Although summer doesn't start in May I like to think that it did and with it the beginning of my first triathlon season. Rewind back to about 9 days before I fell in love with triathlons off of a dare/challenge to complete the Pensacola Beach Super Sprint TRI (which I highly recommend if you are looking to give the sport a go). To think a super sprint (300yd swim, 11 mile bike, and 5k run) just at the beginning of the summer took me almost 2 hrs to complete and here we are at the end of the season in some uber bananas weather conditions for biking & I completed a Sprint (600yd swim, 18mile bike, & 5k run) in 2hrs and 20mins. #mindblown. I forsure know that this couldn't have been done without my local TRI club TriGulfCoast and there awesome summer training sessions called Mere Mortals. I've never meet so many people in one place rooting for the success of their fellow athlete. Not once this summer did I ever feel like I was alone or left out being a newbie. I really looked forward to practice every Sunday. I've said it all summer but it's truly the best $40 I've ever spent! Sorry about the ramble I just can't say enough good things about these folks.
So for the breakdown....I registered for the race in the Athena division (women 165lbs and above). There were a total of 9 women that were 39& under in this category and I placed 6.
My splits:
Swim: 600yds finish 20:02 = 3:20/100yd
T1: 2:44
Bike: 18 miles finish 1:16:43 = 14.1 mph
T2: 3:08
Run: 3.1 miles 38:10 = 12:19/mile
Total time 2hrs 20mins
At the start I felt I had a bit of a struggle just trying to get around the other ladies which stalled my forward progression. I didn't let that shake me, I found a direction that I could maneuver better and went ahead as planned. I'm typically a pretty good swimmer but once rounding the first buoy I realized that the waves were a lot rougher than they seemed at shore so after taking in what seemed like a gallon of salt water I had a self talk moment and said to myself "girl you better get your uni lateral breathing on" if that is even a word #bahaha. And so I did. About half way through the swim course after every 3rd stroke and somtimes 2nd I only breathe from my left. Being able to do this brought a sense of calm over me and #boom just like that #beastmode was in full effect. Although I don't feel like my swim time reflected that I have to say I felt like a mermaid ripping through that water. Coming in to my bike felt like a lifetime, I think I was just so use to only having to run to the pavilion all summer. But eventually I was in my shoes with bike in hand headed for the "hot corner". Once there I was greeted with that unforgiving crosswind that would plague myself and everyone for the entire 18mile course. I can honestly say all summer I've biked and never have I come remontly close to anything that felt like that. I was certain that if I stayed too far right I would have an unwelcome rendezvous with the pavement or sand. Luckily I was spared. Coming back I thought of my son and his trains and how this was my last race of 2014 which made me tear up and at the same time think I better crank up my pedaling and I can without a doubt say that I pedaled with a greater intensity the second half of the bike course. Came into the tunnel to hop off Pinky and my legs were as heavy as lead so I had to pause as to keep from falling over while dismounting. With my family and friends standing there cheering I felt the need to move hastily. So I hopped of Pinky and went to get on my running gear. I struggled with my shoes which I know explained my T2 time looking like I was standing around taking selfies :-) promise I wasn't. I kept telling myself we are on the home stretch girl let's move it. I saw lots of familiar and unfamiliar faces on the run course and as usual they were being thier awesome shelves being encouraging and I returned the love and pressed ahead. If you don't know I changed to the Galloway run/walk method about two weeks ago and used the 2:1 ratio on my run this day and it proved to be a PR for me. Fastest 5k evers with a 12:19/mile pace. Woohoo. That alone made it my favorite leg of the race. :-) I sprinted in for the last say 150 yds & wrote it down in the books as the bittersweet end to a Phatbulous summer and TRI season. So glad I have this new love baby a new love yeah yeah yeah. *insert jiggy dance moves*
What's something new you've found this year????
