Race Report: Lathom Tri
Racer: Angela LauriaRace: Marilyn Lathom "Homegrown" Triathlon
Date: Sunday, May 18, 2008
Location: Reston, VA
Race Type: Triathlon - Sprint
Age Group: Female 35 - 39
Time: 2:19:20
Overall Place: 35 / 47
Gender Group Place: 21 / 30
URL: http://www.homegrowntriathlon.com/scores2008.asp
Comment: Virgin No More
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Race Report: Last November an idea came into my head: “I’m going to do a triathlon.” It was a silly idea because I hadn’t been swimming in about 4 years, I did not run, and I had never ridden a bike in my life. I decided though it was a good 5 year goal. I asked myself, what would I be doing today – in November 2007 – if I was going to do a triathlon in the summer of 2011.
I talked to a marathon runner and a triathlete at work, one of them loaned me the book Triathloning for Mere Mortals. I took a look at that book and decided I was lower than a mere mortal because the book was way over my head. I took a fitness test with Susan Hefler at Spokes who looked as surprised as I was when she assessed my good aerobic conditioning (especially considering I tested while I had pneumonia). I went to a Triathalon clinic conducted by Sharon Adams. I starting training with Brian Crow twice a week. What all these folks had in common was each of them told me I would be able to complete a sprint distance triathlon – not in May 2011, but in May 2007. I could move my goal up 4 ½ years. And so I did – mostly on blind faith in my work friends, the author of that book, Susan, Sharon, and Brian, and of course, in myself.
I worked hard for 6 months, learning the most basics about fitness and especially about biking which was a complete pandora’s box for me. I push myself hard and now it was race morning. I showed up at the Reston Community Center feeling fantastic and 100% ready despite a sprained ankle which was a week old and almost pulled me out of the race completely. Thanks to great advice from the Tri-RATS and the medical care of Dr. Bihn at Dr. Su’s acupuncture practice, I was able to nurse my ankle back to race-ready health.
Swim :25:33 (Goal :28) I trained for my swim at the Reston Community Center and so I thought the swim would be easy but my nerves were all over the place. I split the lane with a woman named Sue (hi if you are out there) and we both agreed we’d complete the swim in about 27 minutes. I don’t know if she was trying to psych me out or what but no sooner did the whistle blow than Sue had lapped me. I thought we’d be at the same pace and here she was blowing me away. Or wait – maybe she wasn’t – maybe I’d been counting wrong all these weeks. I wasn’t going to do the swim in 27 minutes, it was going to be 34. Wait, how long is my 50 again? My monkey brain got the best of me. I was doing fuzzy math, beating myself up, and swimming Sue’s event instead of my own.
Heading into the second length of lap 9, I was tapped on the shoulder… by a ghost. Yes this is the supernatural part of my race report so bear with me. This event is named after Marilyn Lathom who died 15 years ago I believe and whom I never met, but she tapped me on the right shoulder just as I was about to touch the wall. She was laughing and said, “oh relax! Have fun would you! No need to be so serious” and with that, the race finally began for me. I stopped swimming for Sue and started swimming for me. I enjoyed every stroke after that and felt I had an angel with me – I guess we all did. I PRed the swim by almost a minute.
T1 :03:55 (Goal :05) When I was deciding if I could do a triathlon, I read some things Jaime Roberson had written. I started Google-Stalking her so I could suck up anything she’d ever said, as if her confidence and commitment could bleed off the page and into my heart. I was lucky enough to meet her at the Worldgate Sprint and when I saw her the morning of the Lathom Tri she suggested I take the transition easy. I could have tightened the time up here but the time I took helped me keep my head on for the bike which was hands down my biggest concern.
Bike 1:01:57 (Goal 1:05) I got on the bike feeling great and much calmer now that I had Marilyn with me. I road onto Colts Neck and turned on South Lakes without a problem, I was feeling strong and had made my decision to stay on South Lakes even wit the milled surface. The road was quiet and I felt confident. Turning onto Twin Branches I was getting in my zone. Half way down glad my marathon-running friend from work, Fred Krazeise drove by with his wife – both of them cheering out the window of their car. The uphill on Glade about killed me but I kept pedaling pulling into my core and rounded back onto Colts Neck. I fueled at one hour into my event as per the plan – 1 bottle of water and 3 Cliff Shot blocks. This time when I turned onto Twin Branches I had a surprised 3 of my best friends were standing in front of Lake Audobon, with pompoms. (god I’ve got the best friends!) Finishing the bike was becoming a more and more likely prospect though I was cold and my left ham string was cramping up. I kept pedaling anyway but by this big uphill on Glade I was ready to quit. I didn’t though. I just kept pedaling all the way to T2.
T2 :02:25 (Goal :03:00) HYDRATE. I knew I had to drink no matter how much I didn’t want to. So, this time I gulped down 16 oz of an energy drink and tried to stretch out my left ham. I threw on a t-shirt with my number on it and started out on the run.
Run 45:30 (Goal :44) The run felt great. I was back on my own two feet, my hamstrings were relaxing, I was warmer and man, I was moving! Maybe it was the endorphins but I felt great and was totally in the moment high fiving other runners smiling at every man, woman child, and dog out on South Lakes at that hour and hoping the rain would continue to hold off. It wasn’t until I got to the turn around point on Ridge Road that I realized my problem….the run out was mostly downhill. The way back killed me. The first half was okay but by the time I hit Soapstone I had decided I would walk, that was all there was to it. And then, shining in this distance were Fred and his wife Jody. Fred ran the last half mile with me complaining the whole time and then, just 200 yards or so from the finish, I sprinted. I still missed my goal for the run by a minute and a half, but the sprint at the end was a hopeful sign I still had more in me even though I felt beat.
21/30 women
35/47 overall
Conclusion
I am a triathlon virgin no more. I met my goal to complete the event and exceeded my time goal, which was 2 ½ hours. This was a great way to start. I was mentally and physically prepared and preserved even when my sprained ankle made it seem impossible. Best of all almost two weeks later I am still floating and picking up the pace on my training so I’ll be ready for the Reston Tri in September!
