Race Result

Racer:	Jamie Roberson
Race:	Iron Girl Columbia
Date:	Sunday, August 19, 2007
Location:	Ellicott City, MD
Race Type:	Triathlon - Sprint
Age Group:	Female 45 - 49
Time:	3:24:07
Overall Place:	1685 / 1704
Age Group Place:	16 / 16
Comment:	Agony of da feet

Race Report:

I came *thisclose* to not doing this race. As usual for this time every year, I felt undertrained and underprepared. With a demanding 70+ hour/week schedule, 7 days a week, at the most sedentary job imaginable, I also felt bloated and anxious. Literally, I sit, stare at a computer, and click a mouse. All. Day. Long. For. Hours. On. End.

Even worse, my running has been nonexistent. Seems like every summer there's some problem - last year it was exercise-induced compartment syndrome. Now it's inflamed metatarsals. Mostly it's my lower body complaining about the abuse it takes as the rest of my chubbiness suddenly piles on the miles in preparation for Reston. You'd think that after four years in triathlon, I'd know that I can't cram in the workouts that Coach Debi has meticulously planned and that I'd only done all winter and spring on a hit-n-miss basis. But nooo...ego and stubbornness get in the way.

The week before the race, I had a running (ha) argument with myself as to whether to do the race. I didn't think that I was going to have to work until Sunday afternoon, so I told myself that I could at least go up and cheer on my fellow tri-peeps. But I'd still have to work out at some point, and when would I fit that in? Back and forth I went until I realized what was really going on in my tiny brain surrounded by big ego: I was afraid of the hills on the bike course. That was it. I knew I could do the swim (no wetsuit means no swim panic for me), and I could still drag my poor abused feet through a 3.3-mile walk, but deep down I was worried that I'd have to hop off my bike and walk those nasty hills. At this point, I used the positive powers of shame to my advantage and called fellow RAT and good conscience Melanie: "I'm doing that race, dmmit!"

Melanie was up for it, too, so we agreed to go up together Saturday morning for the check-in, inspection, and bike racking. Things were smooth and uneventful. Bought goodies, met Coach Troy (who does not look as evil in person as he does on DVD's in the winter when I'm on my trainer). We previewed the bike course from the airconditioned comfort of Melanie's plush 4-Runner, and guees what - those hills didn't look as scary as I remembered them to be.

Much has been written about the details of the course (a shorter version of Columbia), so I won't belabor the point by piling on prose. Suffice to say that I was slower on the swim and bike, but faster in the transitions (yay, no socks!) and on the run, which I did as a walk:

Swim 32:58 (2006 - 29:46)
T1 3:50 (2006 - 5:11)
Bike 1:41:40 (2006 - 1:39:29)
T2 3:19 (4:59)
Run 1:02:23 (1:09:26)
Final 3:24:07 (3:29:53)

All in all, a great day that I hope to improve upon in years to come. My only complaint is that it was so popular this year (sold out at 2000 athletes), that the transition area was tightly packed. Then again, the starts were nicely spread out, so the event didn't feel crowded. I didn't get to see Emma, Amy or the Tines, but I did see Melissa powering up the last big hill. That grrrl is tuff - she represents RATS very well.

Also, I was/am very thankful for Steve Crawford and Tri-nergy, who sponsored me this year. Had my day job not gotten so crazy, I'd have been a better representative. But Steve is committed to supporting athletes from the front of the pack to the back, and I couldn't have been more grateful for Tri-nergy. They even set me up with some awesome LG carbon-soled bike shoes - the ones with the single velcro fastener and multiple vents. Now if only the rider can measure up to the gear.

Next is Reston. My goal this year - as every year - is to finish in 4:00. With my feet, though, I'm not going to be able to push the course. My plan is to get a PR on the swim and blaze the bike, then turn in my chip. I know that I can cover the course, so I don't need to prove anything by making my family and friends stay late. Instead, I'll rack my bike and head to the finish line to wait for the finishers and provide the same support that so many others have given me.

That doesn't mean I won't set up T2, though, cause you never know...