I kept plugging and chugging. I still felt that I could do better. So I tried a third sprint triathlon. It was about the same distance as the last. 400m swim, 14.3 mi bike and 5K run.
A couple things were different with this one however. I had nearly two months of open water swimming training and my friend Aimee loaned me her sweet Bianchi road bike. I rode the bike a couple times before this race to get used to its feel. It is a lot different than my mountain bike with road tires. Just in training I was able to chop off 4 min per 6.5 mile lap where I ride.
Since the race was in Lorain, Aimee and Eric invited me to spend the night at their house. That would save me the hour and a half commute to the race (Thanks guys!). Originally, I was going to get up super early and drive myself to the race and they were going to ride their bikes and meet me there before the race began. No such luck. We all still got up early, but it was cold and rainy and a bit windy. They decided to skip the bike ride and just drive. I kept thinking – ‘Great day for a swim in Lake Erie!’
There was a light drizzle pretty much all morning. At times it was a downpour and others it was tolerable. However, it was not enough to cancel the swim. The race got off to a bit of a late start and the men went in the first wave and the women in the second wave. The course was out to the Lorain break walls, swim across two sections of wall and then back in to shore. It was actually OK. My biggest problem was the swim was east to west and I can only breathe on my right side. The walls were to my left and the waves (which were slightly large that day because of the wind and rain) were to my right. I got smacked by a few waves as I was breathing. But it wasn’t horrible and I wasn’t last out of the water. It was my fastest swim time yet – 12 mins. Once out of the water it is about a ¼ mile run to the transition area.
I was like lightening on the bike. Those skinny tires just glide. I actually held back because of the rain. I was a little afraid since I wasn’t used to the bike. I know I could have gone faster. It was fantastic! My bike was 54:14.
I am always slow at running but I was still happy with the result. It was raining still and I was chilled a bit but I felt great. The course was an out and back run with a few small hills. Very nice. I finished in 43:34.
Woo Hoo! Yea for me! My finish time was 1:56:54!!! I broke the two hour barrier and it is a full hour faster than my first triathlon in Philadelphia.
Overall:
Swim: 12 min
T1: 5:47 – including the ¼ mile run to the transition area
Bike: 54:14
T2: 1:19
Run: 43:34
Total: 1:56:54
After the race all I wanted to do was dry off, put on some warm clothes and head home. I did the first two, but as I was driving home, my family called me and said they were at the Waffle House near our house and wanted to know if I wanted to meet them there. I said yes and they ordered a pecan waffle for me. It was piping hot and just delivered as I walked thru the door. Delicious. It can’t get any better than this.
A couple things were different with this one however. I had nearly two months of open water swimming training and my friend Aimee loaned me her sweet Bianchi road bike. I rode the bike a couple times before this race to get used to its feel. It is a lot different than my mountain bike with road tires. Just in training I was able to chop off 4 min per 6.5 mile lap where I ride.
Since the race was in Lorain, Aimee and Eric invited me to spend the night at their house. That would save me the hour and a half commute to the race (Thanks guys!). Originally, I was going to get up super early and drive myself to the race and they were going to ride their bikes and meet me there before the race began. No such luck. We all still got up early, but it was cold and rainy and a bit windy. They decided to skip the bike ride and just drive. I kept thinking – ‘Great day for a swim in Lake Erie!’
There was a light drizzle pretty much all morning. At times it was a downpour and others it was tolerable. However, it was not enough to cancel the swim. The race got off to a bit of a late start and the men went in the first wave and the women in the second wave. The course was out to the Lorain break walls, swim across two sections of wall and then back in to shore. It was actually OK. My biggest problem was the swim was east to west and I can only breathe on my right side. The walls were to my left and the waves (which were slightly large that day because of the wind and rain) were to my right. I got smacked by a few waves as I was breathing. But it wasn’t horrible and I wasn’t last out of the water. It was my fastest swim time yet – 12 mins. Once out of the water it is about a ¼ mile run to the transition area.
I was like lightening on the bike. Those skinny tires just glide. I actually held back because of the rain. I was a little afraid since I wasn’t used to the bike. I know I could have gone faster. It was fantastic! My bike was 54:14.
I am always slow at running but I was still happy with the result. It was raining still and I was chilled a bit but I felt great. The course was an out and back run with a few small hills. Very nice. I finished in 43:34.
Woo Hoo! Yea for me! My finish time was 1:56:54!!! I broke the two hour barrier and it is a full hour faster than my first triathlon in Philadelphia.
Overall:
Swim: 12 min
T1: 5:47 – including the ¼ mile run to the transition area
Bike: 54:14
T2: 1:19
Run: 43:34
Total: 1:56:54
After the race all I wanted to do was dry off, put on some warm clothes and head home. I did the first two, but as I was driving home, my family called me and said they were at the Waffle House near our house and wanted to know if I wanted to meet them there. I said yes and they ordered a pecan waffle for me. It was piping hot and just delivered as I walked thru the door. Delicious. It can’t get any better than this.
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