Post by ddalzell on May 1, 2012 9:17:03 GMT -6
Headed down to Kemah, TX on Friday night with a couple of my buddies. We arrived and took in all of our equipment (the bike value in the room was pretty high! haha). We spent the next 40 hours enjoying the venue and taking in the coastal atmosphere as we don't get to enjoy that around the Shreveport area. The palm trees and ocean breeze was amazing! Add in a fresh cup of coffee and yes, it was basically perfect. We got in our pre-race day workouts and relaxed the rest of the night...
Race day:
Up at 4 A.M to make sure we made it to transition and were ready to go for the boat ride which left at 6:10. This race was unique because you had to load up on a paddle boat (600 people) and they took you about a mile out into the kemah bay. The ride was hot and slightly nerve-wracking as you could see the size of the waves and knew it was going to be a rough day.
Race:
Swim: the pro/elite division jumped off the boat 5 minutes before any amatuers. It was pretty cool being on the boat and watching them prep for their day. As they jumped in, it was then time to put on my wetsuit and get ready for my long day... I jumped in 5 minutes after the pro's and instantly found a pretty nice easy groove that I fell into for the next 26 minutes. I was just letting the waves carry me and was really focusing on just gliding through the water.. Not fast, not choppy.. just gliding. There was a specific point where I looked up and saw the coast guard helicopter hovering above me. Then I saw all the swimmers around me and a huge crowd about 500 meters away at the swim finish.. It was all kind of surreal to me and I loved it! It was my first ocean swim, my first OLY distance and I couldn't have been more calm. I was in a great groove and was really just taking in all the sights and feelings of the day. Swim: Great
Bike:
Coming out of the swim I was a little over anxious and slipped going up the ramp and cut my toe wide open.. I didn't realize how bad it was until half way through the bike portion, my once white shoe.... was now red
. I thought, oh well, its all part of the experience and continued on my way. The first 10 miles were into a 15 mph head wind and it was TOUGH! I finally made it to the turning point and it felt like a 100lb weight was taken off of my bike. Once the tailwind section hit, it was like I added a freakin rocket to my bike. There was a bridge we had to go over at mile 18 and from there until the finish (7 miles) It was an easy 30+ mph. That was the coolest feeling I've ever had on the bike. Effortless 30+.. Bike: Solid
Run:
I headed out of transition and my foot was starting to bother me a little more. But, the thought of stopping never crossed my mind. There was no way that I was going to stop. So, I continued on what I felt was a very slow pace. I was passing people but I honestly figured they were all running super slow, because there was no way I wasn't running slow. With this being my first OLY distance, I got to the 5k point and was like.."man! I still have another 5k!" It was like a game of mental gymnastics but I vowed to not walk no matter the pain I was feeling. The 2nd 5k of the run was brutal. There was a large bridge at mile marker 4 that you ran up, down, up again into the headwind, and then down again. I felt like I was going at a snails pace, but everyone else must have too because I wasn't being passed. the last mile was pure survival mode. there was a guy marking me and closing the gap fast.. I turned the final corner into the last .2 miles and let everything I had left go. That was the last time I saw that guy. I crossed the finish line and was pumped with my first ever OLY distance! Run: Survive
Overall: The weekend was the best time I've had as a triathlete. Not so much for the race, but because I was able to share the time with some group members. I can't believe I didn't join Sunrise sooner. It is so cool crossing the finish line and being able to talk with your buddies about your day and then go out and enjoy yourselves. I'd urge everyone to find that friendship in the club and use it. It really is a powerful thing.
Note: The trip ended with a visit to the E.R. turns out the cut on my foot was pretty bad. But then again, no great weekend trip ever ends without a trip to the E.R. haha..
Visit Kemah! It's an awesome place!
Race day:
Up at 4 A.M to make sure we made it to transition and were ready to go for the boat ride which left at 6:10. This race was unique because you had to load up on a paddle boat (600 people) and they took you about a mile out into the kemah bay. The ride was hot and slightly nerve-wracking as you could see the size of the waves and knew it was going to be a rough day.
Race:
Swim: the pro/elite division jumped off the boat 5 minutes before any amatuers. It was pretty cool being on the boat and watching them prep for their day. As they jumped in, it was then time to put on my wetsuit and get ready for my long day... I jumped in 5 minutes after the pro's and instantly found a pretty nice easy groove that I fell into for the next 26 minutes. I was just letting the waves carry me and was really focusing on just gliding through the water.. Not fast, not choppy.. just gliding. There was a specific point where I looked up and saw the coast guard helicopter hovering above me. Then I saw all the swimmers around me and a huge crowd about 500 meters away at the swim finish.. It was all kind of surreal to me and I loved it! It was my first ocean swim, my first OLY distance and I couldn't have been more calm. I was in a great groove and was really just taking in all the sights and feelings of the day. Swim: Great
Bike:
Coming out of the swim I was a little over anxious and slipped going up the ramp and cut my toe wide open.. I didn't realize how bad it was until half way through the bike portion, my once white shoe.... was now red
. I thought, oh well, its all part of the experience and continued on my way. The first 10 miles were into a 15 mph head wind and it was TOUGH! I finally made it to the turning point and it felt like a 100lb weight was taken off of my bike. Once the tailwind section hit, it was like I added a freakin rocket to my bike. There was a bridge we had to go over at mile 18 and from there until the finish (7 miles) It was an easy 30+ mph. That was the coolest feeling I've ever had on the bike. Effortless 30+.. Bike: SolidRun:
I headed out of transition and my foot was starting to bother me a little more. But, the thought of stopping never crossed my mind. There was no way that I was going to stop. So, I continued on what I felt was a very slow pace. I was passing people but I honestly figured they were all running super slow, because there was no way I wasn't running slow. With this being my first OLY distance, I got to the 5k point and was like.."man! I still have another 5k!" It was like a game of mental gymnastics but I vowed to not walk no matter the pain I was feeling. The 2nd 5k of the run was brutal. There was a large bridge at mile marker 4 that you ran up, down, up again into the headwind, and then down again. I felt like I was going at a snails pace, but everyone else must have too because I wasn't being passed. the last mile was pure survival mode. there was a guy marking me and closing the gap fast.. I turned the final corner into the last .2 miles and let everything I had left go. That was the last time I saw that guy. I crossed the finish line and was pumped with my first ever OLY distance! Run: Survive
Overall: The weekend was the best time I've had as a triathlete. Not so much for the race, but because I was able to share the time with some group members. I can't believe I didn't join Sunrise sooner. It is so cool crossing the finish line and being able to talk with your buddies about your day and then go out and enjoy yourselves. I'd urge everyone to find that friendship in the club and use it. It really is a powerful thing.
Note: The trip ended with a visit to the E.R. turns out the cut on my foot was pretty bad. But then again, no great weekend trip ever ends without a trip to the E.R. haha..
Visit Kemah! It's an awesome place!
