I had so much fun doing Muskoka that I decide to attempt to repeat the experience this weekend in Guelph. I drive up to Guelph early Saturday morning. No traffic so I get there in time to cheer on the Try-a-Tri'ers including Michelle's friend Sasha and her husband. Michelle and her boyfriend Richard are camping at Guelph for the weekend as she is doing the Olympic distance Tri on Sunday. It is great to have some "athletic supporters" there to cheer me on.
I find myself in the elder stateswoman role for the first time at this race. I am answering one first-timer’s questions when another begins peppering me with questions of her own. I help them out as much as I can. Richard comments that if they looked fitter than me I should have led them astray with my answers but Michelle decides that helping others will give me better karma for the race.
I try to replicate the warm-up of my successful Tri in Muskoka as much as possible. I go for a 1K run scoping out the finish area and deciding on the point from which I will sprint to the finish. I bike 4K, going through my gears to make sure everything is working properly. I have to adjust the bag that carries my spare tubes as it is catching my shorts. The water is cool to get into for my warm-up swim but I feel good in my decision to go without my wetsuit given my great swim in Muskoka doing the same.
I line up at the start feeling calm and confident. As the whistle blows I am off running into the water, doing dolphin dives to get through the shallows. Dolphin dives are fun but I do get some water up my nose. I stay with the majority of my wave most of the way out to the farthest buoy. There is some unusual swimming going on around me – I count a sidestroke, breast stroke, and even a backstroke. The breast stroker is quite strong so I follow her for a bit to keep me in a straight line. I kept listing to the right so I concentrate on feeling like I am going left in order to go straight. I actually rub up against the first buoy as I go by so I can't have gotten any closer. At the furthest buoy the fastest swimmers from the next wave catch me so there is a bit of jostling but I keep my cool. Before I know it I am back at shore, running up the LONG grassy hill to transition. Swim: 23:34.
I find myself in the elder stateswoman role for the first time at this race. I am answering one first-timer’s questions when another begins peppering me with questions of her own. I help them out as much as I can. Richard comments that if they looked fitter than me I should have led them astray with my answers but Michelle decides that helping others will give me better karma for the race.
I try to replicate the warm-up of my successful Tri in Muskoka as much as possible. I go for a 1K run scoping out the finish area and deciding on the point from which I will sprint to the finish. I bike 4K, going through my gears to make sure everything is working properly. I have to adjust the bag that carries my spare tubes as it is catching my shorts. The water is cool to get into for my warm-up swim but I feel good in my decision to go without my wetsuit given my great swim in Muskoka doing the same.
I line up at the start feeling calm and confident. As the whistle blows I am off running into the water, doing dolphin dives to get through the shallows. Dolphin dives are fun but I do get some water up my nose. I stay with the majority of my wave most of the way out to the farthest buoy. There is some unusual swimming going on around me – I count a sidestroke, breast stroke, and even a backstroke. The breast stroker is quite strong so I follow her for a bit to keep me in a straight line. I kept listing to the right so I concentrate on feeling like I am going left in order to go straight. I actually rub up against the first buoy as I go by so I can't have gotten any closer. At the furthest buoy the fastest swimmers from the next wave catch me so there is a bit of jostling but I keep my cool. Before I know it I am back at shore, running up the LONG grassy hill to transition. Swim: 23:34.
In transition one of the newbies is still asking questions. I'm kind of busy but I try to be polite and answer as I pull on my bike shoes. T1:2:45
Out on the bike I am not feeling as breathless as Muskoka and try to push myself harder. The hills aren't as bad as Muskoka and I am able to get a run at the uphills from the downhills. I pass a number of people including several women from my age group. I even manage to pass a couple of people on uphills. Yay! I know the course well and the hills aren't as bad as I remember. I am able to stay aero in the flats and push at over 30 KPH knowing that I will lose substantial time on the two steepest hills. On the way back I concentrate on getting and keeping my average speed at over 25 KPH knowing the one last big hill will bring it down. As I swing into transition I see that I was successful in keeping my average speed at exactly 25 KPH. Bike: 45:38 PB
Back into transition. More questions from a newbie. I really have to stop being polite. T2: 2:23
A time check confirms that I have 41 minutes for the run to make my goal and a new PB of 1:55. Cramping on right side. Tell myself I can massage it during a one minute walk break after running for 10 minutes. Stick to it and get rid of the cramp after 11 minutes. Take only 30 seconds of my next walk break and then decide to nix them as I'm feeling good. With 2K to go, realize that not only will I attain my goal of 1:55 but that if I really push myself I could potentially make it in 1:50. Decide to go for it. Pick up the speed. With 1K to go, I have 6 1/2 minutes left to make 1:50. I'm glad I practiced this km in warm-up as I know what to expect. I run up the last hill knowing I have conquered worse in training and that the rest of the way in will be downhill. When I get to the spot I picked out in the morning I pour my last effort into going hard into the finish. Run: 35:53 PB.
Not only do I make it in at 1:50:11, seven minutes faster than I have done this course before but I also score PB's in the bike and run and almost match my PB on the swim. Another fantastic race! Stay tuned for Peterborough on July 8!
1 comment:
Fantastic pictures! You must have your own paparazzi!
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