No…not THAT race day. The Iron Man is still four weeks away. Today I participated in my team race. After 10 weeks of training, our group did a sprint distance triathlon in Warren, CT. It was called The Hopkins Vineyard Triathlon. And yes, you run through a vineyard and they give you wine at the end!
I decided early on that I wanted to do the race with my team. It was a new location and I always like to try different races in the area. I also thought it would be good to get one short race done to make sure I still knew how to manage my way around a transition area. I was mentally and physically ready for the race. Technically, I messed up my watch, so I didn’t have all my data tracking my pace, my heart rate, my distance, etc. As it turns out, I did have all of that data, just not accessible while I was racing. It turns out it was a blessing in disguise. I was able to pay attention to how I felt, not what a screen told me. I worked hard and had fun! After all of that, imagine my surprise when I found out I placed 2nd in my age group. There were 11 of us 45-49 year-olds. I was proud of our team. It was a hilly bike and run! Everyone finished with smiles on their faces. Yes, a podium finish is always rewarding, but seeing all of the Team Training New England athletes cross the finish line was truly the icing on the cake!