Bling!

Call me a material girl but I do love the bling we get at the races. This past weekend was filled with bling and a satisfying close to my triathlon season. The Tiara Tri at El Dorado Lake turned out to be just what I needed to end on a high note, complete with sparkly crown.

Love the Bling

The Tiara Tri is in it's second year and is one of the few women's only events around. I was not prepared last year but did the race anyway with mixed results. It was my first ever swim in open water and that was freaking me out. The run was unimportant to me and finishing without drowning was the main goal. This year I was much better trained, or so I thought, and was in the next higher age division. I would be competing in the 55-59 AG and was really hoping that there wouldn't be too many old ladies signed up.

We left for the race Friday afternoon with three bikes strapped to the back of Susan E.'s SUV. We were a little paranoid about the safety of our bikes and with good reason after the Wichita Waterfront Tri. Susan had a big chain and locking bolts and every other kind of security item you can think of. When we arrived in Wichita to stay at Kate H.'s house the first thing we did was unload the bikes and lock them in the garage. Meghan M. Kate, Susan and I enjoyed Italian pasta and hit the sack early. 4:30 was going to come around awfully early.

At zero dark 30 we headed to El Dorado Lake. Meghan, Kate, and I did the race last year and knew the layout but Susan was eager to see the swimming area. She is training for a 1/2 Iron tri in October and is putting in some major miles in and out of the water. We were not the first ones there but were still early enough to grab the coveted spots on the rack. With our body marking on and our transition areas set we relaxed and headed to the water. It was almost perfect temperature and much less murky then last year. That doesn't mean clear, but you could see ahead and to the side for a few feet. They had configured the swim area a little different and it looked much longer then last year but maybe it was an optical illusion. At least that's what I was hoping. 

As we gathered at the waters edge I started my usual scouting of the competition. They put your age on

We sparkle! Me, Susan, Meghan, and Kate.

your calf and I was surreptitiously looking for my age group. Dang. I saw some really fit looking ladies in my group. I was going to have to push if I wanted a medal this year. I finished 4th in my group last year, just off the podium.

Here is my philosophy on medals and small age groups. It's not so much the medal, but having your name called and getting to stand up and wave. It's about bragging rights back home and pictures to post on Facebook. When there are only a few ladies in my group I start thinking that I just might stand a chance. I might be able to push a little harder and maybe, just maybe, hear my name called. When there are lots of women in my group I know there isn't a chance in Hell of me placing so I start slacking off and competing just to have fun. There is nothing wrong with having fun, but it's a bling thing and I just can't explain it.  I look at these medals as a badge of honor for still kicking at my age when most are home complaining about aching joints and tired bodies.

3rd place in our age divisions!

Waves of swimmers entered the water and I'm always amazed at the wide range of abilities and body types. I'm so proud of those who are less then thin for taking up such a daunting challenge. Sometimes just putting a swimming suit on is a huge victory, physically and mentally. I tried to maintain control of my breathing and keep my stroke even. My goggles didn't leak much and I felt really good. I never had to break stroke but I thought I would never get to the end. I think I started walking too soon at the finish and should have stayed swimming for another 30 yards. The water was above my waist so there was no high stepping out of it at that point. I might have gained a few seconds and saved some energy if I had kept stroking. But the run up to transition was long and slow and seemed like a mile even though it was only about 200 meters. 

Out on the bike I felt strong. I started passing some of the women from the earlier heats and was pretty pleased until I got to the first of 2 big hills. The first was long and fairly steep, the second was shorter but steeper. They kicked my tush. I really lost a lot of time there and will have to work on hill climbing much more next year. Then it was back to the transition area and out on the run. 

I'm not a good runner. I know that. But I still get disappointed each time. I would set my sights on someone and try to keep up with them, only to fall back. I watched people pass me and kept looking at their legs to see where I was in the mix. First one, then another in my age group passed me by. Well crud. If I was going to have a chance at a medal I had to hold off any more old ladies. So I pushed a little more and listened for footsteps behind me. I don't have a kick and there is no such thing as sprinting to the finish for me. 

Before I knew it I was crossing the bridge and hearing my name called as I headed to the finish line. They put a finisher medal around my neck and a tiara on my head and I felt like a queen. A really sweaty queen.

Kate had an awesome run and pulled out a strong finish to place 3rd. She was so proud of that since she just missed placing last year. Meghan finished faster then last year but didn't place this year. That's the way it goes sometimes. It depends who and how many enter and it's different each year. Susan did great in a really competitive division and was just out of medal contention. But she has bigger things she is aiming for, like becoming an Iron Woman. Me, I placed 3rd in my age group! I was so pleased to hear my name called and collect another medal. I finished a little slower then last year but after looking at the data it was almost all in the swim. Susan's Garmin had it measured at 458 meters, a little longer then last year. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. 

It turns out there were only 4 in my age group but what the heck. I enjoyed the event and will do it again next year. A girl can't have too many tiaras! The bonus to the weekend was getting to know Susan better and learning we have much in common, including farmer husbands. The best part of being a triathlete and a member of the running community is all the wonderful people I've met and now count as good friends. There is not a more positive group of people with which to be associated. Almost every woman on the run either heading out or coming back offered words of encouragement and high fives to those who needed a helping hand. It doesn't get much better then that. Unless it's winning a bigger crown!

Stress = Success!

Look at all those bikes!

What a week! My summer vacation is over and I started back to work on Monday. This year I was actually ready to go back. I had accomplished most of the tasks I wanted to and stayed healthy and active so it was time to get back into a routine. I pulled out my lunch bag and set my alarm clock for o-dark-thirty.

But Monday also marked a milestone in my rheumatoid treatment. At my appointment the week before it was decided that I would need to go on a higher dose of medication. That meant I would have to start giving myself injections once a week. I was a little apprehensive about this. I'm not squeamish but didn't know how I would react to sticking a needle into my belly fat. (I guess it's a good thing I have plenty of that!) I was surprised at how simple it turned out to be. The injection didn't hurt and thankfully I didn't have any adverse reaction to the higher dose of medicine.

Tuesday was tri practice at the Holcomb Rec pool. It would be the second ride on my new bike. Yes, my new bike is here and looks so shiny and fast. I really needed to put a few more miles on before the upcoming tri at the end of the week but somehow I just didn't feel it. I think it was a combination of the medicine, being back to work, and generally not pumped to be riding and running in 95 degree heat. So I just did a long swim and called it a night.

2nd place!

Thursday evening I finally got out for a ride on the bike, only the second time I've ridden on "Leonardo" and I was still learning the shifting touch and molding my tush to the saddle. It went OK but not really fast.

Saturday morning was another perfect morning for a race. Cool with a slight south breeze so we would have the wind at our backs for the second half of the ride. The Holcomb Triathlon is put on by my good friends at the Holcomb Rec and has grown from a few crazy entrants to 65+ nuts this year. Of those, 17 were really nuts and did the Double Tri, a unique event in which they do the tri twice, forward and backward - swim/bike/run-run/bike/swim. They start and end in the pool. It's a mini sprint so the distances are 225 - 9 - 2  and a lot of people use this as their first triathlon.

All evening the night before I was mentally pumping myself up to really push hard. I wanted to do well and see what I was really made of. As I was standing in the start line for the swim I did my normal scout of the competition. Not that many old ladies! My good friend Gina G. was going to cream me in the run even if I beat her in the swim so first place was out. I was shooting for second but more importantly, I was trying to finish strong.

No problems in the swim. I was surprised at how many people still struggle even in a fairly short swim. Of the three disciplines that seems to be the one that scares people away from the event. The bike was good; into a slight wind out and a tail wind back. I managed to pass quite a few riders and was feeling good. I only averaged 15 mph and thought I should have been faster but I was really pushing it, or so I thought. The run, well, the run always sucks. I thought I was in better running shape but I was still not able to maintain my pace for very long. I ended up walking a block and running a block. My time was just under 1:10 and I was hoping for under 1:06. The run kicks my butt every time.

When the awards were handed out I did manage to snag 2nd in the 50 and over division. There were at least

The Running Friends!

5 in the group so I can feel proud of that place. The total results haven't been posted yet so I don't know where I place overall. I wasn't very happy with my run but I just have to face it. My run is not going to get any better.

I didn't realize until I saw a picture later that all the medals in each age group were won by members of my little Running Friends group! Two of our group actually did the Double Tri! These are some amazing ladies who work hard and keep moving. They motivate me and inspire me to get out each day and do what I can with what I have. Most are much better athletes then me and I'm in awe of their accomplishments. Everyone of the ladies in the group is a winner just for wanting to improve their lives by moving their bodies. Thanks Running Friends, you are all rock stars!

Now it's back to training. Tiara Tri in two weeks! I can't wait to win my crown.