Running, normally one of my favorite activities, becomes torture when it is a) totally uphill, b) in a 10000 degree desert and c) completed after a swim and a bike.
Me (pre-race): 5K is NO big deal, I run 5K for breakfast. Totally going to be my best leg.
Me (during race): What sadistic bastard decided that a beginners triathlon should feature a run that is straight up hill!?! And while we are at it, who knew that Vegas was hilly? I thought deserts were FLAT!?!
Let's just say that I didn't break any records during the run. In fact, I am not proud to admit that there was some walking. But I cannot tell you how disheartening it was to run out of transition (uphill, of course) only to realize that the first mile of the race was a never ending incline. Hills are my worst enemy in the average race- but after a hilly bike, they were just too much. On the bright side, I had plenty of company in the shuffle-along pace, so I got to chat/commiserate with the lovely ladies running the race.
Only salient memory from the race-again seeing B. coming downhill while I was going up. But this time, I knew she was far enough ahead that she stood a good chance of getting an award! So I yelled at her. "B. YOU. ARE. WINNING..... RUN FASTER." And with a look of total shock, she sprinted away!
And...she finished in first in our age group! Un-be-lievable! I was SO so so happy for her!
Due to a little penalty (boooo!), she ended up getting 2nd place in our division- but it was still awesome- and it goes down in my book as a W.
The breakdown:
Well, most of the run was pretty ugly.
But.... coming across that finish line was pretty fantastic!
All the training, all the planning, all the nervous chats with B. about this event- all culminated in an amazing day. I was honestly a more than a little sad that it was all over! I couldn't have asked for a better race with a better friend....cannot wait for the next one!
I am a TRIATHLETE!
Me (pre-race): 5K is NO big deal, I run 5K for breakfast. Totally going to be my best leg.
Me (during race): What sadistic bastard decided that a beginners triathlon should feature a run that is straight up hill!?! And while we are at it, who knew that Vegas was hilly? I thought deserts were FLAT!?!
Let's just say that I didn't break any records during the run. In fact, I am not proud to admit that there was some walking. But I cannot tell you how disheartening it was to run out of transition (uphill, of course) only to realize that the first mile of the race was a never ending incline. Hills are my worst enemy in the average race- but after a hilly bike, they were just too much. On the bright side, I had plenty of company in the shuffle-along pace, so I got to chat/commiserate with the lovely ladies running the race.
Smiling!
Only salient memory from the race-again seeing B. coming downhill while I was going up. But this time, I knew she was far enough ahead that she stood a good chance of getting an award! So I yelled at her. "B. YOU. ARE. WINNING..... RUN FASTER." And with a look of total shock, she sprinted away!
And...she finished in first in our age group! Un-be-lievable! I was SO so so happy for her!
Due to a little penalty (boooo!), she ended up getting 2nd place in our division- but it was still awesome- and it goes down in my book as a W.
The breakdown:
Well, most of the run was pretty ugly.
But.... coming across that finish line was pretty fantastic!
All the training, all the planning, all the nervous chats with B. about this event- all culminated in an amazing day. I was honestly a more than a little sad that it was all over! I couldn't have asked for a better race with a better friend....cannot wait for the next one!
I am a TRIATHLETE!
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