Tri the Rock - TriathlonSprint

I haven't swam in like two weeks, so I didn't know how I was gonna do. I just went in and started swimming. I kept my form tight and breathed on every other stroke like I practiced. I passed the guy in front me after the first 25 yards, then proceeded to pass 4 more people during the swim. I got out of the pool not tired at all and barely had an elevated HR. I cannot believe that I set a PR for this distance. I haven't really been swimming at all!! I guess quality over quantity? All those drills and form practice seems to have paid off.

Swim more. I still have more speed in me somewhere.

A typical T1. Just dumped my goggles and put on my bike shoes and ran out. I did notice something odd though... I forgot to layout my socks for the run!!! I was freaking out while running out of transition... "WHERE ARE MY SOCKS?!? WHERE ARE MY SOCKS?!? OH CRAP OH CRAP OH CRAP!!!" I quickly made myself calm down since I needed to prepare for the upcoming hills.

Not freak out. Probably sent my HR soaring.

Last year, I had no idea that the course was this hilly. This year, I was prepared... I have been specifically training for hills the past month or so in preparation for Longhorn in October.

All that practice really paid off today. I was able to quickly get settled on the bike and get my cadence up. I immediately passed a bunch of people, and kept passing people the entire way. I knew that I was going to need my legs to climb, so I didn't really sprint too hard on the flats in the beginning. As I approached the hills, I told myself that I've done this before and that this is what training is for. I started knocking out the hills one by one like nothing. I was even passing people going uphill!! I was the person being passed last year :) I only got passed once this year. It was some dude with a Felt, solid rear wheel, and aero helmet. He was Fast... I didn't stand a chance to try to keep up.

The entire time, I was fighting some wicked vibrations in my frame. I don't know what it was. Finishing up, I got out of my shoes perfectly and ran into T2.

Keep practicing hills!!

And now to deal with the problems... T2 was crap. First, I went to the wrong rack. I was one row off. So, then, when I do make it to my rack, I couldn't get my bike on it. I thought I had both brake levers over the rack, but apparently, in my rush, I only got one over. So I had to take it off and put it back on the rack again. Annoying. Then I had to deal with the sock situation. I knew that if I ran without socks that I would be on the fast track to Blister City. But, I couldn't get socks without taking a penalty. I told myself to HTFU and just run without socks. I would just have to change up my run form to minimize the potential damage.

During all of this, my fiance is yelling at me asking if I am ok. I yell back a pissed off sounding "NO!!!" Then I tell her I forgot my socks and she asked if I needed some. I told her, "Not without taking a penalty" and ran off to the run course. She knew that I was going to have blister problems too.

Spend more time laying out transition and not forget my socks!!

I was already pissed off about the sock thing, but I dealt with it. I ran a little different and my feet were feeling fine. I kept a nice hard pace and thought I was going a bit slower to take care of my feet. I didn't really feel anything until the beginning of the last 3/4 mile. I felt a blister starting to form on the arch of my left foot. I gritted my teeth and just kept up my pace. I was breathing heavy by this point and knew I was putting in a good effort really close or beyond my LT. I finished strong and immediately took off my shoes and stumbled around barefoot for a while.

While on the course, I made it a point to practice my cooling by grabbing two cups, one for my head/neck and one to drink. I know this will be important in Austin.

I had no idea I had ran so fast until I checked my time later in the afternoon... I was in shock. I didn't think I had ran anywhere close to that. All my running is paying off too. Another PR for the distance!

Not forget socks. I probably could have been even faster.

Stumbled around with weak legs drinking my chocolate milk and eating a banana.


Socks!!!


Wow. Hard to believe how far I have come in one year... I barely finished this race last year, even had to walk part of the run. This year, I finished strong, took 21 minutes off my previous time, and set a few pace PR's. All without socks!!