Galena Triathlon!

• On: 05/18/2009 17:28:50

Ah, the weekend!  I have not had time to post a RR yet because I finally just got caught up on everything and everyone racing on Monday afternoon!  This was a very exciting race all over with a TON of races going on- Congrats to everyone who raced!

I had decided to do the Galena Triathlon awhile back because I wanted to stay local.  Plus, Galena is a Saturday race and just barely 2hours from here.  I love being home on Sundays.  Galena is rough though – very hilly (for this area) and always pretty damn cold.  I mean, of course, it is MAY in Chicago.  But, amazingly the water was 62F.  I have NO idea how that was possible, but after Vancouver ITU Worlds last June (water temp 54F) and Oceanside this year (55F) – I keep my perspective of what is really cold.

I typically drive up to Galena solo – stay in a house that my college friends have there – race, socialize and have some fun and drive solo home.  I use the time driving to talk to all my athletes racing all over this weekend and to get ready to race.  This year, I decided to forgo the solo trip and instead drive down with 5 other gals – neighbors and friends and athletes  I coach.  We left at 12noon (yeah!) on Friday and made it about 40 minutes away and then things got ugly.  Emily’s bike fork broke off on the bike rack on one of the cars (mind you it is PISSING RAIN and freezing out).  BAD news.  The bike was not rideable (carbon fork and tags!!?, so I was unsure it was not fractured inside, etc).  So, we waited in this little town for a couple of hours while her husband (and 4 kids!) brought her old bike to her.  Luckily she was able to race but that was a tad stressful for everyone, I think.  Here is Emily, Karen, Gina and I - we don't look stressed!?

Galena is a point to point race – and short….700y swim, 17.5 mile bike or so, 4.3 mile run.  ALL Hills.  VERY FUN.  But, the logistics of this race makes it VERY time consuming and a little challenging.  By the time we registered, drove the bike and run courses (they changed the courses this year) and ate dinner it was after 8pm when we got to the house we were staying at.  Then, we had to make sure Emily’s bike was race ready, put our race stuff together, etc.  AND  the TVs did not work at their house – something I so look forward to to unwind!  It was crazy though with so many newbies doing Galena it was VERY busy for me.  I am always happy to help and love it, but my head was spinning by the time I layed down.  And, these girls are not early to bed girls…they were still up at 10.30pm!!!  I know….that is way too late for me and I felt that the next AM!  Went to bed with the tornado sirens going off!  HA! 

I am so used to cold races and LOVE the cold, but race morning dawned and my car read:  38F.  Holy shit!!!  I was so cold.  We were all freezing.  We were in FULL winter gear and the high that day was barely 50F, so we were chattering away all morning.  I EVEN SPENT A FEW MINUTES IN THE port-o-potty because it was the ONLY warm place at race start!!!   Angela couldn’t even zip up my wetsuit b/c her hands were FROZEN.

Setting up in Transition is like a homecoming…seriously, this race has been here for 16+ years, who knows how many times I do this race and I love it….talking to old friends, old racers from back in the day, new friends, etc!  Sure took my mind off the pre-race nerves.

I warmed up in the water – I got a new wetsuit and it is like butter!!!  WOW!  Thanks to Blue Seventy and Rich & Leah and the Bike Shop in Glen Ellyn because this wetsuit was amazing.  I am not a wetsuit fan, but if I have to wear one, this is the bomb!  My wave did not start until 9.54am.  Two waves of my age group and my friend, Chris Wickard was in the 2^nd wave – which is too bad, I would have preferred to race her head to head.  We were the 3^rd to last wave.  It was a total clusterf*ck of people all over the place….but sure fun to pass people all day!

Had a great start to the swim – got out in front and battled a little bit with another gal and just held my line and my position –even trying to ride the tangents to the buoys and cut off any wasted water space.  I had a very good swim and felt super.  Sure wish that swim was longer.  It was LONGER than last year – yeah!!  But, surely not long enough.  Out of T1 1^st and onto my bike.  I was not worried about the gals in my wave, it was the clock I was competing against today.  When you have wave starts and 25 waves – I have no choice but to race 100% and hope that my time comes out on top!  Last year, it worked but I felt amazing last year – but VERY different training.  Last year I was into my final build and peak into ITU Worlds in Vancouver which was on June 6^th.  This year, I am peaking for Eagleman 70.3 in mid-June, so I have a few more miles in my legs.  But, rest assured, I surely did NOT race on tired legs.  I was ready to go.

I was secretly happy (and I think that confused all the newbies at the race) that we had a very stiff (30+mph) head wind and a little cross wind on race day.  It was tough – but I like, no LOVE, tough race conditions, so I was glad there was something to break it up a bit.  Sprint distance triathlons come down to seconds between 1, 2, 3^rd, etc…so this was all good.  I think the wind freaked some athletes out ….but while it was hard, I knew it was ONLY 17.5 miles.  Not 112 like Hawaii winds!  Oh thankgod.

Felt ok on the bike, but just wasn’t on top of my pedals, ya know?  LIKE strong and ok, I am doing fine….but never felt POPPY….but that is ok, I put my head down and pushed on.  Only the eventual winner Duathlon guy passed me and it felt like I was passing 100s of people…I guess since I was in the 3^rd to last wave that may have been true.  And, that really messes with your head….you THINK you are smoking and I was doing fine, but you know…

Anyway, the bike was a little bit unsafe for me.  Too many people and too many newbies (which I love, don’t get me wrong!) but they were riding 2-3 abreast and in these hills I could not see over the crest and it was a little tough going for some, I think. 

Came into T2, felt great and started on the run…a little “come on LEGS!” and we immediately went uppp and then down, so my legs came back to me on the down.  And, then I started to feel GREAT!   It was a nice temp to run (50F) and I was seeing a Ton of people coming in on the bike, passed some of my clients & friends – but never lost my focus or concentration.  I surely was not there to socialize for the 100 minutes I was racing. 

This race ends with some nasty climbs, so that was fun! 

When I crossed the line there were a TON of athletes there and I just walked away to compose myself..when I go that hard I can not talk and socialize that quickly after….  I knew I had a good race, but I knew it was not fast enough to WIN overall…just this gut feeling I had.  I was right.  I had no idea how the girls in the younger age groups had done and clearly in a sprint triathlon that is a huge issue.  Seconds separated the 3, 4, 5^th girls. …and I ended up 4^th and 1^st AG.  So, not what I wanted, but I sure did work my hardest!!!

Then, I walked by myself to find some of my other athletes finishing and was happy to see Ken and Katie finish and John!!!  Fun!  Then, enjoyed some post race socializing and eating with others.

Congrats to (Gosh, I sure hope I do not forget anyone!) Emily, Amy, Brittany, Karen, Gina, Angela, Michele, John, Ben, Brian, Frank, Chris W, Cheryl & Tony, Brett, Bill, Katie, Ken, Dave R, Steven B, Joe, Michelle, Rachelle, Kristen B….and all the other athletes!  I finally got warm about 5pm at night after a hot shower, full fleece, a hat and slippers!  HA J