Graniteman Race Report

This morning was day #2 of getting up at 4 AM for a race...a little bit harder to do on the second day! I got my gear in the car with 2 thermos mugs of coffee and headed up to St. Cloud (little over an hour drive). I swear I was doing the head nod a bit until that coffee kicked in - was pretty bad!

I raced up there with Cindy, Noelle, and for the second day in a row...Ironman Jim and Ironman Heidi! Maggie came up to cheer on Kevin too - so we had our token cheerleader in the crowd, which was awesome!

So, the swim went out well...we had to swim (literally) around a string of water noodles for 1/3 mile. Is great - cuz sighting is not necessary... just don't run into the noodles! Was 6th out of the water in my wave and was glad that I didn't feel like I was standing still in the water like yesterday's sensation while racing. Whew!

I then took off on the bike course with Pink Lightning. For the first few miles, the legs were feeling a bit lead-like. It definitely felt like this may be a long 15 miles if I didn't get my energy back up (here is where I was thinking the double-header was affecting me most). But, I just kept spinning...

About mile 5, Miss. Noelle came up and passed me. I started thinking that since she is going to pass me on the run...I better give her a little friendly run-for-her-money on the bike and pass her back. (Love you Noelle!) We definitely push each other when we get out on the course - which is great! So, off I went... rest of the ride was pretty uneventful. Was a pretty good head wind on one stretch, but pedaled her in for a 20.4 mph average (5th in age group). (Above 20 mph = good in my book!)

Then to the run. Noelle was racking Moon Goddess, as I was at run out and praying that the leg would be good today (every day is a toss up, I've accepted). I was a bit limpy (at least Mags commented on it afterwards), but kept 'er going. Not quite as peppy as last weekend's run, but averaged 8:46 - which I will take a sub-9 in this condition. I finished the race in 1:22:54, which was roughly about 4 minutes faster than last year's race. PR (my goal)! Finished in 9th place out of 68 in my age group (can you say LARGE field today?!?!)

Noelle swiftly ran past me around the 1.2 mile mark (this seems to be a trend...) and was looking great! I didn't see Cindy on the course, but she pedaled herself in just a little behind me and had a great race too! Was awesome to have these guys on the course today! Great job you two! Heidi and Jim? Well, those speedsters just rocked the course (as usual). Heidi even set a Master's course record, winning her age group. Way to go TCMC'ers!

At the awards/door prizes I won AGAIN! This week it was a $150 towards a sleeveless wetsuit! (Last weekend I won $250 in swim lessons at Minneman). I guess it's my lucky streak! Keep it coming!

On the drive home, there was an accident on 94 (overturned gasoline tanker) that closed down the road in both directions (the road is actually still closed down right now as I blog...8+ hours later). We sat in traffic for 1.5 hours until we could get to the manditory exit ramp. While waiting in traffic, I decided to change in the car (behind the wheel) out of my tri uniform and into clothes (what else was I supposed to do?). Man, I am good!

Once we exited 94, us girls quickly grabbed a bite to eat (starving!) and then headed home. But the traffic out of Monticello / Big Lake was just as bad with all the diverted traffic + a parade in town. So, all-in-all, it took me 4 HOURS to get home from this darn race!!! What a nightmare! Oh well...