Several weeks ago a couple of the kids I'm coaching challenged me to a duel...okay what actually happened is this...
One of them was training for the Huntsville Sprint Tri, the other one was training for that race as well as the Kids Fly Tri (a local kids triathlon I direct). They asked me if I was going to do the Sprint. I explained that I wasn't going to do it because my personal opinion is that race should be "reserved" for beginner/novice triathletes. It sells out pretty much every year so if "seasoned" triathletes flock to it, that doesn't leave spots open for first-timers who are maybe on the fence about signing up. I also prefer long SLOW races over short (pedal-to-the-floor) sprint races. At each training session they kept saying "Coach Dana, you should 'slow down' and do that race with us." I explained that I wouldn't be "slowing down" to race "with them"...I would have to speed WAY up to be "with them". Along the way it seemed they were spending more time fishing than training so I agreed to race them. I told them they should easily beat me so I made a deal with them-if I beat them they had to wash their mom's car! For the record they didn't accept those terms, but I did sign up.
I started training harder for all things sprint-snake swimming in the pool, fast transitions (including putting speed laces in my shoes), and I even practiced faster turns on my bike (I usually slow down quite a bit in turns). I coach these things but it's been a LONG TIME since I've raced a sprint, and I've only ever done one pool triathlon (my very first).
I was NERVOUS leading up to the race. I can't remember a time when I RACED an actual person (two people in this case). I have mentally set my sites on people in races trying to pass them, or I used to find out who was racing in my age group and I would have a goal of doing better than someone who was about my speed but they never knew that was my goal! I figured I would do the swim in about 9:15-9:30 based on paces I had been swimming (I predicted 10:00 when I registered). I figured I'd ride about 17mph with little/no wind. The run was truly a toss up. Some days I can run well, some days I can't. I was thinking I'd end up with about a 10:45ish pace.
I was certain the boys would beat me on the swim-although they didn't seem to be swimming very well in terms of endurance. I was certain they would beat me in transitions because I was going to be riding with bike shoes whereas they would be in tennis shoes. They should have EASILY been able to beat me in the run, but they had not been running any distance so I wasn't sure what their endurance was going to look like. I was HIGHLY confident I would beat them on the bike because I have a fast bike, but I knew it wouldn't be enough to really make up for time I would lose on the swim and run --IF they put in time training, even just a little bit.
I picked up my packet on Friday and found out I was number 135 out of 400 (that seemed like a LOW number given my estimated time of 10:00 for a 400m swim). One of the boys was number 77 the other was like 153 or something like that. Interesting side note-the boy who was behind me put down 10:00 for his predicted swim finish time--that means A LOT of people predicted (guessed) 10:00.
RACE MORNING
I woke up super early race morning and debated back and forth about eating breakfast. I typically workout fasted and don't eat until about 11ish. I was estimating a finish time of about 1:10-1:15. I usually workout longer than that so I decided not to eat breakfast (I think that was a mistake). I had packed my bag the night before so I just puttered around the house until it was time to go. I got to the race and set up my stuff and talked to friends until the boys got there. They got set up and we walked through all the transitions (swim in, bike out, bike in, run out). Last minute potty break, and I got in the shower to get my hair wet (so it wouldn't soak up as much chlorine). We listened to the pre-race announcements and then got in line. As we got in line my stomach started to GROWL! I had brought a pre-race Gu so I choked it down without water and told myself I would be fine.
This race sends swimmers in two at a time about every 6 seconds. The line moved really fast. There was a little girl of about 9 behind me with a man I learned was her coach. She is a fast swimmer and had a very low number but held herself back so she could be on the road with him for the bike. We ended up going in the water together so I moved her closer to the lane rope to give her a better line.
I've been training for IM70.3 Memphis since April, but my swim has been SLOW. Like SUPER SLOW. And I've had a VERY hard time swimming without fins. I actually went last week to have my iron checked because I really seem to get very short of breath swimming more than biking or running. Last week I practiced 400s in the tri kit I intended to wear and shockingly my times were faster than they had been, but still very slow. 400y (swimming short course) is the longest continuous swim I've done without rests in probably a few years! (I only did that because of this race). All that to say I fully expected to be one of those people hanging on the end of the pool to catch my breath. Instead, I actually swam the whole thing with two tiny little stops (only because of congestion in the water), and I passed A LOT of people. I did get passed by several people...including the boy who started after me that I was racing!! As he passed, on the last like 25m, he said "hey Coach Dana!!".
I was JUST behind him coming out of the water. I ran to my spot, put my sunglasses on, helmet on-snap, and bike shoes on...grabbed by bike and ran to the mount line. I wish I could do a flying mount, but I've never even tried to learn how. I used to start with my shoes on my bike already but I decided not to try that this time-since it's been so long I figured I'd lose time fiddling with my shoes vs just climbing on. I didn't realize it at the time, but saw it in the boys' dad's video-153 FLEW out of transition and did the most beautiful flying mount to get ahead of me on the bike!! So I was a little shocked to see him about 1/2 mile in when I passed him. He was on a slower bike so I told him to catch me on the run as I raced to try to see if I could catch his brother.
The course kind of makes a big square of right hand turns, but there's one little section where you make a left, right, left, right then left again to go down the wrong side of the road...then you turn around, come back up on the wrong side of the road...then move over to the correct side again. As I was headed to the U turn I saw 77... I yelled out "I'm coming for you!!" and I cranked it even harder!!
Coming into that turn around I made sure there wasn't anyone behind me (some people will try to pass in turns even though it can be dangerous, but I also knew I was going to slow down to make that U turn)...it was clear. I started slowing about the time I heard the volunteer say "watch the hole"...about that time my tire apparently hit that hole and I was going down-pretty much directly onto my hip (good thing that's the most padded part of my body!)! A police officer ran over to make sure I was okay. I was up and checking my bike-it was fine...I quickly checked to see if I was bleeding-I was not, and then after a few people I had passed earlier passed me I got back on and took off knowing that was probably going to hurt later. I passed several people and played leap-frog with a few people...I kept telling people I was passing "I'll see you later when you pass me on the run!"
I came to the mount line and got stopped without incident, ran my bike in, racked my bike, helmet off, bike shoe off, bike shoe off...and proceeded to put my bike shoe BACK ON MY FOOT! LOL. This is why I preach "THINK about what you are going to do in transition before you get there!" My fastest transitions are always the ones I'm thinking about every move. I do NOT like my current running shoes. They are HARD to get on my feet. I bought new ones but since I had not been running in them I didn't want to start on race day. I got them on, grabbed my bib, my hat and a second Gu I had left in my hat and I took off.
The run is where the rubber really meets the road. Did I push too hard on the swim and bike? How will I hold up on the run with only 2 Gus worth of nutrition? (It had only been about 35 minutes at that point so I didn't feel like lack of fuel was going to be a factor.) I realized that if I could hold about a 10:00 pace I would come in a little over an hour...but almost immediately I "had to" walk.
I truly don't think lack of fuel was the issue. I found out today my iron is actually looking good. I discussed with my hematologist how I feel when I try to push (like I just can not get enough air and like I'm just gassed)...she really believes it's related to my low T4/high TSH (thyroid). If she is right the increase my thyroid doctor just made SHOULD have a good impact on my performance. 🙏🏼🤞🏼
I had talked to a guy earlier about the run...he LIED TO ME saying the greenway part would be in the shade...it was definitely NOT in the shade! But it was super nice to know I wasn't going to have to do two loops like the course used to be. It was also SUPER nice to be able to see 77 on his way back as I was on my way out...but he was looking STRONG. I "knew" there was no way I would catch him-I didn't. I saw 153 as I was on my way back (he was on the way out)...he looked like he was hurting (stomach/side cramps). I told him he was strong and he could catch me-he didn't.
I shifted my focus to the next person in front of me...I played leap frog with several people. One guy I passed on the bike was particularly memorable because he is a bigger guy wearing an orange tank top. As predicted, he passed me on the run (actually in transition because he was riding flat pedals and didn't have to change shoes in T2); he was just ahead of me at the turnaround. I laughed and said "see, I told you you'd pass me on the run!" He laughed as said something like "it won't stay that way" implying I would pass him eventually. I wasn't so sure, but I was trying.
I was playing leap frog with a 52 year old woman (age is on the left calf)...I couldn't see the number on her arm so I didn't know if I had started before or after her. In the last like 1/4-1/2 mile I passed her with orange shirt guy in my sites....about that time he turned around and jumped as if he had seen a bear chasing him...and he sped up accordingly!
I usually have a decent finish line kick. As hard as I pushed, I was certainly not feeling like I was really speeding up...and then I saw my honey pot at the finish line! I had seen him twice before (at the start and end of the bike course). Seeing him always gives me a boost...but it wasn't enough to pass orange shirt guy!
I finished in 1:07:32.
Swim: 9:08
T1 1:20
Bike 24:15
T2 1:10
Run 31:38
Good enough for 2nd in my age group (out of 17), only 1:19 behind a really fast Ironman athlete...I found out later she hadn't trained at all but I was super stoked to be so close in time to her! I was 27th out of 93 females and 74th out of 272. Interestingly enough in my age group I came in 3rd for the swim, 5th for the bike, and 4th for the run. I came in 1st in T1 and 4th in T2....it's incredible that I came in 2nd in the age group. (First place came in 4th in the swim, 3rd in the bike and 2nd in the run.)
Overall I feel VERY good about how well I did. I can see a few things I could (should) have done better...
I should have eaten breakfast (although I really don't think it made a big difference)
I should have paid closer attention at the turn around to have avoided the hole (although I felt like I was paying CLOSE attention so I don't know...)
I should have maybe run in my new shoes-or my old ones (although that might have saved a few seconds on my T2 time, it might have hurt my run)
The main thing I should have done... focused harder on embracing discomfort on the run...I talked to a lot of people on the run (not conversation, but cheered). I think I could maybe have pushed harder, but who knows.
Before IM70.3 Memphis I need to move my aero bar pads-they are new and they are too close together to be comfortable. It wasn't a big deal for this race, but for a 70.3 it will be annoying. I'm REALLY looking forward to Memphis! I have FIFTY-FOUR DAYS to keep training! It will be here before I know it!
