Yay, always good to get hardware
The Dane and his comps!
Me and Linda, still Queen of the Fort!Oh, how I have a love-hate relationship with this race. First, the love:
1. Best race directors on the planet - these folks really take care of us athletes!
2. I've won overall (female) several times (in my younger days)
3. makes us do some multisport before we maybe really want to
4. it hurts...builds fitness
the hate: (not much to hate, sorry)
1. I don't care who you are, run-bike-run hurts!
2. run-bike-run hurts more in early February, just not in shape!
3. it is usually cold.....not this year baby!
4. it hurts, builds fitness
So, there is a pattern here. I love Chilly Willy and as we say, if you aren't injured or out of town, there is no reason to not toe the line here. Hell, aint nobody in shape on the 5th of February so we race to build fitness. At least that's how we think about it.
We are officially base building for Gate River Run in March so haven't done any speed/tempo/hill work since prior to Jax Marathon. Base building with a miserable 10K and 5K run thrown in. We ran a 5K last weekend and it was really painful but a great rust-buster for us for today. Still on the 40+ miles running per week program with Gate River run 15K as the main goal for early spring '12. I have not been outside on my triathlon bike since July so that was really special. I have done a few trainer sessions but have been having some knee (patella) issues so have backed off of that for the most part so today, the bike was going to be a real struggle for me (more than normal). We lucked out with unseasonably warm temps (super cold the past two years).
Goal was to run all out for first 5K and hang on. The race goes off in two waves, under 40 then 40 and over in the second wave. Felt I have enough speed to be up front in the first 5K (second wave) so lined up appropriately. Well, I ran a little smarter than the 5K last weekend but suffered still. Rachel C. (racing as pro duathlete still, she rocks) got ahead of me after a couple miles and I didn't have the fitness to hang so just tried to maintain second (in the second wave, racing "ghosts" in early wave). Got to the bike (10 miles) and was a complete retard in transition and trying to get on the bike --- note to self, practice this more! The bike was hard but I rode within myself. We had great conditions with as little wind as I can recall at Fort Desoto in recent memory! Got passed earlier than I would have liked by Celia D. but I knew she was going to come after me as she is a great cyclist (and second in AG at duathlon Worlds). I just continued to race my race, knowing what (little) training I put in on the bike. Off the bike, another horrid transition, off on to the second 5K run, yay. Haven't run off the bike since Florida 70.3 in May! Awkward but not horrible. I set on course to catch Celia (sorry girl :-(. I knew Rachel was gone so I was thinking Masters win here. I went out hard and felt it for sure but managed to move up and place second in the wave so I was happy on the day. The overall put me in third (one gal from wave one ahead) so not disappointed with this at all! I have aged up to 45-49 now so won that and super happy with this. The Dane also won his age group!
We love this race as it is an early multisport rust-buster and motivator. I will pack the bike away for five weeks (yeah, I know, I need to keep riding) for Gate River Run 15K US Championships. Will be back at multisport training after this for Escape from Fort Desoto Sprint tri and, of course, St Anthony's Tri.
For now, cheers!
