Race Report: Clemson Triathlon

Yesterday I completed my first triathlon in over a decade! The last one I did was the REV3 South Carolina Olympic triathlon in 2014. I did the Clemson Tri twice (2013 & 2014) and had ideas of making it my "go-to" standard race every year. Then a child came along and all my tri goals took a hiatus. 

So this year, I said THIS IS THE YEAR. 

Training has been pretty good - nothing excessive, but certainly knew I could cover all the race distances with a decent effort. Swimming was pretty consistent (1-2 swims per week) and biking was probably the one I least prepared for... really relied on my running capabilities to get me through the bike. I think more bike miles on something other than a flat trail will be necessary to make significant improvements in future races.

Pre-race evening and early morning felt good - made myself a good dinner, got to bed early, and my Garmin was telling me all things were in good shape!

Chicken, baked potato, salad

P E A K I N G ⭐

Race morning went... not so smoothly. First off, the race started at 7am and had an hour drive for me to get there. I'd planned to leave my place at 4:15, ended up leaving closer to 4:30, and 10 minutes into the drive I realized I'd forgotten to pack swim goggles. HOW I realized that, I don't know... I had thought about it as I was packing the night before and just happened to have the realization as I was mentally walking through each sport as I drove. Turned around, got the goggles, back on the road... still had an ETA of close to 5:30am which was right on target. I'm never early for anything but for that reason I always plan to be WAY early for races. Next complication en route... my critical morning schedule 💩 had not gone to plan, and with about 30 minutes left in the drive, my body decided IT WAS TIME. Nope, not stopping, already late... but thankfully got to the race site in time and found the port-a-potties. Business accomplished. ✅

Pretty sunrise though!

Eventually got checked in, got all my gear set up in transition, and was ready for the race. 

I started getting nervous once they had us all step down to the beach into the water. Gazing out at the buoys marking the course, they seemed SO FAR AWAY. Thankfully the water was warm (85F) so there wasn't a shock of getting into the water. Actually wanted to stay in because it was so much warmer than the air temps (67F). Eventually they counted us down and 3-2-1 we were off! I made sure to stay to the edge of the wave of people, knowing I would be much slower. Started off and immediately panic set in... I couldn't get my breathing right, my goggles were leaking/fogging up, I couldn't imagine having the stamina to reach one buoy much less the next 2 and then get back to shore! I had to side-stroke for a bit so I could breathe and calm my heart rate. Unnerving to say the least, but eventually I got to the first buoy and was able to actually start swimming somewhat normally. Felt ok after that but sheesh, I have to figure out how to do that better!

1000 m swim: 28:03

Finally got up on the sandy beach and ran to transition - not a far distance but UGH the sand! That took the most time getting sand off my feet enough that I felt OK putting socks on. Gross. Going to need to bring a squirt bottle for rinsing at future events with sand. 

T1 time: 3:34

I was so thankful to be on dry land, and I felt like I could be pretty strong on the bike. It was a 2-loop course and through the first loop I could tell it was going to be hilly. There were a couple of ~200ft climbs through the 10 mile loop, so I would call it "rolling" - nothing insane but definitely NOT flat! Managed to keep a 16.2 mph average (maxed out just over 30 mph down one hill, wheeee) and felt pretty good that I passed a bunch of people, especially on climbs. 😎 Also one of the benefits of being so slow on the swim 😂

21 mile bike: 1h 17m

Back into transition, quickly got changed, and was out onto the run in just over a minute. Official timing has be closer to 45s, but I clocked the transition at the bike dismount instead of actually entering the transition zone. 

T2 time: 1:17

And finally, running! The thing I'm with which comfortable and confident. Obviously worked through the initial jello legs feeling after getting off the bike, and tried to keep a steady but not overly pushed pace on the out-and-back course. It was fun seeing other participants and cheering on folks as I passed them! The sun had really come out at this point and it started to get warm. Plus the one VERY steep hill in the middle of mile 2 was a real gut punch. Didn't walk though! Somehow managed to keep a 8:19/mi pace for the run which was much better than I had expected. 

6k run: 32:10

Somehow managed 2nd in my age group also!!

Overall quite pleased with how this event went, and I know what I need to work on for the next (tbd) one!

The Heat Has Arrived

Monday

2.7 mi @ 11:24/mi pup run

Very slow run with the pup this morning, it was already 80F at 8am! Easy jog on the Gold Line.

1 mi afternoon walk

More pup walkies, still soooo warm. Have to make more frequent but shorter walks for the summer!

Tuesday

6.23 mi @ 9:19/mi 

Had to get out early due to another crazy workday on the agenda... ridiculously humid but glad to get it done early. Never regret seeing a sunrise!

That moment when you have just enough light to put the headlamp away. 

1.3 mi baseball walkies

Still very very humid.

Wednesday

1.2 mi walk

Lunch pup walks are soooo hot already, poor pup dog. 

60 min hot vinyasa yoga

Such a good class! Really need to do these more often.

Thursday

5.5 mi with speed intervals

Garmin-suggested workout for the day, and sure, why not let's just do this at the hottest part of the day?? Ran the flattest part of road available near the office but unfortunately this part is out in the open sun. Workout was 3x3x15s @ target pace of 5:05/mi and I got a completion score of ~85%.

1 mi baseball walk

Friday

1 mi morning walk

Getting in some pup walk miles before the heat sets in.

1,300 m swim

Pool was on the large 50m format at lunch today, so made a goal to swim a solid 1,200m after a 100m warmup. Did a "fast/hard" effort on the way out, and on the return length went easy/recovery pace. This felt pretty good and got the whole swim done in ~35 mins!

Saturday

Double race day!

Sunrise Run 8k - 2nd AG, 37:39

I've run this race many times over the years, and this year was certainly not a spectacular performance but not the worst by far! Happy to get an age group placement, certainly didn't anticipate that from a "run well but don't race" effort.

Corporate Team Pic!

Buck Creek Streak 5k (and 7.3k)

This next one was unique... the 5k was the only timed/scored part of the event, and the last lap to make it a 7.3k was a "bonus lap". It was a lovely trail run on a private resort, such a fun race environment, and I managed first place age group / second overall female!

Sunday

15/15 Brick workout - 15 mi bike + 15 min run

Since I've got 6 days until the first triathlon in over a decade, I decided it was time to remind myself how it feels to run immediately after biking (often called a Brick workout... probably because the legs feel like bricks when you start running?? idk).

Biked with a group in Spartanburg around Duncan Park which was lovely - low-traffic, shaded, and only moderately hilly. 

Harald and his Spinners

Finished a little over 15 miles before quickly securing the bike, changing shoes, and starting a run on the Rail Trail. Only 3 mins of transition time was pretty good, and then the run was about 15 mins at a 8:40/mi pace. Certainly didn't feel that fast, but whew it was a good reminder of how dead the legs feel after biking!

Lunchtime reward for hard work

It's June already?

Monday

1,200 yd swim

Felt good and strong on this one! Did 100 warmup, 1000 straight through, 100 cooldown

2 mi evening walk

Tuesday

6.25 mi @ 9:04/mi avg

Early neighborhood run to avoid the workday craziness - solid meetings 9am to 5pm!

3.25 mi Hawaiian Shirt Night at Rockers Run Club

"Hawaiian Vacation Dad"

Wednesday

3.14 mi @ 10:19/mi Global Running Day

Third year in a row celebrating GRD at Run In with my bestest little dude running buddy!

Thursday

2.12 mi @ 11:25/mi

First run of the summer routine - post-drop-off in Cleveland Park with the pup!

Friday

2 mi ruck 20#

Opted for a ruck today instead of run, not sure if Ivy is up for back-to-back running days quite yet!

We did a small trail section on the Fernwood Nature Trail

9.7 mi bike ride

Wanted to get more miles than this but time and my bike were both not on my side. Somehow shifted into the large front ring and then couldn't downshift (a later trip to Sunrift would reveal that the spring in my front derailleur broke!). So I decided I should not venture onto actual roads with traffic and stuck to the Swamp Rabbit Trail.

Saturday

2.45 mi pup ruck 20#

Took Ivy out for some miles before the day got too hot.

7.33 mi Cottonmouth Beerlay - solo

Third year in a row doing the solo Cottonmouth Beerlay. While I was faster this year, I only managed a 4th place finish (vs. 2nd last year) due to more competition entering the field. Bonus this year though was getting to run the last lap with Super D!

Ivy waited patiently during the race - it was too hot for her to run.

Sunday

12.7 mi gravel bike ride

Long Run Adventures - biking edition! The LRA crew as exploring the Peak to Prosperity passage of the Palmetto Trail today, so D and I decided to explore by bicycle! The trail was super straight and flat gravel but had lots of old train trestle bridges that were really cool to cross!

LRA crew!

So cool!

🐢

Again, despite a busy crazy schedule, managing to do what I can most days and keep the momentum going forward!

Rainnnn to start then beautiful!

Monday

10.25 mi trail run

After dropping the kiddo off, I headed up to Asheville for some much-needed trail time! I was a bit worried about the storms that were still lingering around, but managed to time it right and get onto the trail just after some rain had moved through. Selected a loop that starts right at the Blue Ridge Parkway just outside of Biltmore Park, follows the Mountains-to-Sea trail to the south for several miles, then turns back towards Lake Powhatan through Bent Creek to get back to the trailhead. This turned out to be a fantastic loop! Crazy amount of climbing and stairs at the very beginning, but the rest was incredibly runnable single- and double-track. 

Ready to go!

Sleepy Gap

 Felt amazing through the whole run, despite the annoying bee that chased me for the last 2 miles (uphill, of course). 

Tuesday

6.23 mi @ 10:32/mi avg

Today's run is called: "I should have run in the morning instead of the thunderstorm". But rain run it was, and despite some GI distress 💩 I got the miles and the rain was actually the least unpleasant part of the experience! 😂

Wednesday

21.1 mi ride @ 14.1 mph

Finally made it back to Cowpens Battlefield for a post-work ride! Just some steady loops with a goal of 15-20 miles total. Made it to the full race distance!

Thursday

Rest / 1 mile walk to dinner

I could tell towards the end of yesterday's ride that my legs needed a break. Some scheduling conflicts with work and other things made this a good choice for rest! I did walk to dinner downtown with my parents but that was about it!

Friday

2 mi walk

Friend AE arrived in town to stay for the weekend (as a surprise for another friend's birthday celebration!) and she drove 8 hours, so we took a nice long evening walk before dinner!

Saturday

9.74 mi @ 10:13/mi

Ran from home to the Swamp Rabbit Cafe to meet the gal pals for breakfast and coffee! Was warm and sunny, worked up a sweat, but took it pretty chill pace.

Will Run 4 Cheesy Grits

3.4 mi stand-up paddleboard

AE and I decided to try out something new on the sunny Saturday afternoon - we rented stand-up paddleboards at Saluda Lake Landing and toodled about for a couple of hours. It was so fun! No pics because I didn't take my phone, but it was so lovely!

Sunday

5.7 mi hike

AE and M gathered for a morning hike at Table Rock State Park - we did Stool (💩) Mountain Trail and while the uphill was tough, the views were so worth it!

What a great week - bike time, trail time, water sports, and of course runs!