First Olympic Tri Race Report

Leading up to Saturday's race I was extremely nervous! It was going to be my first Olympic Triathlon. I wasn't worried about the individual sports, I knew independently I could do each of them, but together??!?!?! So I tried to remind myself that I had put in the training time so I would be fine (although I missed some workouts leading up to the race with all my travel).

But the trip to Vancouver was AWESOME!!!!! Above photos from our trip :)

Even still, on the morning I was super nervous, more than the usual pre race jitters!!!

I kept telling myself to not panic on the swim, and I was oddly calm when I entered the water… no panic attack!! My swim time wasn’t great (41:09), BUT it was about what I expected and I was really hoping I wasn’t the last one out, and I wasn’t. In future I think I need to re-evaluate my race swim strategy, because my mindset is not, swim fast or even swim hard, it’s usually just “get ‘er done” and don’t panic. I had to pee from the moment I got in the water...but I couldn't pee in my wetsuit... I know others do it, but seriously I tried (ewwww sorry) but I couldn't. One great thing was that there was a timing mat as we entered the water, so although it was a mass start, you could seed yourself without losing time.

My T1 was a bit slower than I’d liked, since my last race had wet suit strippers I hadn’t really practiced getting out of my wetsuit, so it was pretty awkward and I was still in “survival mode” and kind of cotton headed. I still had to pee, and there was a porta potty at T1, but I was wearing my 1 piece tri suit, with a cycling jersey on top... I determined it would take too long to go, a decision I'd have to live with for the rest of the race!

I don’t have any Garmin data because I forgot to upload my previous sets of data, so it was full and kept giving me an error message :( GRRR one day I’ll actually get it to do what I want it to during a race! Plus, my Garmin bike computer still isn't working after it fell apart during the Ride to Conquer Cancer (just needs a tiny screw).

Overall I was pretty happy with my bike time (1:27 it includes both T1 & T2), and at about 14 kms in I had some good competition with another racer, who passed me twice (on hills… figures!) but then I easily passed her on the flat outs, so I hammered down, and was determined to get way ahead so she couldn’t pass me again. I think that really helped me having a push since I am so competitive and I ended up a good few minutes ahead by the end of the bike and even passed a few others along the way.

T2, was average I guess, again I was tempted to visit the porta potty (ummmm nope TOO much time would be wasted, but just in case I asked a volunteer if there were more potties on the run route... they didn't know??!?!!), and the run was interesting. Usually in my brick workouts I have had a bit of calf “stress” but it goes away pretty quick, usually after 2 or 3 minutes. This time I’m pretty sure it lasted well into the 3^rd or 4^th km. But once I was going, I kept at it, and didn’t walk at all :) It was only until between km 8 & 9 that my lower back started to feel somewhat fatigued, but I didn’t really have the hip/back pain like I usually get (run time 1:10). I did a 10k race a few weekends ago, and finished in 1:01:30 (grrrr so close to breaking 60 minutes).

Of course I was happy to cross the finish line. 3:19…. s’okay, I was hoping for around 3:15, but I was happy to finish, and felt like except for the swim, I did what I could, and hey…there’s always next year :) I didn't beat myself up at all. I had a strange peacefulness, a calm knowing I had done it. Proved to myself I could do it. Like I'd acomplished something just for me :) I was tired, but it was a happy tired! Oh yeah and I had to PEE!!!!

I am going to do at least one more Sprint (Raymond is having one on August 7^th and I couldn’t resist!), and already I have a different thought process…because it seems so “short” in comparison. And in theory I could do a Sprint on the 14th and 21st.... I'll resist!

I have even planned myself some structured workouts on my own (think I'll miss the coaching), I felt "lost" without the structure. Plus at the pool, without a planned workout I run the risk of quitting too early.

I'm going to work toward the ½ marathon in October. No doubt I’ll be back at "triathloning" next year, and I think I’ll keep my goal to do a 1/2 IM sometime before I’m 40!

I'm thinking that I'll be excited to get back at some circuit & core training, and I'm going to work hard to knock off those last pesky 10 lbs, hoping that'll make a difference for my runbike times.