Last weekend, on June 7, I kicked off my 2025 triathlon season with the Colorado Sprint Triathlon in Boulder. A “sprint” triathlon is one of the shortest, and this particular race consisted of an 800m swim, 17 mile bike, and a 3.1 mile run (just in case you are curious- not every sprint distance is exactly the same b/c they have to fit the course to the location of the race. The bike course at this Boulder race is a tad longer than most since there’s only 1 way in and out of the reservoir where we swim).

I like to do this race because it’s held at the perfect time; it’s a great race to get my feet wet (both literally and figuratively) and brush the cobwebs off my fast-twitch muscles. And this year, it feel 2 weeks before I go to Coeur d’Alene, ID for a half-Ironman, so the coach agreed it would be good preparation (even though the race distance is considerably shorter).

I will say this right off the bat: racing at altitude is HARD. Even when I live here, and especially for a sprint distance since it’s an all-out effort from the start. It’s especially hard to breathe in the swim when the water is cold, and you have a lot of people around you. I’ve actually had panic attacks in this very reservoir before- solely because I couldn’t breathe. Oh, and add in the fact that you’re wearing a full wetsuit, which can trick your brain into believing that you can’t breathe. Sounds like fun, doesn’t it?? 😆

Anyway, I made it through this swim leg without a panic attack. I took it out a little easier to give myself a chance to acclimate the chilly water (they said it was 65, but no way- I’d say more like 60-62). I felt strong, and by the time I was half way through, I was running over people who’d started 6 minutes ahead of me. That’s always a good sign. I was out of the water in 14 min. Solid.

After 5 minutes after I started on the bike, I felt the wind. I was really gusting, which isn’t unusual for that area of Boulder, and I knew my split wouldn’t be as fast as it could be without the wind. I settled in, and started passing a bunch of people. That got a little unnerving while we were on the highway because cars were continually passing, and they weren’t kind enough to slow down. But I’ve been racing long enough that I know how to be safe. I felt like we never had a tailwind, so I just kept my head down and pushed the power as much as I could. Everything went fine- no flat tires or other drama. After 53 minutes, I was back in T2 at the reservoir, ready to run.

All in all, it was a good day. I ended up 5th in my AG, and 46th out of 189 females who did the sprint distance. Not bad for a 53-year old. 😎 I also had the pleasure of sharing the course with several of my Cupcake Cartel teammates, which always makes the day a bit sweeter. 🧁

Now, the focus shifts to Coeur d’Alene. I’m so excited to see my 3 Canadian BFFs, and to race with 20 other Cupcakes. Triathlon has become so much more to me lately than just sport: it’s about the friendships, the journey and just appreciating the fact that my body can do this stuff. Make sure you follow my stories and IG/FB for updates and other goodies from CDA.

As always, thanks for reading and for being here.

Paige xo

P.S. Have your perimenopause symptoms taken over your life? Is nothing you used to do in the gym or in the kitchen working anymore? I hear you, and I’ve got you. Starting Monday, the FASTer Way is running a 5-day Summer Slimdown program. For just $20, you get access to:

✅ the FASTer Way app

✅ summer-energizing meal plan

✅ science-backed, fat-burning workouts

✅ bonus core circuits

✅ trainings from top trainers and wellness experts

Reply to this email if you have any questions, or click here to register! Hope to see you!