Central Ohio Multisport Festival: 1 Mile OWS + Sprint Triathlon Race Recaps (6/9-10/18)

The first triathlon of the "season of tri" is DONE!  <Side note: you know it's summertime when I do a race recap on the SAME DAY as the race LOL!>  Both races went well.  Goals were accomplished and areas of weakness were duly noted.  The nitty gritty recap follows, with lots of pictures because I love my tri friends!

Part 1: 1-mile OWS

The weekend actually started on Saturday morning, with a one-mile Open Water Swim race.  I registered for this back in December, thinking it'd be a great tune-up for the next day's race.  I did the two-mile race two years ago, and contemplated doing it again this year.  The deciding factor: racing at 7 AM (for 2 miles) or 8:45 AM (1 mile).  The later start time won!  I arrived at around 7:45 AM, picked up my packet for both the swim as well as the next day's triathlon, and then spent the next 45 minutes chatting with friends.  It's always fun to catch up with people who I don't see regularly throughout the non-tri season!  

Gorgeous sunrise over the lake!

The race itself is very low-key.  There were a total of 21 swimmers competing (5 of whom were actually in the Aquathlon, which is a 1 mile swim followed by a 1 mile race).  I only knew a few of my competitors, so I honestly didn't know how the race itself would shape out.  I decided to take the first of the two half-mile loops at a more moderate pace--faster than a training swim, but only about 70-75% effort.  I had my usual anxiety during the first 100 yards of the swim, but fortunately relaxed pretty quickly.  Due to the low number of swimmers, I had an open lane to swim and didn't have to worry about being kicked or swam over by others.  From the start, I saw another female take the lead, so the pressure of winning wasn't on me at all.  

Me at the start!

This picture cracks me up... I look soooo not excited about getting into the lake!

The first loop went as planned, and I decided to start really picking up the pace after I rounded the first set of green buoys on loop #2 (about 3/5 of the way into the race).  There was a nice straightaway for me to increase my stroke rate and dig in a bit.  As I rounded the buoys, I noticed another swimmer over my shoulder.  I was pretty sure it was my friend Christine, and decided I should try to NOT let her by me!  This gave me a great push for the next 300 yards or so.  As I rounded the final set of green buoys, I noticed that I hadn't shaken Christine, so I dug in even more.  The final sprint had my arms screaming at me, but I was able to finish strong (and JUST ahead of my friend--what a great race!).  

Me exiting!

Timing mat!

Me looking extremely tired, watching Christine finish!

My splits were: 
1st 500 yards: 7:12 (1:26/100)
2nd 500 yards: 7:28 (1:29/100)
3rd 500 yards: 6:38 (1:19/100)
Final 129 yards: 2:55 (2:15/100--this includes my run up to the timing map, which is the only reason I can think for it being so much slower than the others)

Overall time (pace): 24:15 (1:29/100)

I ended up in 2nd place--both overall, gender, and age group, by just under a minute.  In this case, 2nd place truly is the first one to lose, as no awards are given to anyone but the top competitor.  I think I swam this race exactly how I planned, though, so I'm totally good with the results!

Me & Christine, post-race :)  

Part 2: Sprint Triathlon

The weather stalking was in full-force all day on Saturday.  The forecast of storms worried me greatly.  I really don't like riding my bike in the rain.  The tires are so skinny, and don't really grip the road at all.   I had told my coach that if it was raining more than just a little sprinkle, I likely wouldn't do the race.  Fortunately, Sunday dawned with a slightly overcast morning... but zero precipitation!  The sun actually came out while we were setting up our bikes in transition--what a gift of a morning!  Yes, it was humid, but given the original forecast, I was fine with that!

I had trouble sleeping, and finally got up at around 5:40 with a stomach ache.  I wondered if it was the lake water that I ingested yesterday that was causing me pain... and spent a good 10 minutes on the toilet working out that problem :(  I felt a bit better after that, but really did NOT feel like eating.  I made myself have a waffle and a banana, and then started preparing to leave.  I didn't really need to be at the race early, as I'd picked up my packet the day before, and knew that transition wouldn't close until 7:30.  I decided to go ahead and leave once I was dressed, though, as part of the fun of triathlon is hanging out with friends pre- and post-race!  I got to Alum at around 6:30 AM, and quickly got my bike and gear unloaded.  Immediately I caught sight of Megan (my Ironman 70.3 training buddy from 2016), and after that it was friend after friend showing up for pre-race hugs!  

Me & Stuart!

Me, Melanie & Brooke (who DEMOLISHED the field in the Olympic distance today!)

Time passed by super quickly, as I set up my transition area and debated which goggles to wear (the appearance of Mr. Sun called for my tinted pair!).  I took a quick dip in the lake to get acclimated to the chilly water (around 63 degrees), and soon it was time for my wave to start!  I am in a new age group this year, for in the world of triathlon, it is not your age the day of the race, but your age for the YEAR that matters.  Since I will be 40 in September, I am competing as a 40-year-old for all of 2018 (my new age group is 40-44).  This race divides up the athletes into 40-and-over and 39-and-under, so I got to start in an earlier wave.  I was good with that!  After the race director gave us the pre-race directions, we were off on the first of our 3 legs!

I started with the front of the pack (like usual).  I didn't want to expend too much energy on the swim, because it's such a small percentage of the overall triathlon (only about 3% of the distance, and 16% of my total time, to be exact!).  I relaxed into the short, half-mile loop that I had swam yesterday.  I felt fingertips once and realized I was likely being drafted off of... and for some reason figured it might be my friend Melanie.  I later learned it was indeed her LOL!  My arms felt fatigued about halfway through the loop.  Probably from the swim yesterday, I thought to myself, and just kept plugging away. 

Leg #1: 12:47 (1st 500: 7:00, 2nd 0.18 miles: 5:46)
1st overall in my AG out of the water, 8th fastest female overall, 13th overall including males

Transition #1 (also known as T1) did not go as well as I would've liked.  I had decided to wear socks this year (last year I did not), mainly due to my special inserts that I have to wear for my plantar fasciitis.  They feel really weird when I don't wear socks.  I definitely added time with having to put them on.  Room for improvement here for sure!  Time was 1:47 (slower than ALL of the other top 10 females in the race).  

The bike leg started as well as could be expected.  Took me a few seconds to clip in, but overall the mount and such went as well as could be expected.  The exit from the park to the bike loop is slightly uphill, so it's always a slower start.  My friend Melanie had came in just behind me on the swim, but left T1 before me, and was off like a race horse on the bike. I spent the next 40 minutes trying to catch up to her.  Every time I would see a female ahead of me, I would push it a bit, hoping it was Melanie... only to pass the person and to realize it wasn't her.  I passed some people... I was passed by people.  Typical bike leg!

Leg #2: 39:46
Mile splits: 3:56 (including the mount which I AM SLOW AT), 2:58, 2:46, 2:48, 2:57, 3:06, 3:06, 3:01, 2:52, 2:44, 3:33 (BIG OL' HILL), 3:16 (recovery from the big ol' hill), 2:37 (final 0.67 including the dismount which I AM SO BAD AT)
Average pace: 19.1 mph
3rd in my AG, 8th fastest female (again), 29th overall including males

Transition #2 (T2) was slightly better than T1. Only slightly though.  Tying my shoes TOOK FOREVER.  Gotta get my lock laces back on my run shoes!  As I was entering transition, I saw Melanie starting her run.  She had really kicked my booty on the bike!  I was pretty sure I wasn't going to catch her.  Time was 1:00 (this was 6th fastest out of the top 10 female finishers).  

And... the run.  Oh, the run.  I actually felt okay for the first quarter-mile or so.  Then came the mini-mountain (we have to run uphill to the top of the dam, on a stupid trail that I hate).  I am so NOT a trail runner.  I swore under my breath every step, and then realized as I reached the top of the mini-mountain... there was Melanie.  As bad as I felt, she clearly felt worse.  I knew at that point that I would be able to catch her.  Maybe I could actually win our AG!  I passed Melanie at around 1.25 miles into the race.  She commented that she knew her only chance to beat me would be to hammer the bike.  I wished her well and kept going.  Mile 1 wasn't too bad.  Mile 2 was worse.  Mile 3 was death.  I asked myself over and over again, WHY do I do triathlons?!!  They truly make me hate running.  Meanwhile, I was passed by a few females, but had no idea of their age or even which race they were running.  I saw a few friends heading out across the dam as I was on my way back, and the high-fives were definitely a plus.  I succumbed to the voice in my head telling me to FREAKING WALK only once, at around the mile 2.5 mark.  I gave myself 10 walking steps, to breathe and prepare for the final half-mile, which seemed like an eternity.  I was so happy to finish!!!

Leg #3: 26:48
Mile splits: 8:48, 8:24, 8:39, :54 (for the final 0.11)
Average pace: 8:37
2nd in my AG, 13th fastest female, 39th overall including males

Final time: 1:22:08
1st in my AG out of 11 (YAY!!!!!!)
7th overall female out of 57 (DAMN there are some fast ladies!)
23rd overall including males (out of 107 finishers)

Happy me!

Yay for a plaque!

My friend Karen turned 59 today and BEASTED the 50-59 AG!

Tiffany won the Olympic Du!

I was pumped both during and after my race for a HUGE PR, based on last year's time, but realized later on when I got home that last year's swim was long, and the bike last year had an additional 1.2 miles.  My 5K was a bit faster, though.  Thinking that I was blowing last year's time out of the water was a big confidence-builder during the race, though.  

My takeaways:

1) Yet again, I NEED TO WORK ON BRICKS.  Running off the bike is just so hard for me!  
2) I am not so sure I want to do an Olympic tri in two weeks at Mingoman.  A discussion to have with my coach, for sure.  It's not the swim or bike... it's the run.  A 10K after swimming & biking makes me want to run and hide!  
3) I've gotta get stronger with my mental game.  I gave up a bit on the run.  (Do you see a theme in my takeaways?  They all have to do with the darn run!)

However... I accomplished my #1 goal, which was to qualify for USAT Age Group Nationals in August, by winning my age group.  So, WOO HOO for that!  Now, the question is, do I actually want to do them?!!  We decided to take a family vacation this year for the first time in 5 years, and will be in NC from August 1-August 5.  With Nationals being August 12, I am not sure that I will want to have that hanging over my head while I am with my family trying to enjoy the last bit of summer vacation.  Another conversation to have with my coach.  For now, though, I will relish my win :)