Fourteen years ago my hubby and I got engaged before racing my first triathlon -- The Devil's Challenge, Baraboo, Wis. Ken and I raced together (he waited for my swim wave to catch his.). After crossing my first finish line, I knew I was in love - with Ken (of course) and with triathlon.photo: Ken & I 14 years ago on our mountain bikes at Devil's Challenge. It was also my birthday.
Devil's Lake State Park provides a challenging but beautiful venue for a late season 
Wisconsin race! The triathlon is part of the Wisconsin Triathlon Series.
Wisconsin race! The triathlon is part of the Wisconsin Triathlon Series. 
photos: Left- Ken took this while playing with the kids during my race. center- end of the swim. right- starting the bike.
Over the years, we've come back several times and have brought friends and family with us. Last weekend, we drove over for another, but I'd be the only one racing this year. Lucky me! It was a bizarre event this time:
- The water was shallow this year, so I picked up all sorts of weedy trailers during my swim.
- Right before the bike mount line, I saw my visor. It was riding along on my clipless pedal...
- I started my bike at 23+ mph, and slammed right into the long steep hills. Ouch. The hills hurt. One of the race directors told me a CAT 1 cyclist did the bike in ~43 minutes. It's challenging. I hope to improve next year.
- I got pinched twice by cars. Once by a RR track and once coming down a hill into the park.
- I felt best about the run. I've been working on my lean and turnover and felt the run went well.
- For the first time, I won an award. I got third in Athena. And while we were still on site, I missed the awards ceremony because I had no clue I'd placed. The race director let me pick up my award post-race -- yippee!
photos: left: me on the run wearing my SUGOI Velocity tri shorts. I wear these shorts everywhere! I was so fast Ken blurred the photo. center - Dad & I post race. right- my 3rd place award.
It was a great day for racing! Thanks again Wisconsin Triathlon Series!
Question for you:
Have you celebrated a birthday, anniversary or special occasion with a race?
7 comments:
Congratulations on a fantastic race!!
Congrats on a great race, and thanks for all your comments on my blog!! Congrats on the anniversary as well. What a wonderful way to remember the day you got engaged!
Happy Birthday! Congrats on the award. I haven't celebrated an event with a race, but I think it would be a blast.
I had planned on doing the Boston Marathon 2007 on my 30th birthday but that was the year of the Nor'Easter. And although I was actually at Boston and planned on running it, I decided against it because of the weather. (I have run it several other times, though.)
Congrats on the race and coming in 3rd!
Sounds like a great race! way to go 3rd athena!
i have never celebrated anything with a race. mostly because the races haven't occurred on any day i wanted to celebrate anything. love the concept though.
Congrats on 3rd place!
Last few years, it seems I've been celebrating my birthday at a race. Good excuse for my husband to actually go with me to the race too (with his travel for work, he goes to only a handful of them).
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