition as well. It is unacceptable in my book to lose a race just because I can't take my clothes off fast enough!
Here's to improving my transitions and working on the swim more. Hence the next day I went and did an open water swim and transitioned to a run.
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