After a nice breakfast with eggs and peanut butter and banana rice cakes and coffee I walked slowly the mile to reach the beach along mirror lake among 100 others. It was quiet and the lake looked so still.
The clouds cleared up very quickly.
The race organisers told us the water was too warm and wetsuits were not allowed if you wanted an AG award or a Kona spot...so no wetsuit for me...you have to try right? Josh and Roger did not wear one either...It is actually interesting to have a rule and allowing people not to follow it. I think everyone should have swam without a wetsuit...
As soon as the start was announced it was chaos for the whole first part and I can tell you it is harder to come back to the surface when you are pushed down by others when you don't have a wetsuit.
Anyway the second part and second loop were a bit better and I managed to stay inside by the famous cable that takes you straight from A to B and B to A. If I could have done that on the first loop.
After the swim there was a run to transition, lined up with tons of people cheering, quite cool really.
I grabbed my swim to bike bag, went in the women's changing tent and got ready for the bike ride, sunscreen and everything.
The bike ride was great, hard but so beautiful. The first loop was so busy though, at some points on the flats near the river it was like being in the Tour de France, packs all over the place everywhere, no way to go.
I am guessing the course is not designed for so many riders at once.
The second loop was better with less riders everywhere.
I was so happy about the long descent, I was worried about it but surprised myself to actually loving it and I went pretty fast going down with no worries whatsoever.
After the first loop you go back in town and the atmosphere is just great with so many people cheering. I loved that part.
My bike felt great, my legs not too tired, I ate well, took my salt tablets, drank tons. From 12 position in my AG I was 2 at the end of the bike. Pascal managed to inform me at the beginning of the run.
When I came off the bike I felt ok, a bit tired but not too much, but I knew that the marathon was coming. 26.2 miles to run is a long way to run. I had to think 2 loops only 2 loops of so many miles.
I started well, saw people I knew, was happy.
I was actually very happy to see Erin, so I was waving.
And then troubles started, I was very hot and thirsty, and started to stop at each station. One 50 years old woman passed me Carmel, she was fast...then another one, she had passed me at Rev 3 in June. I was not happy.
I am running in the middle, it was only mile 2!
So for the whole run I kept passing the Rev 3 lady and she would pass me at each station (she did not stop) until she did not pass me anymore ;-)
But I never passed Carmel! (I actually don't know Carmel, just saw her name passing me).
And there was another one right in front of me, Pascal told me...1 more minute I could have passed her but not Carmel.
3rd place.
Next time, there is always a next time, somewhere else to try.
What a great race: the finish was the best finish in an old Olympic stadium. I wish I had a picture to show you.
Overall I can recommend this race to anyone. It is hard but so exciting and beautiful.
See you all out here.
Go tri!
Great report. Although I disagree with you that everyone should have had to wear no wetsuit. The penalty was clear, no AG awards or Kona slots. For races that are wetsuit eligible (especially where there is no record of non Pros not being allowed to wear wetsuit in past races), it is a big reason many of the participants choose that race and it would have ruined my race day had I been forced to not wear it.
ReplyDeleteAll that said above, I give those not wearing wetsuits 10 mins handicap :).
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