Texas State Triathlon

It was a very early for both Cody and I on Sunday as we left for the Texas State Triathlon at Aquarena Springs in San Marcos, TX (about 30 miles south of Austin). Aquarena Springs is an old theme park with glass bottom boat tours, a mermaid show in the underwater theater with Ralph the Swimming Pig, and a gondola ride over the lake. Cody and I both remember going to the park in the early 80’s as children. The vestiges of the old theme park are still there; the theater is partially sunk in the lake, the wind howls through the gondola cables, and you can still take a glass bottom boat tour. It truly is a hauntingly beautiful place.

The swim took place in Spring Lake which is fed by hundreds of natural springs and the headwaters lake for the San Marcos River. The lake is a protected natural area and only certified scientific divers are allowed to swim in it, but every year 300 lucky people get to swim in the lake for the Texas State Triathlon. Since the lake is so environmentally sensitive the race is a time trial start. This format means that the racers line up in numerical order – race number order – and dive in one after the other, every 3 seconds. This type of start is a great way to start a race; racers don’t get kicked, punched, or otherwise abused by other racers like in a mass start. The only problem with the swim is that the water is so beautiful and full of things to see that you just want to float along with the current, head underwater, staring at the bottom. I swam freestyle for about 200 yards, and then settled into a steady breaststroke with long looks at the bottom. My wetsuit helped to provide buoyancy so I could float for a few seconds without sinking. It was a great swim! Once out of the water I walked to transition (I was trying to save energy). While I was changing into my bike shoes and putting on my helmet, some other girls had a coach who kept yelling, “It’s transition ladies, not a tea party!” I find this hilarious! It’s not like any of us were going to win, and who cares anyway? This is a local race, not the Olympic trials.

By the time I got out on the bike course the drizzle had been falling steadily for a couple of hours, and the roads were soaked. Several of the earlier riders, aka “the guys” actually crashed on the course by going too fast for road conditions. The bike portion of the race was an out and back course. Cody passed me going the other way about 2 miles into my ride; he started at number 55 (I was 285) and he was much faster. I also passed my friend Mark a few miles later at the top of one of the steepest hills on the course. Seeing him also going the other way really helped me to power up those last few hills! I have never been so happy to see a turn around point in my life! Once I turned, and it was a tight, wet turn, it was 7+ miles back to transition…almost all of it downhill – YEAH!!

Whoever designed the run course (walk course in my case) this year must be a sadist. I say this only because the first mile of the run, after leaving the transition area, was straight up a horribly steep hill. That hill was awful!! Looking off the side of the road I could see that my head was inline with the treetops. They did post funny/philosophical signs on the poles of the hill, giving me something to think about other than the pain involved with getting up the hill. My favorite “Why doesn’t McDonald’s serve hotdogs?” Interesting question. Anyway, I managed to run the downhill sections of the course, and finished the race in 2:05. Not a great time, but I was not last! Cody and I think it was a fairly respectable time, and next year I’m going to blow my time out of the water!
Not a great time, but I was not last. Cody and I think it was a fairly respectable time, and next year I’m going to blow my time out of the water!

Thank you to you all for your well wishes and congratulations – special thanks Mom, Dad, Diane, and Nancy who showed up to cheer us on. I’m really looking forward to doing another race and especially the Danskin next year. I plan on doing the races in Austin and Seattle, so if you want to join me – start training for 2011!!