Down to the knitty gritty: 1:17:20
Swim: 9:59:9
T1: 1:32
Bike: 41:16:3
T2: 1:04:08
Run: 23:27:7
Standings:
12th Overall in the womens
6th in AG
I shaved about 4minutes from last year 1:21:33!
I improved in all sections a little bit, but my bike is the part that really needs work. I am not bad, I averaged 17.4mph during the entire thing but I need to be around 20mph.
Overall though, I was super stoked with my time!
I love this small tri, I think the part that it is in a pool makes it fun and a "safe" place for new people to try the sport.
Details:
Swim--the water was nice and toasty. I have a thing with nice warm water, it probably comes from me living in the coast during my childhood.
I got in the water with hopes to swim around 9:45. I started swimming and quickly I caught up with the person ahead of me and I had to pass. I kept swimming, trying all the time to remember the technique the coach kept drilling into me: reach out and pull back. In the second lap, I caught the next person and I had to pass them--unfortunately, I had to wait for her to let me go to the next lane, the clock was ticking, hahaha. I kept swimming and swimming and then I realized that I was not concentrating on the pull and at that moment I felt that my arms were going to fall from the exertion so I concentrated again in elongating my reach and not working so hard and letting my arm recuperate. Next thing I knew I was done with 500 meters. I was getting out of the water and I could hear my family screaming for me, so nice to have cheerleaders!
As I ran, I took my cap off, goggles and the earplugs and my watch. Got to transition time and grabbed my helmet and glasses (letting my feet drip a little bit while doing it). I put on my socks (I can't wear shoes without socks, it just doesn't feel right). I got my shoes on and grabbed my bike and off I went.
Bike:--nice warm weather, pleasant to the wet clothes and I knew that I was going to dry up quick. I didn't have any trouble clipping in this time (not like with Boise--I guess my legs were really cold that day). I really worked hard during this bike ride. I kept pushing and pulling and pushing and pulling, hoping that I could average more than my regular 16mph. About three minutes into the ride, my friend Brynne flew by, she is such a strong rider! She said some words of encouragement and cheered me on but I knew that I didn't stand a chance catching up to her. I just concentrated on the road ahead and kept on pedaling. I remember clearly that at mile 5 I felt so thirsty but I couldn't get a drink, I really wished that I had my camelback at that point. At the turnaround point, you have to make a U-turn on the road and I truly felt that I was going to fall off my bike (last year, I came off the bike to turn around), but I gritted my teeth and turned, it was a wide turn but I made it! On the way back, I was pedaling and pedaling and then a group of riders caught up to me and left me in the dust, it was okay, I was there to race against myself, so I kept on pedaling. When I was done, my family was again there cheering for me and a nice surprise a bunch of other people were cheering me on--some of my Ragnar friends!!! So awesome to have cheerleaders!
As I dismounted, I forgot to undo my helmet and take it off while walking the bike...silly move to forget. Then I got the wrong bike rack! Gosh, I was on a roll in this transition. I put my bike away, I reached for my shoes, my GU, and race belt and the garmin, as I started walking out of transition I down my GU, and put my race belt on, and put my garmin on and reached to press "start" only to find out that I had forgotten to turn it on before my bike ride!
Run: The garmin couldn't find the satellites! Half a mile into it, the Garmin just lost reception and I had to just run by feel. I knew that I couldn't do it without it and I was worried. As I kept running, I kept thinking how in heck am I going to know my pace? I kept telling myself...you are running too slow, this feels to easy, push it, push it Isela! I ran the best I could without my garmin, I pushed myself by feel and I think it paid off as I ran my 5K in 23:27, giving me a 7:33 pace! I was pleased. Could I have done better with the garmin? Perhaps, but going by the feel of my body was a good way to run too!
Sounds like a great race. 17.4 mph is a great average speed on the bike for now. I hope I do that well on my tri this weekend. Gosh, averaging 20mph....I would LOVE that. Not happening very soon for me, though. You did really well. Great pictures, too!
Posted by: Sheila | July 14, 2010 at 06:16 PM