Mountain Lakes Triathlon - TriathlonSprint

(Note: If I had raced AG, I would have been 13 out of 22.)

Goggles filled up with water twice, buoys were difficult to see, especially coming back in (all you could see is sun). I drifted off course several times. I was getting pretty frustrated especially since I consider swimming to be my strong suite. Also, I got kicked several times and twice those kicks landed on the burn on my elbow, reopening that wound. Ugh.

First, get new goggles!

Second, I've got to start making swimming a priority again. If I ever need to skip a work out because of time restraints, swimming is the first thing to go. I've got to stop doing that and just make time for all my work outs.

I felt pretty good going through transition and everything went smoothly, but looking back at the actual time of 2:15 seems too slow.

My huge group of fans cheered loudly as I came out of the water and headed up towards transition. :)

Since I'm starting to focus on some longer distance tris, the transition times seem less important, but I'm still going to be doing some shorter distance tris so maybe I should just practice the transitions more.

(Note: If I had raced AG, I would have been 10 out of 22.)

Good bike ride. 19.4 MPH is great. Still coming up just shy of the 20 MPH mark, but I'm getting there. I was pleased with my ride and the new aerobars did great. Although, they did make my wrists hurt a pretty good bit. Thinking about exchanging them for some more comfortable ones. New shorts did great as well. Took a bit of a risk wearing these shorts for the first time in the race. (They didn't get in until Thurs night.) But the risk turned out great. The DeSoto 400 mile shorts did as great as others told me they would.

I first saw my competition in the bike ride - a 50 year old Athena. She passed me, I passed her, she passed me. She wound up ahead of me coming off the bike, but I was hoping I could make up the time on the run.

I took a GU about mile 6 and another about mile 15. Only drank water.

The cheering section broke up and cheered me on at a few different spots along the last little bit of the bike section. :)

Just gotta keep working it on the bike. I have steadily improved on the bike since the first time I got on it. I plan to keep it going.

Very smooth very fast T2. My husband and brother were standing right next to the partition dividing transition from the spectators yelling "Yeah go Rachael!!" Then my brother yells "Yeah! Change those shoes!" and I just started cracking up big time. I guess it is kinda funny to people that aren't familiar to the sport that changing your shoes quickly really is an important skill. Haha!

It was a good transition. I feel good about it. I used my new shoe changing technique and I was very speedy.

(Note: If I had raced AG, I would have been 15 out of 22.)

Oh wow, such a great run! This is a new PR for me and it really just felt great too. I pushed it exactly right. I think working with this HRM has helped me learn how to feel my limits a little bit better. I wasn't wearing it in the race, but the practice runs with it have really helped I think. I know exactly how hard I can handle. I ran fast.

I think keeping cool is a big part of it too. Most of the run was in the shade and I kept dumping water over me. At every aid station I would get 2 waters and take a sip out of 1 and dump the rest over my head/back/chest/shoulders.

I passed my 50 year old Athena friend very early in the run and tried to leave her behind in the dust but she kept up until the last mile huffing and puffing like a freight train. We exchanged a few lines of conversation. I guess that was nice. Then in the last mile, she just couldn't keep up. In about the last half mile or so I really turned it on and then in the last little stretch I gave it every last bit of energy I had. I was gasping through the last 100 yards or so.

More cheering from the cheering section along the run and finish line.

I've gotta say, that finish line is still worth it. Such an awesome feeling. I know I've worked hard and accomplished my goal one more time. :)

Awesome run. Couldn't have been better. :)

Gasp and walk around a bit. Haha. Chatted with the fam. Stretched out really well. Drank, ate. Went to the awards ceremony which was the best awards ceremony that I've been to so far. I got a $30 gift card to Cahaba Cycles and some other pretty sweet swag. Nice!


The swim, the goggles. Always need more practice at everything. :) Still working on the weight loss.


Great race. Well run. I look forward to doing it next year.