After coming off an 'A' race (Ironman 70.3 Kansas) just 2 weeks earlier, my nerves for this race were low. I was looking forward to the camaraderie you get with a local race, as well as a good workout. Of course, as I always admit, my competitive spirit was still there. I'm always looking to reach new levels in competition and within myself. This race was no exception. I saw the finish times of the winners from the previous year (2:13 and 2:14) and knew they were racing again this year. Those times seemed like a bit of a stretch for me, so I was hoping for at least 3rd... top 3 win money ;)
With an hour drive up north, the 3 a.m. wakeup came early. But, eating a home-cooked prerace dinner and sleeping in my own bed the night before a race is a rarity and totally worth the early alarm. It really was a strange feeling- just hanging out, watching a movie at home. I almost forgot I had a race the next day!
 |
| Heading out for a quick warm up (green cap) |
We got to the race site a little after 5 and the first wave went off at 6:30. ONSITE parking!!! Another rare treat- this is an underestimated feature of a good race. No shuttles, no stress. We set up our transitions, made a few trips to the port-a-potty and then got suited up for a warmup swim. I dilly-dallied in transition area too long and heard the announcement for people to start getting out of the water as I was still pulling on my wetsuit. I ran over, got a quick couple minutes of swimming and was the last to exit the water (just setting the stage for the race ;)
SWIM: My wave went off at 6:49 and included Females 34 and under. There were about 70 or so women in the wave, but somehow it didn't feel crowded. I never got kicked, punched or swam over. I don't know if I even got touched! The water was smooth as glass and perfect temperature. I got into a good rhythm and really enjoyed the swim. The best part about it was that I had a good picture of where I was and where I was going. I think this had a lot to do with my new goggles. My favorite race goggles were accidentally taken at the last race and I was forced to try something new. The old ones were socket-type and mirrored to reduce sun glare. The new ones are clear with larger coverage. No leaks, no fog and a wider view. Sometimes change is good! So, since I could SEE, I knew there were several women ahead of me that I would have to catch on the bike and run. I exited the water with a swim time of 27:15 (1:48/100)- not a fast time, but decent for me.
As I ran up the beach, pulling off my my cap and goggles, I heard Dave Noda (part owner of VisionQuest) tell me Michael just exited the water and to go get him! It's a running joke about the 2 of us. We always finish within seconds of each other and because we always start in separate waves, we don't know it until the results are posted. Michael beat me by 7 seconds and 39 seconds at the last 2 races.
BIKE: My first time racing with power and I was looking forward to having those numbers as a guide. Since joining VisionQuest, I've learned the importance of power and power-to-weight ratio on the bike. Because I am light and have a 20 minute threshold output of 215 watts, my power-to-weight is pretty decent at over 4 watts/kilogram. However, I was not fresh for this race and did not expect to see the numbers that I would have liked. I tested on Tuesday and my average power was 20 watts lower than usual. The rule of thumb is to ride about 90-95% for an international distance race. On a fresh day, that would be 183-193 watts. With my recent test result on tired legs, I'm looking at 167-175. This is just a guide, however, and I ride mostly by feel and perceived exertion. The course was flat and the wind was light. I focused on a smooth pedal stroke and staying aero. The result was good. Another solid split of 1:06:45 (22.6 mph, 168 watts)- over 1 mph faster than I've ever ridden for this distance and good enough for 3rd fastest bike split overall!
 |
| starting the run |
T2: Thanks to a recent 'Transition Clinic' led by Coach Dan Litwora, my T2 was seamless at 58 seconds. I've learned that, at this level and especially in shorter distances, the race can be won or lost in transition. Both my transition times were right on par with the elite level athletes and that comes with practice. I heard Noda again letting me know that Michael was just up ahead. He started 3 minutes before me, so as long as I cross the finish line less than 3 minutes after him, then I'll have bragging rights ;) But, my focus was on the women.
RUN: I worked hard on the bike and didn't know what I would have left for the run. But, from past experience in this race distance, I can usually pull out a good run despite a solid bike effort. I didn't know where I stood in the women's field at this point, but I did know that because I started in the 1st wave of women that any female in front of me was certainly beating me. There were a few out and back sections on this run, so I had the ability to see who was there. I counted 4 ahead of me. I had some work to do. About 1/2 way in, I passed the 4th place girl, Karin of Well-Fit (another local race team). She was friendly, let me know the girl up ahead in pink shorts was in 3rd and to 'Go get her!' So I did. I didn't know at the time that she was in the 40-44 AG, so I didn't have to just pass her, I had to gain 5 minutes on her! But, I had 2 more women ahead of me. They didn't seem within reach, but I kept up a solid pace. All of my mile splits were steady at about 6:15. My last 2 splits were 5:56 and 6:07. As I was coming around the back side of the lake with less than a mile to go, I heard the announcer say Michael's name. I looked at my watch and it read about 35:30. I crossed the finish line with a run split of 38:20 (6:10 pace)- Fastest overall run split and another 10k PR!
My overall finish was 2:14:36 and 3rd place female. I couldn't be happier with my performance and the result. Everything came together for me in this race and I am continuing to see personal improvements in every aspect of the sport. It's nice to see my hard work paying dividends. Oh, and I beat Michael by 11 seconds. He'll get me next time ;)
I have to give a shout out to Kimberly Goodell for looking out for me at the awards ceremony. There was a mix up in the timing tent and 3rd place was announced as another woman, who was actually a DNF. Kimberly, the overall winner, went out of her way to get the problem addressed. That was so sweet and a true indication of her character. Thank you, Kimberly- you are a winner in more ways than one!
No comments:
Post a Comment