A Dream Come True
It's been a little over 2 weeks since I completed a bucket list triathlon; which became a dream come true triathlon.I put Pinehurst on a bucket list post on this blog back in in 2010. The non triathlon related goal was to finally meet my long time and very good friend Cortney in real life who I had only known virtually since 2002. But of course the triathlon related goal for this race was to tackle this challenging course; I still roll my eyes on how the course wasn't as challenging as it could have been. I had 4 hours and 15 minutes; which a very generous cutoff time to complete the 1500 meter open water swim, 26.3 mile bike and 6.2 mile run. Never did I imagine that my 2024 Triathlon Season Opener; the start of Season Twenty Decade Two in the sport I LOVE would go as well as it did.
Pre Race Day - Friday April 12th
The International Distance didn't start until 8:30 am because the race staff didn't want race participants and their cheer squads walking the maybe 1/2 mile on dark roads from the field to the marina where the race site was. I was up at 4:30 am which is normal for race day and had my race day oatmeal breakfast before Cortney and I left her house at 6:15 am. The drive to the field where we had to park took 15 minutes but the walk to the race site took an eternity. Cortney brought her bag of stuff to do while I raced and her blanket. I made it transition and found my rack and put my bike and laid my stuff out. I went to go pick up my timing chip at the pavilion and put my happy face on the other calf. The Happy Face has been a tradition at every triathlon since 2007; so it continued.
The Swim - 1500 Meters
I was the fourth and final wave to go off for the International Distance. I still have butterflies until my race starts so I just wanted to go. Buoys were on the left so in our corral I stood at the front but feet not in the water all the way to the left so I could be by the buoys. The sun was shining strong so I wore my most tinted goggles. The blowhorn went off and I ran with all the other athletes into the brisk waters of Lake Pinehurst. The first buoy was hard to see as the sun was still shining but noticed the kayak next to the buoy and used it for sighting instead. After the first buoy it was all the way out past two small buoys to the bigger buoy to make a sharp turn and head home. I noticed someone drafting off me swimming as I felt a few touches to my toes. The lake was really small and somehow I managed to swim off course a bit going out to the turn buoy. As I made it out to the turn buoy I got smacked in the head by an arm. I have no idea who it was but I assumed it was the person drafting off me who I took out to sea. Once I made the turn to head to the boat ramp exit past the two smaller buoys the sun wasn't as bad and I had a good rythm going. I walked up the steep boat ramp and removed my caps (as I wear one under my goggles and one over my goggles) and my goggles. I saw Cortney standing to the left so I went in for a high five; which got her phone wet as water is wet. She said she clocked my swim from the horn starting my race to me emerging from the water as 30 minutes flat which is excellent. I saw the timing mat after I high fived Cortney in which I pressed my lap button for the swim time. I turned left to go behind the marina, then onto the grass into transition to get my bike and all the gear that went along with it.
The Bike - 26.3 Miles
Once I was completely over the dismount line with my bike; I clipped my bike shoes into my pedals and off I went. The bike course was described as challenging. The first major climb came very early into the bike; less than a mile according the turn by turn directions. I was already in the small chain ring ready for this long 1.3-ish mile climb and all I got was a speedbump. I pedaled my way past so many triathletes. I couldn't see my Garmin screen as the data was scrolling because the combination of the sun still shining as well as my sunglasses made it impossible. I just focused on pedaling with a good cadence, encouraging athletes who I passed as well as the few athletes who passed me. I didn't spend much time in my aero-bars on the flat sections as the crosswinds were pretty wild and I have a fear of being blown over. It was somewhere between mile 18 and mile 19 that it was flat as a pancake and there was a sign that showed the speed limit, which was 45 mph with a radar. I was passing cyclists left and right by that point so I tucked down into my aerobars too see how fast I could get. As I approached the radar the speed showed 25 or maybe 26 mph. I was so happy; I wish there was a photo with that smile beaming on my face. After passing the radar I veered to the right to make the left turn to join the Sprint distance triathletes. It was after mile 20; I knew this as my Garmin beeps and vibrates every 5 miles and as I just kept passing all the atheltes; I was happy and relieved to finally see a legit uphill. This climb was long; you went up a long grade then it flattened out for a hot second before going up another long grade. I had no idea of what my time or pace was but I was just having too much fun passing athletes; encouraging them as I passed. I remember my Garmin going bonkers again; which meant I had about a mile to go. I remember passing the grassy parking area and I spotted my car. As I came to the bike dismount line; I unclipped my shoes from the pedals and got off my bike before the line. I turned right and went into transition where I racked my bike and replaced the bike gear with the run gear. I took two gels with me hoping the first aid station would be soon.
The Run - 6.2 Miles
I had also heard the run course was more of a challenge than the bike course. I was really worried about the run as my third and newest sport of triathlon is running. I like the 10k run distance now but not at the end of the a triathlon. Getting past the transition areas; Olympic on my left and Sprint on my right was a mess. I had to keep right as I was turning right at the dismount line but a volunteer made me come to a complete stop to let a few Sprint triathletes run their bikes into transition. I was a tad annoyed but thanked the volunteer at Sprint Transition and made the right. The first 1/2 mile or so was flat so I set a good speed. I tried not to look at my Garmin but I did. I passed a few guys as I strolled along. After passing those few guys I was thinking where are the gals at; then BAM I got passed by a girl. She was with one of the women's collegiate teams but she ran by me too quick to catch the name of the school. Lots of uphills followed by some downhills then some flat sections on repeat. There was a young(looking) guy who passed me approaching the mile 1 sign with the first aid station in sight. He said to me as he ran next to me that he didn't understand why people pay for this as he said it was torture. I asked him if this was his first one in which he asked me how long I've been doing them. I told him it was the start of my 20th season in the sport. As he started picking up his pace I reminded him to enjoy and embrace his first triathlon as he only gets a first triathlon once. I was too busy encouraging every athlete I passed; including the ones walking the hills as I ran by them. "You've Got This" "One Foot In Front Of The Other" and "Keep Going" were the words and I even gave a few fist bumps. I had passed so many guys but hadn't seen any gals until the final climb before meeting the sprint athletes as they had to make a u-turn (they had an out and back run course). Right there I saw another girl as she was jogging up the hill taking her pigtail braids out and putting it into a ponytail. As I ran by her I asked her what collegiate triathlon team she was with in which she replied Concordia University of Wisconsin. I slowed down a tad as she told me this was her as well as most of her teams first International Distance triathlon. I told this girl that she was lucky to have come into the sport as it's been a NCAA varsity sport for a second season. We talked for a few seconds as that felt like an important moment for this girl as well as me; to have a reminder of how much triathlon has evolved since I started. Once I crested the hill; the most challenging of them all I heard the could hear the race announcer's voice and saw the dam by the side of the lake and could see the blowup arch as that was my finish line. I hadn't paid much attention to my Garmin as I was too busy gabbing my mouth off. I heard the beep and vibration; I had made it to mile 6 of the run and I was just a tad bit over an hour. The run was challenging like no ones business and I knew with .2 miles to run I had to decide whether I wanted to slow down and soak in the magic of this dream race or gut it out.
The Finish Line
As I ran on the dam with the lake on to my right where there were a good amount of spectators lined up. If anyone had a hand out; whether an adult or child I gave a high five. I was busy looking for Cortney as I approached the timing mat under the finish arch. I had guesstimated that my bike and more so the run would be slow. I saw her as I approached the arch on my right. I tried going for the high five but missed by a mile. I'm happy I was wearing my sunglasses as I was in full on happy tear mode hearing Marci Goldberg from Silver Springs MD. I was annoyed because Silver Spring has no S at the end but whatever. I stopped my Garmin and lost it. It took 14 years to check The Setup Events NC Tri Series Pinehurst International Distance Triathlon off my bucket list. I couldn't have asked for a more perfect race weekend as well as race day. My goal time for the race not knowing what to expect was 3 hours and 45 minutes. I CRUSHED my finish time goal as I finished in just over 3 hours and 18 minutes. I'm so happy that I started my Season Twenty Decade Two with Cortney there and was able to Celebrate Everything.
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