a few things learned in my oly...

[tygab]

well here is a quick race report in the form of a few things learned. My 3rd race and 1st oly. Not well prepared, I'd wanted to go into this as my A race for this year. But, my season training stats are way below normal, long story but worthwhile reasons that I couldn't have done anything about.

Still, even though I thought about bailing, I couldn't walk away from the race knowing that others don't have the health to do this... so I gritted my teeth and said I'll just try to finish. Which I did do.

So, what did I learn?
1. Olys are quite a bit more competitive than the two sprints I'd done. Almost everyone wore wetsuits w/water temps at 75, I didn't see any mtn bikes or hybrids, and most bikes had aerobars or were tri bikes. I think I might take my reflectors off now...

2. Finishing last in my age group is not such a disaster. Yep, it happened to me. I still finished, and I guess someone has to be last. My husband's female coworkers all finished pretty high in their respective AGs and at least an hour before me (like top 10). I felt kind of embarrassed at first among them but one's training for a half, another's been running forever w several marathons done, etc. I dunno, probably not fair to compare myself to them. Still, I felt self conscious since they were all tall, pretty, and glowing over the race when I just managed to get across the line. Oh well....

3. Running a 10k is hard for me. Running a 10k AFTER a swim and a bike race, well that is a new ball of wax. I had a tough 1.5 last mile and had no energy left to add that last dash of speed over the line.

4. Eating and drinking becomes a lot more important than during a sprint... something I fight because I have no appetite early in the am. Sprints, I have been able to do on what's in the tank from the night before, the oly, not so much. I was hungry after my swim and it just slowed down from there.

5. Breaststroke, while comforting to me in a security blanket sorta way, is actually quite tiring when done for too long. I had to switch to free because my legs were tiring too much. A good race progress mark for me would be feeling comfortable enough with OWS to just freestyle. But I felt much better about going into the swim even though it was the longest OWS I've probably ever done.

6. I got passed by a spry older woman, I think 60s? during run who told me she'd been doing tris for 23 years. I told her I hope to be like her someday.

other random notes: crazy transition runs, long and crazy. It was almost like those ropes at the airports where you have to go through the maze thing to check in. I can't imagine I spent all that time in the actual transitions... but who knows.

The race itself was very complete, with good food, organization, and nice medals and tech shirts. Pretty course too. I'd like to do it again, with the training I should have under my belt.

I felt mixed about my results until today when I realized most people think any form of triathlon is crazy, or would never run a standalone 10k. Heck, I never ran a 10k before this spring, and don't have years of experience in any of the three sports to bank on. That's what I am building now... so it will make me stronger in the future.

I have to think of it as a journey with lots of opportunity for learning along the way...

overall 595 of 619 finishers (632 entered)
Chip time 3:37.
Swim: 34:39
T1: 5:06
Bike: 1:35
T2: 3:00
Run: 1:18 [ouch...]

photo:


I'm planning to do a low key sprint in a few weeks and that's likely it for this year....

more at www.crankynstinky.com

[NbyNW]

Thanks for sharing your experiences. It takes a different kind of strength to follow through on something that you feel you could be better prepared for.

Good luck in the upcoming sprint!

and I hope to be like you someday

[salsabike]

and I hope to be like you someday

Yeah! Seems pretty cool to me that you did what you did...

[tygab]

Thanks for the encouragement, all. Someday soon I won't be a beginner any more so I consider this a window of opportunity to share these unique moments...

and to those who wanted to be like me (I'm flattered, actually, thank you) I think you should set your bar higher!!

[roadie gal]

You should not feel bad about that time at all. That's a very respectable time.

I agree with you, the oly is a big step up from a sprint, not just in distance but in the amount of prep you have to do besides the swim/bike/run training. It's like going from a 100 level to a 300 level course in school. (To me at least) it's a distance that you can't just "gut out" you have to prepare. Or as someone on another tri forum said, "Just because you can do all 3 distances separately, that doesn't mean you can put them all together." There's always so much to learn. Good for you for going for it... and DOING it.

[Red Rock]

Just wanted to say congratulations on your accomplishment. As you have said, there is only one place to go from here and that is up. Each one will be better. Now you know what your dealing with and what changes to make. I have never done a tri so your better than me at this point. Perhaps I will eventually do one.

Congratulations!!

Red Rock

[LBTC]

Wow! Congratulations, ty! You done good!

I'm proud of you! And in some ways, yes, i'd like to be like you....but I really don't think I have any interest in doing a tri.... Learn to swim properly? Run on pavement? It doesn't sound like it's for me. The part I like about it is the pushing your limits, the long lengths of time, the training, the goal, all of that stuff makes sense to me. You did all of that and you hadn't done a 10K run before this spring?? You ROCK!!

Hugs and butterflies,
~T~

[alpinerabbit]

First off:

congrats, you are much more courageous than I (I needed a lot more training to dare)....

So, what did I learn?
1. Olys are quite a bit more competitive than the two sprints I'd done.

2. Finishing last in my age group is not such a disaster.

see? even more courageous. I always aim not to be last...

3. Running a 10k is hard for me. Running a 10k AFTER a swim and a bike race, well that is a new ball of wax.

4. Eating and drinking becomes a lot more important than during a sprint...

+1 and another couple to all you say....

I'd like to do it again, with the training I should have under my belt.

Good girl, that's the attitude

[spindizzy]

Tygab:

Wahine mentioned in a previous post that you learn more from a race where you didn't do as well as you expected.

I think you're fantastic for gutting it out and doing it anyway. Shows your tenacity and mental strength. That alone will help you in any race you decide to do.

[wavedancer]

You did great!! Right now I can't imagine doing Oly distances. I consider a sprint to be a marathon at this point (at least with the swimming and running). You are personally challenging yourself and you did it! Stand proud and enjoy training for the next one.