Kinetic Aquabike

It was very strange to simply STOP after the bike. There was no real 'finish' line - very strange. I think I got out of the race what I was looking for - a check in on my swim fitness and a chance to really push the bike over 56 miles - something I haven't done in a really long time.


Swim was tough, and the times include T1, but this was definitely the weakest 70.3 swim I have had. I have been slacking in the pool, and need a swift kick in the butt ASAP. Comparatively with the field, it was competitive, but it took way too much energy and I need to swim double the distance in 10 weeks.

This is how the bike went:

Miles 0-5 : Oh great, it's pouring rain.

Mile 5-10: Stuck behind 2 large truck of manure. Smelled GREAT. I wanted to vomit. The trucks were not being annoying on purpose, they simply couldn't pass the bikers in front of them, but it made for about a 10 person back-up with no room to pass on the inside (no shoulder). One crazy girl went around them (2x) on the outside, across the double yellow line. Seriously - so stupid - into oncoming traffic. I was able to get around on the inside finally, and they eventually passed everyone back. Overall, this section was REALLY trafficy and the race wasn't stopping traffic at a pretty large intersection (right turn onto Courthouse from Lawyers) and it was a bit scary.

Miles 10-20: Things started to thin out and I was finding a good rhythm.

Miles 20-40: Riding strong, riding my own race, keeping legal pace with another woman. A line of 4-5 men would hammer past me, get in front of me, and coast. So I would have to either get stuck in their draft or put a surge in to pass 2-3 of them again - REPEAT FOREVER. Dudes, you are so annoying.

Miles 40-50ish. HOLY WIND. It was so windy and every time we turned I would wait for a shift and/or tailwind, but nope - stayed a headwind. At this point I was holding above a 20mph average, but I just lost motivation and willpower in this section and I was very much alone on the road. It's funny, looking at my 5 mile lap splits - they weren't THAT much slower, but it was just energy-sucking wind.

Mile 50ish-end: During the winds I had given up on breaking 2:40 on the bike, which I thought was a realistic goal, but I realized it would be very close as we turned back into the park a few minutes before I expected it. So put my head down and worked the last few miles as hard as I could. According to my Garmin the course was about 1 mile short.

Picture stolen from Caroline.

Garmin said 2:39, (non)chip time 2:40.Very happy with this. I haven't done a HIM since 2010, when I did 3: I road 2:53/2:52 on two very different courses (Eagleman and Syracuse) and 2:31 on a dead-flat course that I don't really count (Clearwater) because you literally couldn't avoid drafting on the course. I haven't really had a desire to do another HIM since that year, but now I am tempted to see if I focus on training for it, how I could do.  As I was cheering at the finish line, and as all my teammates had stellar races and results, a large part of me wished I had signed up for the whole race. Maybe I should have had a bit more confidence in my fitness at this point in the season, and see how it had turned out? However, I would likely not have biked so hard if I knew I was running. Good lesson for any future HIM, as I didn't feel THAT bad after the bike - push the bike as hard as you can.

2 OA in Aquabike

I remember asking one of my best friends how she paced a 70.3 before my first - her answer was "I don't pace - I go as hard as I can the entire time".  At the time her response made me laugh - this was coming from a girl who has qualified for Kona 2x at the 70.3 distance - but as I progress I can see that if you want to be competitive, she is indeed right, you need to go hard from the start and see how long you can last.

Lastly, between the last two weekends - I realized how lucky I am to have joined such an incredibly group to train and race with this year. Ignite Endurance, with the support of Tri360, had a stellar showing in both the Half and Sprint this weekend and I can't wait to keep racing with this awesome group of athletes.

Wine for everyone!

Ironman Mont-Tremblant 2012 - The Bike

Pre Race and Swim recapped here.

After the long run from the water, I grabbed my transition bag, headed into the changing tent, and ran to a seat closest to the exit. There was only a handful of other women in the tent, but a volunteer didn't help me right away. No big deal, I knew what I wanted and needed. I stripped off the shorts I swam in, pulled on my tri shorts (debated for weeks about bike vs. tri shorts, glad with the decision I made. I decided to change in T1 bc it was cold at the start and I didn't want to be in all wet clothes at the start of the bike.) This is when I volunteer came up and started to help. She put my race belt and and helped pull on my arm warmers. I didn't feel like I was rushing, but I definitely wanted to get out onto the bike. I put socks on and had decided to run to the bike holding my shoes and put my bike shoes on at the rack.  I thanked the volunteer and headed out.

I got almost to the exit of the tents (the change tents were located in the middle of a much larger tent), and realized SHIT, I forgot ride glide! I didn't even hesitate to turn around and start yelling for my bag back - no WAY was I riding the first loop of the bike with no ride glide! Thankfully, the volunteer was still stuffing my stuff in my bag and I was able to generously apply and finally be off for real. I caught a quick glimpse of Dan at the fence, grabbed my bike and was off.

Ouuuuuch my damn lip.

 T1 6:29
You will notice I do not mention anything about damn sunscreen. I made a point to get these cute little spray sunscreens bc I didn't want to deal with the volunteers slathering me with gloved hands, and I promptly forgot. I definitely got some sunburn on my shoulders on the bike, but I was lucky the temps were pretty moderate - it could have been much much worse and I made a point to apply in T2.

BIKE
6:24:00 24/AG, 109/female
(3:10 first loop, 3:14 second loop)
17.5 mph

Right away on the bike, I was still worried about my lip. I was trying my best to ignore it, but it still REALLY HURT. 

First time through 'hot corner' (I think)

I knew my some friends and family would be waiting at the very beginning of the bike course, so I waved and smiled and settled into my plan - SUPER FREAKING EASY RIDING. I cannot even explain what it feels like to be a somewhat-better-than-average swimmer and a moderately-average-female biker during a mass-start Ironman. With waves starts in shorter triathlons, yes you get passed, but it was nothing like this. If you look at the results, I was passed by about 800 people on the bike. That is 1/3 of the total racers. I do not think I passed A SINGLE person on the bike in the first loop. NOT ONE. Luckily, I was very prepared for this, and I didn't really let it get me down. I was actually riding a bit harder in sections than I expected I would - there were some pretty fast downhills in the first 18 miles, and even though I had planned to not use my big ring AT ALL the first 50ish miles, I just couldn't help it. Jon passed me somewhere at this point, we yelled hi, and he looked strong and we wished each other luck. I kept the focus on staying within myself at all times. I wasn't wearing a HR monitor, and had no bike computer - I rode totally based on feel and think it worked out perfectly for me. I didn't freak out when I sat up and spun up the hills in my easiest 11x28 gear - I didn't really have any clue just how slow I was going.

One thing that did shock me was the PACKS of people flying by. Men, women, all ages. Once we got out on to 117, there were signs that we were supposed to be riding in the right lane - not on the shoulder. But the packs were so thick that I felt unsafe riding where I was supposed to be. This only happened a few times, but it was always just a bit more disheartening when a woman was tucked in there. But I knew I wasn't 'racing' - drafting bothered me less in this race than any race before. What DID bother me, however, was when someone (always a male) would pass my on the right/inside. We had MORE than enough space on the road. And this never happened when it was congested to my left. There was never any reason for it, and it's just plain dangerous. The signs clearly indicated we were supposed to be riding in the lane of traffic, not on the shoulder, and it happened over and over again, mostly during the 1st loop.

I had my timex set to beep every 15 minutes to remind me that I need to keep on my calories, as well as to give me a general sense of how much time had passed (although trying to do the math, plus the course being marked in km, made it really confusing to figure out where/when/what was going on). So time was passing pretty quickly, but for the first 90 minutes, all I could think about was how bad I had to pee. I knew peeing on the bike wasn't going to happen - when I steady stream of people are constantly passing you, stage fright becomes a real issue. So at the top of Conception Hill, about mile 27?, I finally stopped. Luckily there was no line, and based on my watch, I was probably in and out in less than 60 seconds. But it made me feel new again and I FINALLY started to actually enjoy what I was doing. Going through St. Jovite was awesome, packed with people, but the course was still really crowded with people trying to pass during sections that were quite narrow.

You go back through town about Mile 43ish, and I was able to spot my family and was feeling good and happy. I knew the tougher section of climbing was coming, but I was on top of my calories and was excited to ride smart through the hills. But DAMMIT I had to pee again.

About Mile 43ish?

I sat up, spun up the hills and watched as other took off flying. I can honestly say, riding the Diabolical Double back in June was the BEST thing I could have done. Yes, these hills were steep, but they lasted seconds compared to the climbs in Deep Creek and that made me smile, and I knew I was OK.

My coached had warned me that this section is what will make or break most people's run - ride too hard on Loop 1, spike your heart rate, and your day will turn out very differently. So I was patient and I listened. I heard bikes making some damn strange noises, saw more than a few people with dropped chains, and almost run into a lady who had gotten off her bike and was still standing in the middle of the course (I yelled sorry and felt really bad!). I looked forward to the turn around, as everyone coming back was screaming down the hills and it looked like FUN!!!

 I also knew special needs was coming up, and I was looking forward to my coke and to stop and pee (again!). I made the turn into special needs, was so excited to go to the bathroom, and I realized there were not porta-potties near the special needs stop (or at least, I didn't see any) - there were across the street! You had to stop at special needs (where I restocked three bottles, took a HUGE gulp of coke, applied some more ride glide and sadly passed on my Snickers), get back on the bike, ride sorta of through the transition area, over the timing mat, around a corner, and then had to stop AGAIN to go to the bathroom.

It was sort of frustrating, but I was happy with how I was feeling, there was no line, so I was in and out again in about 1 minute. While I was peeing, I looked at my watch, did some math and realized I had ridden the first loop in about 3:10-3:20 (I didn't know how long T1 was), and I actually had no emotional response to it at all. I didn't have any clue or goal related to my bike time, but I knew I was riding smart and was excited to get back on the bike and finish up Loop 2.

I went back through the circle, saw my family and teammates, ran into and chatted with an old teammate who just happens to now be the CEO of Ironman, Andrew, and had a few laughs. He was out there racing like everyone else, and it was really nice to chat. We said our good lucks and he took off into the distance.

Andrew recognizing my kit and saying hi!

Somewhere in this section, the winds picked up, I had an espresso Gu, and it was the best thing I tasted all day. I was getting really blown around going north on 117 and realized my wrists and traps were aching from gripping the aerobars so tightly. I tried to relax and find a comfortable cadence. I was definitely pushing a bit harder than Loop 1, but still felt strong and focused. A teammate flew by at this point and I got a little demoralized, but I tried to just focus on getting to the turn around. After the turnaround, the wind was in your face, and it was STRONG. The teammate who had gone by didn't seem to be pulling ahead too much, so I focused on keeping my cadence up, not fighting the wind, and pacing off her - about 50m up. We fell in with a little group of about 5 who all were riding (legally) the same speed, and I was feeling better and better. And BAM! I have to pee, AGAIN!! I decided I would stop again at the same aid station at the top of the climb on 117S, again no line, but I lost my little group. However, I got back on the bike feeling rejuvenated and started to really push the pace, and by the time we got back to St. Jovite, I had caught and passed this little group. Back on Montee Ryan, I just wanted to get back into town and see my family again, then I just wanted to get back to hills bc this time I felt GREAT, was excited to attack, and was so close to being done.

Christian told me that if I rode the bike smart, I would start passing people around mile 90, and just like that it was true. I was cruising up the hills and riding the rollers and loving the bike more at mile 102 than I did at mile 40. I again fell into a little group that rode back into town together, all ready to be done with the ride, and I was so happy. I glanced at my watch, and rolled into transition at 2:30pm exactly. I knew I had swam exactly an hour, had ridden about 6:30, was really close to even or negative splitting my ride, and was ready to RUN!

Thinking back to this ride, I don't think I would do a single thing differently. Yes, I would love the ~5 minutes back from peeing/stopping, but over the course of 140.6 miles, I could care less about those minutes. I had fun the entire time, was only really low for a few miles because of the wind, and am happy and satisfied with my training, fitness and execution of this ride. Again, my goal of the day was to RUN, and the effort and approach on this bike ride set up the next 4 hours and 19 minutes of my day.

Bike Nutrition
6x200 calories bottles (3x200 cals of Hydra C5, 3x 200 cals Carbo+Pro with Nuun).
About 2.5 Honey Stinger Waffles
1 Espresso Gu
1 large bite of Banana (which looked good but I think I spit out at about mile 95)
Water gulps almost at every aid station
TOTAL ~1700 calories/~260 per hour.

Diabolical Double

Take a seat, this is a novel

On Saturday, I rode my bike for 10 hours and 22 minutes, covering 125 miles and climbing over 16,000 feet at an average pace just around 12mph. My hands have blisters, I have a saddle sore that seems to be growing by the minute, and my back is tight and achy, but it was seriously one of the best days I can remember.

Mindy and I had registered for the Diabolical Double, 125 miles with 16,000 feet of climbing. The course also had a 102 mile option, with a very respectable 12,000 feet. The two courses followed the same route until the 3rd aid station (about mile 58) so I gave myself until then to decide. I tried to tell myself that I should not be disappointed if I chose the century - I would still likely be in the saddle longer than I would for Ironman with much more climbing. But I knew I would always wonder in the back of my mind 'What if?...Could I have done it?' In the end, it didn't take until mile 58 to decide. Even before the two killer climbs at 45 and 55, Mindy and I had committed to the full 125. We were having so much fun, loving every second of every horrible climb, and we KNEW we were physically and mentally capable of rocking the Diabolic Double.

The day started atop a mountain, and ~500 people started to descend a windy, switch back road. We wanted no part of this group, so we waited until the group passed and started on our merry way. I got separated almost immediately from Caroline and Mindy, but the road was a little slick, it was crowded and very foggy, so I decided to just focus on staying upright and figured we could regroup at the first stop. The first 18 miles were mostly downhill, 'a treat' said the Race Director, but also included a nasty, steep climb 'White Rock'. It was at this point, as this wasn't even a climb that I had noticed on the cue sheet and my heart was already pumping, that the theme of my day became 'downshift, spin spin spin' I tried to keep my cadence high, stay light on my feet, and not push any part beyond what was absolutely necessary. It wasn't even tough to watch others smash up the first climb, as I knew I had a long day ahead of me and taking each mile and each upward foot at a time was the only way I would survive.

I rolled into aid station #1 feeling good. I had really focused on getting liquids in, but I realized I had already been riding for 80 minutes and had taken in ZERO calories. After taking with my coach, I decided I was going to rely on the aid stations for my calories/nutrition, so I had only brought 1 tube of nuun and a few mini lara bars for emergencies. Coach also warned that keeping on top and AHEAD of my calories was key to this very long day - if I felt hungry, tired or famished at any point, it was too late. As I waited for Mindy at the first stop and munched on goldfish, I started to have a little panic attack - How in the world was I going to get enough calories in at the aid stations? I sucked down a Hammer Gels, put a few in my vest and followed Mindy's lead in making a little baggie of 'aid station trail mix' - gold fish, peanut m&ms, and mixed nuts. I put it in my bento box and figured if I could get through it between aid stations. WRONG WRONG WRONG.

Mindy and I rolled out from the aid station to hit the next 21.4 miles (3809 feet of climbing). I honestly don't remember much of this portion -I remember right away my legs feeling fatigued and heavy, but I knew it wasn't from the climbing, it was because I was hungry and really behind on calories. There is a reason I stick to liquid calories on the bike mostly - I just don't like to chew/deal with eating. So it was during this section that I decided the new plan was to take in at least 1-2 gels in between each aid station and at each stop I needed to get in as many calories as possible. This took the form of chocolate chip cookies and PB&J. When we arrive at the 2nd aid station, I was feeling better. I dropped my vest and arm warmers, shoved my face with cookies, and we were off.

The next stretch was the one we had heard the most about.  It included two of the steepest climbs on the course, Bowman Hill and Killer Miller. Both were 'timed' for KOM and QOM, but the goal was just to get to the top. There was standing, there was a bit of weaving, there was lots of sweat, but at no point did I think I was going to need to walk, at no point did I curse my bike, and at no time did I want to cry. This was major progress from the climb up Massanutten over Memorial Day, and Mindy and I arrived at aid station 4 with huge smiles.

Between aid stations 3 and 4, we officially committed to the full 125 miles and rudely realized this was not the 'rolling section' we decided it was based on the pretty picture on the cue sheet. What we failed to realize was that the scale of this map was different than all the others, so what looked like 'rolling' was, in fact, steep climbing. But this section was also rewarded with sweeping, vast views, and when we started to make friends with others out on the roads. Despite the burning in our legs and lungs, and the ever growing pain in my ass, we were having SO MUCH FUN.

Oh, and just to make things fun, the section included 1.5 miles of gravel on Blue Lick Road. We got good advice from some of the roadies around us (stay seated, stay off your breaks, don't death grip your handlebars). I actually was loving this section - until you turn a corner and realize not only are you riding on gravel, your CLIMBING up gravel. Climbing steeply. I was all alone [Well, there was also a guy playing the banjo], doing well, focusing on spinning and keeping weight on my back wheel, when I fishtailed and almost went down. I was luckily able to unclip in time to avoid going down, but I lost all momentum and found myself standing next to my bike in the middle of a 6 %+ grade. My only choice was to walk until it flattened out enough to clip back in. I was a little bummed, but honestly, walking was just as fast as biking at about 4mph, and I did not stop bc I wanted to. I got back on and finished the climb on my bike when I knew I could get the momentum to clip back in. The only picture I took all day on the route was after this section, to memorialize the epic-ness (yes, it's worth of this term) of what we were going through.

Blue Lick Road. This is pretty much what the sky looked like all day. PERFECT

We took a bit of extra time at the next stop, loaded back up, and prepared for the long steady climb out of Westernport. We were told the next sections weren't as steep as what we had been going up, but long and grueling, similar to Skyline. Mindy and I both decided it was MUCH steeper than Skyline, but still not so steep we couldn't spin.  As we merrily climbed along, chatting away and taking in the stunning beauty of the course, we started to get excited to pass the 100 mile mark. And it just wouldn't come. It was then we did some math and realized it had taken us AN HOUR to climb the last 4.5 mile. Yes - we were riding a whopping 4.5 mph. And loving every second of it.

At this point, we also made the very (not) smart decision to skip aid station #5. We figured there was only 10 miles between stops 5 and 6, a maximum of 90 minutes right? and it was getting harder and harder to get going again after each stop. What we failed to realize was that it was pretty much a steady long climbing 10 miles between stations and we had NOT been averaging 10mph in the last few hours. Oops. We passed 112, did a little cheer, and started to REALLY need the next aid station. It was a bit further on our bike computers than what was on the cue sheet, but we ended up making it, but we were both PARCHED and HUNGRY when we arrived at aid station 6.

 With ~14 miles left, we pushed off in a little group of 4. The last section included nice roads next to Deep Creek and all led up to the last timed, 1 mile climb of 600 feet to the finish line. Mindy and I were pleasantly surprised that our legs actually still felt A-OK. I was mentally exhausted and hungry - after the 10th or 11th Hammer Gel I was just done and had been dreaming of pizza for hours [we passed Ledos 2 miles from the finish. So cruel]. We hit the final climb, crossed the finish line, got our salty french fries, and just like that, the day was over. Just over 10 hours of riding time, 12 hours since we left.

I took this picture at 6:30am and finally got my fries at 7pm

As we chatted at the finish, the son of a friend we met out on the course told Mindy and that we had "WAY too much energy left after riding that long" and he was right. We were on top of the world. So happy and (this sounds weird to write about yourself BUT I'm just being honest) we were SO SO proud and impressed with ourselves. We went into the day pretty nervous and a little worried about making the cut offs and being forced into the sag van, but we finished with time to spare, on our own accord, and finished STRONG. The point of this day was to gain confidence for the Ironman bike. And that mission was accomplished. But the day ended up being about so much more. It's strange, I almost feel like I'm writing this epic race report of an amazing PR. But I know it was just a day, just a ride, just 12 hours spent with a really good friend. But it was also so much more. It was just the best.

1 hour recovery swim on Sunday was just what the doctor ordered.

Giant Acron OLY

This is going to be all over the place. I am SO happy with the weekend, the results basically surprised the hell out of me and I had no clue that I was putting together this race until I saw the finish line chute and overall clock.

I had very simple goals for this race, I didn't put any time pressure on myself bc I didn't want to set myself up for disappointment, and I also truly had no idea as to where my fitness was, or what the course was like. Despite a solid performance at Luray, I got so caught up in my times, getting run down by what felt like the entire field and 'what ifs' that I wasn't able to enjoy that I put together a solid race and performed well. In the 6 weeks between Luray and Giant Acron, life also just calmed down in general. I took a week completely off to celebrate my best friend's wedding with basically all my college friends, and have now settled into a comfortable routine, adding regular pool running as my foot is on the mend, and convincing myself that swimming 1500 meters once a week is sufficient (read: it's not). I also have found some great training partners/friends that have showed me some challening and enjoyable rides around my area.

I put in one big weekend of riding (for me) and had three solid weeks of running in a row, building my miles, but keep the pace SUPER comfortable and focusing on how my legs were feeling. My longest run in the last 6 weeks was 7 miles, with planned 30 second walk breaks at every mile. I finished the run in 70 minutes exactly, and while that pace didn't make my confidence soar, the fact that I was on my feet for that long, finished feeling strong and healthy, and felt like I could have kept going helped my mind consider a 10k at the race.

I have nothing but great things to write about Set-Up Events. I am totally sold on their races, they are affordable, just 'big enough', logistically SIMPLE, and this race had pizza, cheese balls, oreos and mountain dew post-race, I mean...what more could a girl ask for, really?

A 10am start time only 80 miles away from home made this race attractive. While I considered that October could bring chilly weather, mid 50s is far prefferable to me than humidity and heat any day. However, as I hit 95S to head out to Lake Anna, and it was POURING, I decided that mid-50s and WINDY AND WET is not as ideal.  I arrived OCD early at the race, couldn't believe how windy and freezing it was as I waited in line to register, and headed back to my car to zone out for the next hour. I was at this race solo, the boy had to work and my dad chose the UMD game over me, understandably. I started to feel a bit lonely, but realized it took all the pressure OFF. When I emerged from the car, it had warmed up and calmed down nicely, and I realized the weather may actually cooperate.

As I headed to transition area, I had a rude awakening. There were college kids at this race. LOTS of college kids. FAST looking, skinny, young, college kids. Somehow I ended up on a rack with a lot of guys from the Duke and Virginia Tech club teams, and I realized this was some type of collegiate championship/team race. I reassesed my overall placement goals, but reminded myself that it wasn't likely that any college kids would be in my age group. I got my things settled, got my wetsuit on (for only the 3rd time this season, whoops), and realized the sun had appeared, the white caps on the lake had calmed, and I was ready to race. No warm up for this girl, I figured my ankle/foot probably  had about 6.3 miles so I didn't want to push it with a warm up.

Swim: 22:59 (6th overall, 1 AG)
From the start, 2 girls took off and I couldn't stay with (this will become important later....ohhh foreshadowing). I just put my head down and swam a strong pace I felt like I could maintain. Out to the first buoy. After the turn, started to feel just how rough the water was. With the waves, I couldn't find the yellow 'turn' buoy in the distance, only the orange site buoys. Even a few breatstrokes didn't help, so I didn't to do something I NEVER do, swim buoy to buoy. This usually adds distance, as the site-buoys are not set up in the most straight line to the turn buoy (as we were reminded by the race director), however, I felt like it was the only way to focus on forward progress. Made it to the last turn buoy, and was blinded by the sun, and literally had no clue where to go. I could generally see the shore and swim in that direction, but I know I swam wide and probably added quite a bit of distance to my route. It was during this leg of the swim when I began writing my race report...."just didn't have it", "not my day from the start" "1500 meters a week is NOT enough to race an OLY", blah blah blah. I reached swim exit and headed for my bike. I went with my shoes on my bike bc it was one of the longest runs from bike exit to bike mount I had ever seen, and as I grabbed my bike and started the run, I heard the announcer call out my name as first female out of the water. WHAT!? No way, those girls had taken off....could it be? Maybe they swam a little long, too? Well, everyone was screaming as I got to the mount line, so I let myself believe that yes, I was the first women on the bike course.

Bike: 1:08:42 (17th overall, 2nd AG) OLY PR BIKE!
I had grabbed arm warmers in transition, but once I was on the bike and got my feet in my shoes, the sun was shining and I decided not forgo trying to get them on my wet arms. Truth was, I was riding SCARED! If I was first on the course, that meant those behind me would be out for blood. So the 'ride smart' mantra became 'ride hard'. I LOVED this two loops course. I had read it was quite a fast course, and enjoyed the rolling hills and beautiful scenery. I was riding with a smile, but pushing the pace, and also focusing on getting in my calories. I think a huge aspect of my running meltdowns in my last two races had not only to do with injury/lack of fitness, but also not taking in enough calories. I learned last year that my body can handle a pretty high number of calories per hour, and I perform better when I hit those numbers. During this ride, I took in about 200-250 calories of Carbo Pro/Nuun from my aero bottle, and a caffeinated Gu around mile 20 (I wasn't going to take this until the run, but my legs were starting to feel a little lethargic and I hadn't had any caffiene yet, and I definitely appreciated the pick me up).  It was a 2 loop course, and on the second loop I focused on passing as many people as I could and riding safely and cleanly.

As I got close to T2, I undid my shoes and started to dread the flying dismount and run into transition. It had clouded over the second half of the bike and my feet felt numb (no socks, no toe warmers, ouch) and I was COLD. I actually decided to not do a flying mount for fear my feet wouldn't agree, and hated life those first few steps.

I hadn't passed anyone females on the bike, and no females had passed me. Even though I had allowed myself to believe that I was riding in first, I KNEW those two girls had gotten a jump on me in the swim. And sure enough, as I reached the dismount line, I saw two girls running out of transition. I did not let it phase me, as I knew in the back of my mind they were there, and still no on had passed me, and I had ridden SCARED and push the effort, which in the back of my mind, made me scared to death to hit the run.

Run: 48:39 (41st overall, 2nd AG)
Socks, shoes, garmin, visor and racebelt and OFF! I put a smile on my face, strapped on my Garmin and told myself not to go out too hot. I had hardly run any miles faster than 9 minute pace in MONTHS, it was ridiculous for me to start the run thinking I could hold 8s, or anything faster. I also saw there was a steady stream of girls coming off the bike that were DEFINITELY close enough to catch me if I blew up like my last two races. First mile: 7:39 DAMN. Well, I felt OK. In fact, I felt GOOD. So I went with it. It was a 2 loop out-and-back course and I knew I was losing ground to the girls in front, but I had to wait until almost mile 4 to see what was going on behind me. I was solidly holding sub-8 pace on a rolling course, and was keeping the negative self-doubt OUT of my mind (believe me, it was there and trying to take over!) I took my 2nd Gu about mile 3.5. At the turn around on the second loop (about mile 4.5) I realized I had three girls FLYING up behind me. They were all wearing college kits, and all I could think is "Damn these college girls can RUN (and damn, they are so skinny! ha)." But I also reminded myself they are 21, and not in your age group. I focused on not letting them pass, but all three made solid passes by mile 5. I pushed as best I could, including in the little trail/root section at the very end, and rounded the last downhill and corner to the finish chute. It was then that I saw the overall clock reading "2:31:--". It was that moment that I realized I had started 8 minutes back, and I may have just gotten an OLY distance PR?!?!?! I don't ride with a bike computer and the swim felt like it took AGES, so this was such a complete shock. But then I also realized that I had pushed the run as hard as I could have, that I NEVER once felt the urge to walk, and I just wanted to sit down.


2:23:52 - 1AG, 13th overall 
(I think that 5 of the girls that finished ahead of me were in the 'college' division and not counted towards AG awards, but I do think the girl who won overall was collegiate, I was confused.)

I tried not to get too excited until I saw the results, bc who knows if they actually spread the waves out 4 minutes like they were supposed to, but when it was confirmed, I did a little dance.  My previous PR was from Miami in April of this year on a dead flat course. I felt like since then, my entire season was in a backwards slide, including my fitness, my motivation and my confidence, especially on the run. This was just the race I needed to put my mind in the right place to keep the focus on getting healthy, and make a wise and smart decision about Ironman next year (I have put a Dec 1 deadline on the decision, unless it looks like it is going to sell out before then).

Now, time to run this thing they call Ragner in the mountains of Pennsylvania with 11 friends from NYC next weekend.

Want, need, LOVE

Missoni for Target, click for more previews.

Do you think that 5 bikes in a 1 bedroom apartment is overkill? BC i think I need to have this...I mean, I can't commute on my tri bike, or my road bike...right???

The Unknown

It's been fun and a bit intimidating to find new training routes, especially on the bike. I don't mind riding loops upon loops in the city during the week, but wanted to find something different for my long ride. This morning, I ventured about 30 miles from home to attempt at least 3 hours on the bike. I haven't been on my tri bike much this season and wanted to work on my comfort in aero before next weekend.

I read the 7 mile loop was a great mix of false flats, flat and climbing with some screaming descents. It did not disappoint. I can't decide which direction was tougher, and I got in 44 miles before I decided to call it a day, due to the heat and my lack of preparation with nutrition (really need to snap out of this bad habit!)


While I feel like I finished up strong, my legs did not decide to join the ride until the 2nd half. I have been putting a lot of hours (for me) in the past few weeks, so this week a little bit of rest is on tap to be sure my legs show up on time next weekend!

Rev3 Quassy - DNF

Not-long-story-short:

After a strong swim in a perfect lake, I got a flat at mile 5 of the bike. The flat came about 30 seconds after a screaming 40+ mph downhill, and I knew the course had more to come. After already crashing my bike once last week, I pulled over, removed my helmet and called it a day - I have nothing to prove. During the first few miles of the bike, it was clear my body wasn't recovered from the crash, as well as perhaps mentally with how easy a decision it was to drop out.

I hitched a ride back to transition with a friendly motorist who asked if I was OK [which didn't even cross my mind as a poor decision until after I had been in the car for 5 minutes...]

With my new friend Ron driving me back to transition.

Full disclosure: I was riding tubulars and didn't have a spare. I rode with a spare in all three 70.3 races I did last year, but in an OLY, even if it isn't my A race, I am racing. 'tis a chance you take.

Sometimes it's just not your day. Or your week. Moving on...

Thank you, Uncle Sam.

Hello there my lovely. Can't wait to pick you up tomorrow.

Back in the Saddle....

...literally.

An easy two hours this morning, steady and aero. Was about 49 and gusty when I started - fingerless gloves, capris and a vest definitely not sufficient. But watching the sunrise makes the , pitch black 5am wake up call worth it. I actually love fall riding, and needed this morning to find my mojo again.

Not sure what was up in the park today, but there were two riders down with ambulances and groups around them. My prayers are with them. They say it's not 'if' but 'when' a bike crash will happen, and I feel like Central Park, especially during fall marathon training season, can be an especially hairy place to ride, and I really do count my blessings every time I roll up to my front steps safe and sound.

Today I suprised myself.

With snow coming down strong, I had a 1 hour trainer ride. When I woke up and hit the trainer (after 30+minutes of procrastination), the workout I was supposed to do (high cadence, high HR intervals) quickly turned into an easy recovery spin and 60 minutes quickly turned into 35 minutes. I had no power in my legs and no desire to be on the bike - the Today show wasn't even holding my interest.


After work, I decided to try again. I was angry with myself about this morning, and I also had a big fat FAIL on my workout yesterday. I was properly fueled and motivated to prove to myself I could get this bike done. I hopped on at just the right time to enjoy Jeopardy and ROCKED this workout. I am not sure I ever imagined I would see the day that I would be on my bike TWICE in one day. What is happening!??

Some Bike Lovin'

After a few tweaks and adjustments, I can finally say I am READY and EXCITED to attack the cycling heavy 10-day training camp I am have committed myself to in March. After seeing 2 100+ mile rides on the schedule (my longest ride, EVA, is 75), I knew it was time to get serious.

So we:

1. Moved my cleats back - 100% improvement. I have not felt very 'powerful' in my pedal strokes on my new bike, but this small adjustment has made a world of difference.

2. Move the seat up a *smidge*

3. "Flipped" my bars (?) - I am not sure if this is the technical term, but he made the bars a bit higher or something - again, a huge difference in my comfort level.

And the MOST important change of all, the reason I went in for some bike lovin', and what I hope will allow me to ride for hours and hours in comfort - something I have NEVER been able to do, old bike or new:



We will eventually need to shorten my bars, but are going to wait until I am 100% comfortable with the fit first, probably after camp and prior to my first race - which ironically, the profile was posted for, and I have a feeling I may want to ride my road bike instead. Typical:

Rev3 Knoxville

Absent

Sorry I have been MIA - I have been occupied, spending some quality time in the new torture chamber that has been created by putting three triathletes and nine bikes in the same apartment.

War on the Shore 2009

Short Version:

Swim: 7:54 (1/female, 9/overall swim)
T1: 2:00
Bike: 52:47 (20.5mph)
T2: 1:25
Run: 34:12 (6:51/mile)

1:38:15

3rd female overall

Long Version:

I signed up for this race totally last minute when it became a team race. I have ridden my bike about 3 times in the past 2 months, but have been swimming more and my run is coming together really great for the marathon, so I was very interested to see what I could do. The 'long course' version of this race is a 1/2 mile swim (with the current), 18 mile bike, 5 mile run, both pancake flat. My race plan: HAMMER.

I did 25 mile spin and a 80-minute open water swim on the Jersey Shore with one of the Kona-bound roommates the day before, and felt really great in the water and was hopeful for the morning. My legs had been DEAD all week, but I ignored them and hoped they would come around.

Race morning was un-eventful, other than some hoopla surrounding my coach and some 'special' racers he was coaching, but it was a great group down from NYC racing and the atmosphere was really exciting. The race venue was beautiful, the weather was absolutely perfect, and I was very impressed with the organization and race director. He put on a really great event overall.

Swim- It was a 1/2 mile swim. With the current. All female long-course racers started in the second wave, and I wanted to be first out of the water. I hopped out front and swam as hard as I could. Mission accomplished, first women out by a large margin, and I ended up having the 9th overall fastest swim of the day. Crazy fun experience hearing the cheers and realizing I was actually leading the race.


T1- slow, slow, slow. Had trouble getting my wetsuit off. My chip came off with it. My hands were cold.

Bike- I knew this was going to hurt no matter what, so I just got in my drops and rode. No computer, no idea of speed, cadence, nothing. I led the women's race for about 5 miles. Roommate passed me like I was standing still. There was tons of drafting going on in the mens race, as well as silly men trying to draft off little old me. I just rode my own race and only had to yell a few times at guys boxing me in.

Another teammate passed me I think right around 9 miles. I picked it up a bit to try to keep pace with her, but she slowly pulled away. With about 1 mile left in the bike, a third woman FLEW past me. I resisted the urge to hammer it home to hit transition with her, and spun my legs out and hoped my legs would be there on the run. My hip and back were aching a bit, but I was having so much fun, as evidenced by the goofy smile that makes all my bike pictures completely stupid and un-usable :)

Last race on my old steed- she treated me well :)

T2- I had a great spot in transition and was in and out.


Run- I ended up leaving transition with the female who had passed me on the end of the bike. She tried to make small talk, complained about numb feet (yes, mine were too, but I wasn't about to tell her that!!), and decided to push the pace to see if she could hang. She couldn't. I was able to see both teammates ahead of me at the first turnaround, and realized I was very solidly in 3rd place. There was a little lady in a orange speedo, cotton crop top, and scrunchy socks running in 4th, but no way was I letting her pass.

I didn't let up and tried to push the pace. The course passes transition and the finish-line for another mile long out and back, and a guy ran past and heard some teammates cheering my name and yelled out for me to get on his heels and "STAY THERE- COME ON, YOU CAN DO THIS!!" He definitely pushed me out of my comfort zone and tried to keep me with him, yelling encouragement and my name. I had no clue how much longer we had, so I tried to stick with him as long as I could. It was so helpful and made me realize that another gear was there, even as he slowly pulled away. I ran the last mile scared that I was going to get caught by the scrunchy-socks woman and lose the overall podium, and finished in more pain (but the good kind) than I have felt in a very long time.

Hurtin bad- about 1/4 mile left.

My teammates and I ended up placing 1-2-3 in the women's long course and there were lots of other age group awards for the team, in both the long and short course races. It was a really GREAT day, and a perfect way to end what has been an amazing season. I am lucky to be healthy and racing and also have the awesome support of a truly amazing group of athletes.

Clearly, the highlight of the day (week, month, season, year?) was the most amazing gift I received after the race. It's a really long story, but the gist is I am the new owner of a lovely, brand new 2010 Giant that is nicer than anything I ever expected to own. I have promised free swim-lessons for life to my fairy godmother, and am picking the bike hopefully tonight and getting fit next week.

A truly perfect way to end the season- I can't WAIT for the winter, to get comfy on the new frame and ROCK OUT next season!

No words.

Thanks to an incredibly generous and altogether amazing teammate, looks like I've got myself some aerobars....
I was so taken aback and speechless after an amazing race and the most amazing, generous and unexpected gift I have ever received, I honestly don't even know any details; I am pretty sure it's a 2010 Trinity Alliance 1 with some upgrades, and that beauty is MINE :) More later.

Update: She's an Aeryn Alliance, size S, with a total of 1.6 miles. I'm in love- her name is Lulu, short for 'Lucky Lucy', a testament to my fairy godmother :)

Lean Back...

My planned Sunday bike route (zoom in once for a way better view) that will take me from my front door and hopefully land my ass right on the beach in Far Rockaway after 40 miles.

I am crossing my fingers that the 'Greenway' that is supposed to exist between miles 20 and 35 actually is completed and open and truly car-free

TYPICAL!

I recieved this email from Nashbar at 4pm today (of course the night before a weekend of sub-zero temps and possible snow)....

Customer Alert - Trainer Recall

Notice: 2008 Nashbar trainers – Customer Alert!

Dear Nashbar Customer,

Our records show that you purchased one of the following trainers between 9/11/08 to 12/24/08.


Description Catalog #
Nashbar Mag Plus NB-MAGP
Nashbar Fluid NB-FT6

PLEASE STOP USING THE TRAINER IMMEDIATELY

We found that a small number of these trainers have a defective part that can allow the bike to disengage from the trainer frame. The potentially defective units will have production codes 2708, 2808 or 3408. The production code is stamped on the bottom of the front folding legs’ horizontal base. Only trainers with these production codes are affected.

We apologize for the inconvenience and will make the corrective process as easy for you as possible. Next week we will mail a packet with procedures for the repair or replacement of your unit. If you have questions, please contact our Tech Dept. at 800 888-2710 or technical@nashbar.com.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Sincerely,

Gaynor Collester
Supervisor, Technical Product Support
Nashbar Direct

It's a good thing that I have been on the trainer for a total of less than 60 minutes since I set it up.  I'm too lazy to check if I'm at risk right now- ha

So cute.

I got home from my run this morning with the following text from my dad:

9:44am

"It's 45 degrees and windy and I'm about to do a 30 mile ride in Poolesville.  Think I need my head examined or just shoot me."

My response?

"Ha ha- you have the bug! Good Job"

He wrote back:

"Survived, barely- f**cking hills."

(yes, he did use the **s in the text...too cute).

I am SO proud of my dad for picking up biking in the past year.  He has done a few 45+ rides (on a hybrid!) and even mastered clipless pedals!  Depending on the weather, next weekend we are planning on cruising around the Marine Corps Marathon route on our bikes to spectate!

Labor Day 2008

It was an overall amazing and relaxing weekend, and I begin to worry that my days are numbered being able to survive in the concrete jungle of NYC. I absolutely love my life and living in New York City, but continue to discover gems of places a stone's throw from the city that I can easily imagine myself falling into a completely different lifestyle without hesitation. So, yeah, when I no longer need to work, I will let you know where I relocate :)

Friday, we rolled into Lake Placid about 6:15 and were in Mirror Lake by 6:45pm, racing the sunset. We quickly realized we had both forgotten wetsuits, but the water was pleasant enough for 1 loop. Finished in 31:55, which was more than enough time to justify beers at the Brewery across the street.

Mirror Lake, Lake Placid

Saturday, a 7-hour ride was on tap for my Kona-training friend. We figured the full Lake Placid course would put her close to that. As much as I wish I could have ridden the entire thing with her, I knew I was not in that kind of biking shape. If it had been a flat course, I would have gutted it out, but there are no detours around the climbing in Lake Placid. So I settled for 1 loop. Well, almost one loop, as we were too busy chatting away and missed the turn-off for the out-and-back section of the course (14miles). By the time we realized, we decided not to back-track, but I was sorta bummed to not ride the entire course. So I ended my day with 42 miles. The course is absolutely amazing and I loved every second of it. I really wished I was in the shape to ride the entire thing, but it will come with time. My hip was ready to call it a day, so I hung around downtown Lake Placid while my friend finished her ride.

After a quick gas station clean up, we were on the road with 1 destination in mind:

My happy place.

We loaded up on beer for the weekend, and headed to the house our friends had rented on Lake Champlain. To reach the house included a bit of off-roading and 10 miles on a dirt road, but it was worth it. The cabin was completely secluded, right on the shore. I spent the day Sunday here:

We got drunk, played Yahtzee and Rummy, and went to bed at 10pm. Girls Gone Wild, Vermont-style :)

Monday, my friend had a 2 hour recovery ride on tap (she ran 3 hours Sunday, as I coached her from the hammock ha). We decided to ride into Burlington, as we were about 15 miles north and figured it was a perfect distance for the recovery. We arrived in Burlington to eat the WORLD'S BEST SANDWICH*, to be greeted by this:

A 4-day stage race in Vermont over the weekend was culminating with the crits in downtown Burlington. Such a fun surprise! We sat in the sun and didn't complain as the Men's Master's 30 year old division passed us 15 times. We rode back to the house, climbed the steepest hill I have ever biked on, and swam a bit in Lake Champlain. After that we packed it up to head back to NYC.

Back to reality, GWB

Today is back to reality. NYC is crowded again after an empty August. The subway was packed. The line for the bus was long. But I had a glorious Marathon-Pace run this morning after the week off running, and all is well.

*I'm not joking that this is the best sandwich I have ever had. Every year we go back, and every year this is confirmed. If you are ever in Burlington, or even within 60 miles, the trip is well worth it.

To Whom It May Concern

To Whom It May Concern-

I promise to not run for a week.
I promise to start taking the Fish Oil and Curcumin again, everyday, 2x.
I promise- strength training, twice a week.
I promise- NO MORE MILE REPEATS.

If I promise all this....can you please, please, PLEASE make my hip stop hurting? Just until Nov 2 at around 3pm?

I would be forever grateful.

Yours, Sarah




I'm headed to Lake Placid on Friday to keep my Kona-training friend company. We figured it may help her get excited for the race to ride an actual Ironman course. I am going to ride one loop. If I get stupid and loopy, maybe I'll do two :) Then we will swim. From there, we will spend the rest of the holiday weekend on Lake Champlain, outside Burlington, VT. We will fish. We will hike. Maybe ride our bikes more. However, two things are definite:
1. Much time will be spent at Cabot.
2. Even more time will be spent at Magic Hat (my fave!)

See, running wasn't invited on this holiday weekend ANYWAY!

My poor bike...

My poor bike, as it has sat since I got home from vacation. Hard to motivate when I have no races left this year :(



...And I think I finally have to admit that I don't know how to change a flat. Well I know the STEPS to change it...I just can't do it!!