Keep Austin Woodchipped

The Race
Swim Goes A Little Something Like This:

*I was absolutely unprepared for that open water swim... that was literally the first time I've stepped into open water intending to do anything but splash about leisurely ... first time to "head toward that bouy, turn, head toward that bouy, turn, head for the shore. "

*Out to the first turn and heading into the sun, I couldn't see a thing, although my goggles do have a slight tint... still couldn't see, water reflecting the light, light coming down... it's a wonder I didn't end up on the other side of the lake.

*Everyone I've talked to said open water swim = a lot of jostling... people all around you, everywhere... but they told me to get toward the back and side and find a space to swim... I tried. I really really tried... but every time I found a bubble, someone would pop it.

*The thing I find hilarious about the bubble popping was the chorus of sorries I heard through the entire swim... mine included. sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry... every time I poked my head up out of the water, I heard someone say sorry or said it myself. Polite? Yes.

*You probably already know the the reasoning behind the sorries, but... My mom called right as I got back to the hotel room to shower and I told her, "Mom, I grabbed so many crotches in that water today, I'm embarassed for myself!" I couldn't go two feet without putting my hand on someone... arms, legs, crotches, boobs, heads, bodies everywhere.

*I found a groove with what I would estimate 300 meters to go... I could finally put my head down and swim more than two strokes without running into anyone, having to look up to see where I was going, and just letting go of the fact that when I put my head down in lake water, I wasn't going to see anything, so quit trying... although I could see the reflection of my eyeballs in my goggles... and I have to tell you... I could see the fear in my eyes!

T1:
*Whoever came up with running out of the water onto sand... love you
*Whoever came up with running from sand to grass... love you
*Whoever came up with running from grass to pavement... don't love you
*Whoever came up with running from pavement to wood chips... hate you.
*Whoever came up with the idea of doing all this on a hill... you're a bastard
*Whoever came up with the idea of doing all this while running... you're an even bigger bastard.
*Whoever came up with the idea of doing all this BAREFOOT... you.are.the.devil.
*I had really strange cramps in my ankles coming out of the water... or maybe I should say my lower calves... first time for that part of my calf to cramp... but it made running nearly impossible, going up the hill... so I walked... I was afraid running would result in a full charley horse and I'd never get on the bike.

Biking Austin Hills:

*You know, I now see why Lance Armstrong trains in Austin... there are little hills and big hills and oh shit hills and beg for your momma hills.

*I walked the "Bitch Slap Hill" ... where they had us going down that great hill into the 90 degree turn and up the steepest of any of the hills... I got halfway up, refused to come out of the saddle, and walked up the rest of it... I was glad I was not alone... I've done a lot of alone hill walking dragging my bike, but knowing that it wasn't just me, made me feel... better... I know every woman walking up that hill dragging their bike wanted to be riding, but it was a dang hard hill, and the fact that we were in it together, just made it all better.

*There were two other hills I was really worried about... and it took me a long time to get my bike up those hills, but I did it... and I want to go ride up them again, just to prove I can do it more than once... and maybe take video footage... I could be in movies, man.

*Lesli and I drove the course on Saturday, and on Saturday, I was equal parts glad and equal parts sick... since we were going into the course blind... looking at "Bitch Slap Hill" and as CoCo called it "Oh Shit Hills" and "Holy Shit Hills" ... I was sick... but having seen it, I felt much better when I was actually riding... so if I have to go in blind again, I will drive the course, if possible.

*When I looked at my times... I felt like the ride was actually my strongest portion of the event... and I felt really proud of my cycling.

T2:

*I honestly don't remember coming back into the transition area... I think it was because I actually had shoes on
*I do remember changing from biking to running shoes
*I remember getting nearly blinded by my headband when I was trying to walk (not run) across transition to the run out.

It's Called Trail Running:

*Running is my weakest link... I'm not going to lie... I ran down the hills, but never back up them... and only managed to average a 17 minute and change pace.

*Running on wood chips? I don't know who got the discount on wood chips, but why.were.they.everywhere?

*I've determined hate running on wood chips... they move a little too fluidly under your feet.

*The grass and sand was better, but... still... not my strongest event.

*Thank god for water stations.

*Here's to the sadistic bastard that put the longest hill at the end of the race... although it was a flat finish.

*I.finally.got.my.finishers.medal.

So I can finally claim a medal! WOOT! I was very proud of everyone there... we've all had many personal triumphs and many personal setbacks... but at the end of the day, we all finished... and as one of my coworkers who put the running bug in my ear a few years ago likes to always remind me... A finish is a win.