Cazenovia Triathlon!

O.K. Here is the race report. I’m going to be typing a little fast so please excuse any typos.

Cazenovia Sprint Tri – 800 yd swim, 14 mile bike ride, 5K run
So, packet pick-up and body marking were from 6:30 to 7:30 am. Mom and I started driving at 4:45 to make sure we got to Cazenovia, NY, in time. We are equally neurotic about being on time (no coincidence) so she had no problem getting up at 4:30. The trip was about 1.5 hours (on mapquest) and I wanted to build in time for getting lost and stopping for coffee.

So, we got there before 7:00, picked up our packets, Tshirts and timing chips. The timing chips were worn around the ankles (not on shoe laces like in running races). It was a normal timing chip on a band like the bracelets you get when you’re admitted to the hospital. Anyway, we set up our transition area. I made two last minute wardrobe adjustments. I decided (1) to swim in my bikini bottoms and not my biking shorts (I was worried about sitting on wet padding) and (2) to wear my running sneakers for the biking (I had been training with my soccer sneakers which are smaller but I found I could get my Sauconies in the toe cages). The transition are had these rack things – essentially a horizontal bar which we hung our bikes from. Some people hung their bikes by the handle bars (with the back tire on the ground) others (like us) hung them from the seat with the front tire on the ground. I thought this was a clever of getting all the bikes in an upright position.
We meandered around for a while until the pre-race meeting in which we ascertained exactly where we’d be entering and exiting the transition area for each event (the transition area was long field). Then we decided to go down and watch the intermediate (Olympic) tri swimmers start. My mother was freaking out about the swim. She was so scared of the cold water. I was a little nervous too but I was trying not to get to obsessed. We could see that even the people fastest swim heats (i.e. the very experienced triathletes) had trouble staying on course in the lake. What chance would we have??? We went back to the transition area and got suited up for the swim (caps on, goggles at the ready, shoes and pants off).

I was in the 7th heat for the sprint tri and my mother was in the 9th and final heat. The heats were six minutes apart. The first heat went at 8:40. Around 8:50 we went down to the lake thinking we had tons of time but then a race official saw my orange cap (which indicated which heat I was in) and called me over to the orange cap holding pen. Orange caps were ladies in the 40-59 age range, I learned. So, we were in the holding pen for like 15 minutes. My mom was on the other side of the fence so we were talking and watching the swimmers. Then at T-minus 5 minutes, they released us into the water so we could get wet (and cold) and get our goggles on properly. The water wasn’t as cold as I’d feared but the air was cold enough that I didn’t want to get my whole body wet and stand there shivering. I just waded in about waist deep. After a while, I got my arms wet but it was just a nervous gesture. Finally, the official, after giving us instructions on where to get out of the lake, told us to start.

There was such a fray that I just waited a moment until the others in my group had started. This didn’t end up being the best strategy because I caught up with the pack almost immediately (I was whacking their feet with my hands). So, I made some lateral movements and got to a position where I was swimming between two women who were going at about my pace. After the first few strokes I felt great! I was surprised at how well I could see the other swimmers. Of course I could only see the ones right next to me but still I was aware of their paces and what strokes they were doing. There were two downsides to the swim: (1) the bouys delineating the course were orange and I was in the orange cap heat so when I couldn’t just glance up to catch sight of something orange. I had to really stop and get my head out of the water to see the bouy. And (2) there was some wind so the water was very choppy at times so I missed a few breaths and got some water in the mouth occasionally. But, overall, I felt great during the swim. I stayed on course until the last leg when I realized I had veered off a bit. There was a little bottle neck as 3-4 swimmers converged on the exit location (and I got a little knocked around by a swimmer on my left) and then we were out!

I ran to my transition area, got my shorts, socks, shoes, shirt and helmet on. I had to sit down to get my socks and shoes on (a bit wobbly after the swim). I grabbed my bike and ran towards the exit. There was a sign that said “mount” where we were allowed to get on the bike but the first like 30 yards of the course (basically exiting the park) was a steep hill so I just ran the bike up and got on after getting on the main road. O.K. so the description of the course on the website said one steep hill at the beginning followed by rolling hills. That is a LIE!!!! It was 14 miles of steep hills. I’d crest one and see another beyond. It was like nothing I’ve ever experienced. There was one downhill (massive and terrifying – I braked the whole way). It was hell. I couldn’t believe how many hills there were. And, given that I was on a mountain bike and I’m not a great cyclist to begin with, I was getting passed left and right. Go ahead, pass me, I thought, I’ll catch you on the run.

When the horrible, horrible bike ride was finally over, I managed to extricate my body from the bike at the “dismount” line and I returned to the transition area. I hung it back up, took off my helmet and headed toward the appropriate exit. That exit was at least 50 yards from my transition area so I did the grape vine and the thing where you run and kick your butt in order to loosen up my legs. Then I started the 5K. I felt really, really good. I think my loosening up tactic worked because I didn’t have wobbly legs or cement legs (and I expected to have both after that bike ride). I had a little calf pain for a while and my legs did feel tired but that was it. I felt super strong and, indeed, I was passing all those people who had passed me on the bike like they were standing still (they were clearly suffering from cement legs). The 5k course only had one hill before I knew it I was at the turn around point. Woo hoo. I picked up the pace a little on the way back but I wasn’t in the mood to really push it. I did push a little in the last quarter of a mile or so – and I did a strong fast finish. I felt great.

I went back to the transition area and saw that Mom’s bike was still gone so I went out to the road to wait for her. She came in and I screamed like crazy. I met her at the transition. She had had the same horrifying experience on the bike ride as I did. She was going on about how bad she felt and how she almost died and all. I felt pretty good so I decided to do the 5K with her. It helped her to have me along to talk to, especially since I knew the course – and that it wasn’t that bad. So, we did the 5K and towards the end I was getting kind of tired and thinking I really needed to get something to eat. We separated when she reentered the park (I didn’t want to go through the finish line again) and I met her after she finished. She said she had a great time but she’ll never do this tri again – too many hills!!!
I didn’t place in my age group but Mom did! I was so happy. We had a great time!

As for my times, the results were posted today:

Swim 23:09 (way slower than I thought but whatever – it was my first time) – 5th in my age division

Bike 1:05:14 (now this really surprised me because in the Binghamton tri the course was 10 miles and I did it in like 53 minutes – so as bad as I felt I was doing O.K.) – 12th in my age division

Run 23:40 (fanfriggintastic – I can’t believe it!!!!) – 1st in my age division, 1st woman overall!!!!!!

Overall, I was 7th in my age division (that’s out of 14 women). I’m very pleased with my performance and with the experience. It was so much fun!!!!