Race Day ReCap

Today I competed in the Women of Steel Triathlon- It was a perfect day! I couldn't believe after all the snowy, rainy, sleety, cold and unpleasant days I have been training in all spring, right up until yesterday afternoon, that it would be so perfect this morning. Blue skies, pleasant temperatures and no wind- PERFECTION!!

My sister Shamae is my training and competition partner. Can I just say what a pleasure it has been preparing for this race with her. I think it is funny that we really didn't get along very well when we were kids. She is 5 years older than me. When she was a senior in high school I was in 7th grade. She got married when I was in 9th grade and had a baby at age 20. We were just so different (we don't look a thing alike!)- until I finally got married and had my first child at 25. Now we had something in common, baby weight that needed to come off!!! When I moved back to Pleasant Grove we joined the same gym and started swimming together twice a week, and over the last four years we have really become close friends. Several years ago I got the crazy idea that we should just start biking together and sign up for a Tri and the rest is history.

Today I am so proud of us both. Last year I was in great shape, I was really prepared for the Salem Tri until I was plagued with a knee injury that took me out of the race and for 5 months afterwards. I was so discouraged and upset about it. But I pulled through and rehabbed that IT Band back to health over the winter and Shamae insisted that I would be ready by May to race again. I am a year older, a little heavier, and just plain feeling slower- but I was going to improve on my time from three years ago!

And so we come to this morning- 8:00am
I dove into the water for the 300 meter sprint and had a great swim- this is my love, I truly enjoy swimming, and by golly I am good at it!!! After passing several people and navigating through a pile up I came out of the water in 6 minutes and 13 seconds- 13th place.

I had a decent transition from the water to the bike - leaps and bounds better than last time so I will take it.

Then I was off on the bike portion- a quick 12 mile sprint a two loop course which includes a steep hill that is my nemesis- but I prevailed and clocked it all in 43 min.

My next transition from bike to run was better than the first so I was happy.

Now I was off on the run- this is by far the hardest part for me, especially the first 1/2 mile of trying to get some legs under me after burning them out on the bike. But as I made my way up that terrible hill one last time I was feeling good and running a steady pace around the bend. Not a personal best but a respectable 27 min. - not too bad, so I will take it!I finished in 1 hour and 23 minutes placing me 32 out of 167 in my age group- top 20% isn't half bad!!! I beat my previous overall time by nearly 5 minutes!

Shamae triumphed a bike chain problem to pass me on the run pulling in her personal best and ended up beating me by 1 minute- I am so proud of her!!!

Huge shout out to my Paul- totally supportive throughout the long training process, my personal cheering squad during the race and fantastic sports photographer to boot!!

I kind of declared at the finish line that I don't think I will do a Triathlon again. My Mom insisted that she KNEW that wasn't true. However, the more I think about it, the more I am liking the idea of doing it as a relay next time. Any takers? I will be calling dibs on the swim portion!!!