IMUSA - Race Report - The Bike

I found a wetsuit stripper quickly - and did a much better job peeling it off than previous races. The run to the women's tent was fairly long, but gave me time to hear the cheers of sherpa friends and family.

The tent was packed - and I roamed around just trying to find an empty chair, resigning myself to the fact that no volunteers would be available to help me. I tried to change quickly, asking other racers to help pull down my sports bra and shirt (next time I will try TRIgirl CD's suggestion of stepping into them!). My transition time was pretty slow - 11:25.

My bike was in a convenient location to the tent exit - and I was practically at it when a volunteer pulled it off the rack. I jogged it to the start. There was a slight downhill with a u-turn right after the mount line - and I could sense people behind me crazed to jump on their bikes, so I walked it out of way.

Once on my bike, I noticed the weather. A hazy sun was peeking through and it was quite humid. After riding past the haystack turn and through town, I drank some water and Carbo pro - and took two slightly dissolved salt tablets, hoping to ward off any more calf cramps.

Thanks to many practice training rides and drives, I knew the course well. Soon I was on the rude first climb. Remembering to take the first loop easy, I focused on spinning up the hill in an easy gear. Most of the people with me seemed to have heard that advice too, as I only saw a few people slamming the hill. After about 5-6 miles, I was at my favorite part of the course, the newly paved rolling downhills leading to the descent. I flew along this stretch, trying to psych myself for the downhill. Seeing the first "truck low gear" sign, I knew the steep downhill to Keene was starting.

I was really relieved that most bikers seemed to be considerate. I passed many racers - and was also passed by many. Feeling more confident, I took advantage of the "free speed" hitting over 42 miles per hour several times.

The left turn after the descent started my second favorite part of the course, the mostly flat roads to Upper Jay. I spun as fast as I could, feeling good about some more fairly free speed. TRIgirl AM passed me, telling me about the flat she got, losing a half hour as she carried her bike to an aid station. She is one tough and fast girl!

So far, my nutrition was going OK. I was drinking, eating some of a sports bar and jelly beans. No cramps - which was a relief.

Occasionally, I'd notice that the toe from the swim incident was hurting, but the hard soles of my bike shoes seemed to protect it.

Unfortunately, the flat stretch did not last as long as I would have liked. Making the turn toward Wilmington, once again, I geared down low and focused on my "la de da" spinning. At one point, I felt a push on my back, and wondered if I was hallucinating SuperAnnn and JenBo from Richmond, but it was TRIgirl SK, rocking the hills after a tough year of injuries. The Haselton turn around seemed to pop up fairly quickly - probably my third favorite section of the course. I saw many familiar faces cruising along on the out and back, enjoying the rolling hills and shady roads.

After Haselton came the 16ish miles of mostly uphill. My legs felt pretty good on the climbs and I continued spinning. But I did start really feeling the humidity - and was sweating profusely. I began drinking more - so much so that I did my first "grab and go" at the next few aid stations for more water. (I even filled my bottles on my bike).

I thought about breaking another barrier - peeing on my bike. But I didn't have to go. So I drank more and more, finishing the loop - and seeing Skirtboy and his friends on the last little uphill back into town.

My fabulous husband, family, hometown sherpas and Ironwoman Canada were perched right near special needs station. I pulled over waving to everyone between giving the volunteer a run for his money with my indecisive back and forth with my special needs bag. Deciding on a new Carbo pro bottle, small Snickers and half a sandwich, I clipped in to start the second loop.

If only my bike could have ended here...

Hot and thirsty, I forced the PBJ down - and drank more and more liquids. Passing an aid station, I figured I must need to go to the bathroom - though - nothing. Back on my bike, I started to wonder what was going on. I took two more salt tablets and drank some more. My stomach was starting to feel sloshy and bloated, but I was still sweating like a pig.

Hitting the descent the second time, there was a slight headwind, I hit over 40 mph a few times near the beginning, but it wasn't as easy. About halfway down, I saw volunteers standing in the middle of the road. Then I noticed the racer they were redirecting traffic around. He or she did not look good - and it sobered up most of the riders I was with, as we all seemed to finish the downhill a little more conservatively.

I was still feeling pretty good on the flat stretch . I ran into TRIgirls SK and CD and found out they had not only seen the fallen racer, but, in their awesomeness, had also stopped to help him. TRIgirl SK is a nurse - and the injured racer fell right in front of her.

Starting the climbs again, I really started to feel worse and worse. My legs were fine - taking the first loop easy had worked in that department. But my stomach felt woozy. I was constantly thirsty, grabbing water at every aid station, yet still no sign of needing to go to the bathroom. I hadn't taken any more salt tablets, thinking there was too much sodium in my system. I felt like if I ate anything, I would spew. The only things I could get down were SuperAnnn's magic Swedish fish and the Snickers.

My feet were going numb, especially the left one with the hurt toe. When I tried to squeeze my left toes, I would feel a sharp stab of pain. The realization I may have broken it started to sink in.
During the last ten miles, I couldn't wait to get off my bike.

Finally, after a long 7:35 on the dot (which was within the wide range I predicted, so time wise I was OK), I pulled up to the mount line, climbed over my bike and landed on feet stinging with numbness and pain.

I waddled into the transition tent, feeling the worst ever before starting a run.

And this one - was 26.2 hilly miles.