Kerrville Tri (Quarter distance) race report



Post-race goofiness :)



I've been looking forward to this weekend since the beginning of the month.  It was going to be my last "short" race before my two late-season 70.3 races and marathon.  I was super anxious to get out there and see how my training had progressed since May, and since I knew the course I wasn't too worried about anything going wrong.  I will never make that mistake again!!  The biggest lesson I learned on this race is, no matter how much you think you know the course, you still have to stay sharp and in the game because anything can happen.  And that's what happened to me.....

Swim:  21:39 (1000m)

I had a decent swim and am okay with my swim time.  There's still room for a lot of improvement though.  I think there is an extra minute added on to it because you don't cross over the timing mats until you run up to the wetsuit strippers and then have them strip you off.  I think that probably totaled up to an additional minute so I'll take it.  I had clear water for about 95% of the swim and was pretty spot on with my sighting.  I ended up being 4th in my AG with my swim.  Yeah!!

Bike:  1:37:00 (29 miles or if you're Orissa Loftin - 30.14 miles)

I felt great getting on the bike after the swim and settled into a rhythm pretty quickly.  I downed a GU a few minutes in to get some energy and soon I was on my way out of town.  There was a slight tailwind, so I decided to use that to my advantage because that would mean that there would be a slight headwind coming back into town but I wasn't too worried about that.  I still haven't replaced the battery on my bike computer so the only way I knew how fast I was going was by looking at my garmin, which just gave my current speed and not my average.  I was pleasantly surprised when I hit the 20 mile mark and noted my time was at 59 minutes.  Yes - I was averaging over 20 mph!!  I really wanted to be there because I knew I would probably slow down a little bit on the way back.  Making the turns back into town I caught up to this girl and I was debating passing her before the turn into T2 or just staying behind her.  While I was contemplating, we have to do a few sharp turns so my passing opportunity never really presented itself, but I was still kind of stuck out to the left of her and so when I did decide to pass her I saw a sign that said "No passing zone".  Which should have alerted me right then that this meant my turn was coming up, but since I was so distracted I dropped back so I didn't get a penalty or in trouble for trying to pass.  Anyway, it was a few seconds after this when I realized that I had just passed up my turn.  I kept looking to my right and I knew that I had gone too far.  I finally pulled off into a side street, where there were some volunteers and screamed "Help!" at them.  I have to give kudos to them and the officer working that corner.  They came over immediately and I told them what I had done and what would be the best way for me to get back to T2.  I contemplated riding on the run course, but I didn't want to be that person too.  They told me the best way to get back would be to go back to the main road and just ride back to it.  I thanked them and quickly took off.  Luckily traffic wasn't that bad and I was able to get across and back to the street pretty quickly.  Back at the turn, the officer waved my through pretty quickly and I explained to the volunteers who were looking at me weirdly what I had done.  There were quick to say nice and encouraging things to me and I was off my bike and into T2.  Dr. Allen was johnny on the spot in T2 in helping me move bikes out of my way so I could rack my bike and get on to the run.  I was so upset!  I couldn't believe that I had done that, but I knew that I would just have to shake it off and just go out there and run. 

Run:  55:16 (6.4 miles)

While I was on the bike I had told myself that I would be happy if I could maintain a pace of high 9's for the first three miles and then see if I could hold high 8's for the last three miles.  Now I just wanted to run as fast as I could to try to make up that 6 minutes I lost on the bike.  I'm sure I had tons of adrenaline running through my system as I took off on the that first mile.  I quickly came up on people who I knew were behind me on the bike and every time I saw one of them my stomach just turned in disgust.  I had worked so hard on the bike to get a lead over them and I had blown it!  I came up to a friend of mine and she wished my luck on the run as I quickly recapped my error to her.  She told me to run and I did.  I hit the first mile with an 8.12 pace.  Whoa - yup adrenaline!  I was able to forget about the bike and focus on the run and I felt really good on the run.  I knew if I had a good run I would still probably be able to meet my goal of going sub 3 hours even with my detour.  I pushed myself and ran as fast as I think I was capable of that day.  I am amazed by my progress on the run.  I remember last season when I would struggle to get out of the 10 min/mi pace.  It feels so awesome to be able to run strong after swimming and biking.  

Total:  2:57:52 

Overall, I am very happy with this race.  I know that anything can happen on race day and I just have to take everything in stride.  That's the great thing about this sport.  You learn something every time you go out there and toe the line.  Whether you have a great day or a bad day, there is always something to take away from it.  And having so many friends out there, either racing or showing their support, is so great.  It makes the day so much more fun to get to share it with them.  

The race is still fresh enough that I can't think about my "learning experience" (I'm not calling it a mistake anymore) without experiencing a gut wrenching feeling, because I really think my time would have been closer to 2:51 or 2:52 and that would have put me 4th in my AG instead of 7th.  Not that I'm not ecstatic to be in the top 10 of my AG, but just knowing what could have been is still too fresh in my mind.                      

Augusto 10k race report

This race happened they way it usually happens for me - spur of the moment!  As my friends and I were texting each other back and forth about our weekend training plans, Kris said that she was doing an 18k race for work - which worked for her because she had an 11 mile run on her plan anyway.  Quickly, Aixa signed up for the race as well since she too had to run 11 miles.  I told them that I would head out in that direction, but I only had an hour run so I would see them on the course and hang with them afterwards.  I was quickly informed that there was a 10k option to sign up for as well.  So, no wanting to be left out, I signed up for it.  I immediately starting having thoughts about how well I could do at this race.  It's a smaller race so I wasn't sure who exactly would show up.  After my run at Small Texan, I've been feeling a bit more confident on my runs and I was thinking that I might be able to place in my age group.

Never ones to miss out on a matchy-matchy opportunity!

So Sunday morning comes and I get to the race and I'm looking around at all the other races.  Most seem to be wearing the 18k bibs but I see quite a few 10k bibs and I immediately think to myself that they all look like faster runners than me but maybe they are not in my age group (but of course I assumed they all were).  And then I see HER....a girl who will remain nameless but one that I know has aged up into my age group and who is fast.  I decide to line myself up behind her and see how long I can hang or keep her in my sights. 

The countdown begins and we take off.  This is only my second 10k run that I've raced so I'm still unsure of how fast I should go out.  I know I can't go out as hot as I can in a 5k because I'm not sure I can maintain that pace.  So I keep my "mark" in my sights and I'm running at a pretty good clip.  The first mile is all downhill so you're able to go pretty fast.  My "mark" begins to play with her watch and slows down.  I begin to freak out. Do I slow down and stay behind her?  Do I pass her and try to hold her off?  I really didn't want to be the one being chased; I wanted to be the chaser.  I decide I don't want to loose too much time so I pass her.  I hear her jump onto my heels.  Ugh!  Then she passes me up again and I breath a sigh of relief.  Okay - back to plan A:  Keep her in your sights. 

I'm passing lots of runners and feeling comfortable as the miles start ticking off my Garmin.  I'm finding it easy to keep my "mark" in my sights and I'm beginning to think about my strategy for the way back.  I come up to another girl who's running a good pace.  I pass her for a few minutes and then she passes me back up with a speed that I can't hang with so I let her go.  But she's another girl that I decide to keep in my sights.  Right before the turn around I get passed by one female who I had not seen before.  She's running fast and quickly starts picking off my two "marks".  Hmmmm, okay then.  As I approach the turn around I get to count how many females are ahead of me; two girls are super far ahead me, the girl who came from behind and passed me is in third, and then my two "marks" are fourth and fifth.  That makes me sixth female!  I hit the turn around and I'm feeling good.  The legs are turning over quickly and my breathing is labored by I'm not out of breath by any means.  My pace has been in the 8's and I'm thinking to myself that I can hold this pace.  As I get to mile 4 I realize that I'm catching up to my "marks".  I'm right one their heels.  Now is the time for me to make my decision.  Do I pass now with 2 miles left or stay behind them and wait until I'm closer to the finish?

I know that last mile is one hell of an uphill and I decide to risk it.  I pick up my pace and pass one of the girls and then I pass the other one.  I hear them breathing behind me and not letting up; they are staying on my heels.  Mile 5 beeps on my watch.  I know there's only 1.2 miles left.  I take a quick swig of my hydration from my handheld (best decision ever by the way to take it with me!) and dig in for the uphill.  I know if I can just maintain my pace maybe I can hold them off.  I'm too scared to look behind me so I just keep putting one foot in front of the other and run.  I finally get to the top and the terrain evens out.  There's a sharp 90-degree turn and I finally risk a glance behind me - No one's there!!  I can't believe it!  I let a little "whoop!" out and pick up the pace.  Of course, this is the place where my foot finds the one hole in asphalt and my ankle turns a little.  I quickly recover and shake my head.  Focus Orissa!!  As my watch beeps for mile 6, I decide to take another peek over my shoulder.  Crap - green shirt girl is there!  I put the pedal to the metal and sprint to the finish that I now can see.  I cross over the line and I stop my watch - 52 min and change!  A 10k PR!!!  I am ecstatic with my run.  The girl in the green shirt comes over to me and we congratulate each other for a good race.  She ended up getting 1st place in her age group and I ended up getting 2nd in my age group!   

This turned out to be a very fun race and I'm extremely happy with my result.  Next up for me is the Kerrville Intermediate Distance triathlon.  I'm hoping my running improvements carry over into triathlons!!  Stay tuned..... :)