Pleasant Prairie Triathlon - International Race - TriathlonOlympic

In addition to my run mojo, I now seem to have lost my swim mojo. I cannot believe how slow I did this swim, even considering the fact that I've tried to change my approach to the swim, both in training and racing. Somehow staying calm and pacing myself has translated into a massive slowdown. To compare this year's oly to last year's, I placed far lower, relatively, in my age group (last year's swim was short so I can't compare times). I had a HARD time sighting (into the bright sun with foggy pool goggles...what the eff was I thinking with those???). I seriously could not see a single buoy for what seemed like an eternity and just kind of sighted on the people in front of me (they can't all be off course, right?). At the time I didn't think my sighting difficulties were slowing me down that much, but in retrospect, perhaps they did.

This is a conundrum. I am not sure that my slowdown is hurting my racing significantly. I feel much better coming out of the water and maybe am losing a minute or two? I am really much faster on the bike. I am mad about being slower, but it might be for the best. I think since this has been my race strategy for Racine all along, I am going to stick with it and not try to swim a lot harder. I will wear a different pair of goggles for Racine though!

Still below average. 23rd in my AG, so lost time here.

The plan here was to practice not riding like the grim reaper was on my tail. Since most of my triathlons have been sprints (and one oly) my cycling has basically been done at spinal tap speed ("this one goes to 11"). So I tried to keep it at 9-10. I feel really pleased with this effort! I didn't get into a super high RPE and it a good mental exercise to think about how I was riding the bike and how I would feel when I started running. I also was able to take in a bottle of water and a gel at the beginning and end of the bike, which I feel was perfect for me for this day.

I keep saying I should learn to do the shoes in the pedals thing but I never get around to it. Every time I try getting out of my shoes on the bike, it's a total flail. So maybe I'll try to learn after Racine, or maybe I'll just keep kvetching about it in my race reports. I just don't want to end up on some You Tube video that everyone on BT posts every time someone asks about what not to do in transition.

Also, the first gel I did on the bike, I tucked the used container into the leg of my trisuit...and the residual gel eventually leaked out and kind of ran down my leg. It was such a sticky mess it actually was kind of distracting. So I need to get a flask or if I am using the pouches, put them in a bento bag or back in my back pocket. Sheesh.

Not sure what happened, but at the dismount line, I almost fell over (I already had my left foot on the ground and my right foot was clipped out and swinging over my bike). Not sure why, but just lost my balance. I managed to keep from falling down, but I kind of strained my right hip trying to stay upright. It wasn't a big deal, but kind of a bummer because my right hip has been feeling so much better lately.

Plus, embarassing.

Also when I put my right sock on it was soaked...if it was a sprint I would have just powered thru it, but a 10K is just long enough that a wet sock would have been miserable. So I pulled it off, found a dry one and threw it on. I don't have sock putting on issues so it was not a huge time waster, but I might throw a plastic bag over my running stuff next race. I don't know if it was my wetsuit or something one of my neighbors did, but I cannot have wet socks for a half marathon. So yay for having extra socks.

Not almost fall over. Bag my running stuff, maybe put my running shoes closer to the outside of the lane so there's less chance someone will goober them up with their wetsuit (I have always put bike stuff first then running stuff behind it, but it would be no big deal to reverse that). Just checked my relative placement in T2 with my AG, and it was 15th, so I didn't hurt myself overall here, but could have helped myself more by not futzing with my sock. But at least I had dry socks.

I came into the run in a pretty decent mental place (and running is really mental for me). Since I had been thinking it thru and psyching myself that I had managed my energy well on the bike, I was really optimistic on this run. I was a little bummed about hurting my hip in T2, but during systems check on the first mile, I realized that it wasn't going to be a huge problem, just a nagging pain. I didn't really check my GPS too much, I knew my RPE was decent but my pace was also decent and I felt like I could hold it for quite a while. I felt tip top until about mile 5 when I really felt the entire previous week come back to me. Even though I tried to potty (and did) before the race, I felt some distress right before my wave went off and would have actually tried to go if the portapotty lines had not been so long. I was worried I might have issues, but felt fine during the swim and the bike...but all day I knew this might come back to bite me. I usually do metamucil religiously during race season, but I had family in town, did a road trip with them, ate "fun" food all week long, and missed doing fiber a couple of mornings.

Anyway, this story doesn't end too badly, except for the part where a chick with a 43 passed me with about .5 to go. I decided to give her a run for her money and passed her back in the hopes that her pass was a psych on me. Turns out I was the psych-er, she passed me back, and I let her go...as soon as I turned on the kick, I felt my bowels rebel and I knew I had a choice. It's ok, because what I knew intellectually was burned into my brain on that run. I must care for my innards before a race or I will PAY.

Overall, I feel a bit more positive about this run than I have in general. I was really frustrated after my 5k and my sprint tri, but I have regained some confidence that even though I don't seem to be as fast over short distances, as distance increases, I am able to hold a decent pace. Hoping this translates well for Racine.

It was actually fun because I managed to see my three buds from Average Joe's Triathlon Club and Thundrcloud from BT.

Stay on the fiber train. Trip or tackle other old ladies trying to pass me.

Hung out a bit. It was nice and everything, but it really made me miss Batavia's after party. Kind of boring so we decided to bust a move back to Chicago. Went for a walk that afternoon, which I have been doing lately after long/hard workouts...it really seems to be helping with my overall recovery and my hip specifically.


I am happy with this race. It wasn't all about placement and speed, more about experience and trying things out for Racine. In the end, even though my swim was pretty bad and I still have fitness to unlock on the run, I think I managed my bike better than I have in the past. I am also learning how to take calories in while riding and overall gaining more experience.

So, I guess really, the only things holding me back are my own skill, fitness, decision making, and experience...not really a lot of outside limiters. Just me ;-)


I don't expect to place as high as I usually do in sprints as my distances increase, but I am pleased to report that I was in the top 30% of my AG which was a surprise. PP is a very competitive race (and 3 of the top 5 women were in my AG!!!) and Chicagoland is a very competitive area, so I feel really good about the day overall, despite minor mishaps and my personal buffoonery!

Race gets a 4 instead of a 5 because the after party sucked. Also, if you must go on and on about your goody bag, please have a decent goody bag. I don't really care, I would be happy with nothing, but in fairness, the shirt is awful and with the exception of the medal, there was nothing else given away.