When all else fails, use your damn legs. Ottawa, Canada Triathlon

If you don't risk it, you will never know. Did I know how I would have finished in my first international race back? I had an idea it could be anywhere from really great to sadly disappointing. I remained positive it was the first one throughout the whole race, but afterwards I look back and see that I really did take a risk with such a big range of possibilities. However, that wasn't what I was worried about leading up to the race. I knew if I got to the race I could give it everything I had. Whatever that was. At this point I had some swimming under my belt with SSST (super secret swim team) and felt excited to finally be racing again after about a month from my last race (Hickory Grove). The day before I took off I had a great run with Mags and gathered some solid inside jokes (to go along with some killer tacos) for my journey alone to Ottawa.

My morning comes early as all of my race flights seem to, and I don't opt for the 3am run before  my flight. I get to Ottawa several hours later, and get a rental car because I messed up my cell serivice and could use the flexiblity to get to the course on my own and get places when I needed to. I hit the road to my hotel and it is apparent right away how beautiful the city is. Plus it has so many trails a runner's delight! I end up exploring a bit on the trails for my daily activity.Well worth it! A brief team meeting, a quick bite, and I knock out.

The next comes and pre-race is in full effect. I knock out 6 miles at a relaxed 7:26/mile pace plus 4x40 second pickups getting down to and just under race pace. NAP time follows.(one of the best parts about race weekend) Then a group of us head down to the course and grab a 10 mile bike ride on the run course and part of the bike course. We follow it up with an open water swim. I AM FEELING GOOD. REAL GOOD. Which is fitting because it is race weekend. I hop out of the water after about 20 minutes of swimming and diving in. Pre-race meeting follows and it is time for bed after watching my usual pre race comedy shows.

Dawn breaks on Saturday June 17th, the super sprint prelim to determine if you can make the 'A' final, 'B' final, or no final at all. 30 advance to each final. I grab my 2 mile shakeout from the hotel. Then ride the 1.5 miles to the race course, and throw on an extra 2 miles after I check in my bike to make sure I'm ready for the fast speed of the super sprint format. 1.5 miles of running with a minute tempo, 5 minutes of swim warm up, and all of my preperation is done. All that is left is racing.

THE RACE DAY  1: Nerves were there. Pushed swim, but maybe not enough. Need to test limits a bit more. Got caught on a buoy cord (maybe cut it too tight) and lost a group right in front of me. I scramble to catch up and came out just off the back of the first pack. Then an amateur move comes up...I can't find my bike despite a fast transition I end up in no man's land off the first pack never to catch.

That my friends is no man's land behind me.

I end up putting a good solo effort until finally the second pack catches me and I work with them all the way to the run. Pissed that I missed the first pack I set out with a bit of blood in my mouth.

I smash it up the hill and complete the loop before heading back. I am passing people left and right as the hill has killed most of them off. However, I run out of ground quickly as it is only a 1500m run. I end up getting 11th, just missing out on the 'A' final in the end. I do post the fastest run by an American that day though. 

Zoning in on what is going to be a fast run...

Grinding.

Post race we hit up a smoothie joint to celebrate American's success at the race thus far, everyone gets through to finals! We explore little Italy and grab some good grub before heading back to the hotel to get ready for the next day.

RACE DAY 2: The format switches to a full sprint for the second day. The day is quite different then the previous one though, storms are here and they mean business. Once again I grab my shakeout miles and try to stay warm before heading down to the course. A normal warm up follows before the delays start....they huddle us under a tent and don't let us get a swim warm up. Although some sneak on by and grab one. The storm finally lets up a bit and it is race time!

The gun goes on day 2 and the pace is hot in the water! The choppy water results in a little slower swim as a whole coming out in 11:08 for the 1500m swim. I come out and get with a group on the bike...but it wasn't meant to be. The ground was still soaked and I was too afraid to go fast. Ending up coming the bike as one of the last in the 'B' final. Luckily I know I have the legs and took off as soon as I finished the bike upright. I pounded my way from 28th to 10th place, which sounds great but when I was with the group to start I could have moved up past that 10th spot. I once again post a fast run, this time the second fastest behind Tony.

A pack this time!!!!

Taking the turns nice and slow....

Well that wasn't the weekend I was looking for, but it was worth the shot. I head back to the hotel and show my speedy bike packing skills to one of my biggest fans via video. Then it is off to bed because I have an early morning. To catch a flight that ends up being cancelled...=( luckily I wasn't alone! Tamera also had the misfortune of not being able to get home so we get and uber to our hotel for the night.I end up grabbing a run from before we crash for the night. To be greeted by another early morning flight, this time successful and I'm on my way home. It was back to training once I got back! Thanks for reading this and catching up on my races from this summer!!! I couldn't do this without your support!