This was my
fifth year racing the Wausau Triathlon, with the first time being in 2010 as my
very first triathlon. It’s always fun to
come back and do this one every year, since it’s not only the place I started,
but I also get to go back and see a lot of people I know. This was also my first year racing it without
Katherine though, and this season hasn’t been the same racing without her (she
just had her first baby in June).
After a
terrible night’s sleep, I biked over to the race in the morning. The night before I also found out that
wetsuits were being allowed for the swim.
Since this race has never allowed wetsuits, I hadn’t packed mine. Apparently it was in the brochure that they
MIGHT be allowed this year depending on the water temperature, but I missed
that, as I was definitely not looking for it (nor was I even sent a brochure,
even though I won the long course last year).
Fortunately, the two fast women that I knew I would have for competition
did not wear wetsuits for the swim either.
I was thankful that I was not left at a disadvantage as a result.
The swim
was a minute slower than last year, even though I felt really good during
it. I followed Kim out of the
water. This would be a tough race. I mounted my bike and before I even got out
of the lot, I was almost hit by a vehicle.
Say WHAT?! Yup, apparently
someone in a big, black SUV thought it was an okay time to drive around. They didn’t even see me, people were shouting
at them, and I had to swerve my best to get around without being hit. Fortunately they suddenly stopped, or else I really
would have been hit.
We split from the short course
runners, and eventually I could see the relays and lead men returning from the
turn-around. I hit the turn-around and
it was confirmed I was in first. I
passed Tara and Kim after the turn-around.
I didn’t have a huge lead, but it was good enough that I wasn’t worried
about pushing the run too hard. Wausau
was not about having super fast splits, I need to save that for next weekend at
Nationals! I had slower swim, bike, and
run splits this year compared to last year, but I did what I had to do in order
to get the Win this weekend. I finished
as the overall female winner for the second year in a row!
Not only was this race special
because I finished as the back-to-back champion, but also because I had an
awesome fan crew: our friends Katy and Dan Schield (fellow CU Trackster!), the
Twietmeyer family, and my family of both Andy and Baya! This was the only race she could be at this
season, since it had a late enough race start for her. It was also our 6-year Anniversary! (Thanks for being willing to spend the
morning at a race, Andy!) Lucky me, I
even got chocolate milk afterwards!
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