Music City Race Report

I noticed the wind on my drive up to Nashville but didn't think that much about it at the time.

I got to the race site and got in line to pick up my packet. That is when I noticed the chop in the water. "WOW that looks tough", I thought to myself. Water temp was too high for wetsuits too. Then I noticed the flags, they were all standing straight out and blowing like crazy.

I got my stuff and did all the pre race stuff(set up transition, body marking...) then made my way to the beach. The RD had decided to shorten the swim and make it optional due to how rough the water was. If you chose to just do the duathlon, there was only going to be an award a overall prize.

The race started with wave 1 being the Collegiate Racers. Wave 2 was All Relay Teams, Aquabike & PC Racers. And wave 3 was Male Age 50+. I was in wave 4, Females 40+. As I was entering the water they cautioned us again and said they were already pulling people out of the water. I fought the chop and made it to the start buoy just as they said go. I tried to swim freestyle but the waves were just too much for me. I ended up doing breast stroke. I kept my eye on the double orange buoy that marked the turn. Then the buoy was gone. I kept swimming and swimming. I finally made it to a white buoy that the orange buoys had been tired to before they BLEW AWAY!! I made the turn and headed for the yellow triangle buoy. People were hanging on buoys as I swam by. I felt like a cork bobbing along. I tried freestyle a couple more times but always gave up and did breast stroke. I made the final turn to the beach. I could tell something was wrong. There were too many people standing on the beach. I hit shore and found out they had stopped the race after wave 6, Females Age 30-34 went in. I stopped my watch. I had been out in the water almost 25 minutes. We stood around in the water not allowed to cross the timing mat for a while waiting for everyone to get out of the water. Some people were told at the first turn to just head back while others, like me, swam the whole thing.

So now the race was going to be a duathlon and the swim (that I didn't even need today) wouldn't count.

The first run would be from the water to T1. It wasn't that far and would have just been part of T1 in the tri.

I really questioned if I should do this thing or not. I was worried about getting hurt this close to Ironman. I decided to tough it out and just get a good workout it. I had never planned to race today anyway.

So they started the du with Wave 7. After the last wave of non swimmers (wave 15), they started with wave 1. So now instead of being at the almost beginning I was at the almost end, where I prefer to be. BTW, if it wasn't for the age up rule and I still got to race as 39 I would NOT have had to endure that swim!

My wave lined up in the water and they said go. I got to the back of the pack and walked/jogged to transition. My heart wasn't in it and distance really didn't count for much.

I put my bike shoes on my sandy feet, grabbed my bike and was out.

The wind as an issue right from the beginning. I just thought it was windy Friday. HA! Nothing compared to today. There was one bridge that really scared me. I felt like the wind was going to blow me off. The overall male winner said in his "winners speech" that he was wondering if he would be able to unclip before drowning when he blew over into the water below. I have also never seen so many bikers with bike trouble at a race. They were pulled off the course fixing flats, dropped chains and whatever. I know there were a couple of wrecks too. I was SO glad to make it back to T2 without incident.

I racked my bike and changed shoes.

The run was new this year. This is how the RD described the course
We have designed a scenic two-loop course (3 miles each loop) entirely on the Nashville Shores Property. It is a mix of running through and around the water park, along the shores of Percy Priest Lake and through beautiful wooded sections of the park. There are several areas where you will run off of pavement - very short section on sand that we will have raked smooth, gravel portions, and a very short trail section with sure footing. We hope you enjoy this new course - includes two not so terrible climbs and definitely less of a climb than the original course!
I, for one, was not a fan. I don't do trail running. I didn't feel sure footed on the gravel. The sand section was short but still SAND?!?!!? And it was followed by stairs. Not a set of normal steps, but those kind where you get about 3 or 4 steps before having to step up. The first loop I ran in the grass next to the steps but the second loop I took the steps and it was much easier. The wind was still an issue on the run too. I was sorry I had on a hat since it almost blew off my head several times.

I was so happy to make it to the finishline. Then it started to rain. I felt really sorry for the people still out on the course.

I got my stuff out of transition and took it to my car. Then I used my meal ticket for a burger, chips, banana, cookies and a diet Pepsi. As I was walking away from the food tent, the lettuce and tomato blew right off my burger. I mean come on already!!! I went back and got more salad for my burger then just sat right there and ate so it couldn't blow away again.

After lunch I went to find results. I was SHOCKED to find out I got first place Age Group!!! I got a cool mug, jug of Heed, a gift card from Acme MultiSport and Stuffitts.

Offical results "run 1" 3:16, 44k bike 1:33:09, 17.7 mph, 6 mile run 47:43, 7:58 pace. Total 2:25:59

So while today's workout didn't match the plan, I still think it was major money in the bank.