Tri Rock is one of my favorite races. There is so much energy at this race. You show up early and you hear a band playing and you just think, "I am a triathlete, and this is just wonderful." I have done this race before and I was really looking forward to meeting up with my friend Davina and sharing in this madness of triathlon. This is really the one triathlon that I do for fun, and not for a place on the podium. So I was super-pumped to just soak it all up. No pressure, just fun.
I get nervous before I get in to the water. I wonder about my goggles leaking or not having a good swim, or getting whacked in the head. I even think totally unreasonable things like, "What if I don't make it through the swim?" So...I talk. I talk to anyone standing next to me. I will talk about anything, just to silence these little voices in my head filling my mind with doubt. There just can't be any room for that when you race. That day was so hot and all I wanted to do was get in the water. And by the time we entered the water, I just wanted to stay in it! No such luck. The gun went off and by the time I felt comfortable, I was out of the swim and on to the bike. That's what happens when you are training at longer distances. You swim 500 meters and it's just your warm-up.
The bike course was much better this year. No train tracks. If you remember(I do), I fell off my bike last year over these stupid train tracks and it really messed up my whole race. This year was better, but still not my favorite course. There was a lot of turning and maneuvering. And it was hot! Did I mention it was hot?? But the bike went well and then I was off to the run. Oh...the run. I was done by mile one. It was probably over 95 degrees and I was just not able to get my breathing and heart rate under control. There was actually a point where I thought maybe I would have a heart attack. Luckily, that didn't happen. But I guess there is your proof that I truly give it all! I finished strong and I was proud of my race because I had given everything I could have given.
I ended up placing third in my age division which is great especially considering I had so much fun. And the thing that really made me bubble over with excitement is that I qualified for the USA Triathlon Age Division National Championships! ME!!! Now, along with Ironman I will be competing with the best of the best next year on a national level.
It's races like these that I look back on when things get tough. When I don't want to train I think back at what I have accomplished. None of this just "happened." I had to work hard for it. I made sacrifices, but when I see these accomplishments, it is all worth it. Every bead of sweat, every sore muscle, every early morning, every penny....I wouldn't trade any of it.
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