Timberman 70.3 Race Report

I arrived in New Hampshire four days before race day and had plenty of time to relax on the beach with my nieces and nephews.

 

There were many walks on the beach with my mom.

It was great to swim in the Atlantic Ocean and hang out before the race.

On Saturday me and my race support (Savvy and Cole) drove up to Gilford to check in at Gunstock Mountain and drop off my bike in the transition area at Ellacoya State Park on Lake Winnipesaukee.

(They love Muscle Milk) 

 

As we waited for transition to open I donned the wetsuit and got in the 72 degree water – it was so clear, and I could see the bottom.

We drove home and arrived to a steak dinner courtesy of my sister and brother-in-law. Mom and Dad came and the entire family (sans Jay) had a great pre race dinner.

I woke up at 3:45 am on race day and got to the transition area around 5 am. I loved that I could park 100 feet from the transition area and finish. It was a great set up.

I forgot the swim started in waves so the start wasn’t at 7am, rather it was 7:35 am.

I ran back to transition to eat a bar since I was starting to get hungry; never good before a 1.2 mile swim. The swim went well except that I felt like I got stuck in a few packs of swimmer and lost momentum swimming from looking up too much. But I exited the water and started the bike without a hitch.

The bike was Hard, Hard, Hard, but pushed my pace. There were steep hills that slowed me WAY down and tried to make up for it by pushing faster on the downhills. We biked past the Laconia Speedway and at one point the course was 11 miles from Concord.
The pavement changed pretty frequently from nice smooth pavement to rough bumps, from wide shoulders to no shoulders. It was a typical New England road, that which I forgot about when I biked there a hundred years ago.

I knew my mom and dad were somewhere but didn’t see them going into transition and to the run.

The Run was the BEST Run course not due to it’s difficult but due to the awesome aid stations. They were loud and happy and found myself laughing quite a bit. One collegiate looking man offered me snow. I took it and held in my hands for five minutes.

I felt like I ran a good pace and refused to stop except at aid stations. My quads were killing but it was harder to start up again if I stopped. There were a few aid stations that I didn’t stop at, which was a motivator.

I saw my mom and dad at the end of the first loop that winded into the transition. I loved the set up of the race course. I told them I had one more loop and I’d see them shortly. It was hot, but not as hot as running in Tucson (even at 7am).

I finished just after 6 hours to my mom at the finish and a big hug! I’m glad they came to cheer me on. It was a good day. Not my fastest 70.3 but not my worst. It was good to race my first triathlon in New Hampshire.

Swim: 42:33, Bike: 2:59, Run: 2:14 = 6:04

Here's to the Love of My Life

Abbey, my 11 year old dog, went off on a new outdoor adventure on August 10 2012

She joins Jack her first friend, and teacher of all bad habits, in dog heaven.  And  she joins her Maine dog-friend Balsam.

Abbey had a great life born in Vermont and moved  to every new house, city, and state following her crazy human around the country. In some places she was allowed on the sofa and some places she wasn’t – but in the end, she could do anything she wanted, I like that.

She drove with me across the country to Colorado and finally to Arizona.

Her favorite thing was to eat and take walks. Walks were getting harder and harder at the end. But Abbey’s tail always wagged  - even to the end.
She was a happy dog and I learned so much from her.

I miss her so much. Daisy wonders where she went and looks around every time the food hits her bowl. When Abbey doesn’t race for the leftover food, Daisy is confused. Very sad.

No matter what was going on in my life, Abbey’s routine was always part of the plan and work and social life came second, no matter what.

She had this way of looking at me that told me she was happy, and thus, I was happy in her presence.

Abbey is greatly missed, loved and has made such a difference in my life - So here’s to the best dog in the world - the love of my life.