Boulder 70.3

Since Hawaii 70.3 I've been itching for Boulder.  I needed a chance to have a smooth race.  I've also really wanted to win again.  First place is obviously the goal.  With a win I get championship spots, (New Zealand had one to South Africa, Hawaii had one to Kona, now we're onto a new year and Boulder had one to Nice, France), and I want those spots.  In looking over the start list though, the competition this year at Boulder was tough.  There were at least ten girls who looked fast.  I changed my expectations a little bit and thought that maybe I'd be happy with top five, a bonus being the podium.  

Race morning I reread my game plan from Dan and hoped I could execute it well.  My swim was amazing.  It was a rolling start so I was lining up with some fast swimmers.  I remember from Oceanside what an advantage that is to me so I didn't want to waste it.  I passed a lot of swimmers who had lined up ahead of me and was feeling strong.  I was pretty sure I was first out of the water for my age group, but even if I wasn't I had my best swim ever at a 28:09.  I ran through transition and jumped on my bike.

I've ridden this course a lot in the last month so I knew every turn, pothole, climb, and aid station.  It was amazing.  I was feeling solid.  About half way through the bike there were only one or two women who had passed me.  Jeremy surprised me by being there on the bike course and gave me the update that I was indeed first out of the water and I currently had the second fastest bike split.  I was feeling amazing!  Towards the end of the bike a few more women passed me, which was expected, but I still had a chance at that podium.  I couldn't believe it!  

On to the run and I was feeling great.  Too great, as a matter of fact, to be any good.  I went out at a 7:43.  Game plan was that I should be around an 8:00-9:00 pace.  I slowed down to 8:03, then 8:16, the back to 8:09.  The problem with this is that it was nearly 90 degrees.  That is a dumb, dumb, move to go out too fast at the beginning of a hot race.  I made this mistake before in Boston, remember?  By mile four I knew I was in trouble.  My legs started to die and I knew at that point that I had just lost the win.  I thought that maybe I could hold onto a podium spot, but I knew that I'd just be holding on waiting for the other women to pass me.  At mile six I saw Jeremy and told him what I was feeling.  Even though he tried to be encouraging, I could see it in his face that the other women were running faster than I was and it was just a matter of time.  I wanted to hold it, but I didn't have anything left.  When I crossed that finish line I was fifth but there was still one girl back with a faster run split and I ended up sixth.  

I shouldn't be disappointed about sixth, but I am.  I was having an amazing race!  I PR'd on both my swim and bike.  I was set and primed for at least second (the first place gal ended up being crazy fast and unreachable), so sixth is sad.  The worst part was that it was because of a mistake I made.  There wasn't something out of my control like a flat, weather, or other things.  My pace is completely in my control and I blew it.  I guess I should be excited that I'm now to a level where a mistake costs me the podium instead of the finish line.  My consolation prize?  At least this isn't my last race this season.  I decided to sign up for Maryland in September.  So there is something more to aim for which is definitely nice.

Swim 28:09, T1 2:41, Bike 2:35:23, T2, 3:07, Run 1:52:43, Final time 5:02:03.