Lets Talk Numbers...

Since a certain person seems obsessed with numbers, especially the number 12 for some reason, I'd thought I'd talk about a few numbers.

In 4 days, I traveled approximately 1001.25 miles (more if I count the driving around in Albuquerque). 15.25 miles were running, biking and swimming in the Jay Benson Triathlon.

On May 12th at approximately 8:30am, me and my two boys headed north 276 miles to Coralles to spend Mother's Day weekend with my Mom and Dad. SD stayed behind because my journey did not end in Albuquerque, but continued on to Tucumcari and beyond for work purposes. On May 13th I participated in the Jay Benson and apparently I beat someone by a mere 12 seconds. Ironically this day was not only Mother's Day but my 12 year wedding anniversary. Hmm weird how the number 12 keeps popping up. This is my 2nd year of triathloning, and the Jay Benson was my 8th triathlon; 4th reverse triathlon; 1st triathlon in Albuquerque; 1st time I was ever made aware of beating someone by 12 seconds. More about that later.

On May 14th, I traveled 198 miles to Tucumcari with my boys to my future office to help finish a presentation that my team was giving later that night. My mother-in-law who lives approximately 70 miles away in Mosquero, met me there and took the boys for the day. That afternoon I then drove approximately 163 miles to Wagon Mound to give a presentation to the Village council. BTW - our presentation rocked! Then I said goodbye to my team and headed 54 miles directly to Mosquero to spend the night with Mother-in-Law and boys.

On a side note, if you are looking for beautiful and challenging places to ride, then stay either in Las Vegas or Tucumcari and ride along NM 104. No shoulders, but no traffic either. Very Beautiful and some serious hills. Or If your staying in Las Vegas drive up the interstate to Wagon Mound and ride along NM 120 to Roy, NM - beautiful and challenging with no shoulders, but no traffic.

On May 15th, we said goodbye to MIL and headed 131 miles to Clovis to spend a few hours with my grandmother. After lunch and some chatting, we then headed the final 164 miles back home. Talk about endurance.

Now for the race Report.

Saturday evening - the 12th - I met up with Lisa. We headed to packet pickup, then checked out the new Performance Bike store, then had a good meal both in food and conversation (yes I can converse from time to time). Then Sunday morning I drove us both to the race, I have to say I really enjoyed the time spent with her - I especially enjoyed one particular wetsuit story, but I'll leave her to tell it. Anyway the race start was delayed approximately 30 minutes due to the number of participants and security issues getting through the gate of the air force base. Ironically, I originally was not going to run with my fuel belt as I felt it would be cool enough and the water at the aid stations would be sufficient, but as time passed it was getting pretty warm. After they delayed the women's start by 30 minutes, I headed to the car to get it and filled both bottles. Ironically, I used the fact that Geek Girl used hers in the last race we were in together to help me decide to use mine in this race.

After watching the men start and the fast ones return, we ladies started. I was close to the front of the line, and was passed by what felt like the entire crowd before we even got out of the parking lot onto the road. Lisa and her friend were out of sight after about twelve steps. I wasn't planning on trying to keep up with them as I knew their pace was way beyond my pace. I passed a few walkers and basically got into rhythm. My heart rate was a bit higher than I would have liked but I attributed that to getting caught up in the race at the beginning. I concentrated on breathing and lowering it. Ironically I never even thought of Geek Girl as I was running, as I assumed she was already ahead of me. I arrived at the halfway point at the same time the volunteer took down the water cooler. The ladies behind me were threatening revolt, and it was tempting to take a drink right at that moment, but I decided to wait a few paces because I didn't want to get pummeled, but I was definitely doing a mental pat on the back for my decision.

It was in T1 that I encountered Geek Girl. She said something about seeing me on the bike or good luck or eat dirt and die, but my heart rate was such that it was difficult to process language much less keep moving forward, but I did process enough to realize I was ahead of her again. It probably was that tidbit of information that propelled me through the bike course. Knowing that she was coming. I didn't look back the entire time afraid I would see her breathing down my neck, and I did indeed hammer the bike leg. In fact my heart rate, which was already high from the run, climbed up more. I dropped so many people that I stopped counting them after oh lets say 12. It was an awesome ride, wind, hills, flats. I flew - 16.9 mph, can't hardly believe that.

T2 would have been a little faster if I didn't forget to take off my sunglasses. Doh! If it wasn't for that little snafu, maybe someone would have been obsessing about maybe 32 seconds. Anyway the swim is where I lost some ground. I was beat - literally in all sense of the word. I was exhausted, and I was kicked, grabbed, scraped. I think the first 200m was a lot faster than the last because i was trying in earnest to pass without blocking others from passing me or crawling over me. When I saw Lisa pass me I was a bit deflated, but endeavored to endure. Finally I made it to the end, had to climb my tired butt up the ladder and out across the mat. I swear the ground sloped dramatically away from the pool because I kept trying to either crash into a support column or fall on top of the volunteers trying to take my chip off. I wasn't even thinking about Geek Girl when she tapped me on the shoulder and said "you beat me." I think that was the icing on the cake of a great race for me. I grinned and high fived her, knowing that I now have an official rival.

Overall, it was a great race. I had estimated my best finishing time to be around 1:35, so I surpassed my expectations. Although my swim needs some work, due to my lack of swim time availability I'll have to just make up for it in run and bike improvement. I also would like to point out that I do not have highly technical underpants, sexy socks, have a fancy tri-bike (not that she has hers yet), aero bars, zipp wheels, racing flats,a Garmin, and I am not a vegan in fact I'm a rancher's wife which means I consume lots of beef (not that I'm promoting one over the other except that if you eat more beef I might be able to afford more of the aforementioned items). I also do not have a Sweet Baboo or Mini Baboo that races with me, but I do have Super Dad and Team Byrd, who were all absent from this race. So does this warrant a 12 second deficit? Of course the rub in all of this fun poking is that despite the fact that I beat her by twelve seconds, since we are in different age group categories, she walked away with 1st place hardware and I earned last place in my division.

My official time with splits:
Total Run Pace T1 Bike mph T2 Swim
1:32:46 32:06 10:42 1:51 44:13 16.9 2:14 12:24

One thing's for sure, I'm wearing my fuel belt next time if not for the hydration it provides, at least for its melting power...