RACE REPORT JACKS GENERIC TRI (Olympic distance) My first Olympic Triathlon in Austin, Texas. I was VERY nervous about this race mainly it was because it was something I have never done before.. Swim 1000 meters, bike 26 miles, and then do a 10K. My breakfast was a banana. Thats it. nothing else.. I didnt want to get sick.. I had no water, nothing.. just a banana. When we got to the venue, it was announced that the swim course had been altered.. mainly because the Hydremia(??) was growing everywhere, so they had to cut a path for the competitors to swim.. basically, instead of spreading the course out, it was an out and back on a very narrow strip. So the swim was a staggered start.. starting participants every 2 seconds into the water.. and we all had to keep to the inside... um, that didnt work... there were head on collisions everywhere and people swimming on top of each other.. it was a MIRACLE I finished in 20:36 (2:07 pace). I got knocked in the head so many times, I had to swim side stroke for a bit to recover. After 500 meters, we had to GET OUT OF THE LAKE,turn around, and go back in... didnt like that either.. when I am out of the water, I am in bike mode.so we did 2 laps of a 500 meter open water. I actually found out I was in first place in my age group after the swim. The Bike: I jogged (yes jogged) to the transition area, and sat got ready for the bike.. I was really nervous about the bike.. it was 26 miles.. in Austin. After a way too long transition (5:00) off I went.. well, the first mile was all downhill!!.. so I was going 25 miles an hour!! WOOHOO!!.. BUUUTTTT.. you know after a downhill, comes an uphill.. the first of FIVE really BIG uphills.. granny gear uphills.. like 9 MPH uphills... The bike course was VERY well marked, and volunteers were everywhere. It was a very hard, winding and challenging course.. I loved every minute of it.. it was a CHALLENGE to me.. TESTED me.. tried to make me quit ( a lot of people were walking with their bikes) but while they were grumbling, I was smiling!!.. I was loving what my body, as old as it is, was still capable of doing.. and the best hill of them all was a 1/2 mile downhill where I hit a speed of 35 MPH!! It also was a 2 looper, so I was more prepared the second loop.. so I thought.. remember that banana I had for breakfast??.. well, my body was telling me to feed it.. and even though I had TWO FULL water bottles on my bike, and my step daughter telling me to drink BOTH bottles.. I barely had 3 swallows. I grew more fatigued, and the second loop was a lot harder than the first..I had some GU and thought it would be better... wrong.. NEVER have GU on an empty stomach.I finished 26 miles in 1:47:00.. 14.2 mph average.. for those hills, and running on empty, I will take it. The run is where everything fell apart.. I started the first mile pretty ok.. about a 10:20 pace.. but then all the wires went haywire. With not hydrating like I was supposed to, including on the bike.. my legs began cramping and seizing up on me. I drank all of my water in my handheld, began gulping gatorade at the aid stations but it was too little too late... I could run about 1/4 of a mile before having to walk.. and when I tried to run longer, I would start seizing up again. Its a good thing I can walk faster than some people run... about mile 4 my whole body was in revolt.. it was 94 degrees outside, no shade, and I was struggling.. but Ill be honest with you.. quitting never entered my mind.. I really thought I was going to collapse a couple of times.. If I had tripped, I would have been down for the count. I saw a single person at mile 5.. red hair, looking for me.. it was Holly.. she saw I was really struggling.. and she encouraged me on.. I broke into a very light, awkward, horrible jog, and I finished the 10K in 1:18:00. I got helped to a chair, fed food, coke, and water, and I felt immediately better. My whole race was 3:36:39 My friend Amy Smith said I would learn something about myself today.. I did.. I learned I was an idiot for not being prepared.. for not hydrating, not eating, and not planning.. that WILL NOT happen again. I also learned that I am a can person.. there are really 2 types of people.. those who say they cant, and those who say they can. I can. and I will. Thank you everyone for your support and encouragement.. you dont know what it means to me.. and I thought of each and everyone of you while out on the course.. how I couldnt let you all down.. how I couldnt let me down. Peace.
Posted on: Mon, 04 Aug 2014 01:34:40 +0000
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