"Wait...why do all the calendars around me say that the Aquathon is this week, and not next week like my phone says?" These were my thoughts as I double checked the race website and confirmed that the Aquathon was indeed one week earlier than I had planned. Zoinks! Not like I am really in that great of shape or training at a level where a week can make a difference; I'm just really happy whenever I can fit a workout in.
So Thursday rolls around and I can already tell how being a "parent-athelete" impacts everything. Since Kris was at a meeting, Elsa and I went to the race together, and Kris was to meet us there before the start. I had to laugh as I stood in the registration line (holding Elsa) as another competitor walked up with a car seat just like mine. We stood around waiting for the respective Moms and it turns out his kid is four days older than Elsa.
The cool spring kept the water temps low; right before the race it was 58 degrees. Nice! I got in as much warm-up as I could and lined up with the rest of the brave souls. Supposedly there were 120+, with half of those signing up that night!
Right from the "GO!", local pro triathlete Will Smith took off. Talking with him before the race, he already had swum 6000 yards and completed a long bike ride that day. So we basically had no chance. I futilely tried to follow his feet but I swim like a drunk sailor and couldn't keep on track. The guy next to me must've been frustrated by me running into him all the time. Around the first buoy and into the waves, my feet growing closer to numb despite my best efforts to kick every know and then. I did find some feet, which provided some rest, but he slowed down and I passed him as I kicked it in the final leg. Out of the water in a surprising 3rd place. By the time I got to my spot in transition, Will was gone and no where to be found. Seriously. Like not even down the quarter mile stretch of road out of transition.
I settled into a nice pace and worked hard to prevent people from passing me. The first mile went by in a brisk 7:13 and by now my feet had thawed. My thighs weren't really feeling it though, and my second mile reflected it in 8:13 (but I think mile 2 is a touch long.) I worked hard to stick with the last two gents that passed me, but one is a sub-3 marathoner and the other just had a better kick that day. I finished 16th overall with average splits.
For that past two years, my 5K split for these always hover around 23:30. (This week it was 23:20.) My major goal this summer is to go 22:30 by the last race in the series. The biggest obstacle is Mile 2. I need to hit that like a...well, I just need to run hard.
The best part of the race is getting to see everyone, new and expereinced! Definitely makes it more fun.