As I started thinking about if I want to sign up for Lavaman for a 4th year in a few weeks I realized I never wrote a race day report! Better late than never, right... right??!
Bright and early at 5 am we met on the grassy knoll - it was still completely dark out! I didn't remember this from previous years. We put air in our tires and made our way to the transition area. I got set up, then walked around and loved feeling all the tension and nerves and excitement in the air. As prepared ourselves during the beautiful sunrise. As usual, time on race day started flying by, time for team photos, than nervous pacing on the beach, and we stared at the swim course. This year we were grouped into 4 or so waves... and before I knew it, the wave before me was in the water!
The race start was actually far enough in you had to tread water a little - Cathy laughed at me saying it was good for me, since I'm so slow at gettin the water (it was cold! in fact this was the first year it was cold enough for wet suits to be allowed!).
And then we were off! I had my most confident swim ever - apparently practice does pay off :). As people kicked me, or pushed into me at the beginning, I just kept swimming, and even managed to draft off someone. I made it to the first buoy in what felt like no time - 1/4 done! Round the corner, then at this point some of the next wave started passing us, no worries, I just kept swimming. And then saw a turtle! Before I knew it I was done with the swim, in my fastest time yet (40ish minutes I believe), and out to the bike course.
I got on my bike, turned the corner onto the highway, to go up the first hill... and found that I could switch into my hardest gear to go uphill. Ugh, that meant some strong winds! The first 13 miles went super fast and easy, I pretended its cause I'm so strong, and not at all due to a tail wind of course.
Then the turn around, and the first 8 or so miles where not so bad, I got to cheer at many of our team mates, and felt good - I was on track to meet my goal! And then with about 5 miles left... suddenly the dreaded head wind kicked in, and man did it suck! going DOWN hill, I'd be in my easiest gear, peddling super hard and barely moving. I felt like if I stopped peddling for even a second, down hill, I'd stop! So for 5 miles, there was no coasting. on the down or up hills, and it was killer! It felt like it might never end. I saw a few of our team mates still on their way out, and I felt bad for them having to face this wind... I was sooo relieved when I finally saw the turn off from the highway. I had lost all the time I'd made up on my swim and bike out, but at least I was done!
I hoped off my bike in a rush, threw on running shoes, and contemplated having to go to the bathroom. I decided I could last, and took off in a comfortable jog. About 1 mile in I got to our first slight hill, and was tempted to walk.. My legs ached a bit from the brutal bike ride, it was hot out, etc. I then reminded myself that my main goal for this tri was to run the whole way, no matter what, and pushed through that temptation. Low and behold, as soon as I made that commitment, suddenly running didn't seem as hard, and my aches and pains were forgotten. Mile 2 I started really having to go pee - and learned there wasn't a portapotty till mile 3! This motivated me to speed up, and sped up, even into some head winds. After finally making it to the porta potty, I caught up to a few team mates (Hi Emilka!) and jogged with them, then carried on. I felt so strong and full of energy, I kept trudging on at "full speed" (full speed for me is not that fast... but whatever). I ran the whole way to the finish line, even across the last mile of coral and sand, and finished happy and strong. (and then tired once I stopped).
It felt so good to have not walked and finally actually reached a goal. My overall time was one of my slower ones, due to the wind, but I didn't mind since my swim and run where good. In practice I had run about 10 minute miles, and on race day I averaged under 9 minute miles, even w/ a potty break!
I then went out to the soft sand about .5 miles from the finish line, and helped the remaining team mates finish strong. With the brutal head winds, and high heats, people where feeling very beaten up by the end, and ready to be done. So we helped cheer them on, and finish strong.
We later learned that the winds got worse and worse throughout the morning - so the fast pros had no head winds, I had it for about 5 miles, and some of the slower people had it for like 10 miles! Unfair... While it made it harder, and our times slower, I think every appreciated how much better it felt to finish.
Great job to everyone who finished their first olympic tri! See you all next season!
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