Sharon’s Danskin Tri, 6/6/2010

So I’ll start this tale with Friday night; body is saying “you need some down time, seriously…” I cut out non-essential stuff that could hang until Sunday or Monday.  I get home from the day of working around 8p.

Saturday:  CapTex Team Survivor breakfast @ 8a; I’m tempted to not go b/c the body is still saying “slow down NOW” but am very glad that I went.  Packet pick up and bike racking, all the while my neck is slowly tightening up.  I call Christopher, see if he can fit me in for a CST session that afternoon. He’s the best. He fits me in. I have blood flow back to my brain!  Restless night of sleeping.  Night before the race, what else is new?

Race day

4:20 am.  The time I wake up.

4:30 am. The time my alarm goes off.

4:55 m. The time I leave my apt to head to Decker Lake.  There’s a reason I don’t do this anymore.  Feeling icky and nauseated. Lovely.  This is why I gave up traveling for AFAA.  Body no like.  Remember, body already being pushed to limits, and needing down-time!

5:30 am. Arrive at transition area.  How are we supposed to see in the dark?

6:50 am. Standing at swim start, not feeling so hot. Decide I’ll just see what the day holds.

7:10am. My wave starts the swim. I must say, there are advantages to being in the third wave – only the Elites & the 50+/under-19 crowd (orange caps) in front of me. Didn’t see that many Elites in the water.  I’m thinking I can take most of them (ok, except the elites) even feeling puny.  Orange caps have a 5 min headstart.

Swim:  Once I get going I feel great (I’m in the water, so yes, I should be. This is my 2nd home!) I catch up with the main pack of the orange caps by the first bouy (and its really short in my view to the first bouy).  I see a few pinks around (my wave cap color).  I see more falling back.  I continue on, getting tired of running over orange caps, so go to the outside. Kick into secret squirrel swim readily.  Nice smooth sailing.  As we round the 2nd turn, I breast stroke a few to get my bearing, and notice about 3-4 pink caps in front of me. And a few orange.  I’m feeling strong & pick up the pace a tad.

Transition 1: I bolt out of the water feeling fabulous.  I hear as I run up to the transition area “look at that one”, and peripherally see a finger pointing my direction.  I hear Ben Hodges’ “Go Sharon” followed by “Go Elise” (she was orange cap).   I see Leticia shouting for me.  I find out later that there weren’t too many people coming out of the water ahead of me from her (maybe 20-25 total).  Get to my bike, have issues getting my shoes velcroed (note: put new cycle shoes at top of list). Shirt, shades, helmet go on, and I”m RIDING!

Bike: Get on the bike after the orange line, and notice that my CatEye not working. Nothing, nada, zero.  Oh goodie!  I get to ride by how I feel. Kinda nice!  Finish my gel, get some water, and get cranking. Feeling quite good when we get to the Expo Center, 2 people have passed me (one on a damn Cervelo).  Get out on Decker Lane, another passes me (not on a Cervelo). Then we come to a hill, and I pass all 3 of them. Huh?  There’s about 2-3 people that I play leap frog with  up until we get to *itch Hill (90 deg turn into the short but steep hill). I see Donna at the turn…. I shout her name, and hear her calling mine as I haul up it.  A rider that I’ve leapfrogged with later comments that I really hauled ass that hill – she was behind me going into the turn I think, and then she looked up and I was gone. That hill really did feel good. Boosted my confidence that I am getting my hill climbing ability back. So how is it that I can haul past people on the hills, but they haul past me on flats?  If they are out riding more than I have been (an assumption, I know), shouldn’t they be able to dust me completely?  Start looking forward to the day when I’m back to where I was with my last really good ride (what hills?).  We go up the frontage road ramp.  I leap frog, pass a new person.  The Bertha’s are coming up.  I took the first one, and thought “really? that was one of them?”   Take the 2nd one, and a rider is approaching me to pass. I shift. I drop her. Hee Hee Hee… this is starting feel like its supposed to. Around the corner in the home stretch, get passed by another damn Cervelo.

Transition 2: Easy to get out of my shoes since the velco is pretty much non-velcroy. Much faster getting running shoes on this time (vs. CapTex). Grab a gel, and leisurely walk through transition. Yep, I walked it. Get out the gate, 1st water station passes, and I start running.

Run: I notice that I actually feel pretty good on the run as I get about 5 min into it. I establish The Plan: walk the water stations & The Hill, and run the rest to the best of my abilities. I actually did pretty good at that. A lot better than at CapTex! Ev passes me somewhere on one of my non-water station walks. I actually run the top part of  The Hill, then walk the last water station; am told that I’m within the first 30 people to crest that hill (remember I started early). Start really running to get to the finish. Technique Technique Technique. I even passed someone on this part! 🙂  Cross the finish line, can’t feel my legs. They numb. But they got me there!

Learning points:

• go with the intention of enjoying myself and see what the day holds. Had a LOT better day than I imagined I would when the race started.
• electrolytes in the nuun bottle works. remember to grab it off the bike for the run, or have a 2nd one in pack for the run.
• body glide the underarms where lat rub happens. Big Sore. Ouch!!! Put in T2 stack, or even carry it if I’ve got a pouch.
• CarboPro in the AM before the race does wonders. Less focus on actually having to ingest food at that hour.
• get new cycle shoes
• figure out why cateye no work
• only 4 weeks back into training. Take double the time you were out to return. 1 more month, I might be back to my pre-injury self!
• I can wear a tech shirt and stay cool. Just have to keep it wet. Yes, I carried a water bottle again for that purpose.  I also want water when I want water.
• did i mention remember to bring salt tabs on the run?
• I can maintain run technique when I’m tired AND at the end of the race on pavement vs. grass.

Sharon’s CapTex Tri, 2010

1) It was hot.

2) Did i mention it was hot?

Pre-race.

Ever have one of those nights where ya just can’t seem to sleep? Well, that was last night for me. Seemed to wake up every 30 min at first to pee, and then it tapered to every 60-90 min.  5am rolls around, and I’m definitely awake.  No going back to psuedosleep for me!  Get up, my usual tea has been all used up, have a different one – no a good idea on race day! Also not a  get-up-and-eat-right-away person, so I make a bagel PB&J, take it with me.

Arrive at staging area, pump the tires, and hear “Hi Sharon” as I’m starting to head out – actually I was heading out of staging when I realize I can see way too clearly – needed to return glasses to my area. The HI was from IronMan Mike.

Return glasses to my area, get out of staging – next Hi Sharon comes from Ev, who knows I can’t see. then there is Ryan, Heidi & Angela all in there somewhere too.

Watch the elites take off (we’re all trying to figure out what announcer guy said about the swim), and suddenly there’s IMMike next to me, who is also doing the Olympic, and has only been riding – no swimming or running at the moment due to his schedule. He’s still gonna beat me.  This stuff is like breathing to him.  Ha – one advantage – i take off BEFORE him.

Swim

Get in the water, 71 balmy degrees. I love my wetsuit.  Ryan is in my heat – kinda nice to have someone there that I know!  Head Official calls me back over to dock (my cap is yellow, all else are pink) and I have to explain that I’m in the correct heat and why I no have pink.  I get back toward the front. Gun: POP!  We are off!  Swim was very enjoyable.  Had the pleasure of swimming OVER several people (didn’t mean to really, they just were suddenly there). I slowly get away from the main body of my heat (will have to find out when results posted just how far I got), and round the first bouy, already passing stragglers from the preceding heat.  Round 2nd bouy on the far end, and I’ve pretty much got some clear space. Scrape my knuckles going over some rocks (yeah, in TownLake, imagine!).  Clear sighting to the next yellow bouy (it looks awfully small)…working on secret squirrel swim stroke since I’ve got some space. Feel really good through the back stretch…oops swam over someone else… Get pulled out of the water, watch says 34 something… I’m thinking that can’t be right, and suddenly my wetsuit gets unzipped by one of the volunteers.  Normally come of the water and have a zip in my step through T1. No zip today 😦

Transition 1 (T1)

Slow going to get to my bike. I can walk, right?  Peeling wetsuit down as I go.  Get stuck taking it over the feet.  Training Tip #1 – practice getting wetsuit off quickly. Things moving very slowly. Get a gel down, shoes on, shades on, helmet on, and I’m OFF!  I can walk, right?

Bike, Loop 1

What the (bleep)? Coming onto the bike course hasn’t been this hard before.  First hill after kicks my a- – . Maybe I just need some time to settle in. Drink some water. Get some calories in. Probably lucky to have gone 15mph avg on this lap.

Bike, Loop 2

What the (bleep)? Where did these hills come from on this course? I don’t remember these.  More calories, electrolytes, water. Training tip #2: Be heathly prior to race. Train smart to stay healthy so an easy course like this IS easy.

Bike, Loop 3

Ok, this is finally starting to feel a little bit better. There’s a definite uphill and downhill direction on this course that I’ve never noticed before.  Starting to actually pass more people.  About 1/4 way through this loop, I spy IMMike up ahead (really? or did he pass me already and I didn’t notice it?). About 1/2 way through, I hit a bump, cadence & speed go out.  About 3/4 of the way through I’m thinking… they won’t know if i skip the last lap, right???  1 water bottle (with calories) empty, other 1/4 left.

Bike, Loop 4 (final lap)

Ok, now I’m just tired. Upper back tired from being in aero, which I’m not used to, since I got injured 7 weeks ago and was off the bike for 4 weeks.  Remember: Stay Healthy. Train Smart. About 2/3 of way through, I hear “on your left” as i sit a little to the middle (did i mention I was getting tired?). Then “oh, Hi Sharon”. Yup, that was IM Mike passing me. Luckily he still had a lap to go. Dismount line comes. Right foot has issues coming out. Note: loosen right clip later.

Transition 2 (T2)

I can walk right?  I walk/trot in.  Get to my space, take my time getting stuff traded out. Apply a little more sunscreen. Drink. Have a gel. I walk out of the T2 area, into the run corridor, and finally start running.

The Run, Lap 1

I decide that since I just ain’t got nothing, I’ll run 4 min, walk 1.  This works for about 4 rounds, then I’m like “really? surely you jest”.  I walk a little longer, then try run 1 walk 1  for about 4 rounds.  Then decide that I’m completely ok with walking since I got nothing.  Drinking water, staying cool with water on head. Glad I thought to bring a sweat towel, cuz man its HOT!!!  Crossing Congress St Bridge the 2nd time I see IMMike. He’s gonna pass me again… sigh… Back muscles are really uncomfortable and going up into my neck.

The Run, Lap 2

Still a-walking, and I’m cool with that. Working on NMR, since I may as well get something beneficial out of this. Pass the Jack & Adams water station, and guess who passes me? Yup, IMMike.  Tells me to take electrolytes. I have been. And I’ve just taken my last 2… Keep walking, starting to pick it up a little.  Unsure whether I like people saying “You’re doing a great job No. 224” (my race number) as I pass. Makes me kinda sad. I no want to be sad on race day. Finally cross the Congress street bridge for the 1st time on this loop, and everything is starting to feel better. I attempt to run. I run in about the last 15 minutes.

The Finish & beyond

Coming down the finish shute, I hear “Yeah Sharon!!!” (later find out its Ruthie).  I don’t hear the announcer call my name (they normally do). Where’s the cold water, finisher metal, and I need some SHADE!

Overall, I’m glad I did the Olympic, if for nothing other than the mental challenge. I think that on 3 weeks of training… I did good.  I miss my base that I had before the injury, and now have to look at which 70.3 I think I can get prepped for better.  My run just not there today. Bike was OK. Swim rocked. Finished in3:34. Last year finished in 3:05.  Got some work to do to catch up to where I was, where I should be, and where I need to be!