My first Olympic tri is on Saturday - Eek!

[Tennesseer]

So, HoneyBBQ, how did it go today!

[Cookies Galore]

Yeah, how did you do HoneyBBQ?!

[Cookies Galore]

Hubs did his sprint tri in 1:31:13. I am impressed with his 5k time - 22:33 (7:17 pace)!

[Deleted]

Darnit, I didn't see this in time to send HoneyBBQ some good vibes.

Waiting to hear how it went......... 

[HoneyBBQ]

Hi all! (@pinkcshmere, Cookies Galore, Tennesseer)

It went pretty well - thanks. I finished in 3:30 splits below:


Swim 38:34 (0.9 mi)
T1 2:50
Bike 1:44 (28 mi)
T2 1:42
Run: 1:03 (6.2mi)

I arrived pretty early and got a good spot on the rack. My two friends showed up (one ended up on my rack, too! yay!) and we took some selfies and helped each other into our wetsuits. 10 minutes before the swim I choked down a GU and lined up. The Oly men started first, then the Oly women (only 2 waves for Oly total - it's a small race). I actually had no nerves the morning of, I think I got them all out of my system earlier in the week.

I started the first half of the swim strong, staying in the middle of the pack. Then after the turn, I started having multiple problems. First, there was a strong taste of motor oil or gasoline from the boats in the lake. I could smell it and taste it. YUCK! It was making me nauseated. Second, the middle of the lake for some reason was extremely shallow and I kept looking at all the weird crap on the bottom of the lake instead of thinking about form. Third, I had a horrible calf cramp and ended up dragging my leg behind me and not using it at all. Fourth, the wind really picked up and I was blown off course. So I think without all that I would have been in at about 35 minutes, but as was I gave it an ok performance of B-. 

The people doing the sprint were starting exactly 40 minutes after the Olympians and my goal was to be out of the water before the sprinters clogged up the exit and transition zones - so I did that and it was good. 

T1: I was within 5 seconds in transition compared to previous tris, so that was acceptable. My friend on the rack was still in the water as her bike was still there.

Bike: I had a great first lap. It was fun watching all the sprinters on their super fast tri bikes zoom past me. It's always fun to feel like you're standing still when you're peddling as hard as you can. .  I saw my other friend on my out-lap and she yelled at me "Lap 2? ? ? " and I yelled back, "No, Lap 1!" And then I mumbled ASSHAT under my breath. LOL. She thought I was 10 minute ahead of her. That's funny. The second lap I had some really strange cramping in my abdomen - I've always felt things weren't quite right after my C-section. I ended up peddling standing up and stretching in some weird body contortion to stretch out my torso. I also couldn't shift for awhile because that was when my cramping would get really bad. It is not a normal side stitch... need to figure that out. Saw both my friends (one ahead and one behind). Grades: So first lap A, second lap C-. I forced down 2 Gus- one at mile 7 and one at mile 21. Finished my water on my bike around mile 24 - so I think I did ok on timing my calories and hydration. 

T2: I switched socks which I usually don't do but I wanted my feet to be really dry on my 10k run. I was ahead of 1 friend but behind the other.

Run: It was starting to get hot out, and of course, even though running is my 'best' event, I still felt slow as hell. I thought for sure I was doing 12 minute miles (usually I run 8:30 - 9 or so). My family had shown up by then so I got some high 5's and encouragement as I continued my "triathlete-trot" around the lake not once but twice. It was funny listening to the announcers hand out awards and stuff when I'm still out on the course puffing along... but it was good. In the end I managed to hold on to 10 minute miles which made me pretty happy. I was hoping to finish the run in under 60 minutes but that just didn't happen. Grade: B+


I ended up passing my one friend on the run, and the other finished a few minutes later - we were all within 3-4 minutes of each other. Which was fun - to all share high fives and hugs at the finish line.

Over all I finished 37/46 for OLY participant women. Which, while solidly back of the pack - I felt happy with my performance and my goal was to not DNF and I smoked that, so that was good. I have areas for improvement (swim, cramping) and glad to have my "a" race over with for the year. Might do one or two more sprints or a half marathon, but no more long races this year. 

Here's me finishing - woot! EDIT - and the sign shows 3:33 because it was full course clock and ya need to subtract out the first wave time.

[Wisconsin Beth]

Way to go! 

[Tennesseer]

HoneyBBQ-That you completed the course makes you a winner in my book no matter where you placed.

Good job.

[ken a.k.a OMK]

Great job HoneyBBQ.

[Cookies Galore]

Congratulations! Way to overcome all those cramps and other issues! I sometimes get pelvic cramps early on in my runs (I blame my Mirena), I'd much rather deal with side stitches!

[steph08]

Awesome job honeybbq!  You did great!

[NancysSummerSip]

Honey BBQ Woot Woot Woot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[HoneyBBQ]

Thank you, everyone. I know it's paltry compared to people doing IMs and such, but I am happy to have knocked this off my bucket list. Thankfully my spouse is supportive and he's the whole reason I can balance my work and our kid AND get this done.

[Cookies Galore]

Pssh! There's nothing paltry about accomplishing a goal!

[Deleted]

Aug 10, 2015 11:49:32 GMT -5 HoneyBBQ said:

Thank you, everyone. I know it's paltry compared to people doing IMs and such, but I am happy to have knocked this off my bucket list. Thankfully my spouse is supportive and he's the whole reason I can balance my work and our kid AND get this done.

Giiiiirl, just having the fitness level and determination to do it period puts you in a different league than most of us. Go Honeyyy!

I'm glad you accomplished what you set out to do. I don't have a spouse, but I believe supportive spouses are the bestest! He gets a thumbs up also, for helping you make it happen.

[NancysSummerSip]

Aug 10, 2015 11:49:32 GMT -5 HoneyBBQ said:

Thank you, everyone. I know it's paltry compared to people doing IMs and such, but I am happy to have knocked this off my bucket list. Thankfully my spouse is supportive and he's the whole reason I can balance my work and our kid AND get this done.

Nothing paltry about it. Every accomplishment is an accomplishment. Oh, and you look hawt at that finish line. Just sayin'.

[mollyanna58]

Congratulations! Well done!