Okay, so it's been years since I blogged. I have been writing race reports after every major race for years, but they're typically for me and Nick, my coach, only. I realize that I have things to share that others may be interested in, so here is an abbreviated version of my full race report for the world to read (gulp!!).
I wrote this about 4 days after Ironman Cabo - March 17. I glad I waited a few days, as my emotions were different every 6 hours. Here's my race breakdown.
Why Cabo?
Tyson and I decided to sign up for IM Cabo before we signed up and raced IM Louisville in August of 2012. During the Louisville run, I swore off ironman distance racing. I felt quite a bit of pressure to qualify for Kona during that race, and after losing my Kona slot by 22 seconds, I was a bit overwhelmed and confused about why I was racing.
Fast forward 7 months to Cabo. We arrived on Thursday late afternoon. This race was quite a logistical challenge. Race HQ in one location, the swim start/T1 in another location, T2/the finish in another location, tri transport in another location, the pre-race dinner in another location and awards in yet another location. And, it seemed that most racers didn't have a car. The main road through town is heavy with traffic and riding around on your bike in Mexico isn't the best idea. Other than this, I have to say the race production was perfect. Race day support was wonderful. The local people were very supportive of the race and inquisitive of the athletes and the disciplines. The promoter did a great job with the course, the food/water support, and all other aspects. Everyone I asked had a great experience.
The swim beach start was difficult, and there were many concerns with the hills, the wind and the heat on the bike course. I heard several age group elite athletes refer to the bike course as harder than Kona. And their times confirmed it...
Pre-race
I didn't come to this race feeling prepared. The winter weather and dark winter mornings (and my wimpy behavior related to it) kept me from getting on the bike as often as I should have for an ironman. I came here feeling fairly run and swim prepared, although I had an unknown knee injury that snuck up the month prior that kept me from running for a couple of weeks. But, I felt that my run fitness was there. Ragnar Ultra, a couple half marathons and some trail running did me right.
We went to the pre-race dinner on Friday night at a beach club literally a couple blocks from our hotel. Very well done with dinner, mexican dance entertainment. The food was great - lots of salad toppings, dried seeds. Yum. We sat with Joszef and Erika (who ended up being 3rd male and female winner, respectively). And the event promoter announced that there were only 1333 participants in the race - this is half a regular IM. Wow! This was going to be exciting.
We pre-swam the starting swim area the day before the race. Water was smooth, and it seemed like a pretty basic ocean swim.
Tattoo race numbers were available for 100 pesos and in hindsight I wish we had done the tats. They looked cool :) My nerves were raging Thurs-Fri after I found out there would likely be 4 slots in my AG. I calmed down a bit on Saturday once we started checking in and getting things prepped.
I have a no meat policy 24 hours prior to race morning. The less "stuff" in my intestines the day prior, the better. This has treated me well and I plan to keep this policy up. We had a kitchen in our place, as is my preference when I travel to a race. This worked out well.
Bike/Bag checkin on Saturday
Due to no parking and only being able to fit one bike in our car at a time, bike checkin was a bit of a hassle. Tyson dropped me and my bike off and went back for his bike, as I waited for him. The T1 area was gorgeous. Sunrise view, and a short walk to swim start. Numbers were assigned based on your registration date, so Tyson and I were 321 and 322, which was pretty cool. The downside is you couldn't tell what age group people were in by their race number, and by the end of the day, most race ages had worn off people's legs. We left our bikes and bike transition bags in their spot, and the red run bags were left by our bikes and (hopefully!) picked up later and delivered to T2.
Race Morning
On race morning, we got up at 4:15 am, and met two other couples in the hotel lobby to cab to the race start together. Perfectly uneventful race morning.... I was pretty calm. Got there, checked tire pressure, game on.
The Swim Start
We stood on the beach and watched the crowd gather for the beach start. I took gels 45 and 15 minutes before start time. The water was a bit choppy, and the beached crowd seemed a bit overwhelming, but I had a strange confidence. Gun goes off and it's a race to the water line. Little did I realize this was going to be a fight for life. I get into the water, and arms and feet are flailing all around me. As soon as we hit the deep water, a huge wave comes in and pushes the entire group back to shore! OMG! Get back out there.... I couldn't put my head in due to feet ahead of me, and I couldn't get a stroke in. I stopped to regain my composure, only to be popped in the head by hands behind me. Then we get wapped by a second wave! I'm doggie paddling in place trying not to get slammed by others. After drinking a gallon of water, I hear the paddleboard person asking if anyone needs help, and I almost raise my hand. I take in more salt water and decide I can fight through it. At this point, I'm just trying to keep my head above water. I turn around to backstroke for a few strokes, and my foot hits a guy in the head - he pulls up to look at me and I am so embarrassed by the backstroke that I turn around and tell myself this is not acceptable.
The crowd spreads out a little more and I try to put my head into the water again, but I can't breathe. I'm hyperventilating. What is going on?! I try again to just relax. Breathe. Teri, breathe. Relax. Forget about going under 1:15, lets just try to survive this. By now, we are 2 buoys in, or 400m. I literally don't know if I'm going to make it any further. I have lost a good 5-10 minutes. Somehow, I push on.
I struggle through until the turn. I couldn't put my head into the water for more than one stroke. After the turn, it was still crowded. I swam out away from the buoys until I got some space. Imagine doubling the number of participants??! Okay, Teri, two strokes between breaths... Okay three strokes... Finally! I was 1500m in, and finally able to stretch out a stroke. At this point, any time under 1:30 will be a miracle. I kept thinking about how the swimmers who started in the front made out on this one. If you don't have to deal with all the mess, you're fine! Why didn't I get up there in the front of the line? I am sure I swam too far out from the buoys, but I was all alone and I was happy. Okay, now do what you know. Long lengths, catch water, twist your torso, full strokes. Repeat. Frank will be proud... I look up every 10-15 strokes. The swells are large enough that I can't always see where I am. I always take in water on the swim, so in an ocean swim (which I have only done once - at Kona), I take in a bit of salt too - so I didn't need to worry about salt tabs or eating salt on the bike. I am covered!! This was my positive spin on the situation :)
At the turn home, I'm feeling okay. Stretching out. Go, go. After a long while, I look up and see the transition area. A guy tries to run me over, and he bumps my watch and I think he hit the lap button, sending my watch into T1 mode. I look down and see my time - 1:14 with at least 5 minutes to go. Oh well. Here I am. I push through to the end. Out of the water, stumble, stand up, look at watch. 1:22. Thank God!
1:23.02 official swim time
585th OA
120th female
T1
Up the steps and into transition. They gave us bags of water that you bite into to open. I wasn't sure if the water was drinkable, so i used it to rinse off the salt water. Grab my transition bag, into the tent, sit down. A gal helps me strip my wetsuit. Shoes, helmet, bars into pockets, sunglasses, and I'm off. It was a long transition due to the run up the steps and through the sand.
4:03 - official T1 time
Bike
I had preset my bike into the small ring, as we would be heading uphill from the start, and on a rocky surface. Okay, Teri, game face. I have no idea at this point if everyone had a bad swim, or if its just me. But the swim is over, it's bike go time.
This is the part of the race where I determined in advance that I would relax. My coach Nick and I decided I should hover in the 147-152 HR range. I hadn't been able to get my HR up on my long rides, and I'd had power meter issues, so I wasn't using power for the race. Right out of the gate, my HR was up in the high 160s. I know that this is fine for the first few miles as I settle in. I get out onto the main stretch of road between San Jose and San Lucas - this stretch is about 15 miles of good road - rolling hills, but a great stretch. I settle in, but my HR is still in the mid 160s. I'm passing people all over the place, but I feel like I'm holding back. This course is 2 big loops, so I am scoping out the road for the next loop. I take in some water to get the salt taste out. Impossible! I eat my first gel, and try to be methodical about taking in 100 calories every 20-30 minutes. I train well with food and I know what my body needs. I drank pretty regularly, and had to use the bathroom 3-4 times during the bike. I would moderate my water based on my need to go to the bathroom. I went through only 3 Nuun tabs on the ride. Less than usual but I could tell I didn't need it.
We turn around in San Lucas, and at about this time, I had my first teary moment. I love this race. I love the sport. I love riding my bike. I love that I have the ability to do this. I love that Tyson and I do it together. I love it. All of it. I have debated giving it up, as the lifestyle is demanding. But I love it. And I'm good at it! Why would I remove moments like this from my life?
The route then includes 20 miles back to San Juan, and 12 miles up the airport toll road which has been closed off to all traffic. Gorgeous brand new road. Again, my HR is still in the low 160s, but I'm comfortable so I let it go. When I say 12 miles up, I mean it. UP hill. I keep asking myself how I'm going to feel in 60 miles when I'm right here again. I always do a check-in: "okay, you're at mile 35, you've got about 75 more. How does that feel?" If I feel good about 75 more miles, I keep up the pace. If I start to feel overwhelmed By the thought of the remaining distance, I pull back a little and rest. I kept it in check, despite riding at a higher HR than my plan.
The fans were amazing on this course. They lined the street between San Jose and San Lucas. The few days prior to the race, there were lots of questions from locals about Ironman. How impressive we are to race, how much training did we do, how much does a bike cost, etc. We made lots of friends in these conversations. The community is very excited about supporting the race.
The airport road included some pretty serious climbing, and it turns out we had the wind at our back on the ride to the airport, up the hills, then wind in your face riding back into town, and what a chore. I note that these hills are going to be tough on the second lap. I was a bit nervous, as the airport road back would be the last 12 miles of the course.
I kept going back and forth with a gal in my age group in brown bike shorts. I initially caught her around mile 30, and she would blow by me and be gone for 10 miles, then I'd catch her again and she would disappear behind me for 30 minutes. This went on until around mile 90, and then I never saw her again. I kept passing gals in my AG in the later stages of the bike. And they all looked like strong runners. More and more of them. I couldn't believe how many strong gals are out here in my AG. They put run fear in me for sure.... I was sizing them all up for run power.
The last stretch into the wind down from the airport was brutal. Wind from the side was blowing riders all over the place. I tucked in and was so happy to be riding my Rolf race wheels. I felt pity for all those racers with discs. I passed people leaning sideways into the wind like they were standing still. Post-race, there was much talk about how difficult the bike course was. No one could pre-ride the stretch to the airport (no bikes allowed), and it took everyone by surprise. The wind, the heat (which never bothered me), the hills. It was crazy. Looks like over 6800 in total climbing. I made a point out of pushing downhill and taking it easy uphill, yet still passing people the entire time. I definitely could have gone harder, but the ironman race is won on the run, and I know this. I wanted to go under 3:40 on the run, so holding back made sense. I had conversations with several guys on the course about how slow our times were going to be, and it was definitely a theme. I really held back the last 5 miles.... I was pulling at my pedals rather than pushing, trying to save my run legs.
Bike time: 5:49.28
222nd OA
38th female
T2
Off the bike, grab my run bag, into change tent, change shoes, and off. T2 was a fast one. There was only one other gal in transition with me.
1:57 - official T2 time
Run
At the start of the run, I looked at my overall time. 7:20. My goal at this stage was under 7 hours, and to be able to pull out a race PR (10:47 is my current PR from Canada in 2011). I was in the exact same spot in Kona in 2011... 7:20 off the bike. At 7:20, I need a 3:40 marathon to break 11 hours. And, I wanted to get in a Boston qualifying marathon in my ironman so I would have the option of racing Boston in 2014 without running a individual marathon. This goal was also 3:40. Awesome, I thought. 3:40 will meet 2 personal goals of mine, so lets go get it.
I felt great immediately off the bike. My first 2 miles were around 7:30 pace. I knew an 8:00 pace would get me a 3:30, and an 8:15 would get me around 3:35. I try not to look at my Garmin off the bike because I prefer to go off feel when I'm feeling good. I am unsure if running hard in the first couple of miles harms me, but I felt great and I went with it. Then that thing that always happens set in: I felt like hell from about mile 3-9. I had 3 cups of soda and a half banana around mile 8 and it pepped me up. This intake hurt my stomach a bit, but the boost was worth it. My average pace was down below 8:25 by now and my Boston/11 hour IM goal was crushed.
There are many turnarounds and areas where you can see the field before and behind you on this course. This helped me realize I would hold my place, but I think it also made me lazy. I passed several gals, and was only passed by one girl in my age group, and another at the finish line who looked younger than me. One of the struggles I have on the run is that I feel like I'm pushing as hard as possible but it's more of a mental struggle to keep going than a physical struggle. Often, I'll drop my arms and pick up the cadence and feel great for a couple miles. Then I fall into a slog again, and the cycle happens all over. I struggle pushing it hard for the distance required. In the IM races I've completed, I find that my run is more successful when there are fewer loops or less of an opportunity to survey the field. I'm better on an out and back than I am in a multi loop or a serpentine type of race. I also prefer some terrain... When I have to conquer hills, or mix up the terrain, I perform better. Interesting.
The middle lap (of 3) is better. I am settling in, and the miles are going by more quickly. I saw Tyson for the first time on my second lap, and he was in such great spirits that it helped. I remember when I hit mile 13- thank God. The next 5-8 flew by, and next thing you know, I'm on the last lap. I slap the hands of the kids at the finish line/lap turnaround area. Tearing up. The beach road stretch on the last lap felt good. When I ran by the Specialized bike store, pumping out a Katy Perry mix, I teared up. "Here I am, having a pretty good race on a really hard day - passing people on the run, and I am almost done! I LOVE THIS RACE!" I thought. I teared up and it impacted my ability to breathe for a couple of minutes. Get it together! I love those moments. This is why I race. It feels right.
I stopped to use the bathroom around mile 22, and I realized I should have stopped sooner rather than holding it. A bit later, I went across the bridge over to a back and forth section of the run course and wondered if I was going to make it without walking. This is the part of the run race where I want to walk more than any other time. I am under 3 miles from the finish, and I am losing it. I walk a few steps.... And a guy runs up beside me and says "we are less thank 2 miles out. You can't walk now." I know he's right. I walk a few more steps anyway. I pick it up and run again, and in about 3 minutes, I run up to him, walking. "We are now 1.5 miles from the finish. You can't walk now!" I say. He keeps walking. I don't see him again until an hour or so after the race when he comes up to me and thanks me for the motivation. He has no idea that he was my motivation in the last couple of miles. This is one of the things I love about ironman, and why I always talk to people during the race. I get motivation from the strangest places, and I always hope I can spread it around as well. I got passed at the finish line by a gal in a younger age group, but I held my own pretty well.
Run time: 3:47:36
Final time: 11:06.06
29th female
143rd OA
Post race
I didn't even consider that I could have placed in my AG when I crossed the line. My swim was slow, and my OA time was slow. As I sat waiting for a massage, I chatted with a few others only to find out that everyone was sizing up the course as the toughest one they'd done, even related to Kona. The gal next to me was an hour off her expected time of 10 hours. I got to my phone maybe an hour later to find out from Nick that I ended up 3rd in my AG. We were told pre-race that there would be 4 slots in my AG. Wow, really? This made me pretty confident, and perhaps overly confident, in getting a Kona slot.
At the Kona slot meeting at 4pm next afternoon, I found out that another gal was moved into my AG ahead of me, and that there were only 2 slots to be given, so I was not going to get it. Then, in the roll down meeting, my AG ended up with another slot, going to the gal they moved over ahead of me. Not meant to be......
Learnings
1-I could have pushed the bike more in the last 20 miles, and I should have. I don't believe it would have had any impact on my run. Frankly, I think I could have taken 10-15 minutes off my bike time before it hurt me. I am best on hilly courses.
2-I need mental work on my run. I was capable of more, but my mental stamina on the run wears down before my physical stamina. I know this because I was not sore on Monday after the race. I should have been.
3-I need more open water swimming, to improve my sighting. I need open water racing to improve my early race calmness.
4-I am an efficient at the transition.
5-I rode at a higher heart rate than I thought I could manage, and my general bike fitness pulled me through. I think that training in the winter kept my HR lower, and that racing in the warmer climate brought my HR up. I have a good understanding for what feels "right" for my body in a race, and I should go with it.
6-I need to study the first few miles of my body during an ironman run a bit more - I tend to be quite a bit faster off the bike for the first 2-4 miles. Does this hurt my run? Is it okay? I need more research in this area.
What now? Debating. Do I race another IM in 2013 to try again for the coveted Kona slot while my fitness is high? Do I take a break and focus on shorter local races? Do I sign up for a 70.3 race or 2 and try to qualify for 70.3 Worlds? Undecided at this time. I know this.... I love ironman. I had so much fun in this race. It's ridiculous.
Friday, March 29, 2013
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Boston Marathon 2011: 3:22!!
Wow, I am running the Boston Marathon! Really! I kept repeating this yesterday and all weekend, really. I also kept telling myself how shocking my time was going to be to me and others after I passed the 19 mile mark and did a finish time calculation for the first time.
3:22:52.
And with little distance training, and no long endurance bike training to give me a solid base since my bike accident February 21, I wasn't really expecting much. I really hadn't ridden long or run consistently since IM training last fall. My expectation was to race a 3:40. My qualifying time was 3:26 in San Francisco last summer when I was riding and running a LOT. I've basically done nothing since IMAZ.
I'm psyched. I re-realized today that I am, in fact, a runner. It's in my blood. It's in my genes. It's in my head. I have the confidence and the pain tolerance to push through. I actually think I'm probably a marathoner, and I could be a half marathoner with more short training. It feels good! I'm excited! It's interesting to get to the point of acceptance on things like this. I don't realize things very easily... I have to prove and reprove and reprove to believe in something. I'm pretty tough on myself.
Here's my race report:
I prepped myself over the last month for the fact that I would have a difficult race. I haven't biked or swam in over 2 months. I've run 2-3 times a week, including a few longer runs since IMAZ: 1x12 miles, 2x18 miles, 1xhalf marathon race. I knew I was coming into this wrong. I resigned myself to enjoy the Boston experience. And I was pretty okay with it, I mean what else are you going to do? I was hoping to do well enough to qualify again for 2012 to come back and race for real.
I took a 3 hour guided bus tour of the site the day before the race... It was good to understand the towns, the hills, and the general course. Good move. We had a crazy 1970s runner guy as our tour guide. Classic Boston guy... The thick accent was silly! He kept telling stories of "back in 1986" and "today they let anyone run this race for charity and I disagree with it." He was remarkably unrefined and quite perfect for the tour.
The night before, I wrote out splits by mile, based on an 8 minute mile average, varying by elevation changes on the course (see chart). I did this so my parents could find me on the course with text trackers. My expectations: 00:24 5k, 00:49 10k, 1:14 15k, 1:36:30 20k, 1:43 half, 2:03 25k, 2:27 30k, 2:54 35k, 3:20 40k, 3:33 finish.
I had a nice pasta dish and got to bed a little later than I wanted (around 10:30). I tried to prep appropriately for the race, deciding to wear long sleeves and shorts. I woke up at 5am, kinda tired, but excited. I grabbed a bagel and some hot cocoa from Dunkin Donuts and met Erica at 6:00 to meet up with the Banditos group from Scottsdale and catch the bus to the race start. It was abnormally windy, and about 45 degrees, but clear like Phoenix. Not too bad, especially compared to all the stories I kept hearing about BM weather.
We waited until race start...Erica started at 10am, and I started at 10:20. I was in the second wave (of three) and then in corral two (of eight). Erica was a lifesaver for me regarding prepping me for the race. She brought me a raft so i didn't have to to sit on the cold ground at the athlete staging area in Hopkinton. She brought HUGE 55 gallon trash bags to wear to keep wind out. She warned me about going out too hard. She was a nice calming voice leading up to race time, and I thank her for that.
The race start was interesting... I heard from several people that I need to chill at the beginning of the race (downhill for 6+ miles). Stay in your long training heart rate zone, says my Coach, Nick. It was difficult to have all the people passing me during the first 5-7 miles. And they did... It didn't feel good - I felt sluggish and it took my race ego down. But I kept reminding myself that I'm here for the experience, not to break any records. My calves hurt within the first mile. This pain stayed with me the entire race that I blame on the half marathon race I did last Sunday with no recovery runs this week. I knew better.
Erica warned me that the first 16 miles were downhill. Others said first 6. I decided to follow Nick's race HR plan... It has worked before and I trust him.
So I ran the first 7 miles at between 150-160 (it should have been 144-154, but I couldn't help it). I hurt more those early miles than I wanted to admit to myself. I then picked up to 170 on a hill (around 7.5). My 5k time was 30 seconds slow (24:28) 10k was exactly on target (48:52), 15k was 1:12 (1:14 target), 20k was 1:35:37 (1:36:30 target). Once I picked up the pace, I started to feel better. It was crazy. I had a tough time staying right at 170. I would look down and be at 175, or look down and be at 167. I had to micro manage my HR monitor constantly. I couldn't get into a steady HR for anything! Honestly, the monitoring of my HR kept me busy and distracted. I didn't pay much attention to pace or to time, as these things are irrelevant in the first half of a marathon.
By the half marathon spot, I was nervous about keeping the HR up, as I was fatigued. But I knew I could push to keep my 170 HR, based on experience and talks with Nick. What pace 170 meant was another question! I felt good... I was passing people all over the place and I kept hearing people say to each other "how do they make it look so easy" and "wow, she looks good" or to me "nice stride!". It was encouraging and I needed it! The miles flew by...
The fans were remarkable. I must have slapped hands with 250 people throughout the race... Mostly kids. I would raise my hands and cheer back at groups cheering for me. Passing the Wellsley campus and all those screaming girls was crazy! I spent most of the day smiling. What an amazing experience. All the volunteers, all the cute cities, all the cow bells! Wow!
Half split was 1:40:37 (1:43 target), 25k was 1:59:08 (2:03 target). Here's where the splits really start disparaging: 30k was 2:23:42 (2:27:30 target), 35k was 2:48:06 (2:54 target), 40k was 3:12:03 (3:20 target), finish was 3:22:52 (3:33 target).
I wore my pink Sally Meyerhoff bracelet: "Be Relentlessly Positive." I looked down at the bracelet many times during the race. I never had the chance to meet Sally... I really haven't existed in Phoenix running circles and only knew of her. However, her untimely death has had quite an impact on me, and I think about her and what I've learned about and from her regularly.
I saw my parents during the 24th mile... My mom was jumping up and down in the road trying to get my attention and it was so very nice to see them there with their friends Frances and Jerry. This was definitely a highlight.
The smiles turned into tears at the point when I realized that I could finish under 3:30. Keep it together, Teri. Then, with 3 miles left, I realized it was possible to maybe beat my San Francisco qualifying time of 3:26. Then, with 2 to go, maybe I can go under 3:25, and even better! I was ecstatic.
What a day...
Got to Boston
3:22:52.
And with little distance training, and no long endurance bike training to give me a solid base since my bike accident February 21, I wasn't really expecting much. I really hadn't ridden long or run consistently since IM training last fall. My expectation was to race a 3:40. My qualifying time was 3:26 in San Francisco last summer when I was riding and running a LOT. I've basically done nothing since IMAZ.
I'm psyched. I re-realized today that I am, in fact, a runner. It's in my blood. It's in my genes. It's in my head. I have the confidence and the pain tolerance to push through. I actually think I'm probably a marathoner, and I could be a half marathoner with more short training. It feels good! I'm excited! It's interesting to get to the point of acceptance on things like this. I don't realize things very easily... I have to prove and reprove and reprove to believe in something. I'm pretty tough on myself.
Here's my race report:
I prepped myself over the last month for the fact that I would have a difficult race. I haven't biked or swam in over 2 months. I've run 2-3 times a week, including a few longer runs since IMAZ: 1x12 miles, 2x18 miles, 1xhalf marathon race. I knew I was coming into this wrong. I resigned myself to enjoy the Boston experience. And I was pretty okay with it, I mean what else are you going to do? I was hoping to do well enough to qualify again for 2012 to come back and race for real.
I took a 3 hour guided bus tour of the site the day before the race... It was good to understand the towns, the hills, and the general course. Good move. We had a crazy 1970s runner guy as our tour guide. Classic Boston guy... The thick accent was silly! He kept telling stories of "back in 1986" and "today they let anyone run this race for charity and I disagree with it." He was remarkably unrefined and quite perfect for the tour.
The night before, I wrote out splits by mile, based on an 8 minute mile average, varying by elevation changes on the course (see chart). I did this so my parents could find me on the course with text trackers. My expectations: 00:24 5k, 00:49 10k, 1:14 15k, 1:36:30 20k, 1:43 half, 2:03 25k, 2:27 30k, 2:54 35k, 3:20 40k, 3:33 finish.
I had a nice pasta dish and got to bed a little later than I wanted (around 10:30). I tried to prep appropriately for the race, deciding to wear long sleeves and shorts. I woke up at 5am, kinda tired, but excited. I grabbed a bagel and some hot cocoa from Dunkin Donuts and met Erica at 6:00 to meet up with the Banditos group from Scottsdale and catch the bus to the race start. It was abnormally windy, and about 45 degrees, but clear like Phoenix. Not too bad, especially compared to all the stories I kept hearing about BM weather.
We waited until race start...Erica started at 10am, and I started at 10:20. I was in the second wave (of three) and then in corral two (of eight). Erica was a lifesaver for me regarding prepping me for the race. She brought me a raft so i didn't have to to sit on the cold ground at the athlete staging area in Hopkinton. She brought HUGE 55 gallon trash bags to wear to keep wind out. She warned me about going out too hard. She was a nice calming voice leading up to race time, and I thank her for that.
The race start was interesting... I heard from several people that I need to chill at the beginning of the race (downhill for 6+ miles). Stay in your long training heart rate zone, says my Coach, Nick. It was difficult to have all the people passing me during the first 5-7 miles. And they did... It didn't feel good - I felt sluggish and it took my race ego down. But I kept reminding myself that I'm here for the experience, not to break any records. My calves hurt within the first mile. This pain stayed with me the entire race that I blame on the half marathon race I did last Sunday with no recovery runs this week. I knew better.
Erica warned me that the first 16 miles were downhill. Others said first 6. I decided to follow Nick's race HR plan... It has worked before and I trust him.
So I ran the first 7 miles at between 150-160 (it should have been 144-154, but I couldn't help it). I hurt more those early miles than I wanted to admit to myself. I then picked up to 170 on a hill (around 7.5). My 5k time was 30 seconds slow (24:28) 10k was exactly on target (48:52), 15k was 1:12 (1:14 target), 20k was 1:35:37 (1:36:30 target). Once I picked up the pace, I started to feel better. It was crazy. I had a tough time staying right at 170. I would look down and be at 175, or look down and be at 167. I had to micro manage my HR monitor constantly. I couldn't get into a steady HR for anything! Honestly, the monitoring of my HR kept me busy and distracted. I didn't pay much attention to pace or to time, as these things are irrelevant in the first half of a marathon.
By the half marathon spot, I was nervous about keeping the HR up, as I was fatigued. But I knew I could push to keep my 170 HR, based on experience and talks with Nick. What pace 170 meant was another question! I felt good... I was passing people all over the place and I kept hearing people say to each other "how do they make it look so easy" and "wow, she looks good" or to me "nice stride!". It was encouraging and I needed it! The miles flew by...
The fans were remarkable. I must have slapped hands with 250 people throughout the race... Mostly kids. I would raise my hands and cheer back at groups cheering for me. Passing the Wellsley campus and all those screaming girls was crazy! I spent most of the day smiling. What an amazing experience. All the volunteers, all the cute cities, all the cow bells! Wow!
Half split was 1:40:37 (1:43 target), 25k was 1:59:08 (2:03 target). Here's where the splits really start disparaging: 30k was 2:23:42 (2:27:30 target), 35k was 2:48:06 (2:54 target), 40k was 3:12:03 (3:20 target), finish was 3:22:52 (3:33 target).
I wore my pink Sally Meyerhoff bracelet: "Be Relentlessly Positive." I looked down at the bracelet many times during the race. I never had the chance to meet Sally... I really haven't existed in Phoenix running circles and only knew of her. However, her untimely death has had quite an impact on me, and I think about her and what I've learned about and from her regularly.
I saw my parents during the 24th mile... My mom was jumping up and down in the road trying to get my attention and it was so very nice to see them there with their friends Frances and Jerry. This was definitely a highlight.
The smiles turned into tears at the point when I realized that I could finish under 3:30. Keep it together, Teri. Then, with 3 miles left, I realized it was possible to maybe beat my San Francisco qualifying time of 3:26. Then, with 2 to go, maybe I can go under 3:25, and even better! I was ecstatic.
What a day...
Got to Boston
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Running
Its been too long...
I broke my arm 6 weeks ago yesterday, and its been a long journey. I know the break has been good for me. My body feels recovered, I've lost a little weight, and I'm ready to hop back in the saddle.
This past weekend, I participated in my first ever triathlon relay - the Marquee Half Iron - and with two amazing women: Karleen Dirmantas and Robin Watson. Although the race that we were prepared for was changed to a duathlon the morning of the race, we had great motivation and a great experience.
I was the runner for the half marathon distance. And while I would normally feel excited and prepared, I felt nervous and anxious. I broke my arm six weeks ago and have not yet recovered nor been training up to my potential. However, my team inspired me to be better and to be more, because I wasn't just racing for me... I was racing for them.
The first lap of two was comfortable. The time flew by... The second lap required me to push harder, and push into a high heartrate zone, per Nick. I pulled through and ran a 1:37, faster than I expected given my lack of training.
Racing with Karleen and Robin was a treat. We have big plans... To beat our coach at the same distance race at SOMA in October. We need a 4:20 :) Bring it on!!!
Next up - Boston Marathon next Monday. I'm excited to experience and pay homage to the famous Boston race. Wish me luck!
I broke my arm 6 weeks ago yesterday, and its been a long journey. I know the break has been good for me. My body feels recovered, I've lost a little weight, and I'm ready to hop back in the saddle.
This past weekend, I participated in my first ever triathlon relay - the Marquee Half Iron - and with two amazing women: Karleen Dirmantas and Robin Watson. Although the race that we were prepared for was changed to a duathlon the morning of the race, we had great motivation and a great experience.
I was the runner for the half marathon distance. And while I would normally feel excited and prepared, I felt nervous and anxious. I broke my arm six weeks ago and have not yet recovered nor been training up to my potential. However, my team inspired me to be better and to be more, because I wasn't just racing for me... I was racing for them.
The first lap of two was comfortable. The time flew by... The second lap required me to push harder, and push into a high heartrate zone, per Nick. I pulled through and ran a 1:37, faster than I expected given my lack of training.
Racing with Karleen and Robin was a treat. We have big plans... To beat our coach at the same distance race at SOMA in October. We need a 4:20 :) Bring it on!!!
Next up - Boston Marathon next Monday. I'm excited to experience and pay homage to the famous Boston race. Wish me luck!
Sunday, March 6, 2011
My sweet broken arm: 2 weeks later
I broke my arm 2 weeks ago. Dumb fall off my bike avoiding a car. Distal ulna fracture. Basically, cracked both bones in my left arm, just below my wrist. Surgery two days later added a plate and screws to my bone and bam, I'm healed!
When the cast came off after one week, I found a foreign hand attached to my arm. It made me nauseous.
Now, 5 days post-cast, it seems like I'll never be normal again. It feels like it's been months. Like I'm done riding and running forever. I'm adjusting to a new life.
Yes, I realize that I will heal... That I will run again (likely within a week or so), and that I will race the Boston Marathon in 5 weeks, and that I will compete in Ironman Canada in August.
But, I've lost something and I cant figure it out. I seem to have lost my love or my care for it all right now. I rode the trainer yesterday for about 15 minutes before I gave it up. I ride because I like being outside and being fast. I do NOT like the trainer. I do not like riding indoors.
I stayed up until 1:30am Friday night, watching a movie, while Tyson slept soundly, resting before his 90 mile ride Saturday morning. I don't stay up like that! But I needed to do something different because my normal routine is botched right now.
Food - i have developed a new, utility-based relationship with food over the last year. I eat because I need to. And, I don't have the need I had two weeks ago, so I find myself not eating or not remembering how to be "normal" about eating. It's only been a year, and I'm all messed up about food already??
Time... What do I do with all this extra time? What did I do before triathlons?
Hmmmm... Struggling here. Let's see what the next week holds.
Sent from my iPhone
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Ironman Arizona Report
WOW... what a crazy and insane experience. I have been through a variety of emotions over the last 9 months, with everything hitting a pinnacle on Sunday. Since Sunday, I have had various thoughts again and I'm not sure where I'm going to land. All of this has been very interesting to me - learning about myself physically and mentally, as well as learning about the expectations that I put on myself and how I react when I perform.
Race Report
I got a great night of sleep Saturday night. I went to bed around 8:30pm - woke up ready to go, only to realize it was only 10:20pm. Sheesh. Woke up again at 2:15am to sounds outside the window of people leaving a bar. Hilarious! Then woke up at 4:25am and just got up. I was already prepped for the day, so after about 15 minutes, I was bugging Tyson to get up because I wanted to GO! I settled down, listened to a little "G6" and we left the house around 5:30am.
Pre-race
Tyson and I had passes from Janus that got Tyson into all the athlete areas. It was VERY cool to have him with me before the race. It was a cold, but I was nice and bundled up. I got to see Bryan and Jamie roaming around in the bike transition area before the race. Ran into Chris McClurg and Bryan Henry. Saw Diana and Karleen prepping for their races. Here we go...
Swim
I jumped off the ledge and into the water - 62 degrees. Shockingly, it was no big deal... I think I prepped appropriately. I swam over to the start and moved all the way to the left, near the buoys. There weren't nearly as many bodies crowding me as I expected, and everything went nicely. The swim went by pretty fast. My mind was pretty calm, and I was rehashing all the swimming memories I've had since I started taking this seriously in the spring. I remember watching the Ironman swim start one year before and thinking "who does this"? I remember swimming in TTL for the Tempe International Triathlon and one of the kayakers coming up to me to ask me if I needed a rest(!). I thought about the people watching the swim right now who think we're crazy. I thought about Sam and Karleen getting out of the water 20+ minutes ahead of me. I got right into a groove and settled in. I wondered if swimming more over the next 8 months will improve my swim time or if this is the best I can be. Middle of the pack is a pretty good accomplishment for someone who was 78 of 90 women out of the water in her first triathlon.
The swim was interesting - there were always people swimming into each other ahead of me. I didn't really get the chance to get a 3-stroke breathing pattern down, so I spent almost the entire swim breathing every other stroke to my right so I could keep my eye on all the dangerous people who might kick or hit me.
While swimming back, I happened to notice people up on the Rural bridge behind me as I was taking a breath... then I heard loud cheers and saw Tyson's orange hat... Tyson and friends FOUND ME in the water. It's a pure miracle. That was a highlight of the swim for sure!
My right pinky finger stopped working about 10 minutes into the swim. I lost my right ring finger another 30 minutes later. Then, I started to lose my left pinky about 20 minutes from the finish. I was swimming crippled, but it didn't break me. I was nearly trampled by a couple of BIG dudes on the last little jaunt from the buoy to the steps out of the lake. I had to go into fight mode to make it to the finish - elbows out. 1:20:53. My goal was 1:20, although I thought my time would be better after hearing how fast the overall draft would be. All in all, the swim felt great. I was satisfied.
T1
Transition 1 was a nightmare... I couldn't get my arm warmers on because 1-I was wet, and 2-my fingers didn't work. I ended up asking a volunteer to help me, but he couldn't get them on either. We finally just ratcheted them up my arms as best as possible... you'll notice in my photos that one sleeve is red and one is white. That's me being clever and prepping two layers of arm warmers. Needless to say, 5 minutes wasted in transition later, that didn't work out so well. I have photos to prove it! T1: 8:07. Ridiculous!
Bike
Toughest bike ride of my life. Really.
Loop 1: I saw Nick on Rio Salado, and he reminded me to keep my heart rate low. I was running 10-15mph over what Nick wanted it to be as I turned onto Beeline, and I was still getting passed by EVERYONE. I tried to remain confident, but the consistent passing wore me down mentally. Remember to keep you HR low, I kept telling myself. Calm down, calm down.
I lost my bottle of Hammer Gel within the first 5 miles - it bounced right out of my Bento Box. That's okay, I can take Powerbar Gels from the aid station. I took one at the second aid station, and the 2x caffeine gave me a stomach ache. I can't take caffeine gels (I've learned this before), but it was the only option so I took it. ICK. I realized about 5 miles later that the pain in my belly was from the caffeine. I asked for a non-caffeine gel at the next station, to no avail. So, I will stick to the other food I brought. I worked the stomach pain out.
The first half of the first loop out to Fountain Hills was FAST, uphill. I was getting blown around, but it wasn't too bad. At the turnaround, the wind was in my face and the side winds started to pick up. I was all over the road - slow and miserable. By the bottom of the first loop, I was a mental wreck. My time on the first loop was crazy slow and I was doing the overall calculations in my head and panicking.
I tried to tell myself not to worry... everyone is in the same situation. But the reality is that everyone else was handling it better than I was. I kept falling further and further behind. I thought I was going to get lapped by my Durapulse friends on the bike. It was pretty close. Looks like I need some wind training. To top it off, I had to use the bathroom 2 times on the first loop. I guess I was hydrated.
Loop 2: Uphill took forever, even with the wind behind me. Can I make it through 3 loops of this? Can I? Not sure. I'm supposed to be a cyclist. What's going on? I decided on the first half of the second loop that one IM is all I needed and that I can check the box and move on. Couldn't believe I had signed up for another one.
The wind was whipping around me, and the disk wheel was dragging me all over the road. I hadn't really ridden with a disk before, and doing this in IM for the first time was a mistake. I should have gone with my other race wheels to be safe when I found out we may have high winds.
When I got to the turnaround, I stopped to use the restroom. As I got back onto the bike, it started to rain. I went down the hill in the swirly wind and all of a sudden I got the attitude adjustment I needed: HAIL. I just started laughing. Laughing out loud and a HUGE smile came across my face. THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE HARD. Teri, why did you take the bike part of this race so lightly? Just because you came into this with cycling as your strength doesn't mean that you can tame it without effort. You deserve this ass-kicking and you're going to like it. This is IRONMAN, damnit. Like one of the fan posters said, "They don't call it EASYman." I pushed through the downhill of loop two.
Loop 3: When I got out to the Beeline on Loop 3, the side wind had dissipated, but the southward wind had picked up. I was FLYING, and with a low heartrate. I passed people left and right - the same people who passed me earlier in the race. I was feeling great. At the turnaround, though, the wind was so strong that I couldn't have been going over 6 miles per hour. The swirly wind kept catching my front wheel and pushing me around. Wow... this is unbelievable.
My quads were burning. Will I be able to run? I kept having Deuces Wild flashbacks where I had so much pain in my quads that I had to walk. Will this happen again? Who knows. Maybe.
Bike time 6:19:30. One FULL hour slower than my goal (of course with perfect AZ weather). Everyone I know was riding well, despite the weather. And I was riding very poorly. It hurt my feelings. I have never wanted to get off my bike so badly. Get me off this thing. Now.
T2
Transition #2 flew... easy, great. As I ran towards the changing tent in my bike cleats, I could tell that my legs were going to be fine. What a relief. T2 time: 3:00.
Run
Loop 1: Felt GREAT out on the run, from the beginning. I was praising Nick in my head for making me ride at a lower HR. Thank you thank you! I felt great. I kept getting complimented from spectators about my stride and how great I looked... it helped my bruised ego. I was passing people left and right - it was so very fun! It was great to see Nick all over the course, fantastic to see the Tribies everywhere. People all over the course were cheering for me because I was racing for Tribe. Very cool. It was awesome to run through the Tribe aid station with the loads of orange. Great to see Kevin out there, hoarse by the end of the night! I love the passion. It was so very nice to have friends all over the course cheering. They were everywhere!
I got to see Karleen on my first loop - she was a FULL loop ahead of me. She is a monster! I also got to see Diana on my first loop. I truly enjoyed seeing the other Tribe ladies in the race. It felt like we were all in this together. We all truly enjoyed the day.
Loop 2: Running up to Priest on loop 2 was painful. I was joking with another runner that I was drafting behind him, and it was true! Drafting on a marathon. Who knew! I had such a fun time on the run... I was dragging the first part of loop 2, but I pulled it back together as I started running with the wind. Actually, in hindsight, I enjoyed the hills because I run downhill well.
Nick wanted me to walk the aid stations and run the one miles in between. This turned out to be a great strategy... it kept me on track and kept me running, with small breaks.
Loop 3: It was so very nice to run around the lake, looking at the mile marker signs for Loop 3 and realizing that this was my last loop. Yes, that mile marker #19 is for ME. Yes, that mile marker #23 is for ME. When I realized that some runners were just seeing mile marker #4 for the first time, and I was looking at #20, I had so much pain for those behind me. Wow... what an experience. I saw LaVerne on my last loop, and seeing LaVerne was one of my highlights of my day. She is an amazing woman.
The rain came down again with about 3 miles to go. What a riot. I was ready to be done. I walked through the Mile 25 aid station, and another gal in my age group jogged past me. WHAT? So I took a Coke, mixed it with water, guzzled it, caught her and put some distance on her. I had a great run. 4:03:29. I was hoping for something like 3:50, but I'll have to hold out for next time...
Support
Friends put cheer chalk all over the course for me, and I was so pre-occupied that I didn't see it! BAD ME! There were photos though that I saw afterwards, and that was super cool.
I had awesome support during the race. Of course, having Tyson out all day with that "wow, that's my baby" look in his eyes is WAY amazing. He is a great supporter of me, and I appreciate his involvement. It was SUPER cool that Benny and Sally from Portland were there cheering and taking photos. Sally got the most awesome photo of my finish! I will post once I get it. Patrick and Alex and Jo and Mon were there all day... Troy and Susan, and Ryan Wing were cheering me on as I ran through the run chute in the park. AND Chris and Erica and crew - they're always so loud, in the best way! Bryan Henry and his girl were there. And I saw several gals from the Women's Cycling team cheering - so fun! And Robin running with me on my last lap giving me great words. And Karen and friends on the bike course! SO MANY people... it was super cool. I felt like I was running on a cloud.
We went to Four Peaks after to have a couple beers and eat something. YUM. I didn't last long.
What's Next
Well, this was quite an experience. I have to say that it was more challenging mentally than I expected it to be, and I got my ego crushed. I'm having a bit of a pity party with myself. I have learned a couple things about myself that I think I already knew: I am fiercely competitive. I think highly of my athletic ability (or my potential ability). I put a LOT of pressure on myself to perform. I get really disappointed when I don't live up to my own expectations. I judge myself based on others. Wow... this is me putting it all out there. Naked.
I am signed up for IM Canada. I'm not exactly looking forward to it right now - I'm more afraid than confident. I can get over this, but I need to get out there and train.
I am being pressured by my Durapulse friends (you know who you are) to sign up for IM St George. Seriously, people! I'm debating it... but really... 3 IM races in one year?
In the interim, I'm racing Ragnar Ultra in February with a group of strong runners, Boston Marathon in April, some cycling races Jan-June, and IM Canada in August. Then, I'll be supporting Tyson for IMAZ in 2011.
What am I turning into?
Race Report
I got a great night of sleep Saturday night. I went to bed around 8:30pm - woke up ready to go, only to realize it was only 10:20pm. Sheesh. Woke up again at 2:15am to sounds outside the window of people leaving a bar. Hilarious! Then woke up at 4:25am and just got up. I was already prepped for the day, so after about 15 minutes, I was bugging Tyson to get up because I wanted to GO! I settled down, listened to a little "G6" and we left the house around 5:30am.
Pre-race
Tyson and I had passes from Janus that got Tyson into all the athlete areas. It was VERY cool to have him with me before the race. It was a cold, but I was nice and bundled up. I got to see Bryan and Jamie roaming around in the bike transition area before the race. Ran into Chris McClurg and Bryan Henry. Saw Diana and Karleen prepping for their races. Here we go...
Swim
I jumped off the ledge and into the water - 62 degrees. Shockingly, it was no big deal... I think I prepped appropriately. I swam over to the start and moved all the way to the left, near the buoys. There weren't nearly as many bodies crowding me as I expected, and everything went nicely. The swim went by pretty fast. My mind was pretty calm, and I was rehashing all the swimming memories I've had since I started taking this seriously in the spring. I remember watching the Ironman swim start one year before and thinking "who does this"? I remember swimming in TTL for the Tempe International Triathlon and one of the kayakers coming up to me to ask me if I needed a rest(!). I thought about the people watching the swim right now who think we're crazy. I thought about Sam and Karleen getting out of the water 20+ minutes ahead of me. I got right into a groove and settled in. I wondered if swimming more over the next 8 months will improve my swim time or if this is the best I can be. Middle of the pack is a pretty good accomplishment for someone who was 78 of 90 women out of the water in her first triathlon.
The swim was interesting - there were always people swimming into each other ahead of me. I didn't really get the chance to get a 3-stroke breathing pattern down, so I spent almost the entire swim breathing every other stroke to my right so I could keep my eye on all the dangerous people who might kick or hit me.
While swimming back, I happened to notice people up on the Rural bridge behind me as I was taking a breath... then I heard loud cheers and saw Tyson's orange hat... Tyson and friends FOUND ME in the water. It's a pure miracle. That was a highlight of the swim for sure!
My right pinky finger stopped working about 10 minutes into the swim. I lost my right ring finger another 30 minutes later. Then, I started to lose my left pinky about 20 minutes from the finish. I was swimming crippled, but it didn't break me. I was nearly trampled by a couple of BIG dudes on the last little jaunt from the buoy to the steps out of the lake. I had to go into fight mode to make it to the finish - elbows out. 1:20:53. My goal was 1:20, although I thought my time would be better after hearing how fast the overall draft would be. All in all, the swim felt great. I was satisfied.
T1
Transition 1 was a nightmare... I couldn't get my arm warmers on because 1-I was wet, and 2-my fingers didn't work. I ended up asking a volunteer to help me, but he couldn't get them on either. We finally just ratcheted them up my arms as best as possible... you'll notice in my photos that one sleeve is red and one is white. That's me being clever and prepping two layers of arm warmers. Needless to say, 5 minutes wasted in transition later, that didn't work out so well. I have photos to prove it! T1: 8:07. Ridiculous!
Bike
Toughest bike ride of my life. Really.
Loop 1: I saw Nick on Rio Salado, and he reminded me to keep my heart rate low. I was running 10-15mph over what Nick wanted it to be as I turned onto Beeline, and I was still getting passed by EVERYONE. I tried to remain confident, but the consistent passing wore me down mentally. Remember to keep you HR low, I kept telling myself. Calm down, calm down.
I lost my bottle of Hammer Gel within the first 5 miles - it bounced right out of my Bento Box. That's okay, I can take Powerbar Gels from the aid station. I took one at the second aid station, and the 2x caffeine gave me a stomach ache. I can't take caffeine gels (I've learned this before), but it was the only option so I took it. ICK. I realized about 5 miles later that the pain in my belly was from the caffeine. I asked for a non-caffeine gel at the next station, to no avail. So, I will stick to the other food I brought. I worked the stomach pain out.
The first half of the first loop out to Fountain Hills was FAST, uphill. I was getting blown around, but it wasn't too bad. At the turnaround, the wind was in my face and the side winds started to pick up. I was all over the road - slow and miserable. By the bottom of the first loop, I was a mental wreck. My time on the first loop was crazy slow and I was doing the overall calculations in my head and panicking.
I tried to tell myself not to worry... everyone is in the same situation. But the reality is that everyone else was handling it better than I was. I kept falling further and further behind. I thought I was going to get lapped by my Durapulse friends on the bike. It was pretty close. Looks like I need some wind training. To top it off, I had to use the bathroom 2 times on the first loop. I guess I was hydrated.
Loop 2: Uphill took forever, even with the wind behind me. Can I make it through 3 loops of this? Can I? Not sure. I'm supposed to be a cyclist. What's going on? I decided on the first half of the second loop that one IM is all I needed and that I can check the box and move on. Couldn't believe I had signed up for another one.
The wind was whipping around me, and the disk wheel was dragging me all over the road. I hadn't really ridden with a disk before, and doing this in IM for the first time was a mistake. I should have gone with my other race wheels to be safe when I found out we may have high winds.
When I got to the turnaround, I stopped to use the restroom. As I got back onto the bike, it started to rain. I went down the hill in the swirly wind and all of a sudden I got the attitude adjustment I needed: HAIL. I just started laughing. Laughing out loud and a HUGE smile came across my face. THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE HARD. Teri, why did you take the bike part of this race so lightly? Just because you came into this with cycling as your strength doesn't mean that you can tame it without effort. You deserve this ass-kicking and you're going to like it. This is IRONMAN, damnit. Like one of the fan posters said, "They don't call it EASYman." I pushed through the downhill of loop two.
Loop 3: When I got out to the Beeline on Loop 3, the side wind had dissipated, but the southward wind had picked up. I was FLYING, and with a low heartrate. I passed people left and right - the same people who passed me earlier in the race. I was feeling great. At the turnaround, though, the wind was so strong that I couldn't have been going over 6 miles per hour. The swirly wind kept catching my front wheel and pushing me around. Wow... this is unbelievable.
My quads were burning. Will I be able to run? I kept having Deuces Wild flashbacks where I had so much pain in my quads that I had to walk. Will this happen again? Who knows. Maybe.
Bike time 6:19:30. One FULL hour slower than my goal (of course with perfect AZ weather). Everyone I know was riding well, despite the weather. And I was riding very poorly. It hurt my feelings. I have never wanted to get off my bike so badly. Get me off this thing. Now.
T2
Transition #2 flew... easy, great. As I ran towards the changing tent in my bike cleats, I could tell that my legs were going to be fine. What a relief. T2 time: 3:00.
Run
Loop 1: Felt GREAT out on the run, from the beginning. I was praising Nick in my head for making me ride at a lower HR. Thank you thank you! I felt great. I kept getting complimented from spectators about my stride and how great I looked... it helped my bruised ego. I was passing people left and right - it was so very fun! It was great to see Nick all over the course, fantastic to see the Tribies everywhere. People all over the course were cheering for me because I was racing for Tribe. Very cool. It was awesome to run through the Tribe aid station with the loads of orange. Great to see Kevin out there, hoarse by the end of the night! I love the passion. It was so very nice to have friends all over the course cheering. They were everywhere!
I got to see Karleen on my first loop - she was a FULL loop ahead of me. She is a monster! I also got to see Diana on my first loop. I truly enjoyed seeing the other Tribe ladies in the race. It felt like we were all in this together. We all truly enjoyed the day.
Loop 2: Running up to Priest on loop 2 was painful. I was joking with another runner that I was drafting behind him, and it was true! Drafting on a marathon. Who knew! I had such a fun time on the run... I was dragging the first part of loop 2, but I pulled it back together as I started running with the wind. Actually, in hindsight, I enjoyed the hills because I run downhill well.
Nick wanted me to walk the aid stations and run the one miles in between. This turned out to be a great strategy... it kept me on track and kept me running, with small breaks.
Loop 3: It was so very nice to run around the lake, looking at the mile marker signs for Loop 3 and realizing that this was my last loop. Yes, that mile marker #19 is for ME. Yes, that mile marker #23 is for ME. When I realized that some runners were just seeing mile marker #4 for the first time, and I was looking at #20, I had so much pain for those behind me. Wow... what an experience. I saw LaVerne on my last loop, and seeing LaVerne was one of my highlights of my day. She is an amazing woman.
The rain came down again with about 3 miles to go. What a riot. I was ready to be done. I walked through the Mile 25 aid station, and another gal in my age group jogged past me. WHAT? So I took a Coke, mixed it with water, guzzled it, caught her and put some distance on her. I had a great run. 4:03:29. I was hoping for something like 3:50, but I'll have to hold out for next time...
Support
Friends put cheer chalk all over the course for me, and I was so pre-occupied that I didn't see it! BAD ME! There were photos though that I saw afterwards, and that was super cool.
I had awesome support during the race. Of course, having Tyson out all day with that "wow, that's my baby" look in his eyes is WAY amazing. He is a great supporter of me, and I appreciate his involvement. It was SUPER cool that Benny and Sally from Portland were there cheering and taking photos. Sally got the most awesome photo of my finish! I will post once I get it. Patrick and Alex and Jo and Mon were there all day... Troy and Susan, and Ryan Wing were cheering me on as I ran through the run chute in the park. AND Chris and Erica and crew - they're always so loud, in the best way! Bryan Henry and his girl were there. And I saw several gals from the Women's Cycling team cheering - so fun! And Robin running with me on my last lap giving me great words. And Karen and friends on the bike course! SO MANY people... it was super cool. I felt like I was running on a cloud.
We went to Four Peaks after to have a couple beers and eat something. YUM. I didn't last long.
What's Next
Well, this was quite an experience. I have to say that it was more challenging mentally than I expected it to be, and I got my ego crushed. I'm having a bit of a pity party with myself. I have learned a couple things about myself that I think I already knew: I am fiercely competitive. I think highly of my athletic ability (or my potential ability). I put a LOT of pressure on myself to perform. I get really disappointed when I don't live up to my own expectations. I judge myself based on others. Wow... this is me putting it all out there. Naked.
I am signed up for IM Canada. I'm not exactly looking forward to it right now - I'm more afraid than confident. I can get over this, but I need to get out there and train.
I am being pressured by my Durapulse friends (you know who you are) to sign up for IM St George. Seriously, people! I'm debating it... but really... 3 IM races in one year?
In the interim, I'm racing Ragnar Ultra in February with a group of strong runners, Boston Marathon in April, some cycling races Jan-June, and IM Canada in August. Then, I'll be supporting Tyson for IMAZ in 2011.
What am I turning into?
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Ironman Eve
I've been remiss in posting... I realize. I've been preoccupied with work, training, family, and general life.
Here we are, Ironman eve. How do I feel? I've been feeling pretty good, physically. I know I'm a good athlete. I know I have trained correctly for this. I have raced enough this year to believe I have a good idea of how I will feel during a race (up to a point). I have enjoyed the training. I have lots of friends and acquaitenances who will be there cheering for me tomorrow. I have a good understanding of how I COULD do if I feel good throughout the race. If I feel good...
But I don't know what it's like to put myself through 11 hours of high quality workouts straight.
I don't know what it's like to stop during a race to use the bathroom.
I don't know how I'm going to handle a hungry pit in my stomach.
I don't know how I'm going to handle the worn out legs on mile 15 of the run, after 112 miles on the bike.
I don't know how tired the swim is going to make me.
I don't know what's it's like to swim with 2500 other eager, nervous racers in 63 degree water.
I don't know how I'm going to handle getting onto the bike when it's 50 degrees and drizzling (where are we anyway, this is supposed to be PHOENIX!).
These are all conditions that I have not dealt with. There are MANY!
In general, I'm feeling good, but we'll see...
Here we are, Ironman eve. How do I feel? I've been feeling pretty good, physically. I know I'm a good athlete. I know I have trained correctly for this. I have raced enough this year to believe I have a good idea of how I will feel during a race (up to a point). I have enjoyed the training. I have lots of friends and acquaitenances who will be there cheering for me tomorrow. I have a good understanding of how I COULD do if I feel good throughout the race. If I feel good...
But I don't know what it's like to put myself through 11 hours of high quality workouts straight.
I don't know what it's like to stop during a race to use the bathroom.
I don't know how I'm going to handle a hungry pit in my stomach.
I don't know how I'm going to handle the worn out legs on mile 15 of the run, after 112 miles on the bike.
I don't know how tired the swim is going to make me.
I don't know what's it's like to swim with 2500 other eager, nervous racers in 63 degree water.
I don't know how I'm going to handle getting onto the bike when it's 50 degrees and drizzling (where are we anyway, this is supposed to be PHOENIX!).
These are all conditions that I have not dealt with. There are MANY!
In general, I'm feeling good, but we'll see...
Monday, October 18, 2010
Time Management
I just finished the pinnacle training weekend before Ironman taper.
I went into it with a tough and almost excited attitude. I have thoroughly enjoyed training for IMAZ. Has been tough mentally and physically, and demanding on all parts of life. I have enjoyed the challenge of accomplishing it all. I actually think I like the challenge of time management. Time is something you can't buy, and I think I am a miracle worker at getting everything in and making it all happen well.
Friday.
In the office by 7a for a busy day of meetings. Don't forget to eat. Jade's Brownie investiture ceremony at 5:30p in Anthem, pick Ethan up from karate, and on to Friday night pizza at home with Tyson. Today was a work and family day.
I calculated what time I needed to wake up to get in a 60 min ride and a 20 mile run in before the Open Water swim start at 10am: 4:45a. Okay, must be in bed by 10. Prep sets of everything to make Sat am smooth.
Saturday.
#1 Up at 4:45a, eat, prep water bottles, quietly. Out the door at 5a. Bike for one hour. No light on bike... that's okay, no traffic in Anthem in the am. Had a nice ride. Back home at 6a. Sun starting to rise.
#2 Quick change into run clothes in garage and off by 6:05a. House still asleep. Lots of people out running and walking big furry dogs this morning! Had a great long run... I'm always trying to visualize the Ironman marathon on my long runs. I train on tough, hilly run routes in hopes that IM will be easier. Ran down to Carefree road and back, 19.75 miles. Close enough. Weather was perfect... overcast and cool. Very enjoyable. I never thought id say that about a 20 mile run. This is the longest run of my life, next to the SF marathon. Unfortunately, I didn't calculate enough time for the run, and I got home at 8:50.
When I get home, Tyson is working in the yard, post-run, an Jade is lying on the couch. She has stomach cramps, so I get her some fruit and tell her about the 5 inch scorpion I saw on my run! Ethan is at a Boy Scout gathering, so he is out and about his day.
Throw together a pb&j and a revocery drink and take a quick shower. Swimsuit on, quick kiss to Tyson and I'll off. 9:20.
#3 Its about a 30 min drive to the lake. Plenty of time. I get to the far harbor and drat... wrong location. The guy at the pay station knows nothing about a swim race. Drive back towards home to the previous harbor and nope, not there either. Now its 9:55 and I'm starting to panic. Find the harbor (10 min closer to home!) and there they are.
As I pulled in, the start occurred. I ran over to registration to happily see Rich Dirmantas. I got my wetsuit on, and by the time I get to the water, the non-wetsuit group is starting (5 min later). I believe I started about a minute later than that.
I've never spent an hour and a half with my head in the water before. My longest OW swim before this was 2000m. This is a LOT of time with nothing but you and your head.
The stretch to the first buoy seemed like foreeeeever. wow. How will I swim this triangle four times? Go for it. Don't forget to follow-through on your stroke. Breathe every 3 strokes. Twist your shoulders. Thumbs near your ears as they come out of the water. Kick! Don't forget to kick! One lap, two laps. Maybe I'll stop after 3 laps. Why are people passing me? Four laps.
On the last leg of lap 4, I went into fast swim mode. I forgot I had that mode! Felt great as I "sprinted" towards the finish. Keep in mind that "sprinting" is a running word to me and has no place in swimming. Swimming is NOT a sport.
Whew. Done. 1:28:49, minus 6 minutes. Not bad!
Now, back home at 12:15, after a quick stop for a krispy kreme and a chocolate milk. YUM. Kids just got dropped off at a birthday party from 11:30-1:30 and Tyson is driving to get the U Haul to start the move from Biltmore condo to downtown condo.
I have officially entered Part 2 of my day.
Home at 12:30. Unpack. Repack. Get kid overnight bag. Grab computer. Eat snack. Back in the car by 1:15. Pick up kids from party, talk about how fun the Play Fort is and who fell down the most. Stop for Joeys of Chicago beef sandwich. Drive to meet Tyson at Biltmore condo, load bikes. Arrive by 3pm at downtown highrise, our new 2nd home.
Kids love it. Spend the next hour unpacking the Uhaul and making this "fun" with the kids. They're such good kids :) all boxes in by 5pm.
Tyson and Ethan return the Uhaul while Jade and I unpack the condo. She's such a fun little helper! Boys back by 7p, along with our first guests: Patrick and Alexis! More unpacking, Smurfs on TV, Subway, visit to the Community Room. In bed by 10pm. Wow.
Sunday.
Up at 6a to deliver the kids to their Moms house. Back to condo at 715. Out the door for a 120m ride by 8a.
First 40 miles were brutal. I pushed with all my might to get into my HR zone, but I didn't have it. Saturday intensity got me. Push, push. Sent a frustrated text to Nick at mile 40. Do I keep it up? Turn around and go home?
I stopped for lunch at Safeway at mile 60. Stopped for 30 minutes to regain myself. Then pushed on for another 70 miles. Painful - mentally and physically. Once I got back onto my "normal" route home, I felt okay. Low HR from all the training, but got in the miles nonetheless.
Tyson in CFP class all day. I went over to the old condo to get a few things wrapped up. Packed more bikes up, and back downtown. 8pm we went to Majerle's to catch up on the weekend's football and have some dinner.
In bed by 10pm.
Today is my birthday and I'm taking the day off of training. Headed into the office to register for the Boston Marathon. I have a PT appointment in the afternoon as well.
And it continues...
I went into it with a tough and almost excited attitude. I have thoroughly enjoyed training for IMAZ. Has been tough mentally and physically, and demanding on all parts of life. I have enjoyed the challenge of accomplishing it all. I actually think I like the challenge of time management. Time is something you can't buy, and I think I am a miracle worker at getting everything in and making it all happen well.
Friday.
In the office by 7a for a busy day of meetings. Don't forget to eat. Jade's Brownie investiture ceremony at 5:30p in Anthem, pick Ethan up from karate, and on to Friday night pizza at home with Tyson. Today was a work and family day.
I calculated what time I needed to wake up to get in a 60 min ride and a 20 mile run in before the Open Water swim start at 10am: 4:45a. Okay, must be in bed by 10. Prep sets of everything to make Sat am smooth.
Saturday.
#1 Up at 4:45a, eat, prep water bottles, quietly. Out the door at 5a. Bike for one hour. No light on bike... that's okay, no traffic in Anthem in the am. Had a nice ride. Back home at 6a. Sun starting to rise.
#2 Quick change into run clothes in garage and off by 6:05a. House still asleep. Lots of people out running and walking big furry dogs this morning! Had a great long run... I'm always trying to visualize the Ironman marathon on my long runs. I train on tough, hilly run routes in hopes that IM will be easier. Ran down to Carefree road and back, 19.75 miles. Close enough. Weather was perfect... overcast and cool. Very enjoyable. I never thought id say that about a 20 mile run. This is the longest run of my life, next to the SF marathon. Unfortunately, I didn't calculate enough time for the run, and I got home at 8:50.
When I get home, Tyson is working in the yard, post-run, an Jade is lying on the couch. She has stomach cramps, so I get her some fruit and tell her about the 5 inch scorpion I saw on my run! Ethan is at a Boy Scout gathering, so he is out and about his day.
Throw together a pb&j and a revocery drink and take a quick shower. Swimsuit on, quick kiss to Tyson and I'll off. 9:20.
#3 Its about a 30 min drive to the lake. Plenty of time. I get to the far harbor and drat... wrong location. The guy at the pay station knows nothing about a swim race. Drive back towards home to the previous harbor and nope, not there either. Now its 9:55 and I'm starting to panic. Find the harbor (10 min closer to home!) and there they are.
As I pulled in, the start occurred. I ran over to registration to happily see Rich Dirmantas. I got my wetsuit on, and by the time I get to the water, the non-wetsuit group is starting (5 min later). I believe I started about a minute later than that.
I've never spent an hour and a half with my head in the water before. My longest OW swim before this was 2000m. This is a LOT of time with nothing but you and your head.
The stretch to the first buoy seemed like foreeeeever. wow. How will I swim this triangle four times? Go for it. Don't forget to follow-through on your stroke. Breathe every 3 strokes. Twist your shoulders. Thumbs near your ears as they come out of the water. Kick! Don't forget to kick! One lap, two laps. Maybe I'll stop after 3 laps. Why are people passing me? Four laps.
On the last leg of lap 4, I went into fast swim mode. I forgot I had that mode! Felt great as I "sprinted" towards the finish. Keep in mind that "sprinting" is a running word to me and has no place in swimming. Swimming is NOT a sport.
Whew. Done. 1:28:49, minus 6 minutes. Not bad!
Now, back home at 12:15, after a quick stop for a krispy kreme and a chocolate milk. YUM. Kids just got dropped off at a birthday party from 11:30-1:30 and Tyson is driving to get the U Haul to start the move from Biltmore condo to downtown condo.
I have officially entered Part 2 of my day.
Home at 12:30. Unpack. Repack. Get kid overnight bag. Grab computer. Eat snack. Back in the car by 1:15. Pick up kids from party, talk about how fun the Play Fort is and who fell down the most. Stop for Joeys of Chicago beef sandwich. Drive to meet Tyson at Biltmore condo, load bikes. Arrive by 3pm at downtown highrise, our new 2nd home.
Kids love it. Spend the next hour unpacking the Uhaul and making this "fun" with the kids. They're such good kids :) all boxes in by 5pm.
Tyson and Ethan return the Uhaul while Jade and I unpack the condo. She's such a fun little helper! Boys back by 7p, along with our first guests: Patrick and Alexis! More unpacking, Smurfs on TV, Subway, visit to the Community Room. In bed by 10pm. Wow.
Sunday.
Up at 6a to deliver the kids to their Moms house. Back to condo at 715. Out the door for a 120m ride by 8a.
First 40 miles were brutal. I pushed with all my might to get into my HR zone, but I didn't have it. Saturday intensity got me. Push, push. Sent a frustrated text to Nick at mile 40. Do I keep it up? Turn around and go home?
I stopped for lunch at Safeway at mile 60. Stopped for 30 minutes to regain myself. Then pushed on for another 70 miles. Painful - mentally and physically. Once I got back onto my "normal" route home, I felt okay. Low HR from all the training, but got in the miles nonetheless.
Tyson in CFP class all day. I went over to the old condo to get a few things wrapped up. Packed more bikes up, and back downtown. 8pm we went to Majerle's to catch up on the weekend's football and have some dinner.
In bed by 10pm.
Today is my birthday and I'm taking the day off of training. Headed into the office to register for the Boston Marathon. I have a PT appointment in the afternoon as well.
And it continues...
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