First Olympic Race Report

So here is where I predicted what I would do....

And below is what I really did:

**For some reason I can't get my actual results.  I will post my actual times for each thing when I can get them.  

The Night Before:  I got my 3 large water bottles ready with fluids.  I can't take straight sugary drinks, so I had two water bottle with 1/2 G2 and 1/2 water.  My other bottle just water.  Those were in the freezer of the hotel fridge.  We had a big dinner of spaghetti, veggies, grain rolls, veggie salad, mash potatoes and chocolate cake.  I drank a lot of water.  I put on my number tattoos, and stickers on all the appropriate places.  I laid out all of my clothes, and I already had my transition bag ready. I drank 3/4 of a G2 20 oz blue drink. 

Wake Up:  The alarm went off at 5:30.  I got up and finished my G2 drink.  I ate a wheat deli thin with peanut butter, and finished getting ready.  Jacob pumped up my bike tires, and we checked out the hotel room.  We were close enough to walk to transition .

Set Up: We got to transition before 6:30.  I had plenty of time to set up my area.  I had a really good spot for my bike, it was the closest rack to the bike in and out.  I didn't have to walk my bike very far at all.  There were buses that took the races to the swim start.  It was a mile upstream from transition.  I had eaten an energy bar, and I took a chocolate gel 30 minutes before my drop in the water.

Swim: They put us in line number 1 - 1400.  I was number 1210.  The race actually started at 7:30 but I didn't get in the water until closer to 8:30.  We walked onto a floating dock, got in the water, and then hung on the side of the dock.  A volunteer typed in your number on the computer, and said go.  I was off.  I had thought there would be less swimmers around me, but I didn't freak out as badly as I have in past.  I did some side stroking, and just kept my heart rate down.  There were buoys every 100 meters so I started counting them.  When I got to 500 I celebrated in my head thinking I was 1/2 way.  I still wasn't putting my face in the water but the swimmers had thinned out, and I was doing a really strong back stroke.  When I got to 700 meters I then realized that I had to count 15 buoys not 10.  HA!  I think I did laugh out loud.  I just kept swimming.  I did have a mental battle, telling myself to put my face in the water and get some free stroking done.   I would put my face down in the water, and then come up for air,  and want to back stroke.  Around 900 ( I think I lost count...) the water got really choppy.  While I was back stroking water was pushing me backwards,  and I was pretty far from any other swimmer.  It was under all of the bridges when I thought the water started pushing me around.  When I thought I was at 1300 I finally forced myself to get my face in the water.  I was doing free style for almost 100 yards and ready to push hard through the rest, and I looked up and saw I had made it to the dock.  I must have miscounted so I had a really strong finish.  They pulled me up to another floating dock, and then I had to get up some stairs to transition.  When I got up the stairs I saw the Get Fit Atlanta cheering section, and gave them a fist pump!  I looked down at my watch and it said 37 minutes.  That is an AMAZING time!

T1: I jogged all the way to my transition.  I threw off my swim cap, and goggles.  I started eating 3 pieces of a shot block.  While I was chewing I wiped the grass off my feet and put on my socks and shoes.  I put an entire shot block, already opened, in my tri suit pocket.  Threw on my sunglasses, gloves, and helmet.  Grabbed my bike and away I went.  I think transition took 3 minutes.

Bike:  To start I was just spinning to see how my legs felt.  To my surprise they felt really good.  We had to go up an on ramp to the highway that we biked on.  Then the rolling hills started!  There were quite a few hills that were longer than 1/2 a mile to climb.  There were a couple hills that I was in my lowest gear going 6 mph, and I got up to 31 mph going down two of the hills.  I took some water/G2 mix almost every mile.  I finished 1 and 3/4 of the other bottle while out there.  I took 1/2 of my shot block at mile 7 and the other 1/2 right before mile 17.  I tried really hard to just stay in the moment and look around.  It was beautiful out in the hills.  I would say to myself I am at mile ___ and I am going ___ mph.  How do I feel?  I felt pretty strong for the entire bike.  Each hill I just took it one at a time.  I said you made it up the others, slow and steady wins the race.  I saw some Get Fit people on the other side of the highway.  It was just a boost to see them out there.  I met up with John Bips at the end of the bike and we ended the bike really strong.  I think the bike took around 2 hours. 

T2: I ran my bike in, and it was so close it was perfect.  I took off my helmet, and put on my headband.  I switched my shoes, and ate the other 1/2 of the shot block that was left.  I put a chocolate gel in my tri suit, and I was off.  This transition maybe took 2 minutes.

Run: I jogged out of transition, and kept jogging for a bit, but I didn't even make it a mile before I had to walk.  It was hot.  There were stairs, two sets, to go up at 0.4 of a mile.  I walked up the stairs.  I tried to give myself goals to run for.  Like run to that lamp post, start running at the blue bridge.  I felt like I did more walking than running, but my first few miles were around 11 minutes.  Between mile 2 and 3 there were ice and water hoses.  I was sprayed and placed ice all over.  They had wet, cold towels and I soaked my head with the water, and carried on.  I saw a lot of Get Fit people so that was encouraging. They were all headed back, but I just told myself I would finish. I walked through each water stop and took a cup of water.  I took my gel earlier tan I thought I would.  I chocked that down about mile 2.5.   Mile 3.2 was the turn around, and that's when I really struggled.  Mile 4 and 5 were the longest miles I have ever run.  It was so HOT, I felt like I couldn't get my breath to keep running, and my body was tired.  I knew I would finish, but I was really struggling.  Around mile 5 I finally told myself you will do it.  I jogged almost the entire way to the end. I did walk down the stairs, and up a small hill.  When I saw the finish line I did sprint, I told myself you will finish strong.  It was hard to force myself to speed up, but I finished strong! The run took about 1 hour and 15 I think.  Again I don't have the official results yet, so I am estimating.

FINAL TIME:  3 hours 45 minutes

 Overall I felt pretty strong during, and after this race.  It was my best swim to date.  I trained really hard for this race, and it really proved to help.  The heat index was around 104 degrees, so the heat was an issue for all racers.  I tried to fuel properly.  At the end of the race I felt exhaustion.  I didn't want to eat or drink, and my stomach was super upset.  I tried to take in some salty chips, and I drank some Powerade.  I didn't really feel better until I was changed, and eating some lunch at Cracker Barrel. 

This race wouldn't have happened without my support crew of family and friends.  Of course Jacob and Sara made a HUGE difference the day of.  Get Fit has given me the plan, the friends, and the motivation to really make this happen.  I love this group!  My next race is Acworth Womens Tri.  It is a sprint, and I did it last year, so it a lot less stress.  I am ready for it now!  I feel a huge sence of accomplishment with this step up in the racing world.  Who knows maybe a 1/2 Ironman is in the future! 

Here are my pics!