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USAT Age Group Championships - Am I a faker?
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So.... I've been doing triathlons since 1992 (when I was just a pup), mostly casually. My times have never been impressive and I always land smack dab in the middle of the pack in whatever race I'm in. It is pretty fun, really.

But a strange - and I mean whacky strange - thing happened to me last month... I took the podium in my age group! First place! Granted, I was the only one in my age group (39 by 12/31/15). The only reason I raced it was because it was just 15 minutes from home. It was a good race for me and I felt great, but my performance would never strike anybody as particularly interesting. It was a USAT qualifying race for the Age Group Championships and I just got the invite to participate in Omaha NE. And probably the only reason I was the only one in my age group was because of this California drought and the severe lack of open water swimming venues - it was almost a duathalon, but we got a good storm in the week prior that made the race a GO.

Now, I have no dreams of ever winning anything, but dang! How fun would THAT triathlon be? And when would I ever get this opportunity again?? And I've never been to Omaha. Or Nebraska. Or National Championship anything. And they probably have very cool swag. What does THAT t-shirt look like?

So.... am I a fake out glommer if I sign up for this? I looked at last years results and I definitely wouldn't be LAST place, but certainly bottom 1/3rd. And I'll probably have the lamest bike of everybody (2002 Bianchi road bike with clamped on aero bars). I just feel like my "qualifying" is a fluke.

Hillary

Hillary Trout
San Luis Obispo, CA

Your trip is short. Make the most of it.
https://www.slogoing.net/
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Re: USAT Age Group Championships - Am I a faker? [htrout] [ In reply to ]
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Congratulations! Of course you should go! Have fun and then come back and tell us all about it :-)
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Re: USAT Age Group Championships - Am I a faker? [htrout] [ In reply to ]
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Go! You earned your spot, so enjoy.
Now, the woman I know who made nationals by drafting the entire bike course is a faker, but not you.
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Re: USAT Age Group Championships - Am I a faker? [happyscientist] [ In reply to ]
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Quote:
drafting the entire bike course is a faker, but not you.

Haha. If I tried that I would end up with a DNF because I'd be laying on the side of the road in a heap of bikes.

...so do you think I'll be taking somebody's spot? I'm thinking I'll do this.... hey, husband! Guess what!?!?

Hillary Trout
San Luis Obispo, CA

Your trip is short. Make the most of it.
https://www.slogoing.net/
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Re: USAT Age Group Championships - Am I a faker? [htrout] [ In reply to ]
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You aren't taking anyone's spot. If you had cheated another woman at the same race out of her AG win, that would be taking someone else's spot. This is yours. Fair and square. Get over you impostor syndrome and go have fun.
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Re: USAT Age Group Championships - Am I a faker? [htrout] [ In reply to ]
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You qualified to go. If you want to go, race. Take the opportunity and enjoy it. The race is a blast.
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Re: USAT Age Group Championships - Am I a faker? [htrout] [ In reply to ]
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Okay. I just signed up for it. I think this is the first time I've ever been nervous for a race!! Yikes!

...its been an expensive weekend for me! I just signed up for Wildflower as well. I've done Wildflower at least a dozen times (its in my backyard - the course literally zips past my family's house in Lockwood) so I'm excited. My firm sponsors the San Luis Obispo 1/2 marathon (which is the same day) so I was supposed to be doing that race (for free - to me at least), but I'm skipping out on that and doing Wildflower instead. Hope my boss doesn't mind... :-p

Gotta say, I love having so many amazing events in my backyard, but sometimes it is hard to pick which ones to do!

Thanks to everybody for chiming in. I've just never done anything so pro! Woot!

Hillary Trout
San Luis Obispo, CA

Your trip is short. Make the most of it.
https://www.slogoing.net/
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Re: USAT Age Group Championships - Am I a faker? [htrout] [ In reply to ]
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Glad to read you signed up - and NO WAY you are a faker. Take it for the opportunity it is. :-)

AP

------------------------
"How bad could it be?" - SimpleS
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Re: USAT Age Group Championships - Am I a faker? [htrout] [ In reply to ]
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Glad you signed up. You earned your spot by showing up and racing - now go and have fun.
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Re: USAT Age Group Championships - Am I a faker? [htrout] [ In reply to ]
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Congrats! No faker at all, and glad to read that you've signed up. Enjoy the experience!
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Re: USAT Age Group Championships - Am I a faker? [htrout] [ In reply to ]
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Late to the replies, but agree with everyone else. Also came here to say Omaha is a hidden gem of a city. As a visitor, their Old Market area is a FANTASTIC place to eat, grab a drink, shop, etc. If you're into bargain shopping, there is a great outlet mall in Gretna about 20 min south of the city. In the past few years, I've been to Omaha quite a bit for work and am constantly really, really pleasantly surprised.
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Re: USAT Age Group Championships - Am I a faker? [htrout] [ In reply to ]
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Go!!!! I went out to Milwaukee in 2013 and 2014 and it was just so amazing!!! I earned my qualifications both years at local races and had no hope of getting a whiff of the women on the podium but OMFG how cool it is to line up with all the studs and be treated like an athlete. I was going to go to Omaha, but some life stuff came up this year. I really really hope Omaha is a blast and you tell us all about it!!!! Do it!!!!!! P.S. they give great swag at Nationals!!!

Patti

Patti in NJ
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Re: USAT Age Group Championships - Am I a faker? [htrout] [ In reply to ]
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Good on you!

I know the imposter feeling - I got a slot for Ironman 70.3 WC at Mooloolabah in Sept this year courtesy of tri club slots and having the patience to sit through roll down to the bitter end.

No way I was going to qualify at that race on that day with underdone training so you should have seen the happy dance:-)

I'm under no illusions about how I'm going to stack up but I'm going to enjoy the day, the atmosphere and wear the teeshirt with pride. You can only race whoever turns up on the day and take the rewards when they present themselves.
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Re: USAT Age Group Championships - Am I a faker? [htrout] [ In reply to ]
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These comments have been awesome. And so helpful. Thank you to everybody!!

I'm so excited about this now. I'm a "quiet" triathlete in that I don't tell anybody (except super supportive hubby) about my races... most people have no clue that I do anything to do with triathlons. It has been so tempting to tell people about going to Omaha. I haven't even told my mum yet and she's the one who helped me sign up for my first race when I was 14 - she even lied about my age because the minimum age was 17. That is so NOT my mom. She was actually mad that they had an age limit. My mom does NOT exercise ever. I don't know if she's ever even sweat before. She's just a 5'2" 100lb proper pretty little lady who finally agreed to help me sign up for a local race. One of my mom's friend's husband let me use his bike - size 62!! I'm 5'8". I had never even ridden a road bike before race day. I looked like a goon and stood most of the bike because the seat was so high. And I had no clue what those levers were on the down tube so I never even shifted. Those levers were intimidating. Even though it was a totally awful race for me I was so hooked. And here I am 25 years later. Wow. I just can't believe it. I should tell my mum.

I love the sport and how every race is so different and how even doing the same races year after year are such different experiences. :-)

Cheers!

Hillary Trout
San Luis Obispo, CA

Your trip is short. Make the most of it.
https://www.slogoing.net/
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Re: USAT Age Group Championships - Am I a faker? [htrout] [ In reply to ]
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good for you! if it helps i actually won an IM and i think i was 54 that year. my time was 12 hours coming to 13 so you KNOW it wasn't a "real" win but i did get 1st place and prizes and interview, etc. it helped there were only 4 women in the field. :) so you OWN your race and have a great one!

http://harvestmoon6.blogspot.com
https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/katasmit


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Re: USAT Age Group Championships - Am I a faker? [htrout] [ In reply to ]
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You earned your spot, so go. The least you'll get out of it is a great experience and a chance to make some new friends. You never know, you may end up qualifying.
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Re: USAT Age Group Championships - Am I a faker? [htrout] [ In reply to ]
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Congrats!!! I once got first place in a Challenge IM distance Aquabike event. I was the only one in my AG and I still stayed with my family for the award ceremony brunch the next day. I also have a bunch of friends who "qualified" for 70.3 World Champs in Australia this year just because the slots rolled down into the 30s and 40s in their age group because it's too expensive a trip for most people. Are they the best in the world? No. But, they sure are pretty excited about going!

You can't control who else signs up for a race. And, you shouldn't let the fact that nobody else did it ruin your feelings of accomplishment for doing it yourself.

You went. You raced. You finished. Be proud. Congrats!
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Re: USAT Age Group Championships - Am I a faker? [htrout] [ In reply to ]
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You are not a faker...Congrats on the podium!! And I'm so glad you signed up! I'll see you there!! :-)

I went to Milwaukee in 2014 and felt like I didn't belong there with all the uber athletes. But I did. We do. You do! It was SUCH an incredible experience! By far, the largest transition area I have ever seen. I raced the Oly on Saturday and volunteered for the Sprint on Sunday. Can't wait to do it all again this August in Omaha.

Happy Training!
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Re: USAT Age Group Championships - Am I a faker? [htrout] [ In reply to ]
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Go to the Championship and represent! You have nothing to lose and will likely have great fun, so why not?

DFL > DNF > DNS
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Re: USAT Age Group Championships - Am I a faker? [htrout] [ In reply to ]
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Fastest on race day is what counts!! Go get 'em!
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Re: USAT Age Group Championships - Am I a faker? [htrout] [ In reply to ]
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The main forum can be full of bragging jerks and crappy advice but I've also learned some great bits of advice from there.

Someone tried to pull the "If Chrissie had raced, Mirinda wouldn't have won."

Someone else responded: "You race who shows up, not who doesn't."

You raced and just because no one else showed up that doesn't diminish what you accomplished. We all know the hardest part is starting :-)

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Jen

"In order to keep a true perspective on one's importance, everyone should have a dog that worships him and a cat that will ignore him." - Dereke Bruce
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Re: USAT Age Group Championships - Am I a faker? [htrout] [ In reply to ]
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These responses are awesome. You all have been awesome and I've loved reading everybody's responses. I'm so excited to be going (but you all are really the only ones that I've told!).

I met a nice couple in the middle of the wilderness in Utah who are also going. It was the Garmin 920xt they we were all wearing that gave it away - instant conversation starter (plus, I still had faded body marking from doing Wildflower two days earlier). I hope I spot them at the race. I'll be the one with the ghetto tri gear from the 90s (except for the Garmin). :-)

Oh, and Wildflower was awesome - HOT! My age group was the second to last wave so I was running at 12:30. Got top 10 in my age group (#9). I was stoked!

Rock on!

Hillary Trout
San Luis Obispo, CA

Your trip is short. Make the most of it.
https://www.slogoing.net/
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Re: USAT Age Group Championships - Am I a faker? [blackthugcat] [ In reply to ]
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I have enjoyed this thread because I also am feeling odd about claiming a spot to Mooloolaba, Australia at St George 70.3 a couple weeks ago. It was a miserable race for me, my worst bike time ever, I was so cold I almost quit twice until a kind volunteer gave me her cotton hoodie sweat jacket! My overall time was also my slowest time ever. I got the spot because the roll down went on and on and I was 30th in my age group. My husband was so excited for me he encouraged me to take the spot and we are going! But I do have this weird imposter feeling like I did not really earn it and won't belong! It was a good lesson in not giving up as athletes and pros were dropping out at all the aid stations due to the cold. Had I quit this amazing opportunity would not have happened.
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Re: USAT Age Group Championships - Am I a faker? [Adelaide67] [ In reply to ]
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Congratulations! Are you making a holiday out of it too? We'll expect to hear all the details in due course!
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Re: USAT Age Group Championships - Am I a faker? [Scheherazade] [ In reply to ]
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Yes! We are going for 3 weeks, hope to see some of Australia!
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