Goodmorning, Pittsburgh.

I abandoned my run this morning when it was so foggy I couldn't see out of my 23rd floor window. Don't think it's super wise to run around a strange city with 0% visibility.

And I have some work to do before my presentation later today.

And I am feeling quite smashed from my 71 mile/5k brick yesterday. I did a great job of nutrition on the ride, however, rushing to pack and make my flight to then sit on the runway of JFK for an hour, I didn't do the best with recovery.

So I ordered room service instead. They sent it up with two glasses of water and two sets of utensils....but nope, not for 2, just for little old me :)

PS if you're ever at the Westin, order the breakfast quesadilla. SO GOOD.

Last push...

I am in the last push before Eagleman. I got a solid 11 miles under me this morning, and am feeling good. The last thing I am still a bit nervous about is the running mileage I have been putting in, but every run feels a little bit better, so now is time to just nail the last few workouts and trust my training.

Unfortunately, between now and the race, I have 3 different trips taking me up and down the East Coast : Pittsburgh, Savannah and D.C. I have worked the travel into my training schedule the best I can and taken some days off work to get in my last few long bike days, so I am not too stressed about the travel.

I also confirmed this morning that next week I will be swimming LONG COURSE! with a masters team in Pittsburgh * I can get my butt out of bed* (5:45-7am). An early wake up call will be a legitimate reason to excuse myself from post-conference drinks with colleagues, so it won't be too bad. There is also a nice riverfront run/bike path in Pittsburgh (the North Shore Trail) that I will be spending some quality time on with a co-worker who is marathon training.

Lots of bridge running in Pittsburgh..at least they look flat!!

Savannah will be a time to rest and relax. I will get in some running (walking...strolling....) here:


And perhaps some swimming at the resort pool (of course, while in a bikini working on erasing my bike tan lines, with a drink waiting poolside):


BUT the Savannah trip is a much needed and well-deserved vacation, a wedding, a chance to celebrate and catch up with old friends and spend time with the boy. I have made the executive decision that I will not allow training/race/stress to interfere with a good time.

Lastly, there will be a quick trip home to watch my baby sister graduate from high school. I can't even start to think about how emotional this day will be for my entire family, for many, many reasons.

Overall, I can't WAIT for the next few weeks of training, am excited for the last few long efforts, and finally a short rest/taper week - then RACE DAY!

However...is it bad that I am more excited for the Maryland Crab Feast! I am planning for the team after the race, than the actual race?!!?

Pardon the Interruption ....

oh my oh my

Rev3 OLY Knoxville - Race Report

i've been delaying posting this hoping that Rev3 will clean up the results a bit, as they are a bit confusing now, but whatevs. My times are based on my math and subtractions (ie they are only providing cumulative times at this point), so they may be a rough estimate and change by a few seconds at some point.

Quick Version:

Swim 18:48
T1 2:08
Bike 1:22:55
T2 1:29
Run 45:44 (10k PR!)

Total 2:31:06
3rdAG

Went through all the normal race morning prep. The hotel was about a 1/2 mile walk to transition, and we were actually was able to sleep in a bit. The race was relatively small, only about 800 total in transition, so it was quite a relaxed start to the race.

Swim

I was in the second to last wave of the OLY race. The OLY and Half waves were a bit mixed up, but all I knew was I was starting with the 40-49Men, Clydesdales, and women 29under. It was in-water start. I got up front and center, tried to ignore the larger men around me- just found some open water, zenned out a bit, and focused on hammering the first 200-300 yards. I got a bit disoriented with the sun in the first little out and back, but once I got in a groove and hit the turn around buoy, I felt great. Saw my super-stud roommate with me at the turn around, which meant I was in the race. Swam a little too aggressively around the turn buoy, and found myself swimming straight into the oncoming swimmers - whoops! After I corrected my line, I found some feet that were probably a touch too slow and settled in. It felt strong and effortless. The swim finish was a bit odd, it was actually a floating dock that you had to pull yourself up onto (think: beached whale), but I hopped right out and didn't see any other royal blue caps around and felt good about my swim. There was a bit of a run up into transition, across a road, but at the bikes, I confirmed roommate and I were 1-2 out of the water in our age group. Felt good, quick transition (wetsuit came off with NO issues! first time ever).

This was the first time that I was able to really put my head down, find some feet and push the entire swim (ie no quick breaststroke breaks). I believe it was a combination of being in better swim shape than years past, a wetsuit that is comfortable and the river swim. I do think there was a bit of current, and that the course was a bit short.

Swim: 18:48
T1: 2:08

Bike

The bike course took you through the University Tennessee campus (I think) for about 4-5 miles then out into some beautiful country roads for a loop. The bike course was TOUGH but fair. It was tough (for me) in a few different ways: there were only two (maybe some people would only say 1) big climbs, but the entire thing was rolling, I can't remember one straight, flat section. I was proud of myself for staying in aero as much as I could, keeping on my gears, and pushing the pace. Also, on the few large downhill sections, there was switchbacks and some tight turns, so you really had to pay attention. I have a tendency to let my mind wander and not focus mentally when I get tired on the bike, and this happened a few times. I am working on getting my nutrition down and not waiting until these points to hit the Gu with caffeine - It's a work in progress.

There were a quite few women in the older age groups passing (they had started 5 mins ahead), as well as those competing in the half (it was the same course for about 10 miles), but I saw 1 person in my AG had passed during the bike (turns out, 2 did. damn). I really felt like I was losing steam at the end of the bike. The bike course comes back into town for the last few miles, and I was having trouble finding the last extra push or any power in my legs after the rolling course. I was playing cat and mouse with an older guy (SO annoying) and a few women passed me at the very end and just zoomed by. Looking back, I wish I had sucked it up and tried to stay with them - lesson learned.

My one complaint about the course comes at the end of the bike. The course crossed the run course a few times, in some dangerous sections (ie at the bottom of a downhill going into a turn). It was not well marked, there were not enough volunteers and it was quite dangerous. Looking at the course maps published on the website, I know they had to alter the bike course a bit due to construction, but I also think the run course was changed, causing some of these issues. It is a first year race, and I think the course and support overall was AMAZING, but this needs to be worked out.

Also the Bike In/Run Out transition was very poorly designed, also crossing runners finishing the race at about mile 5.5, and was a bit of a Klusterf*$k. Dangerous and confusing. I entered transition with a few girls who had passed me at the end of the bike, slipped on the new racing flats, prayed my legs would agree with them, and was off.

Looking at my bike results, it is hard not to be disappointed when looking the time and average alone. But I KNOW that if I had biked this course on my bike fitness in years past, it would NOT have been pretty - on the bike OR the run. The climbs would have been killer, and even more so, I would have been scared out of my mind on some of the more technical sections and downhills on the course. I am proud of myself and know that each course is different and you can't compare times and speeds across races. More importantly, looking at the times in my age group that finished around me, I still have some work to do on the bike. I lost some definite steam on the last section and need to work on nutrition and mental focus, but I am happy and proud of myself.

*Note, my bike computer, along with a couple other teammates, read 26.0 miles for the course.

Bike: 1:22:55 (17.94mph)
T2: 1:29

I am SO happy I had clarified the day before where run out was (as many were confused and trying to run out of the 'bike in' - there were no signs), and I passed one women in transition. Passed another about 1/4 mile into the run, and focused on settling into a comfortably aggressive pace. I was pretty sure I was in 3rd in my age group, I knew 1 girl had passed me on the bike, and super-stud roommate was smoking the course.

There was a lady about 10-20 seconds ahead of me, and I decided to try to pace with her, rather than burn myself trying to catch her in the first mile. I realized after my heart rate settled down that I felt GREAT. The heaviness in my legs from the week had disappeared and I focused on quick turnover and being light on my feet. My soleus' on both legs were VERY tight, and I was hoping the new shoes weren't to blame, but I tried my best not to let my mind wander and focused on keeping pace with the women in front of me.

First mile chirped at 7:17, I smiled, then dug deeper and just hoped I hadn't gone out too fast. The course was an out and back, and at the turnaround, I realized I had been reeling in the girl in my age group who had passed me towards the end of the bike. I had a small mental debate about passing vs. pacing off her for a bit , as she had clearly seen me as well, but decided to pass aggressively and promised myself NOT to look back. I ran scared from about mile 3 to 6, thinking she was on my heels, even thinking I could HEAR her foot steps and breaths (in reality, there was absolutely no one behind me, ha). I passed a pro male who was walking at about mile 5.5 (and apparently had been hit by a car during the bike), and he reminded me to stay light on my feet and I re-focused on my turnover. The last few miles were a gradual uphill, but I knew that the 45 was in my sights. I finally allowed myself to glance over my shoulder at about mile 6 and realized there was no one behind me.


The finisher's chute was amazing and I allowed myself to enjoy the finish. I may have let a sub 45 10k slip away in the last mile, but I couldn't have been happier. I also could not have been happier to stop running, as at this point, both my soleus' were PAINFULLY tight. I was greeted with open arms by my roommate, who seemed genuinely happier for me than she was to crush her race and our age group. Little did I know, as she informed me, I had run myself onto the podium. I thought I had run myself into 2nd, but missed the one other girl in our age group passing me on the bike, and this honestly made me even more proud of my run. My splits (started my garmin about 10 seconds after timing mat out of T2):

7:16
7:27
7:22
7:26
7:37
7:38
0:52 (7:20 pace)

Run: 45:44

Unfortunately, the gloating about my 10k split to my coach I planned to relish in was short lived, as he had taken a spill on the bike and wasn't in the best state. All in all, the team had a GREAT weekend, with successful first timers and multiple people on the podium for both the OLY and the Half. I am VERY excited for the last few weeks push to Eagleman, with some major time spent on the bike between now and June 13th.

While this is not my best OLY time, this was for sure the most challenging bike course I have ever raced, and I think the most complete triathlon I have put together to this point. Yay.

And, as a side note, I got a plaque and a pretty pink fuel belt for placing 3rd. Very exciting. Until I got home to NYC on Sunday night and went to test out my pretty pink fuel belt and it DOES NOT FIT AROUND MY WAIST. Way to burst a girl's new found confidence....HA! Who knew fuel belt come in sizes!??! ahahhahaha.

Lastly, despite a few first-race kinks, I loved this race- I think Rev3 did an amazing job all around, and I am almost disappointed I'm not going to be racing in the Quassy edition, as it is the weekend before Eagelman.

Rev3 OLY Knoxville - Pre Race

After putting 100% more effort into my training in the past 4 months than I have in the past three years, and working through some injuries earlier in the year, I was anxious, excited and VERY READY to race and see where I stand at this point in the season. I had been going through all sorts of emotions in the past few weeks, ranging from excitement about my current fitness, to self-doubt after a few days lacking motivation, to completely clue-less-ness about where I stand. What I did know leading up to race weekend;

1. I was DEAD tired. The first rest week in about 6-8 weeks hit me hard- my body finally had a chance to absorb all the hard effort and it was not happy. Throw in some major work stress (both good and bad) and I did not have the best week prior to race weekend.

2. I have spent more time on the bike at this point of the season than the entire year in 2009. I am more comfortable on the bike, more excited to ride, and committed to improving. Add borrowed race-wheels, and I was pumped to see the progress.

3. My swim has felt GREAT the past few weeks.

4. I am running less miles than I would like, but trusting the coach with the efforts and workouts. Although less miles, my workouts have been solid, and I nailed some hard hill and tempo efforts in the past few weeks. I have also been doing WAY more running off the bike than ever before. I had a solid 'easy' run last weekend after a 3+hour ride where my 'easy' pace has previously been a tempo pace.

My coach wouldn't talk goal times with me. We didn't know the course, and the goal was to race hard, and see where things stood going into Eagleman. I agreed, but in my mind I had one goal, totally arbitrary, and also perhaps setting me up for disappointment: I wanted to run a 45min 10k. I don't know where this number, or the confidence to vocalize this goal, came from. My best 10k previous was 47:29, running off the bike in NYC last year. Coach told me he would be the happiest person in the world if I did this: read: he didn't think I could :)

Flight to Knoxville was easy, left NYC about 4pm after a much-need mental day off from work, arrived at the hotel about 10:30pm. Both my roommate and I, who was also in the OLY, were very ill-informed about any race details. We weren't sure where the expo was, where transition was, where we were meeting the team on Sat - so we just had a carbo-loading picnic on the bed, and went to bed and both enjoyed sleeping in well past our normal wake up calls.

All our questions where answered when we opened our blinds on Saturday morning; we had a full view of the race expo from our hotel window!

Our view from the hotel room!

I got a surprise at the expo: Coach had secured me a lovely, new wetsuit that actually FIT!! I have never had my own wetsuit (always used hand-me downs) and thought I hated swimming in a wetsuit. However, swimming in a wetsuit that FITS and is new and comfy is AMAZING. I had a chance to test it out during the practice swim on Saturday, did a quick spin on my bike, racked, and was ready to race!

My new lovely, sans the sleeves.

I was a little scared of the bike, as a few members of my team had pre-ridden the OLY course, and not only was it quite rolling with a few good climbs, it was TECHNICAL. My coach was taking about taking turns on the tangent, leaning into certain feet, pressing down with my outside hand, and it was freaking me out. I figured, come what may, there was nothing I could do now (except switch out the cassette to give me a few extra climbing gears!!)

All clean, race wheels on, ready for our first race!!

Quick Highlights - Rev3 OLY Knoxville

via

-Pretty new wetsuit with pink flowers on the legs that actually fits,
-Only getting passed by 2 girls in my AG on the bike,
-Re-passing someone on the run (a new concept for me),
-A 2-min 10k PR!! after a very tough bike,
-Feeling GREAT and having fun; always my ultimate goals.

GREAT DAY , full report once I have some photos. I was impressed all weekend with Rev3 - it was a great race from top to bottom, only a few little complaints that come with any first-year race.

I am almost disappointed I won't be racing the Quassy edition in Connecticut in June.

Priorities.

Rather than getting the new wetsuit and tri shorts I really need in, oh, 4 days, I clearly am making smart online purchases.