2:05:02
6th Overall / 2nd amateur
http://www.mimtri.racesonline.com/
and who said mempis was hot in May? race morning started with me shivering in my bed at 5am....
I went into this race with an unusual calmness - perhaps because it wasnt one of my "A" races this year, so I didn't know what to expect since I wasn't really rested. I showed up the the race about a half-hour later than usual, so transition was buzzing already, and there were people everywhere. I mozied over to my rack, which i found out were not marked individually, so since i turned out late, i found a spot about half-way down the aisle....
Ryan and I got all set up and headed for the start. He started long before me since this race had a time trial start and his number was low -181....and mine was 658. so i parked it on the edge of the lake to watch the pros go off, then all the age groupers before me. being a swim coach - i was facinated with all the different strokes and methods entering the water i saw -- the good swimmers would run and dive in easing into their strokes quickly and effortlessly. then, the not-so-good swimmers would come along and they were so timid not wanting to put their faces in right away... getting swum over almost immediately (since the race wasn't seeded based on swim time). I can honestly say that is one thing I have never had to face, since I have a strong swimming background and can hold my own - and for that, I thank God! I mean, for the first couple of years I was afraid of the open water and faced the usual anxiety many triathletes feel, but I knew it was all mental. I knew I could swim. But for those just learnig how to swim - wow. I admire them.
so - back to the race. the swim went off without a hitch. since the race wasnt seeded, and everyone went off 3 seconds apart, there were people of different speeds everywhere for the entire swim. Im not sure I liked it a whole lot, but i had a decent time overall, so i guess i can't complain. I had a fast transition wiggling out of my wetsuit in record time andwas off on the bike in a jiffy. now, as far as i knew going in, Memphis was hilly......but the race website said the bike course was flat. well, let me tell ya....to a girl from Louisiana, that bike was not flat! fortunately, i had been training in the hills latley, so i was ready, and proceded to pass just about everyone in sight. I knew i was having a great bike, but at the same time i was having some abdominal cramps that wouldn't subside, and i was concerned about going out on the run.
I came into transition being the first bike back on the rack, so i knew i was out front going into the run. but sure enough, those cramps were there, and got really intense about 1/4 mile in. it was so bad, i was running so slowly holding my side hoping to make it go away. no luck. i was not a very happy camper, and blurted out a few words the way only i could do, and had to stop and walk a bit to let it subside. this went on for about 15 minutes, then somehow the cramp got a little better to the point where i could run hard without being overwhelmed by my side. Then, I ran like the wind(well, like the wind in my speed!), knowing those girls behind me were trying to run me down....but no one caught me.
I made it to the finish in good time - a PR ( turns out the bike course is a mile short, so that can't actually count as a PR) and ended up 2nd amateur. Im happy with the way it turned out - although i would have liked to win. I guess sometimes life throws you a twist, or a cramp, and that's just the way it goes. adjust, and move on. I'll take it.
6th Overall / 2nd amateur
http://www.mimtri.racesonline.com/
and who said mempis was hot in May? race morning started with me shivering in my bed at 5am....
I went into this race with an unusual calmness - perhaps because it wasnt one of my "A" races this year, so I didn't know what to expect since I wasn't really rested. I showed up the the race about a half-hour later than usual, so transition was buzzing already, and there were people everywhere. I mozied over to my rack, which i found out were not marked individually, so since i turned out late, i found a spot about half-way down the aisle....
Ryan and I got all set up and headed for the start. He started long before me since this race had a time trial start and his number was low -181....and mine was 658. so i parked it on the edge of the lake to watch the pros go off, then all the age groupers before me. being a swim coach - i was facinated with all the different strokes and methods entering the water i saw -- the good swimmers would run and dive in easing into their strokes quickly and effortlessly. then, the not-so-good swimmers would come along and they were so timid not wanting to put their faces in right away... getting swum over almost immediately (since the race wasn't seeded based on swim time). I can honestly say that is one thing I have never had to face, since I have a strong swimming background and can hold my own - and for that, I thank God! I mean, for the first couple of years I was afraid of the open water and faced the usual anxiety many triathletes feel, but I knew it was all mental. I knew I could swim. But for those just learnig how to swim - wow. I admire them.
so - back to the race. the swim went off without a hitch. since the race wasnt seeded, and everyone went off 3 seconds apart, there were people of different speeds everywhere for the entire swim. Im not sure I liked it a whole lot, but i had a decent time overall, so i guess i can't complain. I had a fast transition wiggling out of my wetsuit in record time andwas off on the bike in a jiffy. now, as far as i knew going in, Memphis was hilly......but the race website said the bike course was flat. well, let me tell ya....to a girl from Louisiana, that bike was not flat! fortunately, i had been training in the hills latley, so i was ready, and proceded to pass just about everyone in sight. I knew i was having a great bike, but at the same time i was having some abdominal cramps that wouldn't subside, and i was concerned about going out on the run.
I came into transition being the first bike back on the rack, so i knew i was out front going into the run. but sure enough, those cramps were there, and got really intense about 1/4 mile in. it was so bad, i was running so slowly holding my side hoping to make it go away. no luck. i was not a very happy camper, and blurted out a few words the way only i could do, and had to stop and walk a bit to let it subside. this went on for about 15 minutes, then somehow the cramp got a little better to the point where i could run hard without being overwhelmed by my side. Then, I ran like the wind(well, like the wind in my speed!), knowing those girls behind me were trying to run me down....but no one caught me.
I made it to the finish in good time - a PR ( turns out the bike course is a mile short, so that can't actually count as a PR) and ended up 2nd amateur. Im happy with the way it turned out - although i would have liked to win. I guess sometimes life throws you a twist, or a cramp, and that's just the way it goes. adjust, and move on. I'll take it.
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