Game On

Ohio has officially “signed on” and is posting results in the multisport world.  Running races have been going strong all winter long, bike TT’s and road races are becoming more frequent, and now triathlons/duathlons can be added to the list.  Beyond running races I finally get to post some results and remind my body what it means to race! 

Wednesday night I rode in the Blue Streak Time Trial (10 miles) at WPAFB, placing 2^nd female by 7 seconds.  Can’t let that happen again- game on!!  RESULTS  We had a great night- finally a break from the rain and cold!  Felt good to push the cranks and see where my fitness level is at the start of the season.  I’m happy for now, but feel there is room to improve! 

Saturday morning the weather was a bit different- rain as the main dish, with a side order of wind.  Miami University hosted a sprint triathlon through HFP Racing.  The swim is a 400m serpentine swim (you swim down in one lane, then move to the next lane and swim back, etc. until you have completed all 8 lanes totaling 400m).  Head outside to T1 and try putting on clothes when you’re wet and cold…not an easy task.  (My T1 time was 2-3x longer than the guys around me.)  After yelling to another racer I know that he was exiting the wrong direction, I jumped on the bike with shorts not quite on right (dang things don’t fit my body type).  Eh, not a stellar bike.  Jump off in T2 and throw my shoes on- time to see what the legs can do.  Turnover was quick, HR was high, and I found my groove in the last mile.  Dang sprint races.  Overall, it felt controlled but right where I assumed I’d be starting the season.  I finished 1^st female and 5^th OA.  RESULTS (btw: the OA winner is only 17 years old.  Watch out for this guy Nick Noone- you’ll be hearing his results in the future for sure.) 

Sunday morning I volunteered at a local race in Troy, OH.  It is the first of a series of canoe-bike-run races put on by Speedy-Feet.  They are so much fun!!  Unfortunately, the weather had other plans and the canoe portion was cancelled.  Windy day, lots of rain earlier this week, and a rushing river… not a safe combination.  Good call!  So, everyone did a duathlon.  I love watching and helping out with races- you get to heckle racers, see the other side of the sport, and enjoy the outdoors.

"Take-home" from the races:

1. Stay focused- can’t afford the mind wandering in short races. 

2. Push harder- if it doesn’t hurt, you aren’t going fast enough. 

3. Spend the next 2 weeks working on T1. 

4. Get used to a high HR- it’ll only last a little while, then you can relax. 

miss