Queen of the Hill Sprint Triathlon

There is a local women's triathlon club just south of me that started a couple (I think?) years ago.  The club is the Mullica Hill Women's Triathlon Club. 

The club is several hundred strong, and is made up of a mix of newbies to seasoned triathletes.  I'm not a member of the club, but working in the running store I've become aware of all sorts of cool activities that this club has hosted for their members.  This year, they decided to put on their very own women's-only sprint triathlon. 

Named the Queen of the Hill, the RD's put lots and lots of thought into the female-driven details of this race.  It was a great event, on a beautiful summer day, and to top it off, I raced pretty well!

I had two goals for this race:  to have a stronger T1 than the Hammonton race, and to feel successful/not  fall on the bike with my new pedals.  I met up with a couple friends race morning and as we set up our transition spots, we giggled at the full-length mirror outside the line of porta-potties and the pink accents everywhere.  There was certainly a female focus here.  At one point, I giggled because it was so over-the-top, but I simmered that because I could tell how many of these women were doing this for the first time and how excited/nervous/full of wonder they were, and that was kinda cool. 

I got there early enough to get a great transition spot -- right next to the bike in/bike out.  I was happy to have a longer run from the swim to the bike, a short run with the bike out and then in, and then a bit more of a run through transition to the run out.  Perfect spot.  Then I got body marked. 

I walked over to the young girls who were weilding the markers, and told them my race number.  That went on both arms.  Then they asked how old I'll be on December 31st. 

Um, what?

How old will you be as of December 31st?  the cute, mid-teenage, perky girl asked. 

Um, what?  I looked around.  I'm 39. 

And that's how old you'll be at the end of this year?

Oh, God.  I forgot that's how the USAT rules are for age-grouping.  They messed up at Hammonton!  (not that it would've mattered in the standings)

Um, I'll be 40, I said quietly.  I wasn't prepared to be there yet, I confided to the girl.  The mid-50's woman next to me told me to shut it.  Sort of -- she said it nicer than that, but that's what she was saying.  The perky high-schooler, oblivious to the fact that I'll remember this moment forever, directed me to turn around and there it was:  a big, black, 40 on the back of my left calf. 

ugh. 

Ok, here I go.  First race in a new age-group.  Let's see how it goes. 

With my age weighing me down a bit, we got set, got our wetsuits (they weren't necessary at all -- warm water, 1/4 mile swim -- but I'm wearing mine any time I can since this is my first racing season with one and I need the practice with it!), and headed over for the pre-race meeting and the national anthem.  The RD kept asking us to "stay standing" for another minute; there was "something special" that was going to happen.  We laughed at every time she said that -- um, we're all standing.  Where would would we sit?  But then, she announced the military fly-over. 

I knew it was coming -- we'd heard about it at the store and thought it was a bit hokey for a small sprint tri -- but standing there, as the race was about to start, it was pretty cool. 

We had just a few minutes to get a warm-up swim done in the lake, and the race began.  I was in the 3rd (of 4) waves, and I positioned myself off to the side, away from the rest of the wave.  They all lined up in the deeper water and had to tread for a couple minutes before we were off.  I stayed in the shallower water, and as the wave began, I had a straight line to the first buoy.  I swam hard.  I wanted to get out in front -- fewer people to deal with until I caught up to the stragglers from the first wave -- and I did.  There was one other woman right near me until about a third of the way through the swim, but we never got in each other's way.  I kept swimming.  I swam hard.  And I passed women from the wave in front of me.  And then, although I kept repeating pace yourself, I was swimming hard -- and all of a sudden I couldn't breathe.  I had just made the last turn past the buoy that put us on the straightaway to the swim exit, and I couldn't breathe.  Keep calm! I repeated.  But I couldn't help it -- I eventually had to turn onto my back and catch my breath for a few seconds.  I did, and then I swam to the exit.  I wasn't happy about that, but I thought I had swam hard and probably had a good time anyway. 

The water got shallow well before the exit, and though it would've been faster to keep swimming, I couldn't.  There were about 10 woment stopped and walking through the knee-deep water with about 10 yards to go.  I had no choice, I had to do the same.  As I ran out up the steps and across the mat, I worked to get my breathing in control and my wetsuit off.  I got to my bike, got out of the suit, threw on my helmet and my sunglasses, and grabbed my bike.  I knew I accomplished goal #1 -- that T1 time would definitely be faster than 4:06!

My bike shoes were already clipped onto my pedals, so I ran out in my barefeet, got my right foot into the shoe and started to ride.  Got the left foot in, and off I went.  So far, so good for goal #2!

The bike leg was 10 miles of rolling hills.  Nothing too exciting on the bike -- I started to look for women in my age group and see how strong I could ride.  I got passed by a few, then passed a few, and overall felt like my bike was decent. 

Until the last 2 miles.  I knew I had a run coming up, and I knew I had the first race dismount with these pedals coming up, and I started to prepare mentally.  Then 2 women in my age group flew by me.  AGH!  How are they going so fast???!!!  I tried to keep up, but they dropped my quickly.  I was a bit distracted now as I safely dismounted at the base of a hill and then had a long run into the parking lot and into transition for the run leg.  (They had, at the last minute, decided it would be better to have everyone dismount at the hill, rather than turning into the lot.  Really? Safer to have everyone stop at the base of the hill and get off their bikes?  okay....) For me, it was fine.  Goal #2 accomplished!

Into T2, I racked my bike, dropped my helmet, and quickly cleaned off my feet, threw socks on, tied my shoes, grabbed my visor, and off I went for the 5k run.  Legs weren't bad!  But huh -- there's a hill right there to start the run.  Ok, let's go!  My friend J (who sponsors the OWS) was there, and as I ran out he yelled -- this is your strength, Lora!  You've got at least 15 people you can pick off!

I gave him the thumbs up and started to count. 

I passed more than 15.  I settled into a decent pace that I felt I could hold, and went to work.  I saw the eventual winner coming back, and I counted.  I counted how far back I was from her, and I counted how many women I passed.  We all passed "Good job!"'s onto each other, shouted words of encouragement, and I counted.  

As I made my way to the finish, I felt pretty good about my run.  I knew the time was solid, and I felt good about doing what J told me I should do out there.  As I crossed the line, I was happy with the day, even though I didn't feel great about what happened in the swim. 

After meeting up with my friends, cheering on other racers, and going for a cool-down jog, the results were posted. 

22 OA/185 finishers

4/46 AG (agh!  4th!)

1:10:33

swim: 7:25  (8th fastest swim on the day!)

T1: 1:45!

bike: nothing impressive 35:06

T2:  1:58

run: 24:20

For my first race in a new age-group, it was a pretty decent showing.  A well-run race, a solid effort, and two goals accomplished.  I should note that if I were in the 35-39 AG, I would've been 6th... 

Still tons to improve on, but I'll take it!