DC Triathlon TEAM

***Reston Sprint DISTANCE***

Swim: 400 meters
Bike: 12 miles
Run: 5K

***RESULTS***

Results

Overall: 1:05:14, 2nd female overall (1st podium finish!), 1st in age group
Swim: 5:44 (tied with Julie for 2nd female out of the water)
Bike: 32:58
Run: 23:49

***PRERACE***

I was pretty excited/anxious/nervous for my 1st race of the season. I felt ready to crush it. This was also our 1st LUNA event of the year. This made me calmer knowing all of the team would be there and also the whole Reston tri community among many other friends. AND my sister’s 1st race ever! Gonna be a big day. And with all the rain the week brought clear skies were forecast for the weekend…

Saturday was packet pick-up. In return for being able to set up our LUNA hut and spread our LUNA lovliness we were also volunteers for the race. We set up next to The Bike Lane and had a great time raising some money for BCF, calming some newbies fears, and handing out snacks to everyone.

Sunday morning I woke up to what sounded like thunder and rain. Couldn’t be. I start receiving txts from a distressed Sarah…“KATIE! It is not supposed to be raining?!” Ah Shoooooooot. “Man up and get out there,” I TOLD her.

I dragged myself out of bed, got my stuff together, drank my coffee, while refreshing the radar about a million times, before driving the quarter mile to the race start. Looked like it would clear for GO time…

***RACE***

SWIM - Before long we were all lined up around Lake Newport 50m pool for the swim start. It was a snake swim (400 meters). Odds started on one side, evens on the other. One was to swim eight lengths of the pool (down and back one lane) so that both odds and evens finished in the middle.

By chance LUNA Julie O (my craziest swimming friend…who does all the crazy swimming events with me) and I were starting at the same time. Unreal. Someone had to have freakin rigged this. I was 15th and she was 16th/odds and evens separate ends…we would meet in the middle…OH and we WOULD meet in the middle. And we were off. First 100 I felt like I was going to toss my coffee. The intensity of a sprint KILLS me. I was coming up on the guy in front of me. They sent us off 10s apart. About 200 meters in I passed him. Coming into the last 100 meters I felt a bit stronger…flip turns in wet suit under lane line…interesting. I felt like I was going through the spin cycle. Last 50 meters. I breathe to my left and look who is turning into there last 50. SHOOT! Julie breathes to her right…we were cheek to cheek. What a riot. I started to bust it. I would not let her get ahead of me. I started to laugh…she was so serious and focused like she wanted to rip my head off! We were coming to the wall even. Touched at the same time. OH MY…Forgot we had to pull ourselves out of the water. GUHHHH. We were both hurting. I was laughing so hard I could not run. She booked it and I ran after her still laughing….into transition…love you Julie 2-2-4 out of the water…gol LUNA!

T1 - I rip the wetsuit off and quickly was off. I was feeling a little volatile.

BIKE - Julie is right in front of me. Matias flies by in front of both of us. Bananas had it in her and I took off after him. I knew the only female in front of me know was Ally. I could see a few off in the distance. The course is 3 loops (4 miles each for a total of 12 miles) of a triangular course on the main road around North Reston. The rain had stopped but the roads were slick. The last part of the looop on Baron Cameron is a pretty good climb. End of 1st loop I caught sight of Ally. I was gaining on her on the uphills…but she maybe a little faster on the downhills. End of 1nd loop climb I got her. In 1st now. YIKES! Could I hold off. A lot of people on the course now. Legs felt decent. I really don’t warm up for about 30 minutes into a ride…by that time it was about over. Feeling good on the 3rd loop. Into transition 1st female.

T2 - Quickly transitioned to run. Well sort of. People were running in all directions. I thought I knew exactly where the run exit was…but people were running in the opposite direction. Later realized they were coming out of the pool. oops. Could have saved some time here.

RUN - As I headed out of transition someone smacked my butt. eeeYIKES! HAHAHA It was Kona Kev. Gasps from the crowd! The bike/run bricks I had started a few months ago must be paying off. I felt strangely good starting the run. Usually it takes a mile for that. I felt light and strong. Ally was right behind me…she had caught up a bit in transition. I could see her maybe 50 yards behind me (yes, I think in pool distances). About a mile in Matias is on his way back. Yeah! He was #1..and so was I! AWESOME. And Dan was close behind him…Ally right behind me. Funny. A bit of an uphill and I felt a bit weak. Ally and someone else still in eye sight. On the return…I started to not feel so tired…give it all you got…I picked it up. Almost home! I came into the finish still feeling strong. #1 female across the line. But with a time trial start…would have to wait for the final results.

***POSTRACE***

I hung out at the finish and got to see some of the other Chix and Sarah finish strong. She was smiling when she finished. Ended up #2. Not sure who the girl who got #1 was. It was a great day for everyone.

It was another awesome LUNA event. Really great to have other ladies see you in the LUNA gear and ask how they can become more involved in the sport…we tell them about LUNA and experience the excited reactions to find there are others to Get Outside and Play With. We even got business cards! HEHE

***LESSONS LEARNED***

-Learn the transition area - 2nd time this has happened. I need to take more note on transition area set up before the race. Maybe walk through a few times.