Reesha's Triathlon and Duathlon Race Reports!

[Starfish]

Thanks guys!

Tonight is my second mini-tri! I'm scared again mostly because I know how hard it was last time and I'm worried I won't finish. Ugh. Nervous!!!

Hey Reesha! I have never done a Tri, or competed on my bike. But, I have done a LOT of competing over the years in other individual sports, and one thing I know...if you keep at something long enough, you are going to have stellar days, you are going to have OK days, and you are going to have a few bad days.

There could come a time when you don't finish. Maybe this week, maybe next year, whatever. You control the things you can, and you let go of the rest. Either way, you learn, and even if you don't finish, you will be able to find some thing that you did right, despite the finish. When that happens, you chalk it up to life, and go to the next Tri!

You've got a courageous heart, and that means you'll be OK, regardless! We're rooting for you!

[Reesha]

Thanks starfish!

Tonight was my second mini-tri and I was just as scared, if not more scared than the last time. There were double the competitors this time but it was sunny and cool and great weather all around for a whole lot of hard work!

The swim: Ugh! I went into panic mode almost immediately because there were so many people and so many flailing limbs and bubbles in the water. I lost some time because of it, I'm almost sure of it. I couldn't even manage a breast stroke at first, or a side stroke. Just a weak "I'm panicking" flapping of arms and legs. I caught my stride eventually and ended up being one of the last ones out of the water again. 400 m in 12 minutes lol! I took my time during the transition because I remembered the vertigo and I felt pretty woozy.

I was prepared for the bike though and immediately passed about 10 people who swam faster than me! Go bike go! My legs tired rapidly though and some people ended up passing me, but I never left the big gear on my chain ring and was able to sprint up hills that stumped me last week. All in all I did the 12 miles of ups and downs in just 40 minutes. I'm really really pleased :up:

The run was miserable. I had a horrible cramp on my right side almost immediately and I couldn't catch my breath and find a rhythm. I rapidly got blisters on the arches of my feet because I forgot my socks and I had water in my left ear that I couldn't get out. Every fifty feet I told myself I would stop, but in the end I kept on moving in spite of all the pain and discomfort. I wouldn't let myself down after all the training I've done.

I finished 3 minutes faster than last week... and that's with really lazy transitions and a really bad swim! I finished in 1 hour and 31 minutes to a group of friends who were really loud and proud.

Right now I feel like I need some ibuprofen really badly for some possible swelling in my knee and it feels like my torso has been kickboxed, but you know, I've done two triathlons now. Never have I experienced such a strange combination of feeling like I'm going to die and feeling like I'm the champion of the world.

[Starfish]

Never have I experienced such a strange combination of feeling like I'm going to die and feeling like I'm the champion of the world.

What a great line! Hey, you overcame nerves, did your event, did it faster than last week despite nausea and cramps, and came out of it able to write a positive, upbeat report! Sounds like a victory to me. Great Job!!

[Reesha]

So... race report...

There were a total of 6 competitors tonight at the duathlon and they were all totally fun and awesome. I think everyone is resting up before Ironman this weekend or forgot about it. That's ok, it felt less like a race and more like an opportunity for a personal best.

I started out with a 4.5 minute long 1k trail run then changed my shoes and hopped on my mountain bike. I'd never mountain biked with clipless pedals and I crashed three times. One was kind of perilous... almost fell six feet into a river on a bridge, but I was ok... just dirty. The bridge was on a curve at the bottom of hill and was all mossy and yucky and slippery. Hence the crash. I laughed every time I fell. I'm not sure how long the bike took me but it was 10k.

The run though... I did my fastest 5k yet, a trail run which was harder definitely in about 27 minutes. In fact I actually took a wrong turn on the windy olympic x-country ski trails and did a much longer run than I should have. Maybe 5.5k? I was cruising at the end though, conquering my tired bike legs and asthma and it pretty much ruled.

I got a really nice nalgene bottle for being the *only* 20-29 woman participating (it would go to the fastest, but you know) and the guy who runs all the duathlons and triathlons told me he'd sign me up for a mountain bike clinic for free and he'd fit my mountain bike for free. Awesome!!!

So I'm home now and pretty covered in filth and grit, but it's such a happy healthy feeling.

I feel really energized though and I can't wait for the next duathlon. It will rule!

[HappyAnika]

OMG! You rode clipless on a mtb for the first time ever in a race?! You rock! I think that it so cool. Kind of crazy, but still cool. Congrats on the fast 5k trail run. Watch out, Rocknrollgirl is going to get you to sign up for an Xterra race.

[Reesha]

Well, I appreciate the love, but the clipless didn't daunt me as I've been riding my road bike with them. And thankfully, I'm getting used to crashing.

Tomorrow is my third sprint-distance triathlon. Once again, I'm nervous. I'm just hoping for no swim panic attacks and an equally fast and furious bike leg! After the duathlon last week, maybe my run will be faster!

[Reesha]

Race Reports: Mini-Tri #3 and Trail Duathlon #2!!!

Monday, my third mini-triathlon is the whole reason that I've started training. I've never had so much fun doing an athletic event. While my swim did not improve from the week before, my bike was faster and more fearless and my run was faster too! I spent the entire 5k coping with the breathlessness by cheering on my co-competitors and grinning ear to ear. It was funny to get complimented on my smile on a run... I guess I never thought I'd be smiling while running!

All in all I was 2 minutes faster this week. Woo hoo! There are three or four more this summer, I hope I'll be 10-15 minutes faster than I was to start this year. The goal will be to be 10 minutes faster at the start of next season than I will be at the end of this season.

Tonight... my second trail duathlon.

This time no crashes, my front brakes worked (they didn't work last week) and I felt like I had more confidence in general. I smoked hills that defeated me last week as well. No unclipping for me! My 1k run was 3.5 minutes, 10k bike was 38 minutes, and my 5k run was 27 minutes. That is a personal record for the 5k, so I was really thrilled. AND it was after a hard 10k mountain bike! Woo hoo! Awesome feeling.

Now I have to go shower off all this dirt, sweat and brake dust. Hahaha. Must ease up on those brakes.

Also, here's what I rode my bike home to tonight after the race....


Yeah!

[Tri Girl]

What a beautiful picture!
Congrats on getting better each time you do it- that's the best payoff for training!

[alpinerabbit]

You are one tough cookie... fearless with the clipless experience. And you live in a beautiful place.

[teawoman]

Congrats to you!! I can hear the joy in your "voice" as I read!

I am terrified of all things clippy related!

[Reesha]

Thanks everyone! I'm attending a mountain bike clinic tomorrow and I think that will really help me out in my Wednesday night races.

I've crashed so many times at this point that clipless pedals don't scare me anymore. And you can always unclip for parts that are a bit technical. 8')

I think I'm going to build a bike with my new favorite local bike man over the winter so I'm ready for next year! If I save until next summer, I can totally afford this:


A Yeti AS-R SL... except I'd get it in pink.

[tygab]

Reesha, just for the record I love it where you live and try to make it there 3-4 times a year (which given it's a 5.5 hr drive each way, is a lot). Did you grow up there? Anyway, I was hoping to snag a Monday night tri this year up there but didn't think they'd be having one after the IM. Had I known, I woulda stayed til Tuesday to do it. I guess I should have looked online because the schedule is there. And they'll be over mid August, boo.

<<adding myself to their email list.

Anyway maybe next time I'm up you can ride lead. You sound pretty tough tho.

[short cut sally]

Reesha, I am in awe of you..I popped into this thread just to read stuff about tri's to get some insight. A friend suggested she wanted to do some tri stuff..I can't run to save my soul-maybe jog at a snails pace for a couple of miles if that, I've never swam but I CAN bike. Thats a start. From what I can gather from your posts, there are small tri's? Could you either pm me or direct me in the right area to get more information. I know my neck of the woods does not have such things. Thanks in advance.

[tygab]

shelly,

These tris are sprint events, which there should be in your greater area.

sprint = roughly 1/4 miles swim, 13ish mile bike, and 5k run (3.1 miles)

The distances go up from there. Sprints are often very beginner friendly, but they also are a, well, sprint, so the pace for the winners is quite fast.

You can see all the available sprints on the USA Triathlon site.

http://www.usatmembership.com/EventCalendar/

Around these parts, the events are basically over by end of Sept. But, you might still be able to make one this year!

[csh_01]

WOW! You're doing awesome. I love reading how you've progressed at each week's tri. Keep it up!