On Sunday, July 25 I completed the Olympic-distance New Jersey State Triathlon. The location was Mercer County Park in Central NJ. I cannot say enough positive things about this particular race weekend. CGI Racing hosted and they were extremely organized and brought a calm factor to this experience. The race directors were a couple, husband and wife. They had a great deal of energy. The wife was so pleasant and helpful and the husband had quite a sense of humor. They were very thorough and I could sense how they cared about the safety of everyone involved but wanted to be sure there was an element of fun as well.
My race results were as follows:
Total Time: 4:01:37 / Swim: 36:47 / Bike: 2:03:15 / Run 1:09:56
Swimming is my strong suit. I was a bit apprehensive about my first open water swim but in an excited way. Overall, I felt confident about it. The day before the race my Dad and I went to pick up my race packet and while we were there took a boat tour of the swim course. It was great to prep my mind a day in advance.
It was extremely hot on pre-race day so I was sure to hydrate plenty.
There was an outdoor expo and beer garden so we stopped in.
Afterward, we headed home to grill dinner and hang out with my Mom. My Mom and Dad were so supportive of my big race. It was relaxing and just what I needed since my wake-up call for race day was 4:30am. Dinner was a portabello mushroom burger topped with avocado, mixed green salad, corn and mushrooms and my Dad’s famous potato salad which is his summer specialty.
We arrived just before 6:00am on race day to have enough time to organize and set-up in the transition area. For those unaware, the transition area is the space where you set up your bike and all of your belongings. You enter this area between the swim and bike portions of the race. The race was set to begin at 7:30am. I was one of the first to arrive in my transition row which gave me the choice of where I wanted to place my bike. I decided on an end so it was easy for me to get in and out. There were going to be five bikes placed within each transition bar. I laid out a towel, my backpack, a cooler for water, gatorade and fruit and set out all of my bike/run needs such as bike shoes, running shoes, socks, sunscreen, hat, bike gloves, gels, water bottle and an extra towel to rinse my feet after the swim.
One of my favorite preps during a triathlon is body-marking. I feel special wearing a number on my arms. Pre-race I snacked on a banana and a granola bar.
The swim start went off in waves and there were 11 in total. I was Wave 6. I was happy being in the middle. I was able to watch a few groups head out before me and was able to take a practice swim as well.
The swim leg of this race was my favorite. All of the girls in my wave were supportive of one another and we wished each other well before the gun went off. I only felt nervous for the first few seconds but quickly got into a groove. I kept telling myself I was a zen swimmer and I have control of this situation.
As I came out of the swim I saw my Dad right away proudly taking photos of me. Before I knew it I was embarking on my next leg, the bike. The bike is an area where I am “green” and need most improvement. I was contemplating up until the day before the race as to whether or not I should use my clip-in shoes. I recently purchased a new road bike a few weeks ago and was only able to practice on this bike two times before this race. I decided to give it a go. I held my own on the bike and was learning along the way. Everyone was so supportive out on the road including the competitors who were flying past me at 80 mph. At one point I needed water but hadn’t practiced pulling my water bottle from the bike to drink so I pulled over, unclipped my left shoe and took some water. One competitor asked me if I was ok. I smiled and nodded. Toward the end of my 25.5 mileage on the bike I finally figured out how to grab my water bottle and drink while riding but had some trouble placing the bottle back into its cage afterward. I slowed down and took my time while someone who rode by told me I only had a little while longer to go on the bike. If this person only knew the true reason for my struggle. I’m new to biking and this is only the beginning. I plan to continue to improve and enjoy the adventure.
By the time my run leg of the race rolled around it felt like I was running in the desert. 6.2 miles felt like half of an eternity. It was nice to see my Dad as he was happily taking photos of me and waving. I wasn’t exhausted and had a great deal of energy left and was able to run the entire time, being sure to stop for fluids and fuel along the way. Most people were walking at this point. I kept thinking about how excited I would be to cross the finish line and have completed my first ever Olympic-distance triathlon and this kept me going. There were also cheering sections along the way. One person yelled to me that with the smile I had on my face I would finish this race with no problem. I learned it always helps to smile your way through. On the last 1.5 miles, there was a cold, wet towel station. It was lovely and very needed. Also, at two of the water stations on the run I poured water directly over my head to keep myself cool.
As I was turning in to the finish line shoot I began to sprint and got an extra surge of energy. I saw my Dad standing across the finish line looking so proud as I jumped over the finish line. Even the commentator commented on my enthusiasm.
I would do this race again and would definitely consider more CGI Races in the future. It was great to have a personal cheerleader by my side, my Dad. He was a huge support to me during this race. My Mom was unable to make it but was on the phone the entire time getting updates so she was there in spirit.
When I was on my way to the race earlier that morning at 5:00am I asked myself what was I doing and why was I up at that hour when I could be home sleeping in on a lazy Sunday. After crossing the finish line, I remembered. Discovering racing, health and fitness in my life changed who I am for the better. There is nothing like the feeling of accomplishment after crossing the finish line. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
