Race morning started like any other. With the addition of seeing definite rain in the forecast. Was afraid there would be lightning but thankfully it held off for us to race!
Kemah Olympic Triathlon is unlike most other triathlons because you get to jump off of a paddle boat. Everyone has to be on their boat by 6am and then the boat slowly takes you out to the starting point 1500 meters from shore. The swim is pretty straight forward as you just pretty much swim in a straight line to shore.
On the boat, I hung out with my JSC/SBS friends and we all jumped off the boat one after the other. I had ordered a wetsuit as my last one's zipper was broken and was tossed, but unfortunately it didn't arrive in time for the race. Luckily enough, my friend Amanda had a sleeveless wetsuit that no one claimed that fit me great. Anyways, since the start was a rolling self seeded jump off the boat start, it was hard to figure out where you placed as it did take 15 minutes for everyone to get off the boats. We were towards the back of the line.
It came my turn to jump off the boat, maybe 10 foot jump??, into the water and placed my hands over my goggles so they didn't get knocked off and in I went. I have been working a lot on my swim. I have previously always gotten out of the water towards the middle of my age group and then passed a lot of people on the bike and run. Something about open water, I get so confused and scatter brained. It's like I swim myself in circles and prevent myself from moving forward. Anyways, I told myself on this day that I would swim the entire time and only stop for dire circumstances (water up the nose, choking, goggles off, etc.). So after I jumped I got in my grove and had an okay swim. Note: I took a good elbow to the face as I passed a dude and then had to fix the goggles and then back to swimming. Seeding wise, should have jumped sooner but oh well. There was plenty of space for me to swim. Swam in 32:21(2:09 per 100m) which was good enough from 3rd in my age group. I guess everyone else had a rough swim.
Seriously, I never take a good swim exit photo.
A little jog to transition on concrete to the bike and off I went. Or so I thought. I had my bike shoes rubber banded on my bike and the right shoe had somehow snapped as I ran it out of transition. I didn't realize this until after I hopped on my bike and it rubbed on the ground and then unclipped itself. And of course I was rolling at this point, so I had to turn me around and go pick it up and dodge people going out for their bike ride. And a volunteer was yelling at me to get out of the way and I was like, I will get out the way after I get my shoe. Anyways, put my shoe on then hoped on the bike. Annoying. It was raining at a decent rate at this point and there are few spots on the road that had little pebbles and dirt so everyone looked kind of like they pooped their pants after they got off the bike. :D There was a few pot holes so between dodging those and passing people, the ride went by quick. But again, should have jumped sooner so I wouldn't have had to do quite so much dodging. Average watts: 230 for a time of 1:09:29 21.4 mph
They see me rollin'
Had a more successful dismount and sprinted to re-rack my bike. Since I had Ironman Texas in a few weeks, I didn't want to get any blisters by running barefoot, so I put socks on. I have, since this race, found a pair of shoes that I can actually run in for 6 miles without blisters, so next race I will wear those! Anyways, set to work on the run, my first couple miles being faster than the last two as I was a little too aggressive (uh a 10k is not a 5k) and ran with my heart rate through the roof. Ran a 42:46 10k which is a 6:54 pace.
I would like to think I look tough in this photo. :D
Overall time 2:28:44 good for 2nd in my age group which I lost 1st just by over a minute.
So, something else awesome about this race is that you can bypass the lottery for Escape From Alcatraz race in San Francisco by winning your age group. I was really gunning for 1st in my age group because I have wanted to do Alcatraz ever since I have first heard about it. So I was pretty bummed after I heard that I was 2nd in my age group. I approached the girl that won the age group asking if she was going to take it and she said she was a maybe.
That's me in the pink
Well, if the first place person doesn't take the slot, they do roll it down. The roll down process was slower that Ironman (you get an email in the middle of the week after the event if you get the slot, and then it is rolled down.) The girl who beat me, found me on Facebook to let me know that she was not going to take the slot as she is already registered for this year and doesn't want to do it next year, so I got the slot!! YAY! I let them know I wanted to do it this year, so I am all registered to do it this year on June 7th!! Seriously can't wait!!
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