Philadelphia Triathlon

The Philadelphia Insurance Triathlon is the 3rd of 6 races in the Lifetime Triathlon Series- Race to the Toyota Cup. 

photo credit: Eric Wynn

 The pro field (men and women combined) had a water start in the Schuylkill River.  The current pulled us beyond the start buoys prior to the gun, so we had to back up... twice.  Then...BANG...we were off in what felt like the craziest frenzy I've swam in a long time.  Elbows flying, arms spinning, mouthfuls of nasty river water...bleh!  Typically I sight the buoy every 6th stroke.  No need in this pack- I made the assumption the group was heading the right direction, kept my head down, and hung on.  Two of us swam away from the group at one point and I remember thinking to myself, "This is much calmer- maybe I'll stay out here.  Naahhh!" and got back in.  I got out with a big pack (4-5 women included) and was ready to hunt people down on the bike after a quick T1.  (Yes, I finally had a successful T1 bike mount.  Only took me 6 races to get it right, but now I'm set).  Swim: 17:15; 10th place heading out to the bike. 



Me on the right- intensely racking my bike during T2;
photo dredit: Eric Wynn



The bike course is essentially a 2-lap flat course with several loops branching off to add elevation.  I drove and rode the course a couple days before and was excited to race through the course.  Last week was a technical, flat, urban course; this week a semi-technical course with climbs short and steep enough to send your heartrate through the roof.  I am reminded how much I love hilly courses :)  I caught 4 women who started ahead of me, a couple pretty quickly and a couple about halfway through the course.  I was about to enter T2 in 6th but was passed at just the last second and went in 7th.  Bike split 1:05.




 Then the run.  Oh the run.  I've got a lot of work MENTALLY to do on this leg.  Training is going in the right direction, but man those ladies are fast!  So tough to see them go by after all my hard work.  It's strange finding myself shutting down mentally during the run when I'm used to pushing hard to the finish line.  Long course racing= settling into a run pace.  C'mon legs... time to recalibrate!  On the positive side: I know I've not reached my potential at this distance and am eager to improve. 



Jahan and Betty Culbreath

 Total time: 2:07 and 11th place.  Post race was spent enjoying the hospitality tent and talking with other racers and people affiliated with the race.  HUGE thanks goes out to Jahan (who, by the way, was 1st place master in the sprint race just the day before- woo hoo!!) and his mother for hosting me.