Issaquah Triathlon - Tracy's Race Report

Triathlon season has officially begun! My first race of the season was the Issaquah Triathlon at Lake Sammamish State Park in Washington. The weather couldn't have been more perfect for race day. The view of Mt. Rainier on the drive from Woodinville to Issaquah at 5:30am in the morning was breathtaking. As the sun rose over Issaquah, filling the valley with its light, so the Holy Spirit rose in me, filling my veins with life as I prepared to run the course set before me. It was a course I was familiar with, as this was my third time doing the Issaquah Triathlon. It is a great course to kick off the season, and after a team prayer before the start, I was ready to race.

With a silver swim cap to indicate the 29 and under age group, my race started out a little rocky. Alongside friend and teammate Louise, I was in the front near the center of the group, not the ideal spot for someone who isn't a really strong swimmer. I got kicked all around, and then took in an unexpected mouthful of water that momentarily paralyzed me. I coughed and choked it down, but couldn't breathe regularly, so I had to swim about a minute with my head out of the water, trying to catch my breath. All the while I was thinking, "This is not a great start to my race." But we must do what we can with whatever circumstance we're in. I eventually made my way to my favorite swimming spot on the outskirts of the group--it may add some time to my swim split, but it also adds a lot of enjoyment. I love the swim, but not when I can't actually swim. Despite the rocky start, I finished with a new personal record of 6:37.

My T1 went relatively smoothly, though there is room for improvement. I'm just not sure how willing I am to do the jump-on-your-bike thing, especially since I prefer the longer distance triathlons where the transitions aren't quite as important. Plus, I don't want to get injured. And it scares me!

On the bike, I was looking forward to racing with aerobars for the first time. I had also gotten a shorter stem so that my oversized bike was less oversized. I felt great, though wondered if I might have pushed myself too hard too soon. The turn-around point was a bit of a surprise because it was sooner than I had expected, which I'm assuming means that the bike course was shorter than in previous years. As I turned the bend, I heard a familiar voice just behind me, Louise! I had finished the swim just seconds before Louise, who then caught up with me on the bike. She is the stronger biker, something I'm trying to work on. :) She passed me shortly after the turn-around. There were actually four of us playing leap-frog with one another, until I leapt ahead at the dreaded hill, though Louise was always just behind me. There's nothing like a friendly push to make you go faster!

My T2 was less than one minute, which was way better than the previous year (1:21). This was the first time I attempted taking my feet out of my shoes before dismounting my bike rather than clipping them out and taking my shoes off in the transition area. It definitely saved me a few seconds, which is a lot in a sprint triathlon.

Then began the run, which I consider to be my strongest leg in triathlons, though it never feels that way when I start running in a race. I kept reminding myself that it's only three miles, which doesn't seem like much when you're also training for a marathon. But three miles is a lot to sprint! I kept pushing myself until the end, where I caught up with a man just before the finish line who started racing me as I passed by. I didn't think I had any more power left in me, but my competitive side took over as I raced this man to the finish line. Too bad I thought the first mat was the finish, rather than the second. Oops. The guy racing me noticed I had stopped sprinting and graciously nudged me to keep going. He even let me cross the actual finish line first, which I did while laughing at my stupid mistake. What a gentleman!

In the end, I beat my goal by ten minutes, with a finish of 1:10:43, though that was with a shorter bike course, so it isn't a perfect comparison, but a PR nonetheless. Yeah! And even though I didn't win anything, some friends of mine got me a delicious cake from Whole Foods to celebrate. You can't eat a medal, anyway.

Some things I learned from this race include getting a more appropriate position at the swim start, training harder on the bike, and remembering to keep my eyes fixed on the finish so I don't stop too soon, and likewise to keep my eyes fixed on Jesus. It is for His glory that I race.