Subaru US Women's Triathlon Series - Naperville - TriathlonSprint

Oh my god you guys, you know what? I passed people! That's people, as in plural! I am so used to the wave starting and then I take two or three strokes and then sight myself and wonder, "Where is my wave?" Took a TI clinic this winter during one of my rare moments of motivation and I tried my hardest to stick to the stroke throughout the course. Since I've only been swimming 1000m here and there, I can't say that I mastered the stroke. In face, I had subconsciously reverted back to my bad stroke by the midpoint of the race. But it was the coolest feeling being in a race where I had no performance expectations and to find myself 100m in and still in the middle of the pack! And there were still several bikes in transition when I got there! Weee!

I would like to keep the TI style throughout the entire swim. Oh, and obviously, train.

I abandoned the three strokes and breathe/alternating sides about 150m in. I need to increase my lung capacity so I can return to this, as I find that breathing just on my right side helps derail me from proper TI form.

I walked the long walk from the swim to the transition area. I wanted to get my land legs back and I think I tweaked an old ankle injury getting out of the water. Really took my time and even chatted with other athletes in transition. I could have easily cut down 3 minutes here, but I didn't care to.

If it wasn't raining and totally slick everywhere, I'd run in and out of transition. I didn't want to wipe out, which a lot of girls were.

The course was very very slick. The first few minutes on the bike were painful, after coming out of 78 degree water into 60 degree air and hitting off right away. I went slower than I could have, because I honestly have lost some confidence after being hit by a car, and since a lot of first timers do this triathlon, I was on the lookout for them. Pouring rain on and off during the race made cornering difficult. I came to a near stop at many of the turns.

My toes fell asleep about 3 miles in. This is a problem that has plagued me for 2 years now, and I'm fairly certain it is not equipment, fit, etc. I even get it on stationary bikes in the gym. Maybe it is time to see a specialist.

Nothing. Considering the conditions and my physical shape, I think a 15mph average was fair. Now if it was sunny and dry and I wasn't a fat blob, I'd do a ton different.

I dismounted my bike a good 20 yds. shy of transition after watching 3 girls in front of me wipe out (OUCH!). I didn't even attempt to run with the bike as it looked really slippery and I was very tired. Fumbled trying to find where I set my run gel (which I didn't even use after I found), and this cost me a few more minutes. The rain really made a mess of the transition area and things got moved around.

If it was dry, and/or if I was in shape, I'd run with the bike.
I'd obviously like to have a more organized transition so grabbing the gel is no effort.

Pouring rain from the bike and the duration of the run took its toll on me. I had that lovely *squish* *squish* under my feet, which really seemed to counteract any absorbtion power that my shoes offered. The race was essentially over for me at this point - I doubt I could have run the entire 5k without the swim or the bike. At this point, I was prepared to walk. I was concerned about my ankle, and recalled my physical therapist told me not to run in the rain. I did a little here and there, but I walked most of it. I haven't done a brick workout since August. The first time I tried to run, I did maybe 10m and had to stop. Felt like there were rocks in my calves.

More brick workouts! Ask a trainer or a physical therapist for advice on running in the rain.

Cyclomax, a pear, a slice of bread. Wondered around and allowed my heart rate to return to normal. Looked at the line to get stretched out/massaged by the physical therapists and decided that I was ready to go home.


My own poor attitude. Given my lack of conditioning and my lack of motivation, I am surprised at my time. I thought that the run would have at least another 15 minutes on it. Oddly, this was race was my first tri 3 years ago, and I beat my time in that race by 3 minutes, even though I a) had trained for that first tri for 3 months; b) weighed 30 pounds less; and c) had 1 less knee and 1 less ankle injury. Hmmm... go figure.


New sponsor, same great race. This continues to be one of my favorite races. Women of all shapes, sizes, ages getting along and helping each other. What more could you want? Once you get co-ed, things get a little more competitive and you lose something that this race captures so well. I really prefer when it is scheduled in July, as it doesn't require us to run/bike in March to get adequately prepared (Chicago weather doesn't always cooperate). The weather was obviously not their fault, but waiting for that wave to start was brutal!