This weekend was awesome. No other word for it. We triathletes are an interesting group in any setting. I was worried about joining a tri club for fear that it would somehow interfere with training, and failed to see what an asset they can be. For the most part, everyone is warm and welcoming.
Saturday night, the SWAT met at Infusino's for some good food and camaraderie. Service was slow, because of the overwhelming influx of the SORT groups. That was actually not bad because there was plenty of time to get to know some people better.
Our hotel reservation fell through, but a call to Expedia moved us to Brookfield for the night. It was an hour away, but worth the drive. Never book a hotel you don't know if it isn't a chain. Lesson one for this tri.
We were up at 4:30 in the morning and headed to Racine. Mike stopped at McDonald's and I ate a very nutritious breakfast, as I'm sure you can imagine. Fried taters are magic...those fats act like carbohydrates at 9 calories per gram. So when you see me with fries in my bento box, don't laugh, look up the research.
Swim was delayed like 4 times; until 8 am. Usually, this would be extra time that I would be freaking out worrying about details. Instead, Mike walked me out to the start and members of the SWAT team kept each other entertained with some crazy banter. One of them said to make sure we donate her organs, but somebody else pointed out that the bottom half would be useless because of the extensive bike seat damage.
Swim buoys were moved in towards the shore to manage the cold water. The temp at the start was 58 degrees, and it was COLD. Within the first 200 yards, anyone with a brain got out of the water and stayed out. The rest of us pressed on, determined to remove ourselves from the gene pool. Really is no swimming in this for quite a while, because every time I stuck my face in the water I would suck in my breath. Then you chill off, and catch a rhythm. Technique is a bit problematic when the limbs go numb. Somehow, it seemed people made decent time. There was a lot of coughing/sputtering and standing in the water, but many of us found out we were quite good at dog paddling when motivated. The cap and goggles came off at the beach. Mike was standing there and I announced that the swim was the "stupidest piece of self-torture I had ever engaged in". Some guy there thought that was pretty funny. I was so serious.
As usual, I dawdle in the transitions. This is always a problem. I chatted with Mike in t-1, and my heart rate there was 44. Got hypothermia? Again, chatted with Mike and girls in t-2. The official times aren't posted yet, but I bet I spent at least 10 min. total there. Slacker...
Bike was awesome. Two miles out, saw Allan on his mountain bike and Anne screaming along on foot out in front of him. She can really move, makes me jealous. It took me five miles to get my heart rate moving from hypothermia. Wind was not really a factor at all. Racine is really not a hilly area, and what hills there are are spread out. The condition of the roads isn't very great and I will need to check over the bike thoroughly to make sure it came through OK. In the last 10 miles, I managed to slam the front tire into one of those raised sections of concrete on a bridge. Really, really lucky to be able to continue with out a flat or a ruined rim. Jwim was the only person I remember seeing on the bike that I knew, looking quite strong after that bad ass swim. Good news for her, I really cannot imagine a tougher swim occurring in Lake Monona. I passed a lot of really sweet rides.....can't buy the motor!
The run went very well. I started seeing a lot of the SWAT team. I caught up to Brian (looking as though the run were easy), Alison on the way back and Darin while heading out for loop 2 (that only took an eternity-and as I told Mike IM training makes you slow). If Darin were training for the 1/2 instead, I'm sure I would never see him. Swim time is hard hard hard to make up for. Bigmike600 and Jwim out on my way back from the first loop. The plan was to keep moving only walking aid stations until such point that I felt a walk break was needed. This was nearly mile 12, and my overall run time was just slightly over my usual half-marathon time based off of the full marathon time. This was in the new Newton shoes, yeah the expensive ones. About 10 minute miles for the overall time....can't buy the motor!
About 40 yards from the finish a chick surged forward and passed me. Then I saw her marking and realized she thought we were in the same division. No way was she Athena, one of those stick legged chicks. I kicked it in and overtook her about 10 yards to the finish with a sprint she couldn't touch. HA, teach her to mess with a big chick.
Saturday night, the SWAT met at Infusino's for some good food and camaraderie. Service was slow, because of the overwhelming influx of the SORT groups. That was actually not bad because there was plenty of time to get to know some people better.
Our hotel reservation fell through, but a call to Expedia moved us to Brookfield for the night. It was an hour away, but worth the drive. Never book a hotel you don't know if it isn't a chain. Lesson one for this tri.
We were up at 4:30 in the morning and headed to Racine. Mike stopped at McDonald's and I ate a very nutritious breakfast, as I'm sure you can imagine. Fried taters are magic...those fats act like carbohydrates at 9 calories per gram. So when you see me with fries in my bento box, don't laugh, look up the research.
Swim was delayed like 4 times; until 8 am. Usually, this would be extra time that I would be freaking out worrying about details. Instead, Mike walked me out to the start and members of the SWAT team kept each other entertained with some crazy banter. One of them said to make sure we donate her organs, but somebody else pointed out that the bottom half would be useless because of the extensive bike seat damage.
Swim buoys were moved in towards the shore to manage the cold water. The temp at the start was 58 degrees, and it was COLD. Within the first 200 yards, anyone with a brain got out of the water and stayed out. The rest of us pressed on, determined to remove ourselves from the gene pool. Really is no swimming in this for quite a while, because every time I stuck my face in the water I would suck in my breath. Then you chill off, and catch a rhythm. Technique is a bit problematic when the limbs go numb. Somehow, it seemed people made decent time. There was a lot of coughing/sputtering and standing in the water, but many of us found out we were quite good at dog paddling when motivated. The cap and goggles came off at the beach. Mike was standing there and I announced that the swim was the "stupidest piece of self-torture I had ever engaged in". Some guy there thought that was pretty funny. I was so serious.
As usual, I dawdle in the transitions. This is always a problem. I chatted with Mike in t-1, and my heart rate there was 44. Got hypothermia? Again, chatted with Mike and girls in t-2. The official times aren't posted yet, but I bet I spent at least 10 min. total there. Slacker...
Bike was awesome. Two miles out, saw Allan on his mountain bike and Anne screaming along on foot out in front of him. She can really move, makes me jealous. It took me five miles to get my heart rate moving from hypothermia. Wind was not really a factor at all. Racine is really not a hilly area, and what hills there are are spread out. The condition of the roads isn't very great and I will need to check over the bike thoroughly to make sure it came through OK. In the last 10 miles, I managed to slam the front tire into one of those raised sections of concrete on a bridge. Really, really lucky to be able to continue with out a flat or a ruined rim. Jwim was the only person I remember seeing on the bike that I knew, looking quite strong after that bad ass swim. Good news for her, I really cannot imagine a tougher swim occurring in Lake Monona. I passed a lot of really sweet rides.....can't buy the motor!
The run went very well. I started seeing a lot of the SWAT team. I caught up to Brian (looking as though the run were easy), Alison on the way back and Darin while heading out for loop 2 (that only took an eternity-and as I told Mike IM training makes you slow). If Darin were training for the 1/2 instead, I'm sure I would never see him. Swim time is hard hard hard to make up for. Bigmike600 and Jwim out on my way back from the first loop. The plan was to keep moving only walking aid stations until such point that I felt a walk break was needed. This was nearly mile 12, and my overall run time was just slightly over my usual half-marathon time based off of the full marathon time. This was in the new Newton shoes, yeah the expensive ones. About 10 minute miles for the overall time....can't buy the motor!
About 40 yards from the finish a chick surged forward and passed me. Then I saw her marking and realized she thought we were in the same division. No way was she Athena, one of those stick legged chicks. I kicked it in and overtook her about 10 yards to the finish with a sprint she couldn't touch. HA, teach her to mess with a big chick.
Comments