Key Biscayne Triathlon Trilogy
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Key Biscayne Triathlon Trilogy - TriathlonSprint
View Member's Race Log
Swim
Comments: While our wave was about to start, one of the girls I'd just met was seriously having a panic attack just as we're about to start. She was threatening to walk away! As I'm looking at her (this could happen to any of us), I realized I wasn't scared. I felt grateful and privileged. I thought of John Blais, of all the BTers that have inspired me for the past 2 years... it was like a mini-movie played in mind in that split second... I was going to do this and enjoy it and love it and... I was going to be fine. The serenity came over me like a warm blanket. This poor girl, who reminded me of a previous incarnation of Cari... and I was like... puh-lease Cari. You can soooo do this. And then it was time. I waded out and started swimming but hung back. I wanted no part of no washing machine chaos... hell no. I stayed back with the girl that had the panic attack. She and I pretty much kept the same pace. She was seriously still freaking out and almost came out of the water. But she hung in there. I'm glad for her. About 5 minutes into the swim I decided to concentrate on ME. I kept my pace and just got it done. My mantra was "Cari, you're doing a triathlon! You're doing it! You're doing it!" Wow. With every stroke I was calm and strong. It was hard, but I was doing it. It felt like a long time but I know I was on my pace. My sighting was ok for being my first ow swim. I approached the swim exit and got out of the water. Last one out too. I loved it! I wore my BOP pride on my sleeve today. What would you do differently?: Nothing. Transition 1
Comments: The long distance from the swim exit to transition is a killer because most of it is on the sand. I kept a light jog/walk, did the best I could. Got to my spread and rinsed my feet with a gallon of water I brought, put on my socks and sneakers (thought shit, my socks are going to be wet for the run and what would that do?), my singlet, my gloves, my sunglasses, and my helmet. I unracked my bike and took off. At the last minute I changed the bottle of accelerade with a bottle of water on the bike. As I'm exiting T1 I notice the water bottle is falling out of the rack, and I just hand it over to someone for me. I'm not sure why I did this. I should've just kept it and if it fell off... well it fell off. What would you do differently?: This was my first... I have a lot to learn, but with more experience and practice, it will get better. Bike
Comments: I took off on the bike. I was very aware of how LAST I was, and it bugged me just a little bit. Everyone was already heading back and they weren't really staying to the correct side of the cones. I felt like yelling "hey man... get the heck out of the way!" But... I got over it and got on with it. I didn't know if I was at pace b/c my Polar was in lap mode. I decided it was more important for me to be able to see my hr so I switched the setting. I guess I would just wait until my numbers were posted. I wasn't supposed to be thinking about time anyway, buy knowing what my pace was was important. I'm riding well, and then the bridge was there in front of me taunting me. I tried to climb it for about 3 minutes but decided to stick to my plan of walking the bridge. Oh well. It sucks, I know. I didn't let it get me down. I saw the Athena girl I'd met at the swim start already on the turn around and thought Damn girl! She's kicking my a$$! Good for her. I got back on the bike for the bridge's decent and made the turn-around. I walked the bridge on the way back. That's when I noticed there were people behind me. Naw... could it be that I wasn't friggin' last? That kind of gave me a jolt and I flew the rest of the way back. Let me tell you that I love my bike and how it performed today. Marcello made me proud. At about this time I realized I was thirsty and regretted having chucked my water bottle. But I wasn't in trouble or anything like that. I felt good. Again, the thought came to me... "Cari, you're doing a triathlon. You're doing it! You're doing it!" What would you do differently?: Practice the bridge. It's all about the bridge. Transition 2
Comments: I don't yet ride w/ clipped shoes so I already had my running shoes on, which made this transition very easy. I racked the bike, took off my helmet, grabbed my cap and bottle of accelerade, and I was off. What would you do differently?: Have a cooler with ice so that the accelerade I grab is cold and not lukewarm. Yuck. Run
Comments: So much for running. I started to run, but very quickly had to walk. I walked most of the first mile. Passed some girl that was just out for her morning jog and she tells me, "hey I think you're going the wrong way!" I thought no effing way. I turned around and walked for about 20 feet - unsure of what to do. I was sure I was going the right way, when I saw two other racers that were behind me and I double checked with them. They confirmed I was heading in the right direction. Thank you God!!! So I kept walking. I drank and walked. Started to run a little more. I was pretty tired. At the aid station I grabbed lots of water and drank and poured it on me. It was really hot, but I wasn't in trouble. I felt ok. I was just really slow. This felt like the longest run I'd ever done. I couldn't pick up the pace any faster than I was doing. I kept passing people that were just hanging at the beach with their families and their picnics... some of whom were out of shape and overweight. I was wondering what they were thinking as they saw me pass them. I figured they must think I'm absolutely nuts. Let me tell you that although this running was hard... I was so unbelievably proud of myself. My legs felt strong. My core felt strong. My mental effort was good. I was positive. At the last aid station just before the 2 mile marker I grabbed lots more water, which thankfully was cool. The volunteers cheered me on and I said to them "let's hear it for the bop!" The cool water again jolted me and at this point I was determined to finish strong, so I ran the rest of the way. I was slow, but I was running. It was the longest mile of my life! The pacer-setter approaced me on her bike in the last hundred yard stretch... that was it... just around the corner... a few hundred feet... and it hit me with tears and emotion... omg! I had done it! I had friggin' done it! I ran through the finish line with a huge smile on my face just as the announcer said, "how about a round of applause for our last finisher... Cheri...!" CHERI? Wha? CA-RI! My name is CARI!!!! LOL! Story of my life. What would you do differently?: Practice more bike/run bricks, and do more runs at a higher hr zone. Also do longer runs. I maybe should've hydrated more prior to the race. Study the course map a little more so there's no chance of going the wrong way. Maybe a race belt with some water... Post race
Warm down: Walked around. Drank water and ate a choc chip cookie. Had to gather my stuff as the bike racks were already almost all down. What limited your ability to perform faster: Inexperience and extra weight. Event comments: I just updated the RR to include my times. Hey, I wasn't dead last after all! I beat one guy's time, and there was 1 DQ and 3 DNF. Woo-hoo! I plan to do this race twice more this summer. I've got a bridge to conquer. Thanks to my BT friends who inspire me daily and who take the time to encourage and support my fitness goals with their inspires. I heart you guys and I heart BT! It I wasn't hooked before, I am now. It took me a long time to get this first sprint done. Now that its done, there's no fireworks or parade, not even friends or family around to see me at the race (they all think I'm nuts anyway). Its just me, and a really, REALLY, good feeling of accomplishment. Ain't nobody, nowhere, going to take that away from me. Thank God for BT... I've never been so excited about posting a damn RR before. You guys rock! Last updated: 2007-06-23 12:00 AM
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2007-06-24 12:58 PM |
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2007-06-24 1:11 PM in reply to: #857480 |
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2007-06-25 10:47 AM in reply to: #857480 |
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2007-06-25 7:15 PM in reply to: #857480 |
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2007-06-26 10:03 AM in reply to: #857480 |
2007-06-26 7:25 PM in reply to: #857480 |
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2007-06-27 3:46 PM in reply to: #857480 |
2007-06-28 7:41 AM in reply to: #857480 |
General Discussion-> Race Reports! |
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United States
Multirace.com
91F / 33C
Sunny
Overall Rank = 620/625
Age Group = First Timer
Age Group Rank = 0/
Got up at 5:15am, got dressed, started to drink an accelerade. OMG... I am about to do a triathlon. Holy crap. You'd think I was nervous. Folks, I wasn't really nervous at all. I intended to have an english muffin w/ pb&j but just couldn't eat anything. I felt well rested and well prepared. My bag was ready. My bike was ready. I was ready. Could this be what confidence feels like? Hmmmm... Something to think about. I walked Gigi, and left the house at about 6am. Got to Key Biscayne in about 20 minutes, parked the car, and proceeded to the line. Yes, there was a line to get the timing chip and body-marked. While waiting in line my bike fell to the floor. The guy behind said, "that's it. You got your fall out of the way for the day!" My reply was, "from your mouth to God's ears." He laughed. I was going to be fine. Was definitely carrying too much stuff though, which is typical for me. Walked over to transition, racked Marcello, and placed my stuff. Doing a checklist the day before really helped. While putting on sunblock a fellow BTer, Bill aka "The Mac" happened by to talk to someone else. I said hello and he wished me well. It was great to see a fellow BTer. I didn't know of any others that would be here today, and it was good to see Bill. Minutes later I decided to bite into the granola bar in my bag. I didn't really feel hungry but figured I should eat at least one bar. I carbo-loaded and hydrated yesterday as best I could. It was about 7:15am when I decided to head to the swim start. I was in the last wave which would start at 7:54am.
I could not have hoped for a better day to have my first sprint. The ocean was flat as a pancake! It was a beautiful thing to behold. I walked over to the water and swam for a few minutes to warm-up. I noticed a small stingray on the bottom... ooh, feelin' skeerd? Naw. It was cool. Just made a mental note to not touch the bottom with my feet! I got out and stretched on the beach. Then it was hurry up and wait. How many times have I read that in everyone's RR's. I noticed there weren't that many in my wave (pink swim caps), as opposed to the other waves. I met 3 other women while waiting, all of which were first timers as well. One of them was an Athena like me so I felt like I might have some company on the course. That would be a wrong assumption on my part I would soon find out.