My first half ironman of the season, and also the last triathlon of the season is done. Wait, that might not be true … there is a chance that I will be racing in an off-road triathlon (XTERRA) this coming Sunday. I am not a mountainbiker so the bumps and logs on the bike course scare me a bit … but I guess I just have to get over myself. Aren’t we supposed to do something scary every day? That would certainly qualify (while I’m looking forward to the cold swim and the trail run!). The XTERRA will be held at Nordic XC Ski area (about 40min from town).
Anyway, the Grand Columbian Half Iron in Grand Coulee, WA, last weekend was a success! Despite rain the night before and rain the night after we got to race in
perfect weather conditions … no wind for the swim, very light winds up on the plateau, and a mix of sun and clouds. I managed to stay with the leading woman in the swim and exited just a second behind her. The bike was strong and, as always, enjoyable due to the gorgeous scenery around Almira. The hill at the beginning of the course (14%!) wasn’t any easier this year but it’s just something to get past. I managed to eat and drink enough, and feel strong coming off the bike. The run? As always … hard for a non-runner like me! My goal was to stay under 2 hours which I did. Overall, I finished in 5:38 as the second woman in my age group.
We had a great weekend since friends from Kelowna were also racing in Grand Coulee. Check out the pictures and be inspired by the landscape!