Wet and Wonderful Seattle!!!!

Special Note: Shared Seattle with Marilyn before she headed back to college in Portland... great times for mother and daughter memories, from eating yummy foods, finding the original Starbucks, $5 flower bouquets, 105 degree hot tub at Nancy’s... ahhh... and meeting up  with lots of friends. Best wishes to your Fall Semester Marilyn!!! I love you!!!  I am very proud of you!!

Race Day

Rain... mizzle... (drizzle mixed with mist) and actual cloudbursts... ok... if everyone else can race in these conditions... well then, so can I.  Clancey reminded me that if I ever wanted to do a triathlon in Ireland, this be the perfect training ground for it! Well, ok then!

Thanks to Nancy’s home being a 15 minute walk from the race venue, I slept in until 4:30 AM!! Ate oatmeal and out the door... soaking wet by the time I got to the transition area.

5:30 AM

Set up transition area... off to do a warm up slow jog... went out the finish of the run... great to get the lay of the land for the final mile.

6:45 AM Start to the Race... early birds here in Seattle!

7:10 Wave 6 Started (Three 50-54 Age group waves... mine was last to go)

Due to a shorter course, (660) and only three minutes between waves, lots of congestion... had only two 50 meter stretches were no one was around me! Navigated without stopping, swam tight tangents.

Decided to ride with my polypro shirt on... had to spend time digging it out of my zippered bag... spent at least 15 seconds... felt like forever... later felt grateful to have it on. Air temp was in the low 60’s.... very cool.

Had two squirrely moments... leaned too much on tight turns and due to wet streets, oil from cars on road right where I am riding and passing... technical hill climb compromised my times both coming and going... let her rip out on the highway. Really enjoyed the tunnels we rode through, dry pavement and warm.

T-2 Time: 2:07

Long Run back to rack... took shirt off to run.

Run Time: 23:29  Pace 7:34

Had lots of energy when I hit the road... not many runners in front of me and so I had to keep checking on my pace. Increased turnover to pick up speed. Mile two had a short out and back and I  saw another age grouper about 1/4 mile in front, great. Used her to really increase speed in last mile.  Due to wet roads, never felt like I had good traction... loose footing.

Hill climb in last mile, complete with African Drumming... GREAT! Last 1/4 mile had twists and turns into park through a shoot... how sweet that Finish Line looked... yeah! I had remained upright and felt like I had reserve in my tank... next race I hope to “hammer” it again like I did in New England Danskin... until then... here is to meeting adverse conditions and finding my way safely to the Finish Line...did a wee bit of a  jig again.. yeah!!!

Marilyn was quick to join me at the Finish line with Amy from The Sherry Group for hugs and photos... double yeah!  And Nancy’s lovely home and 105 degree hot tub were just a short hike away... perfect ending to a wet and wonderful Seattle Danskin.  Amy called to tell us that my time was second in my age group... by four seconds!!! Clancey says he will give me four seconds of his speed for the next race.