Guest Race Report

Jen_Runs has been a commenter favorite of mine for some time. Hell, every commenter is a favorite of mine. I lurves the comments. In any regard she like many people has attached to her comments which makes it difficult to correspond and I pretty much will respond to 85% of them. And she does not list her blog in her profile. But she has one, I didn't know that until reading her race report and now she's on my Blogline.

She is mostly a trail runner but has recently jumped into the waters of triathlon. Below is her first triathlon race report. I look forward to going back on her blog to read up on the rest of the amazing things she does Down Under.

Enjoy...

Tri-ing by Jen_Runs

For years, my uncle - who has completed 5 IM events here in Australia and one in Canada - has been trying to talk me into doing a triathlon. For years I have resisted. I am a trail runner at heart who only takes to swimming and running when I can’t run on my beloved trails due to injury. But earlier this year, I met a boy (now my fiancé) who just happens to be a triathlete. I was able to hold off my uncle’s attempts to talk me into doing a triathlon - but their combined efforts over a bottle of red wine one night proved far too convincing!

So a few months ago, I joined my local triathlon club and on 19 December 2007, I took part in my first triathlon. I knew I could do each of the legs individually but putting them together was another matter entirely!

The club race I chose as my debut was a memorial race for a former club president who was killed in a training accident in 1999 so the format and distances were a bit 'different'. The short course race, which I did, was 200m swim, 10k ride and 2k run. The long course was 200/10/2/200/10/2. Ouch. The morning finished with breakfast - bacon & egg rolls. Perfect recovery food :-)

I was not nervous about the race in the lead-up to the event. But when the girls (who were given a 5min head start over the boys) were called to the water, I suddenly got nervous. I mentioned to the woman standing next to me that it was my first triathlon. Suddenly I was surrounded by 3 or 4 women all wishing me good luck, telling me “you’ll love the sport”, “it’s a wonderful club to be a part of” and to “stay wide on the swim”. I know runners are generally a friendly bunch but the level of support, comfort and security I received from these women was something I have never experienced before and something that will stay with me always.

The swim was ok. I am not a weak swimmer by any means but it is not my strongest leg either. I had a 'moment' during the swim. Not a panic attack. I didn't hit or get hit. But at one stage very early, I felt claustrophobic and probably went out too fast. So to calm down, I started breathing to my right on every second stroke - which of course meant I went veering off towards the shore. Note to self - keep an eye on the buoy next time J Anyway, I got myself back on track and got out of the water in about 5 mins. Unfortunately I forgot to turn my watch on so I only have estimates of the splits.

T1 was a bit too, um, leisurely as I felt light headed and dizzy when I bent over to put my shoes on.

The ride was a flat, 2 lap course around the rowing course for the Olympic Games held in Sydney in 2000. I live very close to the venue and have run around it on numerous occassions so I had the benefit of knowing the course intimately. Straight out of T1 and there is a small rise over a bridge. I made a very slow start as I could not get my foot into the cleat and was quickly passed by another woman. I later caught her :-) My uncle, who was doing the long course race, must have been slacking because he only passed me not long before I got off the bike ;-)

Onto the (out and back) run and my legs felt heavy. Having done several brick sessions and having a personal trainer who delights in absolutely trashing my legs, I was expecting, and used to, this sensation. I just focused on form, keeping my abs and core ‘switched on’ and getting my breathing under control. 'High fiving' my uncle as he ran back past me distracted me for a minute. It took me about 500m before I started to settle into the run. I finished the 2k run in about 13mins (including T2). I am really happy with this time given that 6:30m/km is my current 'training pace' - not to mention the fact that due to injury I have not run further than 2km since July!!

I was at the finish line when my fiancé finished his first Half IM earlier this year. Although a member of the same tri club, he chose not to do the race himself so that he could act as my official photographer and cheerleader which was very special for me.

So, with him watching, I finished my first triathlon in 40:57 - far exceedingly my fiancé’s estimate of 45mins and my own estimate of 50mins :-)

Within 5 mins of finishing and getting my breathe back, I was already plotting my next race and the things that I need to work on. I can now understand why this sport seems to be addictive. Although I have no desire to ‘go long’ just yet – trail running is my true love – tri-ing certainly offers me a great challenge, not to mention an incredible feeling of achievement and accomplishment. And now that Xterra finally lands in Australia in 2008, I think I may have found my calling!

Jen

http://jenakanewone.blogspot.com