Smithfield Sprint Triathlon - TriathlonSprint

This being my third season (this was the anniversary race), I've learned that my swims are almost always slower in races than in practice. No idea why. So I seeded myself about 5 seconds slower per 100 than I have been doing. I got excited while I was lining up because it sounded as if the guys in front of me knew what they were doing. I hoped that was the case, since that just makes thinigs flow better.

Wrong!

I caught up to the first guy within the first 50 yards. I'll take the blame, since I seeded myself slower. But I tapped him on his feet once, twice, three times, and he didn't pause at the wall like he was supposed to. So I held back for a few seconds until I had a clear shot around him and then I raced on, blowing past him like he wasn't even there. Next time I saw him, he was walking. Yes, walking! Good thing I passed him.

About 175 yards into the swim, I caught the next guy. Again, I tapped him on the toes several times and he didn't let me pass. There was no clear shot coming, as other swimmers were going in the opposite direction, so I decided to force my way past. Unfortunately, one of the swimmers in the opposite direction decided to try the same thing about the same time I did. Four wide in a pool late = bad idea. I tried to slip through, but I couldn't quite do it without hitting someone, and I think the other guy saw it coming and backed off a bit so we weren't all even in the lane. I ended up more or less just climbing right over this guy. Swam right over him, got ahead, and he grabbed my feet to try and pull me back! I wasn't having any of that. My brother used to tickle me a lot, my fiance tickles me a lot, and I've learned a few lessons from my scrawny cat. I wigled out and went on like he didn't bother me.

For the first time in race, I swam aggressively! Yay!! Managed to avoid a black eye, too.

The third person I passed had stopped at a wall long before I got there, so it was smooth sailing from there.

Not much. Swim faster, I guess. I'm just proud of being aggressive for a change. I usually just let myself get beat up.

Slower transition, but I was only doing the race for fun, and I knew this would be slower. I have purchased new running shoes, but they had to be ordered and I haven't picked them up from the store yet. The shoes I've been running in are not the shoes I raced in last year. I wasn't about to put the elastic laces on for one race, so I had to stop and tie my shoes. So be it.

Have shoes with elastic laces. Which means actually being able to make it to the running store to get said shoes...

I need to get my bike fitted, cleaned, and tuned. Given that it's not a smooth ride at the moment, I'd say that was a decent ride. The hardest part was the wind!! Oh my freakin' goodness!! It about blew me over at some points! I know I had trouble keeping in a straight line on the road! On the back part of the course I hit a headwind, which sucked! I had trouble keeping a 12mph pace there, and the hills didn't matter. When I hit the tailwind coming back... beautiful! 21mph without pedaling. I kept thinking, "This is what it must feel like to be a superstar at this!" My nose ran a lot, I passed a lot of people, got passed by a few, and tried to enjoy the breezy ride as much as possible. My side started cramping in the last two miles, so I sat up and out of aero until it worked out.

Not have a cramp, drink more water, pedal harder, carry tissues, and not let that freakin' wind blow me around so much. I mean, I was aggressive in the swim, why did I let a little wind push me around?

Love biking in my running shoes. Bike up, helmet off, and I was gone.

Nothing.

I knew the run was going to be my weak leg. I managed to make it over a mile before I had to stop and walk. I took advantage of my walk and pulled my hair back up, since it had slipped out during the bike. I was surprised that my legs adjusted as easily to the run as they did, since I haven't done a brick in ages. Had to walk for a minute and then I ran on. I had to walk for another minute just before the turn around because of a cramp in my side. A woman passed me but I caught her a minute later when I was running and she was walking. She spoke to me so I encouraged her and we ran together.

We chatted for a few minutes about the day and then just ran. We made it almost to the end together, but she had to give it up. I was glad to be able to run with her, and she felt the same way. The idea of "If she can keep going, so can I," carried us through. I managed to keep going when she had to stop because I knew I was only about a quarter mile from the end.

As I got closer to the end, my fiance was there waiting for me. He yelled at me to go faster and I responded with "There is no faster!" lol! He ran with me up to the finishing chute and then yelled for me. He met me after I crossed the line.

Not get injured so I don't have to take 6 weeks off so I don't lose my run! Other than that, I probably should have had more to drink on the bike because I was thirsty. And it would have been nice to run the whole thing without walking. But I did better than I thought I would.

Water, water, diet Coke. Stretching. Walking. Reconnecting with friends. Cheering for my new friend as she crossed the line.


Being injured in the off season and slowly rebuilding my fitness level.


There was the usual barbeque after this race, which I don't eat. I got my plate for my fiance. By the time we got through the line, the mac and cheese was gone. That's probably my only complaint. Setup usually does a good job, and they did this time, too.