weekend/race report

saturday was a 65 mile ride followed by a 30 minute run off the bike...i wanted to try to get most of it out of the way before it got so hot that i just couldn't do it anymore...so while the rest of the group was going to start at 7.30am i opted to grab erin and head out at 7am...we were doing a loop from the veloway out wm cannon to sw. parkway to 71 (eek!) to bee caves to 360 to mopac (for a second) to sw. parkway etc...erin was riding 30 so she did one loop with me and i continued on to do a second...the bike felt really good...i stuck to my hydration and nutrition (got my custom batch of infinit) and felt strong even after my long run the day before...did a second loop in what felt like a faster time than the first one...but i didn't do a split on my watch...got back to the starting point and did one loop out there on s. mopac for a total of 65.07 miles according to the bike computer...

there were very few cars left at the rally point as i was putting the bike in the car and getting my running shoes on...but i recognized them as fellow long course people...what is it that is so reassuring that you are not the only one out there...even if you don't see them until the end...headed up to escarpment because i had such a good time running it last weekend (uh...not) for a 15 minute out and back...the first block my legs were so heavy...like it was hard to pick them up and move them along...but soon i got into a rhythm...and was actually running...ended up coming in faster than i went out...so i only got in 28.45minutes...guess that was a finish strong :)...i felt so much better than last weekend...i felt really defeated after that brick and this one was a confidence booster...

can't even tell you what i did the rest of saturday only that i got the farm share and there was a honeydew and a watermelon in it...i love melon...

sunday...jack's generic tri at the texas ski ranch just about 45 minutes south of austin...i was looking forward to the race...because there was really no pressure to preform i decided that i would work on a few things...one was calming my nerves...and another was getting my transition set up done and then just walking away...i have a tendency to keep going back to check to see if everything is there...i know it is because my bag is empty and i have gone over my transition in my head while mentally picking things up off the mat and "putting" them on...so that is just what i did...finished setting up and pumping my tires...grabbed my bag and pump...dropped the bag at the T3 tent and the pump at the car (i was close) and went down to the water to just sit in one of those chairs and relax...it was easy once you got out of all of the mayhem of other people...one lady was trying to talk to me but i was not really about her nervous energy so i moved and found another spot...went for a pre-race swim...then was ready...

it is always fun to watch the open/pro wave go off...the fastest swimmer (actually david from T3) was out of the water just as the first regular wave was starting...his pace was like 1m per 100m amazing...lots of standing around...but i like watching the waves go and the beach clear out...then it was time for me to get in the water...good thing...i needed to pee :O...then we were off...for the swim i was focusing on my breathing...breathing calmly...trying to find some toes for a little while...and trying to pick up my pace just a little bit...not a lot of contact out there...it seems though i always get a few of the people who just stop and frog kick right when i am getting into a good pace...ah well...rounded the island no problem and was sighting at the swim exit...and just cranked it up a bit...i really wanted not to average 2.22per100...i felt stuck at this time...and was successful...
swim: 500m 10.17minutes 2.03 average (yes!)

out of the water running to transition...heard lots of cheering..always nice...T3 had a lot of volunteers out there...yeah!...had a good pretty quick transition...not eventful
T1: 1.56

and was out on the bike...saw david coming in off the bike...they had just done that chip seal thing out on the access road so only the shoulder was smooth...it was hard to pass folks on the bumpy stuff but i tried really hard...and was mostly successful...wanted to keep a high cadence though out the bike and had a good time out there...seemed to work...chased down a girl in my age group and we played leap frog for a bit...i really wanted to catch her...i did...then she schooled me..argh...well i had thought if i was riding on fresh legs...maybe i could have caught her...anyway...had a good fast ride and was back on the access road on that sweet down hill...cranked in a big gear and sailed in...with a flying dismount...my legs were tired when i dismounted...they just kind of paused in that little squat position after jumping off the pedals...then i was able to move them forward in an awkward jog to t2
bike: 13.8m 41.37minutes 19.9 average :)

another uneventful transition...and was out on the run...
T2: 1.08

i like that there is a little bit of pavement to run on before you get to the run through the parking lot (big rocks) i felt like i got my legs underneath me before i was doing high knees so as not to fall...and i like seeing people coming in as i am heading out...and i knew it was 1.5miles out and back...gave my self a small talking to...as to not push it too hard on the first part so i could finish strong...but wanting to push hard enough that i wasn't holding too much back...locked into a pretty good pace that felt comfortable...hit the first mile marker and saw i had run ~8m...cool...i could totally do that...and i did :) held pace really well...saw a lot of T3 folks...got some nice words from random people...and just brought it home...finished strong and smiling
run: 3miles 24.23m 8.08 average

total time 1.19.24...good enough for 5th in my age group... :) i had a fun time...and felt good after the race...and it was nice to compare how i felt this time (calm and excited) versus the rookie (totally nervous)...and i was able to accomplish my goals...always good...so it was a good finish to a weekend of training...and makes me think that i am going to sign up for the austin tri...i think sprint distance...i think...