Hy-Vee Race Report

If you ever want to feel like a professional triathlete, then sign up for the Hy-Vee triathlon. Who knew such a top notch event was being held right over in Des Moines, IA? From start to finish, this race was one of the best experiences an athlete can have.

Driving to Des Moines took about twice as long as expected. I just figured, "Hey, it's Iowa, how far could it be?" Big mistake. All athletes were forced to attend a mandatory race meeting being held at the top of each hour. Unfortunately, we arrived exactly at 5:07pm and had to wait around for the next meeting. We hung around the race expo (which was surprisingly small) to wait for 6pm to roll around.

The meeting was held in the gymnasium of a school, so we all sat in the bleachers. They showed us a short collection of photos from last year's race then went over some race information. None of it was particularly earthshattering and I didn't really think there needed to be a "mandatory" meeting for this. There were no special rules or anything out of the ordinary.

Picking up the packet went smoothly and quickly. By far, the best, most comprehensive, valuable swag I've ever gotten from a race! We not only got a cycling jersey, but a backpack to fit all the other cool little goodies we received. Not even sure you can see everything from this picture, but it was like Christmas!

Dropping off the bike the night before in the 6-10pm timeframe was chaos. It moved very, very slowly and I was getting hungry and impatient. The line of cars with athletes trying to drop off their bikes was at a standstill and this normally easy process ended up taking close to 90 minutes! We headed to a nice little Italian place for dinner where we saw many other athletes wearing the bright yellow wristbands. Service was poor but the food was excellent.

The morning of the race transition opened at 4am! Trying not to be psycho about the whole thing, my plan was to get there around 4:45am - transition was to close at 5:45am. Thankfully, the parking situation was much better than the night before and we were able to get a spot and get to transition in just about 15 minutes. A few quick run throughs to make sure I knew where my bike was racked among all the other, most expensive looking bikes I've ever seen, and then it was time to hit the porta potties a few times.

The water was a balmy 81 degrees. I lined up at the front of the wave and within minutes of the start, I was warm. I was happy there were no wetsuits today. Pretty aggressive group and I fought for position. I then decided it was much more comfortable to just fall behind a good draft I was getting. Each time I tried to pull around her, I got caught up in another swimmer from a previous wave. I just tucked in and enjoyed the draft. This ended up being a slow, but comfortable swim for me.

Going out from transition on to the bike course, you get to feel like a professional triathlete riding down the bike course with the banners waving on both sides with blue fencing lining the course on both sides. The one thing that was blatantly missing was the spectators - not very many for such a high profile event. The bike course was hilly. No major climbs, but lots of long rollers. I felt like I was crawling but I was trying to focus on watts vs. mph. The bike course was very well marked and they even coned off the driveways of the people who lived on the course! Each turn was properly staffed with volunteers and, for the most part, a very clean race. I saw little drafting, though there were several competitors who were not riding on the right as they should. The hills seemed to separate any would-be packs from forming.

The wind didn't seem an issue for the ride, but the hills made this a difficult course. The trickiest part is toward the end when they direct you on to a running path. Many sharp turns - left, then right, then left - on a very narrow path. I had another athlete pass me - around a turn - on the RIGHT HAND SIDE! People, please do not do this! I almost took both of us out. Besides the fact that this was a designated NO PASSING area. To top it off, the guy was only in a relay. How frustrating!

A quick transition and I headed out on the run. My legs were feeling a bit fatigued, but not wiped, so I pushed a bit. Here we go again with the hills. Someone forgot to tell me that Iowa is hilly!! I had a hard time keeping my heart rate in check going up the hills. It was quiet out on the course - no spectators and the athletes were working hard to get up the hills. I kept thinking, "Who is that person BREATHING SO HARD??" And then I realized, "Aw, shoot, that's me!" My legs were feeling heavy, but I pushed on.

Nearing the finish, the blue fence lining and flags greet you with open arms. And though you can't see it as a competitor, as you are nearing the finish, they have each athlete on a jumbotron for the would-be fans to get a better view! It is very similar to what they have at Ironman races. I ended up finishing the run with a little left in the tank.

I then met up with some fellow Mideast Team Elite peeps for a quick photo. Both of them had great races and I feel very lucky to know them.

Memphis in May Triathlon Recap

This was my 3rd year participating in the Memphis in May triathlon. As usual, I was in a hurry packing up for the race and making sure we were prepared for the 8 hour drive. Because I had been sick since the beginning of the week, I was considering not even making the trip. Even Friday morning as I was loading up the car, I thought about bailing. It never occurred to me to get a weather report. Memphis in May = 90 degrees and humid.

Heading down with 2 members of my Luna Chix team, they were kind enough to let me sleep in the back seat and try to get some rest during the trip down. I was coughing, sniffling and sounding like I smoked a carton of cigarettes. Should I even bother trying to race? Well, too late, I'm in the car and on the way.

Saturday morning, we head to packet pick up, hook up with some other Chicago friends and Mideast Team Elite superstar, Jason S., and spend a little time at the expo. The expo at Memphis is always outdoor under a tent. While under said tent, it was hot and humid. It's not a very big expo, but they do a good job of making sure you can get just about everything you might need or have forgotten to pack.

On to check out the lake for a quick swim. It was not very sunny this afternoon which made sighting for the practice swim very easy. I was pleasantly surprised at the water temperature. The website said 71 - sure felt warmer than that to me. Then again,my last open water swim was done in 62 degree water, so maybe my expectations were a bit off.

Out of the water and on to the bike ride. We were running a little short on time and as soon as I got on my bike, I knew something wasn't right. With the help of Smart Fit Bike Fit expert, BC, we quickly realized I was missing a spacer. I had a spare wheel, so the fix was easy. Or so I thought. Back on the road, my cassette was jingling around like I had a pocket full of loose change. It was embarrassing to ride by people with so much clatter going on. First a quick transition run. It was hard to breathe, I was still pretty congested. BC and CL really just ran away from me but I had no energy to chase them. Now to the bike mechanic at the expo, blah blah blah, it's fine - go test ride. Seems fine.

STARVING at this point, we hook up with the Shoemakers and head for a quick, light lunch. I think our group outnumbered all the rest of the patrons in the place. Food was just OK, but we needed to eat something. Back to the room for a quick shower and a nap. The time flew and I think I slept for the whole 2 hours. I was bummed I had to get up. Dinner was uneventful then a quick stop at the Wal-Mart to pick up a few miscellaneous items. Being new at the self-checkout line, I screwed it up and had to have an employee come over and "supervise" me. I'm really not stupid. Really.

Morning came much too quickly and the weather report was scary. Forty degrees. Windy. Very windy. Shoot - I didn't pack anything to wear in the race in case it was cold. I didn't think about cold, I'm in MEMPHIS. I got dressed, we ate, headed out to put the bikes on the rack and I went back in to add a second jacket - yes, I had TWO jackets on. I was wishing I had gloves.

We get to the race site and follow all the tail lights through a field where we started parking. The procession of cars on race morning is just a cool sight. It's early, quiet and you can just feel the anxiety of the athletes as they prepare for the event. Everyone is just focused on doing what they need to get done and mentally preparing for the day.

It was one of my quickest transition set ups ever. I was cold. Very cold. The wind was whipping around and the chop on the lake was much more than I expected. Sure, I've swam in worse, but that was in RACINE, not MEMPHIS! I questioned the use of my disc wheel but didn't change it. How bad could it be? The announcer did his best to entertain us, but all I could think about was how cold I was going to be on the bike. Everyone always asks, "wasn't the swim cold?" No - when it's that cold out, the water is now warmer than the air. In fact, it's quite toasty to jump in the water at that point. It's when you get out, strip the wetsuit off, don't dry off and hop on your bike. That's when it's cold.

We went for a quick warm up run (though I didn't warm up) and then quickly took my warm up clothes on to put on my wetsuit. Memphis is a time trial start, one racer every 3 seconds, so we all sat huddled, waiting for our numbers to come up, shivering though our wetsuits were completely on and zipped. One by one, it was time to race until finally it was just BS and I. We had plenty of time to chat and plan our race strategy. Once I was lined up, things went fast. The woman right behind me shot around on my left so I just jumped on her heels. I think I drafted off her for at least half the race. We swam wide to avoid all the other swimmers scattered throughout the water. A few times, I got a mouthful of water due to the choppiness, but I didn't feel like it slowed me down too much.

I caught up to her in transition and left her there as I ran out with my bike. I was already cold and I wasn't even on the bike yet. This wasn't going to be good. The wind, so I was told, was about 35 mph that day. I headed out and my arms and fingers were pretty cold. I struggled to keep the bike straight when the wind gusted. For a few sections, there was a nice tailwind that felt great, but then we'd turn and a wind gust would come and I'd have to fight with the bike to stay upright. I expected worse. My fingers were so cold, they weren't functioning properly, so I had to take my whole hand off the aerobars when I needed to shift. I knew this wasn't going to be a strong ride for me - my legs felt heavy from the first couple of miles. But I'm giving it everything I've got as this is an "MJ friendly" course.

Back in to transition, I ran one rack over my spot and had to go back. The rest was smooth and I was reminded how hilly the run is on this course. I forced myself to slow down the first couple of hills to keep the heart rate in control. My breathing was labored and I was still congested which felt tougher than it really was. Came up on the Luna Chix about mile 3 of the turn around and tried to encourage them. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to talk much, I was on a mission. Hammer sped up to stay with me for a bit, which I totally enjoyed, but it didn't last as long as I hoped. I tried to negative split the second half of the run, now knowing where the hills were and that the worst of it was over for me.

That last stretch on this long grassy berm or whatever you call it seems to take forever. It's along the lake and you can hear the music, specators and announcer for the longest time before you actually get there. I was able to pass a few athletes on that stretch which was motivating. A quick down hill, don't trip on the root that's sticking out, and I crossed the finish. A good race, not a great race for me. I never really warmed up on the run - not even sure if I sweated (is that a word?) But Memphis continues to be a fantastic event and I had great fun with my friends throughout the entire weekend.

Pleasant Prairie Triathlon

Of all the triathlons I've been fortunate enough to participate in, Pleasant Prairie has always been among my favorites. It's close to home, very well organized, the swim is one of the best venues, the bike course is mostly flat and the run takes you around the lake. Last year, it was pouring rain for about 18 hours before and up until the original race start. I dreaded racing last year because of the wet pavement.


Talk about an absolute opposite change in conditions today! It was chilly, maybe 62 degrees at the start, but the ground was dry as a bone and there was not a cloud in the sky (the sun wasn't up yet!). I forgot that transition closed at 6am because the race started at 6:30am! I think that's the earliest race start I've ever seen.


The racks were pretty jam-packed and there were a few women nearby complaining about it. What are you gonna do? You don't like it up where it's crowded, move your bike. I tried to ignore them, but I couldn't...I knew these are the same women I'd be battling it out with on the course. I tried not to let them bother me.

Almost brainlessly, I set up transition and waited for MN to finish setting up her stuff. A quick walk over to the "secret" porta potties revealed they weren't so secret. We had about a 15 minute wait and transition was closed before we got back. I then realized I had forgotten to leave a gel in there for the run. I easily snuck into transition to leave a gel with my running shoes, then began peeling off my outer layers to squirm into my wetsuit. A little mishap with the wetsuit zipper stressed me out for about 5 minutes, but it was under control in plenty of time before the race started.

In order to get to the front of the swim start, I camped out by the rail that corraled the upcoming waves. Piece of cake, I was in the front row on the outside for the start, right where I like to be. The horn went off and some girl ran in 3 big steps and took a huge dolphin dive and immediately got a good lead. DAMN! I swam along side one woman for about 200 yards until she petered out...then I just happened to see a light purple cap (my color) in front of me. Well, we must be about the same ability if we're both out here, so I jumped on her heels. She was quick and I was working harder than I'm used to, but I knew the draft was a good thing. She was swimming a little crooked, but every time I tried to get around her, I never made up ground. I decided it best to just stay on her feet. She was doing an awesome job navigating around the other swimmers and once she cleared the way for me, I had less effort to put in.
I stayed on her heels until the finish. One of the best swims I've ever had in this distance. Thank you, whatever your name is!

I was able to get out of the water and had the wetsuit half way off before I reached my bike. My breathing was a bit labored, but I knew I'd settle in on the bike after a few minutes. I seemed to be the first bike off my rack, but I still had this feeling that first dolphin-swimmer-girl was out there somewhere.

Due to construction, the bike course was changed this year. It was 2 loops of the sprint course, which I wasn't really happy about. The first half of the ride was more scenic. All too quickly, I was making my way up the overpass and the quads started burning. I just pushed the chain down to the easiest gears and tried to spin up so I could catch my breath from the swim. I was breathing too hard. Then a nice little downhill and we're already making our first turn. This year, the wind was steady and I questioned the use of my disc wheel. The turns were plentiful and though the first loop was easy (and a little short, I noticed), the second loop was majorly crowded and I was tired of yelling "on your left!" just to have few people move. It's like they never heard it before. Many, many riders riding just to the right of the double yellow, so I'm forced to sit back, pass on the right (illegal) or cross the double yellow (also illegal). It was frustrating after a while. The entire bike leg, I felt sluggish, just never found my rhythym, I guess. I was happy to be off the bike and this was a short ride for me. Just not a bike day for me.

On to the run, I felt pretty good. No hamstring pain and my breathing was under control. I thought I could push harder, but I knew I was off the podium already. With 1 swimmer ahead, 1 passed me on the bike and then another passed me immediately on the run, I just decided to do my own race. I was comfortable all the way around. It was great to be able to see so many friends on the out-and-back-and-out-and-back course. You wanted to look strong at all times because you couldn't be sure who'd see you next!

Other than the wind getting a little gusty, this was just a beautiful day. Some thought it to be a bit warm on the run (there is absolutely not one speck of shade for you), but I found it nice. The wind actually cooled me off just enough. My last Olympic distance race was this same race last year. Hard to believe a year has gone by so fast.

Pleasant Prairie 2007

This year's Pleasant Prairie was almost "the race that never was." The day before the race, the weather forecast was calling for an 80% chance of thunderstorms for the Pleasant Prairie/Kenosha area. I got an email from another friend who had entered asking if they would do the race. To my knowledge, they will run the race in rain. Lightening, no.

The alarm didn't actually wake me up. It had been storming for a while and I just laid there and listened to it until it was time to get up and get ready. I flipped on the TV for the weather forecast and it still indicated thunderstorms and flash flood warnings in the area. But I still got dressed, ate and packed all my things as if this race was going to happen. We opted to park in a lot near the actual parking area. They usually have everyone park in a big, grassy field. No way was my little car going to make it through that field, so we just parked in a nearby lot and prepared to walk to the transition area.

We weren't the only ones with this idea and the lot quickly filled. It was raining pretty hard and there was the occassional lightening flash. I wrapped grocery bags around both feet and threw on my raincoat. I had flashbacks of the Boston Marathon where we had to sit for hours in the cold wind and rain, so I did my best to keep myself dry. On a positive note, it wasn't nearly as cold as Boston was this past April! On the way to the transition, we saw a guy bringing his bike back. He said they were delaying the start of the race and would make the call at 6:30 whether or not the race was going to happen. I thought "no way are we going to race...it's raining hard, there is a lot of water on the roads and it's lightening out."

Thankfully, they opened the Rec Plex and let us all wait in there for a while. It was great to see so many familiar faces and have a few moments to catch up with each of them. I was already mentally checked out and just waiting to go get my bike so we could head back to the hotel to shower and get moving on home. I mean, I can't really run with the shin injury anyway. This race wasn't going to be good for me either way. Wouldn't break my heart if it was cancelled. The announcer was giving us frequent updates. Each time he got on the microphone, there was dead silence. You could hear a pin drop. He ran down a list of what they could do....delay the start, make it a duathlon, change the course, shorten the course, and possibly cancel the race. Now I'm being remembered of Galena, when we stood...outside...in pouring rain for about 2.5 hours before they decided to call that race. Within 30 minutes of calling it, the weather was beautiful.

I chatted on with my triathlete friends, all the while fully believing this race was going to be cancelled. I was in the line for body marking when I saw Angie who was like, "What're you doing, we aren't going to race, why are you getting marked?" I agreed and walked out of the line to chat with her some more.

Right about 6:15, the announcer came back on. The race was on. Full course. Instructions were: if at any time you see lightening, get off the course. Get back to transition immediately. I was like, gee, if that happens while I'm on the bike, I guess I'll have to ride the whole course because I'll have no idea how to get back here without following the arrows!!!

I was in shock. Race? Come on. No way. Shoot. Crap. Now I'm scared. The pavement was really, really wet. This course has some very sharp turns. Aw man. Then it hit me...I have less than 25 minutes to prepare transition and get my wetsuit on before my wave start! AAAAGH! I ran to get in line for the bathroom. That took almost 10 minutes. I rushed over to transition and began to figure out how to arrange my things all while protecting them from getting soaked should the rain start coming down. I tried to arrange it so I could be fast, but who was I kidding? Everything was in bags I couldn't see through, so I just did the best I could and began squeezing into the wetsuit. I popped a Clif Shot. Because the race was delayed, I had eaten too early and forgotten my usual banana, so this was all I had.

If they did the national anthem, I missed it. I really love swimming in Lake Andrea and I knew former professional triathlete, Lauren Jensen, was in my wave. Our wave was next up and I scooted into the starting chute. I saw Laura (aka Whizzzz) and moved over to talk to her and wish her luck and before I could move back, my spot was taken. I was now in the THIRD row of the swim start! Now how did that happen? I was bummed and I saw Lauren but knew I'd need to draft off her immediately if I was to keep up and now I was sort of boxed out of that position. Oh well, not like this is going to be a PR for me, so I'll just do the best I can.

From this picture, I'm like the 4th or 5th person you can see. Behind the woman with her elbows sticking straight out...no idea what she's trying to do...probably BLOCK me. And it was a pretty aggressive swim start from there. I got hit more than normal and just attributed that to me not being able to being one of the first ones in the water. After about 25 yards, there was still a good group with me and I saw the leaders up ahead, so I just hammered for the next 50 yards to get away from the mess! It worked and I found myself able to draft of someone who was pretty close to my speed. It was a beautiful thing!

I followed her around the buoys, around the slower swimmers from the wave in front of me and just relaxed and tried to keep my breathing easy. The lake water was comfortable and I just enjoyed coasting on her feet. Then we got into a mess of slower swimmers and my rabbit started breast stroke kicking. I made a quick move to the right to not only avoid being kicked in the face, but to also try and maintain my rhythym. And now my draftee was trying to be the drafter. Yes, yes, you've done all the work, so hop on my feet. But I'm not going to make it easy. We had just rounded the last corner, so I hammered again, pushing the pace to the finish. I had a nice, clean space in front of me which allowed me to keep my head down and focus on strong, smooth strokes. I easily swam all the way to the beach and jumped out of my water.

I hit my watch as I crossed over the timing mat and notice it said 12:21. What? Crap, somehow I didn't turn on my watch...but wait, it wasn't 12:21, either. Whatever, I don't have time to think of this now! I ripped off my cap and goggles and began getting out of the wetsuit. I thankfully found my bike easily and tried to finish getting the wetsuit off. I had a little trouble getting if off of the shin I had put a compression wrap on. I was a little shaky as I reached into the first bag to get my socks and shoes. I put my sunglasses on, they steamed up, I threw them back down. I was still wobbly and put on the cycling jacket. I stood there for a couple of seconds before deciding it was too warm for the jacket and I threw it back down. I put on the helmet and grabbed the sunglasses. Tried putting them on again, steamed up again, I ripped them off and took my bike from the rack and began running to the bike exit. I tried starting my watch again once I passed the timing mat. At least I'd get a bike split!

Once on the bike, I put the glasses on and they stayed clear. I was very, very scared. Within the first 5 minutes of my bike leg, I watched a guy in front of me wipe out. There was an officer not very far away, so I knew help was already there. But it made me more scared and I slowed down. The pavement was really wet and the last thing I wanted was to crash. Even worse would be an injury to end my season, so I just kind of cruised along. I actually looked at some of my surroundings. It was nice. Then other women started passing me. I let them go, who knows, this could be their "A" race. Their season could be over after today. That was not the case for me. I slowed almost to a complete stop around all corners. People would pass me and get in front of me too soon and the spray from their back wheel would kick up onto my face. Oh, I was too nervous. My shin hurt a little on the bike, but I just focused on other things. I wondered how long it would take me to complete the distance at this laid back pace. Didn't matter, even if I had a great bike leg, I can't run, so this race was just for practice.

I passed what was like the half way mark and it seemed just past the overpass, the roads were a little drier. I picked up the pace. I felt a little safer, but I still crawled through the turns. I must've seen at least a half a dozen people on the sides of the roads. I was hoping they were just flats or bike problems and not people who had skidded out. But you could see road rash on some of them and I tried hard not to look. KEEP THE RUBBER SIDE DOWN! Damn, I'm such a baby! I decided to push a little harder. I began passing many of the people who had passed me on the first half of the bike course. It felt good. It felt even better when I was able to get off the bike, accident-free!

It was then a big cluster getting into transition. There were three guys, blocking the aisle and just moseying along. HELLLOOOOO....move to the side or something! Come on. Wait, what am I doing, I'm not really racing this race! I tried to calm myself down and threw my bike on the rack. I dug in the second bag to get my running shoes out. Damn, I forgot to put out a shot for the run leg. Oh well, it's only 6 miles. I put on my visor and limped to the run out.

Wow, the shin was painful. I thought about walking. Come on, it's only 6 miles! I gimped along, many runners gracefully passing me by. It made me feel better to say "good job" to those few athletes I was able to pass in that first mile. I again went to hit the watch and it read 12:02. Huh? Damn, I really wanted to know what my pace was like! I started the clock again. I hobbled thinking about just turning this 10K into a 5K. Then I started seeing other people I knew, cheering me on. I was just passing mile 2 at that point and thought, you know, I should really try to go faster. (what happened to I AM NOT RACING TODAY?) Anyway, I started to pick up the pace. The weather was quite comfortable. Except for running around some of the pretty large puddles on the course, it was a good run. And my splits began getting faster. When I realized my shin really didn't hurt any worse as I ran faster, I pushed the pace. I was now breathing heavy and the splits were getting faster. I saw more people on my way back in and it was like they gave me more energy. Yes, the shin hurt with every step, but it was tolerable. I figured it was going to take me the same amount of steps no matter what, so let's just get this over with! I was happy with my last couple of miles, but my bike time and first 2 very slow run miles added up for what was my 3rd slowest Olympic triathlon time ever. I'm not disappointed. I'm actually quite happy to have stayed safe on the bike and to have been able to finish the run. I went to say congrats to Angie, who had a phenomenal race!

I went immediately to the medical tent to have the shin wrapped in ice and it felt so good!! I cringed at the sight of a guy who had crashed on the bike being treated for his road rash. No matter how bad things can get, it can almost always be worse. I've made an appointment to see a doctor this week for the shin.

Memphis in May

It’s been so long since I made a blog post. In the past 2 weeks, I have been terribly busy, yet I’m not quite sure why. I have lots of things to write about, but I simply haven’t been able to find the time to get the thoughts down.

So, the recap of Memphis will be short, but sweet, as the event was almost a week ago already.

Since there were 5 of us, we planned to drive down in 2 cars and caravan all they way down to Memphis. We started our 8 hour journey on Friday because Lori was racing on Saturday, and the rest of us would race on Sunday. Thankfully, Lori and Chuck packed some good sandwich food which we really appreciated! We had a little picnic on the hood of their Durango.

One we got to Memphis, we decided to head right to the Expo so Lori could pick up her packed for the next day. We parked the car and as we walked toward the Expo, I started to remember all the things from when I did this race in 2005. Memphis’ expo is outside, under tents. They were pretty strict about presenting your USAT card and BC had to go back to the car to get his current card before they’d let him pick up his packet. And though there were only about 5 people in front of me in the packet pickup line, it seemed like an eternity before I actually got through the line. I forgot, things down in Memphis move really slow compared to what we’re used to. Everyone is pretty friendly and they have that southern drawl that distinguishes the visitors from the townies.

The rest of the day was just grabbing some southern BBQ and getting some rest. Saturday’s mountain bike race didn’t start until 9:00am, so we all were able to sleep in a bit and have a quick breakfast at the hotel. The transition area was set up with wooden racks on the ground with a slot for each athlete’s bike tire. This was quite a difference from the usual aluminum poles where you hang your bike. Security was very, very lax for this race and everyone, athletes and spectators alike, were allowed in and out of the transition area without question.
I was able to sit in the transition area as I waited to see JQ and Lori run in from the swim so I could get some good pictures of each of them.


The weather was near perfect and I was told it would be a little warmer for tomorrow’s race. This was only the second time I’ve ever actually watched a triathlon without participating in it. It was nice to be wrapped up in the excitement of the race without having the pressure to do the race itself.
Once I saw Lori and JQ leave T1, I went to find out where the rest of the crew was. It seems they had been put to work by manning a water station right out of the swim.

Once we saw both JQ and Lori finish, Pat, Chuck, BC and I decided to get a quick ride in. We figured we’d ride a portion of the course and we started off OK. Unfortunately, once we turned around, we’d forgotten how we got there. We saw other triathletes riding around, so we weren’t far, but we couldn’t figure out how to get back! Chuck decided to ask one of the locals for directions and we made it back just fine, going about an extra 8 miles or so! We followed up the ride with a quick run and then BC and I wanted to jump in the lake just to test it out.

If given the opportunity, I really like to get in the lake before a race. Each body of water seems to be a little different. It could be temperature, color, weeds at the bottom, things floating in it, or a number of other things that are just nice to know before you get in for the race. Most importantly is the sighting on the way in. We like to go to the last or 2nd to last buoy from the finish and swim it in just like we’ll do on race day. It leaves you with fewer surprises.

I’m not sure sushi is the best pre-race meal, but that was the decision that was made. I’m not even sure what most of that stuff is, but I took Randy’s recommendation and it was pretty good and I know it’s rather loaded with sodium, and that’s got to help for tomorrow, right? I tried something that had some orange eggs on it, and though it didn’t taste bad, just the thought of chewing on eggs freaked me out a little bit. I seemed to keep Pat entertained with my hesitation to try any of this stuff and my questions about everything we ate. Then again, it doesn’t take much to keep her amused.

On race morning, we packed up all our things and were heading down to the lobby. Pat was a bit quicker than me to get out the door, so I did a last-minute room check and picked up a few remaining items. I then went to the elevator that already had 2 women in it and I got in with my bike. Two more triathletes ran down the hall with their bikes, but there was no room in this elevator. Before the elevator door closed, they hit the button again, our door opened. OK, just let us leave before you hit the button. Door starts to close again and one of them hit the button again – elevator door opens up. You’ve GOT TO BE KIDDING! QUIT IT! But they just giggled and I couldn’t have shot them a more disgusted look.

I finally get to the lobby, loaded down with my bike and bags, and it looks like we’re ready to go! Then my lovely elevator button pushing happy friends walk right over to the vehicle next to me. Great! They turn out to be from Chicago and are pretty friendly (though they need to learn how to work elevator buttons). They also look like they are in my age group and now I’m on a mission.

We caravan over to the race site, pump up our tires and walk the bikes over to the racks. There are about 5 times more athletes today than yesterday and the place is pretty much a zoo. If I hadn’t done this race before, I think I would’ve been a little frazzled. There were people lining up to be body marked when, if they just would’ve moved closer to transition, there were people with markers standing around with nothing to do. I saw Randy in transition and it seemed his rack was missing! I was proud of him as he was handling this little problem rather well. It ended up being a blessing in disguise as he had a sweet spot on the rack once they finally set it up.

With just a few minor last-minute re-arranging, I left transition with plenty of time. Memphis is a time trial start, so they start just one racer every 3 seconds. Most people really like this because it does lessen your chances of getting knocked around at the beginning of the swim; however, it’s not really my favorite way to start. First, I can’t find anyone to draft off of. Second, there seem to be people EVERYWHERE during the swim, as opposed to the “packs” of swimmers you find in normal wave starts. This causes me to sight way more than normal (and I sight a lot already).

The water felt refreshing and cool when I jumped in. It was getting toasty standing there with a wetsuit on! Right away, there were people to pass everywhere. And it got more crowded the longer I swam. I felt someone on my toes several times and I was only a little frustrated by it. But then about half way through the back stretched, she pulled around me and I thought “Wow, she’s really fast!” and I swam like hell to jump on her feet. And just as I started to settle into a nice draft behind her, I noticed her turning right…wait, this isn’t where we turn, we have one more buoy to go to! I slowed, picked up my head and looked to the right. I saw about 6-7 swimmers turning right and I wondered if I should go with them. But then I looked ahead and I was certain I saw another orange buoy with other swimmers headed toward it. So, I swam straight and let the fast girl swim off to the right.

I started to push the pace a little bit as I moved in closer to the shore line. I felt better toward the end of the swim than I did in the beginning. I got out of the water and glanced at my watch. I saw “20:16” and thought to myself, “dammit, the course is short!” When swimming is your strength, that is the only leg of the race that you do NOT want to be short! It bummed me out for about 30 seconds. I had a decent T1, though I always feel very shaky when I’m trying to put on my bike shoes.

Once out on the bike, I was shivering. Getting out of a lake and immediately jumping on a bike in the cool morning air never feels really good to me. I was passed by 2 women within the first mile. I came back to get in front of one, but the other one dropped me with ease. The course was hillier than I remembered. I noticed my bike computer still read "SLEEP" and there was no way I was going to stop and try to get it to work. It was frustrating, but it was also my own fault as I didn't check to see that it was working once I got the bike set up in transition. I jockeyed back and forth with a guy on an Orbea for at least 5 miles. This dude would get in front of me, slow down, I'd pass, then he'd come back with a vengance just to make sure he was in front of me. Really annoying! The course also had more turns than I remember and there were lots of people taking them wide. I was yelled at by another athlete because he thought he could sneak by me during a turn...on my right. WTF??!? And HE'S yelling at ME??!?! The anger was good for a short burst of energy.

Two more women catch up with me, both in their 20s, and I pick up the pace to try to stay with them. Orbea guy is just ahead and I tell them that they MUST pass him. The road was pretty narrow and I think they must've changed the course from 2005 because I don't remember this. But then we went by some military station and I DO remember that...I also remembered that it meant the bike was almost over. I try to push a little harder and get ahead of Orbea boy just to show him who's boss.

I roll slowly into T2...couldn't go fast as it was a bit crowded with athletes dismounting. I get to my rack and I'm bummed that I see 2 bikes already back. See, if I didn't beat them in the swim and the bike, it was highly unlikely that I'd catch them in the run. But since we all have different start times, you just never know who's really ahead of you.

I rack the bike, take off my helmet and switch shoes, grab my had and some gels, and I'm off. I feel pretty sluggish, but I've come to learn that the feeling is mostly in my head. I missed the first 2 mile markers, but I started to notice signs on the side of the road "Just 3 and you're free" and I looked down to see a pink number 3 painted on the side of the road. I hit my watch as I passed it and realized I was on a pretty good pace. That's good, because I heard myself breathing heavy. I was actually PASSING people on the RUN! I wondered to myself if I was going too fast because I was really feeling it. The course was an out and back, so I was able to see Tobey, JQ, BC and Chuck on my way back in. I was so happy to be on my way back IN! I counted the miles down backwards and tried to convince myself that I could keep this pace until the end. The run course was every bit as hilly as I remembered it to be. We were now in the parking lot on the other side of the park and as I turned the corner I could see the finish. The Memphis run finish is a long stretch down a grassy area...I forget what they call it..a burm or something like that. I call it hell. At least, that's what I called it 2 years ago. This time, I felt much better as I was running down that last stretch. AND, I even passed a guy on my way in. I'm so used to being the person that is passed left and right, it feels like a major accomplishment when I can actually pass someone else on the run. Right toward the end, there is a steep, small downhill and I heard the announcer butcher my name as I came down that hill. I crossed the line and hit my watch...not at fast as I wanted, but still a time that I'm happy with.

I stood around at the finish cheering everyone else in. After a while, I went over to the make-shift showers they set up for the racers. Some guy heard me say I was from Chicago and he asked in amazement, "You mean, you came all the way from Chicago for this little race??" Yep. Memphis is a race that's definitely worth the trip.