Elk Grove Tri

I think we both forgot about this blog, but I'd like to have it to look back on, so I'm going to post a couple entries as we lead up to and then (hopefully) complete the Chicago Tri.

On August 14th Lynette and I participated in a triathlon in Elk Grove Village in order to prepare for Chicago. We didn't want the big race to be the very first time we did all three disciplines in the same day, went through transitions, etc. My friend from work (who's also doing Chicago) had signed up for this Elk Grove Village tri, told me about it, mentioned it was free, and I was in. As it turned out, the TNT mini-tri that was supposed to get us this experience was shortened to an aqua-run, so we made the right choice.

The morning of the race we arrived a few minutes before the time for transition opening, and we were the very first people there. My friend from work had dropped out, and I joked that if our sample was any indication, 1 out of three people would be no-shows. Turns out that wasn't too far off for some age groups. As we watched a full rainbow across the sky, (almost a double rainbow - what does it mean?) the volunteers started to look more or less ready to check us in, and we got body-marked and set up our transition areas. It was kind of a free-for all in transition, with no racks, and just cones marking age groups. Being the first ones, I ended up adjusting my area a couple times as I saw what other people were doing. I should also mention that this was a kids and adults race, so we had no idea if there would be anyone there in tri gear and TT bikes, or if it'd just be parents in gym shorts. We soon figured out there were some of each, and we didn't feel like jerks in our TNT tri outfits.

After a short course talk, they started the kids' waves in the indoor and outdoor pools. It was fun watching the kids, and the range of abilities was pretty wide - there was one kid doing flip-turns and just obliterating everyone in his heat. I started to get ready because mine would be the first adult wave to start. I was in the largest wave (I think 12 guys ultimately showed up), and we were split between the indoor and outdoor pools. I guess they had to wait for the course to clear before we started, because it took forever, and then they had trouble coordinating the indoor and outdoor starts. It was a little intimidating because everyone- in my pool at least, I didn't get a good look at everyone - looked like they had done this before. Luckily we had someone to count our laps, so once we finally started I could relax and just swim. After 16 lengths my volunteer stuck a kickboard in the water and I finished my last length (425 yds total) before climbing out, jogging to the door and then the grassy transition area.

I probably took longer than most in transition - I don't have speed laces or bike shoes already clipped to my pedals or anything, but it felt fast to me, and before I knew it I was off on the bike portion of my first triathlon. I knew the course might be a little sketchy because there was a section where we had to do 6 loops, and the race director had said that volunteers would be counting those laps. Now I won't say I didn't trust them, but Lynette and I had been so worried about this part that she'd made little stickers labeled 1-6 and stuck them to our handlebars. I don't care how much of a dork I looked like, I knew when I'd done 6 laps. I had stuck with another rider the entire course (and probably broke tri etiquette somewhere along the way, but I tried not to draft or anything - besides, I'm riding a hybrid) , and I pulled ahead of him just before we came out of the last loop and into the stretch back towards transition.

I came into transition ahead of him and immediately took off on the run, since I didn't have to change shoes. I had taken in plenty of water on the bike, and the run was a 5k, so I didn't worry about hydration anymore. The run is the only part I had any real confidence in, so I settled into a pace that felt right (the race wasn't timed, but I felt like I was doing around an 8:15-8:30 pace) and eventually passed a guy or two. After a while I could see someone about 2 blocks ahead who I thought I might have a chance of reeling in, but I was really starting to feel it and couldn't push it any faster. With about a half mile to go, a guy (I think the guy from the bike) passed me, and gave me some encouragement, but I just didn't have it in me and told him to go ahead.

After I finished, I realized that Lynette's bike was still in transition, which meant she was probably still in the pool. I was able to cheer her on for about half her swim, and then for her bike and run. She looked great, and finished with a huge smile on her face as she passed a young guy in the finishing chute.

Lynette finished 3rd in her age group and got a sweet medal, I finished 4th in mine. Not too shabby.