Scarlet & Grey... err Columbus Triathlon?

Yet again, it was a race weekend. Though it CERTAINLY didn't feel that way. Regardless, I somehow figured it out.

Kendyl and I laughed as we waded in the water, realizing our bodies were definitely NOT in race mode. The swim looked like a short out-and-back, thought I tried pushing hard, on the way out I was definitely zig-zagging QUITE a bit. As I came out of the water to see 31:09 I KNEW something was wrong with the course. 33 minutes would be an excellent day, 31:09... no way.

The run to the mount line from the transition area was RIDICULOUSLY long, but there isn't much you can do about that but run faster. I knew the bike would be fast as I set out feeling the wind at my back. The bike was generally flat - a mild incline here and there, but all in all it seemed like a pretty easy course. I took the first lap very fast, to find out we had to bike back down to the mount line and make a tight 180 to start the course over. I sucked it up, did ok with executing my 180 degree turn, only to have the kid in front of me end up too far right and in the grass. I quickly unclipped and came to a stop. Grrr. My second lap was definitely slower than my first, but not by much. I came in feeling pretty good off the bike but certainly not in the mindset to run.

I mentally prepared myself for heading out to the last leg: the run. We started on pavement but quickly ended up on a trail. I hoped it would end soon, and it did, but then we were on grass, in heat, and it was awful. 2 miles on grass, then back to the short path of pavement, then back on trail, then back on pavement and made a loop to a trail I had done a run workout on the day before. Until mile 5, I was on pace to run 8:55 pace for my 10k... and then it hit and I walked. I began to feel the blisters killing on the bottom of my feet. The trail was just miserable. My breathing was labored while walking. I ended up finishing the run in just under an hour... not exactly ideal. When I took my shoes off, I had two of the largest blisters I've ever had in my life on either arch.

In the end, short swim and tough run, I came in at 2:46:30, though if it had been a normal 10k, I was on course to go 2:43 high. That being said... the swim was epically short so maybe the tough run made up for it. It was nice to come in second in my age group behind Kendyl - seeing that clearly all the girls had suffered like we did. As I usually do the night after a race, I think I may need a little break from triathlon racing. We'll see what I decide to do for July.