The IAC remained one of Animalia's biggest events, partially as it gave Animalians the opportunity to compete against each other in ways that provided for all the assorted adrenaline rushes that went along with sports. It was something that made the IAC Animalia's version of the Olympics, and with it being scheduled in odd years, it didn't conflict with the Olympics. This enabled the IAC to draw a lot of attention and interest from those that might otherwise follow the Olympics. To a great degree, this was something that Abby really loved, as it represented the ability to embrace a challenge that had really burned within her since she became an Animalian. She liked the thrill of the activity and the adrenaline rush that came along with hearing fans and friends root for her. And the Triathlon was her main event...
Of course, some things would be different this year. In previous years, while she and her friends had been in high school, they were often covering many of the IAC events for Animalia Ambassadoria. Now, though, as they'd grown up and were going through college and thus couldn't be in Lyre/Animalia as much, they often had other responsibilities. They helped from time to time with polls and interviews on any and all specific issues that arose that might effect Animalia or Animalians, but it wasn't the same level as before. About the only reason that Sophie and Roland had been picked to go and cover Mesozoic Enclave's opening was that the two Pterodactyl Dinotopians were competing in the flying competitions of the IAC, and it had been decided to move ALL the flying races and events to Mesozoic Enclave as part of that new colony city's opening. This then meant there were a few faces absent as Abby moved to the starting position for the triathlon.
"You'll do well!" JC called to Abby as she walked along from one section of the stands.
Abby paused to look up to the group that was there to watch the start of the race, spotting the two Microraptor Dinotopians sitting with Sophie and Roland's parents, Jessica, Roger, and their families. Sarah and Malice were there with their bond-mates as well. Then in the front there was Samson and her own parents, though for the moment, Samson stood out. He was wearing a white tee-shirt that looked like it had her likeness on the shirt's front in a weightlifter's pose. It was something, that even with Sophie and Roland presently in Colorado for the flying events, it did assure Abby that she did have fans, though, Samson wearing a shirt with her picture on it was rather amusing, and thankfully the likeness was tasteful.
"I'll do my best," Abby assured them and waived to her mate and her parents. She also noted Goldenrod, Hirshi, and Indy also being present as well.
But that was about all that Abby could really be confident in with this race. It wasn’t the same Animalians as from the first time she’d competed in the triathlon. She did spot one familiar competitor, Durga, who was stretching near the starting line, but that was about it. Many of the rest were either younger or new to the event, and a part of Abby’s mind also figured they’d had more time to train for the event. Though the one that ultimately approached her was Durga, and that made sense.
"How have things been going?" Durga asked as Abby approached, "It's been a while since I've been able to train with my workout buddy."
Abby found herself giving a small smile at that. As while Durga was competitive and very self-confident, she'd always wanted a challenge and a fair match as much as possible, and in that she actually helped Abby with her swimming techniques while training for the first IAC's triathlon. And at the time, that had been something that Abby worried over a bit, as while she knew horses could swim and swim fairly well, the nature of a horse's foot structure wouldn't make them super-fast swimmers, particularly when compared to animals that had broader feet. The single digit couldn't cup the water and the long narrow feet wouldn't easily handle the resistance that water could give. And Abby had been wrestling with that then, but Durga had actually helped retool her technique and relying more on her upper body strength, for as an Animalian, while her fingers were hooved, she did still have the five digits she had as a Human and thus could cup the water with her hands.
Durga's help had improved Abby's swim times, and which Abby in turn then provided Durga with help and training with regard to the running part of the race. For while Durga, as a Bengal Tiger Animalian might have better acceleration than Abby, she also lacked the stamina and raw speed that Abby had as a Horse Animalian. Durga would tire before Abby did if she tried to treat the running section as a sprint. Much of Abby's coaching was more limited to repetition, but she did have some ideas on pacing that Durga could use to improve her stride and even minimize what weaknesses she'd have in the running portion of the triathlon. And all of which played out in that first race. Durga led the swimming section and Abby lead the running section, and Abby finished just well enough in the biking section to win that race, and both she and Durga had forged a relatively good friendship in their training and practice together.
But since then, time had passed and both Abby and Durga had new challenges. Abby had her college career to look at presently, and while she still sported a very fit and athletic body, which fit any female Animalian, she might not be in as good of shape as she would have wished. Durga wasn't too far off, though her reason was different and a glance over to the stands gave Abby a good reason why. There, seated in front row was Shiva, Durga's mate. In lap were two Tiger cub Animalians, both a bit over a year old, Parvati and Kartikeya, who were born shortly before the Year of the Tiger competition the previous year. While Durga had made her best effort to stay in shape while going through her pregnancy, giving birth just before the competition started presented a different set of priorities, and while she did stay in shape, there was still their needs.
"Pretty good... college keeps me busy, and with some of the ag classes Samson and I have, I think they're more asking what we've learned from my parents or through trial and error here," Abby gave a chuckle, "it's limited me to how often I can work out... I manage. You?"
"Also busy," Durga gave a chuckle, "Parvati and Kartikeya have a different sleep schedule from Shiva and I... but they're strong and still worth it. I'm looking forward to seeing how well I do against so many new faces... and see if pregnancy didn't slow my step."
"I'm sure it hasn't," Abby answered, "and I'm sure you'll have happy cheerleaders."
"Heh," Durga chuckled and nodded, "as Elly Nozdrin had her family for happy cheerleaders."
Abby chuckled at that. To some degree, she was happy to see Elly succeed in Animalia, since she came as part of a student exchange program and then allowing that as a means to essentially defect, which ultimately her parents then followed as well, and the Nozdrins remained a tight family unit, which were all happy to cheer on Elly in the various throwing events that she competed in. Elly continued to do well and enjoyed some of the cheers, though from what Abby had heard, one of the signs that her mother had brought to cheer Elly on drew a lot of amused attention.
"Well, it was supportive and it's not like anyone can really complain about family support," Abby spoke.
Durga nodded as the announcement for the triathlon's start was ready. The two made their way up to the starting line with the others. They shook hands with a few of them and then took their spots to begin the race, and it would follow much the same route and schedule that the event always had. They started with a brief run to the man-made artificial lake before turning to the main running portion of the race. The last part would be to transition to the bicycling portion and would have them circle back toward the starting line where the main part of the crowd was seated. It was a standard part of the race, and to some degree, Abby enjoyed the race and the ability to be available to run in it.
The race between Durga and Abby seemed to go about the same as the first time they raced each other in the event. Durga had natural advantages over Abby when it came to swimming, and so, Abby expected that to be the case. Though she did note that Durga actually did a bit better than Abby expected. It wasn't as though Abby was truly struggling while Durga was doing quite well, and that gave her a stronger lead over Abby as the swimming part of the race and narrowly edging a Greyhound Animalian who was a new competitor in the race. Though, Abby did make things up when they got to the running portion of the race. The Greyhound Animalian did well in the running portion, but she was hampered more by shorter legs when compared to Abby and that let Abby catch up with her. Behind them and leading the group that had been behind Abby was Nelly as the Mule Animalian showed a determination to carry on.
The surprise for Abby, though, was that Durga's bigger lead in the swimming portion had enabled Durga to hold a slim lead by the time the running portion ended. Abby had largely caught up, but not by the margin she had in the first race. This time, Abby was sure that the reducing in time to practice while at college as a big part of things. Durga may have had to pause things while she'd been pregnant and may have had her schedule limited, it didn't entirely remove her ability to train. That left Abby a bit jealous, but she pushed on and readied herself as she came up to where the bikes were ready and waiting. Abby quickly mounted the Huffy Beastmaster bike that she'd gotten for the first IAC and was soon peddling along the route that would take her back to the finish line and where most of the crowd was watching. Abby peddled hard and was glad that the long hairs of her tail was in a bun and held by a rubber band and thus couldn't get caught in the gears.
As she came into the last turn, Abby was peddling hard and was in a dead heat with Durga and the Greyhound Animalian, who had caught up with them. She would have wanted to glance over to see where she was in the placement, but she had to keep her focus. She peddled hard, and she felt she was catching up, though any confirmation was up to those monitoring the tape and as Abby came to a stop there was an assorted silence over the crowd.
"Who won?" Abby asked to Durga.
"I think we tied," Durga said as she pointed up to the scoreboard, which showed the times and the lists.
The list was digital, but Abby could see her, Durga, and the Greyhound Animalian in the top three. But there was no time limit for either her or Durga at the moment and the Greyhound Animalian wasn't too far behind them. There was a flashing block next to both Abby and Durga's names. It was like they were trying to calculate things, and after a few seconds of watching, Abby noted that the times were posted and she and Durga finished with the same time, and only a few seconds faster than the Greyhound Animalian.
"We did tie," Abby said slowly as the other finisher's names were added and their times added in shortly after, "To a degree... I'm a bit surprised. That between the work I've had to put in at college and your pregnancy we would have lost a lot more... and in some ways I feel like I've lost a bit..."
"I did too," Durga nodded, "but I was still able to swim during my pregnancy and I did practice there... for as I told you... I was in the pool at the Claw Coliseum when I went into labor."
"That must have been part of what helped you even more in the swimming section," Abby surmised, "you didn't lose much, if at all, in that section."
Durga smiled, "Yes... and if you lost anything while at college... it wasn't much. You still did quite well and remain a worthy opponent."
"I wonder how they'll score this though," Abby commented.
"That doesn't matter," Durga shrugged.