Buffalo Triathlon - Olympic Distance - TriathlonOlympic

At first I am happy because I am starting out ok. No panic, no action, I hung to the back and got going fine. However, within about 2 minutes, I am not sure I can do it! I am tired and uncoordinated and every second feels like a million. It takes a lightyear to reach the first buoy (which we were told to expect) but I feel like I am going so slow. After clearing the buoy I feel a bit better and get into a rhythm and am actually sighing pretty well (cool!). I muscle through until we turn towards shore and then the sun is making sighting difficult. I can spot the buoys okay, but suddenly everyone is disoriented. It also seems the chop as picked up although it could have just been from the other swimmers. I took in a HUGE lungful of water and choked for a minute or so until I could take off again. This last stretch was hard mentally and physically and I was SO GLAD to reach the shore.

I was clearly off my game and the only excuse is lack of swim training.

I am surprised by this relatively short time because it seemed like forever. The run from the beach is LONG and uphill. I went to the wrong rack and it took too long to figure out. It's funny I struggled because I was about the last bike left and my bike is pretty easy to spot. I finally got my act together and headed off.
10/16

Figured out the route from swim in. I knew where the rack was only from a direction that didn't matter.

This is where I knew I was screwed. It took me at least 10 minutes to catch my breath and I was traveling at about 11 mph for way too long. I never really got into a comfortable place until the Oly course split from the Sprint. The hills seemed relentless and it was supposed to be a fast course! I was clearly way off my game and I assumed it was due to the swim training problem. Ugh, what an idiot! I was not myself on that bike ride. The second half was a bit better, probably also helped by my bottle of Gu Brew, and I assume some good downhills and the occasional tailwind. This was my slowest Oly bike, including a longer than 40k course last summer.

There was a point when a car pulled in front of me and I was hoping they would hit me, so I could be done. That's sick.

Train more...

This was mediocre... I had a moment of pause deciding where to put my bike because my rackmate used my spot. Lovely. Otherwise I thought I hustled pretty good and sprinted out. 10/16

Just give up and go home!

Well, what do you do when your goal time is so far out the window it has a new zip code? I was very upset the first minute or so and struggled not to cry. What a stupid thing to be upset about. But then I decided that I was going to "just finish" this thing. Everyone says how noble that is, so I figured I would try it and not kill myself. I trotted along and when it felt uncomfortable I walked. I guess I was trotting a bit slower than I thought, but whatever. I sort of enjoyed this part of the race. Thankfully the clouds thickened so at least the temp was pleasantish.

Not sign up for another Olympic distance race.

It's been said. I had a long time to think this morning and I am just not interested in pursuing the Oly thing for now. Bike racing ruins bike riding for me and I have begun to hate the pool. I actually like run training a lot, and enjoy riding my bike for fun, which is basically what I have been doing. I can't expect to pull out a PR race with that sort of plan. I wished it hadn't been a PW across the board, but I guess it happens. Lesson learned and expectations thoroughly reassessed.


Actually I thought the race was pretty well done. I think it's not the race for ME, but it's a good race. My only disappointment was the feeling at the end. I hate being towards the end and, for the first time ever, no one offered to help with my chip. No one gave me a medal (just realized this). No water was offered. That's a bummer. They put on a good food spread, but I skipped it this year because the line was super long.