Game Day: See Jane Tri

I would do this race over in a second. In fact, Viv, you should plan on doing this next year. AKA Alice, we'll sign you up for the relay. Weezee, if you even read my blog, your butt will be there next year as well.

Mom and Me as Super Jane!

This was the most fun I've ever had at a race. EVER. Yes, it probably was because I had a break between the swim and the run while I watched my mom speed off for the bike. Yes, it probably was because I was able to talk to Kelly for 30 minutes and cheer on Weezee when she ran into T1 (not that she saw me, but I did it). Yes, it probably was because Danskin was my first triathlon and I was more anxious and focused on finishing and transitions than just sitting back to enjoy the race. Those things probably factored into it, but it was a wonderful event.

We show up at 6am, it's still dark outside. We made sure we were early because we needed to pick up our race packet. Pick it up, use the restrooms (actual restrooms that flushed and had stalls and everything) and headed to the transition area. This is where we ran into our first team problem. No lights.

The registration area was in the parking lot and there were parking lot lights. The transition area was on a patch of grass with no lights. Then we ran into problem two, racking by numbers, or so I thought. All the racks had numbers on them. I'm running around from rack to rack, trying to find our number, the racks weren't sequential. That's when someone told me they weren't racking by numbers, just rack where ever, then numbers were just a space guideline.

This solved problem 2 and some of problem 1, as my Uber Super Person mom found a rack close to the bike out, bike in and run out! After this, Weezee called. It's her first triathlon, she did get an end cap, what to do now. I run over to her rack and help her set up. Now we wait.

Weezee and her transition area (an end cap!)

We wander around, picking up our goodie bags, shirts, free GU2O (which I tried and like, tangy, not sweet), free GU, free Smart Water and, of course, shopped. Now we wait some more.

About 7 minutes before my wave is supposed to start I decide I need to go to the bathroom, the lines are huge, my wave starts in 5 minutes, I decide to pee in the lake.

I go over to where I thought the swim start was, nope, swim out, walk to the other side of the beach, now it's time to line up and hear what they have to say. Mom takes some pictures of me in my swim gear, we listen to announcements, get in the water and start.

Ready for the swim!

Swim
Awesome. I got in a groove pretty fast. With the exception of some chick in a hot pink cap (we provided our own swim caps) who didn't swim straight or didn't spot or both, running into me and getting stuck between 2 breaststrokers, it was uneventful. In fact, I think it was my fastest 400 yard swim and 30-50 yard run I've ever done.

T1
Ran to our rack, ripped off the timing chip and attached it to my mom's leg, and she was off. Saw Kelly.

Bike
This was all my mom. Here is when I jogged to the bathroom (forgot to pee whilst swimming) and talked to Kelly. We also cheered for Weezee as she ran into transition. I attached my number and put my shoes on. Searched for my visor, which I thought I had laid out earlier, but in reality I left it in the car. I ate some shot bloks.

My mom, on the other hand, was doing all the hard work. Including riding 5 miles on a flat tire. She decided to ride on it instead of change it because it was only 5 miles and she thought it would be faster to ride on it than to change it. She was right. She still biked 11 miles in a bit over 38 minutes. This is why my mom is a Rockstar. An Uber Super Person, if you will. She didn't give up or feel sorry for herself. She did hope that she didn't ruin her rim. She did finish in a respectable time.

T2
Kelly spotted my mom coming into transition and I ran to the end of the rack. I ripped the transponder off her leg and put it on mine. I was off.

Run
I was having a not good lung day, despite my inhaler in the morning and my allergy pill. I was better than Pac Coast, I bet because I remembered to take my medicine. I passed the first water station, didn't even see it really. Hit up the second. Here's what I enjoyed the most about the run, every few yards there were signs with inspirational quotes. Eleanor Roosevelt, Vince Lombardi, Henry Ford, it was awesome. I will tell you I walked up a couple of the hills and a few other times to catch my breath and use my rescue inhaler. But anytime I was just ready to walk, I thought, you didn't even do the bike AND I'd see one of those signs. They were great.

And the women on the course. Way to go! I hear you coming, hurry! You're doing great! Way to pick it up (this was after one of my walking and inhaler using breaks). I couldn't believe these people. I was so up lifting.

And then I saw it, the path to the finish. All the cheering, I had to sprint, even though I didn't really think I had anything left. I kept telling my legs that they could do it, it was only my mind that stood in my way (thanks Coach Lombardi).

We finished in a very respectable time, 9th in the relay field.

Kel and Me

The best thing about the race, the event. We were all Janes, people were cheering for the Janes. Made it really easy to give us racers directions, Hey Janes, this way.

The worst thing, my mom's flat. It wasn't even that bad, because she really did enjoy the event, but I knew she was a bit frustrated.

It was the first race I've been to that they didn't care who got food from the food tent. There was plenty to go around. It was just a great event, up there with the Iron Girl races I've done.

I did learn a few things.
1) I can swim a race without my wetsuit and be fine.

2) The swim is really a warm up for the bike, which is really a warm up for the run, at least in my sprints. My legs felt slow and stiff with that standing around break.

3) I loved sharing this with my mom. Even more than the Iron Girl Mother-Daughter Teams we did. We were a team that depended on each other, came through for each other and made each other proud.Mom and Me

I think that's why it was the best race ever.