The Santa Rosa Triathlon would be the closure to mine and Patrick's 2014 triathlon season. This was the first triathlon we ever did, it started the growing fade, so it was nice to close out a busy and crazy season with the comfort of our original home course. This is also the first "normal" race on this course since 2011 (2013 was cancelled due to a pending tropical storm, a few of us raced our own race that day; 2012 the bike course was shortened to 12 miles due to damage to the national sea shore road from a storm).
The morning was cold and windy. I held on to my long sleeves and layers as long as possible. I stripped down right before heading to the water side, I wish I had brought a throw away shirt since I was in the second to last wave (11) heading into the water.
On the shoreline the women in our wave huddled close together, complaining of the cold, and hoping for the warmth of the water. The shoreline is where being nice ended. I thought maybe it was just me but I talked to a friend in the same wave and we both reached the same conclusion- this was the most brutal swim start we had ever experienced. I was shocked to come out with my limbs attached and not bleeding out. At the start of our wave I was back a little but really only second row of women entering the water. As we moved into the water there was some pushing but nothing that could not be explained away as waves, wind, and running in water and sand. Once I dove in it got worse, I was in the middle of the washing machine. Legs flying, arms slamming down against me, bodies coming over top of me. Pushing was the only way to get through, all I wanted to do was to get through. At the first buoy I made the turn with four other girls, one made the turn on top of me; I think because she was trying to be sharp and save efforts.
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| Patrick, a quick rinse. |
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| Out of the water looking mean! |
Once we were parallel to the beach the winds showed its affect on the water, breathing to the right was not an option, unless you learned to breath water. I was glad to be an ambidextrous breather, so I mostly caught air on the left hand side. After the turn it was me and two other girls. i am not sure what was going on but in an open gulf we were bumping against each other, again I am going to chalk it up to the affects of the wind pushing one of the girls out in to me as I was trying to spot the next buoy and make it as straight a line as possible. We jockeyed back and forth some- I saw pink next to me, then yellow, then pink- ok, maybe they were jockeying. Upon the final turn the pink top took the lead, the yellow top took a far inside path, and I stayed slightly to the outside. We were amongst the boys at this point. As we hit the shore the pink top took off up the sand and I followed in hot pursuit with the yellow top slightly behind me. I was 8 seconds behind the first female in my age group as we entered transition (from there she was super fast and ended up taking first in our group).
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| Patrick, moving, moving. |
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| And... WIND!!! |
I had decent transition and headed out on the bike. The wind was a strong pushing cross wind. Gust were around 30 mph. The wind was consistent through the full race. I felt like I was leaning the whole time making it difficult for me to stay on my tri bars. I rode a good bit up on my bars, making it a little difficult on my back and legs. The bike did feel good, but short compared to the 116 done the previous Sunday. There was a brief moment of tail wind as we made the turn and then a brief moment of head wind, which we were very glad was brief, before turning back to transition in a cross wind that was sure to balance us back out by leaning the other direction.
My second transition took a little longer with some trouble getting my braces on, again. I got out onto the run, still making adjustments to the braces. My first mile was rough but I felt better on the last two.
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| Who has elbows out? |
The best part was the finish line because at the finish line I realized several of my work team members had come out to cheer for Patrick and me. It was so amazing to see them (I can't stop smiling, thinking about it). I don't often talk about my work, other than to say I work with an amazingly passionate, compassionate, strong, and dynamic team; but they deal with me day in and day out, they manage my mood when I had a long morning bike ride, or when I am facing a long evening run; they sit next to me in meetings while I smell like chlorine or bengay; they listen to me talk about events, training, aches, and pains. Through it all they offer a never ending level of support. To say I am grateful for my team would be an understatement, but I am grateful for each and everyone of them.
They are a great inspiration to me and a great help this last year in their support (understanding of having to move meetings due to my leave for events).
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| And... race, again!!! |
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| PEA RIDGE!!! |
For the last few years we have raced SRI TRI and then raced the Riverwalk 5K on the north end of the county. This year was no different. Patrick had a great, fast run, coming in under 30 minutes! I on the other hand pushed to keep up with my 6 year old nephew. He actually passed me the first time, laughing and yelling about how he passed me. In that moment I knew it was time to push a little harder. Running with him and my sister-in-law was fun and reminded me yet again that this is fun.
Also out in full force the Pea Ridge Running Club. I think they took home most of the hardware!
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