Festival of Flowers Triathlon - TriathlonOlympic

I knew it was gonna be a bumpy ride when I started setting up my transition area. There was a nice breeze across the lake. It was chop-and-swell-fest out there! Also, this was the first non-wetsuit legal SCTS race. I felt sorry for all those folks who train without kicking cuz I know they'd be drinking lots of lake water withou the buoyancy of those wetsuits with that chop. I started off in the first row to the right of the buoys because I tend to drift left while swimming. I can't imagine how bad my situation would have been if I hadn't done this! So the main field is to my left. I'm a bi-lateral breather so everytime I breathed left I could see them so I knew I was on course. I passed the first site buoy on my right so I know I've drifted left, but still have the main field next to me. At the second buoy, I'm starting to swim into the usual freaked out backstroking men, but the ladies are still to my left. I sight forward, but can't see anything but sun. Now I'm starting to get worried. Where the heck is the turn buoy?! I sight forward again, nothing! But I hear someone yelling. I go into breastroke and realize it is a kayaker screaming at the entire field "You have to go right!" I turn my head almost 180 degrees and there is the turn buoy. So I cut a hard right and swim like crazy to the buoy. After that, it is still rocking and rolling, but much easier to site. I find the turn buoy dead ahead and set my course. I'm not bothering with the stupid orange ones! After I make this buoy, I site the steep boat ramp exit and make it out of the water, still pretty comfy and relaxed. As I'm running up the ramp, I hear people shouting "Go, Katie!" and realize one of the top elite ladies is right behind me. That made me feel pretty good, like I didn't have that bad of a swim afterall. The elites didn't have their own wave this time because this race is our qualifier for Age Group Nationals and to qualify, they had to start with their proper age group.

Site the turn buoy from the get-go and not bother with the orange "guide" buoys. Although my time was a lot slower than last year, I feel really good about this swim cuz the conditions were pretty brutal!

My transition times have really improved since I participated in the tri-clinic. There was a guy racked next to me who was already at his bike when I ran up, and I was outta there before him!

Nothing

Played cat and mouse with one of the elites for the first 5 miles. Finally got over my awe and got some guts to pass her once and for all. She is very nice and was very encouraging. I told her I needed to pass her now cuz I'll never do it on the run. Tried to ride on the conservative side because of the 10K run. I knew I couldn't put it all on the bike course and run with my leftovers like I do in a sprint. This turned out to be more true than I realized.

Be a bit more forward on my seat. I think my position was slightly off today because my right knee was talking to me toward the end of the ride.

When I bent over to pull on my running flats, my quads cramped big time. So I pulled my legs up to my shoes instead of bendin at the waist and didn't have any pain. I told myself that I didn't need my quads to run and that I would be fine.

Nothing.

I started out ok. Passed the first aide station, no problemo. Elite women were passing me right and left. Got into the hot sun and the rollers and tried to think positive. I am as light as a butterfly, relax, breathe, fast feet, you're faster than most (ha!). An old guy in a speedo blasts pass me. That is so not right! But I can't hang with him. I'm nearing the turn into the second part of the park. Shade! I get passed by a woman with a 39 on her leg. Maybe, I'll be second? I start to get chills. Uh oh. Dehydration. So at the turn around, I walk and drink gatorade. Then I start to run again. Uh oh. I've got to pee. Get passed by a woman with a 38 on her leg. Maybe third? I try to talk myself out of peeing. I'm gonna sweat it out like NASCAR drivers. I pass the aide station at mile 4.5. It is hot. I am getting tired. I am slowing down. More people pass me. Finally, I see the last aide station at mile 5.2. I know what has to be done. I grab a water bottle, walk and strategically pour over myself and pee. Aughhh! Relief. I start to run again and look down at my watch. 2:20. I wanted to finish in 2:26. Don't have much hope in running a 6 minute mile at this point but still try to pick up the pace to limit my losses. Sprint the uphill finish and stagger into the shower tent. 2:28:53. I know my run is slow, but I still improved from last year!

Get carbon-fiber legs and lose weight so I can be as fast as my bike. I can see I have lots of work to do before the HIM, but I'm not gonna worry about that until after next week!

After the shower tent, I stretched and stretched because now, in addition to my painful quads, my hammies were incredibly tight. After this, I jumped in the lake and relaxed (and made sure I didn't smell like pee). Talked to Suzanne before and after the race. Saw RSPDiver for a split second as he smoked passed me on the bike. Didn't have the pleasure of catching up with De Cracker this time because my kiddos were ready to leave after the awards ceremony.


Choppy water, heat, and my slow-a$$ run.