The first triathlon is in the books! After all the adrenalin and happiness drained my body, I am now able to analyze my season opener race from a different view.
Short version:
Swim was nice actually,
Bike was "not the yellow from the egg",
Run was okay,
which makes it a "well done".
But first things first. As my working colleague and buddy in crime, Miss J and I left work on saturday, we looked at each other and we both had the same question on our minds: Are we ready for tomorrow?-Miss J had won the sprint distance last year and was going to fight for the crown on the olympic distance the next day. I had missed last years race because of my injury. It is our "home track", which put a bit of pressure on our shoulders and I had wrecked my brain about how it will work out and if I am ready and bla bla bla for the last 2 weeks.- We started laughing and knew exactly what it meant: Nope. Anyways, if you always wait for being ready you won`t ever start moving. While passing the race location I watched the juniors in action. I am easily motivated, so watching them made me want to race. The right feeling.
As my parents and I arrived at the racing location, I was pretty chilled. Did my race routine as always, checked my bike in, did the warm up with Mr. Handsome (Niko)- who is btw great company, only recommandable, just wanted to tell you that- and then I slowly started to focus on what is about to happen. I let some memories pass and told myself something, I currently tell myself very often:" Do it. Give your best. You are going to the US. Show them what you can. Show yourself what you are capable of. I know you can do it. So get the hell out there and show it." It may sound childish, but I think everyone knows this and can relate. Something that made it impossible for me to get the crown and win the sprint distance, were my competitives. The 2 best austrian female triathletes were next to me, both already participated at the olympic games. Nevertheless I shut down my brain and thats when we took off.
I knew I had to give it all on the swimming course, so I always looked ahead and having those 2 guns in eyesight made me hopeful. Exciting the swim, I was surrounded by loud voices, some of them cheering, some of them screaming my name and hearing I was 3rd overall. So I kept on going, onto the bike and pushed forward. Seeing my dad on the bike course and saying: Go for it Sophie, this is your moment, your day!! made me push even more. Sadly I had to let 2 girls pass by, at the end of the 2nd lap I was swallowed by a bigger group of cyclists with 2 other girls. (non drafting race btw). On the running course I did my best and could catch one women, in the end I finished as 5th (and youngest) and 1st w23.
This result makes me eager on the next races ahead! :)
