Anyway, back to the race. So keep in mind it was my first Olympic Triathlon, first open water swim, first 10K race, etc. So lets start with the swim. Nerves, nerves, nerves...that's how I'd explain my swim. I was very nervous and anxious. In the end I turned out the fastest 1500 yard swim of my life! 23 minutes and 16 seconds is a personal record I do believe. I was pretty shocked at that time cause I felt like I was all over the place...I don't think I can swim in a straight line to save my life when there are no lane lines to stare at! The 23:16 was good enough for 1st in my age division and 24th overall.
Transition one was also hectic, I wasn't sure how stripping off my soaking wet wetsuit was going to go and if I was going to be a little loopy when I went from swimming horizontal to standing upright and running. In the end, it took me 2:06...which this was odd also put me in 24th place (I've never seen a race rank the transition times!
The bike was kinda weird. I started out strong and felt good. Then I hit these two hills that are back to back and I swear the wind was in my face the whole time. Then I turned a corner and hit a long flat section and I swear at that exact moment the wind shifter straight into my face! I mumbled to myself that I was done, I really wished at that point that I was entered in the Sprint race! But after a few minutes I regrouped and things went better. I averaged 21.8 MPH, and finished the 24 miles in 1 hour 8 minutes and 20 seconds....good enough for 17th overall and 1st in my age group.
Transition two was pretty standard. I racked my bike and changed shoes. I left for the run in 1 minute 19 seconds....good enough for 29th overall and again first in my age group. Again it is so strange that a race ranked the transitions, odd, but kinda cool.
OK, so for those of you keeping track at home, in my age group I finished first on the swim, first on T1, first on the bike, first on T2. Pretty good right? Well then came the run. The major downer and disappointment of the day. I finished the 10K in 1 hour 9 minutes and 2 seconds, which is a dismal 11 minutes 8 seconds per mile. All I remember is it was hot, there was a decent hill right off the bat, and my first few steps were met with a feeling that I was running on empty. So over the course of the run I gave up a 6 minute lead over the guy that won my division, and a 12 minute lead to the guy that finished 2nd in my age group. On top of those losses I then spotted the age group winner 17 more minutes and another 14 for the 2nd place guy. So yeah, I was disappointed. I thought I was going to run better, but I guess I bonked....I seriously had zero energy and took LOTS of walking breaks.
So I finished 3rd in my age group, unfortunately there were only 3...the 4th guy didn't show up. So I won a medal, although it was sort of by default.
But I suppose I could always say, at 2 hours 44 minutes I finished 3rd and just leave off the part about there only being 3 in my age group!
1 comments:
hey, a podium finish is a podium finish. no need to tell everyone there were only 3 in the field. :)
good job!
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