Please note that this was now a 5K run and not a 1.5K swim.
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Knowing I was going to run this very slowly, I decided I would start at the back of the pack. However, I ran into Isabel (nj newbie!), who was also in my wave and stood with her before we started. We were in the middle of the pack. I was all smiles and extremely relaxed at this point, since I was at peace with just going out there and having fun and not trying to reach goal times, etc.

The gun went off and I tried to go, but this run start was very slow for me. I just couldn't get the leg to work. EVERYONE passed me in those first few hundred meters. I felt like that little kid on the playground that's a few years younger than all the other kids and tries so hard to keep up with them, but just can't. I also spotted that race volunteer who had asked if I was okay earlier when I was attempting to run. He gave me that look, you know the look that says, "You should not be doing what you're doing." Sorry, but it's too late now.

After about a half mile or so, I was over all the initial bad leg stuff and knew I could continue on. After the turn around (the run was an out and back), I noticed I was running at a conversational pace. I decided I'd try to pick it up, but my leg would have nothing to do with that. So, I kept trudging along at my 9:09 minute/mile pace. At one point, the road was pitched, and it sloped right and my right leg is the one that is bothering me, and so that was really tough. But, I survived. Boy, was I slow going...but it's all good, and I DID IT! I hadn't quit or given up from the start!! And, going slow wasn't all that bad as it made it easier to enjoy the scenery [read: hot tri guys]. :)

I was soooo happy when I finished that run because I wasn't sure if I'd be able to. I had also started to get a stitch on my right side, so I was glad to be able to stop running to take care of that too. Dare2trimom and mattwilley were cheering me on as I finished the run. It was great to have their support. Matt got a great picture of my clapping my hands at the end of that run - I'll try to post it in my photo album. It really shows how excited I was to have finished it.

Swim!

I took my good old time in T1. Remember, this race was only about the bike for me, so I figured I'd take my time, collect my thoughts, and relax. I had remembered during the run that I had forgotten to reset my cyclocomputer. Because this race was now all about the bike, I made sure I took care of that before leaving.

There was music at the transition/start/finish area, and while I was in T1, Elvis' "Little Less Conversation" was playing. That was really cool because I love Elvis and I really love that song. However, there was some irony in it as well. For those of you who read the RR from my last race, you may recall that under "What would you do differently in T1?" I said that I would talk less to the other competitors. I just thought that was so funny. The Elvis got me pumped up and I was sooooo excited for the pending bike that I ran out of there and was ready to go! :) :

Nada

Here it was. The bike. The only part of this race that meant anything to me; the only part of this race that I knew I could actually do. And boy was I ready for it. I could not wait to get started, but before heading out on the course I had to deal with getting stuck behind some guy whose shoes were clipped into the pedals, but he couldn't get his feet into the shoes. The very beginning of the bike course was a fairly narrow chute, and he was swerving back and forth at like 4 mph...it was soooo frustrating!! But, finally, he got his feet in and we were off.

I absolutely loved this bike course. There were some good climbs and I was ready for them. I cannot even begin to describe how much I loved this bike course, and for anyone who is reading this, you should really do this race next year if not for the bike course alone.

I wasn't sure if I'd be able to run again when I got off, so I decided I'd go all out and make all the hills my friends...and I had the best time doing so. On each hill, I stayed to the left and just passed everyone on my way up. There were three major climbs on the course, which we did twice, and I think I only got passed by like five people total out of all six hills. I was passing people left and right and having a blast doing it. I actually moved up a little over 500 places during the bike course. It was sooo much fun!!!!!!! :) I LOVE HILLS! (I don't want to confuse you, I was passed by plenty of people on the flats and downhills.)

The best part about the whole course, however, was the end of lap one and the beginning of lap two. At the end of the course, you come down a hill, out from under a bridge, and take a curve to the left. You are to stay to the left if you are continuing onto your second lap, and to the right if you're continuing on to T2. But, when you come down that hill and out from under that bridge, there's just hundreds (maybe thousands?) of spectators lining the street. They're all cheering, ringing cowbells, etc. It was the most exhilarating race moment I had ever had. I felt like I was in the Tour de France or something. It gave me chills and I almost got tears in my eyes. It was the coolest thing ever!!!

The course was a lot of fun, but because it was short and there was a lot of racers, it got a little congested at times and therefore made it difficult to completely adhere to the USAT biking rules. But I did my best and didn't receive any penalties, so that was good. There was a lot of people riding on the left and I told a few of them to move right...especially if they looked like the didn't know what they were doign (first tri, etc.). Then, there was this one guy that passed me, but as soon as his back wheel cleared by front wheel, he slowed down to my speed...my exact same speed. It was so frustrating. I dropped out of his draft zone, but then he was still going that same speed and I wanted to pass him, so I did. Then, he passed me, and again got to my same speed as soon as he cleared my front wheel. He was really annoying me, so I dropped out of the draft zone again and figured I'd hold back and let him go. I knew I'd catch him on the next hill. And, sure enough, I did. As I passed him going up the hill, I just flashed him a big Lauren smile and said, "Haha...finally got ya!!," and then took off. Shortly thereafter, he rolls up next to me and goes, "So, where are you from?" Had he been a hot tri guy, I would've considered playing that game, but he wasn't my type, so I ended that pretty quickly ;-).

I also saw some stuff on the bike course I had never seen before: a kitten, a gaggle of geese (they were just clearing the road when I got there, I don't know what the cyclists that were a minute or so ahead of me did), people walking their bikes up the hills, and dozens of people with flats. However, I think this race had more competitors than any I had ever done, so I guess that's why I would see more flats than ever. I'm glad I didn't get one!

Oh, and in case I forgot to mention it, I loved this bike course!! :) :)

Haha...if I didn't care sort of a little bit about my time, I probably would have gone for a third lap, just because I loved this bike course soooooo much!!!!

Nothing special here. I had an ample amount of gatorade and water during the bike, as well as two GUs, but since I was taking my time, I actually had a bite of a power bar during T2, and had a little more water. It was a good start to the 10K run.

Nada

There isn't really too much to report on this run. My leg actually felt much better on this run than it did on the first. I knew that bike ride would have done me good. And my legs felt great in terms of having just gotten off the bike...especially with all those hills.

I had no idea how my leg would hold up on this run, so I just settled into a comfortable pace. I wanted to try to find a pace that wasn't difficult for me and one that allowed me to stay as close as possible to my usual running form (at least as far as I could tell). I would hate to have run oddly, on account of my leg, for 6.2 miles and then end up with a knee or foot injury.

This run consisted of a 2.2-mile out and back to the west of the transition area, and then a 4-mile out and back to the east of transition area. Shortly after the turnaround on the first out and back, I crossed paths with Isabel (nj newbie!) and we high fived each other, then I saw a hot tri god, and then I saw my ex. He shouts, "Hey Lauren, how's it going?" I was a little tired and figured it wasn't worth wasting my breath to respond back, so I just gave him the yes-I-see-you nod. I was guessing I was about about a mile ahead of him at this point (he was in a much later wave them me), and I just hoped he wouldn't pass me before the 6.2 miles were over. He didn't, so that's good.

As we ran pass the transition area to start the other out and back, we had to run through grass. It was fairly uneven and rather tough on the leg. I saw my parents and my dad was like, "Lauren, you don't have to do this; you can stop." I said, "Well, I 've come this far, I might as well finish." And, so, I finished!!! I was actually really happy to cross that finish line, considering a little over three hours earlier I was in tears, couldn't run more than 50 yards and I no idea if I was going to do the race or not. It was actually my happiest finish ever (besides maybe my first-ever tri finish). Mattwilley's pictures capture the moment perfectly! :)

Not much. I think I could have run faster, but like I said, I felt comfortable and the leg felt good and so I didn't want to push it. I have no regrets about it.

Drank some water, hugged my mom, talked to the parents, high fived kleinrider, had a brief run in with the ex, found the other members of my tri team, and cheered the remaining racers to victory. I also had a trainer/stretcher guy work my leg a little and that was great. I had been a contortionist all week tryng to find a stretch that helped my leg, but I couldn't find anything that worked (or that I even felt for that matter). He found some stretches that worked and I think they did me some good. I was very happy!!

I got extremely hungry about 25 minutes after I finished and so I went and had 2 pieces of pizza, part of an italian hoagie, some honey wheat rolls, cookies, pasta salad, and a bottle of gatorade. I scarfed it all down and it was great...but a few minutes later my stomach wasn't too happy :(. Took a while for that to go away, but oh well. Lessons learned. :) I hung out with my tri team for about an hour and half (lots of BTers). It was a good time and love being on that team and I really appreciated the support they gave me - especially before and during the race!! I really needed it and may not have made it to that finish line without it!! Thanks guys!! :)


Um, my leg.


This race was great (even without a swim) and I suggest everyone does it next year. I LOVED IT!! Especially the bike course (in case I haven't done a good enough job conveying that point). :)