70.3: my second triathlon!

Last weekend I completed my second triathlon! My parents came to visit and go with me to the race in Williamsburg.

Saturday before leaving town we drove to the farm where I get a CSA share every week. In addition to picking out my bag of veggies, Dad and I picked green beans and cut flowers for a cute little bouquet.

Green bean picking. Dad wanted this documented so he can brag later about "working on the farm."

Flower cutting.

After the farm we packed up the car, loaded up my bike, and headed East. Patrick came along too. We stopped off in Richmond for lunch with the whole extended family, which was fun. Then we continued on toward Williamsburg and went straight to the Chickahominy Riverfront Park to check in for my tri. It was blazing hot but I had to stand in the sun for 25 minutes listening to the pre-race briefing. Then I put my bike into transition and went over to check out the swim exit. I'm always so nervous about the swim.

After the tri business was out of the way we checked into the hotel and rested briefly, then headed to dinner. We had a fun and good meal at the DoG Street Pub, followed by a stroll through Colonial Williamsburg and a cup of ice cream for dessert. Then it was time for me to head back and go to bed.

TJ selfie!

Sunday morning was race day and the alarm went off at 4:10am. I ate my breakfast in the room, applied my race number tattoos, and got all my gear ready. Triathlons take a lot of gear. Mom stayed back a tad later, but Dad and Patrick headed out with me at 5:45. They dropped me off and I got my transition area set up. Then after a quick porta potty stop it was time to head down to the water start.

My blue bike and transition stuff to the right.

All the other bikes and people getting ready.

It was really nice having Dad and Patrick with me, because I was getting a little nervous. I mean, I felt pretty out of my league with all those other triathletes around. My wave was last, so we watched everyone else take off before it was finally my turn to get in the water.

Early morning support team!

Here we go!

I'm in the (warm) water now...

Two years ago I did the same Williamsburg half ironman as my first triathlon (though the actual location of the race and the courses were different). I ended up panicking on the swim and doing the backstroke the whole way. This year my goal for the swim had been to swim normally. I failed. I swam normally for a little ways, maybe to the first sighting buoy, but I wasn't in a good groove and felt like I'd never finish in time. So I went on my back again. I would do 20-25 strokes, then turn over to make sure I was still headed in the right direction. Not being able to see where you're going really isn't ideal in a race, but I did better than last time at staying more on course. The current was pretty strong at one of the turn buoys and I could have sworn the buoy was floating away from me, but a guy on a paddle board assured me the buoy was staying still and it was me floating away. Which in retrospect makes me realize I probably lost even more time when I'd turn over to see where I was going, because I was probably floating backwards each time!

In any case, I finished, and was fine with my performance. Yes, someone in a canoe had to ask if I was okay. Yes, it's weird to do the backstroke. Yes, it was obvious to everyone that I didn't really know what I was doing. But I finished! That's what counts!

Coming out of the water.

Swim (1.2 miles): 49:20. Age group place: dead last. Overall place: 294 of 315. Transition 1: 5:09.

Toweling off so my sunscreen will stick for the long bike ride ahead...

Heading out of transition with my bike.

Next up was the bike ride. Mom, Dad, and Patrick were just outside transition to wave me off.

I love this photo. It shows how I feel about triathlon pretty well.

But I try to play it cool.

The bike ride was long. I wasn't very fast. I don't really know why. (Though, for the record, most of the other people at this race had tri bikes and rode in the aero position. That's what distance triathletes do. But I only have a road bike. I like to think I'd be a little faster with different equipment, but bikes are really expensive.) For some reason I was a lot slower than last time. The course felt mostly flat, which I've decided I don't really like that much. When things are flat you just have to keep pedaling hard nonstop. I'd prefer some hills so I can do a little coasting. Also, my bike seat always hurts after a while, so I really appreciate coasting opportunities as a chance to relieve the sitting pain a little. There were three aid stations on the bike course and I stopped at each one to stand up and stretch my legs out a little bit. Most people don't actually stop at the stations, they just reach out and a volunteer hands off a new bottle. I needed the breaks. But eventually I reached the end. (And while I was riding Mom, Dad, and Patrick had a 3+ hour break and went out to breakfast.)

Finally done with the bike!

Dismounting to head into transition.

Bike (56 miles): 3:42:55. Age group place: still dead last. Overall place: 298 out of 315. Transition 2: 4:56.

With the bike over, I donned my running shoes, put on more sunscreen, and headed out to run a half marathon in 90-degree weather. 

Waving to my family on the way out.

I got this.

The run was two out-and-back loops along the Capital Trail. Since I was so far in the back I spent the whole time passing people, though a whole lot of those people on my first lap were running their second laps. I also took advantage of the aid stations every mile, since it was really hot out. In addition to pouring a cup of ice water on my head each time I started to put cups of ice down my shirt. Eventually my socks were pretty soggy and making squishing noises because I was soaking wet from both sweat and all the water and ice I kept throwing on myself.

After my first lap I waved down to my family watching below the bridge. There were fewer runners out this time, but I kept passing them. My pace did slow quite a bit though.

Heading out on my second lap.

I was able to pick up my pace for the last mile, and after running around the perimeter of the park toward the finish line I was happy to see Dad ready to run in with me.

Done!

Run (13.1 miles): 2:13:11. Age group place: 14 out of 18 (not dead last!). Overall place: 268 out of 315. Total time: 6:55:32.

They put a cold wet towel on me and gave me my medal, and it was time to cool down. Yes, I finished toward the very back. Yes, I have a lot of work to do swimming and biking if I ever actually want to do well at triathlon and not come in last all the time. I think my endurance is there, I just don't have speed. (Or a tri bike.) But hey, I still completed another 70.3-mile half ironman! I'm still plenty pleased with myself. And I still want to do more triathlons.

Some food and a finisher's beer.

After the race and a little rest, I finally let my hot and tired spectators leave with me. Patrick headed back to Charlottesville while my parents and I spent another night in Williamsburg. Back at the hotel I showered and took a nap, then we went out for a nice dinner that evening. And Monday we went back to Colonial Williamsburg for the day.

Cute parents.

Cute colonial scarecrow.

Governor's mansion and gardens.

Fun race, and fun times with my parents!