YMCA Triathlon

Saturday was the YMCA Ytri. I won the race last year with a fantastic bike and run split, but this year I had a very heavy heart as my 8 year old lab was hit by a car. For the first time I didn’t really want to race. I was very saddened by the loss of my hunting dog, I hope at the very least that I will learn some sort of lesson from the loss of my noble dog.

I knew going into this year’s race that I was not on the same level that I was last year. My heart was heavy with sadness; I was nowhere near race ready with only riding my P3 10 times leading up to the race, on top of that my legs felt like crap leading up to the race. I knew it wasn’t going to be pretty. In fact I thought it was going to be a disaster with all things considered.

After arriving at the race everything was out of sorts, I was running late, which never happens, I was scattered looking for this or that. With only 30 minutes to race start I still had not found a transition spot. When I did finally put my bike in transition it was in a terrible backward-facing, time-killing spot that I would never pick in a regular triathlon. I set up T-1 only to have some guy knock over my P3; I was quick enough to snag it before it hit the ground but my sunglasses hit the pavement busting into pieces. It was at that moment that I almost called it off and went home.

I miraculously made it to the race start, I wasn’t even body marked with 10 minutes to go but that was the least of my worries, I was lucky I made it to the right pool on a day like that. I started the 500 yard swim and my problems continued. Despite a great spring of swim training I had no grove and no speed. Two laps into the race my goggles fogged up to the point of blurring the wall, making my flip-turns land off target and slow. I exited the pool in a disappointing 6:36, 5th fastest swim. I had a pretty good T1 and left close to the

leaders.  

My training was not what it has been in the past years so I did not have the bike speed, I rode 1:15 slower than 2009, but I managed to suffer myself to the lead entering T2. I had a great T2 and left for the 5k in first.

Mentally I knew I was not going to win, my heart was other places, specifically with my dog. For the first time ever, I did not want to be doing a race, I did not even care I was there. Second place soon passed me, I did not even try to stick. 3rd place flew by easily running a 5:30 pace, see ya. I was in 3rd now, and still didn’t have my mind on racing.

Proof of distraction came when I ran off course, granted the course marshals did not help any when they did not even say a word as a took a left turn instead of the right. Volunteers flagged me down about a quarter mile later and plainly said, “you ran off course back there, turn around and go back.” Normally I would care that I just wasted a half mile of running, today I didn’t. I did not even say a word, I stopped turned around, and proceeded to slog back towards the course. I never saw the 1st or 2nd place again after running off course. I finished the run without a sprint or emotion. I gave 3 or 4 minutes back to 4th place when I went off course, but I still had enough of a lead to miraculously maintain 3rd.

Corrie comforted me after the race as we waited for the awards and drawings, I am grateful she was there for me, she helped me cope with the accident that cost me my version of “man’s best friend.”

The race itself has no meaning or special moments to me, I did the race in a state of shock, “my dog is really gone, forever?” I was 3rd overall, I won some money, a jacket, a medal, a runner’s hat, and my age group. Normally that would be a great day, but today was different, today was just a day that I wasn’t mentally there.

I felt a little better after the race thanks to Corrie cheering me up. If it were not for my dog Cael, I probably would have quit the race after the swim, and the bike, and running off course. I figured I would finish for Cael’s memory since she would probably be sad that I was sad.

I can’t be too sad because after all I did have this hot babe cheering for me...

and I had these winnings...

and I have these wicked dance moves, call me Mr. FreeeeeeeeZZZZe. 

Normann Stadler (2 time IM Hawaii winner and my bike hero) said, “No matter, your worst days and your best days both have sunsets…I will do what it takes to finish this race.”  Here is to a new sunset, a new day, and a new race.  My lesson, I have learned to never miss another opportunity, the best dog ever taught me that.