Bear with me, this might be a little long since I'm wrapping up my season. Plus I need to go backwards to explain why this race was so big for me.
For having been in 3rd for a big chunk of the race and then falling back to 4th, you may be surprised just why I was so excited about this result. I honestly think that even if I had been 10th I would have been excited, because I had finally had a race that demonstrated what I was capable of. However, being so close to the front of the race (besides Yvonne, she dominated that win) was also very very cool. But I told you I needed to go backwards.
My coach, Tara Norton, started working with me in January 2012. Over the last three years, she has become a mentor, coach and friend. My training is constantly evolving based on my workouts, race results and how I'm feeling and reacting. She has always listened to me, reassured me and encouraged me. I should probably have mentioned all this in previous race reports, because even in "bad" or frustrating results she helps me pull out positives and learn from it. I'm writing this now, because talking to coach after this race had me tearing up a little. I think coaches are special people because they see athletes at their rawest moments. She was telling me about how she's seen my training and known what I'm capable of and that I deserved a race like this. No matter how many times she told me what I was capable of, sometimes everything has to come together for me to realize it myself. My races over the past years haven't been bad per se. There have been a lot of good moments, and a lot of learning experiences. But I hadn't had a race in awhile where I really felt like it reflected my training. I was starting to think that I was destined to be an athlete that trains really well but couldn't put it together on race day. That's why this race was special, because I finally put it together, it's finally starting to click. Tara witnessed every up and down and sat down with me after each race to reevaluate our approach to training and racing. My training and racing strategy morphed many times these last couple years depending on how I was reacting to it both physically and mentally. One of the biggest changes we made that has been very positive, was switching me to primarily training based on perceived effort. We both thought I was over thinking the numbers and needed to get back to how I was before I had all the gadgets. I was still measuring heart rate and power and checking in on them occasionally, but no more staring at my heart rate and power during workouts. We figured out that I needed to race by heart rather than heart rate. It was a success, I started to enjoy training again and felt much more in tune with how my body and mind were handling workouts and races. There is nothing wrong with being an athlete that likes and relies on the numbers, it just didn't work as well for me. We made a few other changes, dialed in my taper and dialed in the quantity and intensity of workouts. Overall it's been a year of steps in the right direction in terms of performance but also getting back to why I love training and competing in this sport. I think this exchange really sums up the year:
I drove down to Florida with my good friend and training buddy
Michelle Bozarth. Michelle and I became friends back in early 2012 when I was training for my first Kona (as an amateur). Michelle was just starting to bike again after being out for a year with a very bad injury and surgery. I've seen her go from not being able to run, to doing her first triathlon back, to requalifying for her pro license and then racing her rookie pro season this year. Her first IM (and last one until this years IMFL) she finished (and qualified for Kona) despite a very bad knee injury. I was so excited to get to race with her in her first IM back. Michelle is a very strong swimmer so it was disappointing that she was not able to swim, but she has made huge gains on the bike and her speed on the run has come back and she finished in a solid 5th place with an awesome 3:16 marathon. She has been such a fun and positive person to train with and hang out with, I couldn't have been happier to share the race course with her and see her overcome those obstacles. I'm so used to travelling to races by myself, it made the whole weekend so much more enjoyable. Not to mention I got the whole sherpa experience since her dad and husband were all over the course and then helped us both afterwards, thanks guys! I also got to spend some time with my good friends from Canada who I met at the 2010 IMFL. We all enjoyed a nice dinner out and they even played my pre race mini golf with me. I'm wondering if they intentionally threw the game to get my confidence up for the following day....
Needed to put proof up that I actually won mini golf once
So I guess I should talk about the race at some point. We were watching the weather leading up to the race, and there were a lot of moments of worry. Worry about gear choices (wheels and clothing mostly), worry about blowing over on the bike and worry about the possibility that the cold could get to us. The night before the race I didn't sleep well, and kept cringing listening to the howling wind outside. Walking my bike to transition I was having trouble pushing it in a straight line. I actually thought the swim would be flat because of the northern wind. I was so wrong. Kayaks were flipping and paddle boarders were getting swept down the beach. We came down to the water and I was waiting on shore just staring at all the pros getting tossed around. I didn't want to get in because I was worried about getting out and freezing again. Michelle got in and came back out right as they were announcing the cancellation, shaking her head and saying how she had gotten stuck in a trough with Raymond and couldn't swim in. Given how they are both strong swimmers and were struggling, Ironman definitely made the right call for the safety of the athletes, and volunteers especially.
We ran back to her room and Michelle and her husband got to work trying to thaw Michelle out and dry her kit so we could gear up to get on the bike. It did give us the opportunity to make sure we had the proper clothing on for the temps on the bike.
getting creative to stay warm on the bike
We headed down to the racks just before 8 and waited for our start. It would be 30 sec between each pro, going by lowest to highest number. I was so impressed by the pro women, and how much respect they have for each other. There were several of them sharing blankets, the guys nearby were giving up their jackets to keep us warm. Everyone was giving each other kind words, and the excitement and energy seemed high. I think I was 6th in line, just after Michelle. The first 25 miles of the bike were brutal, 20+ mph sustained winds with 25-35mph gusts. Staying upright became the main goal but I could see women up the road ahead of me. I train in very windy conditions often, we call it the Chesapeake hills. I decided to push it a little more in this section because I knew after 25mi I would have a tail wind for a stretch. This strategy, using the elements to my advantage, ended up working very well for me. This was my first little breakthrough: not letting the elements get to me, using them instead. My wheel selection, a Zipp 404 and Zipp disk that
Final Kick Sports let me use, was just right. With the shallow front wheel, the disk did not give me much issue in the wind. Tara has told me a few times that you're more stable in your aero bars in heavy wind. So every gust I would repeat "I'm more stable, I'm more stable." I had moved into 4th early on, and then about 40mi in moved into 3rd. Obviously with a time trial start it is hard to know where exactly people are, but I knew I was in the mix with some strong ladies. I started smiling a lot, and it didn't hurt that Michelle's dad and husband, our friends the Keens and Mike Wolfe were sprinkled around the bike course to cheer. My
Infinit custom mix was keeping me very topped off and fueled to keep pushing steadily. Coming back into town, my foot started to cramp up and I was fidgeting a little in the saddle. I thought about how awesome it was to be in 3rd and started to get myself amped up to get out on the run.
start of the bike, the Keens were headed out to cheer on course
so excited to be sitting in 3rd for the first time on the bike
Thank you Nick V for the photo
Thank you Nick V for the photo
Running out of T2 I saw a bike come out ahead of me and thought, how cool is that? I get a lead bike!!! I knew that Ashley wasn't too too far behind me and was an awesome runner. I decided that even if she caught me I was going to enjoy being 3rd for now. My legs felt great, my turnover was smooth and I was grinning this ridiculous grin. I commented to my lead biker that I had never been in 3rd before and then she made it her personal mission to get me as many cheers as possible. That first stretch of the run is by far my favorite part of this race, the spectators are just awesome. There was a group of people dressed as bananas going bananas (haha see what I did there? I'm so clever :P). There was a group of guys in flag speedos that were all pumped up and created a little high five tunnel for me. Best of all, my Canadian friends, Gord and Judy Keen were on that road and always give great encouragement. I went by them and yelled something like, I can't believe I'm in 3rd. Around mile 5 my bike lead asked me why people were calling me Ashley. I looked over my shoulder and sure enough, Ashley was motoring up to me. As she passed I tried to let her know how far up the next girl was and that we both might be able to catch her. I've never really been one to do the whole stone face thing as I pass or am passed, just not my thing for the most part. I think when you encourage other people, even your competition, it comes back to you.
Heading out on the run, excited to be running (Picture from Primal Sports Mud)
about to run by some friends, couldn't get the smile off my face
Turning back towards the finish we were confronted with a good headwind. I had picked up the pace going out because I knew the headwind on the way back would slow me down slightly. Again, I decided that it wasn't going to slow me down that much and I was going to keep my turnover up. Turning also allowed me to see my friend and training buddy Michelle not too far back. I knew she had been worried about her knee during the marathon but appeared to be running very strong. Back at the midway point, I got to see lots of friends and soak up all the spectators cheering before heading out for the final lap. I had been worried during the beginning of the run that this would be another run where it started out strong and then faltered halfway through. I was pleasantly surprised to see that I could maintain a very steady/even pace and effort. With 10K to go, heading back into the wind, spectators were telling me that 3rd wasn't that far up. I knew Ashley had started probably 2min ahead of me so started to wonder how close we actually were. I asked my bike lead if he knew what the split was. He looked at his phone and said "2:10." In retrospect I don't think it was actually that close, but I was thinking "whoa, if she's only 10sec up on me, I might be able to catch her! But it was going to be tight." Turns out she was picking it up to try and catch 2nd. That little extra bit of motivation to wittle away at that gap helped me to keep the effort and pace going those last 6 miles. Plus I had determined by then that this was going to be a big marathon PR for. My previous stand alone marathon PR was 3:24 (2012 Boston, last time I ran a stand alone), and my previous IM marathon PR was a 3:28.
picture from Primal Sport Mud right before the finish chute, thanks for the cheers guys!
When training and racing get tough, I often think back to my 2011 race at IMFL. That day I surprised myself and put together this complete and awesome day. I remember running down the finishing chute just ecstatic. I think about it a lot because I wanted to get back to that. I know we didn't get to swim and who knows how that would have changed things. But on the day that was given to us, I finally had that feeling again running down the finishing chute. Last years IM Louisville was like that too, but this race was just a bit more special. Maybe it's because I got to taste what it was like to be close to the front, or that I finished close to some very strong ladies. A lot of it was my history at this race, and my struggle to run off the bike this year. A lot of it was being able to celebrate with close friends at the race. It has been a tough season, with a lot of racing, a lot of training and a lot of ups and downs. It was nice to end the year on a big up. After the race, I was anxious to race again since I had finally figured it out, but I know that after 4 full IMs this year, my body and mind need a break. Not to mention that I want to spend some quality time with my husband and puppy dogs. Brian, my husband, has been great this year. He has put up with a lot: very long weekend training days, scrounging up dinner after a long day of training and working, very tired wife that wanted to nap on the weekend afternoons instead of going to do something fun. Not only did he handle that well, but he often joined in on my training, pushing me on long rides and encouraging me during run interval sets. I have many training buddies and groups (Michelle, Erin, masters swim, Mike, Final Kick guys, Running Etc group) that have gotten me through lots of lots of workouts. I have the support of some great sponsors with great people that not only have awesome products but are engaged with their athletes. I have a great support system in my friends and family. The messages of support before, during and after the race were very appreciated. It is so nice to have met so many great people in this sport, it is truly one of my favorite things about triathlon.
Thank you everyone for such an amazing season. I am already looking forward to next year.
A lot of friends were also racing IMFL and I hope I don't leave anyone out. Huge congrats to first timers: Deb Wolfe, David Foster, Megan Gonzales, Brian Honeycutt, Jim Thien, Jeff McCroskey, Rebecca Stewart. Congrats to repeat finishers: Jennifer Sloan (Kona!!!), Dixie King, Michelle Bozarth, Larry Black. There were also some people I met that weekend, as well as just all the finishers in general, congrats!
My sponsors:
Zoot Sports - I had been trying to squeeze my feet into too small shoes, Zoot rushed me out a bigger pair and I had zero blisters and a PR run. My kit is comfortable and had zero chafing.
Final Kick - thank you for the wheels and bike maintenance support
Infinit - best nutrition, love my custom blends and the recovery blends
Team Atomica - coaching company with my coach Tara Norton coach, thank you for your support and guidance this year
Biotta - Loaded up on my beet juice all week and morning of the race. Had a great bike split despite the conditions
Ghent chiropractic - been keeping me healthy and injury free for several years now. Doctor Clayton and his staff are wonderful people
