Traverse City Tri Race Report (August 18, 2013)

My 3rd Triathlon this month!  I finished 1st overall WOMAN!  I've never won a triathlon before!  I was so excited. I was competing with a girl on the bike -- -I would pass her, then she would pass me, I would pass her, and she would pass me again.... we did this for 12 miles.  We came into transition together ... she unstrapped her shoes as we approached transition and I thought "she's got me for sure!".  I left a bit after her on the run (still working on my transitions!)  but could see the back of her jersey still so I wasn't far behind.  At the 0.5 mile mark, a volunteer told me "she's in 1st - now go get her!".  I kept closing the gap, but inside I was battling.... should I tuck in behind her and just run her pace?  Am I happy with 2nd place today?  After all, 2nd place is not bad, right?  And I'm supposed to be taking it easy today because my Ironman race is next Sunday.  It was at that point that I decided to go for it - 2nd place was not good enough today - I WANTED 1st!  I started to pass her at about the 0.75 mile mark and just kept going.  In my mind, I thought she might be able to catch me, so I kept pushing my pace, kept pushing my pace.  I knew part of this race was on trails and of course less than a half mile after passing her ---- the trail portion started!  ugh!  jumping some tree limbs and running through a sandy forest bed and on to a grass field that had one narrow strip cut.  I kept pushing and didn't look back!  I had no idea where she was but I didn't want to look back for fear that she was right behind me :)  I caught up to a guy and told him to cough really loud if a girl ran past him - he smiled and said "as long as it's not my wife - I will cough" :)  I rounded the final turn toward the finish and yes, I looked back to see if she was there and much to my surprise - SHE WAS NOT!  I couldn't even see her.  That didn't slow me down though - I kept pushing and the downhill of the last 0.25 miles really helped that push! 

A news reporter found me after I finished to tell me that I was the overall female winner and she wanted to interview me! 

http://www.upnorthlive.com/news/story.aspx?id=935496#.UhYvZIzD-zl

 Getting my award :)

 1st WOMAN - sprint division!!!  So excited!  1/178 overall

 Ross competed in the Olympic distance - finished 8th overall and 3rd in his age group

Splits Split Name Leg Time Pos Cat Pos Gen Pos Swim 00:12:47 13 1 5 T1 00:01:49 37 1 15 Cycle 00:36:45 9 1 2 T2 00:00:55 32 1 13 Run 00:21:46 6 1 2 Race No : 296 Gender :   Category :   Status :