Square Lake 70.3 Triathlon took place Saturday after Labor Day on a perfect day for racing…cloudy and 60 degrees! Even better was the close proximity to my home and the ability to make the short 45 minute drive on the morning of (big thumbs up for sleeping in my own bed). I was excited to have Alex with me this time and looked forward to his support throughout the day (another plus of a small event – the ability for fans to see you more often)! I was also a fan of the Saturday event. I had a regular workday Friday, a healthy homemade meal, and the next morning was race day – I didn’t have to ‘sit’ around all day on Saturday ‘thinking about tomorrow’. Big fan!
Before the race
I’m going to sound like a broken record several times here yet another benefit of a smaller race is the ability to arrive at a later time and park within feet of the transition area! Oh, and I didn’t need to drive to the venue the day before to check-in – the benefits could go on and on!
Swim // 34:47 // 2nd AG
Square Lake is known as one of the cleanest lakes in the Twin Cities Metro Area and this was my first time swimming in the lake. I agree with that statement – I could actually see the bottom when I walked in!
After pulling back a bit at Madison 70.3 and my swim coach telling me I ‘could’ go hard, I pushed the effort on the swim. And it paid off! A swim PR of 34:47!
Bike // 2:59:30 // 1st AG
I was pumped after exiting the water and seeing my time! After a quick transition (super short distance between transition areas ((another bonus)), I was on my bike and starting the two-loop bike course in the Stillwater area. It was a fairly hilly course yet I didn’t mind it as the hills were similar to the one I trained on every week. A two-loop course provides for an interesting mental test; I focused on the positive of embracing the familiarity and enjoying the scenery. I was thankful for completing another bike course without a flat tire!
Run // 2:13:01 // 2nd AG
I was also thankful not to have leg cramps once again yet my legs were feeling the hard bike and I was okay with that. What I wasn’t ready for though was the hilly run course…including some gravel. It was definitely my least favorite part of the day. I could not get my pace up all day and struggled to keep a 10 minute mile. The highlights were seeing my sister and nephew twice and having Alex bike beside me for a decent portion in the 2nd half. Even though it was a slower run, I was determined to PR (again in 2019) and crossed the finished in 5:48:59! I was 1st in my age group (out of 5 woman).
Takeaways from Square Lake 70.3
- Smaller events are my jam and where I shine! My 26.2, 13.1 and 70.3 PRs were set at smaller races. More to come on why in a future blog post!
- I want to be a faster runner!
- Am I ready to make the leap and challenge myself in the full Ironman distance?!
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