That’s all folks! At least for now….

After a 1500 meter swim in Austin’s Town Lake, a 25 mile bike around downtown, and a 10k with a sprint to the end my 2012 triathlon season has come to a close. Whew, I’m worn out. I guess four triathlons in four months was a bit much for me.

My last race for the year was Labor Day. I did the TriRock Austin Olympic Distance. Here are my highlights and lowlights:

Highlight: I got to do the race with a new friend and training buddy. We had a great time all summer getting ready for the event. It was her first Olympic distance and she did great!

Lowlight: I got to do the race with more than 900 of my other athlete buddies. Big races can be fun and energizing. I certainly enjoyed the live music along the TriRock course. But, I’ve come to appreciate smaller races more. I like the camaraderie that comes with a smaller field of athletes. I also enjoy the chance to actually place.

Highlight: The race was 3 miles from my house so I got to sleep in!

Lowlight: My wave was the last of the Olympic race. I had to wait around until 8am. That means it was a balmy 95 degrees or hotter when I started the run. It was pretty miserable. I found myself competing against the elements instead of other athletes. The humidity was stifling, there was barely any shade, and a seam on my shirt suddenly felt like a razor blade under my arm.

Highlight: My friends were there to cheer me through it! Because the bike course was three loops around downtown and the run course is two loops it really is a spectator-friendly race. My roommate and her boyfriend biked along side me for about a mile during the run. I was only two miles in and I was already exhausted. They took my mind off things by heckling me a bit and making me laugh. I’m pretty sure I made some other people laugh when I took the time to explain to my roommate how to get our frozen margarita maker ready for our pool party later that day. I believe in keeping priorities straight even when faced with adversity 🙂 I saw some other friends several times along the bike and run. One of them ran with me along the last mile and a half of the course. It was a great distraction from the brutal heat. In the end, I found the kick I needed to finish strong. I’m also thankful for the lovely ladies who stood along the course with coolers full of ice. Best idea EVER.

I finished in 3:20 and was 32nd of 40 for ages 25-29. I placed 674 overall and 154th for women. Here’s a look at race results. My bib number was 988. Considering that I was dealing with training burnout, an illness, and blistering heat I’m pretty proud of how I finished up my season.

So what’s next? Well I have some bike touring to do in Europe later this month, some longer bike rides this fall, and possibly a half Ironman this spring. But, those are blogs for another day 🙂