In July I thought my racing for the year was done. Heck, I thought I may never be able to run again, ever. I was walking down the stairs at a swim meet and felt like I was shot in the back of the leg with 1000 rubber bands all at the same time! It hurt like nothing I have ever felt before. I thought for sure I had torn my Achilles tendon. I went to physical therapy, doctors, acupuncture, massage. Nothing was helping. I finally reached a point of desperation and drove to Boulder to see Bob Cranny. The minute I walked in I knew it was the right decision. For the next 8 weeks I spent two days a week making the 1hr 15min commute each way to Boulder. I was finally cleared to start running. Now when I say running I mean more along the lines of jogging slow. I also ran on the Alter G anti-gravity treadmill one day a week. Slowly I added time to my runs and topped out at a 15.8mile run on the Alter G and a 7.5mile run on my own feet with full body weight. After 16 weeks of pain and feeling like I was never going to race, Bob had me feeling like maybe, just maybe, I could do an Ironman.
Ironman Arizona is my most favorite race. It feels local, as it is such a short flight and I know the area so well. The volunteers are truly amazing, and the spectators are rowdy and supportive! I was feeling great this year and had not come down with my usual pre-race sinus infection. I believe it has to do alot with my diet, and eliminating Gluten has kept the germs at bay!
Race morning was so relaxed that I had to remind myself several times that I was doing an Ironman. I was able to eat all my breakfast without feeling like I was going to have it all come back up from the butterflies swimming in my tummy. I had no pressure, no expectations, no one to disappoint or let down. I knew that I had worked so hard on my swimming and biking that all I had to do was "walk" the marathon and I would be a 17 time Ironman finisher! Too damn cool!
The swim start was crazy brutal. I got in right away so I could swim to my spot and hold on to my position prior to the cannon going off. Bad move number one. I was so COLD! Once the cannon sounded I could not get moving, my arms and legs felt frozen in place! I got punched, kicked, swam over, and pushed around from all sides. People were panicking, all I wanted to do was swim hard and get out of the water. Once I got out, I was immediately disappointed with my time. Bad move number two, don't look at the clock when you come out of the swim.
Once I got onto the bike course I knew it was time to move. I could tell we would have a headwind all the way out the B-line highway, so I took it easy and tired to keep my cadence high and my HR low. Out on the second loop I looked down and saw the biggest thorn I have ever seen sticking out of my tire. I decided to ride hard until it went flat and deal with it then. Funny thing is when it did go flat, it was right in front of a mechanical tent. My luck at Ironman races was turning around! I drank and ate while the boys from the bike shop changed my flat and by the time Larry caught up to me I was ready to get rolling again. Bad move number three, I left a half full bottle of EFS on the side of the road. For the rest of the bike course Larry and I went back and forth, pushing each other to ride hard. Coming into transition my legs felt amazing, I was worried that maybe I did not ride hard enough.
At the start of the run Larry ran up to me and said nice job! I was so excited that we were running together, for the first time in like 14 Ironmans! I was sharing this great day with my best friend, my husband! What more could a girl ask for right? It was all smiles and roses until we hit mile 12, I wanted to stop, I'm sure there were tears. He convinced me to keep moving and to be honest it hurt more to walk than it did to run. So I "ran". By mile 17 we were both hurting so much, Larry decided to walk a bit longer at each aide station and I just had to keep moving forward. I wanted so much to finish together, that's what will keep us coming back I guess.
All in all it was a great day for the Orgills! Not a PR for either of us, but good lessons learned. Oh and the race day pics are hilarious!! Thanks for reading, Happy Holidays!
Cheers
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Monday, June 11, 2012
Boise 70.3...err 29.3
I have not been good about posting! Sorry peeps, things get going and I forget to make this a priority. In March I did Galveston 70.3 and while I raced hard I did not have a good race. I had a middle ot the road bike, nothing great. Then came the run, or the jog from Porto potty to Porto potty. I was miserable, and exhausted. Unreasonably tired. So I went to the doctor, and found a bunch of "stuff " was way off. Bottom line I have had to go Gluten Free and feel amazing! I am no longer walking around in a gluten covered fog. I have energy for workouts and my mom life! Fast forward to this weekend.
After being Gluten Free for a few months and just getting used to menu options and eating the best foods for me, it was time to travel and race. Lucky for me a friend's sister lives in Boise and was able to direct me to the best restaurants and stores for GF eating. That took alot of the stress out of what I was going to eat pre-race. The day before the race Larry and I drove the bike course. It looked challenging and fun, but very exposed. The winds were bad and we were driving in a car. I was getting a bit worried as the National Weather Service issued a high wind warning for Saturday from 9am to 8pm, along with a forecast of rain, all day! We made a quick stop at Sierra Trading post and picked up a few windproof and waterproof jackets to use on the bike.
Race Morning was a treat. We were able to wake up at a normal time and eat a normal breakfast. Our shuttle bus to the start did not leave until 10am, which turned out to be a blessing. We made our way to the bus in the rain and I was freezing already. As our bus approached the reservoir you could see the rain pouring down and the wind picking up. The last thing I wanted to do was leave the shelter of the warm bus for the open exposed parking lot of T1. I quickly set up my nutrition and placed my bike gear bag on my bike and headed for cover. We found a huge pine tree and huddled in a close as we could get to have some protection from the wind. I was able to quit shaking for a bit and eat some food and a bit of drink. I needed to place my extra fleece that I had on in my bag and get my wetsuit on but I was unwilling to once again leave the shelter of the tree to go back to T1. Soon they announced that the 41* temps, the pouring rain and the 45mph winds were too dangerous to risk a
ace even started. People had been bused out to the start at 9am and the race didn't start until noon. That is a long time to be cold and wet. This was honestly the coldest I have ever been in my life. I debated even starting, and people were taking their bikes and leaving. People were being treated by medical, things were bad.
The swim was supposed to start at noon, and they had closed transition and were calling everyone to the start. I kept on a pair of socks but they became soaked immediately and offered little protection. By 12:12 they still had not started the pro men and the longer I stood there the worse I felt and the more I thought it was a really bad idea to get into the 57* water when I was already near hypothermia. I debated not even starting. But then things got rolling and we were the next group to go. My plan was to get in the water and start swimming HARD. I did some butterfly to really get the heart rate and heat going and made my way to the front, far left. I could see the buoys had been blown all over and I had a straight line to the last turn buoy. As soon as the gun went off I was no longer cold. The weirdest thing happened. My hands froze into a bizarre claw like grip and I could not pull the water or bring my fingers together. I knew I was loosing ground but just kept swimming. I felt very disconnected from my arms and legs and could no longer feel any of my limbs.
Out of the water I could not tell where I was in my AG. I had no function in my hands or feet, and was grateful for the volunteers and fellow racers who all helped me get dressed and ready to ride. Yes I had a nearly 8min transition but given how cold I was I thought it was good. I should have just ridden in my wetsuit like so many pros did! I seriously debated not getting on my bike. Who the heck can ride a bike, downhill in the rain, without functioning hands? Well apparently I can. I could not use my brakes so I just focused on not crashing and going downhill fast. I passed a lot of people on that downhill! As I came into T2 the sun was just coming out and I felt like I was in an Alanis Moriset song. I knew it would come down to a running race!
The run was never part of the plan for me at Boise. I have had a hamstring injury and not been able to run for 4 weeks. The plan was to swim and bike and then pull out when the hammy gave out. I started the run and could not feel my feet, or my legs, arms, hands etc. I was just running. I passed a few girls, but with the compression gear these day's no one's age is visible anymore. There was one girl who was running right on my shoulder the entire race. Finally around mile 9 I asked her what age group she was in and she would not tell me! I figured our age group would have a good number of slots for Vegas, but I had no idea what place I was in. The hammy finally gave out at mile 10 and I just walked/limped into the finish. I was 5th!! Not only a podium spot but a Vegas spot as well, as our age group had 7 spots to the World Championships! What made it even better was that my husband got a rolldown spot and he is going to Vegas too!! It was well worth the cold and misery of the morning to know we will be competing together in September!
Cheers!
After being Gluten Free for a few months and just getting used to menu options and eating the best foods for me, it was time to travel and race. Lucky for me a friend's sister lives in Boise and was able to direct me to the best restaurants and stores for GF eating. That took alot of the stress out of what I was going to eat pre-race. The day before the race Larry and I drove the bike course. It looked challenging and fun, but very exposed. The winds were bad and we were driving in a car. I was getting a bit worried as the National Weather Service issued a high wind warning for Saturday from 9am to 8pm, along with a forecast of rain, all day! We made a quick stop at Sierra Trading post and picked up a few windproof and waterproof jackets to use on the bike.
Race Morning was a treat. We were able to wake up at a normal time and eat a normal breakfast. Our shuttle bus to the start did not leave until 10am, which turned out to be a blessing. We made our way to the bus in the rain and I was freezing already. As our bus approached the reservoir you could see the rain pouring down and the wind picking up. The last thing I wanted to do was leave the shelter of the warm bus for the open exposed parking lot of T1. I quickly set up my nutrition and placed my bike gear bag on my bike and headed for cover. We found a huge pine tree and huddled in a close as we could get to have some protection from the wind. I was able to quit shaking for a bit and eat some food and a bit of drink. I needed to place my extra fleece that I had on in my bag and get my wetsuit on but I was unwilling to once again leave the shelter of the tree to go back to T1. Soon they announced that the 41* temps, the pouring rain and the 45mph winds were too dangerous to risk a
ace even started. People had been bused out to the start at 9am and the race didn't start until noon. That is a long time to be cold and wet. This was honestly the coldest I have ever been in my life. I debated even starting, and people were taking their bikes and leaving. People were being treated by medical, things were bad.
The swim was supposed to start at noon, and they had closed transition and were calling everyone to the start. I kept on a pair of socks but they became soaked immediately and offered little protection. By 12:12 they still had not started the pro men and the longer I stood there the worse I felt and the more I thought it was a really bad idea to get into the 57* water when I was already near hypothermia. I debated not even starting. But then things got rolling and we were the next group to go. My plan was to get in the water and start swimming HARD. I did some butterfly to really get the heart rate and heat going and made my way to the front, far left. I could see the buoys had been blown all over and I had a straight line to the last turn buoy. As soon as the gun went off I was no longer cold. The weirdest thing happened. My hands froze into a bizarre claw like grip and I could not pull the water or bring my fingers together. I knew I was loosing ground but just kept swimming. I felt very disconnected from my arms and legs and could no longer feel any of my limbs.
Out of the water I could not tell where I was in my AG. I had no function in my hands or feet, and was grateful for the volunteers and fellow racers who all helped me get dressed and ready to ride. Yes I had a nearly 8min transition but given how cold I was I thought it was good. I should have just ridden in my wetsuit like so many pros did! I seriously debated not getting on my bike. Who the heck can ride a bike, downhill in the rain, without functioning hands? Well apparently I can. I could not use my brakes so I just focused on not crashing and going downhill fast. I passed a lot of people on that downhill! As I came into T2 the sun was just coming out and I felt like I was in an Alanis Moriset song. I knew it would come down to a running race!
The run was never part of the plan for me at Boise. I have had a hamstring injury and not been able to run for 4 weeks. The plan was to swim and bike and then pull out when the hammy gave out. I started the run and could not feel my feet, or my legs, arms, hands etc. I was just running. I passed a few girls, but with the compression gear these day's no one's age is visible anymore. There was one girl who was running right on my shoulder the entire race. Finally around mile 9 I asked her what age group she was in and she would not tell me! I figured our age group would have a good number of slots for Vegas, but I had no idea what place I was in. The hammy finally gave out at mile 10 and I just walked/limped into the finish. I was 5th!! Not only a podium spot but a Vegas spot as well, as our age group had 7 spots to the World Championships! What made it even better was that my husband got a rolldown spot and he is going to Vegas too!! It was well worth the cold and misery of the morning to know we will be competing together in September!
Cheers!
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Kona ....
I was going to call this a race report but there was really no racing coming from me. From puking to poop to blisters and lost toe nails I pretty much covered it! 
Post race recovery never tasted so good! Next up planning next season! Thanks to everyone who made racing in Kona a possibility, my husband Larry, my kids, my mom, my best training partner Kathleen and my "Rudy" Betsy! You are all so special to me and have made a huge difference in my life! Last I need to thank Amanda Lovato for all the support and coaching , you are the best!! XOXO
Race Morning: I woke up way too early with something telling me things were not right. I had really bad diarrhea and was not feeling well. Trust me this was not pre-race nerves, this was bad! I tried to put it out of my mind and choked down my breakfast and made my way down to the start. I continued to hydrate and started to feel a bit better, I actually thought things might be OK.
Swim: This swim is crazy, from the cannon to the swim exit it is wall to wall people. I got a great start and felt smooth and strong out to the turn boat. Once I made the turn I knew I had to catch the pack up ahead and not swim the entire 2.4 miles on my own. I caught the pack quickly and then realized they had all stopped and were panicking! I had to go way wide to the left to get out of the mess. I am guessing they all started out too fast and just died. I swam hard and cleared the pack but my time was a bit slow. The ocean was rough but not too bad and I felt refreshed not tired at all. Overall good swim!
Bike: Oh how things can go from great to horrible to worse in 40 miles. But this is Kona and I was not about to give up! I knew that my eating and drinking were right on target and suddenly at mile 40 whatever went in was coming right back up! The poor guy behind me ( teach him not to draft) got puke sprayed all over him. I actually thought this might be a good thing and that maybe I would start to feel better. I continued to eat and drink in my normal pattern and sometimes it would stay down other times it came right back up. I started to sip cola here and there at mile 90 and actually made it to T2!
Run: Ok so if the puking was not bad enough my feet were the nail in the coffin that is Ironman Hawaii. I had blisters under my toe nails and across the bottoms of my feet. It was the most painful feeling I have ever had. I never thought about quitting not once did it cross my mind to stop. I knew I could walk if I had too but that would just take longer so I ran aide station to aide station stopping every mile to coat my feet in Vaseline and continue on. My stomach started to settle down around mile 25 and I actually felt like I was running. Of course the last mile is amazing and I would have run anyway but it was nice not to feel like puking all down Alii drive.
This finish line is nothing like any other. It is truly amazing and a magical place. Finishing this race in the way that I did is something that can never be taken away from me. It is not the race I wished to have or know that I am capable of having but a race nonetheless.
Post race recovery never tasted so good! Next up planning next season! Thanks to everyone who made racing in Kona a possibility, my husband Larry, my kids, my mom, my best training partner Kathleen and my "Rudy" Betsy! You are all so special to me and have made a huge difference in my life! Last I need to thank Amanda Lovato for all the support and coaching , you are the best!! XOXO
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Boulder 70.3
Where o' where has the summer gone? I think that I blinked and the summer flew by. I love having my kids at home and we had so much fun, but I have work to do! So off to school they go!
How will I manage without them you ask? What will I possibly do with all my free time? Well I will tell you one thing, you can find me here::
Going into this weekend was a huge training block, a big build toward Kona. I was feeling tight, fatigued and anything but fresh. But this being a "c" race I pushed on and fought the urge to sit on the couch and taper like everybody else. As the week went on I started feeling better and better and by Sunday I was ready to race.
Race morning I was calm and cool. I got up and had breakfast, then we headed to the res. We got to transition with plenty of time to get a good spot on the rack and take care of business. The morning was quite cool but would heat up fast. As the gun went off starting our wave I was ready for whatever the day was going to bring. I had no expectations of how I would do or how I would feel. My main goal for the day was nailing my nutrition. Something that has been hard for me the last few years. I wanted to get off the bike and not have tummy troubles straight onto the run course. The swim was great, lots of open water, as much as I tried I could not find feet. My swim was a bit slower than I thought I could do, but then again I have not been swimming consistently this summer.
Out of T1 at my normal snails pace and on to the bike. I knew that the day was going to be hot and that nutrition was going to be key to finishing the race and recovering well for the next big training block. I am happy to say that my splits were pretty even and I was feeling good. I rolled into T2 happy with my plan and no tummy issues.
Once I got on the run course I could feel the heat but it did not bother me too much. My first mile was way too fast, like 7:06 fast. I knew I needed to slow down but I felt so good. At the second hill I made myself walk a bit and slow things down. From there I maintained an even pace and stayed hydrated and cool. Someone said the temps were near 100* but it did not feel that hot until I crossed the finish line and stopped. Then I felt the heat.
All in all I am happy with my race and feel pretty good. Not too sore and great energy. I rode today with Kathleen and we chatted the whole way! I love recovery rides!! Congrats to all that competed on Sunday, way to go!
Cheers!
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Texas time!
The first race of the season is now in the books! Since IMAZ I have gone through a bit of Triathletes Anonymous rehab. This included Tons of family time, riding dirt bikes instead of Tri bikes, many beach vacations chasing turtles, and plenty of laughs. As 2011 was rolling on I decided to pick up my training and just enter a 70.3 for the "fun" of it. Mostly to get my butt back in shape but mostly because I missed the active training for sport. I love to workout, but I need a purpose to make those workouts count! So Texas 70.3 in Galveston was the easiest to get to and did not interfere with my daughter's swim meets. Fast forward 3 months and what does a triathlete who has little training under her for the year do? That's right a two week vacation on the beach!
Once I got back from Hawaii I had ten days to train for Galveston, no worries!! I got this, and altitude is on my side. We flew into Houston late, late Friday night and our hotel room had just been painted with no other rooms available. Uggg, major fume headache for three days! We also figured out that we had left the majority of our race nutrition at home! Great, this being a PowerBar sponsored event no Carbo-Pro sold at the expo! Okay so my nutrition plan is now going to be all gels all day, yumm! What's a girl to do but head to the BEACH!
Race morning was very fun thanks to Tracy, Katey and Paige! We chatted, laughed and spent over 2hrs getting to know each other! As we watched the pro's come in, the men come in and some of the women we noticed that the wind was picking up dramatically. The calm waters of the waves ahead of us were long gone. In it's place was major chop and big swells. Through the swim and onto the bike the wind was crazy, and the sun was blazing. I knew it was going to be a tough day. In the first 3 miles two girls in my age group passed me, I thought about going with them but decided to ride my own race and kept it steady. I passed both of them before the half-way point on the bike! I came into T2 feeling great, maybe I rode too easy?
The run at this race is 4 loops of boring, hot, cement miles. The best part is the aide stations, the volunteers did great with what they had. And sometimes that was not much, many ran out of cups and people were grabbing cups off the ground in order to get water or sports drink. It was very hot and windy and I tried to pace my loops so that I did not fade too badly as the temps rose and I got tired. I definitely had one too many caffeinated gels as it was tough to fall asleep that night.
I have been recovering this week and already the wheels are turning. What's next you ask, well I took a 70.3 World Championships spot. So I will be racing in Vegas in September, more heat please!! I was not going to take the spot but I have not been to Vegas in a long time and hopefully it will be less of a cheat fest with the hills to break up the packs that plagued Clearwater. I am back to swimbikerun, and loving it!
Cheers!
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Ironman Arizona 2010
Pre- race:
So the weeks leading up to this, my 14th Ironman were less than ideal. I was sick, worse than I have ever been before a race and I have raced sick many times. This was unbearable. Double ear infection and strep throat had me feeling spent, tired and drained. Antibiotics do a number on my gut as well, so I was one unhappy athlete. Then came the family emergencies, and the possibility that I may not be making the trip to Arizona after all. In the end it took a village but I made it to Tempe and the race venue was shaping up. Still it was difficult to focus on racing, I was worring about the situation at home and if our family was ok. I knew from 2008 that the swim would be cold and my plan was to get in Friday and not again until Sunday morning. But the race directors had a different idea, no swimming Friday only Saturday. That gave me a whole extra day to fret over the cold water! The swim Saturday was great, I lost feeling in my feet and hands within the first few minutes and then it warmed up nicely. Not too bad! The bike was set up and ready to roll, I had made a choice to go with 808's in front and back, hindsight bad decision. I should have done a 404 up front and 808 in back. Sleep had been good, not great but better than last years disaster of no sleep for 3 days prior to Ironman. I felt good and was ready to tackle the day, no matter what it brought.
Swim: Race morning was smooth, still deciding what to wear. Laughing with Sasha and stressing with Larry, it was all good. Got in and swam out to the left by the Ford sign. Great spot until 30 seconds befor the cannon and 800 people swam over the top of me to try for the front position. Damn, hold your ground, yeah right 195 pound guy just kicked me in the back and crawled on top of my shoulders...hmmmm not good. When the chaos spread out and I got some clear water I felt good but had taken a beating. I was sore and tired from battling for position. The one thing I was not was cold. This was different from 2008 when I was so very cold at the turn bouy. The rest of the swim was smooth, not fast but I felt fresh and ready to ride.
Bike: The first thing I noticed on the bike was the wind. I thought oh crap, it's going to be a long day. I tried to think on the bike about the next section, where is the wind, eat, drink, spin. Then first loop was great but coming back into town I was looking for my coach, I needed a boost, hmmm, how could I have missed that? On the second loop the wind picked up, and the rain came. I was not cold, I was prepared as the forcast all week had been calling for crappy conditions, but it was mentally draining. Again coming into town looking for my coach I was needing that "cheer" from outside the race. Starting the third and final loop I was focused on getting in some good nutrition and spinning out my legs. I got passed by my husband at mile 92 and he looked strong. Maybe this was his year, I had beaten him in 2008. Rolling back into T2 I felt fresh in my legs but mentally I was drained. I was tired, felt sluggish and my tummy was not happy. I had been vomiting every 20 miles from 60 on. It wasn't much, more like reflux, Very acidic.
Run: I knew that the first few miles of this course were fast and a good opportunity to see how much the bike had taken out of me. Right off the bat I felt great in my legs, like I had just rolled out of bed for an early morning run! My tummy had other things to say. I did not know what to eat, drink, or do. So I ran and after 3 miles I started to feel a bit better, not much but enough to take in some gel and water. And so it went, the rolling buffet of what to take in next, or not. Then came the bridge, this is where my coach promised to be, each lap I would get to see him and have that positive feedback. Boy was it great to hear cheering and support! I was running well and closing in on Larry, I knew I just needed to keep moving! I passed him at mile 8, in 2008 I did not pass him until mile 13. We were not that far apart from there to mile 13 only 1 min separated us. But from mile 13 to the finish I put 15 min on him. The second loop I was working hard and feeling the lack of run training due to my achilles injury, and again I was needing that support. On the bridge but where the hell is coach? Crap just run, you have done this before, 13 times before just keep moving! By the third lap I was miserable, my tummy was rebeling and I was not sure if I was going to make it to the next pot-o-potty. So went the last 10 miles, running poop stop to poop stop trying to find a place to peel off if I did not make it. I was mking deals with people to just run with me to the next bridge then we could walk, only I was not walking! I just pushed on. I have never been so happy to see the finish line of a race before in all my triathlons. I was done, finished, spent.
After: The finish of a race is hard for me. I cannot stop or I pass out. I cannot sit down, cannot bend over, cannot stop walking, or I get very sick. My blood pressure drops and bad things start happening. My catcher was awesome. I think he actually just wanted pizza, but he helped me get dry clothes, food and my husband. After packing the bikes and walking miles in my hotel room I needed to lay down. And 3, 2, 1......PUKE! yes from there it was all down hill, vomiting and feeling like crap till about 3 am. By 5 am I was starving, by 9 am I had had three breakfasts. Yes three!
So that's it, I am satisfied with this race and the outcome given the lack of run training and illness prior to the race, but I am not happy. I could have done better, could have done more. I think that is what has kept me coming back 14 times.
So the weeks leading up to this, my 14th Ironman were less than ideal. I was sick, worse than I have ever been before a race and I have raced sick many times. This was unbearable. Double ear infection and strep throat had me feeling spent, tired and drained. Antibiotics do a number on my gut as well, so I was one unhappy athlete. Then came the family emergencies, and the possibility that I may not be making the trip to Arizona after all. In the end it took a village but I made it to Tempe and the race venue was shaping up. Still it was difficult to focus on racing, I was worring about the situation at home and if our family was ok. I knew from 2008 that the swim would be cold and my plan was to get in Friday and not again until Sunday morning. But the race directors had a different idea, no swimming Friday only Saturday. That gave me a whole extra day to fret over the cold water! The swim Saturday was great, I lost feeling in my feet and hands within the first few minutes and then it warmed up nicely. Not too bad! The bike was set up and ready to roll, I had made a choice to go with 808's in front and back, hindsight bad decision. I should have done a 404 up front and 808 in back. Sleep had been good, not great but better than last years disaster of no sleep for 3 days prior to Ironman. I felt good and was ready to tackle the day, no matter what it brought.
Swim: Race morning was smooth, still deciding what to wear. Laughing with Sasha and stressing with Larry, it was all good. Got in and swam out to the left by the Ford sign. Great spot until 30 seconds befor the cannon and 800 people swam over the top of me to try for the front position. Damn, hold your ground, yeah right 195 pound guy just kicked me in the back and crawled on top of my shoulders...hmmmm not good. When the chaos spread out and I got some clear water I felt good but had taken a beating. I was sore and tired from battling for position. The one thing I was not was cold. This was different from 2008 when I was so very cold at the turn bouy. The rest of the swim was smooth, not fast but I felt fresh and ready to ride.
Bike: The first thing I noticed on the bike was the wind. I thought oh crap, it's going to be a long day. I tried to think on the bike about the next section, where is the wind, eat, drink, spin. Then first loop was great but coming back into town I was looking for my coach, I needed a boost, hmmm, how could I have missed that? On the second loop the wind picked up, and the rain came. I was not cold, I was prepared as the forcast all week had been calling for crappy conditions, but it was mentally draining. Again coming into town looking for my coach I was needing that "cheer" from outside the race. Starting the third and final loop I was focused on getting in some good nutrition and spinning out my legs. I got passed by my husband at mile 92 and he looked strong. Maybe this was his year, I had beaten him in 2008. Rolling back into T2 I felt fresh in my legs but mentally I was drained. I was tired, felt sluggish and my tummy was not happy. I had been vomiting every 20 miles from 60 on. It wasn't much, more like reflux, Very acidic.
Run: I knew that the first few miles of this course were fast and a good opportunity to see how much the bike had taken out of me. Right off the bat I felt great in my legs, like I had just rolled out of bed for an early morning run! My tummy had other things to say. I did not know what to eat, drink, or do. So I ran and after 3 miles I started to feel a bit better, not much but enough to take in some gel and water. And so it went, the rolling buffet of what to take in next, or not. Then came the bridge, this is where my coach promised to be, each lap I would get to see him and have that positive feedback. Boy was it great to hear cheering and support! I was running well and closing in on Larry, I knew I just needed to keep moving! I passed him at mile 8, in 2008 I did not pass him until mile 13. We were not that far apart from there to mile 13 only 1 min separated us. But from mile 13 to the finish I put 15 min on him. The second loop I was working hard and feeling the lack of run training due to my achilles injury, and again I was needing that support. On the bridge but where the hell is coach? Crap just run, you have done this before, 13 times before just keep moving! By the third lap I was miserable, my tummy was rebeling and I was not sure if I was going to make it to the next pot-o-potty. So went the last 10 miles, running poop stop to poop stop trying to find a place to peel off if I did not make it. I was mking deals with people to just run with me to the next bridge then we could walk, only I was not walking! I just pushed on. I have never been so happy to see the finish line of a race before in all my triathlons. I was done, finished, spent.
After: The finish of a race is hard for me. I cannot stop or I pass out. I cannot sit down, cannot bend over, cannot stop walking, or I get very sick. My blood pressure drops and bad things start happening. My catcher was awesome. I think he actually just wanted pizza, but he helped me get dry clothes, food and my husband. After packing the bikes and walking miles in my hotel room I needed to lay down. And 3, 2, 1......PUKE! yes from there it was all down hill, vomiting and feeling like crap till about 3 am. By 5 am I was starving, by 9 am I had had three breakfasts. Yes three!
So that's it, I am satisfied with this race and the outcome given the lack of run training and illness prior to the race, but I am not happy. I could have done better, could have done more. I think that is what has kept me coming back 14 times.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Baby steps and Hope
I have not had much to blog about lately. The weather is perfect for running, cool crisp mornings, bright sunny sky, amazing. However, I have not been able to run like I should be right now. I have not run further than 8 miles since Boulder 70.3 August 9th. I have been battling an Achilles injury. I have been mad, sad, angry, disappointed and now I feel better. I am running. Well, sort of. Not the kind out running I like or that my body is used to, but I am getting in some miles. These are the baby steps I need to take to make sure I can make it to the start of Ironman Arizona. The plan is to get from 8 miles to marathon ready in 9 weeks! I have hope!
The key to training with an injury I have learned, is to control the things you can. I cannot control if my foot will hurt when I wake up, or when I run. So I try not to focus on that only on doing my ice, heat, massage, stretch and Hoping that it doesn't hurt. I can swim and bike and slowly building the run. These are things I can control. The dog rushing to beat me down the stairs and taking my bad leg with him..nope can't control him either! I can't control my training partner either. Kathleen was feeling like I was getting all the attention with my bad Achilles so she decided to break her foot! So here we both gimp along to swim practice, perfecting the one leg push off the wall and learning to love pulling! I have hope she will be back at it soon and just as I am ramping up my running she will be able to spin on a mountain bike and back to being my Sherpa!! To all those faced with injuries we can't control, never give up! I have Hope! Cheers!
The key to training with an injury I have learned, is to control the things you can. I cannot control if my foot will hurt when I wake up, or when I run. So I try not to focus on that only on doing my ice, heat, massage, stretch and Hoping that it doesn't hurt. I can swim and bike and slowly building the run. These are things I can control. The dog rushing to beat me down the stairs and taking my bad leg with him..nope can't control him either! I can't control my training partner either. Kathleen was feeling like I was getting all the attention with my bad Achilles so she decided to break her foot! So here we both gimp along to swim practice, perfecting the one leg push off the wall and learning to love pulling! I have hope she will be back at it soon and just as I am ramping up my running she will be able to spin on a mountain bike and back to being my Sherpa!! To all those faced with injuries we can't control, never give up! I have Hope! Cheers!
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