Race for Sight 2007

Well, I have another Race for Sight under my race belt! Remember how I put a positive spin on it last year? Well, actually, it kicked my butt. Not this year! This year I had a strategy...and also a year of triathlon experience!
440yd Swim- 14 mile bike - 5K run.
Pre-Race
I went to Columbia Friday night, and then Saturday morning I went for a very short recovery jog with my niece on the beautiful MKT trail! The foliage and wild life were spectacular! I have never run the day before a race and so I took it extremely easy.
I volunteered at Packet Pick Up on Saturday for 4 long back- and leg-aching hours. Won't do that next year! At 4:30pm, I was supposed to meet Herb to practice the "wall" hill on my bike. I decided to go directly to the "wall" instead of meeting at the race site. I felt my heart pounding, as i stood there with my bike looking at this forbidding hill! I finally got the nerve up to try it. Unfortunately, this hill comes right after a 90 degree right turn, so there is very little momentum to work with. I started on the street before it and put it in "granny gear" (the easiest), and pedaled like crazy! I made it all the way up, panting, but I made it. A lot of other racers were also practicing, and they were all standing up on their bikes. I sat on the seat all the way up, but I didn't know if that was good or bad...all I knew was i didn't have to get off and WALK! Ted Zderic, triathlete extraordinaire was coming down and said, "good idea" and gave me a big smile. That made me feel better. He's a CMCer too. Feeling very relieved that I conquered the wall, I went to dinner. After dinner, I went back to get all my gear ready for the race. I was VERY tired. It had been a big day. Never the less, I tossed and turned all night.
I woke up before my alarm at 4:59, and got up, did my regular pre-race routine and was at the race site by 6am. 6am was the time my buddies had decided to get there. Of course, I was the only one that actually made it on time. No matter. Before I left my car in the parking lot, I turned up the song "Perfect Day" from the Legally Blonde soundtrack. It says, "It's a perfect day, nothing standing in my way...perfect day...nothing can go wrong...I'm in the race, but I've already won, getting there can be half the fun, I won't stop until it's good and done, don't you try to rain on my PER-FECT DAYYYYY!" Psyched up, I got marked, chipped and transition set up by 6:30. I wandered around and socialized til 7:30 when it was time to go to the pool area. I was racked next to a very cool woman from my age group who recently finished chemo for breast cancer. She still beats me bad. hahaha I like her anyway. :)
I warmed up in the pool, which i didn't do last year. It was nice. Swimming makes me feel like I'm flying, so it was really relaxing. Last year I was a bundle of nerves. This year I was cool as a cucumber.
The strategy:
1. Relax in the swim, save energy and focus on form, using the new techniques I have learned recently.
2. Take it easy on the bike to save energy for the wall (which we have to go up twice).
3. Run fast.
4. HAVE FUN!!!

Well, I did all that 'cept run fast. My run times in foot races have gotten so much better, I thought i could pick it up on the last leg of the tri. Didn't happen this time, but I still enjoyed the run more than last year.
Swim
We went into the pool 11 seconds apart. That was a good move on Ultramax's part, cuz last years' swim was a disaster (see May 06 blog). Bob went with the pretty fast folks. Ty went right before me; we were in the 10min/400m group). Herb was about 25 people behind us in the 11:30 group. Swim went great. Relaxed, focused on form, didn't get kicked! Cut 2 mins off last years swim time. Success! Also, I didn't feel worn out or dizzy coming out. Then the loooooooooog run to T1.
Bike
Then out on the bike, reminding myself to take it slow, save energy. I didn't even want to feel my legs at all til the wall. I went very slow, but it seemed much easier than last year's bike leg. The roads in Columbia took a beating this winter, and I actually don't think they were safe enough for a bike race. There were big cracks and holes every where. The wind on the bike leg was killer. I don't know how many miles per hour it was blowing, but it certainly slowed me down, riding into it. My top speed was 23mph. Herb's was 40mph. I have a way's to go to become comfortable at faster speeds. :) I hear that wind, loud, going past my ears and I want to slow down! After 7 miles, went up the "wall", cutting through lots of folks getting off their bikes to walk. A little mental pat on the back for myself. :) The photographer yelled, "You are the only one who is sitting down up the wall!" It is not customary for photographers to give racers feedback, and i didn't appreciate it. Oh well, i made it up, so poo on you, photog! Round again for the second loop, and back to the wall. Grannying up, no problems. Photog yells, "There's my sitter!!!" I'm thinking, "shut up and take pix, Dude!!" ...and back to T2. I still felt good.
Run
The run out was up a grassy hill! Torture! Chatted with a CMCer on the way up to distract myself. The run was hilly, but I kept plugging along. I kept thinking, "my legs are gonna feel normal any time now." They never did. hahaha My niece, Marcie was volunteering at mile 2 and I saw her spot me from far away. She was jumping up and down for me, cheering me on. She said, "You are kicking those hills butts!!" She is so cute! About this time I saw Ty creeping along about a 1/2 mile ahead of me. His feet were blown. I thought, "this may be the only time I catch him in a triathlon, so I'm gonna chase him." He finished 8 seconds ahead of me.
I felt great at the end! Herb and Joy were on the side of the chute and i slapped their hands. I ran full blast in, with lots of energy left! Very happy moment! Lots of CMC friends were there at the end for hugs and high fives, too.
It was great being a part of CMC yesterday! There were about 100 CMCers out there racing (plus volunteering), all supporting each other. What a terrific club!
I shaved off 11 mins from last years result, finishing with a time of 1 hour, 55 mins and 15 seconds. Can't wait for next year!!! :-D

Swim: 12:07
T1: 3:58
Bike 1:06:44
T2: ???
Run 32:23
Herb's and my pix were chosen for the front page of the race pix site, otherwise the pix were only for sale. That's why there aren't any others. Also, the photogs took no pix of the swim or the finish line. Very strange.