Helene has coached 5 of us for 70.3 triathlons. Four of us are doing Musselman in less than three weeks and Bridget did Syracuse 70.3 yesterday. Bridget and her husband also volunteered to host a professional athlete for the race week. Lisa Norden, the 2012 Olympic Silver Medalist in triathlon came to stay with them for a few days. Lisa is from Sweden and is getting ready train in Boulder and continue her professional race circuit.
The night before the race I snuck over to Bridget's house and chalked her driveway (with her husbands permission) and left poster board signs out (in case it rained) for Bridget and Lisa to see when they left to head to the race start. Katie and I drove separately and went to different points on the bike course so Bridget would see us more often. We chalked the course as we drove out, stopping repeatedly to write on the road....
Initially I went to the "wall" (a steep down hill followed by a really steep uphill). Riders commented how they went from speeds of 45mph to 5mph in a matter of seconds! I have ridden the wall and it is challenging.
I was watching for Lisa first since she was one of the favorites for the top female spot and sure enough, she was riding with the guys in one of the lead packs. NO OTHER WOMEN anywhere near her.
Bridget looked good when she passed me and I waited to cheer my other friends on before cutting across the course and heading to mile 43 and cheering again. After that I met up with Katie and we parked as close to the park as we could (2 miles) and walked along the run course cheering everyone on as they ran in super hot weather! Friends, this was a MISERABLE day to race. High humidity and VERY VERY warm.
We hung out in the CNY Triathlon Club tent near the finish at the loop of the course (it was an out and back, out and back - so they ran up the hill above TWICE). Then a thunderstorm blew through! It cooled the temps but was a crazy summer storm for a while and Bridget was still running! She finished and I am SO INCREDIBLY PROUD of her.
This woman trained for months, kept me laughing and sane through some tough times and overcame some fears as she determined to move forward. I am so proud to call her my friend and teammate. SO PROUD.
Lisa too had a great day!
She finished LOOOONG before any of the other women (over 20 minutes) and took home first female finisher! Her swim time was 26:52, bike time was 2:23:52 and a run time of 1:30:46. In that heat, she ran a half marathon in 90 minutes!!! that SHOCKS me. She is very sweet and I enjoyed talking with her at the tent afterwards... she even had me take her picture with a bag of "swedish fish" that were in the tent for volunteers to snack on! Here is her bike, I am sure that bike costs more than you think!
Today I am back to training... swam in the weeds this morning and then biked... this is the last week of distance and then we are tapering for our race.... praying it is not as humid and hot and that it doesnt thunder/lightening. It can totally rain during the run though!
Goggles On!
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