desert tri - race report

gonna be a quick one - which is ironic since the race most definitely was NOT. so sorry, but Im not posting my final time here (ok it was 3:46) (yes for an oly). it was pitiful. so here's what happened.

Dave and I went down the day before to get checked in, etc. I had a decent workout from the hotel after we got to palm springs. we had a good dinner with some of dave's family friends, and even got a decent night's sleep too. the morning of was pretty uneventful - we got there in plenty of time and got a much better parking spot in the lot instead of all the way around the lake.

I was unbelievably nervous for this race. it was my first official race that I'm able to actually finish. I knew what my race time was last year, and of course I wanted to beat that. at one point Dave even had to talk me down, wasnt in a very good headspace. The swim sucked. I didn't find a comfortable stroke until after I'd passed the first buoy. I watched as more and more caps NOT from my wave passed me. I wasn't ok with it, but I wasn't going to stress about it.

The ride started out really well. I haven't been putting in fast numbers on the bike since I've been back at it, so I knew I just had to get out there and do my best. the first loop went by pretty quickly. even surprised myself. and then the floor fell out. at mile 15 I had a blowout in the back, just after a turn. a very nice cop came over and tried to help me, but inwasnt having it and he didn't known what to do to begin with. I was amazed, I changed the tube and I was back rolling again in 9 minutes. for not having changed a flat in a year and a half, I felt empowered. anytime I gained a little speed after that, I heard a rubbing. couldn't tell where it was, but I had a damn good idea. so at that point I was just hoping to make it close enough that I wouldn't have ti take the sag wagon.

Mile 23 or so, on a downhill no less, damn thing blows again. I only carry one spare tube in my bag, so I started walking. it sucked. there's a bit of a hill going into the recreational area, and walking that in bike shies is not easy. I got a lot of applause, and by that point I was laughing. people were already leaving the park, having finished their race. not total uncommon for me. I got into T2 with zero calf muscle left. they were shot. I was seriously considering bagging it. hate this dam race. last year was cold and miserable. and now this. I decided go at least get out on the run, I'd need this experience one day, especially having conquered it.

It was HOT. lucca was in thecae, Dave and I had agreed that if it was too hot he'd bag the race after the ride and go get lucca out of the car. I grabbed at least 2 cups of water at esch aid station. one for my mouth, the other for my head. the run is very flat, so at least I didn't have to deal with hills. it's pretty embarrassing/crushing to see all those people already packed in their cars and leaving the venue and knowing you still have another lap. at the first full lap, I saw Dave and lucca. I told him I'd had a double blowout, that I'd had to walk it in the last mile, that I hated this race and wasn't doing it ever again. oh and to take the dog into the water. needless go say my hard headed ass finished. I think I finished third to last. that hurt. I take my time at the Oreo and pretzel bins and slowly make my way back to transition. that when I saw my bike, and bike only. no wetsuit, it was gone. I asked the race director about it, and he was not at all concerned about my troubles.

as it turns out a girl who works for lava magazine somehow grabbed it. I'll meet her at Oceanside and get it back.

so thats it. won't be doing that race again. probably ever.