Race Report: Texas 70.3, 2017

               THE FIRST RACE OF THE YEAR! Well, the first tri of the year! I feel like it has been ages since I raced last, so I was very antsy to get back out on the field. The best part of coming into this race was all the work I put in leading up to the race, both mentally and physically. I am already in way better shape (and down about 6+lbs) than I was all of last year, so that is a win in itself. And don’t get me wrong, I was working hella hard last year! But after taking a hard look at myself and my goals and getting a new coach, I have a different mindset that has led me to unlock some true potential!

               The week leading up to the race, everyone had their attention on the weather report for race day: Wind, storms, and more wind. It is hard to push that out of your mind, but I kept a reminder in my head that everyone will be racing the same conditions, it is out of my control, I have done everything I need to do, and I just have to be better than what the weather throws my way. And it turns out, the weather was a LOT better than what was predicted! Not great, but better than what was foreseen. The day before the race, the winds were awful and I made the decision to change out my deep, aero front wheel to a plain front wheel and I am VERY glad I did so. I still ran a disc on the rear and it was a smart choice for that as well.

I get pampered with a foot massage from the best man ever! :)

Scootering to bike check in!

               The days leading up to the race I felt much more calm than previous races (going back to the change in mindset) and ready to take on race day. Of course I was still nervous, but I felt much better about everything this go round knowing I was incredibly prepared. But on to race day! The winds were already strong setting up transition, but I did not feel too bothered by it, I knew what I needed to do. I was nervous-first race of the year to shake off the cobwebs and with a new coach and totally new approach to racing-and I was very excited to go out and see what I could do.

SWIM

               The swim is my strong suit, but I knew I had a couple of strong females that would test me in the water-and I was not wrong! The water was looking okay from the dock, but it became apparent very quickly that this swim was not going to be smooth sailing. I was able to get out front with another fellow swimmer, Erin, while I watched another woman take off. I chose to not fight that battle as to not burn any matches and stayed at my pace with Erin in tow. The combination of the choppy waters and heavier than normal “traffic” made for a swim that was harder than most any open water swim I’ve done to date. With about ¼ to go, Erin was able to drop me and again I stayed steady. Turning the last buoy and heading to the shoreline was a huge battle. The washing machine was set on heavy and the waves were difficult to push through and I felt as if I was being knocked around. For once, I was beyond happy to get my butt out of there! Exiting the water is always a struggle when your start is a little further back and I have a hard time trying to be “polite” maneuvering through people, but I apologize to any and all strangers for being aggressive and competitive! My final swim time came out to be 26:05-not my fastest swim, but not my slowest either and I was happy with that time considering the conditions!

BIKE

               Hopping on my bike out of T1 and heading out to the bike course I was slightly worried about how the winds would be, but I told myself as to just race my race and not worry about the conditions. That mindset really helped to push through the rough winds of the day! There were 20+mph crosswinds with heavy gusts and I would be lying if I said I wasn’t being pushed around, but overall I felt solid on the bike and let the wind carry me and kept my body relaxed. I was pacing well and just trying to hold steady. There were a few times were I began to ease up and I wanted to hold back, but I kept a constant reminder that I was there to go after it, to race, to be brave and relentless, so I pushed on. At the turnaround I was happy to see that I was actually pacing faster than my goal bike split! Heading back in from the turnaround I was excited that we did not encounter a huge headwind and excited that I was on track for a big bike split PR and that kept me pushing forward! I will admit that I did not practice my flying dismount leading up the race, so I didn’t even attempt and went for the standard dismount into T2! Finished the bike in 2:31:10.

RUN

               Getting onto the run course, I felt GREAT! I made sure to slow myself down coming out of transition (you always go out too hot) and settle into my comfortable pace early. Robbie Wade reminded me to just hang steady and stay smooth and I did just that. My pace was a little faster than I was expecting, but I was feeling awesome. The only bad thing going on was the heat on the run course and I was wishing at this point that the storms would roll in! I took in water and ice and sponges at the aid stations to keep my body cool. Everything was going great up until the last lap… I began to fall apart and my pace was falling off. I was realizing that I certainly did not take in enough salt throughout the day (I usually take in more, but failed to do so today-that will change for next race day!). On the last lap I took in small sips of Gatorade and coke to bring me up to speed and keep myself moving as best I could. It was the last lap and I just knew I needed to push through and finish my best. Having Jeffrey, Ashley, and Nathan on course (and my parents) helped me to push through the pain and keep a positive mind and remember to just enjoy the day I was having because it was a great day even with this last lap fail! They hold me up and support me always and I couldn’t ask for a better support system through all of them! Another huge win is that I was able to hold my run form even when I felt like I was falling apart and I am very happy with that. I came across the line with a nearly 12 minute PR at 4:36:57 and a run of 1:36:07. 
Finished 2nd AG, 2nd Amateur Overall, and 15th Female Overall with the pros included

OVERALL TAKEAWAYS

               SO HAPPY with this race! Looking back on the day, I know where I need to improve and what I need to do differently next time, but for now I am more than excited for this performance especially with the conditions of the day and it being the first race of the year! The run course always reminds me of the spirit of the sport. It doesn’t matter what age you are, what ability level you are, everyone is ready to cheer you on and keep pushing you forward. I love to see all athletes, volunteers, and spectators out there wanting to see you succeed, whatever your goal for the day may be. This sport is truly special. I cannot wait for the magic of race day once more at Gulf Coast 70.3 on May 13^th and I have even more drive to push my training for the rest of the season.

Love my training buddy! Such a great friend & supporter!

Team Sirius teammate, Kearci!

HUGE THANKS to Siri for trusting in me and coaching me to be the best athlete and person I can be-this is just the beginning!

And huge thanks to Cobb for always supporting my triathlon goals and keeping my bike comfortable so I can be fast!; FederMut for keeping my feet comfortable and blister free on the run; and Chris McDonald/BSG Apparel for bringing my race top to me so I could be fashionable, fast, and comfortable on race day!