Finally Made Podium!

Last year I jokingly was 'plagued' with getting 4th place in my races. Yesterday, I finally broke that streak and made it into the top three for my age group. Specifically 2nd! (Missed 1st place by 2 seconds....aw! Will still take it!) It was the Minneman sprint tri yesterday up where my husband works the course as it goes through his jurisdiction. Stacy (my sister-in-law) was doing her first tri and Heidi was back in the swing of races and was joining us too! I was SO excited to do a sprint race...as I haven't done one this year yet (all longer distances). And plus it was with these guys - all the better! 

The swim went out great - except it was like an obstacle course on the swim back to shore with all the people in the wave before us to manipulate around. Grrr.... We even had pink swim caps! I ended up 1st in my age group out of the water. Then to the bike... hopped on Pink Lightning and took off on this crazy FLAT course (compared to last weekends hills - this was crazy fun)! Weather and wind were cooperating and I was flying the whole course at well over 20 mph. I passed quite a few guys from the wave ahead of us, and absolutely no one passed me on the bike - which I was pretty proud of. I got to wave at Jake directing traffic at his corner and then took off for the finish of the bike leg. I ended up with a 20.7 mph average and 2nd in my age group on the bike. I'll take that! 

The run I was a little worried about with the calf, but Stacy and I had warmed up prior to the race and it felt decent. So, took 'er out and tried to keep the legs moving. I was about a mile out and watching the people ahead of me coming back on the course and noticed that there weren't too many females, and the ones I saw I knew were not in my age group. Hmmm.... At the turn around I saw Jen M. and Heidi R. right behind me, and figured I'd be seeing them passing me soon. One girl passed me with about .5 mile left and I thought she had a '27' on her calf (not in my age group) - but was wrong. She was the winner of my age group (see pic below). Oh well... I ended up with a 8:24 pace - 4th in my age group for the run.

Final time: 1:15:53 - 2nd place in age group. 20th female overall. Yeah!!! I was so excited when I saw that on my results slip. We got water bottles for awards, which were nice. And I won a door prize for being closest to the race # called for swimming lessons (worth $250). I'm not terribly sure I need these...but we'll see what I do with em. 

 
Now....Stacy did fabulous too! Her first race and she finished in great time! She survived the swim (which she was worried about), did great on the bike (17 mph - I think we have a biker!) and had an excellent run to finish it off with (9:49 min/mi)! Ended up finishing 5th in her Novice division!!! I think we have another triathlete in the family now! Yeah Stacy!!! I am so proud of you!

Heidi did great too for her first race back (after her injury), and was so happy to be back in the races again - I'm hoping she signs up for some more races this year so we can either race together again or I can cheer her on (with a cool sign, right Heidi?).

Jon & Laike (above) - - - TCMC crew (below)

After the race, Jake and I went over to the lake at Sarah's parent's house - as we do every 4th. Relaxed, had a few beverages, watched the boat parade, ate.... At one point, Jake and I went out on the jet ski - I haven't laughed so hard in such a long time!

We took a donut and flipped the thing...both of us went flying off. It took us a bit to re-flip it and then we attempted to get back on it. Jake got on...I'd attempt and the second I shifted my weight - flip! This happened, I swear, 4-5 times!!! I could NOT get on the thing! Oh was hilarious! Then we went and watched the fireworks in Forest Lake, headed home and I was done by midnight - zonked!