Melissa Davidson Wins Rigby Tri!

Team member Melissa Davidson slam dunks an early season Triathlon in Rigby - 1st place women’s category, 3rd place overall - nice work Melissa! Below is her race report:

It’s possible I have selective amnesia because every year I forget how f-ing cold the water is at good-old Rigby Lake. In case you didn’t know, there is a town called Rigby in Idaho (halfway between Rexburg and Idaho Falls). Perhaps known for its meat processing plant, Rigby is a tiny town with a fresh water lake dependent upon the level of the water table. But more obscure, there’s a triathlon held there every year on Saturday of Memorial Day weekend.

I dusted off my pointy, dorky aero helmet and put my sprint triathlon skills to the test. After a winter of swimming, cycling and running until I was literally blue in the face, I thought a little anaerobic test was in order. Especially since my big race, Ironman Boise 70.3, is coming at me faster than my first boyfriend at prom.

I’ve done the Rigby race at least a handful of times since its inception 6 years ago and always seem to forget that because it’s Memorial Day weekend it is either:

A.) Snowing

B.) Snowing/Raining

C.) Cold as balls or

D.) All of the Above

Nonetheless, I meandered my way down to the water and watched the men’s wave flap around like seals in their wetsuits in an attempt to ‘warm up’ in the frigid water. I refused to get in. The men were off. The ladies were already warming up and waiting for their turn. With the men’s 5-minute head start, I didn’t want to be in that water longer than I had to. But at the last minute I waded in. The gun went off. My face, hands and feet instantly froze - definitely the stuff hypothermic dreams are made of. I’d say low 40s for sure.

Now, this is where it pays to be a decent swimmer - you spend LESS time in the water. It’s a simple as that. Swim fast, get out! During the half-mile swim, I caught most of the men and posted the second fastest swim time overall. On to the bike.

I stripped off my wetsuit, piled on a million layers of clothes and spent what seemed like an eternity in the transition area as other less smart people took off in nothing but their skimpy one-piece tri suits. Eventually I exited the transition area with my better half screaming, “Where are your gloves?!” I forgot how fun it is to pedal a time trials bike in the aero position on a flat road. If my frozen hair could blow happily in the wind, it would have….

My transition from bike to run was less eventful. I stripped off some pants and decided to run in the layer underneath - my brand new Fitzy bike shorts. It wasn’t awful running a 5k in the soggy diaper but I definitely wouldn’t want to run a half marathon in them. I blew by a couple dudes on my way to the finish line yelling “eat my dust suckers.”

I ended up in 1^st place for women by 11 minutes. And was 3^rd overall - two men beat me. I guess I need to work on my biking skills so I can take it ALL next year. It’s a good thing I’m on a team now so I can start improving.

One final thought: Bring on Boise Biotches (BoBB)!!!!!

- Melissa