The Summer of Tri has ended (with battle wounds to prove it)

Well today was the last of my triathlons for the summer (3rd one) and I finished and met my goal!

I do not know my official time yet (as they have not posted them on their website and they hadn't posted them when I left), but it was roughly around 1:57, which I was VERY happy with as my goal was under 2 hours. I will post official times later. UPDATE: 1:55:52.9 official time

It was a beautiful and perfect morning for a race. Race time air temp was about 60 degrees and water temp was about 75. The swim and run were fairly uneventful, but as far as my best leg, the bike, goes, well, I have a story to tell you.

After the swim, I got all my gear on an headed out for the bike portion of the race. I mounted the bike and as I was trying to get out of the parking lot and onto the course, me and two other racers missed the exit. This was partly because it wasn't that clear, and the volunteer sitting there didn't direct us. (Tim said later that many racers had similar problems there and the volunteer wasn't much help) So the three of us kept going around the loop and made another wrong turn (with yet another official not directing us) up a path. We all realized we screwed up and turned around and then asked the official where to go. He thought we were just coming in from completing our bike, so he directed us to the finish (which we didn't know he was doing at the time).

When I got to the finish I knew it was wrong, I asked the official where to go. She thought we were coming in from our bike and all three of us were yelling at her to tell her we were just starting that portion. I had my head turned as I was yelling at her, and all of a sudden someone says "LOOK OUT". CRASH! Right into another biker who was ending her bike portion of the race.

I went ass-over-apple-cart, (over my handle bars) and landed on the cement. The other two bikers that were lost with me went on. I had to get up, and hop on the bike. I had NO idea what damage I had done to my body or bike because my adrenaline was pumping and my main concern was to get on the course. The official finally told me where to go and I started to bike away.

Before I tell the rest of the story, though, I have to tell you how I feel bad because I didn't even say I'm sorry to the biker I hit and I have no idea if I hurt her or if I damaged her bike. I am sorry about that, but with the confusion going on, I just didn't. So I know she will never see this, but I am very sorry. :(

Ok, next I start pedaling away, and guess what? My gears won't engage. Here's what went through my mind:

1. HOLY CRAP! My race is over.
2. I think I may have jinxed my race yesterday when I was chatting with my friend about how I couldn't believe that if you asked me 6 months ago if I thought I would finish 3 triathlons by now I would have said no way. And he said "You haven't finished 3 yet..." Crap, he was right!
3. knee... hurts like hell...
4. Ok, calm down...

I started messing with my gears, first putting them all they way down to 1st gear, and then putting them all the way up to 3rd and BINGO! They finally engaged and I was on my way.

I started kicking ass on the bike by passing twenty other racers including the two that had the mix up with me. One of those was a guy who did catch up with me later and we chatted a little on the bike. He complimented me on my recovery and also said I was pacing about 20MPH, which I was quite happy with. (of course that didn't last the whole race, but I still did well given the circumstances) He ended up dropping back as he couldn't keep my pace, but i did see him at the turn around and he gave me the thumbs up. (Ended up being about a mile ahead of him)

The rest of the race was uneventful and I was happy with my finish. Fortunately my knee didn't hurt the rest of the race after that first few minutes. I think that was mostly the competition and adrenaline because about 10 minutes after, it started throbbing. I think it's fine, I'm mostly bruised on my two knees, my left thigh, both elbows, my butt and a nice raspberry on my upper thigh, but other than that I think I'm gonna live. I probably lost two minutes with that little incident, but whatever. I still met my goal.

Here are some pictures from the event. Not as many as usual as the camera was having issues, but I got a few, especially of my battle wounds.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/69742387@N00/sets/72157601671885688/



Thanks again to my wonderful husband who came in for his usual support. I told him next year he doesn't have to come, but he said next year he is gonna do them with me. WE'LL SEE ABOUT THAT!!! ;)