Mission Accomplished

Yesterday as I prepared, and stressed, for yet ANOTHER race I got a nice text and follow-up email from my coach that basically told me to only focus on the run at the Marble Falls Tri. Easy on the swim, easy on the bike, then DROP THE HAMMER on the run. The goal is simple: PR on the run. While really, this doesn't sound like a terribly difficult thing to do, you have to consider that today's race description describes (in ALL CAPS) that this bike course is hilly. Not a concern, you say, since the focus is on the run?? Well, next consider the run is after the bike. On rubber legs, even if you go easy.

So, let's start with the swim. 1000m. Can you say brown water? Brown. No kidding here, people. Absolutely disgusting. Lots of particles floating in there, too, which I later found stuck to my skin inside my clothes when I changed. That said, last year's swim time at Marble Falls was 25:23 and I was really trying. This year: 21:15!

Next, the bike. 23 miles. When I looked at my time from last year I wondered, "What the hell was I doing? Avg speed of only 14.6 mph?!" Well, I now remember. The first 3rd of the bike course is completely uphill. Then a series of Nutty Brown-ish hills. Thankfully the last 3rd is downhill. Near miss with a car, but I still only averaged 16.7 mph. I only pushed on the downhill, then occasionally on the smaller hills, but was really trying to save my legs for the run. Quick wave to the folks on the way in, and done. This year: 1:22! Still acceptable in my eyes.

Finally, the run. 4.4 miles. Quick wave to the folks on the way out (gotta love them!) and asked my mom how far ahead Dionn was - she's my barometer on how I'm doing. 10-15 minutes back, no problem. 40 minutes back, problem. Mom said she was about 10 or so ahead at that point, and I'll take it. Weaving in/out of little streets through the neighborhoods, I took to using the straights & curves tactics, and it seemed to help since I often go anaerobic and need recovery. I also got a little giggle when a volunteer sprayed a guy with a hose so he could cool down, and he started singing "Maniac" - I love a sense of humor during a race.

But there are two things that really helped me up that gravel path for the final uphill push: 1) seeing my parents as I rounded the corner, camera in one hand, cowbell in the other, screaming for me; and 2) Dionn in full-on cheerleader mode, yelling at me to get my ass up that hill and drop the hammer. I gave it all I got, and tears came to my eyes. I just wanted this to be over, but I didn't want my last race photos to be of me crying. I even heard another spectator saying, "Well, she doesn't really have any choice but to drop the hammer with all that cheering." And they were absolutely right. My run pace PR for triathlon is 8:31 on a 2-mile run course. This year, for the 4.4 miles, my average pace was 8:29! Woo-hoo! It's a party, people.

Last year's overall time was 2:50. This year? 2:24. My work for today is done.