First Triathlon of the Season - Disappointment

First Triathlon of the Season - Disappointment
May 31, 2014

Today, I raced in my first outdoor Triathlon of the season.  It was good to get back to all five events (including the transitions).  The weather was nice and I had a great time.  I was not last overall and took second in my age group, but it was a very disappointing race.

I made a LOT of mental errors. 

1)  Everyone says not to do anything new for the first time in a race.  I used googles that I had never used before.  They prompted filled with water as I dove into the lake.  The swim was out to the first buoy, turn right, swim to the second buoy, turn right and return to the start.  As I approached the first buoy, I noticed that everyone was swimming straight toward me.  How could that be?!!  I then realized I had mis-sighted and was swimming to the second buoy first!  Oh brother!

2)  Even though I walked through the transition area for both transitions before the race, I got mixed up in T2 and ran to the bike exit rather than the run exit.  Oh brother!!


3)  Even though I had driven the entire course the day before, I could not remember where the turn-around for the run was.  The corner before the turnaround had no volunteers present, and I thought perhaps all the remaining turns (including the turn-around) were also unmanned.  I knew I was going west and just imagined myself running to Illinois!  I ended up stopping and running backwards as I asked the drink station volunteers and the 70.3 racers (who were on the same course) if they knew where the sprint turn-around was.  Finally, one of the 70.3 runners shouted back from somewhere over the next hill, "The turnaround is up here!"

Before the race, I realized that I did not have a race plan.  I always focus on my coach's words, "Relax.  Follow the plan.  Smile" before races.  As I was mentally preparing for this race, I thought to myself, "Oh no!  I do not have a sprint plan!!!!"  I ended up running a pace that was similar to my half-marathon pace.  Actually, I ran slower than my half-marathon pace and slower than my pace from the previous season.  How totally discouraging after running 15-18 miles a week throughout the off-season to "learn how to run" so I would do better in the sprint run.

s
My coach ran in the 70.3 race today on the same course.  I was so nervous to have him be there.  Luckily, his race started before my race and ended after my race, so wasn't able to watch me.  Phew!  I know this is silly - and I'm over it now, but it sure made me nervous this morning!  We passed each other going opposite ways in the last mile of my run.  I heard a voice shout, "Suuuuuue  R . . . ."  Then I realized the voice came from a runner going the opposite direction and could see a HUGE smile on his face.  It was my coach!  That was pretty cool.  As I ran past, I said, "Head's up, chest's forward!" with an equally big smile!  I also got to see him finish (so impressive) and talk for a bit after his race (even though I was a little nervous to be talking to one of the elites - also silly).  I ended up being happy he was there - but I sure was nervous about it before the race!

I had to figure out how to psychologically deal with this race.  I do not believe in making excuses.  I didn't do well.  It was my fault, period.  I believe that you are never a looser unless you quit.  I believe that doing poorly is not a failure if you learn from your mistakes.  As an athlete-wanna-be, my task is to learn from this experience so I will not replicate the mistakes that I made today in future races.  Got it.