I’ve just returned home from what I consider to be a very successful two weeks. My adventure began, as I had intuitively expected with a great performance at the Rev 3 Portland half Iron-distance race with a very solid 7th place finish. The Professional field at this race was quite stacked with some excellent competition, which I’m finding to be the ‘norm’ at these new Rev 3 races. A 7th place finish was enough to put me into the generous cash prize purse, but most delightful was the bike split that has for 2011 eluded me. I managed to have the second fastest bicycle time in the entire field and for me, being the former ‘Roadie’., this was the highlight of the race. After a few disappointing cycling performances earlier this season, I took some time to really dial in my training and my position on the bike. Prior to the race I spent count-less training rides, back in my hometown of Durango, getting my cycling legs back under me, while battling the strong local riders in our many group rides. Mission accomplished.
The Rev 3 race was followed by a much-needed short break from structured training. I took the opportunity while in Oregon, to spend a week walking the beach near Portland, eating delicious “Portland” food, mountain biking amidst the ferns and just rejuvenating both the body and the mind.
The perfect ending came to the vacation, while in Bend visiting friends; they suggested that I participate in the local Olympic distance triathlon that coming weekend. Initially, I laughed it off still feeling my fatigued legs a bit. As many of my fellow athletes will profess, racing is just too much fun, so I signed up.
Bend is a special place to me, as I would make the yearly journey there to complete in one of the bigger multi-day cycling races in the US, the Cascade Cycling Classic. In fact, 2011 is the first year in many that I wouldn’t be showing up at the start line, as I have now turned to my sole focus to triathlon. So, the idea of swapping my nostalgic memories in Bend for some new ones seemed like a good plan. On Saturday I became the new female record holder for the Deschutes Dash, marking my stamp once again in Bend.
Now as I am back home, unpacking, I look at the upcoming weeks and days of hard long training. Eight weeks and counting until my first full Iron-distance race back east in Ohio. Stay tuned…