Mudwater Triathlon - TriathlonSprint

The (real) gun went off and we all ran into the water. And OMG... it was crazy! Like... crazier than the IMKS swim start. There were only maybe 50 girls, but ALL of them wanted to swim in the same spot as me! For the entire way out to the first bouey I just could not swim. I was doing a modified dog paddle, trying to sight and find not only the bouey but a place to actually swim! I was amazed at this start; did not really enjoy this part.

After turning right at the first bouey it did spread out, thank gawd. My heartrate was super high from trying to wrestle everyone at the beginning so I was breathing every stroke of course. I hate that. I didn't really relax until after the turnaround. After the turnaround I felt great, and came up on some guys - who had started at least 5 minutes ahead of me. Picked it up at the end and finished it up strong. Coming out of the water I glanced at my watch which said just under 15 minutes. I was hoping for faster, but considering the beginning I am okay with my time.

Start more towards the outside and swim in a diagnol line to the bouey to avoid the mey-ley!

~200 yard run up to transition. A girl in my age group (who won the AG) absolutely BLEW past me on the run. There was no way I was going to catch her. Impressive. See ya on the podium!

Everything else went very smooth.

Not get passed in T1 by a girl in my age group.

This bike course was UNBELIEVABLY FLAT! Oh goodness, this was awesome! There were some teeny-tiny rollers, but I would hardly even call them rollers.

Immediately out of the gate, my bike computer did not work :( - When I got out to McArthur Rd, it started catching something, but it was really sporatic so I knew it wasn't accurate at all. So I had NO IDEA how fast I was going. I didn't need the distance either, because the course was marked at every mile which was nice. I'm actually thinking it was good that I didn't know how fast I was going because I just pushed it HARD the whole time. Sometimes when I know I've been going fast I will lay off, but today it was all out the whole time.

Coming back in right before turning back into the park, I saw a girl in a pink jersey (remember this for later) in my age group. 25 years old. I've never ever been in a race situation where there was someone in my AG within reach of passing, and I had enough in me to pass them. I made her my prey and pushed it up a little hill to pass her - holy crap I just passed someone in my AG on the bike! First time that's ever happened in a race. I am usually the one getting passed! Sweeet.

Rolled into transition and I was done. Still had no idea how fast I went. In the end, I met one of my long-term race goals (check my training log) of riding at least 18mph in a race. I am so proud that I did that.

Also I thought it was hilarious that the "race marshall" was a guy from the Tri Club in a huge white minivan with his hazards on! Haha small race for ya.

Nothing - I rocked this and beat a huge goal of mine.

This was very fast! I was pleased with how fast I set my crap down and didn't waste any time fiddling around. I grabbed my visor and race belt and put them on while running out of T2.

Nothing at all.

Legs felt great beginning the run! After a kind of disappointing run at Shawnee Mission I was DETERMINED to push myself to the point of exhaustion or vomiting today. Whichever came first. This was only a sprint, come on!

At around the 1-mile mark, the girl in the pink jersey I'd passed on the bike freaking passed me! Nooooo! Dang it! I got kinda down because I knew that the run was usually a struggle for me physically, and then mentally when I see girls in my AG pass me I just get upset. I usually tell myself there's nothing I can do... I will never be as fast as they are. But today... today was different. Jason came running up right after this happened (holy crap Jason was done already!!) and said "use her... go off of her" - yeah she's in my AG! He yelled "It's only a 5K!" and I got super dooper motivated. I saw my parents right there too and I make a GRRRRRR grimmace face at the cameras kind of as a joke, but a very real "I am going to pass her" gesture. I meant it. I gave a big surge and came just up next to her. She kind of ran me to the edge of the road a little and said "oh I didn't see you there" or something. Yeah baby... I'M HERE! For a little bit, I would get a few steps ahead and then she would come up next to me. Screw this, I'm gonna pass her. I did, and I was hurting.

Did I mention I was hurting? I was huffing and puffing and grunting like crazy! It was humid as all get-out... just some thick, thick air. I kept pushing and pushing, the whole time telling myself it was only a 5K. Got a little naseaus but told myself that's exactly where I need to be. I kept looking back at Pinky and she was still there! So I'd surge a little more to try and distance myself. I felt bad for looking back so many times, but I had no idea how much she had left in the tank.

Coming up to the finish chute I looked back one last time and she was still there, probably 10 seconds behind me. I gave one last final push and I was done. I was completely spent.

Nothing. I pushed harder than I've ever pushed in a race and it paid off.

I had really left it all out there. I saw my Mom but I couldn't say anything - I doubled over to breathe and just stayed there for a bit. Finally I calmed down and got some Life Water (too sweet!) and some real water.

Talked to all the guys I knew out there while waiting (FOREVER) for the awards ceremony. Saw from the posted results I had come in 3rd in my age group! So that determination on the run was the difference between getting hardware and not. I'm pretty proud of myself for pushing so hard and it being the difference. Good girl.

Eric placed 3rd in his age group, and Jason did too! We all 'podium'd' which was pretty cool. Wish Tom would have been there because I bet he would have placed too.

Oh I also made a new friend... the girl who blew past me running up to T1 - I was congratulating her on winning our age group and we started talking. She's new to the area and did Florida 70.3 - is thinking about the Half Redman. We will probably train together this summer, yay! I have a hard time sometimes making friends (especially girls), so I'm pretty excited about meeting this girl and exchanging phone numbers.


Mey-ley on the swim start. High heart rate on the run.


This is a young race (3rd year I think) and is put on by the local Tri Club - made up of a bunch of GREAT people! There are some things they could do a little better, but all in all they put on an awesome day. This is a flat, fast course and really fun!