At the Quakerman Duathlon, remembering why I race

I remembered why I race today. (For just the details of my awesome time, skip to the graf with all the numbers)

I was on the first loop on the bike at the Quakerman Duathlon in Orchard Park, near Buffalo. I was miserable. It was raining, windy, and in a tank top that seemed appropriate less than an hour ago I was freezing. My quads were hurting, and the hills weren't even that bad. "It's ok," I told myself. "Occasionally we all have bad races." The sprint distance athletes, who started about ten minutes late after me, were passing me left and right. I psyched myself out.

I was racing the Olympic distance, which was two laps of everything. As I finished that horrid first lap, I had the choice to cut it down to the sprint distance. For reasons I don't even know, I chose to continue onto the second lap.

The winds eased up. The rain stopped. The sun never really came out but things got better. I ran some great times. I ended up with a metal.

It's a lesson I've learned before. Completing something that at one moment you thought to be insane, impossible or wanted to abandon is an empowering and surreal feeling, and reminds me why I do what I do.

It's something I needed to be reminded of. Half ironman training, while I know will be worth it in the end, is exhausting, and I feel like a lot is on hold right now while I get through the final month.

Anyway, enough with the sentimental stuff. On to the race report!!!! (I'm sure there are a zillion typos, I'm exhausted, I'll edit tomorrow!)

The Quakerman Triathlon was supposed to be, well, a triathlon, and it was supposed to be my first time swimming a mile in open water. It was also supposed to be hot and sunny outside.

But late yesterday afternoon, they changed the race to a duathlon. The ecoli levels in the lake were too high. It wasn't safe. Too much rain this week.

I almost asked about deferring (ok, I would have had Coach Mary not talked me out of it.) After all, the whole reason I signed up for the race was the open water swim practice.

I finished in 2:52:47, unofficial. I finished first in my age group. (Actually second, but the other girl got an overall so she didn't count.)

• 2.5 mile run: 22:43
• T1: 2:26
• 24.86 mile bike: 1:31:03
• T2: 1:20
• 10K run: 55:15

I'm glad I raced.

RUN #1:

Splits: 8:47, 8:57, 4:58 (8:55 pace)

The start line was a little chaotic.

The course was an out and back and relatively flat. They started us off, and woa! 

I come from the Randy Olson school of starting slow and negative splitting it, and everyone in my wave booked it. I started running a 8:30 mile, and was still at the back of the pack, thus starting my fear of finishing last that would last through the first lap on the bike.

My calves started aching -- that worried me. The pain went away. I think I took this too hard. I need to learn to hang back at the start, plenty of opportunity to pass people later.

Into transition, I started to get that sinking feeling that this would not be a good race. I took a Honey Stinger and ran Flower out. 

BIKE

Splits: 4:20, 3:48, 3:14, 3:26, 3:16, 3:17, 3:19, 3:21, 3:04, 3:13, 3:45, 4:21, 4:25, 4:04, 4:22, 3:21, 3:42, 3:36, 3:27, 3:35, 3:06, 3:05, 3:25, 3:40, 3:58 

The first part was yucky, but looking back at my splits, I was doing a heck of a lot better than I thought I would. It was slightly hilly (what isn't in WNY), but I stayed in the big ring for most of it, only shifting down for a big hill at the end. 

I tried to tell myself, "If you finish last, you finish last, race smart, or you won't finish at all," but my competitive edge wouldn't have it and as the sprinters whizzed by me, I felt dejected, but I pushed on. 

I could have turned off, I didn't. As I turned for the second lap, I passed two people in the olympic race. I'm not last! Amazing what this did for my confidence. I immediately relaxed, and ate a pack of Honey Stinger chews. I was warmer now, the wind eased up. But I was getting tired, and the hills seemed bigger. 

I thought I was almost done, but I was just passing the halfway point. I meant to slow down. I guess I sped up. I made it through. 

I dismounted, put the Asics and my hat from the Autumn Classic Duathlon on, and headed out for the run, taking another Honey Stinger on my way out. 

RUN #2

Splits: 9:18, 9:21, 9:04, 9:12, 9:19, 9:00.

I've come to expect the ouchiness of switching from the bike to the run. 

As usual, my legs were numb. My back ached. As usual, I couldn't control my speed. As usual, I ran faster than I meant to.

But somehow, it felt... better (?) than last time. 

I've never run more than a 5K off the bike. This was double. It hurt, but I felt good. I was going to do this. As I finished the first lap, a young girl said "left to finish, right for the second lap." There was no doubt in my mind what to do. 

I kept a steady pace through the second lap. A woman was running about 50 feet ahead of me but I didn't have the energy to catch her. I wished I had another gel or something, I was starting to fade but pushed through.

A half mile from the finish, a group of middle schoolers (it looked like), were dancing to Brittany Spears in what was starting to look like sunshine. They were so excited to be there and cheering that it gave me the extra boost I needed to make it to the end. 

I finished strong. I treated myself to a donut. Ok ok ok two donuts.

THE AFTERMATH

I never win anything, so after the usual stumbling around and stuffing my face I changed into dry clothes and made the first trip out to my car. As I was headed back to my car with my bike, I became captivated watching the kids race.

I wish I could have run triathlons as a kid. They had so much fun running the short course to "Gotta Fly Now", and got really excited as the announcer called their names.

Perhaps more moving, though, were the parents. As the kids rode around the park with their training wheels, some parents ran alongside, smiling. 

I watched a dad chase his kid getting so much glee running toward the finish line. I watched a mom try to explain the foreign concept of "pacing yourself" to a really excited young boy. "Now don't go out too fast..." Yea, right!

I hear the announcer talking as I put my wet, muddy bike in the car, not really caring about the mess. I come back for a cup of coffee for the road, and Mary is standing there. "They called your name." 

"Huh, what?"

"For the awards, they called your name, they really butchered it."

As does everyone else.

I won something! Ok, so I shouldn't get too excited, but I got first in my age group, out of... one. 

Actually two, but the other girl was first overall so she didn't count. 

During that cold, horrid first lap, the race didn't seem worth it. But I finished. And that's what the medal represents! 

Race Report: Flower City Part 1

Race one out of three is complete! Now it is time to rest up for a 13.1 mile recovery run tomorrow!

Today I completed the Flower City Duathlon in just under two and a half hours. I'm thrilled with my performance but I'm also a little scared that I went too hard and didn't pace myself for tomorrow.

My times were:
5K run (just under 3.1 by my app): 30:45
Transition 1: 3:50
20 mile ride: 1:21:50
Transition 2: 2:24
5K run (3.4 miles by my app): 30:47
Finish: 2:29:37

I rode to the race, two miles away. I had attached a saddle bag and hand pump to my bike and wanted to make sure they were on properly!

It was a chilly start. I rode in wearing three layers. I'd be down to my tank top three hours later.

Run #1

At 7:20 they closed transition and we headed to the start. We started in waves, the du women went before the men, and at 7:36 I was off.

One thing I've noticed about Rochester runners that wasn't as true in Columbus is that everyone starts off so fast! In MIT they drilled pacing and running negative splits into our heads. I tried to start off slow, shooting for an 11:00 mile, and I was in the back of the pack.

Maybe it was the psychology of running in the back, but I felt like I was poking along. Not true. My app gave me the first half mile update, and it was sub-10. Woa there! I tried to back off but my legs wanted to carry me faster. Tomorrow I'll be happy for the pacers!

The course went along the river along the trail, and there was a nice breeze. Perfect running weather. I walked up the few very tiny hills, which saved energy and didn't hurt my pace.

My splits were:
Mile 1: 9:59
Mile 2: 10:12
Mile 3: 10:29

The average temperature was 43 degrees.

I went into transition feeling strong. I got on the bike and took off.

Bike

Here's the thing I love about running: No matter how much you spend on fancy shoes, clothes and hydration packs, the talent is all you. That's not true on the bike: Better machinery yields an advantage. You can buy speed.

It was my first race on my new road bike, she shall be named Flower from this point forth, and there was an incredible difference. On the Giant hybrid, I was riding around 12-14 mph. On Flower, I was riding 16 to 18. And that was during my first real ride of the season.

I was happy to be passing many, and only getting passed by a few. I rode the big chain ring the entire way, except for the hills.

We hit the hills by RIT and heading out toward Scottsville. We turned a corner by a gas station in Wheatland, around Mile 10, where a course marshal yelled out "it's all downhill from here!" I cursed her as we climbed yet another hill, but then it was mostly flat coming back through Chili.

My mile splits were consistently 3:20 to 3:40 on the flats, and as high as 5:30 on the hills. The average temperature for this segment was 45 degrees.

I felt wobbly getting off the bike, and went back into transition.

Run #2

Those first few steps were not pleasant.

Running right off the bike is a very odd sensation. It takes awhile for the legs to realize that it's time to work with different muscles. As a result, you can feel yourself moving, but your legs are completely numb.

I felt like I was shuffling along. The people around me looked like they were shuffling along. But when the app gave me the half mile update, I was close to a 9:00 mile. It was like I couldn't control my speed, and I also just wanted to be done.

I've been running with the app Runtastic, and it talks to you when someone online motivates you. I got two such motivations during this run, such a small thing but it really does give you a boost.

Continuing to run on autopilot, I crossed the bridge by U of R and a girl in a kayak yelled up at me, she recognized me from the pace team I ran with two weeks ago. This was another boost.

There was a paddle triathlon going on simultaneously, so we ran alongside the kayakers and the canoes, which kept me distracted. I didn't have any ability to pick it up at the end, but I kept a steady pace across the finish.

My splits were (not including the .39 at the end)
Mile 1: 9:11
Mile 2: 9:33
Mile 3: 9:02

After I stretched, laid in the grass and watched the band, rode home then went to an amazing yoga class at the Downtown Fitness Club.

Time to lay out my clothes, and get ready for Day 2.

(Typed from the tablet, I'll add in links/photos later!)

Race report: Rochester Autumn Classic Duathlon

A rainy morning. 

I am now a du-athlete. And once I get that pesky swimming thing figured out, this half-iron is in the bag!

On Sept. 30 I finished the Rochester Autumn Classic Duathlon in 2:15:02 (had I not forgotten to take my helmet off at one transition I could have been under 2:15... gah!!! Yes, I know my goal was 2:30.) Many apologies to the few who care about taking forever to get this report up, as mentioned in my previous post, life has been busy busy busy!

The du was a 2 mile run/10 mile bike/2 mile run/10 mile bike/2 mile run.

Here's the breakdown:

• 2 m run - 19:17
• Transition - 40 seconds
• 10 m bike - 37:35
• T - 60 seconds
• 2 m run - 18:43
• T - 41 seconds
• 10 m bike - 38:38
• T - 28 seconds
• 2 m run - 17:58 (negative splits wee!!) 

I wake up to the clank clank clank of rain pounding against my air conditioner. Always encouraging on race morning :-/ I got there, caught up with a friend, and it's still pouring. But as time to line up nears the rain is down to a light drizzle. 

I size up the competition. Lots of hardcore looking people there. I was one of the few on a hybrid. For the Formula 1, the longer race that I did, it was mostly men. They yell go and everyone takes off. For the first tenth of a mile or so I'm at the back of the pack running an 8:00 mile. Crap! I don't want to finish last. Panic sets in. I ease up to about a 10 minute pace and since they started the sprint distance people five minutes later it was hard to tell where I ranked. I run most of the two miles with another guy who kept saying "yea, I run a 10 minute mile I know I'm slow". We're running just under a 10:00 pace and all I kept thinking was "slow down slow down slow down or you'll never make it." But the pace felt comfortable. 

We get into transition, I go through seamlessly, and the guy I was running yells "hey, Ohio!" as he whizzes by me on the bike. I'm riding in a steady line of people so my fear of being in last place subsides. I get over the hills without a problem, and go back to transition. This is where I almost ran off with my helmet, thank you awesome guy working the transition area who stopped me! I take a Honey Stinger, kick it up and...

Owww.

This does not feel good. I knew what to expect from practice but I didn't account for the hills. I cannot feel my legs. My quads are burning. It was a weird sensation only comparable to the last six miles of a marathon. I have no sense of how fast I'm going. I feel like I'm barely shuffling along, but when I look at my watch I'm still running sub-10s. I get through the first mile, and my legs ease up and then the second mile is quite pleasant. 

And then, just as I'm back to the running groove, it's time for the bike. In the 18:43 I spent running some sinister jacka$$ went out and doubled the size of the hills. This bike was rough. I was shifting on hills that I hadn't shifted on the first time.

Further, all the sprint distance people were done, and I'm all by myself. Fear of last place sets in again, until I pass someone fixing a flat. Thanks to the wonderful Fleet Feet crew I didn't get lost since I could no longer use my usual follow-the-person-in-front-of-me strategy. 

The whole 10 miles are a struggle. I just want to be done. I run in my bike, barely stop and kick it out for the run.

Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow. 

It's even worse than the second run. I feel like I can barely control my legs and my knees are knocking together, something I have never felt before. The only thing that's keeping me moving is me wanting to be done, "you haven't walked yet don't do it now" I keep telling myself. Somehow, some way, I find the energy to make it through the two miles and kick in in. Matt the trainer is there cheering, yay! 

Age group award! 

I catch up with David, who finished 15 minutes ahead of me and is up on the results. He tells me that he didn't see any women my age ahead of me... hmmm.... There weren't a lot of women, period. I stay for the awards ceremony.

They call my age group and go immediately to second place, which means there was only one other woman. They call a name, and it's the girl in pigtails I passed during the final run. Then they call first place for my age group and it's me! I never win anything... and first out of two is still first :)

It was all in all a great race, I'll definitely look for the spring classic!