There is no tri, only do...

This weekend Craig and I drove up to Tahoe for a less-than-24-hour trip so that I could compete in the Donner Lake Triathlon. This is a challenging, high-altitude (6,000ft) Olympic+ tri (the run is 6.5 miles) that is hands-down one of the most spectacular races. It begins with a beautiful swim in Donner Lake (water temp 68-degrees) followed by a 25+mi bike that starts with a 3-mile climb up over Donner pass. Luckily, going up is slower than going don and I was actually able to appreciate some of the amazing scenery. The last time I biked this pass was shortly after Craig and I met and we went to Tahoe for a climbing weekend. The bike is followed by a nice run around the lake – with some rolling hills at the end, just when you don’t need them. I had a great day and in going over the stats, my time was only 2 min longer than at Wildflower. My swim was actually better – even though it sure didn’t feel like it. I was gasping for air for the first 10 minutes!

Thanks to Craig, for being there to cheer me on and for taking care of Emma single-handedly while also snapping a few photos. Thanks to my friend Jen for the stuppa rock she gave me that said “Breathing in I am calm, Breathing out I am strong.” This became my mantra as I biked up the pass in the thin air. Thanks to my friend Chris for inviting us over to his place in Tahoe for a pre-race dinner.

Of course, while we were at Chris’s, a bear visited our campsite and helped himself to some of our food. Normally we never leave food out in the Sierras, but this time we didn’t think it through and left a box of food in the tent. The bear gingerly swiped open the nylon mesh of the tent window, leaving the rest of the tent intact, pulled the box out and rummaged around. He ate two nectarines and two hunks of cheese and slobbered on everything else. Eeeewww. When we came back to the carnage (which had happened only a few minutes prior) Craig took Emma off into the woods to pick up the scent. When he came back, Emma barked at me quite a bit (which she normally doesn’t do) and we think she was trying to warn me of danger. At least, that’s what we like to think. Luckily, the bear did not eat our breakfast or the food I had prepared to eat on the bike portion of my race! Emma turns out to be a great camp dog, so we look forward to more of that.

I should mention here briefly why I do this for those of you who are wondering. I love the experience of racing. When you arrive at a race, everyone is excited and nervous. My heart rate bumps up a bit and I get some adrenaline going, though I try to lose this before I get in the water so I can be calm while I’m competing. In triathlons, there is a fair amount of pre-race prep that has to happen. I put my bike in a rack and then lay out all my gear in the order that I will need it so that my transitions from one sport to another are very short. The three legs of the race are so different that it makes the whole experience seem more Odyssey-like. When I’m running, I can hardly believe that earlier in the day I was swimming. Tri racing is very suitable for project managers as there is a lot to keep track of to ensure that the race is finished successfully. Besides all the gear changes, nutrition and electrolyte management are also key to feeling good throughout the race. Another thing I like is how racing focuses my attention on time. Once the starting gun goes off, I feel like I’m sliding down a long, long slide. There is only one direction to move in – no big choices to make – just one stroke, one pedal, one step. I know I will be on the slide until I cross the finish line – so I have a front-row seat for the passing of 3+hours with little to focus on but form and breath. A lot like meditation…

(Added a little later in the day: I should also mention that while triathlon is ultimately an individual sport, I enjoy the camaraderie of both those I've been training with, but also those I meet on the course. Whether it's offering an extra gu to someone who lost hers or playing leap frog with someone on the downhill/uphill of the bike, there is a particular kind of kinship developed through racing. Just look at that picture of Jen Lies and I before we jumped in the water yesterday.)

Next up: Pacific Grove Tri on September 9 and my 3rd Alcatraz swim on September 15.