Aaaah Clemson triathlon, no traveling, close to home, doggy and hubby out there to support! I should love it then right? I don’t know why, but I didn’t. I woke up today not “feeling” the race I did yesterday and questioning myself about everything. I literally just hit a low. So, I have no excuses. I always tell the people I coach, you get out what you put in. I am a perfect example of what not doing all your training will do. You can lie to your coach, you can lie to yourself, but race results don’t lie. I haven’t lied to my coach, but I have lied to myself. I CAN’T get away with not doing workouts without it effecting my performance, period.
My performance wasn’t where I wanted but there wasn’t anything better than having my hubby and timber dedicating an early Sat. morning in the rain to me. They do love me:) Right before the swim I got kisses from both my boys, and it helped calm me down a little. Unlike most swims these days, I did start to feel somewhat in a groove and managed to stay on course. Unfortunately, I still managed to come out of the water a min. slower than last year. Oh well, goal #1 out the window.
Goal #2 was to be under 32 mins. on the bike. I had done the bike course the day before and tried to gauge how to ride. For the most part though, I just tried to really push it. I tried to push every limit I had in me to make my goal, but it just didn’t work. I managed a 32:56 which was over my goal, but I did give it my all. Now all I can hope is that I can survive the run.
I go running out of transition and look at my garmin but realize I had not turned it on. No time to mess with it now, just run and run smart. The first mile can be very dangerous b/c it’s all down hill and if you push really hard, you’re screwed. The second and third miles have either a steep uphill or a long grade, so you have to know what lies ahead. I think to myself once I hit the first hill just lean forward and focus. My other thoughts revert to telling me how nice walking would be, my little devil trying to break me down. IT WON’T WORK TODAY!!! The angel won. I leaned forward and got up the hill with enough oomph to pass people on the out and back off road portion. I did my wax on wax off downhill and pulled off doing the last uphill mile smart enough that I didn’t have to walk this year. I came across the finish with goal #3 not made either. I finished the run with 22:02. Close, but no cigar.
I got 2nd in my age group yet again, and Sarah Parker busted out with another age group placing!! I am so proud of her, she did her first triathlon last year at this race and BLEW her time from last year out of the water. Jeff had a great swim, which he deserved. Kevin Trexler also did extremely well and almost beat me out of the water, great job! P.S. Next time don’t complain when I make you run the run course:) Everyone in gville was out there, and my coach had a stellar race as well placing in his age group. Way to go Forrest! Kat even blasted her time from last year with a 2 min. improvement . . . it’s all those trainer hours:)
I also have to say a HUGE thank you to Kristin and Mark for having us over to play at the lake! Julie, Heath, and I can all say we officially surfed! Thanks for all the cheers and support, and thanks most of all to my hubby for coming to see me when I didn’t even ask him to!
