My friend Karl and I often bet on which of us will come out of the water first in a swim - as we are both not the world's fastest swimmers in the pro field. He beat me out of the water by nearly a full 2 minutes. (Anyone who knows Karl's swim skill is now thinking, Ohhhhh she really didn't swim well.) Karl is one of my favorite pros because without fail, he will show up on race day and laugh and have fun and although he comes out of the swim toward the back of the pack, he will hammer the bike and end up in the front. He has a great attitude and to me that is way more important than swimming fast.
I think I started the bike 4th female and was about 2 minutes back. Two minutes is not bad in a half. In an Olympic it's much harder to make up. But off I went on the bike to try to close down the gap.
The bike course is two loops and flat. I chased and chased and closed the gap on one girl, but was not gaining on the lead. I didn't feel amazing on the bike, but I did not feel horrible either. I suppose it was a solid effort, but to be honest anytime I toe the line I'm looking for amazing. I've been doing this long enough to know that I will not hit "amazing" every time I race, especially with as much as I race. I came off the bike in 3rd and knew 2nd place was probably a minute up on me.
I set off to try to run some girls down. The run includes some sand and trails and then the second half of the race is flat pavement. By mile two I moved into 2nd place, right about the same time I got a massive side stitch. It conveniently came on just as I was passing to move into 2nd - at a time when I typically like to run strong so I don't end up just pulling another competitor along with me and ultimately end up in a sprint for the finish. I spent the next two miles pushing as hard as I could while the side stitch worsened, still trying to increase my gap to keep my 2nd place finish secure.
A big thank you to Moki for putting on this race.
My mini paddle award.
Thanks to my parents who came down to the race and cheered. My Dad ran around and gave me splits and it's always fun to have him on course. My Mom took these pics and was running all over the course as well. Afterward they took me out for pizza, so overall it was a fun family day.
THANK YOU to my sponsors.
Zoot - shoes, wetsuits, training & racing apparel - I have worked with Zoot for eight years, before Zoot even made shoes. The company is run by amazing people and I'm happy to be part of the tribe.
Microscope World - my other great job (microscopes make great gifts!!)
Profile Design - fast wheels, aero bars and hydration
Powerbar - gels, hydration and recovery for ultimate performance
Nytro - bike shop with everything a triathlete could ever need
Extreme Endurance - helping me recover faster and race harder
Rudy Project - great helmets and sunglasses
Bont - best cycling shoes around
Kenda Tires - great tires for fast racing and less punctures.
Next up is Oceanside 70.3 in two weeks.
