Last year nerves and conditions got the best of me. Let's just say this year, revenge was taken. 37 minutes faster than last year (or 41, depending on who you ask). I was more than pleased with the swim, disappointed with the bike, and performed as expected on the run. The Musselman experience is still the best out there, though saddened this year with dual tragedies on the sprint and half courses.
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| How do you NOT relax with a view like this? |
PRE-RACE:
The weekend before, I had the most unconventional taper plan. 2200m swim Friday because I could. 56mi bike Saturday which was one loop of the ride with the Mafia, who were at peak week for IMLP. 13mi run Sunday as prescribed by FTM. And with the exception of the last 10 mi of the bike, it all felt fabulous. I felt ready. I felt calm. It was most strange.
What noone really knows is that I re-tweaked my SI the week before the race. The same thing I did last year before this race and took 5 months in PT to 'fix.' But also now accompanied by some IT band issues as well. I don't know exactly when but it happened sometime that week. Definitely before the Weds track workout, but the workout (
Robin and I departed Friday morning (after club tent- and bike rack-related equipment issues) and headed up to Geneva. We stayed with Anne-Marie and her Pittsburgh friends Rachel and Josh in a cute little lakefront house on the bike course. We could take advantage of the lovely mornings and evenings out on the porch. Plus we were only about 10 minutes from the race site. Total relaxation here. We went to watch the Micromussel (hysterical!) and chilled out at the house Friday, did a practice swim, packet pickup, athlete meeting, bike racking Saturday. Can't forget about writing on the 'Wall of Mussel'. Ate at the pre-race pasta dinner on campus with Mary, Rob, and Meghann. Packed up and relaxed back at the house. I didn't sleep as well as I thought I would.
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| Bikes and the mussel are ready! |
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| These look like some pretty sweet rides. |
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| Awesome hilarity at the micromussel bike start |
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| This year's Wall of Mussel addition! |
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| Bike rack inspiration |
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| swim start the night before |
Getting to the race site Sunday morning and setting up went smoothly. The time flew by and before I knew it the third wave of age 30-39 women were ready to go. I know, no new things race morning, but I HAD to try at least a bite of a ginger chew before getting in the water. My breakfast was sitting well so far, but I had to try to head off any potential nausea and GI issues before they started. My bigger mistake, which I didn't realize till later on the bike, that I brought some pre-race snacks but all of the fluid I brought with me for the morning I left on my bike in transition. I could have used something to sip on while waiting the last few minutes.
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| I'm getting better at this minimal transition thing. |
SWIM:
This swim was as picture-perfect as it gets. Calm, cool, clear water, the sun just peeking out behind the trees. Despite the long shelf in the lake out to the first buoy, where I struggled with walking/swimming/dolphin diving last year, I was able to start swimming and get into a good rhythm early. My new strategy of sighting way more often than I think is necessary is working, since I was on target on all the buoys, and didn't mis-sight a single one. I remember thinking about the stark difference between last year, when I was basically alone after the first turn, vs. this year, when there was a pack of people, with at least 2 other cap colors in it, around me at all times. I like being a MOP swimmer. I don't swim with a watch on, and I didn't see the clock coming out of the water, since I was too busy looking for my parents, to note just how fast this swim was. I was pleasantly surprised later.
Swim time: 39:54 25/45 AG 1:53/100
(-13:30 from 2012)
T1 time: 2:57 28/45 AG (impressive with wetsuit)
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| all smiles coming out of the water |
I rejoiced that I was STARVING coming off the swim. Rejoiced. Seriously, that's how bad my nervous stomach gets. Normally at this point in the race I am still working on keeping breakfast down. I'm not complaining about actually wanting to take in food and drink. My problem was I was so thirsty that I finished my bottle of accelerade AND my aerobottle of water before the 10 mile marker. Ooops. In fact I drank the accelerade so fast that I kept putting it back in the bottle holder when it was still partially collapsed. Which is why it almost fell out a few times. Which is why I am looking down in this pic. Shame on me...
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| yeah, that water bottle is about to pop out. |
The first 15-20mi or so is down the main drag leaving Geneva. And I knew it would be a long slow slog because of the false flats through most of it. But what I wasn't expecting was the headwind. I'm at a pretty high RPE at this point but only going 14mph. I was very confused, especially compared to what I was able to do at Rev3 Williamsburg. It was reassuring to find out after that most other people had some issues at this point too. But I used that time to slowly take in a hammer bar or two (that I pre-cut into bite sized pieces so I didn't feel like I had to eat it all at once.) As soon as we turned off that road, the headwinds got better, but then my back/butt started bothering me, and being in aero was not as comfortable as I would have liked. I was super disappointed here. I knew here I was not going to get the same average mph as had in Williamsburg.
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| This is what a cranky SI looks like. |
Bike time: 3:24:14 22/45 AG 16.5mph
(-17:00 from 2012)
T2 time: 3:00 24/45 AG (slow due to potty break)
RUN:
By this point in the day, the sun was out in full force, and I could feel it. The saving graces on the run were: (1) tons of neighbors with hoses (2) my Nathan handheld pod, which I refilled with ice water at every water stop and drank probably 1/4 of it, then dumped 3/4 of it on myself, and (3) fresh picked apricots. OMG APRICOTS. One of the race sponsors is a local orchard and these had come off the trees in the last 24 hrs before the race. Just up the hill from the water stop on Barracks Road the volunteers had thoughtfully left out a tray of these and they were marvelous. A little snack size bite of carbs that tasted SO MUCH better than any gel or chew in my pocket. Can you tell I'm excited for APRICOTS!? I'm so spoiled now. The run time and pace were to be expected considering I just had a massive PR in the swim and bike, the heat was wilting, and my butt was not 100%. Actually, considering all that I'm pretty happy with it.
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| Revenge secured! |
(-9:00 from 2012)
Final time: 6:38:24 22/45 AG (6:34:24 without penalty, same place)
(-0:37:00 from 2012)
POST RACE:
I cannot describe my strange elation at realizing that the 'glow in the dark' treats eluded to at the athlete's meeting were NALGENES. OMG GLOW IN THE DARK NALGENES. With mussels on them. I was more excited about getting the nalgene than I was about finishing the race. Also, my recycled cog medal was a bigger gear than last year's. And, I got an ice bath AND a massage. AND I was hungry for ice cream. And chips. And delicious Wegman's chicken and pasta salad. AND, I got to sit and relax and cheer in my friends as they came in. It was glorious.
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| Still the best swag. Did I mention NALGENE?? |
Other tidbits:
~ I think out of everything, I am most happy with nutrition at this race, and the fact that I was hungry during and after. Must remember ginger chews, not eating too much too soon on the bike, drinking alot more than I think I need to on the bike, and more 'natural' snacks on the run. Though I was happy that I was hungry for a bag of sport beans, my favorite, as well. I think the secret is just, small bites over the course of the race, and not big gobs of food all at once because I know I 'should.' Oh, and of course, not being a ball of nerves before the race even starts.
~ I am SO PROUD of my friends who finished their first 70.3's this weekend! Mary, Rob, Meghann, Elizabeth, and Robin! And Anne-Marie and her AG podium! I have awesome friends!
~ This is the only race I've done where they ask you weigh in at check in. Everyone, not just Clydes and Athenas. I think they do it for medical reasons. Well, for those who complain that I've lost too much weight this year: I WEIGH EXACTLY THE SAME AS I DID LAST YEAR. The numbers scrawled on the back of both bibs say so.
~ We did a second 'endurance race' of sorts on Monday. 6 wineries and a brewery. I love recovery days. DOOOOBIE!!
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| DOOBIE!! |
As far as next steps, I have Marine Corps to finish in October. And yes, the goal for that is to just finish, especially with this nagging injury. Depending on how that goes I might be leaning toward the 'WHEN I do an Ironman' vs. 'IF I do an Ironman'. I know, famous last words. Stay tuned.
