Report by Michelle Lindsay.
I had a fun time racing and did pretty well! I focused on swimming hard and then just having a good time on the bike and run :)
SWIM (15:52, 2nd female) - Richmond’s James River is pretty shallow! I lined up along one of the giant concrete pillars so I had something to push off of. The course went straight across the current to Belle Isle where we ran 50 meters on the trail to a beach to get back in the water and swim back across the river. I got out to a fast start and was leading the wave with about 5 others. I was in the 2nd wave with all the women and the men over 35, so catching up to the 1st wave is like swimming through a minefield! I saw one woman ahead of me as I ran on the island, but I wasn’t able to close the 10 foot gap for the rest of the swim. I put on my socks and shoes at the top of the boat ramp and put on my jersey and gloves as I ran the quarter mile to the transition area.
BIKE (1:21.01): I was pretty excited for the mountain bike, especially after they reversed the course. This direction suited my style better - FAST, technical, as opposed to slow technical - and I really enjoyed how they changed the Forest Hill trails. I rode more obstacles than I usually even attempt, so I was pretty pleased with myself. I knew where Derek was planning to be stationed for photos, so I mad sure to smile for the camera. I also made a point to thank volunteers - it was really hot out, especially if you’re just standing there! My major mistake on the bike was not focusing on exactly how much fluid I was getting in, but that wouldn’t take an effect until during the run and after the race. I did my typical bike-run transition by taking my feet out of my shoes on the last stretch of the bike and had a quick transition to the run.
RUN (59:45): I passed a lot of people early on, and steadily picked off more and kept moving up until just before the boulders section when a nasty side stitch started digging into my abdomen. I thought I’d be okay since I had heard they shortened the run course. I saw a volunteer standing at the point where in years’ past we turned up the hill to the top of Belle Isle... oh no... they didn’t shorten the run! I sucked it up and kept chuggin’ up the hill, the side stitch feeling like a fork twisting in my side. My tight hips reminded me of how I felt at the end of an ultra! It felt really good to be done when I crossed the finish line. Turns out I was 8th overall and first in my 25-29 age group! However, since I had registered as Collegiate, they didn’t put me in the age group results, oh well!
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