Naylor's Beach - Race Report

To be honest, I really wasn't looking forward to this race.

Between work and travel, which has been exhausting and crazy these past two weeks, and fighting a little cold, I just wanted to crawl into bed and sleep - and pretend that I wasn't doing an Ironman in five weeks.

Best intentions had me thinking I'd be able to workout while in Alabama - maybe meet Tri-blogger Beth. I was so overwhelmed with the packed schedule, I couldn't even email her to thank her for the offer and to say it just didn't seem doable this time around. Plus, because of all the missed training, I squeezed in two two-ish hour workouts on Friday and Saturday to make up for not exercising while out of town. I was not exactly well rested for today's race.

Then there were the self-doubts - I ended the Patriot Half on a good note - did I want to risk a lackluster performance that would damper my mental spirit for IMFL?

I reminded myself, this was a training race - a great chance to practice an open water swim and nutrition. Plus TRIgirl BL had offered her friend's river home to TRIgirl DL and me, about 20 minutes from the race, to crash at the night before. I wanted to be with them and several other TRIgirls who had registered for the Olympic distance Naylor's.

We had a great pre-race eve on Saturday night. TRIgirl BL's friend's house was very cool - right on the river. We cruised around the beautiful nearby waterways on his boat, during a gorgeous sunset. We had a fabulous pre-race meal, interesting conversation - and maybe a drop or two more wine than was ideal. I felt like a lucky girl when hitting the sack to the chirping of crickets and the otherwise quiet of the county.

Lots of fog in the morning caused a one hour delay. Which was actually good for my stomach - and the stomachs of several other racers who became familiar faces and friends during the numerous bathroom (yes, bathroom, not port-o-potties!) stops.

While in transition, waiting for the race to start, I heard a few folks call me over. They asked if I had a blog. If I am doing an IM. Actually recognized the TRIgirl gear and the number 40 on my leg. Mentioned the "Why do I do this" post and my recent trips. I was so honored to know they were readers. My day was brightening though the fog was not!

I was in a state of disbelief when the officials decided to start the race. The water was very calm, but there was still a heavy mist and I could hardly see the first buoy. I relied on the swimmers around me until the first turnaround - when the sun came out - and was smack in my eyes. But the current was with us and the straightaway passed by fairly quickly. TRIgirl MS was out on the river watching us in her kayak - as was her man in purple (kayak and attire) - which reassured me. Settling into a groove, I thought about the form tips Ironwoman Canada taught me. After the second turnaround - I panicked a bit - it felt like Patriot's, I couldn't see the orange buoys. But, I found a few arms and caps - and followed their lead. After a bit, I saw the finish line yellow buoys - and sighted on them until I exited the water. Overall swim was 38:30 - about four and a half minutes faster than last year.

The weather for the bike and run was awesome. Clear, sunny, dry - not too hot. The first few miles felt slow. Might have been a headwind or my weary legs after the last two days of workouts. I had to walk one nasty hill on the dreaded Scates Road. And I had to stop to refuel as the straw flew off the second compartment of my Podiumquest and I ran out of liquid (I am not coordinated enough for the grab and go). The second half of the course went a little better. I think I came close to holding my own on the bike in terms of passing/being passed. I did well with nutrition overall - probably 450 calories. I don't have the exact split for my bike last year, but this year's was 1:32 - I'd guess about five minutes faster than last year.

The run - my legs felt tired for the first two miles before they adjusted. A 1/2 gu every other mile worked perfectly between water dumps and drinks at the aid stations. I felt I was moving at a good pace - and was very thankful for the weather - there was direct sun, but overall, it was a beautiful Virginia fall day. I even was able to take it up a notch in the end to pass a girl who had been right with me from the beginning of the bike. Run time was 1:03, which, as TRIgirl DL thoughtfully reminded me, is almost my best 10K time. About 8 minutes faster than last year.

Crossing the finish line, I felt strong and fast (for me). I heard TRIgirl CH cheer me in and thought about our awesome finish the year before. Volunteer TRIgirls MS, LD, CH and Coach G were also cheerleaders with the TRIgirls who were already done. Coach G came over and said I had a great race - and I bumbled, in my post exertion drunken state, "Yes, I did have a great race."

Overall time - 3:19:50. Last year was 3:37:24. Placement in my age group was better, too.

I cheered in several other TRIgirls. And watched as four TRIgirls accepted age group awards - yeah - the rocking TRIgirls ML, KC, KO, BL (and Ironboy JW). All that pink on the podium made us all proud.

I watched a few TRIgirls complete very tough races - overcoming lots of obstacles - to finish with grace that was pure inspiration. Awesome job, Beebs and TRIgirl DL.

And now, as I am about to head off to bed, I am so happy I pushed myself to race this race I didn't want to race - grateful for the pride and respect of the day's accomplishments - my fellow racers' - and my own.

A Too Full Week

Oh boy, it has been a full week since I last posted. To be honest, it feels more like three.

Since last Sunday I've:

• Spent two days in DC for work
• Spent two days in Vegas for work
• Probably worked the equivalent of at least two more days
• Prepared my part of a panel presentation for next week
• Celebrated Fezzy's first birthday
• Acted as host for my bimonthly book club (which included desperately trying to finish the book up until the moment the first guest arrived)
• Took my bike in for tweaks from last week's bike fitting
• Had my hair done (to the relief of anyone subjected to my roots the past few weeks)
• And oh, tried to fit in training for an Ironman - knowing it is critical to get in the intense workouts scheduled

To top it all off, I leave on Tuesday for another work conference in Mobile, Alabama (yes, I know it is hurricane season). So this week is not looking to be much better.

Basically, I've been running around trying to fit in way too many chores, errands and work related tasks. And those are for the ones I've planned, which didn't include a few little surprises, like plane reschedulings and attending a few additional conference events. Too much packed into too little time, leaving me feeling like I am not able to give anything the attention deserved. Since last Sunday, I've squeezed in about 85% of my training. Next week's schedule has been adjusted, too.

I think things will settle down once I get through this week. I'm hoping.

Why Do I Do This?

Saturday morning, the alarm rings too soon - 5:15 in the morning. There is no padding with the time set, as I need to meet a bunch of TRIgirls at 6:00 at a Wal-Mart parking lot about 20 minutes away. I sigh, get out of bed, and have my first "Why do I do this?" moment of the day.

Moving quickly, I dress, grab my bags and cooler packed for the day's training. I load up the car, driving in the still darkness. Trying to fight the sleepy feeling that wants to win so badly - I grumble to myself - why do I do this?

At Wal-Mart, many TRIgirls are congregating. I start to feel a little better, but envy TRIgirl KO's ability to fit in time to make a cup of coffee. After Coach G and Coach B arrive, the caravan heads off to Naylor's Beach - for an open water swim practice and trial bike for the Olympic race on September 30th. Which will be the warm-up for the day's goal of a 90 mile bike ride. It is going to be a long day.

We pull into Naylor's Beach an hour or so later. The air is chillier than back home - so I am happy to have the new TRIgirl hoodie sweatshirt that Coach G hands over to me. While preparing our bikes, I hear a few TRIgirls echoing my same thought - "Why do we do this?"

As the coaches set up the swim course with Ironman JW (big thanks to him and his family for coming out on their boat to set up the course and watch us) - which turns out to be a little less than 1/2 the distance than the race swim - we put on our wetsuits and wait. The skies that just saw a sunrise begin to darken again. A morning storm is predicted and seems to be looming right over the Rappahannock River. And the river confirms, with choppy waves and even a few whitecaps. Several more "Why do I do this" type of comments can be heard.

Then it is time to start swimming. The water is warm; the the first leg is rough. Waves slap me in the face when I try to sight. I get to the first makeshift buoy and begin to turn around. TRIgirl MS, who has kindly volunteered her time to kayak to also watch over us (another big thank you!) calls out my name and points to an orange flag quite bit further out. Oh. Grrrrr. "Why do I do this?"

As I battle the water to get to the orange flag, I realize that I am more relaxed with swimming through the choppiness.

I do this because it makes me overcome my fears.

After the first turn, we are moving more with the current - and the swim becomes enjoyable. I pull up on the beach with the first wave of TRIgirls coming in - and we watch the rest of the group. They are finishing strong and come out of the water with smiles.

I do this because I have the honor of being a part of a great group of women that makes sharing the challenges, pains, nerves and accomplishments all the more special.

The skies begin to lighten again as we head off on the bike. I'm wearing a sleeveless shirt and tell myself that I won't be so cold once we start moving. We ride the Naylor's course - and I remember quite a bit of it from last year. Other than one long climb I despise - and still can't ride up all the way - the course has many pretty spots. Tree lined quiet streets, rolling hills, water views.

I do this to be outside and enjoy nature.

Per our coaches' directions, I am not pushing too hard on the bike. We have another 64 miles to do after Naylor's. I finish in the back of the first wave of cyclists and begin loading my bike on the car - the IMFL folks will be heading back to Ironman JW's neck of the woods - the lovely Route 14. I am a little jealous of the girls packing up to go home - their workout is finished for the day. Another "Why do I do this?" tries to sneak in, but there isn't enough time to dwell on it - we are on the road again.

The sun grows stronger, drying up the humidity as we start on Route 14, dappling the streets with shadows. I feel so strong as we start the first "out and back" - only to later learn how much of that was because the wind was with me. Yes, we'd be facing major wind on both of the 17ish miles that make up the back loop.

Everyone finds their own pace - though occasionally we catch up at a turn around to refuel and can ride together for a little while. Ironman JW, Coach B and TRIgirls KB and SK do a few extra miles, being the overachievers of the group. At one point Ironman JW rides with me before passing me again - and tell me he thinks I win the award for most improved cyclist. Coach G had also commented during the ride how impressed she was with my improvement. While I know a big part of it is Patriot Sangria, part may actually be me, too.

I do this because it gives me something to work on to improve myself (quite a few things, actually!).

The ride is long. I dread the last stretch into the wind. My legs don't feel that bad, but my shoulders and neck are very uncomfortable. My butt can't wait to get off the bike seat. I am tense and stressed from dealing with the gusts. TRIgirl KB takes pity on me and lets me draft off her for awhile. She is so fast and I know I am holding her back. I tell her to go ahead, but she says the company is nice - talking makes the miles go by more quickly. Soon we just have a "West Creek loop" remaining.

I do this because it reminds me I am stronger than I think I am.

Ironman JW's house is in sight. I end up doing somewhere around 95-96 miles - 5 hours and 45 minutes riding time. (I took a nice little 20-25 minute break for lunch at the country store - only to find out, the riders I'd been waiting for had turned around a few miles earlier to try to hit 90 exactly). I get off my bike, and though I can't picture running a marathon, my legs feel strong enough to run a few miles anyway. The overachievers and several other TRIgirls are pulling in, too. For many of us, we've just finished another distance PR.

I do this because of the sense of accomplishment with hitting new goals.

And like so many other triathletes have said.

I do this because I can.

Patriot Half - Race Report

This race report has been challenging to blog about.

Not because it was bad or good, or new or different, but because there are several loosely related significances about it. I can't really form a theme. Though if I had to pick one - it would be - how this race helped me prepare for IMFL. And, you know what, I think that is what it was supposed to do.

I took a vacation day on Friday. After working a couple of hours from home, I packed up the car and headed to Williamsburg. On the road, I spoke to TRIgirl DL, who was way too sick to race - we were going to miss her! First stop was packet pick-up, then onto the pre-race swim clinic. As I waited on the tiny beach for the session to begin, I ran into a few TRIgirls. The clinic itself was great - very helpful for newer swimmers - though not what I really wanted - which was an opportunity to check out the swim course. After practicing a few strokes in the shallow, mild current, with water quality that "just passed the USAT swim requirements," I ran into TRIgirls TD and M who were pitching a cool TRIgirl tent, then I headed off to meet TRIgirls CH and AM for a pre-race dinner at Chili's.

Before dinner, I had prepared for the next day's race, from equipment to nutrition to what I would be wearing. So, after the pre-race meal, I was able to crawl into bed and cross my fingers for sleep.

And unlike the night before Eagleman, I slept, probably a good 6-7 hours.

And unlike Eagleman, I woke up feeling like a significant training session awaited me - versus feeling sick and nervous. A funny list of "what we could do instead of racing" from TRIgirls CH and AM stuck under my door continued to lighten my mood - with big hearty belly laughs at the suggestions that ranged from shopping - to - well - uhm - things that would make this post R-rated.

And I ate more than before Eagleman. Two crustables, a mini bagel, 1/2 smoothie and one banana.

Then I met up with TRIgirls CH and AM to head off for the race. We cut the arrival to the site a little close, but when all was said and done, we were ready when the transition area closed. On the tiny beach before the swim start, I was waiting for the panic to set in, but it never really did. In the last wave, I headed into the murky James River - and then - we were off.

The water was shallow, so I tried a few dolphin dives. They were fun, but also increased my heart rate a bit - so I started swimming as soon as I could. The current was quiet. The first turn buoy came more quickly than I expected. I settled into a rhythm, practicing a few of my latest Guppy lesson form techniques. All was good until the last turn around. A couple of hundred meters past the buoy, I looked up and had no idea where I was in relation to the course. Coach G popped up around the same time - and we tried to figure it out. Between spotting swimmers and a few boats ahead, we thought we knew where to go. And we swam, and we swam. Until a volunteer on one of the boats called out to us and said "You are way off course - about 200 meters" in the opposite direction and upstream. We still couldn't really see where we were supposed to be, but Coach G and I swam and eventually found the exit. Together, we walked out of the water and up the long path to our bikes. It was great to have Coach G's company, through the confusing last swim leg to the bike start. But, I am guessing, we added about 1/4 mile to the swim. Which turned out to be about 43 minutes - and while not great for a 1.2 mile half IM swim (Eagleman was around 40), not at all bad for a 1.4-1.5 mile swim! (Why I didn't remove my swim cap on the 1/2 mile transition run, I don't know!)

Since this was a "training race" I did not rush the transitions - and my very long times can prove it. In T1, I tried to wipe my feet clean of all debris and headed off on the bike. My main goal was to really focus on getting calories into my body while not losing too much pace. The bike went well. I took in about 750 calories compared with the 300-400 at Eagleman. And, surprisingly, my pace was better, even given a couple of challenging Patriot hills. My Eagleman time for 56 miles was around 3:17, while my Patriot time for 58 miles (according to the race director and mile markers) was 3:16 (thank you, Patriot Sangria!). But, a few miles into the bike, my left foot started to feel uncomfortable - like a big blister forming on my big toe. I didn't really know what was going on. Toward the end of the bike, I knew I'd have to check out my foot. If there was a big raw blister, I'd have a tough decision to make. Finish the race or risk losing a few days/week of training time.

So, back in transition, I stripped off my shoes and socks. No blister, just some yellowish grooves in my foot. Nothing scary enough to make me stop racing. I tied my sneakers and headed out for the run. After the first mile or so, the foot discomfort disappeared. Also, surprisingly, my legs felt much stronger than they had when starting the run at Eagleman. The heat was quite a distraction. 91 degrees, full sun, heat index of 95. Coach G and TRIgirl SL passed me around mile 5 - and I was so grateful for their encouraging words. Soon thereafter, the course led into a few, much appreciated miles of shady patches. I ran into many TRIgirls and two Guppies during this stretch. And since this was a "training race," I even stopped a few times to see how folks were doing.

Like Eagleman, I walked the water stops. I tried flat Cola every 2-3 stops and think it helped. I alternated half a Gu with the Cola to take in calories. I dumped lots of water on my head. I packed my sports bra with ice and placed ice cubes in my hands when the heat was making me light headed. The miles passed by. Finally the finish was in sight. Wonderful TRIgirl sherpa cheers of encouragement were in earshot. God, I love these women.

I made it through the run, 3 minutes slower than Eagleman. Overall race time (not including some penalty I have not idea how I got) was about 9 minutes longer. Somewhat comparable considering the extra swim, bike and T1 time. Especially considering the heat. 6:49 without the penalty.

I finished the race feeling more hot than tired. A few TRIgirl sherpas confirmed by saying they noticed how much stronger my Patriot finish was than Eagleman. I still couldn't imagine doubling the half IM (two half IMs do not equal a whole), but recognized how much stronger and less tired my body felt after the Patriot from Eagleman. I peeled off my socks to see that several inch long gashes, similar to very deep paper cuts, had caused the foot problems and were starting to open up. I am guessing they occurred during the swim, after hitting some rocks before exiting the water. Nothing a few days of rest won't heal.

I watched several other TRIgirls cross the finish line - and was able to see TRIgirl LS receive her award for 1st place in her age group - with like a 5:30 time (amazing!). After a fabulous post race massage - TRIgirls CH, AM and I headed back to our hotel to get ready for a big post race dinner at Opus 9 (a decadent and fun meal that surpassed every hope we had for it while getting through the tough Patriot moments).

Today (Sunday), I woke to just a little soreness in my legs, further proof that my body is more trained for the longer distances ahead. TRIgirls CH, AM and I headed out to watch several TRIgirls rock the Patriot Sprint - and they did GREAT!

Another notch on the IMFL journey race belt. Things are continuing to come together as I do the best I can to hopefully cross that finish line in November.

Oh, My Ear!

There was a little detail I forgot to mention about this Sunday's and Monday's swims. My right ear really wasn't very happy during them.

Sunday, I woke up with some mild pain in my ear. I waited a few hours to start my swim - and decided to forgo my amusing efforts at flip-turns. My ear felt better after the 2.5 miles and I was able to completely forget about it during my neighborhood Labor Day food and wine extravaganza.

Monday morning, my ear was still uncomfortable, but wasn't hurting. At the guppy swim, I spent a lot of time doing a pathetic Carol Burnett - and opening and closing my jaw really wide to keep my ear popping and clear.

By Monday night, all symptoms seemed to disappear. Yesterday - nothing.

This morning, I had a short lesson with Ironwoman Canada. Everything went well - all seemed fine. She told me to skip the Masters swim scheduled for the evening. Which seemed like a gift until about 4:00 pm today - when my right ear started throbbing again. And then the directive was more a relief.

So, my guess is there is something going on with my ear (Brilliant, huh?). Based upon previous experiences, probably some type of wax build up. (Lovely, huh?) But given the same previous experiences - and my lack of enthusiasm for going to the doctor - I am going to wait until after Patriot to address - as the whole wax removing process was a mess the last time I tried it myself.

In the meantime I am chewing and contorting as much as possible to pop away the discomfort. So far, so good.

Two Landmark 80s this Weekend

Training is about to be kicked up a notch heading into September and October. This weekend saw two distance PRs.

It started Saturday, with an 80 mile bike ride led by Coach B and Ironman JW - through JW's picturesque and minimally traveled backroads (Route 14). After the last few long, lonely rides, I really appreciated the company of Coach G and TRIgirls KB, SS, SK, SQ, and DL. We hit two challenging, but reasonable, hills four times on the out and back, then out and back again. We also hit a great little country store for an icy snack. Then we were hit during the last 15 miles with a worsening, stressful crosswind that had me holding onto the handlebars for dear life - not a whole lot of aero position. The ride finished with a relaxing and recouperating dip in JW's gorgeous pool. Nutrition wasn't bad for the first 2/3 of the ride - but basically came to a halt when battling the wind. 4:35 riding time. 1000 - 1100 calories.

Swimming followed on Sunday. 2.5 miles makes for a great counting exercise as well - 80 laps! The pool water felt great and surprisingly the laps didn't grow as tedious as I'd anticipated. 1:35 minutes of swimming time.

Best part - I feel great today - the Guppy swim and short run actually seemed to help with finishing up the muscle recovery from the past two days. Keeping my fingers crossed to feel half this good with some of the other mega workouts coming up in the next few weeks.