Stronger Together (and a Race Report for Columbus Day Triathlon)

This past weekend was the Columbus Day Triathlon at CB Smith Park.  The soul reason I signed up for this race was because my former neighbor and long time training bud Jessica was celebrating her 34th birthday, Tough Chik style, by doing something she never thought she would do--a triathlon.
Coincidentally, my Tri season started back in March on this same course.   It seemed an appropriate way to end my sprint season.  The only multisport event left on my calendar is the Miami Man International Distance Tri in just 4 short weeks (with the Halloween Half sandwiched in between). 

Anyway, I was off my game this past week.  Anxiety and eating like crap and all that fun jazz.  I can't even explain it.  Anyway, I was feeling off my game coming in to the weekend.  But seeing as the whole reason I was doing this was to support my friend, it really didn't matter.  All I knew was that I *had* to do better on the bike portion of the course than I did back in March.

Jess and I were looking super adorable in our Tough Chik Zoom Zoom kits, with matching painted nails and the whole nine yards. 

Its FINALLY cooling down a hair in South Florida . . . which means mid 70s in the morning instead of 80s.  Race morning dawned beautiful and calm.  The lake was pleasant (as opposed to March when it was bone chillingly cold).  We met so so so many first time triathletes waiting to start, which was amazing!  The swim was just meh for me.  I'm so much more comfortable in the water than I was when the season started, but I'm just not an efficient swimmer.  And I can't seem to swim in a straight line to save my life.  Going to work on that as much as I can in the off season (even though our Y pool is closed) so that next year can be better.

The bike was ROCKING.  All the weekends spent schlepping around with my awesome riding friends has paid off.   I averaged 19mph over 11 according to my computer, and 18.5 according to race timing.  The only people who really passed me were serious competitors on tri bikes.  I was super stoked at how fast my little aluminum baby rode.

Legs felt like jello after the bike, which I know is because I'm not practicing enough bricks at my race pace.  I'm too lazy to push that much outside of a race.  Something to work on going forward.  I was determined to break an 11:00 min/mile pace, which has been my pace for the ENTIRE summer, on this run, so I set my watch timer for 33 minutes, making sure I was on pace at each mile marker.  This race is a 2 loop run, and at loop one I got passed by a young lady I remembered from packet pickup.  I spent all of the 2nd loop watching her back, and we finished together. Pace for the run came out at 10:21, which makes me SUPER stoked to see what I can pull off at the Halloween Half. 

Times were good enough for 2nd place Athena.  If I would have raced Age Group, I would have been first, but I'm so incredibly happy being an Athena.  I feel at home there. 

I had to grab a picture with Madison, the awesome chik I kept an eye on during that second loop.  My favorite races are always the ones where I find someone to keep me company/push/encourage over those last miles.  She scored a 1st in her age group.  

 Jess did amazing for her first time out, scoring 3rd in her age group. 

 This medal design is probably my favorite of the season.

The bling is nice, but this is my favorite race of the season for another reason.  In part because there were so many newbies there to encourage.  It was a personal best (by a lot) on the run, and I felt sooo strong on the bike.  It was nice to conquer a course that conquered me back in March.  But its more than that.

 One of the great advantages of racing with Multirace is that they give you a link to all your stats, and keep track of everything.  I think back to who I was when I did that first race in 2009, and how far I've come since then.  I was still scared, wasn't sure what I could tackle.  I feel slow, still, but when you look at the progression, its slow forward progress.  SLOW, but still progress.    And this last race was all the sweeter because I managed to improve while being two months in with this whole homeschooling thing. 

And THIS is the Stronger Together part of this post.  This progress has been possible because of support.   The folks I run with on a daily basis from the gym and from my running group.  My Tough Chik sisters, who keep me motivated when days are rough at home and I want to sit down in cry.  Who understand that determined does not necessarily mean FAST, and don't care.

As I look forward to 2014, I want to cry--half out of terror, and half out of sheer excitement.  I'm chasing a 2:22 half marathon goal this season.  I want to tackle the Ragnar Relay with so much more strength than I did last year (it was certainly the event that turned me in to a distance runner).  I (can't believe I'm saying this out loud) hope to tackle my first marathon.  Its time to stop settling for "slow" and going for more.

Its never easier to push the envelope, but its SO much easier with people by your side.  Pacing you, pushing you, cheering you on.  Getting stronger (faster/fitter/happier/healthier) is never easy.  Its not in a pill or a powder.  Its in the work you put in, every day, and how you look at your life.  Sometimes we, as a society, like to compare/compete/demean each other . . . but we are STRONGER when we work together.  I was stronger because I managed to attach myself to Madison during the last 1.5 miles of that race.  I am stronger because I just happened to "meet" TooTallFritz in a Weimaraner discussion group online, a lifetime before even considered running.

Sometimes, as we struggle, we feel alone.  Like we are the only ones who feel that way.  Like you might be the only person who wants to quit, so you do, because it doesn't seem like anyone else is struggling.

The miles go by a little smoother when you know someone believes in you.

The tears come a little easier when you know someone is crying with you, even if they aren't in the same room, or the same state, or the same country. 

Find a tribe to help you reach your goals.  Find them in a gym or a run group . . . or if you still feel like you are drifting on alone, join Team Tough Chik.  Its easier to believe in yourself when there are others who believe in you.  When people who have never even met you believe in you.  Team Tough Chik registration is open only through the end of the month.

Fast or slow, thick or thin, we are STRONGER TOGETHER.  So go out, get inspired, and be inspiring.