Are You Living It?

So I declare the season a wrap and immediately win my first (non-Nahant) triathlon outright (not just AG). If I state my plan to enter retirement, will I instantly qualify for Kona?

Ok…probably not. But it’s tempting to try it

I decided to race Wilbraham today since my period was just too brutal to try to get through a longer race like Holliston. I knew it would mean a hilly bike (I started getting hives while driving out there and retreading my Quabbin ride) but the short 3 mile run would hopefully prevent any humiliating disasters. It meant getting up at 3:15 am this morning, but since Pete let me hit the sack at 8pm last night, I managed ok.

Despite my cyclical status, and a nagging hip flexor issue, I felt pretty good driving out and got there in plenty of time to setup and get warmed up. They announced at the start that the run would be longer than advertised due to some logistical issues with the finish line (it turned out not to be true) and I silently prayed to the fertility gods that OB and I could hold things together for the duration. I knew that my prayers would NOT be answered after my warmup swim while waiting for the race start…so I started hoping just to get through with the minimum of people noticing my “issue”.

I had planned on hitting the head after the .25 mile swim but I came out of the water as the 3rd woman…something that NEVER happens. So I said F&%K it…that’s what chamois and black suits are for…plus I knew getting on the bike things would be relatively hidden and I could re-evaluate before the run. I took the lead about halfway through the bike, but then got passed by a new girl around mile 12. She was working HARD up those hills though, so I let her go and figured I’d get her on the run if I wasn’t too busy in the bathroom to MAKE it to the run.

I haven’t downloaded my power file yet so I don’t know my bike average, but I was happy with it given the course and the wattages/speeds I saw. So I come into T2 KNOWING there’s a situation. But the guy goes, you’ve got three loops to catch her…she’s about a minute up on you. Go get her!

You can’t hear that and then run to the bathroom. So I was gross and I just went for it, since nothing was showing yet (chamois are AMAZING things). I ran the first loop in just over 7 minutes, and got her in my sights by the start of the second loop. At that point I was risking my dignity and the contents of my stomach, so I had nothing to lose…I just let myself redline and reel her in. It was cool and overcast - perfect weather for me. I even got number 199…LUCKY!!! So I figured it could be my day and I went for it. After I passed her there was NO way I was going to lose that lead, and my second loop was a 7:15…my third was 7 even. I HAD to run that fast, because I knew that the clock was ticking before I made a public spectacle of myself. I crossed the finish and ran immediately to my car, grabbed my bag and hit the locker room.

So…1/4 mile swim (5:25), 15.4 mile bike (+t1 and t2 = 50:09), 3 mile (really 2.8 in 20:42) run in 1:16:16, 1st woman overall. I got a free membership for a year to the Western Y network, but gave it back so they could donate it, as I don’t get out to Wilbraham much ;). Best of all, due to the cool weather, I FINALLY turned in a GREAT run…using garmin I did 7:23 minute miles (the loops were NOT 1 mile long despite what they said) and could have kept going…would have been close to an open 5k PR for me if I’d been able to hold that pace for another .3 miles…

Now best of all…I’m off to take a nap!

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