Waterman’s 1/2 Triathlon – Race Report

My son’s wedding in October determined this year’s training goal. I’m just like any other mother of the groom, and I want to be in shape for my son’s special day. With this goal in mind, I picked a big race that was close to the wedding date to keep up my training as long as possible. My training was a bit sluggish this year, and my fall in March set me back about two months. As soon as my ribs were healed, I started training with 2 swim workouts, 2 bike rides, and 3 runs per week. All of this training culminated in my final race of 2017 – the Waterman’s Half Triathlon in Rockhall, MD.

The distances for a half triathlon are a 1.2-mile swim, a 56-mile bike ride, and a 13.1-mile run. It’s the same distance as a half Ironman, but a different company puts on the race.

— Saturday, September 30, 2017 —

My husband and I arrived at the race site at 6:30 A.M. and put our bikes in the designated slots in the transition area. We set out our gear according to the progression of the race (swim, bike, run); this way, it’s easy to get the right gear without searching through everything you brought. (My bike and set up is on the right. Some people bring buckets to sit on during transition)

The Swim Start

Before the 8:00 A.M. start, we put on our wetsuits and then walked to the start line. You start in separate heats determined by your age group.

To start, I will say the swim course was a complete mess. There was an out and back, followed by going around a square two times. Racers swam into each other on the out and back and then again around the square. The buoys weren’t clearly visible, nor was the finish line.

In addition to the course route’s mess, there were tons of little jellyfish. At first, you think it’s a piece of seaweed, but then the softness is replaced by a hot, shooting pain. Once the venom is injected into your skin, the pain, redness, and blistering begin. I was stung several times on my arms, but had to keep pushing forward to finish the course.

The Bike Start

Finishing the swim, I climbed out of the water onto a boat deck and jogged towards the transition area. It was a chilly day in the mid 50’s, with 18-20 mile per hour winds. I decided to put another shirt over my wet triathlon suit and add arm sleeves to protect my arms from the wind. I put on my bike helmet and then started on the 56-mile bike route.

My chain fell off twice during the ride, which was extremely frustrating. In addition to this, refilling my front hydration bottle was difficult because of the strong winds. I had to stop to refill the bottle, something I usually do while riding. My Garmin, a device I use to track my race progress, stopped working, and I had no idea how long I was out there riding. Nevertheless, I continued.

The Run Start

I crossed the bike finish and ran into the transition. There, I traded my bike clothes for my running clothes. I put on my running belt with my nutrition already in it for the run. I always carry my nutrition with me. Why? I have trained with a specific mix called Infinit Performance Nutrition; this product is specifically mixed based on my training needs for this kind of race. I don’t have to rely on what is offered during the race and can avoid stomach issues that may be caused by the provided food.

The run was three loops which totaled 13.1 miles. I felt strong despite the fact that I had not trained as hard as I initially planned. This was the time when I thought, “Oh well, just finish, and it will be fine.” Especially because my initial goal (I can confess it now) was to not be last in the swim…again.

The Finish

Running into the finish I saw my husband. He hugged me and then told me that I placed second in my age group! Can you imagine how surprised I was? In addition, I finished third in the swim, third on the bike, and first in the run in my age group. I can’t tell you how pumped I was to accomplish this. Maybe it was because I was angry at the jellyfish stinging me or that I was really angry at the strong wind. Either way, it was amazing, and the results were fantastic! I couldn’t be happier.

It was a hard race, but it was the last one of the year.

Are you ready to exercise the way that is right for your body in midlife? Then check out some of the programs that I offer.

Save

Save