Arcadia Lake Triathlon

Edmond Park beach at Arcadia Lake





August 14, 2011-  Around 100 triathletes were participating in the Arcadia Lake sprint distance triathlon.  It was a 500 meter swim, and 12 mile hilly bike, and a hilly 5k.  I wasn't sure how difficult it would be to race on legs that just pedaled 54 hard miles the day before.  

The swim:  The gun went off and I eased into my swim, careful not to push to hard in the beginning.  It wasn't but a couple of minutes and I got kicked in the gog (my word meaning one side of my goggles :).  My goggles were still on, I wasn't hurt, and I remained calmed while bumping and being bumped for about another minute or so until all of the people could get spread out a little better.  I kept the swim nice and easy, not wanting to get all worked up and out of breath....yet.  After finishing the swim, I had a long uphill beach run.  Again, I ran up slowly not wanting to elevate my heart rate too much.  I was in and out of transition in 44 seconds and off on my bike.




Sweet Cheers from Asher before my run!



The bike:  I had 12 hilly miles to cover on tired legs.  Most of my pushing came from just guts I think, because my legs felt like they weren't participating.  Hahaha.  Compared the the Route 66 Triathlon at the very beginning of my training, things were looking different.  I was passing many people instead of them passing me.  I managed to average a solid pace of 17.5mph and finished that portion of the race in 41 minutes and 11 seconds.  Now don't get your hopes up.  I'm not fast compared to the fast people.  Some people are out there going 30 plus mph.  The female overall winner clocked 31 mph.  But hey, for me, I'm fast!  That is all that matters.  Off of the bike and into transition and was off to run in 40 seconds. 

 

2nd place swim buoy prize!

 
The run:  Right off of the bat I am running fast and breathing hard.  I figured since I only had 3.1 miles to go that I would be alright.  I see my fellow Team in Training friend, Emily at the beginning of the run.  I wondered if I would ever catch her, but she was holding a fast pace too.  The run course looped around in the park and I was a little thrown off on how much farther I had to go...........I knew I couldn't take much more of this pace.  I passed quite a few men which was a bit out of the ordinary for me.  One of them looked at me for what seemed like a long time while I was passing, and I recognized that he was probably thinking "What is coming up behind me breathing so hard?"  I finished 19 seconds behind my friend Emily who took first in her 26-29 age group.  Yea Emily!  My run time was 24:32 a 7:54/mile pace.  I couldn't believe it!  I had never ran that fast in my life.  

  

 The results:  I won 2nd in my age group and was the 7th female out of 37.  My finishing time was 1:18:34.  Split times: Swim 11:29 T1 :44  Bike  41:11  T2  :40  Run  24:32















 Emily and I leaping for joy!  I know, I look scary.  Check out Emily's cool shadow.  My Camera Man:  Justin!