Monday, July 26, 2010

Race Report - Chisago Lakes Sprint Triathlon

My tri weekend started Saturday. I met some friends at the course in Chisago City Saturday afternoon to pick up our packets and do a practice swim.

Sophie hung out with my mom on the beach while I swam. After we swam and checked out all the ins and outs of the transition area, we took off. Had a great pasta dinner and tried to calm down my excitement and nerves to get a good night's sleep.

I was up bright and early and ready to go. We got to the park right at 6:00. Set up our transition areas and got my first ever body marking.

So legit! Because they have the half iron waves go out first (and I was in wave 30), I had lots of time to use the porta potties, chat with my friends, and get worked up. Finally, at about 8:00, I was on the beach and getting ready for my wave to start.

I was so nervous! As I stood on the beach watching the swimmers out in the water, I had to work hard to control my emotions. I was sappy about doing something I never thought I could do, scared of swimming with so many people, excited to get my race under way . . . Many deep, calming breaths later I heard, "5, 4, 3, 2, 1, GO!"

I focused on staying calm and just doing my thing. I had to use the breast stroke briefly twice on the way out (once when I kept getting kicked repeatedly and decided to find myself a new piece of real estate and once when I started verging on a little panic). The water in this lake was even more disgusting than the water in the local beach where I do my open water swims, which I didn't think was possible. On the way back, I didn't have to breast stroke at all, so I was overall very proud of my swim.

Once I got to the beach, I ran out of the water and up the long hill to the transition area.

Total swim time (1/4 mile): 13:46. Yes, I am a super slow swimmer. Try not to hold it against me - I just started swimming in March!

I quickly found my bike in transition and got down to business getting my helmet, garmin, and shoes on. I was so happy with my swim and really felt like the hard part was over. T1 time: 2:59.

My goal on the bike was to ride about 16MPH. I know this is pretty slow, but I knew I could do that pace and still feel good for the run. I had to fight the urge to ride faster, but just kept telling myself to stick to my plan. I passed quite a few people from earlier waves on the bike, so I was happy. I think I had a smile plastered on my face the whole bike - I was having so much fun cheering on friends as I saw them, thanking the volunteers, just taking it all in. At about the 19 mile mark my friend's 15 year old son caught up to me (he started a wave behind me). We have done some training together and I had been waiting for him to catch me. I was so excited to see how much fun he was having - this was his first race of any sort EVER and he was having a blast. The last couple of miles flew by as we finished the bike together and I rode in with a smile on my face.

Total bike time (22 miles): 1:21:17. I navigated around a gal who fell as she was getting off her bike and headed back into transition. The walk through transition seemed to get the kinks out of my legs and after ditching my helmet, I felt ready to run. T2 time: 1:53.

My 15-year old pal Adam started the run with me. He was most nervous for the run, so I just kept encouraging him. I felt awesome. I was so excited to be running, and felt a ton of energy from the other racers and spectators. My plan was to take it easy on the out portion and pick up the pace on the way back if I had anything left in the tank. There was a water stop at the turn around and I walked while taking a quick drink of water. Then I started running right away again. As I got within a mile of the finish, I started feeling sad that the race was over - I did not want it to end. I think I even started slowing a little bit, just because I just was not ready for it to be over. Before I knew it, I was back in the park, heading UPHILL to the finish (torture!). I passed under the Swedish flag and then hit the finish line.
Total run time (3.1 miles): 28:35. Finish time: 2:08:31.

My litle brother and my running partner Jim were there to cheer me on (and take a ton of pictures) and I was ready to celebrate.

After I drank some water, I found my phone in the transition area and texted my husband: "That was awesome!" This race definitely sealed the deal on my love affair with triathlon. I can't wait to do another one and see where this new passion takes me!

22 comments:

Pahla said...

YAY!!! HOORAY!! What a wonderful race (and report)! Love the pics of you on the bike and at the end - you look so happy!! Go get the car sticker, you're a real triathlete! :-)

MCM Mama said...

Congratulations! Sounds like it was an awesome way to start doing triathlons!

DRog said...

GREAT RACE! Congrats!! great pictures great report great great great

Normal feeling pre swim, I had it too and I feel like I have been doing a lot of swimming - I doubt that goes away? Great job on the bike and the run.
Derek

Carly said...

WTG Heather!!!! You did AWESOME!! Great race report.

Julie said...

Hi Heather,
I can tell how freaking excited you are! You did awesome! I would be elated with that time:) You trasition time improved the second time...woo hoo! I knew that you were going to do great at the Tris:) Cheers to your new love affair!

Anonymous said...

Awesome! great race report to boot!

Diana said...

Nice race Heather! Congrats! Those damn things are SO addictive!

bobbi said...

Great job!!!! It sounds like you had such an AMAZING time!! I loved seeing all your photos....

Marlene said...

Sounds like such a great day! Congrats on the real deal! :)

Tish said...

What a great report and CONGRATULATIONS to you. You made it so real that I wanted to be there. You did a fantastic job. You've inspired me.

Becka said...

Wow, sounds like a great first triathlon! Great job!!

Ali said...

CONGRATULATIONS!

Reports like this make me want to do a tri!

wendy said...

AWESOME!!!! You did not swim slow at all, you had great times all around! It would be so cool if you came up to Baxter in August! we are also doing Detroit Lakes, btw...

Reading this make me even more excited, i can't wait!

Thanks for the great report and pics : )

Anonymous said...

YAY you are a TRIATHLETE!!!!!! SUPER YEAH!!!!!

Trust me, that feeling before the swim is normal (I still get it) and so is wanting to just take your time. You did awesome though, seriously...your transition times ROCK and your races times are all good. WAY TO GO!

joyRuN said...

Nicely done, Heather!!!!

CONGRATULATIONS :D

dawn @ running the dawn said...

I love that you were so anxious and emotional at the start...and then so in love with the experience by the end. I think that speaks to solid training and a new passion being born :)

Christine said...

A new triathlete is born!!! :) Congratulations you did an awesome job!!!

Katie A. said...

WHOO HOO! You are amazing!! You are fast, too! Give yourself some credit :)
Congrats on a well run race!! Can't wait to follow you into the world of tri's :)

Jeri said...

I'm so proud of you! you're a tri-star!!! Maybe I'll have to scout some tri's in your area next spring/summer for my first. I feel like we'd be similarly paced (I'm a sloooow swimmer too). :D Congrats again.

B.o.B. said...

So glad I came over here and read this! You've reminded me to HAVE FUN on Saturday. Thank you for this post!!!! And great job of course. ;)

M2Marathon said...

Congrats!! That is so amazing and good for you! I've heard that once you go tri, you never go back....or something like that.

M2Marathon said...

Congrats!! That is so amazing and good for you! I've heard that once you go tri, you never go back....or something like that.