We drove to the race the morning of, getting up at 430am wasn't bad, but the drive was long (1.5hrs) and I sort of got tired during the drive. We got to the race nice and early (6:40am or so) since I had to pick up my packet the same day. By 7am I was ready to go on my warm up run. The weather was really nice, not hot and sunny. The swim was a two loop swim, where you come out of the water after the first loop and go right back in for the Oly distance.
Right when I started to swim I felt tired, not really tired, but I was feeling off. I was trying to focus more on form and sort of "tuned out". I've never felt so calm in a swim because no one was around me which was really nice. Coming out of the water we had to run on the sand which took a lot of energy out of me as well.
The bike was hilly and windy, but a really nice course with nice roads. I was using the 808 wheels for the back, Damon borrowed me, but because I was so tired it was hard to tell if they were helping or not. I was feeling the burning sensation in my legs almost right away on the bike, almost like the lactate wasn't clearing or something like that. The bike was rough, not sure if it was the course or the way I felt, or maybe combo of both.
Then it was the run, which was a similar story. I was on auto pilot mode pretty much the whole time. I knew I was in forth place with the third place, Katherine, a ways ahead and I had really no energy to try to catch up, so I just tried to stay strong and focus again on my form. The run course was nice, not hilly and some shaded parts. It got pretty hot towards the end of the run. I finished and sort of stood there hunched over for a second. I hadn't felt so drained before doing a shorter race, but today was just that sort of day I guess.
Finished forth overall but a lot slower time compared to last weekend at Liberty. I think the bike course was longer because I remember seeing the 24mile marker and it seemed way longer than another .8 miles making it an even 40K, but then again I heard the Liberty bike course was maybe shorter. All in all it was a good effort for the day for me, and I can at least walk away knowing if I was feeling it I could have done way better. All apart of racing though, you never know how you will feel or what might happen, they key is to walk with something positive.
*First time winning some MULA for forth place, can't complain =)*
Results: 4th overall female 28:55:00 1.5K swim T1 1:39 1:13:04 (20.1 mph) T2 1:03 45:11 Time time 2:29:(7:16 pace).
