MightyMite Triathlon
July 2013
1/3 mile swim- 13 mile bike- 3 mile run
This was probably my least favorite race. I don't really want to do it again, but I kind of feel like I should so I can leave from it on better terms. Unlike my other triathlons, MightyMite was a point to point, meaning there were two different transition areas to set up. Typically, there is just one and all the gear is left in one spot. It makes logistics a little trickier, but that wasn't the biggest problem.
I have to set the scene for this race. I felt more prepared for this one than Memphis in May because I had some open water swim experience. I was also excited because Nathan was going to be able to come!
But the Wednesday before the race he developed pneumonia and was admitted to the hospital.
Now, something to know about me, I store my stress in my abdomen, not my neck like normal people. I was at work that Wednesday night and I was stressed out that I wasn't with Nathan at the ER. My abs were too tight and when I twisted around to pick something up I pulled something in my low back. It bothered me off and on for the rest of the week, but I stretched and foam rolled and ignored it.
By the time 4 am on Saturday rolled around, I had barely slept, ate, or drank (water!) in 3 days, but my alarm was going off and it was time to get up. Nathan was still in the hospital and I was bummed he was going to miss another race. (I was starting to get suspicious of his tactics!)
I drove to Glen's house and transferred my bike to his car, and him and his wife, Gayle, and I headed out to Arkansas to pick up Phil and to continue on to Forrest City. We stopped at T2 to drop off our running shoes (and stood there for awhile feeling like we were missing something... transition seemed too empty without bikes!) and then were off to the lake where the start and T1 were located. The entire drive from T2 to T1 was the bike course in reverse. Every few minutes Phil would say "and we're still going downhill" (meaning the bike was all uphill). We got there without much time to spare, quickly set up our bikes and went down to the boat ramp to get in line.
I started the swim and was already tired. I could feel the effect the last three days had on me. I swam very wide of where I needed to just to avoid other swimmers because I was just too tired to care. I did have two people swim on top of me as I came in at the end. My swim pace was slightly better than at Memphis in May, and I never panicked.
Into T1 and on the bike. Leaving T1 was a steep downhill with a sharp right hand turn at the bottom. That was scary because I knew I needed to be on the left side to make a wide turn, but there were people zooming past me down the hill (I hate going downhill) and they were all on the left side, which is appropriate etiquette, but they were getting in my way. I didn't have too much trouble with the uphill bike course. I actually was passing people on road bikes with my clunky hybrid on uphill portions. Around mile 9 my lower back started aching.
By the time I got to T2 my back was throbbing and I had pain shooting down my hip and right leg. I was also so lightheaded I felt close to fainting. I stood in front of my bike and started crying because I had no idea how I was going to run 3 miles with the way I was feeling (the minor freak out of this race). I drank some water and ate a gel and started walking/limping the run course. I was wondering what would happen if I couldn't finish.
I figured I should just suck it up and run so that it would be over with quicker. I fell into pace with a couple girls. One dropped off, but Anna and I stuck together until the end. We seemed to need walk breaks at the same time and felt ready to run again at the same time, so it was perfect. We talked most of the race and it was enough of a distraction for me to ignore my back and leg pain.
I was happy to finish. I was happy to be done. I was happy for my massage appointment I made that day.
And most of all, I was happy to bring Nathan home from the hospital that afternoon.
Now, something to know about me, I store my stress in my abdomen, not my neck like normal people. I was at work that Wednesday night and I was stressed out that I wasn't with Nathan at the ER. My abs were too tight and when I twisted around to pick something up I pulled something in my low back. It bothered me off and on for the rest of the week, but I stretched and foam rolled and ignored it.
By the time 4 am on Saturday rolled around, I had barely slept, ate, or drank (water!) in 3 days, but my alarm was going off and it was time to get up. Nathan was still in the hospital and I was bummed he was going to miss another race. (I was starting to get suspicious of his tactics!)
I drove to Glen's house and transferred my bike to his car, and him and his wife, Gayle, and I headed out to Arkansas to pick up Phil and to continue on to Forrest City. We stopped at T2 to drop off our running shoes (and stood there for awhile feeling like we were missing something... transition seemed too empty without bikes!) and then were off to the lake where the start and T1 were located. The entire drive from T2 to T1 was the bike course in reverse. Every few minutes Phil would say "and we're still going downhill" (meaning the bike was all uphill). We got there without much time to spare, quickly set up our bikes and went down to the boat ramp to get in line.
I started the swim and was already tired. I could feel the effect the last three days had on me. I swam very wide of where I needed to just to avoid other swimmers because I was just too tired to care. I did have two people swim on top of me as I came in at the end. My swim pace was slightly better than at Memphis in May, and I never panicked.
Into T1 and on the bike. Leaving T1 was a steep downhill with a sharp right hand turn at the bottom. That was scary because I knew I needed to be on the left side to make a wide turn, but there were people zooming past me down the hill (I hate going downhill) and they were all on the left side, which is appropriate etiquette, but they were getting in my way. I didn't have too much trouble with the uphill bike course. I actually was passing people on road bikes with my clunky hybrid on uphill portions. Around mile 9 my lower back started aching.
By the time I got to T2 my back was throbbing and I had pain shooting down my hip and right leg. I was also so lightheaded I felt close to fainting. I stood in front of my bike and started crying because I had no idea how I was going to run 3 miles with the way I was feeling (the minor freak out of this race). I drank some water and ate a gel and started walking/limping the run course. I was wondering what would happen if I couldn't finish.
I figured I should just suck it up and run so that it would be over with quicker. I fell into pace with a couple girls. One dropped off, but Anna and I stuck together until the end. We seemed to need walk breaks at the same time and felt ready to run again at the same time, so it was perfect. We talked most of the race and it was enough of a distraction for me to ignore my back and leg pain.
I was happy to finish. I was happy to be done. I was happy for my massage appointment I made that day.
And most of all, I was happy to bring Nathan home from the hospital that afternoon.
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