In celebration of Michelle, Barb, Fish, and all the other amazing women who've survived breast cancer, a whole group of us took on the Denver Tri for the Cure on August 6. Buoyed by blissfully cool and the erev-race-day Guinness and onion rings I shared with Barb, I managed a personal record (for this course, at least). Though my time won't exactly put me in the Big Leagues, I was pretty darn pleased to finish in under 90 minutes.
To recap briefly. The swim: fast-ish, despite the tangle of bodies from which I could never quite break free, my completely fogged goggles, and the nearly invisible dark-green caps assigned to my wave. The bike: fast and fun, punctuated by the game of leapfrog I played with KC. The run: speedy (for me) and strong, made all the better because I spotted Steve beaming at me, just as I headed out of the transition area. The upshot: awesome! In fact, everyone in our little posse of tri-buddies finished this race considerably faster than they had at Danskin, with a lot less pain and suffering in the process.
I seem to have had a bit of a breakthrough in the midst of doing three races in four weeks. Somewhere along the line, I finally learned how to push myself harder. I suppose it sounds silly, but because I am not much of a natural athlete, and do triathlons and similar events mostly to stay fit and to finish, I've never learned quite how to pace myself so that I can maximize my effort without bonking. Instead, I plod along at my only-slightly-better-than-average pace, usually enjoying myself but feeling a bit disappointed in my only-slightly-better-than-average results. Back when I was running a lot, I finished 10Ks, half-marathons, and a marathon all at approximately the same pace.
But with so many races, so close together (plus the Stroke & Strides every Thursday evening, as well), I started to find a rhythm and a focus that I'd been lacking over the past few seasons. At least in the shorter swims, I managed to pick up the tempo and shave significant seconds off my times. And in the run, I did a bit of speed work, started concentrating on my pace and my stride, and willed myself to make my sluggish legs move faster, faster.
In the end, my times are still solidly unspectacular, but they're improving. For example, I finished in the top 17% overall at Boston, but the top 10% at Tri for the Cure, with a one-minute faster pace at the latter race, though its swim and run courses both were longer (its transitions, on the other hand, were slightly shorter). Probably more important, I feel stronger, faster, more competent, and more motivated.
I have one race left this season, the low-key Louisville tri at the end of August (my only triathlon of the season with Steve). But the wetsuit is retired for the winter, the bike's going back on the trainer, now that it's too dark out in the mornings to ride outside, and I'm starting to think about getting my skis waxed. Hm. Maybe I can translate this new push-myself thing into a stronger, faster Kortelopet in February!
Madeline,
You were awesome at the race! Wings on your shoes, bike and wetsuit. So glad to have shared the event with you - and no, I will never do an event that doesn't begin with guiness and onion rights. The carbs, triglycerides and vegetable (ha) combination must have been the ticket!
B
Posted by: Barb | August 15, 2006 at 02:53 PM