Katy is a member of Vanderbilt Triathlon Club, a group that I coach on a volunteer basis. It is a great way to give back to the sport and get some new people involved in the sport. Most participate on a recreational basis but every once in a while a very talented athlete comes along, like Katy Blakemore.
Katy got second to a young woman from Georgia at the Natchez Trace Triathlon. If you know Katy, she doesn't like to loose. But she was gracious and shook hands after the race.
After that race Katie became more motivated before. She had an excellent race at Collegiate Nationals, finishing 3rd in the Graduate Student Division and 15th overall. You can read about that race on a blog entry [link here.]
But there was still some unfinished business to attend to at Memphis in May Triathlon, if you know what I mean. In Katy's words:
Anyway- they decided to do college as a wave start which rocked
because then you know everyone started at the same time and you don't have to worry about beating someone across the finish line, but then actually losing to them. At the start I saw the girl who beat my at Natchez Trace and decided that I was going to avenge my loss.
Katy impresses me not only because she works hard on her conditioning, but she also strives to learn new techniques. Here she is about to enter Transition 2 with a rolling dismount, leaving shoes on the pedals.
She was first out of the water on the swim leg, and had something like a 5 minute advantage over the Georgia girl. We thought she had her rivalry settled, until things got competitive on the run. Again, in Katy's words:
Finally, with about 1/2 to go there is a small hill that we crest, I glimpsed behind me and she was the very next person. F!! Luckily, she looked tired. I just started busting.
Photo: Katy having to kick it in. Note Georgia Girl behind her.
I saw Steve and Susan with about 600 meters to go and this was how the conversation went (I've attributed Steve's thoughts to him- he didn't tell them to me, I'm just making them up)
Steve: Katy, I think you've got this cinched up, but that blond girl's behind you.
Katy (panting and whining and looking pathetic): She's gaining!
Steve (thinking): No shit- you were out of the water like 6 minutes ahead of her. Pull it together, Blakemore.
Katy (thinking): I'm going to be so pissed if I lead from the first
stroke of the swim and get passed at 6.1 miles into the run. Dangit. God
she is fast- oh running in front sucks. I want to be the chacer, not the rabbit. Crap. Okay, Katy, get it together, she's exhausted and you know you are going to win- just go. (Yakety Yak- don't talk back)
Steve: Go Katy!
Photo: Katy finishing strong and holding off a late charge to win the collegiate division.
I pulled it together and might have pulled away a little bit into the
finish. Yay!! My overall time was 2:15.42 which was about 11 minutes faster than nationals. Definitely a faster course, but I'm still proud.
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