Remember how much we all looked forward to SUMMER????? When will winter ever end, we whined!!!! Well, we’re learning to be careful what we ask for!!! It’s been a barn burner summer so far, so for those of us in training for an event, that means going to bed with the chickens and getting up before the rooster crows to beat the heat of the day. But it’s worth it!!!
As I prepared to do St. Anthony’s Triathlon, my Team in Training coach, Mike Morris, asked my age. “Sixty” I reported proudly. His eyes lit up and without hesitation, told me I needed to sign up for the Quad Cities Triathlon in Davenport, IA, which is a qualifying race for the World Championship Triathlon event in Budapest, Hungary. I was dubious, since I’ve only done five triathlons, and I’m not known for my speed. Team in Training has been my reason for doing endurance events…and this smacked of focusing on myself. I waffled for a good while, but the race director told me I could sign up without fear of losing the entry fee. He would gladly give it back if I decided to pull out. Challenging as St. Anthony’s was, I still wanted to do Quad Cities – and set my mind on training for it.
Flying to IA seemed a lot more comfy than spending 15 hrs. in a car…so Bella Bike traveled with those who were driving and I got up in the middle of the night to catch a 6 AM flight, avoiding the typical mid-western late afternoon storms. There were three of those between Thursday afternoon and Saturday morning’s race! Memories of living in Iowa in the early 70′s came tumbling back as I watched the sky blacken, the KA-BOOM!!! of thunder, lightning streaking across the sky, whipping wind and side-ways rain. And YET – race day dawned sunny and dry as we took our places in the transition area.
Those gathered for Quad Cities were a collection of serious athletes who owned every bell and whistle known to make you faster and more streamlined for triathlon. Svelte wet suits that peel off in seconds, tri bike shoes and aerobars for the bike, tri racing flats for the run. I felt like a clunker! Unlike St. Anthony’s, which featured some 4000 participants, Quad Cities was small and intimate in comparison with only 715 competing. Instead of swimming in Tampa Bay or the Potomac River, we were swimming in a lovely lake. The best part was meeting the other women in my (advanced) age group. They were so fit, friendly, and fun!
So here are my results: Swim: 14:18, T-1: 3:31, Bike: 55:21, T-2: 1:47, Run: 34:10 for a time of 1:49:07. I placed third in my age group, so I was happy – but I learned a lot about where I need to improve. I have all summer to train – but the big prize is that I qualified for the USA Triathlon Team going to the World competition in Budapest this September!!!
Jan takes third in age group
My goals are very practical: work hard to improve swim, bike, run, and transitions – and to begin raising the necessary funds for the trip. I’m a pretty good baker, so I’m beginning to turn out batches of Budapest or Bust Buddy Bars – healthy energy bars chock full of nutritious ingredients, no refined sugar, and no preservatives. Let me know if you want some! So far, there are three flavors: Breakfast Berry, Oat & Raisin Wonder, Oat & Chocolate Apricot Athlete. Two for $5, or $35 for a whole batch of 30 bars.
Donations are easy: just hit the Donate button on my web page and use PayPal. Checks can be made out to Jan McGilliard and sent to 305 Country Club Dr., SE, Blacksburg, VA 24060. Anything beyond my basic expenses will go to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
Happy 4th of July everyone! Budapest or Bust!!!
