RR - Battle of Waterloo (BoW)

<p>If you are looking for something different from the ordinary S-B-R tri races, this is for YOU!  <a href="http://www.epicraces.com/battleofwaterloo.htm" target="_blank">http://www.epicraces.com/battleofwaterloo.htm</a></p>
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<p><Short> 4:25: 3x, 1st F45-49AG out of 6.  6th FOA. 30th OA</p>
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<p>This Triathlon season has been all about fun and BoW was the perfect ending to it.  The race days was a drizzly cold morning (low '60s) and I had a hard time to visualize what extra clothes I would need/could take, due to a pretty complicated (compared to a regular tri race) race logistics.  Well, I will explain, read on.</p>
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<p>- Leg1:  1.4mile road/trail run - pretty simple.  A loop from the parking lot next to T1 where your bike is set up.  I was successful to keep it at moderate pace, at high 7min/mile pace.  Grab your bike.  And everything else you would need to swim and run.  Swim cap and goggle in my tri top pockets and running shoes in the back of my tri shorts.  Ready to ride.</p>
<p>- Leg 2: 20.5 miile road rid - lots of rollers on the wet pavement.  Cool but not too bad.  I got passed by a half dozen of women.  I tried not to work too hard, telling myself it is a long race and I will get them later.  A strange thing was, I was getting the ill feeling of sucking too much air and wanting to puke.  Hmmm, after all this issue might not be solely related by swimming.  Oh, whatever.  My weakest (and least looking forward to) leg of the race is done!  Came to T2 with an excitement to tackle the fun part of this race.</p>
<p>- Leg 3:  Needed to run about 0.2mile just to get to the lake, with socks, running shoes still in my back, as I put the swim cap and goggle.  And started swimming 0.5mile.  The lake was foggy and the only one buoy at a time could be seen.  I was a bit worried not knowing where the end was.  But I knew it was a point to point.  So just swam one buoy to another.  Passed about a half dozen.  Thanks to Ronbo who made the bilateral breathing to the key to swim straight in OW, I was swimming straight in a nice rythm - I didn't even have to look up much.  Other than fighting with weeds, it was a great swim.</p>
<p>Leg 4:  4mile trail run.  Not a difficult trail.  Peaceful trail.  Bug spray at every aid station helped.  Passed about dozens including all females who passed me on the bike.  Got passed by a few (who all were carrying a backpack/dry bag for their running shoes = this tells me something). </p>
<p>Leg 5:  Put the muddy/sandy running shoes (one in front and one in the back for a better balance), cap and goggle.  And swam 0.25mile.  I was pretty quick at these transitions.  Dealing with drypack must have been PIA, plus running shoes are probably wet anyway.  Passed a few as I fought with weeds. </p>
<p>Leg 6:  Another run.  3.4mile.  No big deal. I was having a good time.  The same few males runners passed me whom I must have passed in the water.  This is getting fun-ner.</p>
<p>Leg 7:  0.7mile swim.  I really liked these swim 'breaks'.  I didn't swim hard, just nice/smooth/relaxed pace.  These swim legs would have been a life saving if it was a typical hot August day.  It was a long swim in a foggy day.  Just from buoy to buoy, passing a few.</p>
<p>Leg 8: 3.3mile run.  I must have pulled away far enough from the few runners who had passed me in the previous run legs.  Nobody was chasing me any more.  Boy, I love this race!  Some hills were gradual but LONG.  And I lost some steam on hte uphills, but felt pretty good.</p>
<p>Leg 9:  Came back to T2 where the bike was left.  Grabbed everything there (not coming back to the area any more) and started riding.  Only 5.8mile. I can handle it without being passed by too many, I told my self.  Thanks to all the mud/rain, I couldn't clip in.  After a few tries of clearing the bottom of the bike shoes, I gave up and just rode unclipped.  Wasn't fun on the uphill.  Got it done though, being passed by only one male. </p>
<p>Leg 10:  Came back to the T1.  the same 1.4mile run as the Leg1.  Tired but felt energy surge.  I got pretty close to the guy who passed me on the bike, but I ran out of the space.  Solid Solid finish. </p>
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<p>I have never felt this strong throughout any race.  Nice/easy swim between the run definately contributed to that.  Managed the nutrition well for this 4.5hr race.  Had to deal with the usual gas/air issue but it didn't slow me down as much as a regular tri format race would do. </p>
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<p>I would do this race in a heartbeat.  The worst part was the mosquitos.  OMG.  If you weren't moving, about 20-30 mosquitos got you instantly.  Big thanks to the volunteers - the course was super well marked and marshalled by tons of vounteers who were wearing the face net (?).  I hope this race continues in the future.  The # of participants were down, I heard (less than 100, max 200).   So anybody in this area, JOIN the PARTY next year!  This is super fun race, especially if you love swimming and running!!</p>
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<p>I think this was it as far as 'tri' races go this year.  It is very unlikely I would go to Xterra Nationals this year (end of Sept).  I will do MTB races, and start running seriously for a fall half marathon.  A lot of work to be done there.  I have been running only 20-25miles/wk.</p>
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<p>Thanks for reading and for your encouragement/support as usual!! </p>