Florida 70.3 was a mix of highs and lows. I had a good swim, great bike, then fell flat on the run. On one hand you want to be positive and project a positive attitude, and on the other hand you don't want to accept that that's what you can do. I let the race sink in for a few days and then decided I would use it to fuel my fire leading up to Ironman Texas. All we ever want is to put together a race that truly represents what we are capable of and reflects the training we put in.
Going into Ironman Texas, I knew that I had put in some great intensity on the bike and run. I was a little nervous that I hadn't gotten the super long rides in since it was such a cold winter, and I ended up on the trainer quite a bit. The intensity had been there though and I was running well off my training rides.
One of the greatest parts about racing Texas was that so many people I knew would also be racing, AND I would get to see my good friend Meghan. Meghan and I were really good running buddies back in Virginia. We ran together probably 2-3 times a week and she was one of my bridesmaids in my wedding. I remember runs where I would be trying to run tempo pace doubled over because I was laughing so hard. It was really nice to spend a couple relaxing meals with her pre-race so we could get all caught up and I could meet the newest member of her family, 4 mo old Easton. The last time I saw her daughter Lexie, I could barely understand a word from her, and now she is talking in complete sentences! Although I wasn't really up for her games of tag post-race, it was fun to see her again. I also got to catch up, very briefly, with my homestay hosts from Steelhead 70.3. Jan was doing her first Ironman and ended up finishing despite a very challenging run. Sean shaved a huge amount of time off from his previous Texas finish! I also got to catch up with the Zoot guys and some Zoot team mates, Kendra and Christian. Not to mention catching up pre and post race with some cool ladies I met at other races, Caroline and Helen. You just meet the coolest people in triathlon.
Meghan's daughter Lexie, cutest triathlete every
Meghan's 4mo old, Easton
Meghan's daughter Lexie, cutest triathlete every
Meghan's 4mo old, Easton
Finally race morning came. I got in the water about 10 min before we were to go off, immediately loved the temperature and was happy to be wearing my Zoot prophet wetsuit. The gun went off and I took off, desperately trying to latch onto some fast feet. After about 200-300m I settled in with a pretty sizable group. I think if my start had been a touch better I could have hung on with a slightly faster group, but I was happy to be swimming with some people. I enjoyed the swim and felt comfortable with my group, although there was quite a bit of shuffling around. Exiting the water, I glanced at my watch and was very excited to see almost exactly an hour. I'm not the strongest swimmer so that was very promising, and its always nice to start the day on a high note. My transition was relatively quick and I was on my bike.
super fun swimming through the canal
super fun swimming through the canal
The first 30 miles I was flying. I felt great, I was getting calories down, the speed was good. Then at some point after that, my legs just started to feel flat on the bike. I was frustrated because I usually feel great on the bike, and it's really become a strength for me. I tried to remain optimistic. It helped to think about the run, it's been awhile since I was genuinely excited to get off the bike and run, and this time I was. I knew I'd been working on my run and that was where I could make up some of the time I lost on the bike. But would it be enough? I wasn't really sure how much time I was losing, and it ended up being more than I ever expected. I did get down all of my nutrition, which was incredibly easy given how simple it is to mix up my Infinit custom blends. I had one mix for the first half of the bike with only a small amount of caffeine, and a second mix for the second half of the bike with moderate caffeine. All I had to do was mix the separate bottles and labeled them Bike 1 and Bike 2. Easy peezy, and I had gone really light on the flavor so that even with 1500+ calories spread between the two bottles, they still went down really easily. Taping my lower back, as was the suggestion by Ghent Chiropractic, really helped me avoid that late ride lower back fatigue that can happen when in the aero position for 5+ hours. Coming into T2, all I could think was "get me in my running shoes."
Another quick transition (the volunteers were great in the changing tents) and I was off. Running through transition I glanced at my watch and saw 6:30 pace, figured that would probably be a little overkill for me, so quickly dialed in 7:40-7:45 pace, which was my target range. The first lap felt great, I felt strong and relaxed, I was taking down my Infinit napalm with no problems (even though it had been sitting in the sun all day). I saw Meghan around mile 7 and she was a great pick-me-up. Onto lap 2 I was still feeling good and was able to hold my pace. The last part of lap 2 and first part of lap 3, I hit a low point and slowed a touch. Using the mantras I've been working on helped me come out of it, but losing focus for that brief period of time cost me a bit. I was able to pick the pace back up on the last part of lap 3 and could feel my turnover improving. My new kit is really comfortable and the Zoot tempos felt light and responsive even with the massive amounts of water I was pouring over myself. I came by Meghan for the 3rd time and she yelled "there is a pro female 1 minute up." I had two miles to go, and this felt exactly like Louisville last year. Last year at Louisville I had a good swim, not so great bike and then passed a girl with two miles left. I came up to her much faster than I expected and made the pass, this lifted my spirits and I found I could keep pushing. With half a mile to go I passed another female pro. Coming into the finish chute I could see another one just a couple hundred yards ahead, but I ran out of pavement. I couldn't help but think, if I hadn't hit that low point, how many could I have picked off? But that is a lesson to carry with me to the next race.
A little blurry, but me running along the canal
A little blurry, but me running along the canal
Having Meghan out there was awesome, the back part of each run lap got lonely, and it helped to think "ok 4 miles until I see them, ok 2 miles until I see them." I also can't say enough good things about the volunteers. They were on point, and I never had a problem getting what I needed, even though a three loop course can get crowded. The spectators were something else too, and I really enjoyed being able to run along the canal each loop. I really loved this course and the race as a whole so I hope to come back. After the race, I really couldn't stomach much solid food, so it was great to have some Infinit nocturne on hand. After a few nights of using it, and then some easy spins and swims, I was raring to go again.
I really enjoyed talking to a few of the other pro women. I feel really blessed to be able to line up with them on race days. I think a few of them can sense I'm a bit impatient to move up the ranks, but they are so encouraging. I'm not sure one of them (not sure if she would want to be named or not) realizes how much it meant to me when she said "you're so young and have such a bright racing career ahead." I just need to trust the process and know that this is a long and difficult road, that's what makes it so wonderful. So excited for Kelly Williamson's win, she is just the nicest person and it will be awesome to follow her racing the rest of the year. Can't wait to see what coach Tara Norton has in store for me leading up to Ironman Lake Placid (and Syracuse 70.3), I've never been so excited to get back to training post-Ironman!
