third place overall!

This past weekend was my last triathlon before this years Ironman. The race took place in this fine state's capital of Springfield, which though a lovely town, was pretty dead when my mom and I attemped to explore the day before the race.

That aside. I had a really wonderful race this weekend. I managed to capture my first overall womans placement! I placed 3rd woman overall- and technically first in my age group, though i am not allowed to be greedy, so they had to default that to someone else since i already got a trophy. But, Im getting ahead of myself... time for a little race recap.

The setting was perfect. weather was great, the lake was warm and calm. it was just barely wetsuit legal, and in my early triathlon days, this would have meant that i would have jumped at the excuse to not wear my wetsuit, but lately, i have come to really appreciate its advantages - so it is well worth the 20 minutes it takesn for me to stuff myself into it.

race day consisted of both a spring and olympic distance race. Since i was racing olympic, we got to go first. with the smaller size of the race, all woman were grouped in one wave. I somehow managed to snag bib #3 ( I am pretty sure i was the third person to sign up for the race) so my transition spot wwas pretty sweet, and very easy to remember. as i laid out my stuff for the day thouggh i came to a startling and somewhat terrfying realization. I forgot my goggles. I made a LIST of everything to pack, like i always do and somehow managed to leave goggles off the list. what an idiot. Luckily, i utilized a conversation about my aero helmet with racer #2 to, in a moment of panic and verbal diarrea, asked him if he had another pair of goggles. He did, in his truck, which he so graciously obliged me by getting. So thank you, racer #2

at 7:33 a.m the womans wave set off. i appropriaely set myself in the second row of athletes, by no means the fastest of the swimmers, but strong enogh where i would feel stifled at the back of the pack. We start swimming and the water is warm, calm and forgiving. it was a counterclockwise swim, keeping bouyes ( i dont even know how to spell that sadly) to your left. this became an issue when we made the first turn about the large orange spectacle bobbin in the middle of lake springfield. We turned right into the sun.... I couldnt see the next bouy, any of the other swimmers. The onyl think i could see what the lifegaurd in the paddle boat. I reminded myself that they usually keep themselves to the far outer perimeter of the swim course. Using this as my guide, i swam, in a somewhat confused manner, in what turned out to be the right direction. that coudl have been really embarassing though.


transition was quick as usual. i made my way onto the bike course committing myself to a committment to my aero bars. Confusing, i know. But despite them being on my bike, i dont use them so much during racing, which loically, i know slows me down, but i find myself less in control while using them, so i generally stay away. But this time, i wanted to stay 90 percent of he ride in my tucked position.

This paid off. I averaged over 20 miles an hour for the entire bike course. I started to notice that there may not be that many women ahead of me as the course doubled back and i sawmostly men on the other side, but i didnt want to get my hopes up.. I utilized the gell packs more than usual which proved to give me a boost of energy, despite wreaking havoc on my stomach later on that day. but thats not the point.

I haad a super strong run, for me atleast. I ran as fast as my little legs could posssibly carry me at the moment. This result in a side stitch half a mile from the finish line, but i could NOT let he two women that i knew were tailing behind me by a few mintues catch up. I was feelin super competative that day.

After the race i was hanging around and people kept comin up to me and saying how funny it was that I was #3 and that i came in third place over all and i could not bring myself to believe them. But they were right! it was such a great feelin to place in the "open overall" category for the first time!

There are alot of smaller details im leaving out but the post is already too lon and i am tired. But, now, i have a century on August 16th, and then my last even is ironman on sept 26th! I am so excited. in retrospect, i wish i had left my half ironman for later in my season rather than doin it first thing, but otherwise, i feel like this season has gone great!!

now, for some serious training.