The end of the tri season.
Yesterday was the Diva's only Tri - I had an okay race. I should be pleased - I mean I PB'd by 8 minutes, got under 1:30 which I said I would be happy with and I won a great jersey and hat as a door prize. It is silly not to be thrilled but I guess I know I could have done better and actually did. But more on that later.
This is a great event - it is a sprint tri and women's only event so the vibe is amazing. I recommend it to anyone wanting to get into tri's and not be intimidated. I was in this race because it was an entry from 2 years ago that got comped - first due to a fractured heel and then again because of a city strike last year.
I had hoped - foolishly - to podium - why do I say foolishly because I have not trained much since Oliver - I was off for 4 weeks from running and swimming because of the freak foot injury and had a hard-time getting back into the zone for the last 3 weeks - but I figured I had still been riding a lot so maybe.... When I arrived yesterday morning I quickly shelved the podium hopes - this is a different race than it was 3 years ago - there are some serious contenders and not a bike with a basket in site. DOn't get me wrong the vibe is still supportive but in previous years there was maybe one or 2 bikes with tri bars - this year I would say a good 30% had tri bars and were $$$ bikes. Well still PB.
So I figured I would do around 18 minutes in the pool - all my practice swims the last week or so were in that area and with adrenalin probably a little faster. The start of my swim should have been my warning - the girl tells me to get in the water so I get in and wet my goggle - we were told in the pre-race meeting 10 seconds after you are in the water you go. So as I said I get in wet my goggles put them on look back and she is like you should have already been gone your time is started - Uhhhh right whatever. Start swimming and am feeling great, swim felt strong passed pretty much everyone in my lane except one lady and then after 10 laps I went to get out and the girl said yep - you have one more lap. CRAP - well rather than argue I just thought shoot just get it done - f*#^!$. So get my extra lap done and look and she nods. Overall swim time - 19::59 - no comment.... Should have read 17: 45 give or take - ah what are you gonna do? So I boot it to the transition.
Get to Transition and pull on my socks and such turn to head out and the guy is like oh know after I have jogged 15 feet - you have to go to the end over there then down the other end and then to the exit that way. Okay - so turn and backtrack - always tricky in clipless. The start is on a hill for the bike - I have done it lots but screwed up and my bike was in the wrong gear and shoes wet from the rain having trouble getting clipped in - silly rookie mistake. Not doing myself any favors. So probably 2 if not 3 minutes wasted by not paying attention to transition exits and gearing... not good.
Get out on the course and got back in my element - the course is 4 loops with tight corners at each end - not the best layout because once you get up to speed you have to slow right down to navigate the corner and with wet roads even tougher. But all things considered I was pretty happy - not one person passed me and I passed a lot of people - final bike time 40:58 - this includes transitions but still I had hoped for 36 minutes - overall avg speed 26.4km - darn it. No excuses.
Second transition was like clockwork - my mojo was back - bike racked shoes changed, helmet off - a minute, minute 30 tops. Booyaa!!
Heading out of transition one of my group leaders from my clinic, Marisa, was just in front so I used her as my rabbit and just dug deep for the run. Only one lady passed me on the run - I had spoken to this lady during the wait for the swim and learned that she was an elite runner - so initially when she passed me I was like GRRRRR but then I remember ELITE girl, she is ELITE let her go just keep after Marisa and catch her. So I caught Marisa and then just motored because I knew that if Marisa could she was going to try and pass me again and I was having none of that. I just thought go faster!!!! Run time - 28:31 YES!!!
Overall time - 1:29:27 official time - just under the 1:30. If they correct for the extra lap - 1:27 and some change. I have written the race officials to dispute my swim time as well as to ask to be put in my proper age group - 40 to 44 not the 35 to 39 - so who knows - it is only 2 minutes and some change and who asks to called older than they are? The changes would not put me on the podium but I guess for posterity's sake it would be more reflective of the race I ran.
I never thought I would get this worked about PB's and age groups but something changed this year when I did actually podium at UBC. I guess I got a taste of it and what I can possibly do when I work for it and now I want more of it!
Anyways this is the last tri for this year as I move into building core strength and focusing on a strong fall marathon. Time to start building the base for next year's Ironman.
S
This is a great event - it is a sprint tri and women's only event so the vibe is amazing. I recommend it to anyone wanting to get into tri's and not be intimidated. I was in this race because it was an entry from 2 years ago that got comped - first due to a fractured heel and then again because of a city strike last year.
I had hoped - foolishly - to podium - why do I say foolishly because I have not trained much since Oliver - I was off for 4 weeks from running and swimming because of the freak foot injury and had a hard-time getting back into the zone for the last 3 weeks - but I figured I had still been riding a lot so maybe.... When I arrived yesterday morning I quickly shelved the podium hopes - this is a different race than it was 3 years ago - there are some serious contenders and not a bike with a basket in site. DOn't get me wrong the vibe is still supportive but in previous years there was maybe one or 2 bikes with tri bars - this year I would say a good 30% had tri bars and were $$$ bikes. Well still PB.
So I figured I would do around 18 minutes in the pool - all my practice swims the last week or so were in that area and with adrenalin probably a little faster. The start of my swim should have been my warning - the girl tells me to get in the water so I get in and wet my goggle - we were told in the pre-race meeting 10 seconds after you are in the water you go. So as I said I get in wet my goggles put them on look back and she is like you should have already been gone your time is started - Uhhhh right whatever. Start swimming and am feeling great, swim felt strong passed pretty much everyone in my lane except one lady and then after 10 laps I went to get out and the girl said yep - you have one more lap. CRAP - well rather than argue I just thought shoot just get it done - f*#^!$. So get my extra lap done and look and she nods. Overall swim time - 19::59 - no comment.... Should have read 17: 45 give or take - ah what are you gonna do? So I boot it to the transition.
Get to Transition and pull on my socks and such turn to head out and the guy is like oh know after I have jogged 15 feet - you have to go to the end over there then down the other end and then to the exit that way. Okay - so turn and backtrack - always tricky in clipless. The start is on a hill for the bike - I have done it lots but screwed up and my bike was in the wrong gear and shoes wet from the rain having trouble getting clipped in - silly rookie mistake. Not doing myself any favors. So probably 2 if not 3 minutes wasted by not paying attention to transition exits and gearing... not good.
Get out on the course and got back in my element - the course is 4 loops with tight corners at each end - not the best layout because once you get up to speed you have to slow right down to navigate the corner and with wet roads even tougher. But all things considered I was pretty happy - not one person passed me and I passed a lot of people - final bike time 40:58 - this includes transitions but still I had hoped for 36 minutes - overall avg speed 26.4km - darn it. No excuses.
Second transition was like clockwork - my mojo was back - bike racked shoes changed, helmet off - a minute, minute 30 tops. Booyaa!!
Heading out of transition one of my group leaders from my clinic, Marisa, was just in front so I used her as my rabbit and just dug deep for the run. Only one lady passed me on the run - I had spoken to this lady during the wait for the swim and learned that she was an elite runner - so initially when she passed me I was like GRRRRR but then I remember ELITE girl, she is ELITE let her go just keep after Marisa and catch her. So I caught Marisa and then just motored because I knew that if Marisa could she was going to try and pass me again and I was having none of that. I just thought go faster!!!! Run time - 28:31 YES!!!
Overall time - 1:29:27 official time - just under the 1:30. If they correct for the extra lap - 1:27 and some change. I have written the race officials to dispute my swim time as well as to ask to be put in my proper age group - 40 to 44 not the 35 to 39 - so who knows - it is only 2 minutes and some change and who asks to called older than they are? The changes would not put me on the podium but I guess for posterity's sake it would be more reflective of the race I ran.
I never thought I would get this worked about PB's and age groups but something changed this year when I did actually podium at UBC. I guess I got a taste of it and what I can possibly do when I work for it and now I want more of it!
Anyways this is the last tri for this year as I move into building core strength and focusing on a strong fall marathon. Time to start building the base for next year's Ironman.
S
Comments
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i know, i know. you can smack me the next time you see me.
xo