Salem Spring Triathlon

What a great day! Drove down at 5am that morning and got parked, packet picked up, and walking into transition to find my bike rack. Felt pretty cool to put my bike on the 2 special "Elite Only" racks because I entered Elite this year. Elite is a division you either qualify for or sign yourself up for to race with the fast people. All the Elite's start in the same wave which is nice because you're racing your competition directly. Anyway, saw all these pretty bikes, my bike and I were definately intimidated and a bit embarassed to have my bike there with all the pretty carbon bikes equiped with race wheels that together cost more than either of our cars. I was really hoping for a good race so I wouldn't make a complete fool out of myself.

A good example of the pretty and very expensive race wheels, Zipp's, behind me. I'm sure I even drooled a little.

I like to be really early, plenty of time to set up and feel relaxed doing it. But as others showed up I continually became more intimidated by these women I've seen win top 3 in all their races, but I decided something. I can race them, I can wanna beat them, they can beat me sometimes too, but we can all be friends. So I introduced myself and got to talk and joke with some really really nice people.

800yd Swim: 5 or so minute warm up about 10-15 minutes before the start, then we were off. The water felt great and didn't taste bad at all despite the widespread film I saw floating on top before the race. I felt good, had a decent but not great time. Sighted well, the sun wasn't in our eyes and didn't make too much body contact with others. Although I will say it never ceases to amaze me how someone can swim horizontally over the top of me when I'm going straight (and in the right direction). Looking back I should've pushed harder, but I was pleased that I felt long and strong and not fatigued like I did last year. Had some water in the bicep of my wetsuit, gotta figure that out. I believe I came out of the water 4th woman. 13:04, 1:29/100yd avg

13 mile Bike: My great nemisis. I always lose time on the bike and it really ticks me off. Today I knew if I wanted to place well I was gonna have to get out of my comfort zone...and I did. I never felt like I was just cruising enjoying the course, I was always pushing hard. Now not cranking down, stomping in my hardest gear, but I was never resting. I was passed by 2-3 women in the bike which is pretty good for me. There were several short but good climbs, and lots of tight right hand turns, many of which came coming off a downhill. Speaking of downhill, I never used my brakes on them and actually pushed hard down them which is really good for me. All that said, hilly, tight turns course, I still averaged 20.4. Nice

5k Run: Well I can tell I pushed hard on the bike because I didn't have the springy yay-we're-off-the-bike-lets-go-run legs I'm used to. I pushed hard and felt like puking (but not in a nauseous way) mostly the whole way. Picked off the first lady that passed me .5 mile in, someone I was surprised at myself for passing. Kept running, couldn't find the other lady in front of me, figured I was in 4th or 5th place. About mile 2.25 I realized the "guy" I thought was in front of me was actually a lady, a really fast one! So now the chase was on. I was pushing as hard as I figured I could and when I first found her I counted and was 15 seconds down, and she seemed to be running just as fast as I was. Took about .5 mile to catch up to her, and I couldn't believe I passed her. These are women that scare the crap out me, these are winners. We had .5 mile to go and I wanted to look back but didn't , just ran my race and held on as best I could. I still figured I was 4th, maybe 5th, but as I ran through the chute they announced my name and "our 3rd place woman". Seriously?! I was so excited, I just did not expect to do so well. In the end I had the 3rd fastest run time of the day with a 20:07. Crazy, I know. I also ended up with very fast transitions too (although did I mention my bike shoe fell off as I was getting on my bike and I had to run back a few feet and retrieve it? Not cool).

The podium was really fun. They put a tiarra on Sarah, the overall winner and gave her sparkling cider to shake and spray, pretty cool :)
I spent a couple hours after the race chatting with the lovely ladies, and a few guys I met today. I did great today and am really happy with it, but it's funny how my body told me I'm not nearly as trained as I thought I was. Time for some added hard work!

Recovery and Preparation

So by tuesday I was fine post Ogden only feeling a little deep soreness in the quads when I'd lunge or squat down demonstrating during one of my water aerobics classes. Thursday morning I went out to this road on the north side of the airport that a lot of cyclists use for speed work. It's a good 2.5 mile strip with plenty of room for both bikes and cars. So I rode down and back 3 times while the sun came up. It felt great to push hard and not worry about some idiot car pulling out in front of me.
I caught these fun images. The first is the fire training airplane for the police. Wasn't sure what it was at first, I thought it was some abandoned burned out plane.

And the second is is the sun behind the traffic control tower.

Had a great swim session friday morning. I swam Master's (adult swim team basically, so a coach, other swimmers, good chance to work hard), something I do several times a month. I was able to pace off a guy much faster than me for several intervals. While it was hard, it was fun to push that hard and stay with him.....and watch as he took off for his next one after 5 seconds rest while I caught my breath :)

Saturday Chuck, a friend of mine, and I did the Battle at Midway Triathlon course preview. We swam in Deer Creek (in full wetsuits). It felt great to be in the open water again. Really wasn't cold at all after we got swimming. Ironically though my hand went numb the last 1/3 and I was sporting Star Trek hands kind of, couldn't pull my pinky in with the other fingers. It's a wierd sensation to swim like that and not have control to change it. Then we got out and dried off and rode 20 miles around Heber and Midway. It was so much fun riding in a paceline and learning how to draft and all other manner of 'roadie' etiquette from Chuck. Than we ran 3 miles at Soldier Hollow. It was great. I am psyched for the race there in 3 weeks.

So there was my recovery from Ogden basically. Saturday was my first run and it wasn't a hard one as the proper recovery from a long race is to not run hard for as many days as the race was in miles, so 26. Now I said proper :) As for the preparation side of the post, well, I have a triathlon on Saturday. Salem! It's short and fast, open water and I'm racing Elite. I've done it 3 times I think, but not in 2 years, so I'm pretty excited even if I am breaking recovery rules :) Hopefully the week doesn't drag too slowly.

Welcome to my new blog!

I'm exited to have this new blog. I have a busy racing season and am always busy training and feel bad taking over the family blog sometimes. So I plan to post mainly race reports, but some training and tips as well. This is my 10th year as a triathlete, 5th as a half marathon+ runner (I've also been swimming for 13). I've had some great coaches and great athletes to teach me as well as done a lot of study on my own, but I will put the disclaimer that I am not a trainer or a doctor, so don't try this at home :) Without the proper time and training anyway :)
Please post comments, they are always fun to read. I don't mind you posting if we haven't met, but please no 50 year old balding stalkers.

Thank You!

Ogden Marathon 2009

Eh. That's my description of today. I have mixed feelings of today. I'll begin with the good.

The Good

The night before a friend of mine Heidi, and myself stayed at her sister's house 10 minutes north. We set 5 alarms between the 3 of us and got up at 4:00AM, ate my traditional PB&J (all natural peanut butter and all fruit/no sugar or corn syrup jelly, and on my whole wheat bread, I'm pretty anal about the prerace meal.) and we took off about 4:30. Caught up with some great ladies - Heidi T who was running her first half marathon (and did fantastic!), and Jessica and Heidi who ran their first full marathons.

The bus ride up was great, no issues, it was warm and nice to talk. The starting line was cold, but not horrible. This lady really had the right idea.

Race got started and off we went. I ran into a friend of mine Jonathan who has run dozens of marathons. He was shooting for the same goal time I was so we ran together most of the race. Things were going great up until about mile 18 when my legs started to tighten up.

The Bad.
Now this typically happens to me and while I was hoping to avoid it I can deal with it. By this time I was 3-4 minutes under the pace I needed to be at, so that was a good thing, I had room to slow down if I needed it.

The Ugly.
Then mile 20 happened (might have been 19, can't remember). So now am I not only dealing with tight sore legs I am SUPER sick to my stomach. All I wanted to do was throw up. I thought for sure I would and kind of hoped to in hopes of feeling better, but it just never came and I wasnt sure about purging. So for the next 3 miles I watched my time in the bank run out and was faced with running 8 minute miles to the end if I wanted my 3:30. Just was not gonna happen. I was running closer to 8:30-9:00 miles and just so sick. I was angry and negative those last 3 miles just so completely 100% wanting to get this over with. Oh, the nausea was horrible. Worst part is I just do not know what brought it on, so not sure how to prevent it next time (no issues like that in the first 2 marathons). I did my best, got passed by a lot of people I didn't think should be passing me, and made it to the finish. I finished in 3:38 which is a 3 minute PR, and qualified for the Boston Marathon. No, I don't plan on running it -unless that is any of you know of free airfare to Boston :) - it's just more a status thing.

My friends Heidi and Jessica and I at the finish. I'm so proud of these girls! They've both worked real hard and had great attitudes about the day afterwords. So now the task at hand is recovering. I have a triathlon in 2 weeks I'm entered elite in, so hopefully my body comes back fast!

Nutrition:
Hammer Gel and Endurolyte 15 min before
Hammer Gel at mile 5, 11, half at 19, half at 22 Maybe delay till mile 9? Caffinated maybe?
Perpetuem at mile 15, 20 (?) 1.5 servings mixed in a 2 oz flask. I suspect maybe it was too concentrated and messed with the osmolity?
Endurolyte at 1:00, 2:00, 3:00

Linda Butters Memorial 5k

Yet another race today, just a 5k, in the lovely rain. It really was raining good too, not just sprinkling. By 1/2 mile into the race I was totally soaked. I ran the 5k, hoping for a personal best, but not today. Too wet, legs a little heavy from the 60 I rode yesterday. Awesome ride though! Rode to Farmington via the Legacy Parkway Trail. Perfection, save the hourds of knats I rode through, seriously, probably ate 4 and had several plastered to my body when I got home. So if you go, try to make it not after a rainstorm and at a time of day when the bugs aren't so bad, GREAT trail though, loved it! 14 continuous miles without big hills and traffic? Oh, my heart is melting.
Anyway, back to today. Felt decent, but not a PR day. 21:10. I did end up winning the women's race, 5th overall with the men. I was hoping for a sweet prize since it was at Jordan Landing, you know, a gift certificate good for dining, entertainment, food, etc? Nope, just a plastic trophy. Oh well, the kids will have fun with it. :)
My kids and husband also got to run in a 1 mile fun run. They were real troopers despite the rain. I don't think I heard any complaints.

This was my boy's first race, cute little guy. Daddy said he did great! His tounge was out of his mouth the entire race I do believe. I LOVE this pic! Look at my little runner and her good form, her race shorts and even my race belt she used today. Too bad the hat was over her eyes, the kids love our tech hats from races though