The Summer and Tri Season are Over?

I am outlandishly behind on posting and it hardly even seems worth it to try to recap the entire summer, but I'lll keep it brief. I raced the NJ Olympic Triathlon in July and Luray Olympic in August and had fairly good races in both. The courses remain very different (I did both races last year too), with NJ a flat fast course, particularly on the bike, and Luray having a rolling hills throughout the beautiful bike course and a few soul sucking hills on the run as well.

The run at the Olympic distance still eludes me. At NJ I am certain that I went too hard on the bike, as I had a competitor in my sights and was tracking her most of the course, and that hurt my run severely. At Luray I was thinking about the NJ race and rode more conservatively. I felt much better starting the run, but the general state of my fitness definitely cost me, as I tried to make a pass on the run when I saw a woman in my age group out on the course in front of me, but she was able to pass me back on an uphill. Rinse, repeat, but then she dropped me and put about 1:30 into me in the last 1.25 of the race. Not my finest hour on the road and I am left wondering if it was more physical or mental and if I would have found another gear if I had known I was racing for 3rd. I would have denied it at the time, but I can look back now and wonder.

I can also look back and say that I was diligent about going to the track and doing my speedwork all winter, but fell off in the late spring and summer. They locked the track I usually go to, but I should have found another solution. I am also carrying about 10 pounds more than I should, and that will slow a person down. Finally, I winged my triathlon program this summer - no coach, no real plan day-to-day. This is not the way to make the podium, so I really shouldn't be surprised with the outcome.

For my records, I'll put the times for the races in.

NJ State Olympic - Mid-Atlantic Regional Qualifier- 2:35:31
7th/69
Swim- 28:55
T1- 2:20
Bike- 1:10:30 (21.7 mph)
T2- 1:19
Run- 52:26 (definitely blew up on this run)

Luray Olympic- 2:45:24
4th/ 30 (*Luray had an Open division this year and 3 women who would have been in my age group raced open and finished ahead of me.)
Swim- 28:42 (5th AG - I was quite happy with this swim as I managed to draft and stay focused for much of the time)
T1- 2:40
Bike- 1:22:32 (2nd AG)
T2- 1:08 (fastest in my age group - that never happens!)
Run- 50:24 (5th AG)

I can recommend both these races as well-run and in great locations for bringing the family for the day. Dave raced the other day of the weekend both times and the race sites had playgrounds and entertainment and in the case of Luray, a beach on the lake as well as a band playing on a small pavilion who let all the little kids come up with them and dance and even sing the ABCs into the microphone.

Thanks to Ignite Endurance and Tri360 and all our sponsors, particularly in my case, Skratch, Rudy Project, and Gu Energy.

Looking forward to doing some Cross this Fall and maybe training hard for a half marathon again in the spring. I might be getting a new bike, so if that comes to pass, I will be sure to let you all know what I end up with and if it makes me feel fast...