Sprint Triathlon: 1:22:44 (hey just realized that's one hour more than last week's 5K!)
300 yard swim 6:12
T1: 1:07
11.7 mile bike: 45:56
T2: 0:59
3 mile run: 28:27
2nd/7 in AG, 15th/64 gender. WOW! Just what my chimp brain needs, another podium in what's supposed to be a "go through the motions".
Up at 4, prep and final pack, ate I think 2 egg yolks and some butternut puree, some butter? The left feeling certain that I'd forgotten something. My bag was so small! Arrived on time, and quickly enough realized that I forgot my wallet. Supposed I can get away with forgetting only that. But hustled to the TA to check-in and make sure I didn't need to go home for it.
On the walk to the TA, the beautiful full moon hung low in the Western sky. I for some reason expected to be behind me, so I was surprised. Full, large, a orange tinge of color, looked close enough to touch. The weather was perfect -- calm, clear, warm. The heat didn't come on until later when the clouds cleared.
Racked Puppy at the end of a rack, unpacked, and started looking around as the sun came up. Saw TG (she bodymarked me!), DC, TeresaT, BE, IT, JP, DonD, TimB, JZ, LC, and more and more!! OMG it was great, to see the club tent and friends and be back in the pre-race buzz feeling. And SO came to cheer me on, that was extra awesome.
I didn't warm-up all that much, I did pre-scope the run loop/finish markings, as recommended by the pre-race email and viewed the first 100 yards of the run. It was down hill! I walked around, couldn't stop smiling, finding friends, smiling, ooooh boy how much energy I probably burned in that hour.
We headed to the pool, JZ and I did a one lap warm-up then it was time to line up. I seeded myself in the 6:15-ish range and waited in a cramped line as swimmers went off in 15 second increments. All around me was the usual smack talk of triathlon, how fast I did that, how poorly trained I am, etc etc. Outer voices. My inner voice was calm and quiet, no obvious anxiety. Foreshadowing...
My swim went great! I put 6:15 in as my estimated time. The swim was serpentine, a full lap in each lane then duck under line. I streamlined off the wall like SO suggested, stayed pretty calm and didn't have that moment of 'water panic' I sometimes get in an effort, and according to SO I passed a few people but I don't remember when or how many. I was also concerned at one point in lap 4 that I could mess up the lane changes. But happy to know that if I did it right I wouldn't have to wonder about my lap counts.
Hit the final wall, up and out, towards TG who was manning the swim exit. I think she had maracas? SO said I didn't look like I was running normally here, limping or in pain. I don't distinctly remember, but that's important to look into and follow up on.
Run to Puppy, quick T1 with no issue, and off to the course -- a 3 loop HillzFest that I didn't take the time to preview, so I was going in cold. First stretch flat, so a perfect warm up to get cycling legs on. Then a sweeping right into the hills, a few curves, major downhill and uphill, curves, then more hills. A quick almost-4 mile loop. DC was out with his camera, LC and her daughter K near the end of the loop.
Second loop -- a few things happened. I knew where to grab a drink, so I started hydrating. I was more confident on the descents and took advantage of them. Was passed by IT and TB. The sun came out from the clouds and the heat started increasing.
But after the major hill I started having some substantial chest pain. A pressure type of pain, like a squeeze or a weight on my sternum. My forearms ached too, both sides. But no dizziness, numbness, faint headed, black-out feelings. Noticed it after a major climb. Didn't abate when I coasted on downhill, but these were kinda short for a full recovery. Differentials - cardiac, anxiety, tight grip on handlebars, referred pain from back. I wondered what to do. If I stop and tell someone, that's good because that at least someone knows in the event that I do pass out, but otherwise they can't do anything for me. If I told a race volunteer/official, they'd pull me off the course. (I laughed about this as I biked by the Fenton Fire station). So I tried to decrease my effort to test, not sure I really felt any better. Hoo boy.
Third loop still pained, and still trying to rein in my effort. Chimp brain was on the reins, I guess you could say! Third loop done and off to a fast T2 and a quick run start.
The run went across the parking lot then into a paved park trail, starting off with a curvy downhill in the trees. Then up up up, brief flat loop, more up, then parking lot until back to the finish/lap split. It was here on the loops that I saw friends and got cheered on. I felt sooooo slow, and walked the uphills both for my hip and my chest. In all honesty, I was moving as fast as I reasonably could with the go-go-go chimp brain. Being only a mile or so, the run loops went by fast.
Earlier I told myself that if I was good up to the third loop, that I could open it up and rock out the 3rd loop. Eh, I was good, not good enough maybe, and had little left to rock with! But I had a good 3rd loop, no regrets about the walking. I confess my run form was not strong, whether I can blame the hills or my over-exertion, can't say. I finished strong and happy!! Thought about doing the chicken dance, but when I actually crossed I was too winded to remember.
Hug to Marian, medal from Don, high fives to club, find SO (thanks for the water, otherwise I wouldn't drink any!), and walking. I recovered in about 20 mins and joked about wanting to run more. Focused on drinking, even tried eating, all good. Checked my results -- 2nd in AG!! Showered, changed clothes, took bike back to truck, back to club tent, and awards. Winner of a morning! Wish I had time to join IT and BE at First Watch, but off to work instead.
Post race - tired but no specific hip or back pain. But some back pain carrying in gear a few hours later after work. This led me to think about the possibility of referred pain. The chest pain continued overnight, but I couldn't pinpoint anything. Pushups, deep breaths, specific movement -- nothing reliably triggered it. ??
Some other funny random thoughts. I downloaded a Garmin triathlon widget but screwed it up in the bike, eventually shut it off so I'd quit thinking on it. In setting up transition I went as if to put my helmet on the aerobars. I'm sure I'll come up with more.
Yeah, MORE PLEASE!
NUMERICS: 5:45 excluding bike commute
SWIM 2400 yards
BIKE 32.3 miles
RUN 15.6 miles, all high intensity
BIKE COMMUTE 43.4 miles
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