Like many women, I've spent most of my 39th year dreading turning 40. Every time I raced this season and the body markers innocently asked, "Age?" I reluctantly replied "40", even thought I'm thinking, "Not yet! I still have a few more months until I'm officially Over the Hill!". This weekend though, it actually paid off. Rev3 Triathlon had a BRILLIANT idea to offer a masters payout. I'm not sure what the rationale is, perhaps they traditionally have lower participation in the Master's ranks. Perhaps someone decided that those who have persevered for so many years in this sport, most of us older folks pushing our bodies until we inevitably injure ourselves, deserved to get a payout. I don't know, but whoever came up with the idea that there should be a payout for the Master's division is AWESOME! Despite going slightly off-course on the swim (the part where we swam directly into the sun and were blinded), dropping my chain after hitting potholes on the bike course (other than the one part with pot holes the course was good), and one of my slowest runs, including the race where I tore my calf, I still managed to place first in the Masters division (even though I was only a lucky 13th overall, although that did include a few pros).
If anyone reads this post, I highly recommend Rev3. Over Memorial weekend I also raced the Rev3 Rush on the Richmond International Raceway (think NASCAR) which was an absolute blast. It was a super sprint, only 250M swim (in a makeshift pool set up inside the racetrack), roughly 5 mile bike, DRAFT LEGAL criterium style around the racetrack, then just a mere 1.5 mile run (my kind of race :). One of the most fun races I've ever done, and I hope to do it again next year.
I also managed to earn the title of Langley AFB Athlete of the Year at this ripe old age. I'm not sure how much longer I'll be able to race like this, but thanks to Dara Torres I'm confident I can still continue to swim <almost> as fast as I did as a kid, and thanks to Jens Voigt and Chris Horner (and that fact that I only started cycling at 30) I believe I can still get faster on the bike. Oh, and let me not forget to mention a local favorite on my very own Bike Doctor team, Scott Giles, who continues to get faster and kick ass despite being 40+. And I'd be remiss not to mention one other source of my inspiration to continue pushing myself daily in training, Snapple National team member Hillary Cairns who also continues to kick butt even as she grows older (I swear she must have the regenerative powers of Wolverine).
So as 40 grows steadily closer, rather than dread the day, I say, Bring It On! I'm proud to join the ranks of my fellow athletes who are "Fit Over 40".
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