Cultivation Sprint TRI Wiggins 8-25-18

Cultivation Sprint TRI - Wiggins 8-25-18

Another practice day of swim, bike and run!  I felt really good going into this race.  My swim has been good lately, my bike really improved, and I'm back running more than walking.  I had swam the same distance a couple weeks ago before my long bike and felt great.  I was calm in the water and there wasn't even all the race staff out there watching over us.  I swam at ease so I thought I was ready for the race..... BUT...

However, as soon as I hit the water I panicked! The weeds/grass was so high in the water that I freaked out.  Every time I put my head down in the water it was like tons of fingers trying to grab my face.  Several times my arms came up with grass all over them.  I went into full freak out mode.  I kept telling myself to just breathe that surely we would get out off this mess soon!  I had seen none of this the day we practiced!  However, Jason and I didn't start from the same place.

Just imagine something like this... 

For many of you this might not bother you... but for me it does.  Guess I'm just a sissy when it comes to things in the water. :>) 

It seemed like an eternity and then I was finally out of the grass.  I started trying to swim fast.   I knew I needed to make up time lost while I was freaking out in the grass.  I honestly thought I swam pretty fast from then to the end, but when I exited the swim and looked at my watch I was so disappointed!  My time was so SLOW!!! Almost as slow as when I first started swim years ago! It seems when I try to swim fast I end up wasting time and energy and I actually swim faster when I am relaxed and just swim easy.  I do not understand this!  I have beat myself up all weekend thinking about this swim time.  I will barely make the cutoff time in Chattanooga if I swim at this same pace!!! It was a good thing I had a 2 hour 45 minute run yesterday followed by a day of family so that I wouldn't get too down thinking about this dang swim.  I'm 5 weeks out from Chattanooga.  So last night I googled info on swim times and found this article real interesting.....   It says you lose time sighting when in open water among several other things.  I probably sight way too much when in open water.  I swam off course one race and since then I've been scared I'd do it again so I am constantly sighting.  I need to fix that.  I just want to be calm in the river in Chattanooga and make that swim time... PLEASE :>)  If you reading this... Prayers greatly appreciated. 

Here's the link to the swim article:

Why your pool times down equal OWS times

As for the bike portion of the race, I had a great bike.  My watch said I averaged 18.2 mph.  I've really gotten stronger on the bike with all the biking I've been doing and especially since I've now rode those hills in Wiggins a couple of times.  One more really long bike ride this coming weekend.... THANK GOODNESS ..   I'm kind of at the point where I'm over the really long bikes.  My neck and shoulders need a break. LOL  

I was able to run most all of the run segment with an average pace of 9:32 :>)   Amanda and I meet a lady with a Betty suit on like us right before the race.  She came over and wanted to greet the "other" Bettys she said.  When on the run I passed her and she handed me this Betty arm band.  She was very sweet.  I wish I could remember her name!  

I wasn't expecting to place in my group especially due to my swim! However, I got 2nd place.  I will say that I noticed when looking at the names there were a few ladies that are in my age group that were not at the race this year.  We would have been pretty dang close on bike and run, but they would have smoked me in the swim. :>)  I'm just thankful that I finished with no injury and now I must take what happen in the swim and try to learn from it.    Thank you Amanda for the pictures! We received a cute coffee mug. 

This was our timing chip.  It was disposable... never seen one of these.

Well, that's a wrap for the race.  It's 5 weeks till Chatty and boy I'm starting to get nervous especially after that crappy swim!  However, I know that every race is different.  Nothing is ever the same.  I can't dwell on it.  This weekend I head back to Columbus, Ga for a 2.4 mile swim... "Chase the Hooch".  It's in the river and since it's the same distance as Chattanooga, I'm hoping it will be a good swim and reassure me that I can do this.  :>)  If you're like me, we all have days where we doubt ourselves.  That's when we must dig deep and find that inner faith.  Mine is God.  I know he'll lead me on race day. :>)