Galena Triathlon 5/19/12

There are pros and cons to doing the same race two years in a row. The pro... you know what to expect. The con... you have expectations.

This race is the unofficial start to the Chicago area triathlon season. Last year, I came into this race as an unknown and with little pressure placed on myself to perform. Nerves were fairly low. The weather and logistics created some excitement, but, for the most part, I was able to just go out, do my thing and have a great time. I came out with a second place finish that was merely icing on the cake to a great weekend. This year, I have to admit, I felt a little pressure. And it was mostly just pressure I put on myself. Knowing that this race plays to all my strengths... hills, heat and a relatively short swim... and knowing how hard I've worked to improve over the past year, I was secretly hoping for the win. But, at the same time, I knew there were some fasties out there and I would certainly need to work for it!

Along with the difference in nerves and expectations, race day conditions were also just about opposite from last year: The water was a comfortable 70 degrees, compared to last year's 60 degree frigidness. The day was sunny and warm, compared to last year's cool and cloudy/rainy morning.  And to go along with the theme... my race tactics seemed quite a bit different, as well.

Me and Michael just before the swim start

Swim:  One of my 'immeasurable' goals for this season was to become confident and strong in the water to the point where the race starts at the sound of the horn (or cannon), NOT when I exit the water. I lined up at the front of my wave and, at the horn, I sprinted to the water and went out hard for the first 30 or so seconds and swam with the front pack. Unfortunately, I soon got dropped. And as soon as I lost the feet, I lost my ability to swim a straight line. I was blinded by the sun and swimming too wide and kept having to correct towards the buoys. Not efficient. But, keeping in mind that this is only a 10 minute swim, I stayed focused and knew that I needed to remain confident in my abilities and not let this setback bring me down. I kept a strong and steady stroke and eventually got into a rhythm by the time I hit the back stretch. After the last turn buoy, and swimming towards the exit, I was all by myself. I wondered if I was going the right way. I looked up every once in a while, but didn't catch much of a picture because it was so sunny and bright. I eventually exited the water and saw Michael cheering me in ;) Time: 10:16... surprisingly a few seconds faster than last year despite the issues. Not quite what I was hoping for, but moving forward.

T1 was not bad, not great. I struggled to get my wetsuit over my timing chip and then wasted a few seconds wiping rocks off my feet before putting on my bike shoes, helmet and sunglasses. Time: 1:39.

up, up, up, up, up...

Bike:   Here is where I was looking for the biggest improvement from last year. I've been training hard on the bike and after a solid week of riding last month at Trek Travel/VisonQuest ride camp, I was hoping to see some results. My other 'immeasurable' goal of this season was to grow some cycling legs... Thunder Thighs, if you will.  It's not too noticeable to most people, but I've gained a solid two pounds of what I believe to be muscle ;) That's ~2% body weight, so I'll take it! The bike started fine as I was sharp enough on race morning to put my bike in an easy gear to get going up that first hill of 12% grade. And then it was a series of 8-10 climbs at 30-90sec each (with respective descents following), i.e. ALOT of shifting. Problem here: I was hesitant to shift into my small ring. On the warmup, I dropped my chain while shifting to the small ring and didn't want to run the risk of that happening during the race... not a great course for staying in your big ring :P But I did for the first series of hills. I had a few spikes at 280-300 watts, but for the most part I was able to keep it in the Zone 4 range, albeit at a lower cadence. I knew I unnecessarily burned some matches and that this could affect how my legs would hold up for the run, but I just thought that it's less than an hour ride and less than a 30' run, so not QUITE as big a deal. Eventually, though, I hit the long, steep climb about halfway through the course and I very carefully shifted to the small ring... SUCCESS! I did not drop my chain and I was able to ride the remainder of the course at a steady power of 170-200 watts and cadence of 90-100 rpm. Because it was not raining or too windy, and also because I've gained a little more confidence in my bike handling, I was able to ride more aggressive on the descents and take advantage of the aerodynamics of my Speedy Concept. The last couple minutes were a steep, winding descent and I took advantage of the last bit of speed before getting out of my shoes and dismounting at the line. Time: 48:57... ~1.5 minute improvement over last year.

T2 was fairly smooth at 1:18

down, down, down, down, down.

Run:  One word: THIRSTY! As I mentioned, it was a warm, sunny day. My one bottle of fluid on the bike went quick and I rode the last 5 miles drink-free. As soon as I exited transition, I grabbed some water from the wonderful volunteers. But alas, it was just a tease. I got a few drops in my mouth that just left me wanting more. I started down the first hill on the run course and saw Shannon Moore to my left riding into transition.  I cheered her in and she let me know there was a girl about 200 yards ahead. The downhill quickly transitioned to an uphill and I just focused on staying strong and hoping my heavy legs would come around. I certainly felt a lot heavier on this run compared to last year... maybe it's those 2 extra pounds :P At the top of the first hill, I saw John Naab standing there with his bike and water bottle. He was a fantastic spectator picking out all the VQers and calling us by name. But, all I could focus on was his water bottle. I wanted to grab it and squeeze all of its contents into my mouth. He told me to pick 'em off one by one. I passed a couple girls and then saw Kristy Juno up ahead. She looked like she was running fast and strong. I didn't seem to be gaining much on her... I would start to gain a bit up a hill but then she'd fly down the backside. Eventually, I caught her and told her she looked strong and to keep it up. There were some great spectators on the sidelines and they yelled "First Female!" as I went by. I was obviously very surprised to hear this as I looked at them and said, "Really? There's no more???"  "Nope, you're it.", they said. Now I was running scared. I knew there were some fast Females in the 35-39 Age Group, as well as the 40-44, that started in the waves after me. So, I was still not in the clear. The last couple miles were mostly downhill and my goal was to push it and finish with nothing in the tank. That was my biggest disappointment last year when I crossed the finish line hardly breathing because I didn't go fast enough on the downs and the finish line just snuck up on me. This year, I knew to expect that and, on top of the fact that I just wasn't feeling as fresh, I was pushing hard and putting on the hurt. I saw Chris Meewes and Connor Shannon cooling down as I cruised down the last hill towards the finish. They told me the finish was just about in sight as I kicked it into my final gear. I proudly crossed the line with an empty tank. Time: 26:21... a few seconds slower than last year, but I was definitely working harder so I'm fine with that.

With Katie Culp Reget and Shannon Moore at the finish

With Michael after the finish

11 a.m. on Saturday. The race is complete and we still have the entire weekend ahead of us... Saturday races rock!!!

No one was quite sure when the awards/food started and what to do until then... but, eventually someone came up with the bright idea of getting Frappuccino's- YUM! This is my usual post-race treat. Usually, it's a big treat because I ward off all caffeine and sugar in the week leading up to a race. However, with this race being so short and smack dab in the middle of a big IM training block, I didn't have the will power to do that ;) I almost needed my coffee fix at this point.

VQ Project Blue- representing, celebrating and collecting harware

Top 3 Overall Females

The afternoon came to a nice close at the Awards Ceremony. Plenty of energy from all the tight-knit teams. Music, food and drink. Always a nice reminder of what this stuff is really about... fun, friends and health! Oh, and maybe a burger and a beer ;)

We had many VQers collecting medals and it was an exciting surprise to hear my name called as the First Overall Female with a time of 1:28:29... 2+ minute improvement from last year. Making gains, but always learning ;)

Topping off the weekend with a Sunday long ride with the girls!

Thank you to all theVisionQuest and VQ Project Blue Sponsors: 

Trek of Highland Park- Friendly and efficient service every time I stop in... you guys rock! 

Cobb Saddles- Thank you for helping me find the saddle that I can ride in comfort! 

Giro- Hands down, best helmets ever!  My Giro Advantage is fast on race day and my everyday training helmet is light and breathable for those long, hot rides! 

Oakley- Comfortable, light sunglasses that fit my face and protect my eyes from sun and debris! 

TYR- Perfectly sized transition bag to fit all my racing needs and keep me organized! 

FRS- Healthy Energy to get me through my long training days... and it tastes good, too! 

 SRAM, Napleton's Northwestern and IBJI Sport Medicine-  We are proud to represent you and could not be more appreciative of your support. 

Ironman 70.3 Texas 04/01/12

The first race of the season is under my belt. This was a great opportunity to race against a stacked field and check my fitness, race strategy and mental strength. As always, I came in with some clear-cut goals that were realistic and a bit of a stretch. This kept me focused and motivated to fight through 4 hours and 45 minutes of pain and misery. I executed, met a few of the goals and came out with an understanding of what to work on for my next big go!

First time traveling with the bike bag

The weekend lead-up to the race was stress-free and enjoyable. I flew into Houston Friday morning. My bike (in its bag) arrived safely and I got my rental car with a free mid-size upgrade! The drive down to Galveston was easy and my hotel was right off the highway just a couple miles from the race site. The hotel, Candlewood Suites, could not have been more perfect. I am not a good sleeper, so am a bit finicky with my sleeping arrangements. The bed was comfy, pillows were perfect, air conditioning got nice and cold for sleeping and you could set the fan to run constant instead of kicking on and off all night. Best of all, there was a full kitchen, which I came prepared for with all my groceries ;) I put my bike together, picked up my race packet at the expo, had a home-cooked meal and slept like a baby on Friday night.

Practicing my volleyball serve post shake-out

Saturday morning was a nice little shakeout- 25 minute ride and 20 minute run on the course followed by a 10 minute swim in the ocean. I felt good. Had a big breakfast at Denny's of pancakes, eggs, ham and english muffin. Then it was just relax in the room for a bit, head back to transition to rack my bike, homemade dinner at the hotel of pasta and grilled chicken and then asleep by 8:30pm.

I woke naturally at 3am on Sunday morning. 6.5 hours the night before... I'm happy with that. Breakfast was a banana, applesauce, Gluten free bagel with peanut butter and honey and 2 hard boiled eggs... about 600 calories total. The race weekend was going smoothly so far and I didn't start to feel any nerves until arriving at transition on race morning. I had confidence in my fitness and race strategy, but just started to worry about the uncontrollables... getting my goggles knocked off in the water, flat on the bike, etc.

Showing off my afro thanks to 90% humidity

The pros start at 7am and my wave F30-34 went at 7:45. I took in a caffeinated Powerbar gel about 20 minutes prior.  

Swim:  It was a deep water start. A few minutes before the horn, the 115 women in my Age Group jumped off the dock and found a position at the start buoy. I positioned myself on the front line about 3/4 of the way to the outside. I know I'm not the fastest swimmer there, but the plan was to go out hard and stay close to the front pack. At the horn, I did just that. The water was fairly calm and I found a groove. I was able to focus on a powerful and efficient stroke just like I do in the pool. As usual, I had no idea where I stood in the group, but felt like I was in a good position. I did an ok job with sighting, made the first turn buoy with minimal contact and then it was the long leg parallel to the shore. There must've been a small current because I kept finding myself drifting towards the shore (to the inside of the buoys). I started passing the men from the wave prior and that took some energy to get around them without being kicked or punched. Finally, I reached the second turn buoy and it was just a short swim to shore. I started to pull a little harder and increase my turnover and finally reached the ramp.

Swim Exit

I exited the water in 35:19 (1:49/100m) and 15th in my Age Group.

T1:  As soon as I got on land, I started sprinting towards transition. My T1 times are usually not the fastest and my goal was to get it there. I started stripping my wetsuit down to my hips and pulled off my cap and goggles. Once at my bike, I got the wetsuit all the way off, helmet and sunglasses on, shoes and race belt on, grabbed my bike and ran.

T1 time 2:15. Not bad... it could've been faster if I had my shoes clipped in to my bike, but with the windy conditions I didn't want to mess with trying to strap my shoes on the go. I had a problem with that at St. Anthony's last year and it cost me precious seconds.

2nd race on my Trek Speed Concept 9.5!

Bike:  This is a flat out and back course along the seawall. The winds were a headwind/crosswind from the left on the way out... mostly steady with some gusts. I felt stable (not going to get blown over), but my speed and power was relatively low. To make matters worse, I couldn't find the right gearing. I typically race at ~93rpm. But, with the flat course, I was stuck in one gear and it was either 85 rpm in a harder gear or 100 rpm in an easier gear. I did not like either of these, so just toggled between the two throughout the race. I focused on staying tucked, keeping 4 bike lengths to avoid a drafting penalty and just pushing hard. I was passing people the whole way out... got passed by some men, but no women. My power numbers were lower than I would've liked, but my perceived exertion was fairly high. My glutes and hip flexors were burning from the get-go. And, with over 2.5 hours in this tuck position, there was no relief. It was uncomfortable and I was not enjoying myself. But, my motivation was high. I had my eye on the prize and despite how much pain I was in, I just kept believing in my fitness and told myself that my run will be there. My nutrition seemed fine. Pretty simple... I had 200 calories of Infinit in my front bottle and I refilled with Ironman Perform at each Aid Station, so ended up taking in ~700 calories (4 bottles of fluid) throughout the bike course.

I reached the turnaround in 1:25:02 (19.76 mph). Heading back with the wind now from the right and slightly behind, I was looking at 25+ mph for the first bit.  Aaahhh... thank goodness! I started to enjoy myself a little thinking about how quickly this second half would go. But, it didn't last. I don't know if the wind shifted, but for the majority of the return I was looking at ~23mph.  My power numbers remained the same throughout.  At least I was being consistent and hanging on. My glutes and hip flexors were still on fire, but I just focused on a smooth, powerful cadence and kept believing that my run will be there. I had never hurt this much on a 1/2 Iron bike course before, but kept my motivation and confidence.  I reached the turnoff from Seawall Blvd and then just a few minutes of rough side roads to transition.  I kept hammering through until I recognized the area. Got my feet out of my shoes and approached the dismount line.  I started to slow, swung my right leg around the back and hopped off to start running. This was dramatic, as my legs were so locked up (and I may have had a little too much speed still) that I nearly fell. The volunteers all let out loud gasps as I tumbled forward and caught myself. "Nice save!", they yelled.

Bike split 2:37:31 (21.33mph) and now 4th in my Age Group.

T2:  I started running with my bike and my legs felt so disconnected from my body. I had no clue if I was sprinting or shuffling. I racked my bike, took off my helmet and put on my socks and shoes, grabbed my visor and watch and swung my race number around as I ran towards the transition exit. I wish I had thought to take a seat for a second like Lance and some of the other pros ;)

T2 time 1:42.

Run:  My Garmin took a few minutes to find satellites as a wondered how fast I was running. My legs felt so foreign. I typically run my first mile of a triathlon a little too fast, but this time I thought for sure that I was slogging along at an 8 or 9 minute pace. This made me a little nervous, but I was patient and confident that my legs would come around. Once my Garmin found the satellites I noticed that I was actually running a 6:40 pace! Wow- surprising. My goal was a 1:28 run split, so this was not far off. For the first 1/2 of the run, my mile splits were all between 6:35 and 6:45. It was hot, humid and windy. With a 3 loop course, it got pretty crowded with runners and hard to get nutrition at the aid stations. I took in water about every mile and threw some ice down my top. I also took in Perform at most aid stations to get some calories. Mile 9 is where I usually start to really feel the pain... it's kind of like mile 22 of a Marathon. I saw a 6:49 and 6:53 for mile 7 and 8.  I started to do the math and told myself to just keep it under 7 minute pace. Mile 9, 10 and 11 were 6:55, 6:36 and 6:56... obviously affected by headwind/tailwind portions. I felt a huge blister on the bottom of my right foot from my soaking wet socks rubbing on my orthotics, but just ignored it. With just a couple miles to go now, it was time to dig deep and start pumping my arms for a strong finish. Mile 12 @ 6:43 and the last 1.1 miles at 6:33 pace.

I crossed the line with a run split of 1:28:20 (6:44/mi).

Hand-crafted Hardware

My overall finish was 4:45:07. 2nd in my Age Group, 5th Overall Amateur and 28th Female.

The end result was slightly off from my goal, but I did the best I could with my current fitness and the race conditions. I'm proud of the effort I put in and I know what I need to work on moving forward. Looking back, I think I could've swam a little faster... I think I've made some great improvements in my swim technique and fitness, but I'm still learning to find that comfortably hard effort in the open water. But, in reality, a minute or two faster in the water would not have made much of a difference in my overall result. As far as the bike, I just need more time in the saddle. My marathon focus last fall definitely hurt me there. Hopefully cycling camp this month will help with that. I'm happy with my run- that was right where I wanted it to be. It was painful, but I gutted it out.

The weekend was a blast! I had a great time traveling solo, doing my thing and meeting fantastic people along the way. I love this sport and I love racing!!!

Scheduling Life Around Ironman Training... or Vice Versa

Up to this point, I've only posted about my race experiences. But, the training is where a lot of the good (or at least important) stuff happens. And a lot has happened over the past few months since finishing my Marathon and putting the focus back on triathlon. Ironman is a new and exciting challenge for me. I was very hesitant about whether this was something I wanted to tackle. Now that I am 3 months in with still 3 months to go, I am feeling confident that I made the right decision.

They say that you should spend your off-season focusing on your weakest discipline... so, for me, a 3-month running focus was probably not following that rule. But, I couldn't help myself... I wanted to capitalize on my fitness. After the Marathon, I was feeling a little burnt out from running, but found great joy in swimming and cycling. Things really started clicking for me in the pool and on the bike. Maybe the break was actually just what I needed!

Indoor/Outdoor pool at Tri-State Athletic Club in Evansville, IN
(my Wednesday pool for the month of February)

Swimming:  I have to say, swimming was never my favorite sport. When it came to triathlons, I got through the swim, but never much enjoyed it. Well, that all changed about 3 months ago. A switch had flipped and all of a sudden I was enjoying my swims... looking forward to them, even! I was seeing a bigger picture and had a heightened awareness of all the mechanics involved. From then on out, every swim was completed in full (no more cutting it 400 meters short because I was cold or tired). And every swim was completed with focus. There is always something to focus on and correct- rotation, body position, high elbow, catch, reach... but, for me, the most important seems to be TIMING and HOW MUCH WATER I'M PULLING. When I focus on these 2 things, my times drop. All last year, Dan didn't have a whole lot of feedback on my stroke technique except... "You need to pull more water!" If you look at the Swim Smooth website, I'm pretty sure I would be categorized as a 'Bambino'... decent technique, but kind of wimpy ;) You can't imagine my excitement when I finally realized what it felt like to actually pull more water. And it wasn't necessarily that I had gotten stronger, but more that I got the 'feel'. Once I realized that I had the ability to become a faster swimmer (read: fastER, not fast), my motivation to get in the pool increased ten-fold. And with that, my fitness began to increase. Now I am pulling more water and maintaining that for longer periods. My confidence to complete the 2.4 mile swim is night and day from where it was just a few short months ago. Now, swimming laps in a calm pool lane is much different from the open water, crowded triathlon swim. I'm looking forward to seeing how the times and confidence in the pool transfer to that of the open water.

My lucky day riding next to 4X IM Champ, Heather Wurtele 

Cycling:  The bike is my middle ground. I do not dominate but I can hold my own. I'm hoping to change that. The bike leg of a triathlon is proportionately the largest and the time when you can gain or lose the most. I've been spending the past few months learning how to hurt on the bike. Of course, during the Ironman I don't intend to hurt on the bike because it's a long race. But, right now I want to push beyond my comfort zone. I want to get to a point where I'm seeing higher numbers with the same or lower effort. Again, this has been more about focus and mental strength than anything else. I don't watch movies or chat with my training buddies during Z3 and Z4 work on the computrainer. I stare at myself in the mirror and tell myself over and over how bad I want it. I focus on a smooth, strong pedal cadence and I visualize the race.

Outdoor ride with Elisa and Dan (Dan behind the camera)

With the spring weather starting to break, I finally got outside on my tri bike for the first time since last season. It was humbling riding with Dan and his wife, Elisa. But, it was just the kick in the pants that I needed and I was happy to be able to keep them in sight for some short periods. Plus, I always learn something when I ride with them. This time I learned what a huge difference the front wheel makes when riding in gusty winds. With my deeper rim, I spent a good portion of my energy trying to stay upright. Then Dan swapped front wheels with me and I immediately noticed a huge difference and could then focus on riding hard without worrying about falling over. Good to know. I'm also looking forward to cycling camp next month to continue to build fitness, bike handling skills and to just plain have FUN!

Functional Strength with Michael in Duck, NC (Outerbanks)

Running:  This has always been my comfort zone, but it took some time to get my running legs back after the Marathon. It was a good month of heavy-leg syndrome before I started to feel good again. These past couple months, Dan has built me back up to about 5 hours (or 35-40 miles) of running per week with a gradual increase in time at intensity. I've been successful at keeping the injuries at bay by keeping the focus on recovery, short sessions of functional strength and Physical Therapy exercises and just staying in tune with my body and listening when it doesn't feel quite right.

Normatec Boots recovery session after a Sunday ride!

To date, I've built up to 19 hours per week of training. Depending on my work/travel schedule, some weeks have been more manageable than others. I'm fortunate in that I have the flexibility (for the most part) to build my work hours around my training plan. But still, there are only so many hours in the week. I make sleep the top priority because without it I can't perform, I can't recover and I'm certainly not a fun person be around. My motivation has remained high and that gets me through those days when I just don't know if I have it in me. On those days, it's just a matter of getting the workout started. Once I get warmed up, I can usually pull it together.

This is certainly a lifestyle. I'm grateful to have Michael to share it with, as well as all the amazing friends I've met along the way. And, of course, the support of my family... they may think I'm crazy at times, but they always cheer me on and celebrate my accomplishments. I'm one lucky girl.

California International Marathon 12/04/11

Aaaaahhhhh!!! So happy :)

I've thought for a few years now that I was capable of a sub 3:00 marathon, but just didn't know if my body could get through the training required for such a performance.  According to my 5k and 10k PR's over the past 3 years, I should be running 2:56.  But the longer the running race, the further I would be from what the race calculator predicted.  I wondered if maybe I was just a 'middle distance' runner.  Maybe my body wasn't made for long distances.  I'm so glad I was able to prove myself wrong ;)

When I ran the Baystate Half Marathon 7 weeks ago in 1:23:27, I knew I was well on my way to that sub 3:00 goal.  All I had to do was stay healthy and consistent with my training.  After the Half, my hip injury popped back up and I immediately backed off.  One thing I've finally learned after 20+ years of competitive running and it's related injuries... listen to my body and stop before a pain turns into an injury.  I've learned to differentiate between a 'good' pain (soreness from a hard effort) and a 'bad' pain (stop now or you'll be stopped for a lot longer than just today's workout).  I took a full week off running and continued to swim and bike.  I sought medical attention- Active Release Technique and Physical Therapy.  After a week of no running, I was able to pick back up where I left off and completed almost every prescribed workout until the marathon (with a few shortened sessions due to GI issues).  I felt good about the work that I had put in and I was getting pumped for the big day!

As race week approached, I was paranoid of anything that would compromise my race.  I cut out sugar, alcohol and caffeine for a full week before the race.  I tried to steer clear of every sick person (which is not easy to do when you travel for a living and also for the holidays).  Walking down the street, I would have visions of myself tripping and breaking my leg or falling into the "L" tracks.  Yeah, I was pretty much crazy.  But, I like to just think of it as 'cautious'... or paranoid.  Whatever.

Race day arrived and I was healthy, yet slightly under slept.  The nerves must have gotten to me because I struggled with insomnia for the 3 nights prior, getting 5, 4 and 5 hours of sleep.  This coming from a person who NEEDS her 8 hours.  I would fall asleep just fine at the same time every night, but would wake at an ungodly hour (like 1am) and not be able to fall back asleep.  Throughout each day, I had plenty of energy and my body felt great... but my brain was mush.  Conversations were tough, as I would get stuck on very simple words and then just give up.  Luckily, my little sis was the only one that really had to put up with me during that time.

At the starting line, I had my plan and I was ready to take action.  Temperature was perfect at ~40 degrees with light wind.  I started at about 6:50 pace.  The terrain was the definition of rolling hills to start.  Nothing big, but constantly a gradual up then a gradual down.  My pace fluctuated from ~6:30 on the downs to just over 7:00 on the ups. This continued for the first 16 miles of the race.  No big spikes in heart rate/perceived exertion and it was nice to have the slight variations.  

Mile 1- 6:58
Mile 2 and 3- 6:46 average (13:33... never saw the 2 mile marker)

I warmed up pretty quick and shed my 'throw away' long sleeve after just 2 miles.  Now just wearing my shorts, sport top, compression calf sleeves and mittens.  I could feel the slight headwind... I'm guessing probably about 5mph.  Not bad, but I was thinking about how staying in a pack would save me a little energy.  Problem was... there was no pack around me.  There were scattered guys and I was able to tuck behind this one man for a mile or so before he surged ahead.

As Coach Dan directed, I started taking in gel at mile 4.  I tore the top off my first Kona Punch-flavored PowerBar Gel.  It took me from the 4-mile mark until the 11-mile mark to finish it.  Fairly tasty, but I needed a lot of water with it.  I would take in a mouthful before each aid station and chase it with water.  My stomach felt perfect.  Empty, but not hungry or thirsty.  I kind of had to pee, but not really.  I knew I could hold it for 3 hours and it would not affect my race.

Mile 4- 6:44
Mile 5- 6:52
Mile 6- 6:49

Right around the 6-mile mark I came up to a HUGE pack and realized it was the 3:00 pace group.  I was kind of surprised because I thought my pace was ahead of 3:00 at this point.  But, I guess it makes sense that they would pace it slightly faster because people don't want to finish in 3:00... they want to finish SUB 3:00.  I noticed a very slight difference in effort level when I was in the pack.  It was nice to be shielded by the wind, but as we approached the 3rd Aid Station I wanted OUT!  Trying to get water at the same time as 100+ other runners was not cool.  At this point, my goal was to get ahead of (and stay ahead of) this group.  But, I wasn't about to sprint so it took me a couple miles before I was able to separate myself.

Mile 7- 6:46
Mile 8 and 9- 6:49 average (13:39... missed another mile marker)
Mile 10- 6:42

My right hamstring felt a little tight at this point, which I'd never experienced before.  Not bad enough to make me worry, but just an awareness and I hoped it wouldn't get any worse.  I finished my first gel at mile 11 and opened my second one (same flavor) at mile 12.  This one I accidentally tore too much of the top off and it started oozing out and got my mitten all gooey.  So, I had to take a big gulp of the goo to stop the oozing and I tossed the messy mitten.

Mile 11- 6:43
Mile 12- 6:50
Mile 13- 6:46

Half Marathon- 1:29:06

At mile 13, I hear two guys chatting about the race.  The one guy mentioned that after mile 16 there were no more hills... up or down.  I kind of assumed that looking at the race course profile and talking to others who have run the race, but you really just don't know for sure until you see it (some people's ideas of hills are different from others).  I was really hoping that was the case though, because my plan was to go out conservative and have a negative split if I felt good.  I didn't really want to JUST break 3:00.  I wanted mid- 2:50's.

Mile 14- 6:41
Mile 15- 6:46
Mile 16- 6:40

At this point, I'm feeling pretty good about my pace.  In the beginning, I just had no idea what I would be capable of.  But, more than halfway through and I'm still feeling fresh.  In the back of mind, though, I can't help but think about my last 3 miles at Boston when the wheels just fell off.  I really hoped that wouldn't happen again.  I know it happens to a lot of people and I can't be sure of what's in store for me.

Mile 17- 6:34
Mile 18- 6:33

Right around Mile 18, we ran through a fairly busy intersection of spectators.  They had LMFAO's 'Party Rock Anthem' blaring over the speakers and all of a sudden I just got so emotional.  I had this giant smile on my face. After seeing the last 2 splits on my watch and feeling how good I still felt, I was realizing that I was going to do this.  I was going to blow 3:00 out of the water!  For an entire mile, I could not stop smiling.  I literally and physically could not stop smiling.  I tried and couldn't.  I almost started crying.

Mile 19- 6:29
Mile 20- 6:30

I finished my 2nd gel just before mile 18 and opened my 3rd shortly after.  By now I had thrown away my other mitten and my hands were a little chilly and sticky, but not too bad.  After those last two delicious gels, I was not stomaching this chocolate-flavored honey stinger gel.  I thought I liked this brand, but the PowerBar gels were much easier going down.  I took in little tastes here and there to try and get in the calories.  I never felt even close to depleted, so I didn't beat myself up for not eating more.  And I took in 2 big gulps of water at every Aid Station except for 1, so I felt plenty hydrated.  I wondered how Lindsay (little sis) was doing with her gels.  Hopefully better than me ;)

Mile 21- 6:29
Mile 22- 6:39

My legs were starting to feel heavy and tired.  Only 4 more miles.  I can tough it out for 4 more miles.  Each mile was going by so fast up to this point.  I couldn't even believe it was almost over.  About mile 22, I passed my new friend Meshelle (from Chicago).  We had chatted a few times trying to get together for a run during taper week, but it never happened.  It was nice to see a familiar face out there.  We said a quick hello and cheered each other on.  Shortly after that, a different girl that I had passed a few minutes prior caught back up to me.  We ran side-by-side for a couple miles.  Spectators yelled, "work together girls!".  She asked me if I had a goal and I told her I had surpassed it and just needed to hang on at this point.  She was trying to PR (she ran 2:57 in Chicago last year).  I could tell she had more left in her than I did and sure enough, she pulled ahead for a strong finish.

Mile 23- 6:35
Mile 24- 6:31
Mile 25- 6:34

I was hanging on.  Just a little over a mile to go and I hear LMFAO's 'Sexy and I Know It' blaring over the speakers.  I was hurting, but this put a smile on my face.  I still had over half my third gel, but just tossed it. Then, I'm counting down the streets.  We turn for the finish at 8th Street.  The street signs were passing by quick enough... 15th, 14th, 13th.  I know I had a look of horror on my face now.  I was digging deep.  I turned left onto 8th and started sprinting.  I saw the clock still reading 2:55:??.  One more quick left towards the finishing chute and I shot passed one more girl to finish in 2:55:38!!!

Mile 26- 6:43
.2- 1:21 (5:51 pace)

After I crossed the finish line, I allowed myself to feel pain.  My legs HURT.  They ached so bad and someone tried to hand me chocolate milk... YUCK!  .... then I thought about it and took it for later.  After all, I do like chocolate milk.  Especially after a hard workout.

Two happy sisters!

Baystate Half Marathon (10/16/11)

At the conclusion of my 2011 triathlon season, I decided to focus my 'off-season' on a Half Marathon and Marathon PR.  I've run 2 other Marathons in the past, but have little pride in my finish times.  Since I consider myself to be in the best shape of my life and I'm not getting any younger, now seemed like a good time to take care of that problem. 

The past month has been a challenging, yet fun, running focus.  I felt ready for the Half and hoped to break 1:25.  If I could do that, I would feel more confident about a sub 3:00 Marathon in December.

In the 5 days leading up to the race, I followed my usual protocol of no sweets or caffeine.  I kept hydrated and slept well.  The 2 days prior, I focused most of my calories on easily digested carbs, lean meats and limited roughage the day prior.  My Saturday dinner was at a perfect time of 5:30pm and consisted of pasta with sauce, grilled chicken and a sourdough roll.  Thanks to my early work hours this month, I was able to fall asleep by 8:30pm and got a full 8 hours sleep the night before the race.  I woke naturally at 4:30am and was eating breakfast at 5, exactly 3 hours prior to race start.  Breakfast was the usual whole grain bagel with peanut butter and honey, a banana and green tea.  After several successful trips to bathroom, we were out the door and on our way to the race.  So far, everything was going according to plan.



Me and mom- race sherpa/photographer/master spectator!



On the drive, I was talking to my mom about the lack of anxiety I had for this race.  It is so much less stressful than a triathlon- less to pack, less to worry about.  I was really looking forward to just going out and running!  The weather was almost ideal.  Temperature was perfect at about 50 degrees.  It was a little windy, but coming from a good direction.  It's a two-loop course and you start into the wind which, in my opinion, is good.










I started my warm up about 40 minutes prior to the start:  15 minutes easy + 5min build + 3min easy + 3x30sec strides.  I finished up the warm up right before the national anthem and then found a spot a couple rows behind the start line. 

When the gun went off, I went out solid.  I glanced at my GPS quite a bit to make sure I wasn't going too fast.  It's easy to get carried away at the start with the adrenaline and excitement.  I tried to stay between 6:20 and 6:30 pace until I was able to find a good rhythm and feel.  Since we were headed into the wind for the 1st few miles, I tried to stay tucked in a pack but with little success.  There was a solid group about 1 minute ahead of me and scattered people around that I was either passing or being passed by.  I ran the first 3 miles right around 6:25 into the wind.  I felt settled into a rhythm at this point and as a guy passed me, I tucked in behind.  I stayed with him and ran the next 4 miles in 6:10-6:20 pace with a slight tailwind.  Starting the 2nd loop, I was feeling good.  I knew to expect the headwind and some slight inclines.  That's what I love about multiple loop courses- you know what to expect and can mentally prepare for it.  I stayed focused and mentally strong.  I kept repeating to myself, "you're strong- you got this".  The spectatorship was great!  I heard from multiple people that I was the 3rd woman and 2nd place was about 1 minute ahead.  I knew throughout the race that I wasn't gaining ground, but I was just happy with how I felt and that I was exceeding my expectations.  I just wanted to hang on and finish strong.  With about a mile to go, the 4th place female came up alongside me.  Nobody warned me about her- I thought I had 3rd in the bag!  As she pulled up to me, I asked her if she was on her 1st or 2nd loop.  She said 2nd and I said, "OK" and took off!  I had no idea I had this extra gear and didn't know if she had one too.  The final mile was into the wind and I was digging deep to find whatever I had left.  My final 1.1 miles was at 5:54 pace.  I finished in 1:23:27 (6:22 average) and secured my 3rd place overall finish.




2nd, 4th and 3rd Place Women!


I was ecstatic with my race.  All the pieces fell into place, which is rare.  I ran a 5 minute PR and beat my goal by over 1.5 minutes.  It was nice chatting with the 2nd and 4th place girls at the finish line.  They were both preparing for the Philadelphia Marathon next month. 

I held my glow for the remainder of the day as I focused on recovery and preparing for even tougher training to come.  Hopefully, I can replicate this performance in 7 weeks at the California International Marathon!

A huge thank you goes to my Mom for all your support during the race weekend!  You're the Best!!!

Ironman 70.3 World Championships (9/11/11)

Hands down, best race experience of my life.  What an opportunity!  To race against the best in the world... at an incredible venue... on one of the toughest courses out there.  I can proudly say that I left it all on the course that day.  I followed the plan to the T- raced aggressive, yet smart, and maintained confidence in my training and in my abilities. 

Since this was my first World Championship race and the first time it would be held at the new venue in Nevada, I came in with zero expectations... besides doing the best I could possibly do.  There was alot of talk about the difficulty of the course, thanks to the massive hills and the desert heat and winds.  The race director was proud of himself for creating a challenging and fair race that would separate the very good from the very best.  According to him, this was not the place to set a PR.




View of Ravella bridge/swim venue

When we checked into the Ravella hotel on Thursday, I have to admit I was a little intimidated by the intense energy and extreme focus radiating from all the chisled, spandex-clad athletes.  I wasn't sizing myself up to them by any means, but I just felt like I was behind the curve.  Everyone seemed ready to roll and I still had a list of things to get done... athlete check-in, pick up my bike and make sure it was good to go, get a glimpse of the course, etc, etc.  But, I think the thing weighing heaviest on my mind was my bike.  

My new baby

I got the surprise of my life a couple weeks ago when Michael bought me a sexy new Trek Speed Concept 9.5!!!  I was super excited about my new speed machine and the fact that I was lucky enough to have such a generous, thoughtful and loving boyfriend... but I was also a little nervous to ride an unfamiliar bike at the biggest race of my life.  But, the super fantastic salesmen and mechanics at Trek of Highland Park worked passed closing time in order to get the bike ready and dialed in to exactly match the position of my Felt.  I had 2 days to stretch the new cables, get comfortable and fine tune the fit before dropping it off for Tribike Transport.  It felt good on the 2nd ride and I was pretty confident that this bike would not cause me a problem on race day... and more likley, make me even faster!

Pixley, me, Michael, Kristy and Mike

Friday was kind of a disaster.  The plan was to hit Ironman Village when they opened at 9am, pick up our bikes and ride them 15 miles back to the hotel.  This would give us a chance to shake out our legs, make sure our bikes were working properly and also view the last 15 miles of the bike course (in reverse)... all before it got too intensely hot out.  Two very big problems prevented us from completing this plan:  1) I forgot my bike pedals and 2) Michael had a broken spoke on his back wheel.  After 2-3 hours of wandering around in the heat with limited water, we finally had complete and properly functioning bikes.  At this point, in our tired and dehydrated state, we had no desire to ride 15 miles at the hottest time of the desert day.  Michael decided to go for it anyway and I packed my bike in the car and met him back at the hotel.  I got 10 minutes in on my bike just to make sure it was all good, which it was ;)  After a couple hours of relaxation, we met up with Pixley, Kristy and Mike for the Welcome Dinner.  We were treated to some great food and a little pep rally!  When I heard the WTC CEO mention there were 54 Countries being represented, it started to sink in that this is the World Championships.


 

Saturday A.M. Practice swim

Saturday was a day to relax and mentally prepare... but mostly just relax.  My nerves were behind me now that I got the busy work done and I felt pretty chill about the whole thing.  Ready to just enjoy the experience and celebrate the end of a fantastic season.  I had a good chat with Coach Dan in the a.m.  There wasn't much to say about the race since he had already sent a lengthy email of the race plan.  I felt confident and relaxed and he could sense that.  We did a practice swim at about 7am and the water felt good.  Perfect non-wetsuit-legal temperature in the high 70's.  It was calm and overcast and even a little chilly getting in!  After the swim, we headed out for a 30 min ride.  I finally got a taste of the hills.  Holy Crap!!  This was no joke.  You start with a 4 mile climb out of transition, followed by a 3 mile steep, winding descent into Lake Mead National Park and then another 5 miles of tough climbing.  This is pretty much the theme over the 56 mile course.  There are no flats.  At all.  And I am going to love every minute of it!!!  The roads are smooth with limited traffic.  This is my dream bike course ;)  For the remainder of the day, we ate, watched TV (college football, of course) and ate a little more.  My plan was to be alseep by 8pm or so, but thanks to 'Jazz in the Park', I was kept awake by the vibrations of their booming bass.  Who's bright idea was it to schedule a live band on the night before a World Championship race... at the hotel located at the starting line!?!?  Oh well, I finally fell asleep about 10pm... and woke at midnight- apparently the excitement finally got to me ;)  2 hours... that'll have to do.  I didn't sweat it since I slept like a champ every night leading up to this.



Happy to see my sisters before the start!

Staying at the start line was KEY to an easy race morning.  Ate my usual prerace breakfast, went down to transition to put the final touches on my bike- nutrition, tire inflation... then walked the 1.5 minutes back to my hotel room and relaxed (and used the bathroom a couple times) before GO TIME.  No port-a-potties for this girl ;)  We went back down to the start at about 6:30, saw the pros go off and got in line for my 7am start.  Jen and Lindsay (sisters) found me a few minutes before I got in the water- YAY!!!  This made me SOOOO happy :)  I was afraid I wasn't going to see them until mid-race!  Emotions started to rise all of a sudden and I felt like I could almost cry.  I was so overwhelmed by the magnitude of this race and having my two sisters, who I love so much, there to support me.  OK, shake it off and focus.

Females 30-34

SWIM:  It was a deep water start and we treaded water for 5+ minutes before the thundering cannon.  I started wide and worked my way in towards the bouys.  My technique, energy and strength all felt good.  There was limited contact with other swimmers and I pretty much enjoyed the entire swim.  Don't get me wrong, I couldn't wait until it was over... but, as far as swims go, this one was going pretty well for me.  I had girls around me at all times to help with sighting, drafting... and confidence (I knew I wasn't being totally left in the dust)!  I exited the water with a 1.2 mile swim split of 37:58 (1:59/100m).  68th out of 93 girls in my Age Group.



T1:  Once exiting the water, we ran around the southern tip of the lake to the transition tent.  This was my first experience with transition bags and tents.  I have to say, I liked it very much.  It felt like VIP treatment!  As I approached the area, volunteers start yelling my number, 845.  They're passing it down to the people handing you your bike gear bag.  Somehow, my 845 turned into an 848 and they were trying to give me the wrong bag.  I almost had to stand there and convince them that they were wrong, but I was sharp enough to realize it wasn't worth my time.  I bent down and grabbed the 845 bag and ran into the tent as they were still trying to tell me I was grabbing the wrong bag.  Once in the tent, there were more volunteers helping me organize my bike shoes, helmet, sunglasses and race number.  This was great!  I was out of there, grabbed my bike and headed for the hills!  T1 time 3:41.


Sister spectators killing time while I ride ;)

Bike:  Starting the climb out of transition, I focused on staying in my power zone and allowed others to pass.  The plan called for riding mostly 160-180 watts.  I stuck to this on the climbs, sometimes going slightly above... but, never above 200.  On the descents I would get into the toughest gear and my most aerodynamic position and spin until there was no pressure left on the pedals.  This seemed to work pretty well, as I would get passed on the climbs, but quickly pass them back on the descents.  Most of the descents were done at 35+ mph, topping out at 42.  Nutrition was going great- I refilled my aero bottle with Ironman Perform at all of the 4 aid stations and used my lower bottle of water to spray my body to cool off (thanks again, Michelle!).  The bike was pretty much going according to plan, with a couple surprises in the middle.  I got PEED on!!  I had been jockeying with this one girl for most of the ride- she would pass me on the climbs and I'd pass her back on the descents.  Well as I was coming up to pass her once again, she moved her butt to the side of the saddle and I got sprayed... EEEWWW!!!  I was mostly disgusted, but also slightly impressed.  I have never been able to pee on the bike and she made it look so easy.  About 1:45 into the ride, a group of guys pass by.  The girls that were around me got sucked into their draft.  It was hard to avoid, but I wanted no part of a drafting penalty.  Just as I was thinking that, I hit a large bump!  The velcro on my aero bottle came apart and out of the loop.  I was lucky the bottle didn't fly off!  I tried working the velcro back through it's loop while riding, but it just wasn't happening.  I was forced to pull off to the side and put in back together.  It probably cost me a little over a minute.  The only silver lining was that I was away from the drafting pack.  For the last hour, I was able to ride my own race without worrying about those girls and I finally caught back up to them and passed them for good as we approached T2.  My 56 mile bike split was 2:52:21 (19.5 mph) and I had moved up to 46th out of 93.



Exiting T2


T2:  T2 came up out of nowhere around a corner.  I had just enough time to undo my shoes, but didn't get my feet out before the dismount line.   I just unclipped and took my shoes off once off the bike- I knew I'd run alot faster barefoot.  One volunteer took my bike and another took my shoes- what service!  I ran into the tent with my Run Gear Bag and a volunteer poured it on the floor.  I kind of had it set up nice and organized in the bag... she meant well ;)  T2 time 1:11.



Pure Runner's High



Run:  I saw my sisters as I started the run and got really excited!!  I felt good from the get go and had to hold myself back in order to not go out too fast.  Emotions started to build in me again.  I was so happy that this race was going so well and so happy to have so much love and support from all my family and friends!!  The next time I saw Jen and Lindsay, I just blurted out "I'M SO HAPPY YOU'RE HERE!!"  The run was 3 loops.  The first mile was downhill, followed by a 2 mile climb and then another 2 down... repeat 2 more times finishing on a 1 mile downhill.  I was running ~6:20's downhill and just over 7:00 pace uphill.  I was hoarding fuel at every stop- Perform in the mouth, water over the head and ice down the shirt.  I felt good!... right up until about mile 10.  The last 2 mile hill was slow at ~8:30pace.  I was thinking how this is what the Ironman shuffle must feel like.  As I rounded the last turnaround, there was a mile to go and it was all downhill.  I saw a girl up ahead that had a 33 on her calf.  I picked up the pace and slowly started gaining on her.  She knew it because she kept looking back at me.  My legs weighed what felt like a ton, but I moved them as fast as I could.  I focused on pumping my arms and hoped my legs would follow.  The finish line was creeping up and she looked back at me about 5 more times until she knew she had it.  She beat me by 4 seconds.  13.1 mile run split of 1:33:40 (7:09/mi).

Bringing it home

My overall finish was 5:08:51.  20th out of 93 in my Age Group.






Time to celebrate a great season!

I couldn't be happier with how the race unfolded.  This was the perfect way to finish an amazing triathlon season.  I have to thank all of my family and friends who have supported me throughout my training and racing.  Knowing you are all pulling for me, helps get me through those days when I just don't know if I have it in me.  To all my new training buddies who I've met this year- it's been motivating to follow along with all your training and racing adventures.  Keep it up!  A huge thank you to Robbie Ventura and Dave Noda- VisionQuest Coaching is top notch.  I'm so grateful to be a part of something so special that has helped me grow into an even better athlete.  To my coach, Dan Litwora, you've brought me to the best shape of my life and (knock on wood) NO INJURIES!  This is huge.   Bigger and better things to come ;)  And the biggest thank you of all goes to Michael.  You have endured many a 'Cranky Adrienne' days and you're still here!  Thanks for putting up with me and enjoy the off-season because Ironman training could be even worse! ;)                 



Chicago International Triathlon (8/28/11)



What doesn't break me, will make me stronger... that is how I am looking at the result of this race.  I was mentally split going into the race.  I LOVE this distance and it's a hometown race, so I was hoping to do well and MAYbe even go for the top 3 overall amateur!  However, I also knew that I wasn't fresh- 2 weeks off a 1/2 Iron with my big 'A' race of the season just 2 weeks down the road and the main focus right now.  It ended up being an off day for me... actually, the worst race performance of my season due to lack of freshness, lack of mental strength, poor nutrition and rookie mistakes.  I was able to walk away not feeling completely defeated, as I got a heck of workout and was reminded of what NOT to do 2 weeks from now ;)

Watching the Sprint distance athletes

The day started with a 3:30am wakeup and the usual breakfast of rice cakes with peanut butter and honey, a banana and applesauce.  (My first mistake...Probably shorted myself about 200 calories and didn't consider the extra hour of waiting for the Sprint race.)  Michael dropped me at transition about 4:45 and I set up and scouted the area while he parked the car.  With about 10,000 athletes competing in this race (the biggest triathlon in the world), transition was huge!  In the dark of the morning, I wandered for a while trying to find my rack, the Swim IN, Bike OUT, Bike IN and Run OUT.  I did my best to figure out the best routes, but it was CRAZINESS (not that I wasn't warned ;)!!  Transition closed at 5:45 and the first wave of the Sprint race went off at 6am.  Michael and I walked down to the water and hung out until my wave start at 7:20.  It was about a 15 minute walk to the start and as soon as we arrived, I remembered I forgot to put my bike in an easy gear!!  Because I was cleaning the chain last night, it was in the hardest gear.  It's too late now :(  On top of that, my shoes were clipped into the pedals and we start up an onramp.  Getting started was going to be slow and energy-wasting.  At 6:45, I went out for a short jog, then ate my caffeinated gel, donned my wetsuit and got in line with the Elite Amateur Wave, comprised of 32 Men and 17 Women.

Elite Wave

Swim:  Starting with the Elites was good and bad.  The good was that we went off as the first wave of the International distance and, therefore, avoided the extra hours of waiting around pre-race as well as the crowds on the course.  The bad was being left in the dust!  I knew this wave would be full of fast swimmers and I had secret hopes that all my swim training this season would finally pay off... Not so much.  Within seconds of the horn, I was basically by myself.  I went out hard and tried to hang, but I was anaerobic and it was hopeless.  The water was extremely rough and I was fighting to survive.  All I thought about for the first 5-10 minutes was whether or not I should just climb up one of the ladders and call it a day.  I never considered dropping out of a race before, but I just didn't know if it was worth putting myself through this misery when it was barely a 'B' race... more so a 'C' race.  Then I thought about how I'd probably be so mad at myself later if I quit, so I kept trudging along and looking forward to the swim exit and the rest of the race.  We swam with the current for a short bit and then around the bouy and against the current for the majority of the swim.  I was getting slapped in the face non-stop by the chop and sucking in gasoline-flavored water (from the boats).  This was not fun.  I could see Michael and Shannon walking alongside as I swam- I wished I could trade places with one of them.  A little over 1/2way in, another purple cap came up from behind!  I then realized I wasn't the slowest one out there!!  This gave me a little motivation.  As she passed, I got on her feet and tried to take advantage of a draft for the remainder of the swim... though I think she got a little annoyed that I tickled her feet a couple times ;)  I finally reached the swim exit after about 33 minutes (~6 minutes longer than usual for this distance).  The volunteers were AMAZING as 2 of them grabbed me by the arms and hoisted me up the stairs!  I was so happy to be out of the water, but knew I was WAAAAY behind and needed to get a move on if I still had a chance of catching people.  

Midway through the .93 mile swim that felt more like 9.3 miles!

Totally exhausted!

Transition 1:  I saw Michael and Shannon immediately as I exited.  All I could say was, 'THAT SUCKED!'.  Then I couldn't find my shoes that I had planted to protect my feet during the long asphalt run to transition.  Someone decided to cover them with their swim cap... no wonder!  I lost a few seconds there, but didn't focus on it.  What I was focused on now was that my legs weren't working.  I never felt so heavy!  I was trying to book it to transition, but felt like I was moving in slow motion- just like those recurring dreams I have!  Once I got to my bike, I was pretty smooth with getting out of there.

Bike: The ride is 2 out-and-backs on Lakeshore Drive.  It was a windy day and we rode into the wind first.  Still, my legs were heavy.  My power output was low at ~155watts, as was my speed at about 18mph.  I was hungry and thirsty and was sucking down my Clif Replacement Drink, but knew I needed to ration since I just had the 1 bottle (which is all I normally need for this distance).  About 15 minutes in, I saw Christine Anderson heading in the other direction.  I didn't know how far I was from the turnaround, but seeing her gave me the motivation that I needed to focus and start hammering.  I got my head out of the clouds- my mental strength rose, and with it, my power and speed.  For the remainder of the ride, I was looking at mostly 165-180 watts and 20-22mph into the wind, 25-27 with it.  I ran out of drink a little over 1/2way into the ride... which was not good, but it didn't slow me down.  My bike split was 1:09:06 (21.9mph).

Transition 2: This went pretty smooth.  Probably the only part of the race where I didn't make any major mistakes.  I was all business- grabbed my run stuff and put it on as I exited the area.  



Starting the 10k run with a mouthful of sugar!



Run:  As soon as I exited the transition area, there was an Aid Station... THANK GOD!  I was so thirsty and hungry- I poured as much gatorade as I could fit into my mouth while on the move.  I didn't know where I stood in the field at this point, but knew I still had alot of work to do.  Unfortunately, my legs were still heavy and slow to turnover.  I hoped they would soon wake up, but just did what I could with what I had.  My first 2 splits were 6:36 each.  The run was 1 long out-and-back, so I could count how many women were ahead of me as they passed in the opposite direction.  I saw Christine in 1st and she had a large lead on 2nd place.  I passed 2 girls right around the turnaround point and just tried to keep those legs moving in hopes of seeing more women up ahead.  I passed 1 more girl with about a mile to go and that put me in 7th place for the finish.  My run was 40:21 (6:30 pace)- a full 2 minutes slower than what I've been putting out for a 10k this year.  

My best fake smile

I'm not happy with how I performed, but I'm happy to have had the experience.  I know I made alot of mistakes and those are all mistakes that I don't plan on making at the 70.3 World Championships on 9/11/11.  I am mentally stronger because of this race.  Every swim workout I completed the following week was one of the best workouts of the season.  2 days after the race, I swam the 4 fastest 400's I'd ever swam!  And another fantastic set of 800's 2 days after that!!  And this past weekend, I tackled the same choppy open water... but, this time I felt strong and fast ;)  I've been saying for years, 'Confidence is the key to Success'.  I did not have confidence in the water at the Chicago Triathlon and I let it get the best of me.  It was a good reminder of how important mental strength is in endurance sports.  Onward.