Reebok TriathlonSeptember 12, 2004
12th in AG/124th OA
Swim: 14:12
T1: 3:32
Bike: 48:14
T2: 2:06
Run: 40:16
Total: 1:48:17
Subaru Triathlon (same race as Reebok, new sponsor this year)
September 11, 2005
2nd in AG/6th OA
Swim: 14:27
T1: 2:55
Bike: 36:06
T2: 1:36
Run: 33:48
Total: 1:28:51
The Reebok/Subaru sprint is an all-woman's event held at Steel Lake in Federal Way, WA. The '04 Reebok was my 4th and final tri of my first season. I had had successful races at my first-ever races earlier that summer and was looking forward to perhaps improving before finishing the season.
Fall was definitely in the air - I had listened to hard rain falling all night before the race and by earl
y morning it was cold and soggy, but at least the rain had stopped. The swim went well and I had started my bike ride when my chain fell off in the first mile. I fixed it quickly and hopped back on. But as I rode, I just didn't feel fast and I was getting awfully tired. Soon I was being passed by many women. Hard as I tried I just kept falling behind. Something wasn't right! By the time the run came around, I was so exhausted. The run is a hilly double loop around Steel Lake totaling close to 4 miles. I was just wrung out! It wasn't until later that I discovered my front wheel was in contact with a brake pad. The darn pad must have shifted when my bike was laid down to fix the chain. I had been riding the whole damn ride with resistance on my front wheel and no wonder I was tired!
Fall was definitely in the air - I had listened to hard rain falling all night before the race and by earl
y morning it was cold and soggy, but at least the rain had stopped. The swim went well and I had started my bike ride when my chain fell off in the first mile. I fixed it quickly and hopped back on. But as I rode, I just didn't feel fast and I was getting awfully tired. Soon I was being passed by many women. Hard as I tried I just kept falling behind. Something wasn't right! By the time the run came around, I was so exhausted. The run is a hilly double loop around Steel Lake totaling close to 4 miles. I was just wrung out! It wasn't until later that I discovered my front wheel was in contact with a brake pad. The darn pad must have shifted when my bike was laid down to fix the chain. I had been riding the whole damn ride with resistance on my front wheel and no wonder I was tired!I needed to revisit this race the next year and set things right. And so...I came back and took 20 minutes off my time (darn brake pad).
The race in '05 was now sponsored by Subaru. Coincidentally, my 30th high school reunion was taking place in Federal Way that weekend (and the run course took us past Fed
eral Way High School, home of the Eagles). My parents still live in FW, so it was a no-brainer to enjoy reunion festivities, visit the folks and do a race on Sunday a.m. No late night boozing it up would be happening. Being body-marked with race numbers on biceps is a nice accessory to the little velvet top and baubles I was wearing, don't you think? . There I am with old pals Miles, Lance, Rick and Derek (at 5'6", I'm not short; these tall guys used to play on the basketball team together at FW). Go Eagles!
eral Way High School, home of the Eagles). My parents still live in FW, so it was a no-brainer to enjoy reunion festivities, visit the folks and do a race on Sunday a.m. No late night boozing it up would be happening. Being body-marked with race numbers on biceps is a nice accessory to the little velvet top and baubles I was wearing, don't you think? . There I am with old pals Miles, Lance, Rick and Derek (at 5'6", I'm not short; these tall guys used to play on the basketball team together at FW). Go Eagles!I aimed to have a solid, consistent race to end what had been a great season. I had placed in AG in my 5 other races and 3 of them were 1st place finishes. The swim was fine and I exited the water 1 second behind Sandy L. and passed her running in to T1. I was 1 second ahead of her as we started the bike. She quickly passed me and continued to extend her lead. She wanted to capture 1st in AG and had a hot fire stoked to go for it.
During the bike, Val R. came up from behind to pass me. I said "What are you doing here? You're supposed to be ahead of me!". Simply stated, Val Rocks. She's been tops in her AG for years (2 years older than me, she was in the next AG up from me for this season). Though I have finally squeaked out some faster races than Val, they've been during seasons when she's played all summer traveling or hiking, not training much. Her strong leg is biking which made me wonder why she was only just now passing me half-way through the bike leg. As she passed me on a hill, she said she took a wrong turn. OK, now that made sense. There is a double loop section on this course that is not well marked and several people I know have missed the turn in the past. Oh, Val also played college basketball and I suspect she could probably give those guys pictured above some competition on the court.
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Back to Sandy. I expected my run to be faster than hers, but she was 1:25 ahead of me by the end of the bike leg. I trimmed that lead by having a 14 second faster T2 which would leave 1:11 to make up. Of course I knew none of these specifics at the time. I just knew she was maybe 250 yards ahe
ad of me. The 4 mile hilly run came and I could see Val and Sandy up ahead. I did not expect to catch Val, but thought it might be possible to catch Sandy. But Sandy h
ad other plans. My run split was only a few seconds faster than hers and she finished 1:04 ahead of me. There's Sandy and me waiting for our #1 and #2 AG awards. Val had a great race with a 1st in AG and 3rd OA, beating us both. There are the 3 of us doing a kind of group high-5 or something.
ad of me. The 4 mile hilly run came and I could see Val and Sandy up ahead. I did not expect to catch Val, but thought it might be possible to catch Sandy. But Sandy h
ad other plans. My run split was only a few seconds faster than hers and she finished 1:04 ahead of me. There's Sandy and me waiting for our #1 and #2 AG awards. Val had a great race with a 1st in AG and 3rd OA, beating us both. There are the 3 of us doing a kind of group high-5 or something.
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