Black Diamond Olympic Triathlon 2008

Race morning we headed out nice and early - I always prefer to be early and have plenty of time to warm up and get my stuff ready - I also tend to forget thing and it is good to have time just in case. I think we left around 6:15 am. I drove since Kyle is not a morning person and was not really awake. I had printed the directions out from the race website but though they seemed detailed they also seemed kind of weird they were missing things like right and left directions. After a much needed stop at Starbucks we managed to get her ok after seeing a sign for the bike course.
The parking situation was kind of crazy so Kyle dropped me off and he dealt with find a parking spot. While I went and picked up my race packet and get set up. By the time I had walked my bike over to registration my hands were frozen... Luckily I met up with some other Pauole Sport team mates who gave me a hand warmer. I got my stuff all set up and Kyle came by and pumped up my tires.
About 20 min before the start I went for a 10 min warm up run on the the last mile of the run course - which I always like to do so I know the finish. The run was good also so I could warm up and take at least one of the 3 layers I had on. I got back and put my run stuff back and got my wetsuit on before heading over to the beach.

My wave was the last one in the water so it took a while while gave me plenty of time to forget to put some dr jacks nut butter in my running shoes, loose my ear plugs twice, try to figure out the swim course with all there different courses and go over stuff with Kainoa one last time.

I am always apprehensive about the swim and I never get in for a warm up swim even though I know I should so I was pleasantly surprised that by the time I lined up the water was really not that bad. It was chilly waiting to go but once in it felt fine.
The beginning of the swim was not to bad but all the people that lined up on the right started to push everyone further left and for a brief moment I was on the verge on panic - which is very unlike me. My wetsuit neck felt tight and I got kicked a bunch but I just kept swimming and was ok. I did move further left than I should have probably adding some unneeded distance and no draft. Around the end of the second lap the turn buoy was in the shade and I could not see where to go at all so it took me a second to see other heads and find something to sight on. I started to feel tired already - I just did not feel very peppy and all I wanted to do was get out of the water. My left foot decided to cramp up most of teh 2nd loop and it felt like it took forever to finish the second loop.
As I ran out of the water I remember giving Kyle a look of disappointment. T1 went smoothly until just after un-racking my bike my garmin fell off - it was a good thing Kyle yelled at me so I had to stop and pick it up and then get going again.

Once on the bike it took me about 5-10 min before I could get my cadence up - I felt tired and my legs felt heavy. I started drinking my acceleraid and slowly forced my legs to spin faster and managed to get it up around 85 rpm or so. The bike course was relatively flat with at the most rolling hills. I was glad that I was at least able to still climb pretty well. So I would pass people on the uphill and hold them off for a little while but on he flats I would get caught again. I just kept at it and stayed focused the entire ride not letting my lack of energy to effect me mentally. I smiled and thanks all teh volunteers and cheered other people on and attacked the hills as best I could.


T2 went much better and I was out on the run in no time. All I really knew about the run course was the the last 1.5 mi was on trail around the lake. As in all triathlons my legs felt a bit heavy the first mile but nothing worse then how they felt on the bike so I just went for it. Within the first mile I passed one girl in my age group but then half a mile after that a different girl passed me. I tried to stay with her but after a mile or two I just let myself fall back - I could not maintain it. My body was telling me to lay down and take a nap not run harder..
Part of the run course is almost like one long pot hole - it was dry, dusty and just plain nasty. Luckily there was an water station at the end of it. I dumped the water on my head instead of drinking it and the volunteer looked at me very strangely but it felt great (I repeated this every time I went past them). It was also nice to run on pavement for a little while - until after 2 out and backs the coursed went back on the pothole road. I took my gel at about mile 4.5 so that I had some hope to have some energy for the last mile or so. I was happy that even with tired legs I was able to keep my pace around 8 m/mi.
As I turned onto the trail around the lake I saw a bunch of Pauole sport people cheering and of course my mom with her camera.
I felt ok so I pushed a bit harder to pick up my pace for the last 1.5 mi till I would be done. I'm glad I ran the end of the course so I knew where I could start really pushing my pace. I also remembered to tip my hat up so my hat would not be covering my eyes as my mom took a million pictures.



swim 0:33:54 | t1 2:43 | bike 1:18:06 | t2 1:33 122 | run 0:51:25 | Overall time 2:47:41
7/20 in age group | 101/215 overall


In the end I had fun doing my first olympic distance triathlon. I wish I could have had a little more pep in me but it was more for training than anything else. I feel like I did well with what I had and I managed to pull off a fairly good run even though I was temped to take a nap during it. I'm also happy with finishing 7th in my age group esp since some fast girls showed up.

Finally I want to say thanks to everyone that was their cheering me on -specifically Kyle (the best sherpa biatch around), my Mom, Jerry, Colleen, Bryan (even as he raced), Kainoa and the Pauole Sport crew it really helped motivate me when I felt so tired.