Arbour Lake triathlon was yesterday morning. I was feeling good, feeling ready, a little tired, but hey it was 6:00 in the morning! Laura came over (she swam for Chads relay team) and we were off.
We got there, met up with Luanne (the runner for the relay) and then we had to walk for what seemed like forever to make it to transition. Most people were there already so I had to find myself some space. I was super organised this time around and it only took me a couple of minutes to get set up in transition. The sun was out and shinning away the wind however was bloody cold! We ran into a few more people we knew and chatted with them for a bit while we got ready (Nolan, Lauren, and Richelle from the tech shop put in a team too).
We headed over to get numbered up and collect our race chips. I wiggled my way into my wetsuit while I tried to hear what was going on with the pre race meeting. I forgot how much work it is to get into my wetsuit! The water was a balmy 14 degrees, I got in before the race started to try and acclimatise to the frosty lake. Pins and needles were going through my feet and we were off.
The first part of the swim was tough because I could hardly breathe! I thought I was hyperventilating, but it was due to the water being soooo cold! I forced myself to relax and slow down a bit until I got used to it. Once I got into my groove I was fine. The rest of the swim went really well, I did forget how much my shoulders burn when I swim in a wetsuit. So much so that I am sore today! I didn't have a problem sighting and I swam really straight!
Out of the water I getting out of my wetsuit and was putting on the necessary gear and Darryl was there getting ready for the swim. He asked how the water was, and I said "oh its a little cold but not too bad." WHAT??? I must have temporarily forgotten the extremely hard time I had breathing at the beginning...maybe my head was still numb?? Sorry Darryl, I didn't think about what I had said until after the race...it was freaking cold at first AND THEN it wasn't too bad! Once I was ready to roll I was off on the bike and I was feeling good, even passed a few people. I was most concerned about Chad passing me, so I was giviner. Up and down the hill I went, it was 4 loops of 10 km course. I was half way done my third lap when my front tire sounded like it exploded. That's when Chad zoomed by me and he could hear me saying some not very nice words.
I am going to go a little off topic here. When I was out on Thursday with the group I blew a tube in my front tire as well. I took it apart again on Saturday and looked closely at my tire so I would get a flat during the race. I didn't find anything so I out it back on and pumped it up again.
Okay, back to race day. I got off my bike getting ready to change out the tube and that is when I saw it, there was a rip in my tire. There were a few more expletives to be said when I discovered this. I was done. I then started the walk back to transition...in my bike shoes. Grrrrr. I was pretty mad, but I realize that is part of the sport. The worst part is that I was having such a good race and I thought I could do really well. Why don't you ever get a flat when you are having a crappy race??? It is always on the good ones!
I made it back to transition a while later, racked my bike, met up with everyone, and had to explain why I was walking my bike in not riding it:( I went and handed in my race chip and was a little bitter about it for the rest of the day. I retrospect this is the second race I had DNFed and I think I dealt with it a lot better this time that the last. We won't get into the sobbing details of how I reacted last time!
Chad finished up his biking leg of the race and passed the chip over to Luanne and she started the run. I had to rub it in to Chad that technically he didn't pass me out on the bike course because I was done biking by the time he went by:) Ha ha...you can't catch me!
Laura, Chad and I went to cheer on the rest of the people we knew in the race. Nolan was finishing up the run course by this time, Darryl was out on the bike and Luanne was somewhere making her way up the hill on her first lap! We cheered nice and loud for everyone to hear! Luanne was having a tough time, not feeling too well so we stepped it up and each one of us went with her for a loop of the course to cheer her on! I did cross the finish line, even though it was unofficial!
Once the race was finished we collected all of our gear and went out for lunch. After lunch I had to go and get another tire, so we stopped by Speed Theory on the way home.
I am surprisingly a little sore today, which means I was working pretty hard on the part of the race I completed yesterday! My shoulders and glute med ( a little bum muscle under the big bum muscle) are sore today. I am either going to do an easy ride tonight or swim...maybe a will so a shorter training session of each...we'll see! Laura got some pics of us out there so I will get them from Chad and post them later.
3 comments:
Hey, I'm so sorry about your race. I came by you just after the big hill descent. I feel bad about not saying anything, I figured it was prolly a flat and I had no spare to give you anyways(I didn't carry one, but I also didn't know your tire was ripped). Thanks a bunch for your cheers, it helps soooooooooo much, weird how it helps carry you for a little ways at least when you are hurting.
Oh no, Leslie, that is really too bad about the tire puncture. I remember when this happened to you at the Heritage Lake tri a couple years ago.
Hopefully that is all your flats out of the way now and you will be puncture-free at all of your big races. At least you worked hard in the swim and did awesome, especially if your shoulders are sore today! You just have to put it behind you and look ahead to the next race!
I applaud you for handling it so well! What an absolute bummer though, eh? Ah well, there was absolutely nothing you could have done differently, so I say: Job well done, Tri Chickie!!!! :) :)
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