Start time 8 AM
Place – 35 out of 185 finishers, 3rd overall woman – 1st in age group
– ONLY 3 1/2 min behind first woman finisher!
Distances: 1/2 mi swim, 17 mi bike, 3.5 mile run
11:55 min swim (3rd in age/ 60 overall), 52 min bike (1st in age / 46 overall), 25 min run (2nd in age/36 overall) = 1:31:09 total time
Reflections:
It was a great morning – cloudy skies and pending rain, but it held off the whole morning while I was in the triathlon. After about a 2 hour drive, the swim was in this reservoir. I felt smooth and strong in the swim and then ran the hill up to the bike transition. Made a wrong exit on the bike (only me!) turned around at a dead end and got back on the course, not sure why those cones messed me up – I just get too focused and really have learned that I need to ride the course to be sure I don’t mess up! : )
The bike was a 13 mi loop with a little 4 mi loop. Safe and not a lot of traffic, I pushed the hills and with the waves set up, women were last so there were a lot of people that I passed in the 52 min that I was on the ride. The run was back into the park and again another 2 loop course. The massive down hill was tough to take, especially when I could hear this “slap, slap” of a runner behind me, who eventually passed me like I was standing still. Same girl that I caught and lost in the Six in the Stix race earlier – Maura – she place 2nd.
The women ahead of me were both in their 20’s – so being the veteran of the crowd felt good to me, but being so close to the number one girl really gives me some competitive sense that I really could be in that number one spot some day! This race was also a national qualifier, so things look good for that ranking for the year.
It was a well run race – great competitors. I made friends with this one guy who panicked in the swim and still finished because he had “paid” for it. The Holyoke/Chicopee police department was out in full swing helping on the bike course and in the transition – some really great people and great support!
Next weekend: 1/2 marathon in Swanzey, NH
