2010 Skeese Greets Women's Triathlon Race Report
I had a really great race yesterday at the Skeese Greets Women's Triathlon. In fact, I think I'm going to have to make sure it's on my race calendar next year. My goals were fairly loose. Really, I just wanted to be faster than last year at The Rookie Triathlon (same course, different event) which was 1:20:06. I was thinking 1:15 would be nice. Roger thought I should be able to beat 1:10. My final time beat all those goals with 1:08:47!
Pre-Race
4:45 AM is too early. But that's just how it goes. We had gotten most things ready the night before so we were able to get ready and hop in the car to head down to the race (about an hour drive). We arrived, I got set up, waiting forever in the port-a-potty line and then it was time for the race to start.
Swim
I was in the second wave. Michelle Garel and I started right next to each other each of us joking with the other about drafting off the other. As it happened, we spent most of the swim next to each other. I knew in the back of my mind, I should drop back, but there were so many people, it was difficult to really change position too much. Plus I just really liked swimming side by side. Near the end of the swim, we started to pass people from the wave ahead of us and I had the opportunity to drop back onto her feet and let her navigate everyone. She got out of the water just ahead and me and disappeared on the way to transition. I never saw her again! (She finished first in our age group and fifth overall!)
I looked down and saw 7 minutes on my watch which was a little disappointing. I really haven't been swimming at all recently, but I have plans in motion to get in the pool more frequently.
Bike
I made it up to transition, put on my helmet and sunglasses and grabbed my bike, cursing the rocks and pebbles on my way to the mount line. I mounted up, stuffed my feet in my shoes got down into my aerobats and tried to go as fast as I possibly could. Sometimes I try to save a little while I'm on the bike but I decided that I wanted a nice strong bike, and the race was short enough that I could just hammer the bike and hope the best on the run. It's only temporary pain!
So I hammered and honestly, the bike course wasn't as hard as I remembered and I felt much stronger on the hills than I was expecting. Maybe all that riding with the bike trailer is paying off!
This was my first race with my new aerobar and base bar set up (basically, all my handlebars are new). Despite not fitting my aero drink (oops, should have checked that before getting to the race site and figuring it out) it was definitely a success. The position is a little more aggressive so it was a little hard on my neck and back but I felt more aerodynamic and compact when in aero and I felt more in control of my bike when I wasn't and I felt like I could take corners better and smoother and navigate stuff in the road more efficiently.
Run
I made a flawless dismount, headed into transition and spent probably longer than I should have getting all the pebbles and dirt off my feet. I grabbed my race number and headed for the run. Looking at my watch, I realized that if I ran 10 minute miles or faster, I would finish in under 1:10 which made me very excited. On the way out, I was so happy with my bike, I was grinning. Then I saw Emmaline and Roger cheering and Emmaline looked so excited and happy clapping and smiling, my smile got even bigger!
The run course is only 2 miles but it's the longest 2 miles you'll ever run. I ran as hard as I possibly could. I felt pretty good, but my legs were definitely tired. When I reached the mile 1 marker, I looked down and saw 9:50 for my run split. Since the first mile is uphill, I knew I could run the next mile downhill just as fast and I would make 1:10. I headed into the finishing chute (though the sand?!?!) and tried to kick it up, but I was seriously out of energy. But that's okay because my watch said 1:09 and I was very happy.
Final Times
Total - 1:08:47
21 out of 75 in my age group
115 out of 430 overall
300 meter swim - 6:52 2:17/M
T1 1:28
11 mile bike - 39:14 - 16.8 mph
T2 1:30
2 mile run - 19:41 9:51/mi
Final Thoughts
I've actually raced this same course four times: twice in 2007, once in 2009 and yesterday. 2007 was a great season for me and I set many PRs that year, including the PR for this course which is 1:06:18. The other race in 2007 on this course was 1:07:15 and last year was 1:20:06. I've clearly come a long way since last year. I'm not where I was before Emmaline was born, but I'm definitely headed back in that direction and I'm so excited about that. I just need to keep up the training.
Pre-Race
4:45 AM is too early. But that's just how it goes. We had gotten most things ready the night before so we were able to get ready and hop in the car to head down to the race (about an hour drive). We arrived, I got set up, waiting forever in the port-a-potty line and then it was time for the race to start.
Swim
I was in the second wave. Michelle Garel and I started right next to each other each of us joking with the other about drafting off the other. As it happened, we spent most of the swim next to each other. I knew in the back of my mind, I should drop back, but there were so many people, it was difficult to really change position too much. Plus I just really liked swimming side by side. Near the end of the swim, we started to pass people from the wave ahead of us and I had the opportunity to drop back onto her feet and let her navigate everyone. She got out of the water just ahead and me and disappeared on the way to transition. I never saw her again! (She finished first in our age group and fifth overall!)
I looked down and saw 7 minutes on my watch which was a little disappointing. I really haven't been swimming at all recently, but I have plans in motion to get in the pool more frequently.
Bike
I made it up to transition, put on my helmet and sunglasses and grabbed my bike, cursing the rocks and pebbles on my way to the mount line. I mounted up, stuffed my feet in my shoes got down into my aerobats and tried to go as fast as I possibly could. Sometimes I try to save a little while I'm on the bike but I decided that I wanted a nice strong bike, and the race was short enough that I could just hammer the bike and hope the best on the run. It's only temporary pain!
So I hammered and honestly, the bike course wasn't as hard as I remembered and I felt much stronger on the hills than I was expecting. Maybe all that riding with the bike trailer is paying off!
This was my first race with my new aerobar and base bar set up (basically, all my handlebars are new). Despite not fitting my aero drink (oops, should have checked that before getting to the race site and figuring it out) it was definitely a success. The position is a little more aggressive so it was a little hard on my neck and back but I felt more aerodynamic and compact when in aero and I felt more in control of my bike when I wasn't and I felt like I could take corners better and smoother and navigate stuff in the road more efficiently.
Run
I made a flawless dismount, headed into transition and spent probably longer than I should have getting all the pebbles and dirt off my feet. I grabbed my race number and headed for the run. Looking at my watch, I realized that if I ran 10 minute miles or faster, I would finish in under 1:10 which made me very excited. On the way out, I was so happy with my bike, I was grinning. Then I saw Emmaline and Roger cheering and Emmaline looked so excited and happy clapping and smiling, my smile got even bigger!
The run course is only 2 miles but it's the longest 2 miles you'll ever run. I ran as hard as I possibly could. I felt pretty good, but my legs were definitely tired. When I reached the mile 1 marker, I looked down and saw 9:50 for my run split. Since the first mile is uphill, I knew I could run the next mile downhill just as fast and I would make 1:10. I headed into the finishing chute (though the sand?!?!) and tried to kick it up, but I was seriously out of energy. But that's okay because my watch said 1:09 and I was very happy.
Final Times
Total - 1:08:47
21 out of 75 in my age group
115 out of 430 overall
300 meter swim - 6:52 2:17/M
T1 1:28
11 mile bike - 39:14 - 16.8 mph
T2 1:30
2 mile run - 19:41 9:51/mi
Final Thoughts
I've actually raced this same course four times: twice in 2007, once in 2009 and yesterday. 2007 was a great season for me and I set many PRs that year, including the PR for this course which is 1:06:18. The other race in 2007 on this course was 1:07:15 and last year was 1:20:06. I've clearly come a long way since last year. I'm not where I was before Emmaline was born, but I'm definitely headed back in that direction and I'm so excited about that. I just need to keep up the training.
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