It Was a WET Wet Dog 2014

After the initial panic (over the thought that I wasn't really registered for this race) settled down and I found out I was indeed signed up, I was more than ready to get to the start line.

Race Morning

I woke up about 3:50.  I usually take a shower the day of races, but it was forecasted to rain all morning so I decided there was no point.  After "taking care of business", and eating my normal breakfast (Vanilla Protein Energizer powder in chocolate Almond milk with a banana), I got my car loaded up and headed out.  I got checked in (I still can't figure out why I can't find my confirmation or why I didn't get an email?) and got my transition set up.

I finally got up the courage to try starting with my shoes on my bike so I got them attached and rubber-banded in place.  I also had decided to not wear sock.  Since it was going to rain I didn't put any baby powder in my shoes because it wasn't going to help anyway!  A simple transition is the best transition.  It's not just for speed.  Imagine if you knew exactly where your keys were all the time (maybe you do, but I surely don't).  You wouldn't ever have to find them in order to leave.  Stress levels would stay down and efficiency would stay high (at least with regard to leaving the house!).  The less you have to think about what you are doing the better.

Then it was time to get in the water and warm up as best I could in the COLD air!!  (I think it was about 60*, completely overcast and sprinkling rain every now and then...and of course the ground was soaked.)  The water was totally opaque.  I couldn't even see feet of the person swimming in front of me.  I couldn't see my own hand a foot in front of my face.  And did I mention it was cold?!   I didn't swim more than a few strokes.  I didn't want to have any negative thoughts stuck in my head...I had decided I would just start out nice and slow and then hold stead or pick it up at the halfway mark so I would use the first 100 or so as my warm up.  Not to mention I was number 171 so it would be a while before I would start anyway.

Pre-race pep talk, prayer and the race started.

Swim

I don't know what happened, but when the guy said go, I WENT.  My "dive" into the water was less than pretty, but only because of my hands.  I was pushing the water instead of slicing the water.  But as soon as my face went in, I started swimming as if I was being chased by a shark!!!  I wish I could see the pace for the first 100...that had to be the fastest I've ever swam in my life.  When I realized I was almost at the turn around I got really out of breath and had to force myself to slow down/calm down and remember to just BREATHE.

According to my Garmin data, IF the distance was correct, I swam the first 200 in 3:00...and that was after I slowed down little.  And that's supposed to be meters!!  (I'm really thinking it was short, but I haven't heard anyone else say that.)

Once I got to the turn around though, I slowed WAY down.  I even breast stroked a few times to catch my breath.  The second 200 was 5:46.  Now, part of that was me getting out of the water, but even still...that was pretty slow for what I usually swim (it works out to about a 2:30 pace/100 yards).

This race includes the run from the water to bike transition in the swim time (because of placement of the timing mats) so the official swim time was 9:32, 6/23 in my age group.  Last year for comparison was 9:16.  Only :16 slower isn't bad.  In fact, it gives me a HUGE amount of hope for what will happen with my swim when my shoulder isn't bothering me!!

T1

I know it's silly, but I LOVE transitions.  I know people who say they don't care about transitions but I'm not as fast in the swim/bike/run part so transitions can usually make a difference in my race.  Not only that, it's something I do really well.  Last year I had a pretty fast T1 (:46, 1st in my age group and 5th for all women).   This year was faster....  :32!!!  I had the fastest T1 of all women, and I tied for 2nd with the men (1st was :31).  I'm proud of that.  Again...I know it's silly, but it feels like an accomplishment!!  :D

Like I said, I had my shoes attached so there wasn't anything to do except put on my helmet and sunglasses.  (I didn't wear them because of the sun, it was to keep the rain out of my eyes and to keep from getting hit by anything.)  I LOVED this...so simple and EASY.

Bike

I didn't have a "flying" mount.  I wasn't planning on it but even if I had I might not have done it because the roads were very wet.  Instead I mounted as usual and started riding.  I was able to get my wet feet in my rain-soaked shoes fairly easily, but the strap didn't want to get tight.  As I was fiddling with that I was passed by a small group of riders.  It slapped me back into the reality of the RACE I was in!

This course is a simple out and back with only a couple of turns and naturally one turn around (but it's WIDE).  I tried to push hard the whole time, but I know I held back a tiny bit because of the road conditions.  I didn't count but I'm confident I passed more people than the number who passed me.  

I had been practicing a flying dismount.  Coming back in I was able to get my feet out of my shoes fairly easily.  I don't take my leg behind me, I go over the top tube.  I've done it a handful of times in practice, and (thankfully) I haven't fallen.  However, in that moment, there were a lot of cyclist around me.  With the wet roads I didn't want the first time I did fall to take someone else down with me so I stopped and dismounted as usual and ran in.

I finished the bike in 28:00 (last year it was 26:23) which tied me for 4/23 in my age group.

T2

There are a lot of people in this race who wear tennis shoes.  Their T2 is so simple...they take their helmet off and go.  I had a little trouble getting my shoes on because they were full of water from the rain!  But other than that it was smooth as silk.  Bike up, helmet off, shoes on, grab my "stuff" and GO.  (I had a race belt, water bottle and a hat in case it was still raining; I didn't take the hat since it had stopped.)  :47-1st in my age group (last year was :54).

Run

After I got out on the run I put my number on and settled in.  My run hasn't been what I would like it to be, but I've gained 10 pounds since last year that I can't seem to get rid of (because I won't stop eating! :D) and I know that makes a HUGE difference.  My goals were to 1) not stop running for any reason and 2) to push as hard as I could on this day under these circumstances.

It had stopped raining and I was HOT.  I was so thankful I'm neurotic about carrying water with me because I was able to squirt myself several times to try to cool down.  You aren't going to hydrate your body in such a short distance, but having a dry mouth really gets me mentally so I squirted a little in my mouth every now and then too.

I knew I was running hard when I didn't want to talk to people at all.  I cheered for some people and I told pretty much everyone who passed me (and there were a lot of people who did) "great job" but I didn't care to talk.

My legs felt done.  But I have been working on what goes on in my head when my legs "feel" finished.  This run was about staying mentally strong...and I DID.  If I had been able to have this mental state with the body/running legs I had last year, I would have completely smoked that run.  I can honestly say I gave all I had to give, mentally and physically.  29:29 9/23 in my age group.

Overall

I had a little mental lapse on the swim but other than that, this was the strongest I've raced mentally in a long time (maybe ever?).  I didn't feel like I was doing battle the whole time.  I felt mentally solid, which is a new thing for me!!  :D  And, other than feeling "slow" (fatigued is probably a better word) my body felt pretty darn good overall.  My shoulder was passible on the swim...it hurt a bit on the bike and I was aware of it on the run, but it wasn't a limiter.

A note about my age group.   This race uses over 45 as the Master's group.  The top three master's women came from my age group.  So, really I was three down from where it looks like I was.  So, 8/26 overall, 9/26 in the swim, 7/26 on the bike and 12/26 on the run, with the first place in both transitions.

Next up, my post race analysis.

Until next time...
:D

Would I Be A Wet Dog in 2014?

People started talking about the weather for Wet Dog about a week before the race.  I did my best not to look.  I heard it was going to rain, but really, who cares?  I knew I was going to show up for the race and if it wasn't cancelled, I was going to do it.  That simple.

Well...not quite that simple.  Getting to the start line is generally speaking the REAL journey.

After my surgery in January, I wasn't sure if I'd be able to do this race or not.  It was only six months post procedure, but it's also "just" a sprint.  When I went to my last doctor visit I asked him if I would be able to do it and he told me "register for it and train"...he didn't say "YES, of course you'll be able to do that then." But I remember going home and looking at the Wet Dog registration and thinking I might need to wait until I could swim 400 again without stopping.  Then I saw a FaceBook post that RACE PIN was coming to Wet Dog!! (More on this later.)  And I remember registering right then.  I remember telling my husband what I had done and why (I HAVE TO GET THAT PIN!).

Then the training began...but it didn't happen like I expected it to.  I never swam as well as I wanted to.  My run wasn't coming back like I had hoped it would.  I wasn't pain free on the bike like I thought I would be.  And, I've been busier than I ever imagined.  This last week my shoulder was hurting so bad I started wondering if I could finish the race.  Not so coincidentally (since I believe in a God that cares about the details of our lives and one who interacts with us in ways that are meaningful to each individual), I had numerous conversations with various people about not being attached to an outcome in a race.  Just go and do what you can on that day and be happy that you are out on the course enjoying this sport you love.  Well...okay then...I got my brain ready to race as hard as I could (because that's what I ENJOY about this sport, the act of racing, even if I'm not super fast).

And yet I found myself slightly regretting that I had signed up.  Don't hate me for saying this, but there is an aspect of racing mentality that thinks, "what's the point of racing if you aren't in top form to race as hard as your body is capable of going?"

The day before the race there was a lot of talk of storms.  Again, even if it stormed that morning I was going to drive the 30 minutes to Decatur to get my packet and to wait for the official word about what would happen.  And, I was going to get the pin to remember this race.  Then people started talking about an email they got.

I didn't get an email.  

I looked at the website the race uses for online registration to "make sure" it was listed as one of my activities...it wasn't there.  I frantically started searching my email (all the accounts I have) for a confirmation.  Nothing (well, I found a confirmation for 2013, but that wasn't going to help me.  I started searching my various methods of payment for races.  Nothing.  But I just knew I had registered as soon as I found out about the Race Pin....

All of the angst I was feeling about racing (or not being able to race like I wanted to) vanished into sheer disappointment of not being able to do the event at all.  I had the chance to jump into a relay, but I didn't want to just bike...I wanted to TRI.  Within minutes I was reminding myself that I thank God for all the things that seem to go the way I think I want them to...I have to thank Him when things don't go the way I think they should as well.  I'm not going to say the disappointment completely vanished, but I can say I completely let it go and decided it would be fine no matter what.

The Tree

The Forrest

Maybe I was registered (I didn't see that as a possibility since I couldn't find any evidence of that).  If not, I would race on the relay.  And, maybe the race would be cancelled because of storms.  My shoulder had been feeling really bad all week, so maybe this was a blessing in disguise.  I know sometimes I can't see the blessings through the disappointment (the forrest for the trees).  And I will never see the really big picture from God's perspective.  But I do know that "all things work together for good" and I trust that God has a plan for my life.  That plan is less about what I DO than about who I AM.

"Bird's Eye View" From Above

Miraculously, I found out that day (from someone who went over early to pick up the packet) that I was in fact registered!  I'd like to say I kept the lesson I just learned and didn't get anxious about the race.  I can at least say I was less anxious.  In fact, I can probably honestly say I wasn't anxious, I was nervously excited.

Race report to follow...

Until next time...
:D

Let's Get Ready to RUMBLE!!!

Okay, not really, that saying is for boxing and wrestling.  I don't do that.  But I like the way it sounds!

I went back to the doctor last week and he released me to train!!!  I'm certainly not 100% yet.  I have technical "full range of motion" but not MY full range, and not what I need for a strong swim.  I also have to start back as if I am a new beginner.  However, he told me, "you are as good as you could even possibly be right now.  It is not possible for you to be any better."  I thought he was giving me a line...you know, comparing me to me (you can't be any better than you are because you aren't better than you are...); just making a play on words to make it sound positive and encouraging.  But then he added, "If you could see the patients I see, you would realize how far along you really are right now."  So, okay...I'll take it.  I did ask for, and receive an injection.  It hasn't been magic, but I believe it has helped a good bit.

Where I Am Now

I have been swimming a handful of times.  Tuesday I was able to "swim" for about 30 minutes, mostly doing drills with 350 front crawl yards interspersed throughout, mostly with fins but some without.  I was only able to swim 50 yards straights at most, but most intervals were 25 yard "laps".

I'm going back today.  The plan is to continue with drills being the bulk of the workout but I'll increase the yardage to 400 and my plan is to increase the number of 50y intervals as well.  I'll probably stick with the fins because it really takes pressure off the shoulder joint and allows me to move the arm much better.

I haven't been on my bike AT ALL since IMLT.  I've been teaching Spin 2-4 times a week for about six weeks.  I'm ready to see what happens on the road.  I'm not going to lie, I'm more than just a little nervous.  I do LOVE to ride my bike now, but 1) I haven't ridden in almost SEVEN MONTHS!!, and 2) I've seen way too many stories about people being hit by cars lately.  However, I refuse to live in fear of anything so I'm going to get my chain cleaned and greased and my tires pumped and get out there.  Maybe even today!

I been running about as much as I've been swimming.  The longest distance I've covered with walk/run intervals is 3.5 miles.  The longest distance I've run straight is just over 1 mile.  My shoulder does bother me when I run, but my legs are the biggest limiting factor right now.  There are muscles you use when you run, but you don't work them by running.  When those muscles aren't used or worked, they balk a little bit at being brought out early retirement!!  I've been thinking about those muscles for a couple of months, but I haven't done a lot to reignite them in preparation for a return to running.  So, that process will restart today!

Overall I'm pleased with how I feel when I run as far as my shoulder goes.

PT has been going VERY well.  I'm now working on aggressive strengthening and have been making progress every time I go.  Yesterday I did several new exercises and increased weight on some older ones.  It's the strangest feeling when I do hammer curls.  The right bicep tendon starts feeling fatigued and feels like the limiting factor for the move.  Because I don't have a tendon there in the left arm, I feel NOTHING on that side in that spot!!  STRANGE.

Overall, I am READY to get started.  The first race on the plan is Wet Dog on July 19 (or maybe Cotton Row 10K on Memorial Day-I haven't decided about that one yet).  I did fairly decent at this race last year, winning second in my age group.  My overall time was 1:04:something.  I would LOVE to beat that this year, but I'm fairly certain I was farther ahead of where I am now at this same time last year.  However, I was also actively fighting with a wonky shoulder.  My plan is to train hard and race hard and see what happens.

Until next time...

:D

Expectations Released

I've talked before about managing expectations.  I have had a habit of stating a goal for myself but then having an unspoken one hidden away in my mind that really controls me in races.  I may meet my stated goal but then beat myself up because I didn't hit the "real" target I was going for.  In the last year I have been working on letting go of those unstated markers of success.  In Saturday's Wet Dog Sprint Triathlon, I went one step father and let go of any expectations or goals and just simply gave all I had to give on that day for that event.

And, it turned out better than I would have even hoped it could.

Pre Race

I had three athletes participating in this race.  It was a first open water swim tri for one of them, a first ever triathlon for another, and the third was going for a PR.  Because I am training for Iron Man, this was not even a "C" race for me, it was just part of a training day and probably wouldn't have been on my plan if I hadn't already signed up for it and wanted to do it as bad as I did.  (I LOVE this race!)  I had a lot of stress leading up to race day (more on that in a bit) and I had not spent any time working on anything I had wanted to work on for myself (namely practicing getting on and off the bike with my shoes still attached to the pedals).

My main stress prior to race day was that my neck/shoulder pain is coming back.  Before the Medial Branch Ablation I had done back in May, my shoulder was the only thing that hurt.  The doctors kept saying it was a nerve issue originating in my neck but I didn't believe them until the diagnostic block worked and "proved" they were right.  After the initial pain from the procedure wore off I felt like a new person and started training with vigor.  However, in the last few weeks I've had increasing pain in my neck (something I didn't have before, but the doctors said I should have), and in my shoulder.  I've been more than a little worried about it.  I honestly didn't know if I should even try to do this race or not, but I decided if I couldn't do a sprint, I would certainly not be able to keep training for IMLT so I packed my bag the night before and set my alarm.

I woke up with a hive of butterflies in my stomach.  Not only for my own race but even more so for my athletes.  I checked and double checked my bag and hit the road.  I got to the race site and found my athlete who was about to complete her first tri and began trying to calm her down.  I thought she was strangely subdued until she told me she couldn't remember how old she was in order to tell the body markers!  We got to transition and set up, found my other athletes and did a walk through and warm up.

The walk through is something that I dearly love.  The act of going through the motions of what is about to happen calms me down more than anything else.  I get some mantras in place (usually "run, run, run, run"), and it allows me to visualize exactly what it will look like as I am running from the swim to T1 to find my bike and then from the bike to T2 and out to the run.  I think the run through is one of the main things I do on race morning that helps me with smooth transitions.

Second to that is the warm up swim.  I used to not do this, but I can't imagine not doing it now.  It allows me to get a feel for the water--it was incredibly muddy and warm this year!  It also helps me visualize the entry and exit.  As I was going through all these aspects with my athletes I was cementing in my mind all the things I needed to remember for myself.  Namely--let go of expectations you have for yourself.  Just have fun.  Remember you know how to swim, you know how to bike, you know how to run.  Stay calm.  Breathe.

Before we knew it, it was time to get lined up for the start. 

Swim

I signed up for this race before I was swimming again so I put a very slow swim time on my entry.  I ended up with a much higher number than any of my athletes.  That was a really good thing because I was able to see all of them enter into the water.  

The one I was most concerned about had never done a triathlon before and had only really learned to swim a few months ago.  She was so scared early on she wouldn't put her face in the water and wouldn't go into the deep end the first couple of times.  I seriously cried as I watched her swim out into that muddy water as if she had been doing it for years!!  At that moment I was able to let go of my worry about her and focus in on my race...just in time for me to hear "GO".  I raced into the water, dove in and started sprinting.

Holy moly...too fast.  But it was like I was on auto pilot and couldn't stop myself.  I was back far enough that I ran into one gal swimming on her back early on, and A LOT of breast strokers.  I was almost out to the turn around point (200m) before I told myself to slow down just a bit because I thought I might vomit!  Then it hit me, "I'm in a race...if I vomit-YAY!"  :D  I told myself I'd rather blow up and know I gave all I had than to slow down out of fear.  My shoulder only reminded me it was there once or twice.  I did listen to it, but as soon as it was okay again, I pushed.

I had told the newby to make sure she swam up as far as she could possibly go.  Too many people get to where they can feel the beach and then they try to run in the rest of the way.  But that will have them running in waste high water most of the time.  If you swim as far as you possibly can (by pulling your arm up by your body instead of trying to make a full swim stroke), you will be in mid-shin level, or at most lower knee high water.  This will allow you a much faster exit.  I was genuinely surprised to see people popping up out of the water with a good 20m to go to the beach.  I got in as close as I could and then jumped out....and seriously thought I would be sick.  Auto pilot kicked back on, "start running, take your goggles off, take your cap off, run/run/run..."

This race includes a good bit of transition in the swim time but I stopped my watch as soon as I finished swimming so I could see my actual swim time.  ((Watch time was 8:21; official race swim time 9:16, 6 out of 20 for my age group.))

T1

Last year I had very fast transitions.  As I was running to get my bike I was focused on what I needed to do as usual.  As I was heading out on my bike I was thinking, "that was quite possibly the longest transition I've ever had".  

I was wrong.

I will say I didn't practice this year other than one time at the transition clinic I gave...and I didn't do what I really wanted to do in this race (start with my shoes attached).  Even still...my T1 time was :46, good enough for first in my age group, tied for 5th for all women.  

Bike

I haven't been riding my tri bike this year.  Riding in aero seems to put a lot of pressure on my shoulder and does NOT feel good.  But, this was a race.  No way I was going to do this on my road bike.  Not only that it was only 9 miles.  Also, I just bought some new-to-me Zipp 404s that I was darn sure going to try out!

As I was running out of transition I was starting to beat myself up for not having my shoes attached....and then I had to remember the words I had spoken earlier--"let go of all that self talk and focus on the task at hand.  Not staying focused only robs you of energy".  So I hopped on my bike and heard Eric say, "ride it like you stole it"...and I was off, set to do just that.

Almost immediately there was a guy riding beside another rider, blocking.  Here's the thing, this is a very beginner-friendly triathlon.  This means there are a lot of participants who don't know the rules and don't have a clue that you can't ride alongside another athlete, but instead must pass them and get back over to the right.  So I started calling out, "PASS!!!  PASS!!!" which worked like a charm.  To which I quickly followed by, "On your left!!"

Now, let me be quick to say...I went in the water fairly far back (more than half way) and I have a fast bike so it stands to reason I would be passing people...but this is the first race I have not been passed on the bike by even one person.  Again, I started telling myself, "well, that's because you were so darn slow in the water" but, again, I reminded myself to let go of all of that and FOCUS!  I focused on keeping my upper body relaxed, breathing, and mainly on my pedal stroke.  All the things I talk about in Spin class played on a loop in my mind, keeping my mind and body in the racing state I wanted it to be in.

I realized my watch had not done what I set it to do, so I had no idea how fast I was going and no idea what mile I was on.  I kept telling myself it was NINE miles and that I should hammer it the whole time and give it all I had.  About that time I was coming up on a familiar racing kit.  I wasn't sure who it was but I knew I wanted to pass this girl whoever she was, so I called out, "on your left" and as I got around her I heard, "hey, you aren't supposed to pass me!" from a friend.  As soon as I realized who it was I knew I had to bring my A game the rest of the time because I did NOT want her to be able to pass me back...and I knew she could and she would if given the chance.

As I was headed back to the transition area, I saw another rider in front of me who I could tell was riding fairly slowly and I started to visualize passing her when a stinking stupid car pulled out in between us!!  He slowed way down to give her space, but she was going slower than I was so now I was blocked by a car I could not get around.  I had to put on my brakes and slow way down to keep from rear-ending him.  Thankfully, about 250 yards or so before the dismount line a cop stopped the car and I had enough room to go around it on the right.  Just as I was getting stopped, my friend pulled up beside me and hopped of her bike in front of me.  Darn!!  ((To be fair, I knew she would have me on the run because she is a MUCH faster runner than I am, but I was hoping to at least run out in front of her.))

My bike time ended up being 26:23 (a 21.2 average-my fastest average on any race ever...that bike and those wheels were a good investment!).  That time was good enough for 2nd in my age group.

T2

Again, as I headed into T2, I felt like I was running through mud.  I was fighting the upset over not taking my feet out of my shoes (especially since I had to slow down anyway for that stinking stupid car!), and fighting upset that I didn't practice like I should have.  It seemed like it took me forever to put on my socks (something I said I wasn't going to wear this year when I did this race last time, but when I tried it without them, there was a spot on the shoe that rubbed my foot so I decided socks were better than a blister).  I released all of that, took off my helmet, grabbed my race belt and water bottle and headed out....just in front of my friend.  T2 time was :54, good enough for 5th out of 20 in my age group.

Run

I have been doing longish bike rides followed by 20 minute runs.  Those runs have been at a faster pace than my usual stand alone run pace, and faster than my pace the previous two years doing this race.  I didn't know what this day would bring given the swim and power I tried to lay out on the bike...not to mention how my neck/shoulder had been feeling leading up to this race.  I took a deep breath and told myself to just run.

Since my watch wasn't cooperating, I didn't have any idea what my pace was and since this course isn't marked, there was no way for me to know how much farther I had to go.  All I knew was that I wanted to give my best.

I know I didn't run as fast as I could go because I was chatting it up a bit in the beginning...but when I caught myself, I pressed on the gas.  My friend passed me very early on.  My first thought was to attempt to keep her in sight, but I knew that would be a mistake because she is MUCH faster than I am (even on my very best day).  The one thing I really didn't want to do was to blow up.  I think if my mind got to me during this race at all, it was on the run.  I automatically tell myself I can't run "that fast" so I don't honestly know what I could have done if I wasn't scared of failure.  But, I can say that I did all I could do on that day in that frame of mind.

When I got close to the finish line I put on the gas and pushed in with what I had left.  ((Run time 27:37, 8:54 pace.  Not a 5K PR but certainly faster than any 5K in a triathlon!  This was a solid run which put me at 7/20 for my age group.))

Overall

So, take a look at that...6th on the swim and 7th on the run but still 2nd overall.  The bike and the transitions edged me out this time.  Funny story...I didn't have any idea when I finished "how" I had done in terms of time.  I couldn't remember what I had done it in last year and I wasn't able to look at my paces on my watch.  I was able to look at overall results, but not age group results so I didn't know where I stood.  Friends were asking how I felt about how I did and I told them for once I really felt good about a race, even without the benefit of comparisons.  (This is huge for me!)  So as I was looking at the age group times, trying to see how far off third place I might have been, I saw the 3rd place time was 1:05:??.  I thought, "Hey, wait a minute, something is wrong...I thought my time was 1:04:something."  Then it hit me and I looked at the 2nd place to see MY NAME!!!!!  I squealed with delight and then had to call my husband in tears to tell him the news!

By the way, this is about a 6 minute PR over last year...I'll take it! :D

(I will have to say, it didn't take me long to think, "well, maybe this year there was only about 5 people in my age group racing..."  ...some habits take longer than others to break!!)

After the race, I got to go ride my bike longer (not as long as my plan called for because there were some other issues that came up).  I know this was a sprint and I'm training for a race that is about 128 miles longer than this one, but this was a huge boost to my confidence level.  The fact that I am training for endurance and still did this well in a sprint distance is super.

FYI...from this moment it's roughly 59 days and 12 hours until the cannon will sound to begin my Iron Man...and right now I'm excited.  Not nervous.  That's really good thing.  I'm releasing expectations every day and the weight it's taking off my mind is palpable. 

Thanks for stopping in, come again soon!

:D

Tunnel Vision of Wet Dog

Wow...as I sit down to start writing up my race recap, I hardly know where to begin.  The truth is, that was a great race all things considered.  The other truth is I don't make a habit of considering all things, right?  I have good intentions of writing from the "all-things-considered" perspective, but please bear with me if I slip back into my usual tunnel vision perspective.

First of all...I haven't trained in almost FIVE full weeks.  I was "cleared" to train a week ago, but every time I tried to swim my right calf cramped up and my whole leg ended up hurting.  My training this past week consisted of teaching 3 Spinning classes (one of which was a good workout for me, the others were done very cautiously*), and running a total of almost 5 miles (but never more than 2 at one time). 

When Dr Olsen (P3 Chiropractic and SportsCare) and I were talking two weeks ago about whether I should take another recovery week or start working out again, he asked me if I felt I could do the Wet Dog Sprint tri without training leading up to it.  After a second's hesitation, I realized I actually could do it, and feel good both at the race and the next day, at my current level of fitness.  THAT was a GREAT feeling.  I've heard those people who say "I didn't train, I just came out to do the race" but I always thought they were either 1) lying, or 2) crazy.  Well, I'm not lying and ...well...crazy is a subjective assessment but I don't think I am so that has to count for something!


Because I've been coaching the Tri @ the Y group, I used this race as a classroom so to speak, and one of my athletes was going to be racing her first tri here, so I had something other than my own pre-race nerves to think about yesterday morning when I woke up.  I had packed up everything the night before so there wasn't much to do when I got up except eat a bit of breakfast and get to the race.

I can remember how nervous I was last year.  Thankfully I've gotten to where I'm not such a ball of nerves anymore!  I didn't know what I could expect having not trained for almost five weeks, but I was feeling pretty good overall.  I knew I could complete the race, and felt like I would actually do "well".

PRE RACE

Like I said, I was using this race as a teaching moment for my Tri group so I walked "my" athletes through my pre-race routine.  I showed them how I set up on race day and how I walk through the race logistics so I will know where everything is before the start.  I learned this last year...if you remember I started to run out the wrong way--I haven't made that mistake again!

I did make a new "mistake" this year.  (Not really a mistake, but I did something I haven't done before, and I didn't like it, so I've made a mental note not to do it again if I can help it.)  I put my bike on an end spot to where my left shoulder was by the end of the rack (instead of my right).  I don't know why this seemed so horribly OFF to me, but it honestly felt like trying to write with a broken arm--just plain awkward.  So, I've made a note-to-self, line up with my right shoulder to the end.  (Yes, this was a choice because I was the first on one this rack so I could have done it either way.)

Let me say, I LOVE local races.  There's really not enough time for me to talk to everyone I want to, but I love seeing so many people I know and catching up as much as I can with as many as I can.  A couple in my Y group made signs for both me and the first-timer...other than the marathon, I think that's the first time that's happened!!  I felt like a celebrity, even though really I'm sure they really wanted to make the sign for the first-timer and decided to make one for me so I didn't feel bad (and I'm SO glad they did!!!).  :D

I don't usually get in the water to warm up, but at Mach Tenn, Coach Eric told me to do it...and I KNOW warming up is a good thing, so this time I did it all one my own.  And...those first couple of strokes felt FANTASTIC.  I knew right then it was going to be a good swim!

SWIM

After a few, mostly unintelligible, words from the race director, people started lining up.  I have no idea what I put down as my projected swim finish time, but I was number 203.  An Athens-Sports-Hall-of-Fame friend of mine (seriously, I had to add that detail...how many Hall-of-Famers do you know??)...was a few numbers higher than that.  I "knew" there was no way I could swim as fast as her, let alone faster, so I elected to let her go first.  My goal at that point became to stay right on her feet the whole time.  ...long story short...that's EXACTLY WHAT I DID!! 

There were several times I could have even passed her, but I didn't want to get ahead of myself.  I felt very comfortable staying right with her.  I wasn't pushing, but I wasn't completely slacking either.  There's no way to tell what might have happened if I had gone around her, I may have lost confidence or pushed too hard and ended up dropping back or I might have cut a little bit of time off my swim.  Last year I met my goal of swimming the whole time in this race...this year I met my goal of staying with this person the whole time.  ***NOTE-TO-SELF...once again, I need to set higher goals.  Period.

Keep in mind, the mat to end the swim time is all the way across the street from the swim area, not at the swim finish.  So, even though the swim is only 400m, there is about .15 mile transition included in the time.  Last year my time was 12:22.  This year it was 10:24!!  (right at TWO MINUTES off)  I tied for 10th place out of 24 in my age group.  (Last year I was 12/24...so looks like pretty much everyone had a faster swim this year.)

T1

Okay...I had THE FASTEST T1 time in my age group and THIRD FASTEST out of all 155 females!!!  Smokin', even with the weirdness I felt about how my bike was racked.  What can I say...I can transition pretty darn fast.  I think the two women who beat me probably have their shoes attached to their bikes...that would have been the only thing I could have done to make it faster (other than racking the other direction which may have cost me half a second on T1).  (For comparison, last year it was 1:21 4/24 AG, this year... 52 seconds!)

BIKE

I have to say it...I think this is my fastest average per mile race speed so far.  (Mach Tenn average was 17.8.)  I did the nine miles in 28:12 which was an average pace of 18.8.  It didn't feel good.  It's a flat course and there was really no wind at all.  I feel like, based on what I had been doing in training before I got hurt, I "should have" been able to go faster for nine miles.  But, there were several times I looked down to see I was going over 20.  I passed several people, but also got passed by several.  I think all-in-all, it was a solid effort...one I hope to improve on.  It was good enough for 5/24 in my age group.  ((I'm going to say those other 4 have Tri bikes with racing wheels and then quickly remind myself it's not about the machine, it's about the engine.  Learning to bike faster on my road bike will only help me when I get a new machine!!)  (Last year:  35:24 18/24AG-yes, I stunk it up on the bike last year...maybe I was riding on flat tires?!)

T2

My T2 wasn't as fast as it could have been if I had the guts to run with out socks.  I keep saying I will practice, but I just haven't.  I don't want to take the chance to get blisters so I have only done it once.  Putting on socks just takes time.  Also...learning to dismount with my shoes still clipped would have saved some time.  Once again, this is a fear issue.  My time was 1:02, good enough to tie for 6th/24 in my age group.  (Last year was 1:11...and that included the time it took for me to try to run out the wrong way.)

RUN

Okay, I'm not going to belabor this section.  I am not happy with my run AT ALL.  I don't know why I couldn't seem to get it in gear, but I just didn't have my best run and that's all there is to it.  Last year I ran it with a 9:37 pace for a total time of 29:51.  This year it took me 30:31 to run the 5K (9:51 pace).  I'll write a longer post later about the run as well as my post-race recap....I have a lot more to say about it than I have time to write at this time!  I placed 15/24 in my age group in the run. 


Overall...ALL THINGS CONSIDERED, it's okay.  I'm so disappointed in my run it's hard to keep things in perspective, but, when I stop to think I cut off TEN minutes from my race time last year and came in the top 4th of my age group (6/24 overall...but since the first place gal was pulled for an overall award, really it was 5/23)....and this is after being injured and not training for 5 weeks.

It's better than okay...it's good.  I did well in this race overall.  There...I said it.  I did well and OVERALL I'm happy with what I did.  (No...that doesn't mean I'm happy with that stinking run, but that's another post!)

Thanks for stopping in, come again soon!
:D

Wet Dog-Good News, Bad News

I did my third tri Saturday....

The overall good news is:  I met my goal!!  The bad news is:  I didn't set a very ambitious goal!

The Swim

NOT a picture of this race....

I'll start with the bad news.  This race has an individual wave start.  Participants are supposed to line up in numerical order (numbers are based on the projected swim finish time you supply when registering for the race) and they send you into the river one at a time about every 5 seconds.  That part was good.  The bad part about this was I had NO IDEA what my swim time was going to be.  I THOUGHT wanted to be toward the back so I didn't get passed by too many people trying to swim over me and so there would be no pressure.  (Ha...no pressure for me in a race?  As if that's even possible!)  That left me waiting a LONG, LONG time to enter the water.  The race was supposed to start at 7, which didn't end up happening (it was more like 7:20-7:30 maybe).  I didn't go into the water until 8:20 according to my Timex data.  The worst part about starting so late - I had my pre-race banana at like 6:30.  (More on this in the bike section.) 

Racers did NOT line up numerically.  I think I could have gone in anytime I wanted to....but I was NERVOUS.  In Frank Maples (which was reverse order, so the swim was at the end) I did the back stroke the whole way (400 yards I think).  In Iron Girl I did the breast stroke the whole way (500 or so meters).   Starting as far back as I did meant I was with all the people who really couldn't swim (or were as nervous as I was!).

The good news about the swim??  First off I met the only goal I set, to swim freestyle the whole way and stay calm.  Other than a few "catch my breath and see where I'm at" breast strokes I DID IT!!  I made GREAT time (for ME) on the swim.   I didn't panic.  I remembered my training and used my arms more than my legs.  I sighted well (until my goggles fogged up a bit).  I'm very pleased with my swim.  Yes, it was slow, but I can get faster.  The most important thing is that I really SWAM, and I did feel like I could have kept swimming longer!  (I finished 12/24 in my age group.)

T1

The good news first.  My T1 time was 4/24 in my age group!

The bad news:  The finish mat for the swim was about maybe 300-400 meters away from the water's edge which was strange.  The only reason that makes sense is the fact there wasn't a good way to keep the participants away from a mat at the water's edge since the swim was an out and back.  Anyway...that meant some of the swim time should have been counted in T1 time, but not that big of a deal really.  

Bike

Not my bike...

The good news??  Uh.  Um.  Well....  I didn't wreck.  That's good.  I didn't fall over at dismount like I did at Iron Girl.  That's good too.

The bad news...I TANKED, I completely TANKED on the bike Saturday.  I thought it was my worst showing on the bike yet, but actually when I went back and looked, I did much worse in Iron Girl.  However, Saturday was 9 miles, Iron Girl was 18.  Saturday was pretty flat, Iron Girl was hilly.  I've been training HARD.  I'll talk more about what I think happened at the end but right now I'll say I just couldn't get my legs working.   I finished 18/24.
  

T2

The good news...I finished 5/24.  The bad news most likely would not have changed that ranking so I can't completely call it bad.  I was so disappointed about my showing on the bike I wasn't thinking.  When I racked my bike and changed shoes, I ran the wrong way (toward the bike route instead of the run route) and lost a few seconds.  However, the 4th place T2 time was 12 seconds faster and I don't think I lost that much time....although it would have moved me up at least one place in the total standings.  

Run

The shoe I wear, but not MY shoe...

The bad news is I had a HORRIBLE cramp/stitch under my right rib for the first mile and a half.  It slowed me down much more than I wanted.

However, the good news is I finished strong.  The last mile was the fastest and I could tell.  My average pace was 9:37 and I finished 13/24 which isn't horrible, considering half of it was slow. 

As usual I sprinted in full on at the end.  It was kind of funny.  To get to the finish you had to run straight down a road, make a right and then to the finish.  There was a girl who ran past me to the end of the road to the cheers of all her friends.  She thought she was done and stopped.  She was wearing head phones so she didn't hear everyone yelling at her to keep going....  I ran past her motioning for her to come on ...and EASILY beat her in the sprint to the finish.  When I looked at the pictures my husband took, she had been behind me all down the road and must have thought she was shooting past me at the end.  

I finished 15/24 in my age group.

Lessons Learned

First off...FOOD.  Yes, it's always an issue with me and I'm trying to get that down.  Long story short I didn't have enough calories the day before the race (net of about 350 total...I didn't realize this or I would have eaten more)....I only had a banana before the race but because it took me so long to get in the water, it ended up being almost 2 hours before the start.  And I didn't take a Gu until half way through the bike.  I think that might have been what contributed to my cramp/stitch.  That combined with the fact I only drank a few sips of water and a few sips of Nuun/water (maybe 8 ounces total, if that).  I really think lack of fuel is what caused my poor performance on the bike.  I think the Gu hit and allowed me to finish the run feeling strong.

So.... 1)  EAT MORE FOOD the day before.  MAKE SURE to get enough GOOD FOOD leading up to a race.  2) EAT first thing on the bike, even if I don't think I need it.  I know you can't catch up on fuel if you get behind.  I know it.  I've heard it over and over again.  But, this race was so short I didn't really think I would need fuel even though I had it on my bike just in case.  Combined with the lack of food the day before and the prolonged start time, I was racing on NOTHING.  3)  DRINK on the bike.  I don't know if this really affected me as much as it could have because it wasn't as hot as it could have been.  (The weather was as perfect as it could get in my opinion!!)  However, I know once you feel thirsty it's too late.

Overall I'm not displeased.  I'm pretty proud of my swim performance.  I timed the swim only and (if the distance is right) my pace was as fast as/faster than I go in training---in a pool, with rests between laps.  (Who knows if the distance is right??  I heard people saying it was actually longer than 400 yards, but if that's the case then I went even faster than I thought!)

Thanks for stopping in...come again soon!
:D