I love my hometown triathalon! Escape from Blackridge. On Thursday I got a call from the RD asking if I'd be the rabbit. I'd get a 1 minute head start and then ALL the women (except the 2 elite that started 10 min earlier with the elite wave) would be chasing me. If you catch the rabbit you get a special prize. Okay, a carrot and bragging rights with a picture. All the same, I don't think this RD knows me well enough. I have my pride...and that is about all :) If you've ever been to a racetri event you know the race briefing speeches are the best. Here I am during the speech with Jared, the male rabbit being introduced to the crowd...target on my back! I should mention Jared got a 13+ min head start...I got ONE!
I started right after the men 45+ and Clydes. Ugh. Swimming is my worst. The cold took my breath away. Should've swam before the start...don't know when I'll learn. Took me 20-30 feet to get it all under control, but then I started passing men. Felt strong on the swim, but still sucked it up big time. 9:14 on the swim...blech. This did include probably a .25 mile run up to the transition area, but still. As I was getting out I could see women around me. What the crap! I knew if people caught me it would be mostly in the water. I was a drowned rabbit already :) The monster wabbit emerges from the water.... 
I passed 2 ladies on the run up to the transition, but I could see others in the transition area and since I had a sweet spot at the front, I saw a couple leave before me. Shoot. Gotta get out!!! I took off and passed another couple women on the bike and I could see one in a blue shirt just ahead. I would pull her in a bit, but then she'd take off. On the "false flat" (UPHILL) of Main St she all but wasted me. I hoped she was the only one in front of me and that I could pull off a good run and catch her back. The bike was great, they changed the course and that is why my time was longer than last year and I'm sticking to that story! (47:06 - 19+MPH) An extra mile and an extra minute...makes sense, right? I have a love/hate relationship with this course and the cross/head wind the last half was all too pleasant. I dropped my water bottle on the bike with about 5-6 miles to go, but recovered it later in the day. YAY homefield advantage! I also took a gu along 11800 S - with caffeine. Hopefully in enough time to fuel the run. T2 was slower than last year and I had a good spot. I guess I just lost my touch. Oh well. I got out quickly and had a water bottle (disposable) in my hand which was heaven sent the first mile with the nasty big hill. When I was at the bottom, I could see the lady in blue ahead of me. But, the uphill sucked it all out of my legs and I couldn't push faster up and then I lost sight of her from there on out. I passed lots of people, but hung on the heels of one guy that tried to pass me back. It was great to just push hard to pass him, but hang on his heels and know that I wasn't losing ground at least. Run ended up at 23:15 - 7:30AP. I can do better than that, but obviously not this year. It was great to finish and know that only one woman had caught me! I was breathing hard and excited to see that my family surprised me and showed up to cheer me in. Fun times, I love being at home :) Ended up seeing results @ 1:19:24. I was stoked! I wanted to break 1:20 and I'd done it!! I took 4th overall and 1st in my AG - no Athena for me...yet :) Didn't win the "Harry-(wo)man" contest for the longest hair. A lady came in with hair a good 6+ inches longer than mine. It wasn't even worth taking my braids out. The other women there competing I could've put up a fight with, but not her. Pictures as the rabbit and on the podium then some watermelon and a ride home on the bike. Perfect morning! (The rabbit picture! The lady next to me in blue was the one I was chasing and the other 2 ladies were elites. They had a head start to begin with.)
 When you put the amazon on the highest pedestal....
Then, I saw the splits online that had just posted (only overall was posted at the race). My swim time was the fastest! HA! No one with a brain would believe that. Especially all the women that beat me out of the water. I contacted the timing co and the RD. Luckily, they acknowledged the problem and I was only 2:30 back, which amazingly enough didn't change any placement/awards. Whew! I don't want a first place medal I didn't earn. Nuh uh. No way. Bad Karma! So, it all turned out okay, except that I didn't break 1:20...poo. Well, there is always next year!
| 
