Tri the Mountains

"I'm going to go and just have fun with no expectations."  That is what I told my coach and friend, Anne Chrzanowski, the week before Tri the Mountains Sprint triathlon.  We had planned for this race months before, blocking out the weekend at our cabin up in Blue Ridge, GA, arranging Kaitlin Rassett, our sweet college-aged babysitter, to come with us and watch the girls during the race, and signing up before the early entry deadline (something we rarely do for fear of jinxing ourselves).  Jinxing myself might be exactly what happened leading up to the race. 



Above the Pines - ahhhh....

I signed up as an Elite - a new division they offered this year for the race, now in its 3rd year.  Last year, the talent ran deep and this year was sure to bring in just as talented athletes, as the race directors dangled a bit of prize money out there to entice.  My excitement was that the elites got to start in the water 1st -the past two years of doing this race, I got tangled up in the 4th wave, mixed freestyle with doggie paddle, and suffered getting kicked by older men swimming breaststroke in the wave ahead.  It would be nice to just get out there and go.

My right hip was still giving me fits to the point that I couldn't even lay on that side to sleep (which, of course, is my favorite side to sleep on).  I got a massage from Deidre Vandenbos of Sports Massage and Integrated Therapies, my former coworker from 10 years ago, the week before the race.  We determined that I had an incredible tight psoas and adductor which were pulling my femur and causing adduction with internal rotation, putting pressure and irritation on my outer hip.  I had only run about 3 times in the past 3 weeks and biked twice.  Adding to that, a swim in Lake Peachtree on Tuesday caused my right ear to get water trapped in it, which of course, began to feel irritated and possibly infected leading up to the race.  I didn't dare vocalize this to anyone other than my husband and babysitter (who was the swim coach for our neighborhood and had some ideas of home remedies we could try).

As I said, I wasn't going to dare sit this race out, nor whine with excuses.  I just wanted to go out there and race with no expectations... well, maybe I had one... I did not want to be dead last out of the water, nor get caught by the next wave, starting 3 minutes after us - after all, the swim was merely 600 yards.

I didn't sleep at all the night before the race, not because of the nerves, but rather the hip.  I am pretty sure I beat the alarm clock out of bed, changed into my tri kit, and tried not to wake, but transfer a sleeping Hayden from her tent bed to the car.  Hayden did a full body stretch when I lifted her and apparently, gouged a deep slice into my forehead between the eyebrows.  I could feel a burn, but didn't think anything of it.  Only when I ran into a friend at transition set up and she commented on it, did I realize Hayden must have left a mark - silly girl.



paddleboarders coming across the lake to supervise the swimmers

What a gorgeous venue Blue Ridge is - the race starts at 7am, just when the sun is beginning to rise over the mountains surrounding pristine Lake Blue Ridge.  When the gun went of, the small group of men and women elite took off -literally.  5 strokes into the swim and I was in calm, free water... the rest of the field flew away from me.  I didn't panic, but almost laughed out loud as I swam.  Thankfully, I spotted another elite swimming way wide of the buoys so I set a goal of just trying to keep her in site (I didn't want to look really pathetic coming out of the water) and make sure the next wave of men stayed behind me.  As I exited the water, I must have looked like a drunken sailor, taking a step to the left, then 2 steps to the right before climbing up the boat ramp while waves of athletes who hadn't started yet watched.  I was not tired or short of breath, just out of balance, probably from the ear issues.  Oh, and yes, I was dead last - only one person can say and be remembered for that, right?!

T1 -butt shot, thanks Kaitlin!

 I hopped on the bike and climbed the hill out of transition.  Although I had ridden this course in the previous 2 years, the bike course was different.  It was an out and back along the rolling hills and countryside of Blue Ridge.  This year, the course was covered in fog, with the sun glistening off the water crystals, making visibility challenging.  I wore my glasses on the very tip of my nose since they were fogged over.  On the uphills, I could not see a single rider ahead through the yellow foggy glare - it was absolutely peaceful, serene.  I spotted one girl and passed her, then picked off another on the way out, only being passed by 2 age group guys on loud disk wheeled bikes.  The turn-around cone was off, instead of being at mile 9, it wasn't until 9.8, but that was okay... the longer I was out there, the more relaxed and enjoyable the morning became.  I am sure I negative split the second half of the bike, but didn't overdo it, remembering the 2 grueling hills that I would face on the run.

Coming into transition, I struggled to get on my shoe, having the tongue slip further down in the shoe than I would like.  I fought it for a few seconds, then took off, figuring I only had 3.1 miles to go with that shoe, my Miles for Smiles turquoise and lime green Saucony's that I ran short distances in, but had never laced up with Yank's and tried to race in.  If I blistered, I had a good supply of Aquaphor to lather on my feet later.

I was surprised that I shuffled up the first hill, passed back both guys in the long downhill to mile 2, then climbed back up the 2nd hill heading to downtown Blue Ridge and the finish line with no issues.  A slight overcast morning made that 2nd hill much easier than I remembered it in the past.  As I approached Main Street and sighted the finish line, I realized another female was up ahead.  Too bad the race wasn't a 1/2 mile longer, I could have caught her.  I crossed the finish line in 1:30 - 5 minutes slower than last year, but probably about the same pace considering the extra bike mileage of this year's race.  My swim was only 30 sec faster - pathetic considering I had beautiful open water to work with, the run 10 sec slower (not bad for lack of training, plus "enjoying" my run this year).  I know the bike was slower, but lack of training and injury made me happy that I was able to do it pain-free as well as take in the beauty along the course.

the home stretch, downtown Blue Ridge

I finished 3rd Overall this year, earning $50 - not enough to pay our babysitter for her help, but enough to justify purchasing an XTerra Speed Suit that was 60% off (more on that in my next post, XTerra Panther Creek).


the McCurdy's - all smiles!

After finishing the race, I got to watch Dave come across the line - smiling!  This is huge because he has not smiled during a run in a long time.  Hailey had a blast earning her medal in the kids fun run, but even more exciting for her was getting to play with the kittens up for adoption that were in the park.  We left with her full of tears, wishing she could bring one home with us. 

Hayden, Hailey, Kaitlin and the poor sweet kitty

Later that day, we met up with Aquaphor teammates, Christy Greenwood and Bill Monahan and their wonder-dog, Foxy, and got to play on their boat on Carter's Lake.  Hailey was happy again, getting to visit with Foxy and watch her wakeboard (yes, Foxy wakeboards!), Hayden just loved the water splashing up in her face as she hung over the side while the boat was flying (she was wearing a life jacket, bare bottom - momma forgot her swim suit! - and we had a death grip on her), Dave was thrilled to get back up on the board behind a real wakeboarding boat, I enjoyed the sunshine, company, and family time.  Even Kaitlin got to attempt wakeboarding for the first time. 

No expectations, but a weekend completely full of fun summer memories for me, my husband, and our girls.  Isn't that what its all about?