4th 4:35:14
Swim 28:44 (17th)
Bike 2:29:32 (3rd)
Run 1:33:05 (12th)
Back in Vegas! One year on - I'm defending champion and things are slightly different this year. I walk up to the Specialized Truck and my bike is there waiting for me. My brand new black Shiv, this time with my name printed on the frame - Hauschildt with the Aussie flag. Spider Monkey (Joe), Mallory & Paddy are there to greet me and go out of their way to help me and make sure my bike is in tip top shape. Race morning, I arrive at T1 to rack my bike and Spider Monkey is already there ready to pump my tyres. I am so thankful to have such wonderful support from my sponsors.
15minutes before race start I pull on my bright green swim cap and stand on the bank waiting for the word that we can dive into the warm Lake Las Vegas to begin our warm up. To my right is Lindsay Corbin in a white cap and to my left Angela Naeth is in purple. The three of us stand out like hotdogs at a hamburger party. The other 27 pro girls are in bright pink caps.
1min into the swim I'm sitting in the pack, 5min gone and I'm still there... I see the purple cap of Angela, one point ahead of me, the next beside me, the next behind me. We take in turns of sitting on each others feet as we make our way to the finish chute WITH the pack. The swim is both our weakest legs by far so we were pretty excited to exit the water with the group. This is the first time I have ever swam in a pack, EVER, and I actually felt like I belonged. I held my ground. There were a few taps on the feet, clips on the shoulder but nothing like I expected. Usually I get a few biffs and I back off, I let the pack go, I panic. But not today. And I owe a huge thanks to Tenille for helping me conquer this fear, start quicker and sit on feet. It isn't so bad swimming in the pack after all.
1min into the swim I'm sitting in the pack, 5min gone and I'm still there... I see the purple cap of Angela, one point ahead of me, the next beside me, the next behind me. We take in turns of sitting on each others feet as we make our way to the finish chute WITH the pack. The swim is both our weakest legs by far so we were pretty excited to exit the water with the group. This is the first time I have ever swam in a pack, EVER, and I actually felt like I belonged. I held my ground. There were a few taps on the feet, clips on the shoulder but nothing like I expected. Usually I get a few biffs and I back off, I let the pack go, I panic. But not today. And I owe a huge thanks to Tenille for helping me conquer this fear, start quicker and sit on feet. It isn't so bad swimming in the pack after all.
Out on 'The House' (my Bike - short for Hauschildt) I begin picking off competitors. Leanda, Jodie & Kelly are all over 3min up the road. The rest of the group isn't too far away. The bike course is tough - probably one of the toughest I've done but also one of my favorites. It's hilly but the type of hills I like - long! Into T2 I dismount 3rd. Leanda a few minutes up the road and Heather just under two. On a normal day, not a problem I'd think. But today wasn't a good day. My body not 100%, by the time I got to the run it'd said enough. It was the longest, hottest and mentally hardest half marathon I've done. When you have nothing right from the first step, when you're cramping (first time ever) before you even get off the bike, while the sun is beating down at over 40deg C melting the tarmac beneath your shoes, and when there isn't enough water stations to keep fluids up, you just wish a big fat bus would come along to take you out and end the misery. As long as I waited the bus didn't come so I shuffled on, up and down the hills of Henderson almost delirious until I finally crossed the finish line in 4th place.
This was not the result I wanted but as a legend of the sport and great role model, Heather Fuhr told me "sometimes you are just dealt one of those days" and you can't change it. But you can look forward to what is next...
I want to send out a huge thank you to all my sponsors, manager, friends and family who all stand by me whether I have an awesome day or a not. Also a special thanks to Chuck from Colorado Multisport for transporting my bike to and from Vegas. James from Colorado Multisport for building my bike and 'Dream Team Triathlon', a Youth Triathlon Squad in Georgia who have appointed me Team Captain and shown me tremendous support throughout the year. And finally Jared, my husband for always being there for me. He never gets mad at me even when I'm a pain in the a**!
I want to send out a huge thank you to all my sponsors, manager, friends and family who all stand by me whether I have an awesome day or a not. Also a special thanks to Chuck from Colorado Multisport for transporting my bike to and from Vegas. James from Colorado Multisport for building my bike and 'Dream Team Triathlon', a Youth Triathlon Squad in Georgia who have appointed me Team Captain and shown me tremendous support throughout the year. And finally Jared, my husband for always being there for me. He never gets mad at me even when I'm a pain in the a**!
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