Race Report Rock of the Marne Triathlon
Ok gang, here is my race report from my first every triathlon this morning! This was a sprint triathlon. 500 yard swim, 13 mile bike, and a 3.1 mile run.
Last night me and my best friend Loraine(she moved in with us to help out while my husband is deployed) dropped off Laci, my 4 year old off at a friend's house, she was going to stay the night. The plan was to drop off my 1 year old, Miley in the morning on our way to the race site. I packed my transition bag and checked it 3 times, with a checklist. I took some Tylenol PM around 8 pm and waited for it to kick in. I set my alarm for 3 am and tried to get some sleep. Even with the Tylenol PM I was still tossing and turning from pre race jitter, and fell asleep around 11 pm. Woke up at 3 am, had some coffee and a piece of toast with some peanut butter. Checked my bag one last time, filled up all my bottles with water and G2, and loaded up the Durango with my bag, bike, and bike pump. Loraine grabbed Miley and her bag and we were ready to head out.
Dropped off Miley at our friend's house, and headed out for the hour long drive to the race site. I drank a bottle of G2 on the drive up. Body marking started a 5:30am, which is when we arrived. I got marked, Loraine carried my bag for me and I pushed my bike to the transition area, it was a half mile walk from the body marking area to the transition area with all my gear so I counted this as a warm up. Was given my race chip, and headed into the transition area to set up. I was the first to arrive on my assigned rack so I set up on the end of the rack. Got everything just the way I wanted it, grabbed my goggles and swim cap, and left transition. Had about 45 minutes until the race started so I just went pee a few times and hung out with Loraine. 30 minutes before the swim started I ate a pack of sport beans. After a quick safety brief and the national anthem it was finally time to line up in my swim wave and start my race.
It was a triangular 500 yard swim in a river. All the age group men went first, after they took off it was my wave's (age group women) time to jump in the river. We jumped into deep water and had a minute to tread water until our horn went off. I was nervous up to this point since I had limited swim training and absolutely no open water experience. Once that horn went off and we all started swimming I was fine. I just had a slow, steady freestyle swim. My legs kept getting really tired so my freestyle was mostly my upper body working. Finally I made it around all the buoys and I was running up the ramp to exit the swim and head into T1, taking off my goggles and swim cap in the process. My swim time was 11:15.
Into transition the race volunteers were telling us to put on our helmet first, so I did that. Then I put on my sunglasses and they fogged up, not wanting to waste time wiping them down I decided to leave them in transition. I wiped off my feet and put my bike shoes on. I took a few swigs of G2, grabbed my bike and headed out on the bike out. T1 time was 1:14.
I got on my bike at the bike mount line, clipped in, and took off. I started in a low gear at a high cadence. I don't have a bike computer so I had no idea how far I had gone or how far I had to go, I just kept glancing at my watch to get an idea of what mile I might be at. It was a giant 13 mile loop. Throughout the bike I passed about 20 people or so. Had I had a bike computer, I probably could have pushed a little harder on the bike, but since I didn't I was playing it safe. My bike time was 43:49.
I dismounted my bike and headed into T2, racked my bike and took my helmet off. I put my running hat on, took off my bike shoes, put on socks and running shoes, put my race belt on, grabbed my running bottle full of G2, and headed out on the run out. T2 time was 1:51.
The run, my strongest sport. It was an out and back, nice and flat. I kept a good pace, kept taking sips of G2, and overall just felt good. I had a huge smile on my face the whole time, knowing that in a few minutes I was officially going to be a triathlete. I saw the finish line and increased my pace, I was so happy and excited. My run time was 24:23.
After I crossed the finish line a volunteer took off my timing chip. I then found Loraine, who had been cheering for me at the finish line, and she gave me a big hug. At this point I almost started crying, it hit me that just 10 months ago, I was an almost 300 pound woman who had a problem with large parking lots and stairs, and today, at this moment, I was a triathlete.
My husband Joel is still in Iraq, I told him all about my race and he is so proud of me and wishes so bad he could have been there. He is so supportive and so happy for me, and can't wait to be at all my triathlons next year cheering me on.
My times:
Swim: 11:15
T1: 1:14
Bike: 43:49
T2: 1:51
Run: 24:23
Total 1:22:34
6/16 in my division
77/140 overall
Here is a pic Loraine took right before we all lined up in our swim wave
Last night me and my best friend Loraine(she moved in with us to help out while my husband is deployed) dropped off Laci, my 4 year old off at a friend's house, she was going to stay the night. The plan was to drop off my 1 year old, Miley in the morning on our way to the race site. I packed my transition bag and checked it 3 times, with a checklist. I took some Tylenol PM around 8 pm and waited for it to kick in. I set my alarm for 3 am and tried to get some sleep. Even with the Tylenol PM I was still tossing and turning from pre race jitter, and fell asleep around 11 pm. Woke up at 3 am, had some coffee and a piece of toast with some peanut butter. Checked my bag one last time, filled up all my bottles with water and G2, and loaded up the Durango with my bag, bike, and bike pump. Loraine grabbed Miley and her bag and we were ready to head out.
Dropped off Miley at our friend's house, and headed out for the hour long drive to the race site. I drank a bottle of G2 on the drive up. Body marking started a 5:30am, which is when we arrived. I got marked, Loraine carried my bag for me and I pushed my bike to the transition area, it was a half mile walk from the body marking area to the transition area with all my gear so I counted this as a warm up. Was given my race chip, and headed into the transition area to set up. I was the first to arrive on my assigned rack so I set up on the end of the rack. Got everything just the way I wanted it, grabbed my goggles and swim cap, and left transition. Had about 45 minutes until the race started so I just went pee a few times and hung out with Loraine. 30 minutes before the swim started I ate a pack of sport beans. After a quick safety brief and the national anthem it was finally time to line up in my swim wave and start my race.
It was a triangular 500 yard swim in a river. All the age group men went first, after they took off it was my wave's (age group women) time to jump in the river. We jumped into deep water and had a minute to tread water until our horn went off. I was nervous up to this point since I had limited swim training and absolutely no open water experience. Once that horn went off and we all started swimming I was fine. I just had a slow, steady freestyle swim. My legs kept getting really tired so my freestyle was mostly my upper body working. Finally I made it around all the buoys and I was running up the ramp to exit the swim and head into T1, taking off my goggles and swim cap in the process. My swim time was 11:15.
Into transition the race volunteers were telling us to put on our helmet first, so I did that. Then I put on my sunglasses and they fogged up, not wanting to waste time wiping them down I decided to leave them in transition. I wiped off my feet and put my bike shoes on. I took a few swigs of G2, grabbed my bike and headed out on the bike out. T1 time was 1:14.
I got on my bike at the bike mount line, clipped in, and took off. I started in a low gear at a high cadence. I don't have a bike computer so I had no idea how far I had gone or how far I had to go, I just kept glancing at my watch to get an idea of what mile I might be at. It was a giant 13 mile loop. Throughout the bike I passed about 20 people or so. Had I had a bike computer, I probably could have pushed a little harder on the bike, but since I didn't I was playing it safe. My bike time was 43:49.
I dismounted my bike and headed into T2, racked my bike and took my helmet off. I put my running hat on, took off my bike shoes, put on socks and running shoes, put my race belt on, grabbed my running bottle full of G2, and headed out on the run out. T2 time was 1:51.
The run, my strongest sport. It was an out and back, nice and flat. I kept a good pace, kept taking sips of G2, and overall just felt good. I had a huge smile on my face the whole time, knowing that in a few minutes I was officially going to be a triathlete. I saw the finish line and increased my pace, I was so happy and excited. My run time was 24:23.
After I crossed the finish line a volunteer took off my timing chip. I then found Loraine, who had been cheering for me at the finish line, and she gave me a big hug. At this point I almost started crying, it hit me that just 10 months ago, I was an almost 300 pound woman who had a problem with large parking lots and stairs, and today, at this moment, I was a triathlete.
My husband Joel is still in Iraq, I told him all about my race and he is so proud of me and wishes so bad he could have been there. He is so supportive and so happy for me, and can't wait to be at all my triathlons next year cheering me on.
My times:
Swim: 11:15
T1: 1:14
Bike: 43:49
T2: 1:51
Run: 24:23
Total 1:22:34
6/16 in my division
77/140 overall
Here is a pic Loraine took right before we all lined up in our swim wave
Jillian
Operation Iraqi Freedom Veteran, Army Wife, 3x Ironman Finisher
VERY Solid!!!! Great Report and EXCELLENT effort & Splits! Way to go 
Your Friend In Health & Sport,
Dan Benintendi - OH Support Group Leader
www.trimywill.com
www.swimfromobesity.com
www.trimywill.blogspot.com
Support Group: www.obesityhelp.com/group/Post_Op_PRs/
Dan Benintendi - OH Support Group Leader
www.trimywill.com
www.swimfromobesity.com
www.trimywill.blogspot.com
Support Group: www.obesityhelp.com/group/Post_Op_PRs/
I'm going to have to take some lessons from you on transitions and that's an amazing run pace any day of the week! Congratulations!
Cassie
Cassie
"Hard things take time to do. Impossible things take a little longer."
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