It has taken me a few days to process last weekend's race. I cried about it and got pissed about it and felt really stupid about it and the last thing I could think of was writing a race report about it! But, Bec reminded me that I have a responisibility to inform all our sponsors and supporters and fans about what happened. As much as I want to hide- you guys all deserve to know what went on.
Before I go into my race- there were 5000 other participants that did amazing and inspiring things. Congratulations to you all! One of the many reasons why I love this race is because it's challenging whether it's your first triathlon or if it's your 13th time doing the race. Everyone who conquers the Central Park hills in brutal heat should feel really accomplished. One of these racers just happened to have a baby 5.5 months ago...you know her side of the story...but coming from her twin and competitor, I was in awe of her race. I knew that nothing would stop Bec from competing in the NYC Triathlon. I had some serious doubts as recent as a month ago that she'd be able to do it. I knew she was working really hard in her rehab, but was wondering if that would translate to swimming, biking and running. When she told me she swam a 5:42 500 free in practice and dusted off her TT bike, I knew she wasn't fooling around! She won the swim and came off the bike within seconds of first. That was after only having ridden her time trial bike 3 times in the last year and a half. I think this is just a testament to her natural talent and determination - which I'm sure we will be seeing more of soon.
So, what happened...why did you happen to see a 1:20 bike split from me? Well this:
I had a good swim, a pretty easy pace which got easier once I found Bec's current. We got out of the water first and second with Jenna just behind. I cruised through the 3 min run to the bikes and when I got to my spot, I found my bike turned around and moved. I was a bit flustered but just got on and started riding. I was in first...for about 2 minutes. Then Jenna passed me and Bec zoomed by me a few seconds later. I pushed on telling myself I didn't want to go out too hard and just kept my watts at my normal race pace. Not too long after the entire field passed me - including people I swam 4 minutes faster than! I just kept pressing on working hard and wondering what was going on. I finally just convinced myself that I was having a bad day. I tried to look down at my wheel but couldn't see the brake because of my aero water bottle. I had thoughts of stopping to check if things were ok, but thought it would just take even more time. In hindsight, and why I feel so stupid about this is, I should have stopped immediately when I got passed by Bec and checked my bike. I learned a big lesson - don't doubt your abilities when you are in great shape, and don't be afraid to stop for a second to check for mechanical troubles. I learned a costly lesson - financially, emotionally, and personally.
Despite riding so slow, my overall power was actually higher than last year when I rode 13 minutes faster. And, I managed to have the fastest run of the day. So... as my dad said, in his best Brooklyn accent the day after the race "Ya shoulda won that thing". But, it takes more than just swimming, biking, and running fast - execution is key in triathlon. Getting it all together is what wins, and Jenna did just that.
So, that's my story, and I have plenty more from the day that I'd like to share in my next post.
--Laurel