More Than Running…

Between Goals

Posted on June 29, 2012. Filed under: Running | Tags: #running, #sprint tri, #sprint triathlon, balance, challenge, change, fitness, goals, half marathon, health, marathon, mental discipline, morethanrunning, running, self discipline, sprint, tri, triathlon |

Last Saturday I participated in the 2012 Gator Bait Sprint Triathlon at beautiful Lake Boerne, Texas.  The race was capped at 300, and for the third year in a row it sold out.  Redemption Race Productions puts on the race, and this is the first one of theirs I’ve done.  They’re a lot of fun and well organized, and they put on some interesting races—like a duathlon that starts in a cave.  You better believe I’ll enter that one.

The Gator Bait started with a 500 meter swim—a big triangle out into Lake Boerne, followed by a 13 mile bike up Heartbreak Hill, and ended with a 4-ish mile run through the park.  (The run was 4-ish because the park layout recently—and apparently surprisingly—changed, so Redemption wasn’t quite sure how long the run actually was.  Relieved is what I was. We guessed it was about 3.5 miles.)

Heartbreak Hill is aptly named—about ½ very steep mile right before the turn-around point.  I promised myself at the beginning of the race that I would NOT get off my bike to walk it up. Thankfully, I made it, moving so slowly at one point that I was sure I was going to roll backward down the hill.

I am happy to say that I finished the race under my estimated time, and at a personal best.  Yay!

It’s been two years since I’ve done a sprint tri, and I had forgotten how nice it is to hang out for a few hours with triathletes. Everyone was kind and supportive, and it was inspiring to see so many people in such great shape. It made me want to do more triathlons.

But I have spent this week laying low, focusing on strength training and core work, getting  ready to hit the cardio hard again next week.  It’s nice to be in limbo, on the Nonplan Plan, for one whole week.

But I know it will be even nicer this weekend to pick out the next race, set the next goal, and get focused once again on running.

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