Redemption.

The Timberman Triathlon 2009 might go down as my favorite race - marathon, tri or otherwise Despite the iffy weather, Timberman didn't disappoint. Set in one of the most beautiful parts of the state - the Lakes region - the short course offered arguably the most scenic, but challenging race routes out there. A two-day festival drew thousands of people to swim, bike and run (either the Sprint or Ironman 70.3) or cheer for their favorite athletes. And this race wasn't just for amateurs - two-time Ironman World Champion, Chrissie Wellington was back to defend her Timberman title (and ostensibly prepare for Kona in October).

Best moment? Finishing the bike. I know I had a grin from ear-to-ear, and rightfully so; it's a challenging course and I'd given it my all.

But let me take a step back...

My mother, Petra and I drove up Friday afternoon to avoid the nightmarish Lakes traffic and to register (great idea)/rack my bike (needless). We arrived at the hotel in Tilton, checked in and then rushed out again to head up to Gunstock, where the Timberfest (note: not tri) was taking place. And although it was raining, there was quite a crowd. Registration was fast and painless - no long lines - and we happened to arrive in time to hear the newcomers' Q&A. There was a bit of concern about whether wetsuits were going to be legal (temp had reached 77 degrees), but since wetsuits had been allowed the last twelve years, it was highly unlikely they'd be banned. Water temp on race day: 75 degrees.

After registering, we visited the merchandise tent where I purchased a Timberman bike jersey and bought Petra a teddy bear. A woman dressed as a devil gave Petra a Timberbuck to spend at the general store (which we couldn't find) and a tattoo, which she sported proudly on race day.

After dodging rain drops between tents, we went to Ellacoya so I could rack my bike (recommended by race directors). I spread a tarp over it to protect it from the rain and spent about ten minutes vacillating over whether to leave it. I did.

We then headed to Patrick's Pub to meet other TriFury (my tri club) members for dinner. There were a few glitches - reservations were not allowed and a nearby concert filled the restaurant with pre-concert goers - so after hanging with club members for about an hour, we took our food to go.

I'm thankful I slept well Thursday night because I didn't get a wink Friday night. Call it anxiety over missing the wake-up call, pre-race jitters or just a foreign bed, I rested little.

4:00 - Wake up call. We were on the road 15 minutes later. Surprisingly, Petra woke up and stayed up until the ride home later that day.

4:50 - We arrived at Ellacoya State Park (a few miles from Gunstock) and made it in in time to get good parking (a huge concern). I set-up my transition in the dark (note to self: flashlight in gear bag...not a bad idea) and pulled the soaking tarp off my bike. Since we had to rack by number, there was absolutely no need to rack the night before; you couldn't better your position. Lesson learned.

(By the way, as I write this, I have the webcam up so I can watch the 70.3 start.)

7:00 sharp - The start of the swim. I was in the sixth wave so I had to wait approx. 30 min to get in the water. Oh, and here's the craziest thing about this tri. You could water walk the entire swim, it was that shallow. Even at the buoys, which seemed so far out, the water was only chest-deep. It didn't make the swim any easier, though. The Wave was big and didn't spread out as much as I'd thought it would. We were very tight and I kept getting bumped, pushed or grabbed. Not fun. But it was only 1/3 mile, so I dealt. After rounding the last buoy, I tried to stand too early and had to start swimming again, so I probably lost some time there.
Swim time: 12:13.

Coolest feature of the Timberman Tri? WETSUIT STRIPPERS. There was an area in the transition chute where you just flopped down and let someone rip your wetsuit off. It was quick and I was back to my transition area in no time.

T1: 2:34 (long chutes, big transition area made for (what felt like) a long transition.

7:45-ish - The bike. What can I say about the bike course, but wow. Breathtaking views, lots of challenging hills and plenty of company. This was a no-drafting race, but let me tell you, it was impossible to keep three bike lengths between any two bikes. There were so many people on the course. I did my share of passing, and of course got lapped by the serious athletes, but felt very good about my performance. People had mentioned the grueling hill at the turnaround (it was an out-and-back) but I was shocked by how hilly the course was overall. Still, I felt good and entered the finish chute with a smile.
Bike time: 56:55 (15.8 mph)

T2: 2:10 (I don't bike with socks so I tend to take a bit longer than others at T2 when I have to wear them for the run.)

8:45-ish - The final leg of the race was a blur. The out-and-back run course was wonderful. The street was blocked to traffic so the entire road was filled with runners. With triathletes on both sides of the road, I got to see many of my clubmates either finishing before me or following just behind. I had been told the run was 1.5 miles up and 1.5 down, so I was entirely prepared. I was conservative on the way up (hit the turnaround in about 15 min) and then let myself fly on the way back down. I felt like the run was over almost as quickly as it began. Don't get me wrong: it was grueling on the way up and I didn't get rid of the brick legs until well after the first mile, but I was still happy with my performance. I had a tri run PR with a pace of 8:49/mi.
Run time: 26:27

Total race time: 1:40:18 and I couldn't be happier.

For those considering Timberman - this is a very well-supported race and was a lot of fun for me and my family (can you say, Kids' Zone?). I can't wait for 2010 registration to open; I plan to be first in line.

Oh, and did I mention? Free margaritas to all finishers. Enough said.