'09 Pocatello TRIathlon Race report

Another one in the books!

I learned a few things by doing the Pocatello Triathlon! First... I learned that if I take a break once in a while and don't race every weekend, I have more fuel left in the tank. Second, I learned there are a handful of people out there that actually READ this crap I'm writing... so I need to watch my Ps and Qs! Haha!

It was definitely a stressful week before the race! Not only was I hosting my brother's three kids from Texas, Brent and I also embarked on a NASTY project ... re-roofing the house! Although I didn't actually get up on the roof to help out with the tiles, I stayed enormously busy being "mom" to 10 kids .... my brother's three, and the others that were helping with the roofing project! By "being a mom" I mean shuttling kids to and from football practices, going to the store to get snacks, cooking lunches and dinners, taking the kids swimming in the afternoon... Holy Crap I could not do that on a daily basis! A week was enough! Props to y'all out there who do it every day! The roofing project started every day at 6am and didn't end until well after 10pm... minus about three hours in the afternoon where they needed a break from the heat! I'm still tired thinking about it!

So... Needless to say I really didn't train much the week of the race. But that was okay.

I hadn't raced since Boise Ironman in June... and despite amazing urges, I told myself I wasn't going to until the Poky Tri. I needed the break! Last year I burned out bad before I got to the Texas Ironman... so I figured if I just took it kinda easy through July I'd have something left for my big race in Oklahoma City in September. So ... I ran the Sawtelle Fun Run in July (a 5K) but minimized the miles elsewhere in an effort to stay mentally fit. I also have a nasty case of Achilles Tendinitis that I've been nursing so the break was especially necessary.

Race Morning: Up at 5:30... and left the house at 630. I left a lot later than I would usually do because I had talked one of those roofing kids into doing the race the day before! haha! He was talkin' some smack and I had to show him up!

I got to Ross Park and the place was already packed. I couldn't find a good transition spot ... at least one that wasn't surrounded by Mtn Bikes... so I asked the race director if he'd let me transition by a tree that was still inside the transition area. He said sure... and I was set!

The Pocatello Triathlon is a reverse tri... so the run was first. Even though I cannot control my overall place (at least I don't like to set my goals that way b/c I cannot control who else shows up to race!)... I still hoped to finish top 5... or better yet top 3. I cruised out to an easy pace... with the intent still being to have a good "B" race... not to overdo it... and to stay as close to the top 5 as possible - knowing that I would probably make up a little time on the bike and a little more on the swim.

My run was decent... a beautiful and AWESOME course through Upper Ross Park and on the AMI Trail back to the Cheyenne Crossing and then back up 2nd to T1. I felt pretty strong, really... not my best 5K, but good. I entered T1 at 25:30... took about 40 seconds to get my shoes and helmet on and off I went on the bike in 5th place overall.

The bike was the same as in previous years... and out and back towards Inkom. The wind by Century HS was intense.... I struggled to hold on... but I was happy because I was catching #4 and could see #3 ahead. I managed to pass the 4th place girl before the turnaround... and got the 3rd place girl about 1 mile from T2 (although she passed me right back when I slowed for traffic!). I knew that 3rd place girl was a GREAT swimmer... so my task would be to pass #2 in the pool... I could see her ahead on the bike so I figured I had to make up about 2 minutes or so.

Another 30 second transition and into the pool I splashed! I just happened to jump into the lane with the 2nd place girl. It was purely by coincidence but I was happy I did. I lapped her 4 times during my 500 ... and I got out of the pool before her so I was pretty sure I'd wrapped up 3rd place overall. BTW my swim was tiiiiiggggght! Ow. I guess I spent a little more than I wanted to on the run and bike because I was all stoved up and couldn't breathe well enough to insert flip turns! haha! Oh well! It was still a decent swim time even with the open turns.

So... overall I was the third fastest female... and I was 1st Athena. Not bad for a 41 y/o!!!

Even though the Pocatello TRI isn't the biggest out there, I really enjoy this race. It's my hometown race,.. so that's cool.... but I just really like to see all the new people who come out to race every year! Beginners inspire me tremendously because that was me three years ago! By watching them, I'll never forget that exhilerating feeling of crossing the finish line in my first triathlon. It's just awesome to what I felt in each of their faces! I was also incredibly inspired (and continue to be!) by the young girl who won the race. Erika.... a 17 y/o from the Driggs area that I know will someday be an Olympian! It's just spectacular to see such strength from such a young person... Someday I hope to be able to watch her on TV and brag that I only lost to her by 7 minutes in the Poky Triathlon! haha!

Oh... and that kid I talked into racing? I beat him. By 11 seconds!

Ha!

Oklahoma City next month. It's the Halfmax National Championships. I qualified in Texas last year... and I'm looking to EXPLODE on the nice flat course! This is my "A" RACE for the year... the one I've been looking forward to for the past 11 months. My goals are to break 6 hours... and I figure I can do it if I go sub :35 on the swim, sub 3:00 on the bike... and sub 2:20 on the run!

But to do that I gotta train. HARD this month!


I'm Out.