Club Race: I drop boys

Prerace Grin

Postrace grin. Even Bigger

Just a blurb of excitement before I depart for my 40 mile after race ride.

This morning was the TCSD duathlon at Black Mtn. A two mile trail run Xterra style with a long rutted downhill, a mile straight up, and a fence to climb before entering transition. Followed by a 12 mile hilly bike and a repeat of the two mile run. The reward for finishing TCSD free breakfast.
It was a beautiful day and the race course was gorgeous. I live close to the start so I rode my bike to the race as a warm up. Tim had prepped and pimped my bike, Sweet Thunder. She looked beautiful and was ready to race even if I admittedly wanted to hit the snooze.
I went fast this morning. Really fast. I tried not to go out too stupid fast in the first run. I also didn't want to trip and fall. I finished the first run fourth for the ladies. Tim was right behind me , so much for the broken leg. Tri club diva Elizabeth Daubner a little ways ahead, I couldn't believe she was in my sight. I quickly passed the other two girls and didn't think any other females were ahead of Elizabeth so I worked on keeping her in my sight. I didn't think I could go any faster but Sweet Thunder refused to give up. She just kept galloping faster and faster and I just held on. I could tell I was getting closer and felt like I could push harder and pass her but I thought that might be really stupid. I closed the gap and went back and forth with her until the end of the bike. We caught a bunch of guys (Steve Talley, JT, Corey, and Matt Sparks) I dinged my pink bell at them and Elizabeth and I talked some smack to them to stir them up. They were sitting in a pack like a bunch of roadies. I think they even had a rotating pace line:) Part of me was thinking what am I doing hanging with the likes of these people. I should be way farther back in the pack. The other part of me had the urge to jump and go faster on the bike and ditch everybody (but I knew the run would be a killer) . I also thought I might puke if I pushed it any harder. I also had a sneaking suspicion Elizabeth was going as fast as she needed to. "Where's Tim?" Matt asked me. "Probably finished" I retorted. Tim passed me as we started the bike and was absolutely flying. It took him about two seconds to ride out of my sight.
Somehow I was faster than Elizabeth on the downhill of the run and stayed ahead of her for the first 3/4 mile. As we started to go up she easily dropped me. I knew it would happen; it was just a matter of time. She made it look so easy. I struggled up the hill. Seeing the "fast" guys walking ahead of me was making things hard. I yelled at JT for slowing me down by walking. Told him he should be a better rabbit. I had to dig really deep to not give in, but I persevered up Black Mtn and soon the finish line came. I'm sure I was well out of my zone. I didn't wear a heart rate monitor for this reason. What would I do, slow down? Yeah right. Not in a race this short. I am so thrilled to go this fast. When I was in high school I was the slowest girl on the cross country team. I only ran to cross train for alpine ski racing (which is why I like speed and have quads).
As I crossed the finish in second place Tim said he couldn't believe it. I was so fast. I caught my breath and said"I DROP BOYS and you're next!"