Iron Girl Sprint Triathlon Relay Race Report (2015)
Sunday was my fourth year participating in the Iron Girl* sprint distance triathlon relay, my third time doing it as an Efit team, and my second time being on a team with Judy.
The two Efit teams – Efit Sophisticates and Efit Exquisites
Me and Judy
It was my first time being on a two-person relay time, and my first time time trying the swim portion of the event! Actually, it was my first time ever swimming in a “competitive” event (since middle school, anyway – ha!).
Sigh. When I told people I was doing a triathlon relay, and that I was swimming and running, so many people immediately asked why I wasn’t doing the whole thing. Told me they thought I should do the whole thing. Told me that I would regret not doing the whole thing. Told me they’d been thinking about it, and decided I should do a triathlon, on my own. (Then there was the very unique reaction my worrywart mother had, where she thought I would get a leg cramp and drown…)
Sigh again. I like doing these as a RELAY team. I do not have the interest now, in the logistics of doing a triathlon on my own. I just don’t. Could I do one? Yes, I could. Would I enjoy it? Probably not. That is what I determined during my swim Sunday morning.
So back to the race. It was a foggy day, with temps in the mid/high 60s but with high humidity. The water was at 79.5° and not wetsuit legal (although, Iron Girl did allow a wetsuit wave, so you could use it, you just couldn’t qualify for age group placements).
The water felt great to be in, and was smooth. It made me want to spend the day playing around in it, ha ha.
The race started at 7:00, and the relayers were in the 7:45 wave, with the 20-29 year olds. I felt excited to try the swim, and did not want to go out too fast and get out of breath, like I tend to in the pool.
I followed my friends’ advice to not be in the middle of the pack, and to stay to the side. I followed the announcer’s advice, for the less experienced swimmers to stay to the right (that is where the help was on the swim course – the bouys were to the left).
I felt good when I went out. I planned to do freestyle stroke for as long as possible, and use breaststroke to catch my breath, as I had practiced. But as soon as I did my first breaststroke break, I stayed in that “rest” mode way longer than I intended, and ended up doing mostly breaststroke, which I enjoy, but come on, we know freestyle is way faster! Ha ha.
I had a lot of oddly negative self talk during the swim, which is not like me, AT ALL. Just stuff like “you’re not so good at this,” and so on. Which, duh, yeah, why would I be a very “good” swimmer? It’s not really something I want to be – I want to swim for leisure and cross training. Why I’d like to have better form, I don’t really have a desire to be good at swimming.
On person bumped in to me during the swim, but apologized (I thought that was nice). Other than that, there wasn’t a ton of contact. When I saw two swimmers were about to collide, I would get out of their way. I kind of enjoyed the swim, but, I just didn’t DIG it. I didn’t immensely enjoy it, like I do with biking and running. And I know most people say that the swim is the least enjoyable part of the triathlon, but here’s the thing – if I am going to be mediocre at the athletic events I do, I want to ENJOY them. I do not see the point of doing a triathlon “because I can” when I don’t enjoy the first event. I can just do a duathlon. Or not. (<— probably not)
So, yeah. My goal was to finish the half mile swim in between 15 and 20 minutes, and my official time was 17:58.
My plan after the swim was to sprint like hell to Judy so she could get on her bike as fast as possible.
Success! Transition 1 was 00:46 seconds!
Gah, I was so incredibly out of breath from the rush of sprinting in. It took me awhile to calm down… and I am not sure I ever really did. I dried off as well as I could and changed in to my running clothes as quickly as possible. Judy was expecting the 12 mile ride to take her 35 minutes.
The 35 minutes went fast and I was getting pumped up, watching for Judy!
She came in at 39:25 (she later told me she felt great for the first half but low on energy for the second half),
and we had another awesome transition – transition 2 in 00:44.
I took off fast! I was hoping to get a 5K time between 24 and 25 minutes.
Right away, I did NOT like the feeling of water coming down from my wet hair. Or… was that the nasty humidity, affecting me THAT soon?! Either way, yuck. I know now I don’t like running with wet hair.
I could tell my timing chip was a bit loose and planned to adjust it later. Oops – guess I could have used more time in T2, for precision.
I focused on running the tangents as well as possible with passing so many people (because so many had started before me and were doing the full triathlon and had less energy than I did after resting after the swim). But I really messed up the tangents (and started my watch too early) and ended up running 3.3 miles, which screwed with my time.
Although… I would not be surprised if the course was not accurate. The bike course seems to be short. And Iron Girl has a poor 5K course design. I didn’t run the 5K portion in 2014, but people were telling me how part of it was an out and back on gravel and loose rocks (when I ran it in 2013 and previously, it was all paved). When I was talking to Dawn (an Efit friend on another team) about it on Saturday, she said she looked at the map and they took the gravel part out. Well, the map said that, but they seemed to use the 2014 map on race day, which are both linked to on their website… on the same page (the 2015 one under “participant guide” and the 2014 one under “triathlon course map”). They also added a 5K event this year, and that was supposed to stay off the gravel – I hope they at least got to, because an out and back on a narrow loose gravel path during a 5K is DANGEROUS. It slowed me WAY down and made me hella frustrated. GRRRRRRRRR. I sent an inquiry to Iron Girl about this, because I don’t want to continue doing this race if it’s like that. It’s dumb. I can find other relays to do that don’t have part of the 5K course on BS gravel. I train on crushed limestone so I can go faster on PAVED 5K courses. This isn’t a “trail” race. /rant over
Back to the run. I had to pull over on the gravel part to re-adjust the timing chip (derr, Kim, pay attention next time!) and I stopped on the way out of that section to get a drink of water. I dislike an out and back course on a 5K, but was nice on Sunday because I saw my friend Julie (whom I didn’t know was doing the race) and got to give Dawn a high-five! (Kelly was also there too, and we got to chat a bit!)
I tried to keep my pace consistent to the end, and felt good enough, but I finished way over my goal in 26:28! Eek!
Judy ran me in for the finish and really pushed me!!!
Janky supination pic for ya
Our final time was 1:25:18, which was first in the two-person relay division! Woot woot!
The other Efit team finished shortly after us, in 1:35:ish! Everyone on the team did really well!
Last year when we did this, we had four teams and at least one person from our studio doing it solo… it was much quieter this year with two teams, which was nice. It was easier to stay together, and cheer each other on! (Not that more teams are BAD, this was just logistically easier.)
After we all finished, we got some of the post race food (bagels, fruit, burritos, coffee, chocolate milk). In past years I always thought you had to pay for the post-race food, but you didn’t this year. I wonder if I have been wrong all this time (probably)! It was nice to get some food right after. I wasn’t sure how to fuel for the two events, and did a decent job, but was hungry when we finished.
After that (well, and unsuccessfully trying to find our relay team placings anywhere onsite), we got the bikes out of transitions and headed out.
I know I complained a lot in this post, but I DO enjoy doing these sorts of events as a team, and was very happy to have Judy as a teammate. Iron Girl is logistically easy for me (location, familiarity, etc.). The atmosphere is great, and they are working at figuring some things out (like parking), and we really enjoyed the expo.
But I think I am getting close to being over doing this race each year. The bike and run course are meh, and, dang, it’s SO expensive. At least I really like the shirt this year!
So, we’ll see what I end up doing next year. I’d really like to do a half iron man relay again, with my brother-in-laws, and being on an Efit team for a smaller event would be cool, too!
(Thanks to Steven for all of the pictures and to Judy’s husband, Mike, for spectating! So nice to have our guys there!)
*The first time I participated, it was actually Danskin, still, but, eh, details.
Themocracy
Of course you COULD do a tri. I think you’ve known that for a long time…you are physically capable of it. But if you’re not going to enjoy it, why are people pushing you? It amazes me when other people have goals for someone else. Lol!
Also, your mom is cute. Mom has to worry!
Sounds like a great race, congrats on first in your division! I have heard others say these courses weren’t accurate so don’t stress it!
I thought that was interesting too, that people were spending their free time thinking about what I should do with mine. LOL!!!!
She is such a worrier. It’s kind of funny.
Thanks 🙂
Hey just because you CAN do something doesn’t mean you need to do it. I’ve definitely learned that life is to short to do things you don’t NEED to do. You & your partner did awesome! I can’t even imagine an open-water swim. Yikes!
Eeeeeeeeeeexactly 😉
Thank you! I am used to swimming in the Mississippi (granted, for fun) so open water didn’t throw me off 🙂 And this was a nice, calm, lake!
I think it’s SO AWESOME that you tackled the swim portion of this race! But, yeah, I agree. If swimming is not fun why spend so much energy on it and pay money to do it 🙂 I’m starting to like it more but it’s still not my favorite. I don’t know if I’ll ever be all gung-ho about triathlons but I’m at least glad I tried it. And, no, I’m not saying you’ll regret not doing the whole thing 🙂 Because I also agree that they are way more fun with other people 🙂
Thanks 🙂 Do you think you will keep swimming? I want to because I like it for cross training (and recreation) but I am not sure I will ever do anything beyond get a few pointers on form.
If only swimming were as easy as running or bike riding. Just open the door and go! Well, I mean, bike riding isn’t always that easy but you know what I mean 🙂 I did actually put on my wetsuit and swim in the lake while on vacation and sort of enjoyed it but that’s because all I had to do was go out the door 🙂 If I have to hunt down a pool with lap swimming hours (and share a lane with a stranger) or pack up all my stuff and get to the lake I don’t know if I’ll be as motivated. Maybe if the Live Grit crew peer pressures me 🙂
Also, I just remembered I wanted to comment on wetsuits being tight across the chest/neck. I tried on two and one was so tight it was uncomfortable (the TYR one). The other, an Orca, was much better. Just in case you ever want a wetsuit, it helps to try on different brands.
I was just talking to someone at Efit about that last night! Anytime I go at all, I feel proud, because it means I fit the odd pool hours in to my schedule OR found someone to go with me to an open swim (just seems safer, ya know?). That is awesome you got out on vacay! I bet if you lived there, it would be different!
Thanks! I definitely will if I ever want one! I just wanted to try one out, to see what it was like. If I got serious about it, I’d totally do the research and make the investment 🙂
Great report! I was soooo bummed when I saw the gravel this year. I was looking for a sub-25 5k PR and had planned on it being this race (because I had looked at the map). As was the case last year, being half way through marathon training, it’s just not worth twisting an ankle or something worse on gravel, so I too slowed down for that mile. Plus they split the narrow path in two and it’s really hard to get around those who are walking 2-3 people abreast. My 5k PR will have to wait til the ZBrun.org 5k in September. BUT I did have smokin’ 1st and 3rd miles, so that’s good. AND I love our EFit teams and the encouragement we give each other. This year, as was last year, we welcomed a ‘newbie’ athlete to our teams. It would be so much fun to do a 1/2 Iron Man relay with some EFitters! Race on Kim!
You totally have that PR in September, on a nice, flat, paved course, that you are FAMILIAR with. And isn’t crowded with walkers 😉
I love the encouragement and knowledge sharing, too. It’s nice to be able to say “I’ve done this before” and pass on tips (that hopefully aren’t obnoxious) to make it less scary! Because the logistics of a tri can be!
We should totally look for some longer distance relays 🙂
Why not do relays? If you find they’re more fun, then that’s all that matters.
I think you would kill one but I understand why you wouldn’t want to do it! I’ve done a sprint tri and I’m not sure I’d try again, unless I had a whole lot of time to improve my swimming but throughly enjoyed being part of a relay team for one. Plus it’s a ton of money compared to just running. I know you are faster but that’s still a decent 5k time after swimming and on that course!
Oh yeah. The cost just to register is pretty high, then there is (always!) more gear you “need” 😉 Ha!
I like that you know what you like, and what you don’t, and are willing to say so and stand on that. Also, congrats on a great race!
Thank you 🙂 I very much seem to know what I will enjoy. Someone kept bugging me to do a Spartan, even though I told them it’s cool they did it but it’s not for me. So I finally signed up for an indoor one when it was free and tried to enjoy it, but yeah… I tend to know what I will like. You hear about FOMO, but I have the opposite… fear of wishing I wasn’t participating. LOL.
Thank you! 🙂
Congratulations on your first place! I think you’re right to focus on doing what you enjoy doing – what is the point of doing stuff in your free time that just isn’t enjoyable to you?
Thank you! 🙂
Ha ha! I don’t know! I hope no one does that! A whole tri just seems too stressful to me. I’d much rather do it as a relay, right now!
Congratulations on the first place finish to you and your relay partner! I’ve never done a relay but it sounds like a lot of fun to be on a team like that instead of doing the whole thing on your own. And being in the water makes me want to just splash around and have fun instead of really swim 🙂
Congrats on your 1st place – that is great! It looks as though you were running quite hard out there. I do think that would be one of the challenges of the relay, having to wait and losing your focus a bit. As much as I like the swim/bike/run challenge (sometimes), I don’t think that people “should” do triathlons, especially if they know what they like!
Also, for the swim – you could try a ‘swimskin’ which isn’t a wetsuit but is a suit you wear over your tri kit (or swimsuit). It’s supposed to reduce drag – and it looks really cool (and isn’t that the point of most tri gear?).
Finally, great t-shirt! I actually hate my IM Boulder shirt and can’t believe that they made it so ugly. For the amount of $$$ you pay, you would think that they could at least make a decent t-shirt!
Thanks 🙂 I felt like the opposite happened – I was so jacked up waiting for my cyclist that I wasn’t calm enough! LOL.
I might try that one day if I do a swim portion of a relay again. Especially if it makes me look cool 😉
What a bummer that you got a crappy shirt at IM Boulder! That really surprises me! Is it the color? My HIM relay shirt was yellow. It was… not flattering. 😉
Congrats to you on the first relay team finished!! You are so speedy 🙂 I think you all did great, and for all the irritants, the wet hair, humidity, crap path, you pulled out a great performance.
I love your philosophy, if you do’t enjoy it- why?!
Love all the pictures, hubby did a great job!
Nice job on the swim — you were right on goal! (I know how you feel about goals though, haha.) It’s too bad IG had such a crappy running portion though. That seems so disorganized, and yeah, really frustrating that the website information was inconsistent and didn’t reflect what the course actually was! Have you heard back from them yet?
At least you did it with a team you enjoy. That’s a good point! (But yeah, I’m sure you could find a group event that you like just as much, if not more, for less money!)
Also, in one of the race photos, there’s a big plume/column of steam (or smoke?) behind you. It looks like you’re running away from an explosion, haha!
Ha ha ha re: goals. I did want to have one for the swim and run so my partner would know when to expect me 🙂
No, I haven’t heard back. Hmm, who do you think I could contact, there?
Ha! In the morning, the sky was so colorful with the sunrise, and their was an eerie fog, and it really looked like a nuclear blast or something!
That stinks about the 5k portion! I just went and looked at the prices and agree that it is spendy even for a triathlon. I feel like they could have a more friendly price tag. If I am going to pay a lot for a race then I expect an awesome race experience (Hello Ironman races) so I would not have been happy about the gravel portion.
I love your shorts tan line in your swimsuit! I’ve been rocking that look for most of summer.
Happy to hear it’s not just me thinking the prices are nuts! And for a relay team it’s still so high! I wonder if Espirit de She is cheaper – some Efiters did that and really liked it 🙂
Ha ha ha, thanks! It’s SOOOOO bad this summer!!!!!!1
Congrats on the first place finish! You gals rocked!!
I was definitely one of those folks asking why not do the whole thing to you before the race. I was surprised you wanted to do the swim instead of the bike portion 🙂 it’s awesome you did something completely different and still had a good time. (I also had a lot of negative thoughts going on in my head during the swim portion last year)
I think we should do a relay sometime- (I know we spoke about that this year too) lol. But it would be fun, right?
Thanks 🙂
Ha ha! You were! And that is okay, cause you know I always have an honest response to you when we talk about stuff, ha! I thought it would be fun to try something different this year (the swim) and try two events with some rest between. Judy already asked me this morning if we are going to be a team again next year… and if there are any more events we could do together this year!
Isn’t that weird, with the negative self talk on the swim? That’s so not me, so it surprised me. And I wasn’t struggling or hating it, I just didn’t get that adrenaline rush like with biking or running, I guess!
We totally should! It would be fun! I still need to look for a race for us 🙂