2nd 4:09:44
Swim 28:28 10th
Bike 2:14:14 1st
Run 1:24:28 2nd
Sunday morning I jump on Shivy and pedal the 9km down to race start while Jared scoots down on Snail (our 50cc scooter). It's good having a local race. No packing & unpacking my bike, no flying and a hometown advantage!
At 7:08am we are off. After I survive the initial washing machine I find myself in the calm waters of the Boulder Reservoir swimming with one girl to my left. The course is one triangular lap. As I approach the end of the first straight I move ahead of the group I'm in and start to swim down a competitor up ahead. I catch her half way across the next straight then we swim side by side the entire last stretch. On my way back, as I lift my head to sight, I try to catch a glimpse of my main rivals Liz and Leanda, two gun swimmers, up ahead. If I come out 2min behind them I'd be over the moon. Three minutes is the most I hope they can put into me. I can't see ANYONE up ahead. As I run out of the water and up the sand I don't hear any times being called out. In T1 I'm getting out of my Blue Seventy wetty and I hear quite few people yell out to me... 4minutes was the general consensus. FOUR MINUTES! You've got to be kidding.
Out on the bike I put my head down and start powering up the long gradual rise which lasts about 10km. From 10th out of the water I've soon moved into 3rd place. But the two still up ahead are the ones I need to ride down. I know I have to post the fastest bike split to be in contention for the win. I'm feeling really strong and I know I'm on a good pace. I've ridden this course many times and I'm riding faster than I have ever done even sections of it in training. 2:14 is the time I'm hoping for. This is the bike course record set by good friend, Angela Naeth, one of the strongest cyclists in this sport. 2:16 is what Jared has estimated for me given an average day. But as I lost so much time in the swim I NEED to ride faster than 2:16. The 90km bike course is two laps... I pass through the first lap in 1:08. I need to pick it up. The second lap is challenging. We now have the age group athletes on the course. As I start the second lap I have athletes coming out for their first lap. We have to merge and their isn't much room... I have three cyclists in front of me spread over the road. I weave through and just make it out the other side safely. Then up ahead we have a right turn... Three cyclists riding side by side just as we approach the corner. I thought I could beat them but we all hit the corner at the same time... I slam on my brakes as I yell to them to move over (sorry to anyone who had me yell at them out there - I was on a mission). I'm approaching the end of my second lap and I think I'm on target. I think I've ridden a 2:14. This should have caught me up a little. As I reach transition for the second time I'm hoping to hear a better split.
Out on the run Jared tells me I'm about 1:30 down on Liz and about 3:30 down on Leanda. The start of the run is tough. The altitude is 1600m here and I'm feeling it. I'm puffing hard. By two mile though I've got my breathing under control and I'm in a good rhythm. My first three mile were a little quick but my next few mile were on pace to gradually run down the leaders without blowing up. As the miles tick by I'm closing in. I pass Leanda just after 7 mile but Liz has moved into the lead and I'm not closing down the gap. I'm hurting. My legs are falling off. I still don't feel like I've got the kms in my legs to complete this distance strongly.
The past three weeks training has been going really well. I'm over my injury and building up my running. Since my last race I've been able to add in a couple of faster sessions and two longer runs. I was hoping this training would increase my run fitness enough to be able to run strong through 21km in this race but I guess it takes a little longer to absorb the work. I think everyone in my race faded in the run on the second lap as it was really getting hot and the altitude makes it a long tough day. But I did also and I was only able to match Liz's run time.
The past three weeks training has been going really well. I'm over my injury and building up my running. Since my last race I've been able to add in a couple of faster sessions and two longer runs. I was hoping this training would increase my run fitness enough to be able to run strong through 21km in this race but I guess it takes a little longer to absorb the work. I think everyone in my race faded in the run on the second lap as it was really getting hot and the altitude makes it a long tough day. But I did also and I was only able to match Liz's run time.
I finished in second place. I managed to set a new bike course record of 2:14:14 but I also set a new record for myself in the run - one that needs not to be recorded. My slowest ever half marathon. But overall it was a decent day. My swimming still needs work but my bike leg is stronger than ever. I know my running is not up to scratch yet but I'm training well and and it's on it way.
So that's three races down for me this US season and three second places. Last year I won all my races so this year I thought I'd try something different - maybe I'll see what second place feels like. You know what... I think I prefer first place so if you all don't mind I might go back to winning from now on ;-)
Next up is Hy Vee 5150 US championships! Then Vegas - World 70.3 Champs.
So that's three races down for me this US season and three second places. Last year I won all my races so this year I thought I'd try something different - maybe I'll see what second place feels like. You know what... I think I prefer first place so if you all don't mind I might go back to winning from now on ;-)
Next up is Hy Vee 5150 US championships! Then Vegas - World 70.3 Champs.
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