OSU Ross TriFit Challenge Triathlon - Fit Course - Triathlon

Buoys were large and easy to spot.

I panicked after being hit, and kicked during the initial 100 yards. The hardest part for me to adjust to was being touched, kicked and hit by other swimmers. That sounds childish, but it took me 250 to "get used" to that. I kept stopping to apologize when I would hit or touch someone. I kicked one guy in the eye with my heal. Hard. I felt horrible at first, but he insisted it was his fault, he swam up on me. I moved right to "get out of the way", but there was still a lot of touching, hitting and kicking.

The next 400 yards went well. Had I been able to swim the whole distance like I did the middle 300 I would have cut my time by 20%.

The last 150 my calves seized up. MAJOR cramping. Could not use my legs for 75 yards or more.

First, I will never again fail to eat a banana or two before a race.

Second, I need to find a group to practice group swims. The pool has been a godsend for getting over water panic, but when there are a bunch of other people, it came right back. I used my breathing exercises to get through it, and did so successfully and started swimming well... Until the leg cramps hit...

My time was high because I took time to put on socks and put on my shoes before running out of transition. The run was all on grass, so I knew I wouldn't damage my shoes. I had practiced having my shoes on the bike, but decided that my comfort and knowledge that I would be much more stable this way were more important. Besides, I have tried and tried to run without socks, but I just can't do it, so I was going to have to put socks on at one Transition or the other, so I decided to do it during T1.

I got hit while mounting my bike by another participant who had lost control of her bike trying to do a running mount. Luckily she did no damage to my wheel or spokes, though I did rake my calf with the pedal!

Right now. Nothing. I still have a lot of weight to lose and other things to work on. That said, if the transition or run to mount is NOT on grass, I will likely mount my shoes to the bike before mounting.

Missed shifts on hills, destroyed momentum twice, caused me to struggle and fight my way up two large hills. The long uphill was a bear, and halfway up my legs started leg cramping again. (Partially I am sure due to no banana, but see post race for more info on my leg cramping...)

Once I got through the hill portion, I felt good, except I was still having severe Leg Cramps. Mentally this was tough because I knew I could be doing much better on this portion of the course had I not blown it so badly on the hilly portion and the stupid leg cramps would not leave me alone.

I truly had to fight to keep moving. I don't know how, but I could tell I wasn't "injured" my leg cramps were not because I was exhausted or dehydrated, I attributed them to nerves and kept moving.

Hills. Hills. Hills. I need to practice on Hills. I need to be intentional about finding hills to work on, and then I need to work them. Period.

I'm not sure why, but I couldn't get my helmet to unclip. I think I spent 15 seconds messing with it. Very frustrating. My shoes were on and "tied" quickly. I started to run out, got half way and realized I still had my glasses on. I hate running with glasses. My times were screwed at this point anyway, so I returned and got rid of them.

When times become important, I will have practiced the Transitions much more.

Legs were cramping BAD from the very beginning. Calves mostly but about half way through my thighs started as well. As I mentioned earlier, I could tell I wasn't hurt, my muscle issues were not from a tear, or a hyper-extension, or a strain, I was hydrating well, so I didn't quite understand why I was other than I had not eaten a banana as I usually do. So, I pressed on.

Eat a banana. I know how much the potasium helps with my leg cramps. I kept running, not to "punish myself", but because I knew whatever was going on was preventable. The experience will never be forgotten, nor will nutrition ever be taken for granted. Ever Again.

That said, I drank a lot in T2, just in case it was a hydration issue. That was another mistake because over the first two miles I could literally feel liquid sloshing around in my belly, which was totally not cool. I never felt sick, but it did make me uncomfortable.

I collapsed. Plain and simple, I got up to my family in the stands and laid on a bench and put my feet in the air, and massaged my legs. I have never before experienced Leg Cramps like this over such a long period of time. I am usually able to stretch them out and keep going. This day that was very difficult. I decided pressing on was more important than quitting, and stopped worrying about my times and just kept moving.


Leg Cramps.

The day after my race, I had my annual physical and my doctor told me that the new medication she put me on six weeks ago can cause severe leg cramping!!

While a banana might have helped, she feels sure that the meds I am taking were the major contributing factor. Luckily there is a natural remedy that works sometimes for the patients who experience the leg cramping associated with Lipitor, so we will try that and if it doesn't work, we find a new Cholesterol Medication.


To be fair, this was my first race and my performance sucked. The race however was very will organized, though I have nothing to compare it to.

I indicated "just right" because sans the leg cramping, this was perfect for me and my abilities right now.