Chicago Triathlon

Ok, I am sorry I never updated with the rest of my Colorado trip but the first week of classes was INSANE!! I only have a few minutes to write so I will just do a few blurbs about the last week or so..
-The end of the Colorado trip either my allergies flared up or I came down with a cold but I felt awful Thursday through monday. I did however purchase a Felt Curbside bike for a new campus cruiser (Ill write about that later!) I ended up not training Friday or Saturday hoping to kick whatever was getting to me.
-Classes started and my schedule is a little crazy this semester with getting ready to go to Rome next semester. On Monday's I have 9 hours of class!!! umm yeah its not fun at all
-This week I had to get packed and get my bike ready for the race this weekend which I left right after class for with my friend Kevin.
-Had the opportunity to spend the weekend with my awesome coach who opened her home to me in Illinois so I had somewhere to stay. Also got to hang out with her husband Chris who is an awesome guy and great competitor (and new dad! Congrats!)


The race.
This was a last minute decision after Steelhead. I figured getting another big one in before Dallas and Clearwater would be good. It also becomes a little more difficult to travel to races and spend a whole weekend away while classes are in session. The goals for today were to go out there knowing my body was still tired from this weeks workouts and overcome the mental obstacles of it being one of the largest races in the country/world.
After a very early morning and a lot of waiting around the gun finally went off at 7:28. This race has the most insane swim start I have ever had the pleasure of being part of. For at least the first 100-200 yards guys were all over each other/ hitting/ pulling. Once things finally got sorted out I could see that I lost the lead pack but they were not way too far out in front. The rest of the swim was by myself trying to close the gap.
The bike is a 2 loop course on Lake Shore drive. I passed a couple of guys right out of T1 and slowly closed the gap on the eventual winner. I was a little shocked when I came into T2 and realized that I was sitting in 5th. I had been looking for any other guys that were ahead of us but did not see them at all.
The run was brutal. I usually come off the bike feeling good and then fade a little about2 miles in, but this time was a little different. I don't know if it was the fact that I had not rested or did not get a good pre-race warmup but the first 4 miles felt like I was walking. The legs and stomach were not cooperating at all and a few times I thought my GU's were going to be on the pavement. At about mile 3.5-4 things either started to feel better or I realized I had actually passed 1 guy and was now sitting in 4th with no one having passed me yet. At the turn around I could see the 3rd place guy and I got hungry. My stride lengthened and I finally felt some speed. Mentally I REALLLLY wanted to catch this guy and had about 2 miles to do it. After a few surges and right about the 5 mile marker we were running stride for stride together and was not sure if he would have a kick in him so for the last mile there was no looking back. Until this year I had very little confidence in my run and had always gotten passed by a handful of people. This race was the first time I had actually knuckled down and raced for a place on the run. It was a great mental challenge that I feel I overcame and hope to use again in upcoming races.

Afterwards I ate a HUGE burrito and then drove 5 hours... and then did homework. It feels like I am getting old when I say it is 10 pm and I am tired but I guess it is ok since I have been up since 3:45! Ok, its time for some sleep. Hope everyone had a great weekend!