White Lake Race Report!

 Ok I finally have a few minutes to write my race report.  It was a nice to get away.  We left Friday afternoon are best friends went with us, my husband and friends were doing the white lake half on Saturday.  Just a little on the Half, it was my husbands second half and friends first he is an elite runner and biker, swimming is not his strong point.  Anyhow we get up Saturday morning to fog on the lake they were going to make a call at 8:00 am if they would do the swim or not but called it early at 7:45 which was a mistake because by 8 the lake was clear bu****er safety was gone so no swim and it was a time trial race for bike and run.  Anyhow my husband had a great bike and run came in 57th overall and our friend came in second overall and 1st male master.  It was a great day for them!

Now onto the White Lake Sprint, after dinner on Saturday we went out and rode the bike and run course since this was my first time. Got to bed by 10 which was good when you are staying in a room with 3 little ones....lol Up at 5 so that we could be at race site by 6 you could not set up the night before.  It is very laid back and my husband was able to help me get my bike racked and transitions set up, I was off to get my timing chip and body marking, then back to the car to get hubby and kids and to try and eat a little more ( I am super tight in the mornings). Headed down to the water about 7:40 my start time was 8:32.  About 8:00 put on wetsuit and panic started to set in, my husband calmed me down and I headed out onto the dock it was an in water start.  There was an 8 minute wait before our wave went so I finally got in the water just after the wave before us went.  I know I can swim the distance and had done a few open water swims but this being my first tri I was very nerves, my plan was to stay in the back off to the right but I started out to fast and ended up getting kicked in the face 2 times and I had a major panic attack , I just kept telling myself to make it to the 100 meters then raise my hand for a break I could see lots of blue caps taking a break, I then decided it was my goal to just make it through the swim with out taking a break no matter how long it took me.  I then started to a swim free style, side stroke, breast stroke with head out of water, then back stroke, water safety would talk to me when I was doing back stroke to make sure I was ok because I was breathing so hard, and calfs started to cramp was using my legs way to much,  I just could not calm down, at meter 500 I could see the the yellow caps coming, I decide to do side stroke and let the main group pass me, finally around the last buoy, I could hear the horn for the next waive go off and just before I reached meter 750 I could see one blue cap behind me and one just in front of me so I decide I need to just do it so that I would not be the last blue cap out of the water. Finally out 30:58! I know I could have done better but I am proud that I finished it after having a panic attack and that I was not the last blue cap out of the water! : ) 
Because I was cramping getting out of the water I took my time in trans zone I just didnt want to fall down, I pulled the gu off my bike that my hubby taped to it and started downing cytomax.  Finally off on the bike it was my best bike time ever average of 16 mph. bike time 51:14! I passed many people who beat me out of the water!  The bike was two 7 mile loops.  Trans 2 would have went a little faster if I would have remembered to untie my shoes.  My goal was to run the whole 3.1 which I did in 35:09 not the best time but I was cramping pretty bad! Total time including transitions 2:04:22.

I am going to do another Tri in June 10 a girls weekend at  Balitmore Lake/Enka Triathlon, I really want to beat my over all time but more importantly the swim time! Its a 750 meter swim, 17 1/2 mile bike with 2 major climbs and 3.1 mile run.  Guess I am hooked! :  ) 

FAN-FREAKING-TASTIC!!!!

Congrats on your first tri! You are in the club now! Swimming, blah, in all my tri's I just get through the swim, there is not enough time left on this earth to make me a great swimmer.

Do you have any more info on tri's around Baltimore? My parents live in Fredrick and I visit them often, in fact, I am going up there Memorial Day weekend and I am bringing my bike and was looking for a tri to do up there.

 Jillian,


Thank you so much for your encouraging words.  I am planning on doing Enka Triathlon at Biltmore Lake in Asheville, NC, on June 11.  How far from NC are you?  I know you would rock the Beaches to Battleship Half or Full Ironman (Oct 29th in Wilmington, nc).  The swim is in the intercoastal water ways and you swim with the incoming currant, its know for its fast swim times.  My husband did the half last year and is doing the full this year.  There is also a International and Sprint Distance at Lake Logan near Asheville, NC, this is sometime in August, my friends did the International last year and really liked it.  

The only one that I can tell you about in VA is the Bath County Triathlon at Lake Moomaw-Warm Springs, VA on June 18th, we have had friends do this one and they really like it.  Hope that helps.

Let me know if you ever make it to NC.  You Rock!

You rock!!! Sounds like a great race...even with the cramping!

OMG amazing! You did sooo well!!! Congrats!

Congratulations! You certainly rocked your first tri! Inspiring me to eventually try one. Thanks for the great report!
Jan

Awesome job! 

you don't know how much I need to read soemthing so positive.  I have a few weeks until my first.

 You are going to do rock on your First Tri.  Can't wait to read your race report.  

 wow that is an awesome report!  You are seriously inspiring!   I guess you're hooked now?