It is so much fun to race in a hometown race. Not only is the CB&I Triathlon a very well-run event, but it also feels like a big social event because every triathlete from the Woodlands is out there. Congrats to all of my friends and coached athletes that Finished Strong! Special congrats to newbie Krista Malizia, Chris Nichols, Jim Perkins, Dr. Samer Faysal (my awesome chiropractor!), and all my other friends that raced. This was Krista's very first triathlon, and she succeeded her expectations with a 7th place finish in her age group. Go Krista! Also, thanks to all the WCC cycling club volunteers... you all help make the race awesome.
I was pretty nervous racing this year because I have struggled with some pretty nasty achilles tendonitis the last two months. My training has been mostly leg weights, swimming, and very very boring aqua jogging for 7 weeks. Every single little voice in my head was telling me not to do this race today. I didn't tell anyone (except Dana) that I was going to race, because I didn't want to hear the truth about how I was making a stupid decision. Oh well, I decided I was going to race and accept the consequences of my decision. Lucky for me (and I know it's luck!), I had a good race, and didn't do any more significant injury to my achilles. It's still a little aggravated, and probably needs a few weeks to heal. But, all in all, I am pleased with how the race went.
The swim was mayhem... there were people swimming in all directions and using all kinds of swim strokes... freestyle, breastroke, elementary backstroke, "treading-water-social-hour" stroke. It is so hard to navigate and find a rhythm in that kind of swim environment. It definitely wasn't a slow swim course this year. The CBI bike course is always awesome. It wasn't as windy this year as last year, but definitely more humid. A few years ago, the women went first, so we didn't have to muddle through all the men during the bike. Depending on how you look at it... this means that you get to (or have to) bike alone on a less congested course. This year the women went after all the men. It took me a while to catch up to the men (and the lady riders are so much more rule-abiding than the men!), and then it was just fun trying to pass as many guys as possible. [Yes, I know that is probably unkind and sexist to say! Sorry!!] I held on as best as I could for the run. I have to admit that I was very shocked (but pleased!) that I was able to race as fast as I did. It doesn't change my thinking that racing on an injury is a pretty stupid thing to do, and I would never ever advise it :)
Again, congrats to everyone out there who had great races! Dana Lyons and Richard MacNamee (Finish Strong Coaches) had great races. Dana actually out-swam, biked, and ran me... I only nipped him by a few seconds in the transitions... unfortunately for him, he's the one that has taught me how to transition faster :) Richard, Tim Monk, and Tom Schwarzkopf had some blazing swim times. Wink, Ed York, Paul Allan, Al Richardson, Bruce Cobb, and Karen Maldonado had great bike splits...although Wink--you better be scared next year! Dean King had an awesome race all-around... but that run-split is insane! Wow. Congrats Dean! Ed Wandell, Jennifer Zambrano, and Audrey Manchester had some speedy run times. Audrey is only thirteen years old and she had the fastest overall time for the entire 19 and under category. I may need to be worried about little Audrey in the future!
I wish tomorrow was an off day, but I have to teach spinning at the BC YMCA. Mark comes home from an all-guys golf trip, and Sarah comes home from visiting her cousins Nikki and Bridgette in Dallas. Sarah and my mom went up to do a "Cystic Fibrosis Great Strides" fundraiser walk for my neice Bridgette. I'm ready to have the family home!
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