Race Result

Racer:	Karen Tine
Race:	Smith Mountain Lake Triathlon
Date:	Saturday, May 3, 2008
Location:	Huddleston, VA
Race Type:	Triathlon - Sprint
Time:	1:32:23
Overall Place:	233 / 404
Age Group Place:	7 / 14
Comment:	First race of 2008

Race Report:

Swim: 14:12
T1: 3:42
Bike: 45:21
T2: 1:40
Run: 27:30

This was my first SML tri and a great way to kick off the season!

Swim: The water was cold! Thankfully, I followed Mike’s advice and got in for a couple of warm ups before the race. When the horn sounded for my wave, the water wasn’t nearly as cold as I remembered. I was in the last wave and passed a couple of different colored caps as I made my way around the course – always a good thing!

T1: My T1 was not nearly as exciting as Mike’s. I also had to make my way through the entire transition area with my bike. As I exited the transition area and saw the steep hill, I watched the people in front of me and followed their lead: run up the hill, and then mount the bike.

Bike: The bike course was fun. I didn’t mind the hills – they were much easier on a bike than on foot. As I came down the last hill toward the transition, I saw a lone runner, moving at a great pace. I cheered him on as I passed. After the race, he found us and told us he’s moving up to NoVA. Jack, we look forward to seeing you on the Saturday RATS rides!

T2: I am totally psyched with my transition – I almost made it out of there as fast as Mike this time!

Run: The run was tougher than I expected. The uphills were definitely tiring, especially the one at the end. I had one fan in the crowd as I made my way out of the transition – a gentleman who cheered me on with “Ohhhh, RATS!” as he spied my jersey. Around the first mile, I heard a bunch of people cheering for “Carter.” I knew he was gaining on me, but was totally surprised when instead of the 50-year old man I pictured, a guy around 12 years old came up beside me. We traded places a couple of times during the second mile and I felt a little better when I noticed that he was part of a relay team. As I passed him with one mile to go, I thought I can’t let this young guy beat me. This was a great motivator – I got there first! Mike’s cheers also gave me that last boost to make it across the finish line.

Overall, I’m happy with my race. I was able to pick up the pace on the run with each mile. I need to continue to build my endurance and speed on the bike and run. I look forward to getting out on the Saturday rides now that the weather is nicer.