Actually look like I am exerting myself a bit here...guessing this is near the end of the 2nd run.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Gold Coast 2009 Pics
Actually look like I am exerting myself a bit here...guessing this is near the end of the 2nd run.
Philadelphia OLY Triathlon 2009
I traveled down to South Jersey on Friday afternoon with a good friend. We stayed at her parent's house about 20 minutes outside of Philly and had a lovely chain-restaurant eating, Target- and Wegman's shopping suburbs filled few days. When my (super talented, Kona-qualifying, 3rd in Age Group this weekend) friend asked me my goals for the race, I replied "I think on a perfect day, if all goes well, a super-amazing yet realistic goal would be to break 2:30."
I had broken it down in my head as follows, knowing both the bike and run times were a stretch, but do-able: 21-22 min swim, 1:15 bike, 45-46 run, plus transition= sub 2:30. Looking at the results from the last few years, that would also put me right around 5th or 6th in my age group.
Short Version:
Swim: 20:24 (142/1921 overall)
T1: 2:28
Bike: 1:15:28 (19.7mph)
T2: 1:33
Run: 49:53 (8:02)
Total Time: 2:29:48
13/132 AG
54th Overall Female
I am SO SO ecstatic about achieving my goal and breaking 2:30. Even though it didn't happen the way I had hoped (grr that damn 10k run), and my age group was HELLA faster this year, none of it mattered and it was a great day.
Long Version:
I was feeling really good going into the weekend. I have had some lingering soreness/tightness in one of my hamstrings, but it hasn't really bothered me when running, just went stretching, etc. We left the city on Friday afternoon and had an easy drive down to the Philly area. There were severe thunderstorms warnings for the entire area, so my worries of a canceled swim were still heavy on my mind. I tried to let it go, not stress over it because there was nothing I could do. A big storm passed through the area late Friday night, but we woke up Saturday to clear, blue skies and warm weather (FINALLY!!).
We put our bikes together, my friend forced me to do a check and clean my tires (result: lots of glass shards pulled and I really need to get new tires ASAP!) and we did an easy 40 minute spin and transition run. I felt good on the bike, my run felt fresh, and I was excited to go!! We sat in loads of traffic to get to the expo/packet pick up, where I may or may not have had to relieve my bladder in an inappropriate location on the highway, but packet pick-up was easy, the expo wasn't that impressive, and we were back to the strip-mall heaven by early evening. We made a lovely summer spinach, walnut and strawberry salad, shrimp and pea pasta and ate too much ice cream.
I stayed up too late catching up on the Real Housewives of New Jersey (damn Bravo marathons!) but finally got to bed.
Race morning we were up by 4:30 and out of the house by 4:45. Had a salt bagel with PB, a banana and OJ en route. We were in the 4th wave, and with a point-to-point swim that you had to get bussed to the start, I didn't want to take any chances cutting it close with bus-craziness. Race morning went really smoothly and were at the swim start with time to spare. They were announcing the water as "75 degrees and the current is STONG." I had one gu about 15 minutes before my swim wave.
Swim - 20:24
Although 75 is quite warm, I didn't really debate not wearing my wetsuit, and once in the water, it was a comfortable temperature with wetsuit. Waiting for our wave to start you could definitely feel the current.
The swim went off with no real hustle and bustle. I had placed myself in the front line, all the way right. I quickly settled into a comfortable pace, probably too comfortable, but with how little swimming I have been doing, I wasn't sure what a 20 minute effort was going to feel like. Ironically, in a wave of 200+, I found myself on the feet of my best friend. I stayed there for awhile, but going towards the last buoys I started to swim a bit right and around her. I knew I must be having a good swim if I was swimming with her (even though she had forgotten her wetsuit and was swimming without one!). It is a straight swim, with a quick right turn to swim exit. Due to the strong current, the last bit 'across' to swim exit was quite interesting, as the current pushed you a bit wide on the turn and you had to swim 'back' toward the exit. I didn't wear a watch, but felt strong and had a cramp, so I probably pushed it about has hard as I should have.
T1
It was a bit of a run from swim exit to T1, and I struggled a bit with my wetsuit over my feet/ankles (that's what happens when you wear your wetsuit 1/year). Felt like I had a quick transition, and exited T1 right with my friend. I believe I exited transition around 7 or 8th in my age group.
Bike - 1:15:28 (19.7mph)
I am not sure how I got the 1:15 goal in my head. I wasn't sure if it was realistic, but averaging 20mph just seemed like a good, concrete time to shoot for. My bike computer stopped reading mph/total time after about 10 minutes (but thankfully the cadence sensor kept working as I really rely on that). So I was riding 'blind' but I felt great. It is a 2-loop course. About halfway through the first loop I was passed by the overall male pro winner and then constantly by the other male pros. It was pretty cool, but a bit freaky as they were passing on both sides, etc, even though I was trying to ride as far right as possible.
I REALLY liked this bike course. It has a few short steep climbs, lots of downhills where you can get your speed up and keep it going into flats. I was constantly reminding myself NOT to use the brakes going into turns and to work the downhills. The 2nd loop of the bike was CRAZY with the amount of bikers on the course, as well as the CLEAR lack of knowledge about where people should be riding (read: on the right), which made some parts of the course that were narrow a bit scary. But I was lucky to be in an early wave and have a pretty wide open 1st loop of the bike.
My back and hamstring started to ache a bit by the end, which is understandable with the amount of riding I do, especially the lack of time trial/fast efforts I have under my belt. I believe I was passed by 4 girls in my AG during the bike- one almost right away, one after 1 loop, and two (riding together definitely closer than legal) around mile 15-16. On the bike, I had 1 Gu around mile 18-19, and drank 1 bottle with water an 1 Nuun tablet. I was going to take in more calories, but decided race morning I didn't feel like I didn't to add Carbo Pro to my bottle, but I knew I needed the water and electrolytes bc it was turning into a hot and sunny day. I knew there was no way I could go through 2 bottles (water in 1, carbo+pro plus nuun in other, which is how I train), so I opted for water+nuun.
T2
I almost took a tumble dismounting as I couldn't decide about the flying dismount, ended up unclipping both shoes and sort of froze up. I figured it out, smashed my finger racking my bike, but had a comfortable transition.
Run - 49:52 (8:02/mile)
I decided to wear my Garmin for this run to keep my pace honest. Thinking back to other OLY tris I have done, the run has hurt (clearly), which I take in my mind as = running slow, and then mentally giving up a bit. But then looking back, my pace hasn't been that slow, so there has been no need to give up (not sure if that makes sense). But the same thing happened yesterday, even when seeing my miles splits with my Garmin.
My first mile was 7:25, which is exactly where I wanted to be. I felt fine and comfortable and was trying to get my breathing under control. In the first mile, a girl in my AG flew by. Oh well. Mile 2 was 7:41, still on pace. During the third mile, my legs left like they were loosening up a bit and I was trying to latch on to shoulders of the super speedy men that were constantly flying by me. Then you run about 4/10 of a mile on grass, which due to the rain and being the swim exit, was basically a muddy mess covered in hay. I think this is where I lost it. My hamstring began to ache a bit, my lower calf tightened up in the grass, and mile 3 was a 7:54. It's so funny, because looking back, this is still totally a fine pace, and I had hoped to be able to pick it up a bit the final three miles.
Mentally, I was done. The last 3 miles are a long, flat open out-and-back with little shade. It was hot and sunny, and right at Mile 3 another girl from my AG passed me. I tried to jump on her shoulder, and looking back, I can't figure out why I didn't try harder to stay with her. I just didn't have it in me- mentally (her run ended up being about a minute faster than mine).
So I struggled to keep it together the last three miles. I didn't have any clue what I had swam/biked, but knew my run goal was slipping away, I just tried to put one foot in front of the other. I walked a bit at mile 5 to get a good drink of water, as I was getting goose bumps and knew I needed to hydrate. As soon as I stopped, DC Mayor Fenty ran past (hello, so cute!). I just wanted to be done. I rounded the last little turn and could see the chute but still couldn't see the clock. I heard my friend scream out my name, and finally saw the clock and realized I had about :20 second to get over the mat to break 2:30. I was ecstatic, so so happy, but also had to pee so badly it was just about all I could think about :)
My Garmin had the run as 6.3, with each mile getting slower :) Fabulous.
I had a lot of team mates at the race and just about everyone seemed to have a great race. I really liked the course (esp the bike) and think I will definitely sign up again for next year. I was a bit surprised to hear that I was 13th in my age group, but I honestly didn't care because looking at the results I realized not only had I broken 2:30, but I had also biked a 1:15.
I am still learning how to get the mental aspect of a 10k (especially off the bike) under control. I think I could have had one more gu at some point which may help, and I think I probably pushed the bike a bit more than my fitness right now, which made my run suffer. BUT seeing that my first 3 miles of my run are were I want them to be, I think it's mental toughness.
I have four weeks until the NYC Tri. Two of those weeks will be spent in France/South Africa sans bike. The next 10 days until I leave will be focused on doing all I can to improve my bike fitness to let my run improve in NYC. Lots and lots of riding, with high intensity, and high intensity bricks are what I am thinking.
Marathon training also officially starts July 13th, in Paris of all places :)
I had broken it down in my head as follows, knowing both the bike and run times were a stretch, but do-able: 21-22 min swim, 1:15 bike, 45-46 run, plus transition= sub 2:30. Looking at the results from the last few years, that would also put me right around 5th or 6th in my age group.
Short Version:
Swim: 20:24 (142/1921 overall)
T1: 2:28
Bike: 1:15:28 (19.7mph)
T2: 1:33
Run: 49:53 (8:02)
Total Time: 2:29:48
13/132 AG
54th Overall Female
I am SO SO ecstatic about achieving my goal and breaking 2:30. Even though it didn't happen the way I had hoped (grr that damn 10k run), and my age group was HELLA faster this year, none of it mattered and it was a great day.
Long Version:
I was feeling really good going into the weekend. I have had some lingering soreness/tightness in one of my hamstrings, but it hasn't really bothered me when running, just went stretching, etc. We left the city on Friday afternoon and had an easy drive down to the Philly area. There were severe thunderstorms warnings for the entire area, so my worries of a canceled swim were still heavy on my mind. I tried to let it go, not stress over it because there was nothing I could do. A big storm passed through the area late Friday night, but we woke up Saturday to clear, blue skies and warm weather (FINALLY!!).
We put our bikes together, my friend forced me to do a check and clean my tires (result: lots of glass shards pulled and I really need to get new tires ASAP!) and we did an easy 40 minute spin and transition run. I felt good on the bike, my run felt fresh, and I was excited to go!! We sat in loads of traffic to get to the expo/packet pick up, where I may or may not have had to relieve my bladder in an inappropriate location on the highway, but packet pick-up was easy, the expo wasn't that impressive, and we were back to the strip-mall heaven by early evening. We made a lovely summer spinach, walnut and strawberry salad, shrimp and pea pasta and ate too much ice cream.
I stayed up too late catching up on the Real Housewives of New Jersey (damn Bravo marathons!) but finally got to bed.
Race morning we were up by 4:30 and out of the house by 4:45. Had a salt bagel with PB, a banana and OJ en route. We were in the 4th wave, and with a point-to-point swim that you had to get bussed to the start, I didn't want to take any chances cutting it close with bus-craziness. Race morning went really smoothly and were at the swim start with time to spare. They were announcing the water as "75 degrees and the current is STONG." I had one gu about 15 minutes before my swim wave.
Swim - 20:24
Although 75 is quite warm, I didn't really debate not wearing my wetsuit, and once in the water, it was a comfortable temperature with wetsuit. Waiting for our wave to start you could definitely feel the current.
The swim went off with no real hustle and bustle. I had placed myself in the front line, all the way right. I quickly settled into a comfortable pace, probably too comfortable, but with how little swimming I have been doing, I wasn't sure what a 20 minute effort was going to feel like. Ironically, in a wave of 200+, I found myself on the feet of my best friend. I stayed there for awhile, but going towards the last buoys I started to swim a bit right and around her. I knew I must be having a good swim if I was swimming with her (even though she had forgotten her wetsuit and was swimming without one!). It is a straight swim, with a quick right turn to swim exit. Due to the strong current, the last bit 'across' to swim exit was quite interesting, as the current pushed you a bit wide on the turn and you had to swim 'back' toward the exit. I didn't wear a watch, but felt strong and had a cramp, so I probably pushed it about has hard as I should have.
T1
It was a bit of a run from swim exit to T1, and I struggled a bit with my wetsuit over my feet/ankles (that's what happens when you wear your wetsuit 1/year). Felt like I had a quick transition, and exited T1 right with my friend. I believe I exited transition around 7 or 8th in my age group.
Bike - 1:15:28 (19.7mph)
I am not sure how I got the 1:15 goal in my head. I wasn't sure if it was realistic, but averaging 20mph just seemed like a good, concrete time to shoot for. My bike computer stopped reading mph/total time after about 10 minutes (but thankfully the cadence sensor kept working as I really rely on that). So I was riding 'blind' but I felt great. It is a 2-loop course. About halfway through the first loop I was passed by the overall male pro winner and then constantly by the other male pros. It was pretty cool, but a bit freaky as they were passing on both sides, etc, even though I was trying to ride as far right as possible.
I REALLY liked this bike course. It has a few short steep climbs, lots of downhills where you can get your speed up and keep it going into flats. I was constantly reminding myself NOT to use the brakes going into turns and to work the downhills. The 2nd loop of the bike was CRAZY with the amount of bikers on the course, as well as the CLEAR lack of knowledge about where people should be riding (read: on the right), which made some parts of the course that were narrow a bit scary. But I was lucky to be in an early wave and have a pretty wide open 1st loop of the bike.
My back and hamstring started to ache a bit by the end, which is understandable with the amount of riding I do, especially the lack of time trial/fast efforts I have under my belt. I believe I was passed by 4 girls in my AG during the bike- one almost right away, one after 1 loop, and two (riding together definitely closer than legal) around mile 15-16. On the bike, I had 1 Gu around mile 18-19, and drank 1 bottle with water an 1 Nuun tablet. I was going to take in more calories, but decided race morning I didn't feel like I didn't to add Carbo Pro to my bottle, but I knew I needed the water and electrolytes bc it was turning into a hot and sunny day. I knew there was no way I could go through 2 bottles (water in 1, carbo+pro plus nuun in other, which is how I train), so I opted for water+nuun.
T2
I almost took a tumble dismounting as I couldn't decide about the flying dismount, ended up unclipping both shoes and sort of froze up. I figured it out, smashed my finger racking my bike, but had a comfortable transition.
Run - 49:52 (8:02/mile)
I decided to wear my Garmin for this run to keep my pace honest. Thinking back to other OLY tris I have done, the run has hurt (clearly), which I take in my mind as = running slow, and then mentally giving up a bit. But then looking back, my pace hasn't been that slow, so there has been no need to give up (not sure if that makes sense). But the same thing happened yesterday, even when seeing my miles splits with my Garmin.
My first mile was 7:25, which is exactly where I wanted to be. I felt fine and comfortable and was trying to get my breathing under control. In the first mile, a girl in my AG flew by. Oh well. Mile 2 was 7:41, still on pace. During the third mile, my legs left like they were loosening up a bit and I was trying to latch on to shoulders of the super speedy men that were constantly flying by me. Then you run about 4/10 of a mile on grass, which due to the rain and being the swim exit, was basically a muddy mess covered in hay. I think this is where I lost it. My hamstring began to ache a bit, my lower calf tightened up in the grass, and mile 3 was a 7:54. It's so funny, because looking back, this is still totally a fine pace, and I had hoped to be able to pick it up a bit the final three miles.
Mentally, I was done. The last 3 miles are a long, flat open out-and-back with little shade. It was hot and sunny, and right at Mile 3 another girl from my AG passed me. I tried to jump on her shoulder, and looking back, I can't figure out why I didn't try harder to stay with her. I just didn't have it in me- mentally (her run ended up being about a minute faster than mine).
So I struggled to keep it together the last three miles. I didn't have any clue what I had swam/biked, but knew my run goal was slipping away, I just tried to put one foot in front of the other. I walked a bit at mile 5 to get a good drink of water, as I was getting goose bumps and knew I needed to hydrate. As soon as I stopped, DC Mayor Fenty ran past (hello, so cute!). I just wanted to be done. I rounded the last little turn and could see the chute but still couldn't see the clock. I heard my friend scream out my name, and finally saw the clock and realized I had about :20 second to get over the mat to break 2:30. I was ecstatic, so so happy, but also had to pee so badly it was just about all I could think about :)
My Garmin had the run as 6.3, with each mile getting slower :) Fabulous.
I had a lot of team mates at the race and just about everyone seemed to have a great race. I really liked the course (esp the bike) and think I will definitely sign up again for next year. I was a bit surprised to hear that I was 13th in my age group, but I honestly didn't care because looking at the results I realized not only had I broken 2:30, but I had also biked a 1:15.
I am still learning how to get the mental aspect of a 10k (especially off the bike) under control. I think I could have had one more gu at some point which may help, and I think I probably pushed the bike a bit more than my fitness right now, which made my run suffer. BUT seeing that my first 3 miles of my run are were I want them to be, I think it's mental toughness.
I have four weeks until the NYC Tri. Two of those weeks will be spent in France/South Africa sans bike. The next 10 days until I leave will be focused on doing all I can to improve my bike fitness to let my run improve in NYC. Lots and lots of riding, with high intensity, and high intensity bricks are what I am thinking.
Marathon training also officially starts July 13th, in Paris of all places :)
Friday, June 26, 2009
Grrrrr.
As it is STILL raining in NYC and up and down the East Coast, if the swim is canceled this weekend I will be throwing a very loud, obnoxious temper-tantrum.
But I am so excited for my first OLY in almost two years. Goals for the race:
Hammer the swim.
Stay focused on the bike- make it hurt.
PR the 10k run.
But I am so excited for my first OLY in almost two years. Goals for the race:
Hammer the swim.
Stay focused on the bike- make it hurt.
PR the 10k run.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Gold Coast Sprint Triathlon 2009 - Long Version
It rained for about 20 days leading up to the race, and thunderstorms were in the forecast for race day. I tried to hold out hope that the swim wouldn't be canceled, keeping a positive attitude, even though the beaches had been closed during the week due to runoff, etc. But with a constant drizzle on race morning, walking from the parking lot to transition it was confirmed: swim canceled, and it would be a run/bike/run. We returned out wetsuits to the car (my wetsuit has now not be used since this race last year), and headed to a soggy transition area.
With the swim canceled, my confidence took a blow. I hoped to improve my overall time and move up in the overall standings this year. My primary focus the first half of the year has been my run fitness and speed, and I have also spent much more time in the saddle, including hours on the trainer over the winter- a first for me. However, even with this work, with no swim to 'rely' on, I wasn't sure if I needed to readjust my goals.
The announced the new waves, and I would be going off in the first wave. I decided to be confident, lined up close to the front, and make it hurt. My coach advised to be a little conservative in the first run, hammer the bike, and see what was left on the last run.
Run 1 (1.9 miles, 12:57 (6:49/mile))
I lined up front and center, not knowing how long the run was, and felt great from the start. I settled in with two other women, staying around 4th woman. I felt great, but tried to keep my breathing under control and steady. I didn't start my watch, sort of by accident, but also wanted to race by feel and effort. At the end of the first run, I thought I entered transition around 3rd in my age group.
I am basing the distance of the first run on the pace posted in the results. Who knows if it's accurate.
T1 (1:01)
I had trouble getting my bike shoes on, stepped in a huge puddle, and ran awkwardly with my bike to the bike out. I thought I had an awful transition, but realized I was the first woman out of transition (I think).
Bike (12 miles, 35:51 (20.1mph))
Being in the first wave we were lucky to have a wide open bike course for the 1st of a 2 loop course. I was passed almost right away by one of the two women who would pass me during the bike. I felt comfortable, stayed in my drops, and tried to keep her in sight. I was passed by another about halfway through the bike, made a brief attempt to hang with her, but realized it wasn't happening and continued to ride my own race, keeping my cadence up. My spirits were high, and the second loop all I thought about was avoiding a crash, as the course was wet, with puddles, and had masses of people all over the road. I witnessed one guy go down hard, and after that, took the corners conservatively and just wanted to be done. Overall, the bike felt good- I was able to make it hurt the entire time, keep my heart rate high, as well as my spirit. I think this is sort of a breakthrough for me, as I usually get bored/lose focus during the bike, no matter how short.
T2 (:46)
Ran awkwardly with my bike, stepped in more puddles, shoes on, visor in hand, run out. This felt good. I knew that only two women were in front of me, both in my age group, and wanted to see how far ahead they were ASAP.
Run2 (2.99, 20:06 (6:44/mile))
As much as I thought about doing a brick prior to this race, this was the first brick of the season for me. And I felt it. The first part of the run is a little out and back, and I was able to see how far in front the women were. I tried not to think about hammering and trying to catch them right away, just getting my legs under me and finding a comfortable stride. It took about a mile to find my legs, and I could tell I was gaining ground on the female running in front of me. I tried to keep my cool, latched on to a guy's shoulder and dig deep. My stride felt great and I was able to pick up my turn over. I passed her about ~2ish miles into the run. I could tell I wasn't gaining ground on the female in first- in fact, I couldn't even see her at that point. I tried to keep in mind there were waves behind me and I needed to keep digging deep, not just be happy with 2/AG. I finished strong, with no one out-kicking me in the finish chute, seeing my time around 1:10.
I knew this was about 4 minutes faster than last year, although the swim had been replaced (but go figure my run1 time was very close to my swim time from last year). After only a minutes or so, I saw a woman from the next wave finish, so I knew she had gone way faster than me. At that point I decided to enjoy how great I felt, cheer for others on my team, and not worry about the results.
Looking back, I wish I had run the first run a bit harder, but there is nothing else I would have changed. I can't think of any other race I have done where I have been able to push the run and set my sights on passing someone and actually get it done. AWESOME feeling.
Although of course I would have liked a swim (and I am pretty sure it could have helped me place a bit higher), I think in a weird way I am happy the swim was canceled. I am realizing up to this point I have thought of myself as "a good swimmer who does triathlons." I think I need to start thinking of myself as a "triathlete." This is the exactly the confidence I was looking for going into Philly this weekend.
With the swim canceled, my confidence took a blow. I hoped to improve my overall time and move up in the overall standings this year. My primary focus the first half of the year has been my run fitness and speed, and I have also spent much more time in the saddle, including hours on the trainer over the winter- a first for me. However, even with this work, with no swim to 'rely' on, I wasn't sure if I needed to readjust my goals.
The announced the new waves, and I would be going off in the first wave. I decided to be confident, lined up close to the front, and make it hurt. My coach advised to be a little conservative in the first run, hammer the bike, and see what was left on the last run.
Run 1 (1.9 miles, 12:57 (6:49/mile))
I lined up front and center, not knowing how long the run was, and felt great from the start. I settled in with two other women, staying around 4th woman. I felt great, but tried to keep my breathing under control and steady. I didn't start my watch, sort of by accident, but also wanted to race by feel and effort. At the end of the first run, I thought I entered transition around 3rd in my age group.
I am basing the distance of the first run on the pace posted in the results. Who knows if it's accurate.
T1 (1:01)
I had trouble getting my bike shoes on, stepped in a huge puddle, and ran awkwardly with my bike to the bike out. I thought I had an awful transition, but realized I was the first woman out of transition (I think).
Bike (12 miles, 35:51 (20.1mph))
Being in the first wave we were lucky to have a wide open bike course for the 1st of a 2 loop course. I was passed almost right away by one of the two women who would pass me during the bike. I felt comfortable, stayed in my drops, and tried to keep her in sight. I was passed by another about halfway through the bike, made a brief attempt to hang with her, but realized it wasn't happening and continued to ride my own race, keeping my cadence up. My spirits were high, and the second loop all I thought about was avoiding a crash, as the course was wet, with puddles, and had masses of people all over the road. I witnessed one guy go down hard, and after that, took the corners conservatively and just wanted to be done. Overall, the bike felt good- I was able to make it hurt the entire time, keep my heart rate high, as well as my spirit. I think this is sort of a breakthrough for me, as I usually get bored/lose focus during the bike, no matter how short.
T2 (:46)
Ran awkwardly with my bike, stepped in more puddles, shoes on, visor in hand, run out. This felt good. I knew that only two women were in front of me, both in my age group, and wanted to see how far ahead they were ASAP.
Run2 (2.99, 20:06 (6:44/mile))
As much as I thought about doing a brick prior to this race, this was the first brick of the season for me. And I felt it. The first part of the run is a little out and back, and I was able to see how far in front the women were. I tried not to think about hammering and trying to catch them right away, just getting my legs under me and finding a comfortable stride. It took about a mile to find my legs, and I could tell I was gaining ground on the female running in front of me. I tried to keep my cool, latched on to a guy's shoulder and dig deep. My stride felt great and I was able to pick up my turn over. I passed her about ~2ish miles into the run. I could tell I wasn't gaining ground on the female in first- in fact, I couldn't even see her at that point. I tried to keep in mind there were waves behind me and I needed to keep digging deep, not just be happy with 2/AG. I finished strong, with no one out-kicking me in the finish chute, seeing my time around 1:10.
I knew this was about 4 minutes faster than last year, although the swim had been replaced (but go figure my run1 time was very close to my swim time from last year). After only a minutes or so, I saw a woman from the next wave finish, so I knew she had gone way faster than me. At that point I decided to enjoy how great I felt, cheer for others on my team, and not worry about the results.
Looking back, I wish I had run the first run a bit harder, but there is nothing else I would have changed. I can't think of any other race I have done where I have been able to push the run and set my sights on passing someone and actually get it done. AWESOME feeling.
Although of course I would have liked a swim (and I am pretty sure it could have helped me place a bit higher), I think in a weird way I am happy the swim was canceled. I am realizing up to this point I have thought of myself as "a good swimmer who does triathlons." I think I need to start thinking of myself as a "triathlete." This is the exactly the confidence I was looking for going into Philly this weekend.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Gold Coast Sprint Triathlon 2009
Short Version:
Canceled the swim, turned into a run (of unknown distance)/bike/run.
Run1: 12:57
T1: 1:01
Bike: 35:51
T2: 0:46
Run2: 20:06
Total Time: 1:10:44
1st 25-29 Age Group, 5th Female Overall (Last Year, 1/AG, 10/OA)
Achieved my goals plus some, except of course related to the swim for obvious reasons.
Longer version later.
Canceled the swim, turned into a run (of unknown distance)/bike/run.
Run1: 12:57
T1: 1:01
Bike: 35:51
T2: 0:46
Run2: 20:06
Total Time: 1:10:44
1st 25-29 Age Group, 5th Female Overall (Last Year, 1/AG, 10/OA)
Achieved my goals plus some, except of course related to the swim for obvious reasons.
Longer version later.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
FYI- It's June.
Just had to remind myself, as it's been raining for about 8 days straight, is about 60 degrees outside, and there is rain on the forecast for the next 10 days.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Time to Race!
This weekend is finally my first triathlon of the season- Gold Coast Sprint. It was my first multi-sport race ever (2007) and my 'comeback' last year. I went into last year with NO expectations and was pleasantly surprised with the outcome.
This year, I have to admit I am a bit nervous, but a good, 'ready to race' nervous. I have been feeling seriously tired the past few weeks, but it's a short sprint and I am ready to go!
This weekend's goals:
1. Find some feet in the swim and HANG ON. My time in the pool has been less than ideal (ie perhaps 1/month?), but my feel for the water is still there, and I hope to be out of the water close to the front of the pack.
2. Hammer the bike. It's 12 miles - no reason to hold back. I am in Wave 2, so I should have a clear, open course for the first loop of the 2 loop course.
3. Improve on my run time from last year. I have really been focusing on my run basically since this race last year, and am hoping to see my pace drop and get up and race!
Overall, I am looking for a boost in confidence from this race going into Philly OLY next weekend.
In other news, I have a new favorite mid-afternoon snack: Whole Foods wins big over Trader Joe's when it comes to the fruit strip:
This year, I have to admit I am a bit nervous, but a good, 'ready to race' nervous. I have been feeling seriously tired the past few weeks, but it's a short sprint and I am ready to go!
This weekend's goals:
1. Find some feet in the swim and HANG ON. My time in the pool has been less than ideal (ie perhaps 1/month?), but my feel for the water is still there, and I hope to be out of the water close to the front of the pack.
2. Hammer the bike. It's 12 miles - no reason to hold back. I am in Wave 2, so I should have a clear, open course for the first loop of the 2 loop course.
3. Improve on my run time from last year. I have really been focusing on my run basically since this race last year, and am hoping to see my pace drop and get up and race!
Overall, I am looking for a boost in confidence from this race going into Philly OLY next weekend.
In other news, I have a new favorite mid-afternoon snack: Whole Foods wins big over Trader Joe's when it comes to the fruit strip:
Friday, June 12, 2009
Corporate Challenge 2009.
Last night was the Corporate Challenge in NYC. I ran this race with my company my first week of work in 2006 and thought I was going to die from the humidity. I have been a cheerleader the past two years due to injury so was excited to run this year. We usually have a solid group of 20-30 runners/walkers, and it's a fun way to spend some time with colleagues outside of the office.
Or at least, that is what I think when I sign up, however, the reality is, the 3.5 mile course in Central Park with 15,000+ people is a complete klusterf%c!. I learned my lesson the first year, when it took me 10+ minutes to even start to 'jog' and got an 'elite' sticker this year so I could head up to the very front of the crowd. I started about 5-10 yards back from the front, but was still surrounded by those walking - I don't get it.
I was, however, able to settle into a nice pace right away. I hadn't decided if I was going to 'race' or get in a good tempo run, as I have been really tired and been having some soreness in my hip the past few days, but there were a number of women right around me running the same pace, so I went with it. After two sub-7 minutes miles (6:48, 6:53), I decided to pull it back a bit in the third mile (7:30).
I finished with a 7:05 pace over 3.5 (3.6 according to Garmin) miles. With the 5ks and this race, I am really seeing the progress with my speed and confidence, and it's really nice with the hard work I have put in the past few months.
A few other women from my company came in about :15 and:30 seconds behind me, so there is a chance we could qualify for the championships- something like the top 10% of teams in each city, based on the average (or total, I'm not sure) time of your top 4 or 5 runners, qualify to run in the Championships, which is held on Park Ave. in October. Pretty cool for a little 'ol non-profit running in cotton t-shirt in 100% humidity :)
Or at least, that is what I think when I sign up, however, the reality is, the 3.5 mile course in Central Park with 15,000+ people is a complete klusterf%c!. I learned my lesson the first year, when it took me 10+ minutes to even start to 'jog' and got an 'elite' sticker this year so I could head up to the very front of the crowd. I started about 5-10 yards back from the front, but was still surrounded by those walking - I don't get it.
I was, however, able to settle into a nice pace right away. I hadn't decided if I was going to 'race' or get in a good tempo run, as I have been really tired and been having some soreness in my hip the past few days, but there were a number of women right around me running the same pace, so I went with it. After two sub-7 minutes miles (6:48, 6:53), I decided to pull it back a bit in the third mile (7:30).
I finished with a 7:05 pace over 3.5 (3.6 according to Garmin) miles. With the 5ks and this race, I am really seeing the progress with my speed and confidence, and it's really nice with the hard work I have put in the past few months.
A few other women from my company came in about :15 and:30 seconds behind me, so there is a chance we could qualify for the championships- something like the top 10% of teams in each city, based on the average (or total, I'm not sure) time of your top 4 or 5 runners, qualify to run in the Championships, which is held on Park Ave. in October. Pretty cool for a little 'ol non-profit running in cotton t-shirt in 100% humidity :)
Friday, June 5, 2009
VCTC X-Country 5k Series #2
After basically being sick since the morning after the last race two weeks ago, I had no expectations for this race. It was a much smaller crowd, I am sure due to the threat of thunderstorms and rain that was forecasted. It did not rain much, and wasn't too hot, but the air was THICK and nasty humid.
I recruited a friend (hi jules) to run this week, and it was nice to have company (not that we ran together much more than one step ha- she was first loser, oh sorry, 2/OA).
Based on how I felt (sluggish, heavy legs, snotty nose, congested), I am very happy to go only about :12 seconds off my time from the last race. My splits are a whole lot uglier, but I am glad I wasn't reduced to walking and got through it. I think a 21:-- is in my future for this series.
The splits:
Wow, so yeah, apparently I lost all my time in the last 0.1 of the race :) Whoops. Admittedly, I did turn and see no one was in sight behind me, and I had no chance of catching the person in front of me, and jogged it in. I ended up 8/OA female, and 3/AG, which means one thing= another amazing carrot cake muffin.
And the lesson: Don't try to race a 5k with a head cold. It's not fun or pretty, and the 'head wanting to explode' feeling didn't go away until..oh wait, it's still there.
Edit: Official results have me as 7/OA. I'll take it!
I recruited a friend (hi jules) to run this week, and it was nice to have company (not that we ran together much more than one step ha- she was first loser, oh sorry, 2/OA).
Based on how I felt (sluggish, heavy legs, snotty nose, congested), I am very happy to go only about :12 seconds off my time from the last race. My splits are a whole lot uglier, but I am glad I wasn't reduced to walking and got through it. I think a 21:-- is in my future for this series.
The splits:
| Race #1 | Race #2 | |
| 7:02 | 6:53 | |
| 8:14 | 8:21 | |
| 7:15 | 7:11 | |
| 0:16 | 0:34 |
Wow, so yeah, apparently I lost all my time in the last 0.1 of the race :) Whoops. Admittedly, I did turn and see no one was in sight behind me, and I had no chance of catching the person in front of me, and jogged it in. I ended up 8/OA female, and 3/AG, which means one thing= another amazing carrot cake muffin.
And the lesson: Don't try to race a 5k with a head cold. It's not fun or pretty, and the 'head wanting to explode' feeling didn't go away until..oh wait, it's still there.
Edit: Official results have me as 7/OA. I'll take it!
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
De-railed.
The past 10 days have been full of cold, flu, cough all made that much more lovely by my pollen allergies.Sadly, my A race of the spring, the Brooklyn Half Marathon, succumbed to the sneezing- coughing-post-nasal drip fun of a weekend. I know it was the right decision not to run, and I am proud of myself for laying low last week and running a whooping 2.5 miles, but I am still sort of bummed.
After finally going to the doctor yesterday, I am hoping to feel good enough to put in a good effort at the 2nd of the X-C 5k series this Thursday.
Also, seeing I have two triathlons in June, I am thinking I should spend some time on the bike and perhaps get back in the pool?
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