Season Summary - Part 1

Since I just started blogging I wanted to summarize the races that I competed in this year. Most of my friends usually have a race report following a race. I am taking a short cut. This will be a SEASON summary. I want to delve into each race for just a paragraph or two. This might be a two parter (or more because I have a fairly short attention span for sitting down. Or Noah might wake up and I will have to go back to Mom mode. Here it goes in order of completion.



I signed up for St. Anthony's the day it opened thinking it would be a great way to motivate me through the freezing cold Chicago winter. I was right, it really was motivating all winter knowing I had to race in April against some of the best amateur competition in the country. One thing I didn't think about, the heat! When we arrived to St. Petersburg I was already a little nervous about the heat considering we were still training in cold weather gear still. Acclimation wasn't I word I have had to use yet in my triathlon career. NOW I use it. I was NOT acclimated at all to the warm weather.

The swim start was really fast as I knew it was going to be. Half way through the swim I felt a rush of water in my wetsuit and though it had ripped open! For the rest of the swim I kept thinking OH MY GOSH my wetsuit is going to come off at any moment. Turns out it was fine, it was just a little big! Off on the bike I went. It was a super fast course, flatter than a pancake which is perfect for me coming from Chicago. My problems didn't start until the run. I knew something was wrong right away. I just wasn't right. I felt like I was breathing to hard but not going anywhere. I came out of T2 with the another women who I normally could run with. I started putting water on my head but couldn't catch my breath. I started feeling nausea's. I realized after the race and walking a ton (I have never done that in a race before!!!!) during the 10k that I was not acclimated to the heat. Note to self, never race a warm weather race that early in the season. That being said I think I was probably about 2 min or so slower on the 10k from walking the water stations and then most of the last mile. So I was happy with a heartfelt effort. Plus I learned so much from that race that I think I already used this season. If anyone is interested, St. Anthony's puts on a great race that is well organized and very competitive. I would do it again in an instant if it wasn't hot and humid.