More "Heart of the Lakes" Tri Stuff

Here are 6 more points I want to make that I didn't include in my Heart of the Lakes Triathlon race report from last week:

• FIRST: Age Group Placing: I didn't have my age group placing in the official results in my race report. The overall winner was in my age group, 2nd overall was a young-un, and I was 3rd overall. (First and third [me] were taken out of our age group awards, which is appropriate.) Out of 11 in the 35-39 age group, I had the 2nd fastest swim, the 2nd fastest bike, and the 2nd fastest run, all behind the overall winner.

• SECOND: Fast Bike Splits = Fast Overall Finishes: I'm always concerned about my bike fitness because it's SO important in the sport of triathlon. First through 3rd overall had the 1st through 3rd fastest bike splits:

Another way to look at this: the top 10 swimmers finished in the top 124 overall. The top 10 runners finished in the top 31 overall. But the top 10 cyclists finished in the top 21 overall. I don't think this is out of the ordinary. I'll have to keep an eye on this stat in future races. And keep working on my bike speed.

• THIRD: Fueled by Pizza: My race report opened with a photo of me and my family at the Pizza Ranch the night before the race. And I noted a "PR" of 4 porta-potty visits pre-race. Those 2 thoughts are UNRELATED. A speedy triathlete/runner on my YWCA team commented about that on Facebook:

Gym buddy (and race buddy) Leah had a BETTER thought:

• FOURTH: Finisher's Video: A few days after the race, a finisher's video appeared with my results. Here are three shots of me sweatily working my way across the line:

Rounding the corner. The "long course" athletes finished
coming down that chute straight off into the distance.


Sweated through. Not horrible form. But my left ankle is doing that thing it does.


About to run off frame and cross the line. Classic "stopping the watch" shot.

Oh, and I saw the guy I was chasing to the line in the video as well. I didn't think he was in my age group or anything (and he started before me so I still finished ahead of him in the end), but over the last half mile, this guy was my rabbit:

Finished 6-7 seconds before me. A good "pull," but I couldn't quite get him.

• FIFTH: Kym's Photos: Kym posted some photos on Instagram and Facebook. Here are 4:

The crew from our gym.


Me with my artwork on the podium as 3rd overall.


Gym buddy Leah as 3rd in her AG.


Kym on top of the podium in her AG
(also as 4th overall - just 30 seconds from the overall podium!).

• SIXTH: Winning Artwork: As I mentioned in Saturday's post, I was actually on a family vacation during the race. And I nearly forgot my winning artwork in the cabin as I tucked it away for the week so it wouldn't be in anyone's way or get busted. Last night, Henry took a photo of me with my bronze-framed art:

He had me angle the piece so he didn't see his reflection in it. :)


Close-up of the bottom.

Here's my Heart of the Lakes Triathlon race report if you missed it, and some good bike workouts this past week.