Monday, May 10, 2010
Kinetic Half-Iron Race Report: 5+2+1=Awesome
Pre-Race
I made the mistake of assuming I'd have "lots of time" because I stayed in a house 5 minutes from the race. That led to a lot of pre-race rushing around to get my packet/chip, set up my transition area, and organize my nutrition. It also led to - ahem - omitting a key pre-race restroom visit, an omission that would come back to haunt me later. Big lesson learned here is, add extra pre-race prep time to what you think you need. Then add a little more.
It was clear, but realllly windy (15-20 mph sustained, 30 mph gusts) and about 65ish at the start.
Swim
This was my first quasi-shore start, and good practice for IM Florida, which will start on the beach. Water conditions were good (71 degrees, light chop), and the field spaced out really early. So, lots of clear water, and a very nice swim.
32:20 (I think the course was short, but I'll take it!!)
T1
Not much to report. Kept a chamois at transition for the first time to wipe off, which helped a lot.
Bike
My digestion issues started here. I needed a restroom almost immediately, but didn't see any Port-a-Potties. Finally, I stopped at a marina at around mile 20. Ugh. It was well off the road and set me back on time. Shortly after that, I started messing up my gear shifting, leading to a chain falling off the small ring twice in one mile. Both times, I had to get off the bike and pull it out from the space between the frame and the small ring.
Turning Point: I started to realize that the day was going to be "a challenge." I'm not always able to intellectualize this, in triathlon or in life, but on this day, I was able to remember some truths as I see them.
Like.....This is my free time. This is fun ("a big playground," as described in the pre-race blessing). I'm doing what I love to do. I'm lucky to be here. This isn't curing cancer. The day is not going to be nearly as much fun if I get negative. So, I committed to keeping my thoughts positive, and feeling good right to the finish.
That came in handy pretty soon after I made this decision at about mile 30, as the winds managed to knock a big tree into the road, forcing us all off our bikes and into the grass around it. That was a first for me in tri.
3:39
T2
Ironman Cat Goldman was my guardian angel here. After battling the winds, and probably not taking in enough nutrition, she helped me find my transition spot and gave me a salt tablet while waiting for her relay partner to come in. Cat, thank you so much. I really was the Jackie you know and love after that, just like you said, and I have you to thank for it.
Run
I really enjoy running off the bike, pretty much at every tri. This time was no different, except for 4 restroom stops. I made them quick, though, and was able to run a negative split. Another positive first was wearing a fuel belt with Gatorade, which allowed me to take in nutrition on my own schedule. Felt strong enough to sprint the finish, with a smile on my face.
2:06
Finish Time: 6:25
I am really pleased that I was able to stay on a fairly good pace in light of the 8 stops, and was pleasantly surprised that they didn't cost me more time. My biggest achievement of the day was keeping the stuff going on between my ears productive and positive. Will try to remember that next time, and off the tri course, too.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Six Months Out!
2) After a winter that seemed like it would never end, it's finally spring!!
3) The Rumpass in Bumpass Triathlon (on April 17) was a good start to the season. Kind of a rough swim because it was so choppy, but lots of room for improvement. Finished within 2 minutes of my time last year (which was also my personal best at the Olympic distance).
4) I'm starting to have an appreciation for how precious time is when training for an Ironman. I know I haven't even gotten to the time-intensive rides/runs yet, but I can see that fitting it in with "life stuff" (work, and some kind of social life with family/friends) is going to be a challenge. Still, it helps to clarify a lot about life, seizing the day and all that.
5) Guinness is good for you!
That's why I'm having a pint before.....
6) The Kinetic Half-Ironman Triathlon....it's in two days!! A fantastic opportunity to start practicing that long-course stuff.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
$1.78
More secure footing than my snow boots! Fantastic!! Amazing!!! Marathon training, not to mention my sanity, have been saved.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Cruise to Run 2010 Trip Report
Day 4 (St. Lucia)
Started the day with a shoe donation, then a 5-miler from the busy port/capital city of Castries to Vigie Lighthouse and back. Great views from the top....Laid out a bit too much today....Got a little burned....Angela, Julie and I took a jaunt to Reduit Beach, which started by us getting accosted by about 10 aggressive gypsy cabbies. Not fun. Reduit turned out to be a dud....Reminded me of Jones Beach or Ocean City (wall-to-wall chairs, tacky tourist shops). Again, aggressive vendors, and locals puffing funny-smelling stuff, but we made the best of it with the local Piton Beer.Even a bad day at the beach is still pretty good.Had a C2R group photo, then went to a talk by Lisa Bentley (11-time Ironman champ, and a person living with cystic fibrosis). She has such a fantastic outlook about the transformative power of sport.
Day 5 (Barbados)
The last official C2R, the Barbados 5K, was today @ 10am, with the tropical sun already beating down & temps in the 80s. Still, my legs felt relatively fresh after 4 runs, and I was hopeful that acclimating to the heat would help my time.The race was the real thing, with a certified course, a finish line clock, and lots of locals (schoolkids and adults) joining us.I misunderstood the starting instructions & didn't set my watch (vacation brain clearly settling in by this point), so I ran comfortably hard. I passed Lisa Bentley slightly after the halfway point; surely she had already put in a full workout before the race. Also passed a few of the Bajan schoolkids. I finished in 23:48, the same as the Turkey Trot almost to the second, and about 2 minutes faster than Monday's Prediction Run 5K in St. Thomas.It was terrific to see how the Bajan schoolkids put the shoes C2R donated to good use........and I made new friends among the Barbados Defense Force athletic team........and with a local Caribe warrior.
Hobnobbed with a running celebrity....
http://www.bartyasso.com/
Saturday, January 16, 2010
JFK 20K Race Report
It wasn't actually this steep, but it was definitely uphill. Luckily, I knew this from recent experience, having done our first long run of the year on this portion of the trail 2 weeks ago. I tried to keep my foot turnover quick, and my posture leaning forward. Also, I tried the Gatorade Endurance Formula that will be the drink of choice both at the Shamrock Marathon, and the Ironman Series races I do this year. Luckily, it agreed with me.
Second 10K (49:00/ just under 8-minute-per-mile pace)
Again, a bit of an exaggeration, but you get the idea....Tried to turn up the pace, and felt pretty good. This 10K was actually about a minute faster than the one I did a month ago on a flat course.
Finish Time: 1:45:03 (just under 8:30/mile)
Sunday, January 10, 2010
2010! Planning and a few realizations....
...where I did my first swim of 2010 outdoors in 82-degree water and a glorious 16-mile training run on Jan. 5 in shorts and a tee shirt, back to frigid DC.
Someone asked me at a New Year's Day party if I have any resolutions, and I don't, but I do have a big plan for a lot of training and racing and fun this year.
In furtherance of that, I've (a) registered for some spring triathlons close to home (the Rumpass Bumpass Olympic Tri on April 17 and the Kinetic Half-Ironman on May 8); and (b) started a detailed training log to record my notes, nutrition, etc. Otherwise, marathon prep continues....The Shamrock Marathon is 10 weeks from today!
And, a few realizations....
First, training makes me verrrrrrry tired, and getting enough sleep will be a must this year.
Second, if I go ahead with my late season training plan (running Ironman Wisconsin with Doug plus an Iron-distance swim/bike @ Chesapeakman, both in September), I will have effectively done an Ironman before I do the Ironman. That makes me exhausted just thinking about it. I'll need to mull that one over a bit, but I still think it's the right move for training purposes, so long as I stay in Zone 2 for all of the festivities.
Third, a 10-week nutrition plan to get rid of some of the holiday weight gain may help me to a marathon PR; I read in Runners World recently that 1 lb. lost = 2 minutes faster for the average marathoner. Food for thought.
But first and foremost, some more fun up ahead. I'm leaving for Cruise to Run in 13 days!!!!
St. Thomas/St. Lucia/Antigua/Tortola/Barbados, watch out, here we come!
Sunday, December 20, 2009
snowed in
I think it's all set for spring and early summer training, with a computer, 3 water bottle cages and my favorite pedals (Speedplay Light Action). Upgraded race wheels are a possibility, but first things first, a name....When I took a good look at the frame, the blue reminded me of Grover (the blue monster on Sesame Street). And so, he is Grover.
I will go near and FAAAAAAAAR with Grover! Remember this one?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hf-HBMq9ggg
Finally, the 2010 race season is starting to take shape. I'll be racing independently of the Team Z calendar quite a bit (Mooseman, Spirit of Morgantown, and of course Ironman FL), but luckily will have a lot of team races too (Shamrock Marathon, Rumpass, Kinetic, etc.).
I'm also in to run guide with Doug Powell, one of our sight-challenged athletes, as he tackles Ironman Wisconsin in Madison on Sept. 12. I'm so lucky to have the opportunity to cross the finish line with him! Apparently the race officials have indicated that rules require guides to be the same gender as participants, which obviously presents a problem for Doug's run and swim (guided by Jen Baker), but Doug mentioned last week that he and Coach Ed are working with the officials for a waiver. So, until I'm told otherwise, I'm ready for 26.2 with Doug, and an awesome time in Madison with the team!
I happened to find a 5K in Ormond Beach, FL, where my parents live, the morning after Christmas. The race director is my old cross country coach at Stetson University. Should be fun race, and who knows, maybe a chance to take home hardware given the small field (only about 50 people registered so far).