Race Report: Mercer Island Aquathon 9/1/10

This was my last multisport race of the season. I haven't really been training too hard since my last race, and have been losing motivation, partially because I don't want to race another crowded sprint, and I don't have enough Spousal Approval Units left to train for another Oly. It would be really hard to train for an Oly anyways since the daylight is dropping now that it's September. It's gone from being light at 5:30AM to being very murky at 6:45AM, and I usually have to wrap things up by 7:30 at the latest.

This race started at 6:30PM. After a long, stressful day at work, I left a little early and cranked the singlespeed home, threw the wetsuit and running shoes in a bag, and headed down to do the Mercer Island Aquathon at Luther Burbank Park, a mere 5 minutes away.

They were pretty disorganized, and the registration line was huge. I signed up after a 20 minute wait, sprinted to the transition area, slipped into my wetsuit, and jumped in the lake. It was _cold_. Way colder than Lake Meridian. Yikes. At least I wasnt on Mercer Island WaterPolo team. They were swimming the race in their speedos.

2 minutes after I stopped hyperventilating from the cold temp,  the race was off. Those waterpolo boys were climbing all over each other, and me. I chilled out and let them thrash their way forward. I was mainly trying to get in a groove, which is hard when some 17 year old amped up on neon green energy drink is crawling up over your back. Ah, youth.

The race had an interesting format. The long course featured 2 500 yard laps in the lake. At the end of the first lap, you got out, sprinted up around a cone, and jumped back in. I don't know why I have such issues running out of the water, but my legs barely work. So I wobbled out of the water, waved to Lopa and Leela, and wobbled back in, right smack into the womens sprint group.

The second lap consisted of me working my way past the slower women sprinters. Fortunately they did not have as much testosterone as the waterpolo boys, and passing them was easier. I felt _much_ better on the second lap, and started pulling harder, even dialed up the kick for the last 200 yards.

Then it was out of the water and into the T-zone. Wetsuit off like a prom dress, and into the shoes. I lined the shoes with Baby Powder, and damn, was that a good idea. I'm going to do that from now on. No sticking to strange parts of the shoe like the last race.

The run course was 3 laps through the park. The first part of the run was a gradual uphill, followed by a short downhill. This was about half a mile. My right hamstring seized up hard, and I had to stop and stretch it out! Damn. I seriously considered dropping out, but the thought of explaining that to my kids got me moving again. I read somewhere that 'there is no impure motivation when you're trying to fight the burn', and I proved it.

The rest of the course was either gradual up or gradual down, and I felt it both ways :) Of the 3 laps, I felt crappy for 1.5 of them. The last 1.5, however, was getting better. My form and pace came around and  I started passing people. It was hard to tell who was doing what (sprint or long course) out there, but I just started targeting people and pulling them in. At the end I even managed to sprint and drop someone.

Race conclusions:

1. Swimming 1000 yards? not a problem. I think  I could have maintained the same speed for another 500 yards. My open water racing needs help, but for now I'm going to concentrate on form and hope that speed follows. 
2. Running is Pain. I don't think it is ever not going to be painful to run fast. I've just got to get over it and try to increase my ability to cope. I definitely need more power in the legs. Time to hit the weights and keep the speedwork going! 
3. Multisport races are always interesting. That leg cramp -- what the f**k? I'm glad I didn't pack it in right there. It always feels like I learn something new if I stick it out. 
4. It seems like the longer I go, the better I feel. Maybe Olys and (gasp) 1/2 IMs are where I'd end up doing better because I can't go very fast, but I can maintain my not so fast pace and even pick it up as time goes on.