When You Do a Triathlon With Little To No Training…

Sometimes it turns out alright.

Okay, so it’s not like I didn’t train AT ALL. I certainly over-trained for the run portion of this race, which was a 5K (since I have been marathon training for the past few months), but I was seriously undertrained for the bike and especially the swim. Today not drowning was pretty much the goal.

I woke up not really wanting to do this race. My eye was all crusted together with some sort of pink eye crap (which I am now sure I have given to everyone who swam anywhere near me) and I was doing that thing we do where we put pressure on ourselves to beat our time from the last time we did a race. Stupid overachieving.

I also had convinced my hypochondriac self that I had Hepatitis A. The antioxidant frozen berry blend I bought at Costco about a month ago got recalled because it was making people sick with Hep A. Oh, the irony that you buy organic antioxidants and end up with Hepatitis. Nice. I should just go back to eating McDonalds.

If you bought this, stop eating it unless you want jaundice and pale stools.

I felt better once I set up my transition site and saw Scooby Do flexing. Everyone else brought really cool beach or special triathlon towels, but I prefer Scooby. It was so cold this morning that I worried coming off the swim I would need arm warmers, so I laid them out. Then, while waiting in line to start the swim some girl asked me how the hell I thought I was going to get those on when my arms were wet. Hmmm…triathlon idiot move. Needless to say, I didn’t attempt to use them.

I waited in line for the bathroom knowing I needed to lighten my load. It always shocks me how loud and forceful some females are in the stall. I mean some little woman will go in the stall next to me and I could swear it was a burly 250 pound man taking a dump. Needless to say, one toilet got severely clogged and became unusable. And, no, it wasn’t me doing the clogging –not this time.

I had a pretty fast swim and first transition (for me). I hopped on my bike and promptly started to freeze my ass off. The 12 mile bike is 3 loops and 95 hills. I kept an okay pace, but my legs had that heavy feeling like they didn’t want to go. I guess I could still be recovering from my marathon two weeks ago, or maybe it’s lack of time spent on the bike. I figured the run was going to suck the big one. I averaged 18.5 mph on the bike – no too speedy but given the hills, but I’ll take it.

If you’ve ever done a tri, when you get off the bike and start running, your legs are like overdone noodles and it seems they won’t hold you up. After a mile or so I found my stride and felt pretty good. I finished in 1:17, over a minute faster than the last time I did this race.

Ken had a strong race too.

I was surprised that I (and my pink eye) came in 2nd in the 45-49 age group. 14/111 women.

Turns out the mayor of Longmont came in first in his age group (60-64). Stud.

Had to fit in some photo ops with the Heidster. She was very impressed with my trophy and wanted to get a closer look (or just lick it until it fell apart).

I am not at all sure why I’m holding her paw near my crotch.

Overall a fun morning. I think I did okay because of 1) Scooby Do and 2) my pre-race cleansing (even if I did not clog the toilet).

Did you race this weekend? Where and how did it go?

Do you have a good luck charm (special socks, etc) or some superstition when you race?

SUAR