Lake Royale in Review(My Apologies)

Hey guys,

Like I said, I was going to do my best to get better at updating my triathlon-life, but, I'll go ahead and say it: Life is hard. You can't always stay true to your promises, but hear me out! I've got a good reason for not updating this past week. Long story short, I got broken.

So, last weekend was the Lake Royale triathlon in Louisburg, NC. It is one of the last races of FS Series, and it really is an amazing race, I highly recommend everybody reading this to try it one day, it really is a great, inspirational events, by far one of my favorite triathlons, if not most. It is a sprint, at a 500 meter swim, 15 mile bike, and 5k run, as per usual.

Anyway, I got to the race morning, and, being a 4-year veteran of this race, was shocked at the conditions. It was absolutely gorgeous, with a temperature much, much warmer than previous years and a calm, quiet day. Perfect for racing. Let's break it down:

SWIM:

The swim is a fun kind of point-to-point-to-point swim. We went out to a buoy, turned right, swam to another buoy, and then angled in to the transition area. I have always been successful in this particular swim, and so when they fired the gun, I moved out into open water quickly and confidently. By the time we had turned the first buoy, I had about a 5 second lead, and I opened that gap to roughly 15 seconds by the time we left the water. My sighting and strokes felt strong, and it seemed to be going well. 

T1 and BIKE:

My T1 was absolutely fantastic. I saw real correlation to practicing transitions and then putting them to use during a race, with my T1 time being only 14 seconds, flying fast for this particular transition. Now, onto the bike. First of all, I have to tell you, last year at this same race, I led for about 3 miles, and then, right as I pulled onto the larger roads, where there is a lead car for you to follow, the guy who ended up winning the race last year passed me, and he got the lead car. So, I had the opportunity for a redemption ride here. I left transition with about a 20 second lead, and after the bike ride of my life, I returned to T2 with a 4 and a half minute lead over second position, a massive amount of time for such a short distance. I was able to average 23.1mph for a very hilly bike course, something I was happy about.

T2 and RUN:

Now, here is my explanation for not updating. You see, as I left T2(which was great, by the way, baby powder in your shoes works wonders for slipping them on quickly), there was a 90 degree right turn out of the transition area. The Run Out banner, had been the same as the Swim In chute, so it was wet. As I made the hard turn, I slipped and fell, and hurt my knee. It started bleeding profusely, something I was a little worried about going into this 5k run. As each of my strides fell, I could see a lot of blood going down my right leg. I was thinking to myself, "This is not good, this is affecting my run," and as I thought that, I tried to turn my wrist to glance at my watch to see what I was on pace for. As I did so, my wrist screamed out in pain and did not turn. I immediately had a new concern, as you can tell. However, I just grit my teeth and half-limped my way to a 19:11 5k, something I was satisfied about after the fact.

FINISH:

As I came back to T2, I was greeted by a roaring crowd and some of my friends announcing my first place finish, and a new course record. I came across the line with my hands in the air, and immediately cradled my left hand. As a volunteer removed my chip, she asked "How do you feel?" I responded promptly with "I think my wrist is broken." I was on a lot of adrenaline/endorphins from the race, and so I was laughing and enjoying the win, even as I was put in a sling and told to go to the doctor. But hey, when you love a sport, it's all worth it.

And by the way, I just was able to get my fingers working, so I can type things now. But that is why I haven't written anything lately, and I am sorry.

But that's what is key, guys. Do what you love, even when the going gets tough or painful. Because, in the long run, if you think it's worth it, then it's a wonderful thing you've found, and don't let it go.

Happy training, everybody.