Belated Race Report - From September 20, 2009

Just last month, I did the Burnet TRI Hard Challenge at Inks Lake in Burnet, TX. Last year, I had a blast at this triathlon camping the night before with a few of my favorite racing buddies. This year, we were unable to secure a camping spot and thus had to stay at a local bed and breakfast. The B&B was nice, albiet a bit creepy as we were the only ones staying there. The restuarants in Burnet were empty and much of the historic downtown was deserted and blighted. It was quite sad. To make matters worse, after the tri as we were leaving the B&B, the B&B owner's female bulldog attacked and bit our mini schnauzer several times, drawing blood in a few places. He recovered and I took care of his cuts in the following weeks, but needless to say it was a pretty traumatic trip. Hence, this update is quite late.

PRE-RACE:
I planned to train through this race, and so I did a long run on Saturday morning with my favorite running buddies. The run was tough for me, I felt very tired until about 5 miles in. This 5 mile-feel-better rule happens to me sporadically when I've been training hard. I usually take rest and I feel better on the next long one when this happens. I had the tri on Sunday, though, so rest really wasn't an option. We got to Burnet, took a visit to Inks Lake to pick up our packets and check out the water. The water was like glass, and it was nice and cool. Inks Lake, in my opinion, is one of the best lakes to stage a triathlon swim. It remains to be one of my favorite lakes in which to compete. The out and back course is easy to navigate because the water is fairly flat and the temperature is cool but not too cold. If only Decker Lake would be so cool and easy to navigate.

Anyway, so we get in to the B&B and then proceed to try to find a relatively healthy place to eat in Burnet, TX. The small town offered Tex-Mex, a southern buffet, and Tex-Mex. We went for the southern buffet, as we figured it would be better for finding carbs and easier on the tummy. That restuarant was an experience all its own, and for the first time in my life I found myself being a tad bit picky. Usually I eat everything, but I took it easy at this buffet. My stomach thanked me for it later.

Sleep was hard to come by the night before the tri, and I woke up before the alarm. I was plauged with premonition-type dreams of flat tires and bike maintence issues. That morning, we warmed up oatmeal in the B&B's kitchen and ate quickly. Then we drove off toward Inks Lake. I did not carefully inspect my bike before loading it, and I realized that my back tire was flat. I'm no stranger to flats, and so I attempted to change it, only to find that my brakes were rubbing. I solicted help from a fellow triathlete and went on my way prepping transition. Somehow, I knew that my bike issues would not be few on that day. I turned out to be right.

THE RACE:
The swim went smooth. Smooth as glass. I loved and enjoyed every second. I came up to transition, took some water and got on my bike. Not 5 miles into the bike course, I hear a disheartening "PSSSSSSSSH" of my bake tire deflating. I stop and begin to change it. I blew through my first CO2 cartridge and was working on the second. I began to have thoughts of stopping. I figured my bike split was shot. Then Liz bikes up and offers moral support and help. I get rolling and somehow I find it in me to try to pass everyone that passed me while I was messing with my back tire for 15 minutes. It was a fun game I played and I really felt like I pushed the rest of the bike harder than I ever had in a tri as a result of that flat. My time, of course, does not reflect that, but I know it and that is what matters. I keep focusing on the mantra "You are an athlete that doesn't give up" and it worked well. I was very excited for the run, although my legs were more tired than they normally are going into it. I sped through like only a fast girl can and was only passed once. The guy that passed me was doing more training, he had already finished. I hung with him for a while, and we chatted. He said I was "baking it on the run" and I told him about the tire issue and how I channeled Chrissie Wellington. He said nice job and then dropped me. I ran behind him, keeping him in sight for the second half of the 5K and ended up with a great run split.

Overall the tri was a success because I went from wanting to quit to finding strength in myself and my athlecticism. I ended up still placing 2nd in my age group, though we did not wait around for awards because I figured I was out of the running. The post-race baked potato was the BOMB and I thank the wonderful folks at the Burnet Chamber of Commerce for putting on yet another small, local, extremely fun race.


Current book I'm reading: The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien