The Tri that turned into a Bi . . .

The Lake Powell Triathlon 2010.

Last year I took my good friends Lisa and Beth to Casa Grande to do a sprint triathlon.  We loved it so much we decided we needed a bigger challenge.  Enter the Powell3.

Lisa, Beth and I decided we would go for the Olympic length this time.  That means 1 mile swim, 24 mile bike ride, and 6.2 mile run (10K).  Scary, but we knew we would train together and get ourselves ready, and man what a goal to achieve!

So, we trained together since July.  Tons of early mornings of riding, or running or swimming, or 2 of the 3 to "brick" our training.  It was crazy, but kinda fun to push each other and talk about who did what each day.  It also was funny to see how driven some of us were (Beth) and how laid back others were (me).  

Anyway, we got up Friday morning to drive up to the metropolis of Page, AZ.  Lisa came in the truck with Lane and I.  Lane was nice enough to be our chauffer, photographer and cheerleader.  While on the freeway in the northern part of Phoenix, I suddenly had a thought - my running shoes!  Did I pack them?  I don't remember?  We pulled over to an off-ramp and I got my bag out of the back, and sure enough - I hadn't.  Really?  Really.  Good thing the Anthem outlets were right there, and the Nike store that we had just stopped and bought new running shoes at last week was there.  So, we stopped and I bought another  pair of running shoes.  Kinda thought I'd need them.  

We got up north, and found it was cold and raining.  Not good for what was supposed to be perfect weather for our race!  We met up with the Adairs (Beth's family) at the Page version of Olive Garden.  It was called Strombolli's, where we ordered the "Tour de Italy" and found it should really be called the "Tour de Page".   Yeah, we are thinking a Hot Pocket covered in spaghetti sauce probably would have tasted about the same.   And the water leaking in from the roof into the big buckets behind our seats really added to the ambiance of the restaurant.

Saturday morning dawned with the hope that maybe we would see the sun, but the weather gods were not so kind.

Our little group was Beth, Lisa and I.  Then, Beth's daughters Chelsea and Shelby, and Beth's husband decided to come do it too, and hardly even trained!  Crazy!  

Transition area

We set up all our stuff at the transition station.  You are crammed in there like sardines, and you just hope someone doesn't throw your stuff somewhere.  As I looked around I started to realize this isn't your novice or beginner triathlon.  These people are for real.  One guy was sitting on his bike pedaling while it was propped up on some holder, others were jogging around, others got in the water and swam around a bit to "warm up".  We even met a guy we named "Baker Boy"  He had brought himself some corn starch to sprinkle in his shoes (How does that help?  I don't know) and he had some Pam baking spray to spray his body for the wet suit to go on and off better.  Mix those two ingredients with the rain we got, and he could have made some gravy!

Ok - who came up with this hot look?

Anyway, the people were set up to leave in waves.  The Olympic men started first in 2 different waves, then the Olympic women left.  As we rounded the buoy to go around for the last time, they allowed the men who are doing the sprint to go.  I felt like I was being overtaken by a ton of piranhas.  I held my ground, and finally finished the swim.  I am a slow swimmer - I think there may have been like 5 ladies after me!  Ugh!!

But, undaunted, I got out of the water and ran up the huge steep boat ramp to the transition area.  I quickly stripped my wetsuit off and threw on my bike shoes and decided to wear my jacket because it was raining and gonna be cold.

Changing for the bike ride that wasn't

I hopped on the bike and took off, and almost instantly knew something was wrong.  I was riding and pedaling pretty hard, and was only going 12 miles an hour.  My handles were shaking and rattling, and I was going slow!  I kept pushing thinking maybe my legs just needed to wake up and go, but the harder I worked, the more my bike shook.  I checked my speedometer again, and it said 12 mph.  I was going to keep my speed around 18 mph, so I was really worried.  I thought I was in for a long ride.  Well, after about 1 1/2 miles, I finally got off to see what was wrong.  My front tire was flat.  Dangit!!!  I grabbed my CO2 cartridge to fill up my tire and be on my way.  The tire inflated immediately, but then all the air came shooting right back out the valve.  I had somehow broken the valve on the tire of my bike!  

It was then that I guess I went brain dead, because if I had been thinking, I would have pulled out my spare tube, taken the wheel off, changed the tire, and prayed that someone would have thrown me an extra cartridge to blow up the tire, or maybe have a pump I could borrow.  It would only cost me maybe 10 mins. of time, but I never had any intention of winning - just finishing!

But, I stood there in the rain wondering what on earth to do now.  So, I thought, Well, I just have to go back.  I turned around and started the mile and a half back to the transition area.  Walking in cycle shoes is not comfortable.  As people passed me they asked: Are you OK? You got a flat?  Bummer!  So sorry! I was very embarrassed and frustrated thinking all that training down the drain.  

Add on top of that, I am wearing a "cute" jacket that I grabbed at the last minute leaving my house.  I didn't even bring a sports or running jacket in case of inclement weather.  No, I have the cute sweat jacket that is blinged out down the arms and on the zipper and hood.  Not very inconspicuous on a 6 footer.

When I got back to the transition area I fought off my tears of frustration, handed the bike off to Lane and he took it to the truck.  I then walked around to the back entrance of the transition area because I didn't want to trigger the timing chip and look like I had ridden that fast.  I didn't even ride my bike across the line for the end of the bike part. I put on my soaking wet brand new running shoes, and thought, "Hey, I paid for this race, I might as well at least get 2 of the 3."  So, I took off to run the 10K.

That's when I realized I was in trouble.  You see, suddenly I was WAY ahead of everyone.  Remember, the men all left first, and the women were about 1/2 hour after the first wave of men.  Imagine, all the front runners of the men are out there running, and there is this lady out there running too!!!  How in the he** did she get out here???  I know that's what they all were thinking.  I got some serious dirty looks, puzzled looks, and a bunch of fist pumps and Awesome!  You are kicking it!  Way to go!  comments.  

I now am trapped and don't know what to do.  I have taken off to run way too soon, and am freaking everyone out!  I regret leaving so fast.  I should have waited for my friends to finish the bike ride and then I could run with them.  Too late, I am out there on the road.  I consider just standing at the side for a while to let a bunch of people pass, but would feel totally dumb doing that too!  

So, luckily, I am about 2 miles out, and I come upon Beth's daughter who also got a flat.  She had made the bike loop one time, and was on her second round.  She didn't have a spare tube, pump or anything.  So I stopped with her for a while.  She called someone who was back at the finish line and asked them to come pick her up with the bike and then she would do the run.  I hung with her for a few minutes, then decided I just needed to go run and be done - who cares what anyone thinks?

So, I take off running again, and kick it into gear.  After all, if I am in first place of all the women, and up there with all these killer guys, I better look like I can run fast enough to be there! :)  More "way to go's! and good jobs!" follow.  Still lots of puzzled, disbelieving looks.  

We ran 3 miles out, and 3 miles back.  So, I had made the turn and was on my way back when I pass the first REAL girl going the other way.  I worry that she is going to think I am ahead of her, so I am trying to yell at her - you are in first place!  You are winning!  I'm sure she didn't hear or understand a word of it, so I decided I wouldn't try to explain the flat tire to anyone else I was running past.  I just decided to kick it home.

But then I realized I didn't want to be the first girl crossing the finish line.  That would be bad!  I needed some ladies to pass me!  So, I slowed up a touch, and 2 of the women passed me.  (As a side note - they write your age on the back of your calf - lovely - but I was happy to see the 2 who passed me were old like me! 38 and 39! :)

So once I got a couple ladies past me, I kicked it the rest of the way home and smiled and took in all the cheering as I crossed the finish line.  No one had to know I didn't even do the bike ride - it was OK.

Running to the finish

At least I thought it was OK.

About 20 minutes later they were doing the awards for the top winners in each age group.  Then, the man announces into the microphone, 

"And now for the moment you've been waiting for.  The overall winners of the women's Olympic tri.  In 3rd place, with a time of 2 hours and 19 minutes, from Mesa, AZ, KATHRYN COOK!!! "

What?  I panicked!  No!  He then says, "Kathryn Cook, is she here?"  I am trying to hide over behind some tent.  I make my way over to the girl at the computer who is manning the timing strip and told her there has been a horrible mistake.  In the meantime, Lane was nice enough to go up to the announcer and explain the little mix-up with the times, and they quickly found the REAL 3rd place winner.  Whew!  Seriously, how embarrassing!!!!!

Apparently I hadn't outsmarted the timing strips, and had crossed them somewhere, and it was still keeping my time.

Bummed out and cold

The only benefit of not being able to do the ride was I was done first, and got to watch everyone else cross. The funniest was watching Wolverine Beth attack Lisa 50 feet before the finish line.  Lisa was ahead of Beth most of the race - though by a tiny margin.  We saw them rounding the corner to come home, and Lane said, "Oh no, Lisa's in trouble - Beth is gonna eat her alive!"  Sure enough, Beth could smell the blood, and had to attack and win the sprint to the finish.  But, it was only by .6 seconds.  So really, it could be counted as a tie, right? 

They are so awesome!  They did it in 3 hours 4 mins.  I was planning to do it in 3 hours 15 mins, so I would have been a bit behind, but that's OK.  I just have to say I love my friends and how proud I am of them! 

Course that also just depressed me even more that I couldn't have such a triumphant finish and know that I had accomplished this major goal.  

So here's the thing.  Now I have to find another one to do!  You know I can't have that be it!  Good thing Lisa convinced me I will probably be doing one a year and I needed to buy the expensive wetsuit because I'll be using it! :)

(Beth, Kathryn, Lisa and Shelby - Beth's daughter who incidentally hardly trained at all, and beat the whole group!  Ahh to be young again!)

So, getting home, I decided I will drown my sorrows in training for the Shun the Sun 1/2 marathon in Mesa on Nov. 13.  That will have to make up for the bust of the triathlon.  That gives me 3 weeks to train.  5 days of which I will be in NYC though.  It is 13 miles.  I've never run more than 10 miles at one time in my life.  Hmm... should be interesting.  Funny thing is - one of my 5 goals for this year was to run a 1/2 marathon.  I was going to let the tri substitute for that, but looks like I will be accomplishing the original goal in the first place!  

So, it's all good. . .