morning after

well, I like to do this after a race, and I'm too lazy to pull out a piece of paper so I might as well do it here. My body feels ok, neck a little sore from my spasmatic (one-sided breathing) swimming but overall I don't think I've ever felt this decent after a race.

Where to begin. 5am wakeup. Damnit, I woke up in a little kid's bed and that was a touch weird. Had a slow breakfast, and slow start with my friends but we eventually got to the site with about an hour to spare. Got registered and setup and I took off on a warmup run. 7:45. Ugh, 10 min warmup. 7:57 I feel cold. I stuff my bike jersey on top and some arm warmers. Start biking, see joker buddy fixing a flat. I know I want to go past the big downhill start of the course. By the time I get back its ~8:20. Oh man I hear the announcer saying I've got 8 minutes! I didn't even put on my wetsuit. I start running down to the water and barely have time to put it on, dunk my head in the water and TOOOOOOOOOOOOT! I'm off.

At first it was just a flurry of arms. BUT I couldn't see anyone's feet. Also, I was battling a ton of nasty seaweed. I could be on someone's toes and I couldn't see their feet. So the uncomfortable sighting had to start. Surprisingly I hit the first marker, then the second, but the third seemed to take forever. Turn right, and man that next marker took forever. On the homestrech, I felt like I kept drifting to the left but then if the current was flowing that direction part 2 of the course should've been easy. Bah. Sonya effect. (girl in our club who drifts left and right in open water)

Come out of the water and I feel good. I pushed strong on the swim, not easy, but not too hard. I get out of the water and start running up that annoying hill to transition. (I still find it odd how when in a race I don't mind running barefoot on nastiness too much) I get to my bike and I'm still thinking should I bother putting extra layers on? I try to shove my arm warmers on (my wet body), no go. I shove them in my rear pocket grab the bike and finally start running. At least I pass a bunch of people here where they aren't comfortable. Start pedaling - argh! stupid elastic on my shoe doesn't snap! Finally get going but I never seem to get past 32km/h. Lots of wind. Lots. I'm rolling along comfortably and pass some people but the folks with discs/race wheels are playing tag with me. Up to the turnaround I feel good. Slight nagging in my back but ok. By the 30k mark I have to start getting out of saddle from time to time to ease my aching back. I better work on my core this coming year.

Come in from the bike, I stare at my bodyglide and decide I wasted enough time in the 1st transition so I just pull on my socks and shoes (thinking - man, tieing my laces take too much time) and start running. Surprisingly I feel good. My bike stretch was slower than I would've liked but I felt strong. HMm. My run feels good too. None of the cramping legs I usually get. 1km marker - I know where it is. 4:30 wow, I'm not too far off pace - but I can't pick it up. My shins start locking up a tiny bit but not enough to bother me. As always markers 3-4km take forever but on the 4.5 turnaround two hilarious girls give me a boost. Everytime people go around they got off their chairs and would wave their arms up in the air and do a little dance singing "you're almost there! you're halfway there!" or something like that. Very cute. I got a bit of a boost and took off (plus it was a mild downhill from there). oh right, before I forget to write (as in the past) damn this run is hilly. Finally marker 8! My legs are starting to hurt. My left feels like its been running on uneven roads too much. (0-3 is mostly cracked paved roads, maybe 3.5-4.5 is a dirt road) I see the race start and know there's a painful loop coming up for the finish. Sure enough that g-dammn last hill. I see people walking (ugh) but I slowly run up it... that felt like forever. Usually I can blast up hills but there's nothing in me. I mean I feel strong but not as much as in a 10km alone. Finally do the hill and turnaround - downhill! yippe!! do the hill and I usually love to burn it up at the finish - but there's no one around me to antagonize. So I trudge in and I see the clock 2:30:5x ARGH!@I I could've gone below 2:30!!! I finish and as I raise my leg for the volunteers to take off my timing chip I start feeling a bit woozy. Oh, btw to the KID (maybe 6?) DON'T PLAY GAMES WITH ATHLETES WHO HAVE JUST FINISHED. PLEASE! He handded my a bottle of water as soon as I crossed the line then plays a bit of "I'll take it back" and giggling. At least I was in a decent mood but I didn't expect him to do that. ... Chug some nasty gatorade but it doesn't help. Temp was perfect for the race. Felt great in the bike in my wet tri suit and the run was getting warmer to the point I had to zip down the front. But as soon I stopped it was warm enough to walk around without changing. Went back to cheer on my buddies come in.

So, I've gotten incredibly stronger over the year although I didn't feel it. (I beat my previous course time by almost 15, 16 minutes although the bike course was shortened) I'm slightly tempted to do Montreal to race 'becca and get the fastest time possible (its a very fast course) but at the same time I'm not sure. I do better on hills... anyway I hope you enjoyed this and maybe it will get you guys to try a tri. The more people I meet, the more I think that you can do a race with little training. Heck, SF is the place to be! Anyway, I'm happy I did it and I'm pretty sure I won't race in Quebec ever again (except maybe tremblant).