This weekend I will be racing my first tri of 2011 with the Packanack Lake Tri. I raced the inaugural event last year and the event was a bit disorganized. However, the RD was very open to hearing everyone's concerns and hopefully they workout the issues. The one major problem from last year was the lack of direction on the bike course. I had a chance to pride the course before the race last year, so I had a good idea of where to go. However, it was a first year event and problems are to be expected. Hopefully I can go there this year with the same result as last.
So, how do I feel? Pretty good. My last two weeks have totaled almost 30 hours of training. I finally got some open water swimming in, put in over 250 miles on the bike with a bunch of climbing, and had some quality speed workouts running. Racing at the end of this week actually fits my schedule pretty nicely. I had a hard yesterday since it was Memorial Day, but then I can use the rest of the week to get ready to race. After racing Saturday, I can get right back into training.
Predictions:
At last year's race, my swim was a 10:32. Now swim courses are never accurate year after year, so something in that range will make me happy. I'm definitely in better swim shape right now than I was last year for the race. The bike last year was a mess, and I was actually in very good bike shape last August. That's not the case this year. I will definitely give up some time here this weekend. It looks like they cut off a portion of the course this year, so if I can break 40:00 I'll be happy. Last year I ran a 17:50 off the bike for the 5k and that was with a little bit of an injury in my foot. I've had a good year of running so far, so 5:40 pace should be do-able, something in the 17:30's.
Check back for a race report!
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Red Bank Olympic Triathlon Race Report
Well, it took me several attempts to figure out how to get Mary Ellen's email into this blog, but I finally got it! What a great compilation of perspectives from all of you and it's so rewarding to see how this club has grown this last year. I have had some really awesome experiences in coaching these last few months between my high school athletes and all of the tri club members. It's experiences like this that make coaching just as rewarding as competing. Congratulations to all of you, keep up the great work!
“Stories Out of Red Bank”
Red Bank Olympic Distance
RACE REPORT
Participants: MaryEllen, Bob, Anthony, Katie, Maureen
I hope all of you take a moment to read the race details of Bob, Anthony, Katie, John, Maureen and myself from our Red Bank Olympic Distance Tri event yesterday. If you ever questioned why you became a triathlete, I think the blogs from each of us will give you validation. I hope you find it as inspiring reading these as I did writing them!!
BOB
Meeting the team at 4:30 was the first thrill of the day! Yes, people I actually know doing the same stupid thing I am doing!!
The ride down to Red Bank was a memorable one:
- telling our stories about getting into the sport
- Mare drilling John on every aspect of his life -- the Feds need her since they stopped water boarding
- Katie’s laughter so early in the morning
- Anthony asking me if I wanted hold hands on the way down
Pre-Race highlights included:
- Setting up in the rain, putting down the towel and have it become a sponge in 2 seconds.
- Wondering if changing my transitions to a sockless strategy would work
- All of us calming each other down about our own prerace phobias
The Race highlights:
I was surprised that on the swim that 50 and older men go first, get out! I was first in the water for the water start -- I am so type A!! I loved having Mare and Katie right next to me at the start, very cool! During the swim, I was wondering how there is no one else within 50 feet half way through the swim except for one guy who was able to kick me three times in fifty yards?
Getting out of the water for T1, I strip, put on my helmet, glasses and shoes and I am off out of the fastest transition I have ever had. I eat a GU, however stick the Aero straw in my cheek then my eye before finding my lips to drink some Gatorade. I check every calf that goes by for age: WHOA, that one said 56!! CRAP! GO FASTER!!
Hey wait! I recognize that cute buttocks: Hey Mare looking great!!! (Mare is typing this and decides to bold and italics this line!!)
At T2, I quickly get into my new Zoots without socks -- blister town here I come!! But my transition time was quick! Realized I forgot my hat and the GPS, oh well. At the first water stop…WHAT??!! You only have water?? No Gu no Gatorade??? I was feeling surprisingly good until …whoosh… runner after runner is passing me: yes running is my Achilles heel! I really need to lose 2-3, maybe 35 lbs!!!
- “Bob your looking good!” thanks John!
- “Bob your looking good!” thanks Mare!
I start to worry about Anthony -- he should have passed me on the bike? I felt great though the run and cannot wait to see the splits!
At the Finish…Yea! There’s Mare and John! I find out that Ant had bike trouble and am relieved. I watched Katie and Maureen come in, very exiting! The big moment was when all of us were at the finish line for Ant when he came in after having bike problems! But he STILL had a great run!!! It was a very cool ceremony for Mare who placed 2nd in her age group, with some great pictures Gotta love a podium finish and it is only May!
On the ride home, I wonder why everyone is so damn quiet?? At home, I devoured anything that had a bad nutrition label!! Conclusion: would do it again in a heartbeat!!!
KATIE
I start my day with a bowl of oatmeal then meet the group of huddled ducks under Anthony's garage overhang...yes raining!! On the ride down, I got to hear some stories and more personal information about folks. WOW...this is one great group of people!!! I am feeling pretty good, not too nervous about the swim yet...until the Ironman video is put on in the van!! Seeing the swim, people clasping - my stomach started to roll and now I am looking around the car for what I could use as a pail to lose my oatmeal.
Still raining - oh well, not like I was not going to get wet. Registration looks a little clumsy and what's up with only 4 port-a-johns? We decided to drop our stuff at the transition spot and walk the in/out spots and see the swim course. Ok - where's the pail? The swim course looked scary to me and apparently it showed in my face as Mare turns and says "YOU CAN DO THIS!!" I loved hearing the race director say how he mapped out the swim course using his GPS app on his iPhone - what the heck is that!!!! I want state of the art equipment staking out the course!
It was a little weird starting in water, but in the end I think I like it better. Got a great hug from Bob – let’s hope before he warmed the water :-). The course was clockwise which was a advantage to me since I only breathe on the right side. I found a girl spotting a lot and double checked her accuracy a few times. She was doing well. So I let her spot for me while I just swam along side of her. All was good until .6 and we rounded the buoy, got a nice kick to my stomach and made me pop up for a minute to breath. Well, no big deal -- time to finish this!! I know the men are coming soon and sure has hell don't want them swimming over me. Current was pulling me a little out, but spotted every 5th stroke and was fine. I had to wait in line to get out of the water (only 3 ladders) so that was a little annoying. I am in good shape - suit is already half off and ready to fly. Well then like a dummy I decided to wear a silk long sleeve undershirt, under my bike shirt - WRONG. This thing took a solid minute to put on. Lesson learned - no silk on wet body. I chuck on my helmet & glasses and off I go.
On the bike I felt good - tried out the Aero bars and loving them. Into a good pace and then hear - "Is that Katie??" and here comes Anthony riding like the wind!! Wow he's fast! Later I saw him changing his flat tire :-) - I felt so bad for him. I kept waiting for him to fly past me again - where is he? The rest of the bike was uneventful until I got into the home stretch and recognized Maureen. We had a quick chat, well wishes and then ran into transition. Go Maureen!!!
OK - where is my spot??? Took a few extra seconds to find it, but whatever I found it. I rip off my silk undershirt and threaten its life with the trash can on the way out. Put on a dry tee shirt, knee band and start running.
Ok - did someone put lead in my shoes? My legs are tired and I think my butt is dragging on the ground. I tell myself to stop belly aching and get through it. I sight a guy in front of me and just hold onto hit pace. He gets me through the first mile and then I feel better. I turn about mile 1.5 and see John. YEAH - he is doing awesome and looks strong!!!!
I get into the wood part of the trail - I guess mile 2.3 and see Mary Ellen - I yell out to her and we high five. Man she is doing great - but there was no doubt she would! As I start to round the 3 mile marker and start my journey back one of the helpers yells "you're doing great you are almost 1/2 way there" - WHAT?!? I thought that was half way. The lady next to her says "this is 1/2 way" - thank god! I head back into the wood and see Anthony! YEAH - (His darn tire - his story to tell). I was so glad to see him, though!!
I completed the race 3:10 and felt good, but need water. They only had two jugs of water with 4oz Dixie cups - are you kidding!! I drank about 8 cups and then walked back to the finish line to find Bob, John, Maureen, Mary Ellen. We saw Anthony coming and decided to jump in after he crossed and give him a huge hug. We also got a nice photo from the photographer. It was great!!! There was something else - Oh yeah...that little thing about Mary Ellen getting 2nd in her age group!!! Holy sugar Batman!! That is terrific. We were all so happy to see her accept the award.
Mare and I go to change at the hospital and what do we see - is that heaven? Close to it - Dunkin Donuts....oh baby!!! Mary Ellen treats us all - THANK YOU!!
Lessons learned: I should be taking in more fuel. For the car conversation - sounded like 2 Gels/GUs and a bottle of Gatorade would have been good. I only did a 1/2 bottle of water the whole way. Decided I need to try out fueling during my longer workouts. At home, I unpacked all my wet junk, yelled at my silk shirt again. Hugged the family and showered. The rest of the day was spent playing battle games in my son’s room with his castles, reading books, playing with Mikayala & Eirica and making lunches for school the next day! Very exciting!!!
JOHN
The best part of the day for me was having each other for support, mentally and physically. I think there is a huge amount of motivation when you have a team working together cheering each other on! And for the first race of the season I think everyone had a great day. Of course accept for Anthony's blowout. But I loved his positive attitude.
As far as my personal race, I finished feeling strong and injury free. To break it down, my swim is always the toughest part of my race. I felt much better in the water even though I didn’t see my split times. I don’t expect it to be a great time, but I didn’t exhaust myself.
Coming out of T1 I knew I had a lot of catching up to do so I picked up the intensity knowing that the rest were ahead of me. About halfway through the bike I saw Anthony, I told him I hit a pot hole and lost my bottles out of the cage. He offered me one of his but I didn’t want him to be at a loss. Thanks Ant! Unfortunately, there were no aid stations on the bike route so I took in no fluids since the start of the race. I also feel bad cause right after I saw Anthony is when he had his blowout, and I had the tube he needed. Oh Well! That’s life!!
Going into T2 I was feeling a little heavy in the legs due to not replacing the calories that I had lost. But, I wasn’t cramping so that was a good sign. I see Mary Ellen I think near the end of the first mile -- they didn’t have markers out so unless you were wearing a GPS you didn’t know how far you were! She was looking very strong so I knew she would have a good race. Then when I got to around the third mile I saw Bob. He was very focused and was keeping a good pace. I also knew he would have a good race. Coming back around near mile 5 I saw Anthony and knew something went wrong. He was way too far behind. He explained what happened but was very positive. Coming back around into town my body was feeling good. I was lucky enough to pace with another athlete for pretty much the whole run. I finished feeling good and very happy. The weather held out and we all finished safely! I think it was a great race to build off of and tweak what didn’t work out.
ANTHONY
Short and sweet for me:
The swim went OK, although it’s hard to judge how I did until I see the splits. I think I did somewhere around 27:30, but don't hold me to that because I have never been so dizzy after a swim. If I wasn't helped up a ladder I might not have made it. Maybe it was 37:20....................
T1: Between being dizzy and wearing a borrowed wetsuit I had a tough time getting the darn thing off. My game plan was not to rush the transitions so that didn't bother me.
Spending $3,400.00 on a new bike will always make your bike splits go down, CORRECT??? Not on this day. Everything felt good until the flat. I only wish I knew how long I sat on the side of the road waiting, I feel like it would give me a better sense of a realistic finish time for me. You all know the story by now so let’s move on. Now I am back on the bike smiling again.
T2: uneventful
I was not pleased with the run at all. That's the type of course that suits me and I just didn't have the legs. Cramped up after a mile and never recovered. I need to take a serious look at my nutrition because this happens to me often. I don't think GU is for me. Think I did somewhere around 53:00?....................horrible.
Pro's:
- Mare second in her age!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- Katie having a strong swim...................everyone but Katie knew she would.
- Nice to race this early in the season to get the kinks out.
- Had a blast with some friends.
MAUREEN
Getting there and seeing everyone made me feel sooooooooo much better than doing it alone. Even just asking stupid questions about setting up was helpful -- it just made this the best experience!
The in-water swim was fine, despite the screw-up of them having Ant and John jump in by accident (that sucked). I should have been more aggressive and started more in the front. The open water swim is so much harder for me than in pool, I'm pretty sure it is because I am poor at following the buoys. As a result, it feels like I swim in circles at times. (am going to make a point to do open water swim during training now, there's a place in rye where my sister lives). As Anthony, I was so dizzy when I got back to the transition so I took my time.
T he bike is my weakest part overall. I ran out of drink (gatorade) and really wished i had more. I had a GU, but I can't take it without drink so that was out. I'll take 2 water bottles next time. I lost my chain which was easy to put back on but that delayed me a bit. I also wish I had studied the course a bit more online to know my way. How great it was to hear Katie's voice at the tail end of the bike: really friendly and nice just before the run! Ant and John passed me which was also really nice and a bit inspirational. It made me work harder, even just for a bit.
The run wasn't too bad. I am always a bit wobbly getting of the bike so I'll do this more in training. I was definitely a lot slower than I normally run, maybe even a minute per mile, and my legs don't seem to work well until mile 3. I loved the transition to the grassy area as it really broke up the run. I also liked out and back.
Overall, the best part was doing this with our group. It really made it such a blast for me and so much fun! I agree, we all look so happy in the picture!!!!
MARE
Looking at the weather earlier in the week, it was clear that we would not have ideal conditions for our Red Bank Olympic Distance. I decided to get over it and not let that bother me…it will be what it will be. I awoke at 3:30 am to go through my pre-race ritual: shower (yes, I know…smooth legs are important!!), review the course map over coffee, double check my gear, and say a prayer in the quiet. J Despite the rain and darkness, driving down in Anthony’s van was one of those times I will always remember: we swapped stories about how we got into triathlons, listened to pieces of Bob’s incredible life story, John Pax graciously let me grill him mercilessly about every aspect of his life (you are a good sport, john!!)…and watching the video of Kona!! We got there in record time, by 5:30am and the organizers were just setting up. They were not shy about letting us know their displeasure at our early arrival. Quite frankly, they were the most surly registration bunch I have ever encountered, really giving us the business about having our USAT cards!! We couldn’t register online without paying the $10 fee so come on!!
We held off setting up our Transition spots because of the rain…and decided instead to hit the port-a-johns (there were only 4 which I actually e-mailed the Race Director about – CRAZY!!!) and decided to go check out the water. Holy far buoy!! Really?? This was .9??? You could barely SEE the far buoy!! Participants were freaking out about the distance and the race director informed us that he had, in fact, measured the distance the day before with his…hard to believe…iphone!!! Ummm…this is a USAT-sanctioned event, right???? I didn’t mind because you all pretty much know how I feel about the swim: move that buoy out, baby!!! Good for me…not so good for you!! Haha!!
The first wave was for us old farts: 50 and over men and 40 and over women. The water felt surprisingly good! Must be my new $300 wetsuit!! I loved being near Bob and Katie at the in-the-water start. The hug from Bob…although nearly drowning me…was all the fuel I needed to get going! J I pulled away from the crowd pretty much from the get-go and, still not knowing my splits upon writing this, I believe I was in the top group out of the water in my wave. My sighting was effective and I had this one gal in my vision the entire time, using her as a marker. Upon seeing the dock at the end, I bid her a “thanks” and swam past to the ladder! Coming out of the water of course I yelled, “What # am I???” Someone said…”Third!!”…but I don’t think that is accurate.
Always having a strong swim gives me a real jump start on the bike – my weakness – and for awhile, I was pretty much by myself on the rolling hills course! This one guy passed me saying, “I hate being up front..not sure about this course!!” Was I actually “up front?????” The first few miles, my legs felt strained, tight. I do not have a computer on my bike (yeah yeah…next purchase) and there were no signs on the course so I had NO way of knowing if I was at mile 5…or 20!! I would occasionally yell out to the kid volunteers on the corner – who would often hold arrow signs facing the wrong direction!! – asking them what mile we were at?? They had no clue and looked as though they were not quite sure if they were holding signs for a race…or a car wash. About halfway through the course, the “real” triathletes – on their “tri machines!” – started to pass me one by one. I could hear the whizzing of their high-end wheels before I could actually see them! Think of it like a Ferrari passing a horse and buggy – that’s what it felt like to me!! Of course, I kept my eye on their marked calves for 40’s!!
This was the first time I was smart about my nutrition. I ate every 2-3 hours the day before and drank water all day long. I consumed a PB&J (my favorite!!) on the way down, about 2 hours out, and then a banana about ½ hour before the start. Then, 1/2 hour into the bike, I consumed a GU and sipped water which I powdered with Accelerade throughout the ride. I consumed another GU about ½ hour later. I think consciously thinking about my nutrition powered me because the second half of the course I felt the strongest I have ever felt on the bike…during any training stint or race. Something to note: some guy on the route commenting on my ass. I was both offended and elated at the same time! (Been hitting the Smith Machine for squats so yeah…I’m happy its paying off, alright???) I quickly realized, however, that it was Bob and that doesn’t really count! Haha He said, “hey babe” as he blew by me looking so incredibly strong and fast and showing those 30 year-olds how to REALLY ride a bike!!!! It was so great seeing him and I feel he pulled me along!!
Transition went smoothly and started off running with sunglasses (was I afraid of cloud glare??). Decided they would just distract me so I handed them to a volunteer crossing the mat. She was less than thrilled but as I was running up hill I yelled back at her not to lose them!! As always, that first mile just BLOWS, SUCKS, BITES…! But then, like a beacon in the night, I see John Pax, running shirtless (NICE!!) and his smile and words of encouragement (think he said..Hey ponytail!!) lit a fire under my ass. This time, my head was completely in the game and kept my feet low to the ground for the first 2 miles, tucked my tailbone underneath, and was able to open up on mile 3. Although I love him to death, I had Bob in my sights and had to get him back for dusting me on the ride. In true Bob fashion he says, “I’ll see you at the finish line, Mare!!” Sniff..sniff…
For me, I had two absolutely memorable moments which will probably not only stay with me my entire race career (if you can call it that!), but my whole life. Where’s Katie…where’s Katie… I kept saying in my head. I knew my friend had worked so hard to conquer the open water. I have never seen anyone tackle something so head on. My worst fear was that something had happened to her. And then…coming out of the woods at my mile 4…I saw her. I actually had to choke back tears (ps..sobbing as I write this…) Her smile was one of the greatest things I have EVER seen . SHE DID IT!!!! Although we high-fived, I truly could have hugged or tackled her. She had an incredible time and there is no stopping her now!!!
I kept wondering “WTF was Anthony??” Then I heard him before I actually saw him “GET EM MARE!!!!” I saw him at about mile 5. After I had found out about his flat, I was truly amazed by his positive attitude and outlook on the incident. The fact that he was smiling and screaming for me?? It truly speaks to the kind of guy he really is. Wow…I am so proud to be his friend!!
My second most memorable moment: after the race, John Paxton went to look at the results. He comes back: “Not sure, Mare…but I think you are #2 in your age group!!” Like a true “woman,” I start to cry. (There’s no crying in triathlons!!!). I assured my group that it was ok…they can mail me my award…we don’t have to stay for the ceremony. They would hear nothing of it. The sight of them standing there, with their phones out, taking my picture, was just so emotional for me. It wasn’t so much about placing, or the award, but more about this amazing group which I have stumbled upon, who share my desire to train and compete and simply just “get it.” I am touched by their incredible support, not just yesterday, but every day in every way…with EVERY… SINGLE… E-MAIL
“Stories Out of Red Bank”
Red Bank Olympic Distance
RACE REPORT
Participants: MaryEllen, Bob, Anthony, Katie, Maureen
I hope all of you take a moment to read the race details of Bob, Anthony, Katie, John, Maureen and myself from our Red Bank Olympic Distance Tri event yesterday. If you ever questioned why you became a triathlete, I think the blogs from each of us will give you validation. I hope you find it as inspiring reading these as I did writing them!!
BOB
Meeting the team at 4:30 was the first thrill of the day! Yes, people I actually know doing the same stupid thing I am doing!!
The ride down to Red Bank was a memorable one:
- telling our stories about getting into the sport
- Mare drilling John on every aspect of his life -- the Feds need her since they stopped water boarding
- Katie’s laughter so early in the morning
- Anthony asking me if I wanted hold hands on the way down
Pre-Race highlights included:
- Setting up in the rain, putting down the towel and have it become a sponge in 2 seconds.
- Wondering if changing my transitions to a sockless strategy would work
- All of us calming each other down about our own prerace phobias
The Race highlights:
I was surprised that on the swim that 50 and older men go first, get out! I was first in the water for the water start -- I am so type A!! I loved having Mare and Katie right next to me at the start, very cool! During the swim, I was wondering how there is no one else within 50 feet half way through the swim except for one guy who was able to kick me three times in fifty yards?
Getting out of the water for T1, I strip, put on my helmet, glasses and shoes and I am off out of the fastest transition I have ever had. I eat a GU, however stick the Aero straw in my cheek then my eye before finding my lips to drink some Gatorade. I check every calf that goes by for age: WHOA, that one said 56!! CRAP! GO FASTER!!
Hey wait! I recognize that cute buttocks: Hey Mare looking great!!! (Mare is typing this and decides to bold and italics this line!!)
At T2, I quickly get into my new Zoots without socks -- blister town here I come!! But my transition time was quick! Realized I forgot my hat and the GPS, oh well. At the first water stop…WHAT??!! You only have water?? No Gu no Gatorade??? I was feeling surprisingly good until …whoosh… runner after runner is passing me: yes running is my Achilles heel! I really need to lose 2-3, maybe 35 lbs!!!
- “Bob your looking good!” thanks John!
- “Bob your looking good!” thanks Mare!
I start to worry about Anthony -- he should have passed me on the bike? I felt great though the run and cannot wait to see the splits!
At the Finish…Yea! There’s Mare and John! I find out that Ant had bike trouble and am relieved. I watched Katie and Maureen come in, very exiting! The big moment was when all of us were at the finish line for Ant when he came in after having bike problems! But he STILL had a great run!!! It was a very cool ceremony for Mare who placed 2nd in her age group, with some great pictures Gotta love a podium finish and it is only May!
On the ride home, I wonder why everyone is so damn quiet?? At home, I devoured anything that had a bad nutrition label!! Conclusion: would do it again in a heartbeat!!!
KATIE
I start my day with a bowl of oatmeal then meet the group of huddled ducks under Anthony's garage overhang...yes raining!! On the ride down, I got to hear some stories and more personal information about folks. WOW...this is one great group of people!!! I am feeling pretty good, not too nervous about the swim yet...until the Ironman video is put on in the van!! Seeing the swim, people clasping - my stomach started to roll and now I am looking around the car for what I could use as a pail to lose my oatmeal.
Still raining - oh well, not like I was not going to get wet. Registration looks a little clumsy and what's up with only 4 port-a-johns? We decided to drop our stuff at the transition spot and walk the in/out spots and see the swim course. Ok - where's the pail? The swim course looked scary to me and apparently it showed in my face as Mare turns and says "YOU CAN DO THIS!!" I loved hearing the race director say how he mapped out the swim course using his GPS app on his iPhone - what the heck is that!!!! I want state of the art equipment staking out the course!
It was a little weird starting in water, but in the end I think I like it better. Got a great hug from Bob – let’s hope before he warmed the water :-). The course was clockwise which was a advantage to me since I only breathe on the right side. I found a girl spotting a lot and double checked her accuracy a few times. She was doing well. So I let her spot for me while I just swam along side of her. All was good until .6 and we rounded the buoy, got a nice kick to my stomach and made me pop up for a minute to breath. Well, no big deal -- time to finish this!! I know the men are coming soon and sure has hell don't want them swimming over me. Current was pulling me a little out, but spotted every 5th stroke and was fine. I had to wait in line to get out of the water (only 3 ladders) so that was a little annoying. I am in good shape - suit is already half off and ready to fly. Well then like a dummy I decided to wear a silk long sleeve undershirt, under my bike shirt - WRONG. This thing took a solid minute to put on. Lesson learned - no silk on wet body. I chuck on my helmet & glasses and off I go.
On the bike I felt good - tried out the Aero bars and loving them. Into a good pace and then hear - "Is that Katie??" and here comes Anthony riding like the wind!! Wow he's fast! Later I saw him changing his flat tire :-) - I felt so bad for him. I kept waiting for him to fly past me again - where is he? The rest of the bike was uneventful until I got into the home stretch and recognized Maureen. We had a quick chat, well wishes and then ran into transition. Go Maureen!!!
OK - where is my spot??? Took a few extra seconds to find it, but whatever I found it. I rip off my silk undershirt and threaten its life with the trash can on the way out. Put on a dry tee shirt, knee band and start running.
Ok - did someone put lead in my shoes? My legs are tired and I think my butt is dragging on the ground. I tell myself to stop belly aching and get through it. I sight a guy in front of me and just hold onto hit pace. He gets me through the first mile and then I feel better. I turn about mile 1.5 and see John. YEAH - he is doing awesome and looks strong!!!!
I get into the wood part of the trail - I guess mile 2.3 and see Mary Ellen - I yell out to her and we high five. Man she is doing great - but there was no doubt she would! As I start to round the 3 mile marker and start my journey back one of the helpers yells "you're doing great you are almost 1/2 way there" - WHAT?!? I thought that was half way. The lady next to her says "this is 1/2 way" - thank god! I head back into the wood and see Anthony! YEAH - (His darn tire - his story to tell). I was so glad to see him, though!!
I completed the race 3:10 and felt good, but need water. They only had two jugs of water with 4oz Dixie cups - are you kidding!! I drank about 8 cups and then walked back to the finish line to find Bob, John, Maureen, Mary Ellen. We saw Anthony coming and decided to jump in after he crossed and give him a huge hug. We also got a nice photo from the photographer. It was great!!! There was something else - Oh yeah...that little thing about Mary Ellen getting 2nd in her age group!!! Holy sugar Batman!! That is terrific. We were all so happy to see her accept the award.
Mare and I go to change at the hospital and what do we see - is that heaven? Close to it - Dunkin Donuts....oh baby!!! Mary Ellen treats us all - THANK YOU!!
Lessons learned: I should be taking in more fuel. For the car conversation - sounded like 2 Gels/GUs and a bottle of Gatorade would have been good. I only did a 1/2 bottle of water the whole way. Decided I need to try out fueling during my longer workouts. At home, I unpacked all my wet junk, yelled at my silk shirt again. Hugged the family and showered. The rest of the day was spent playing battle games in my son’s room with his castles, reading books, playing with Mikayala & Eirica and making lunches for school the next day! Very exciting!!!
JOHN
The best part of the day for me was having each other for support, mentally and physically. I think there is a huge amount of motivation when you have a team working together cheering each other on! And for the first race of the season I think everyone had a great day. Of course accept for Anthony's blowout. But I loved his positive attitude.
As far as my personal race, I finished feeling strong and injury free. To break it down, my swim is always the toughest part of my race. I felt much better in the water even though I didn’t see my split times. I don’t expect it to be a great time, but I didn’t exhaust myself.
Coming out of T1 I knew I had a lot of catching up to do so I picked up the intensity knowing that the rest were ahead of me. About halfway through the bike I saw Anthony, I told him I hit a pot hole and lost my bottles out of the cage. He offered me one of his but I didn’t want him to be at a loss. Thanks Ant! Unfortunately, there were no aid stations on the bike route so I took in no fluids since the start of the race. I also feel bad cause right after I saw Anthony is when he had his blowout, and I had the tube he needed. Oh Well! That’s life!!
Going into T2 I was feeling a little heavy in the legs due to not replacing the calories that I had lost. But, I wasn’t cramping so that was a good sign. I see Mary Ellen I think near the end of the first mile -- they didn’t have markers out so unless you were wearing a GPS you didn’t know how far you were! She was looking very strong so I knew she would have a good race. Then when I got to around the third mile I saw Bob. He was very focused and was keeping a good pace. I also knew he would have a good race. Coming back around near mile 5 I saw Anthony and knew something went wrong. He was way too far behind. He explained what happened but was very positive. Coming back around into town my body was feeling good. I was lucky enough to pace with another athlete for pretty much the whole run. I finished feeling good and very happy. The weather held out and we all finished safely! I think it was a great race to build off of and tweak what didn’t work out.
ANTHONY
Short and sweet for me:
The swim went OK, although it’s hard to judge how I did until I see the splits. I think I did somewhere around 27:30, but don't hold me to that because I have never been so dizzy after a swim. If I wasn't helped up a ladder I might not have made it. Maybe it was 37:20....................
T1: Between being dizzy and wearing a borrowed wetsuit I had a tough time getting the darn thing off. My game plan was not to rush the transitions so that didn't bother me.
Spending $3,400.00 on a new bike will always make your bike splits go down, CORRECT??? Not on this day. Everything felt good until the flat. I only wish I knew how long I sat on the side of the road waiting, I feel like it would give me a better sense of a realistic finish time for me. You all know the story by now so let’s move on. Now I am back on the bike smiling again.
T2: uneventful
I was not pleased with the run at all. That's the type of course that suits me and I just didn't have the legs. Cramped up after a mile and never recovered. I need to take a serious look at my nutrition because this happens to me often. I don't think GU is for me. Think I did somewhere around 53:00?....................horrible.
Pro's:
- Mare second in her age!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- Katie having a strong swim...................everyone but Katie knew she would.
- Nice to race this early in the season to get the kinks out.
- Had a blast with some friends.
MAUREEN
Getting there and seeing everyone made me feel sooooooooo much better than doing it alone. Even just asking stupid questions about setting up was helpful -- it just made this the best experience!
The in-water swim was fine, despite the screw-up of them having Ant and John jump in by accident (that sucked). I should have been more aggressive and started more in the front. The open water swim is so much harder for me than in pool, I'm pretty sure it is because I am poor at following the buoys. As a result, it feels like I swim in circles at times. (am going to make a point to do open water swim during training now, there's a place in rye where my sister lives). As Anthony, I was so dizzy when I got back to the transition so I took my time.
T he bike is my weakest part overall. I ran out of drink (gatorade) and really wished i had more. I had a GU, but I can't take it without drink so that was out. I'll take 2 water bottles next time. I lost my chain which was easy to put back on but that delayed me a bit. I also wish I had studied the course a bit more online to know my way. How great it was to hear Katie's voice at the tail end of the bike: really friendly and nice just before the run! Ant and John passed me which was also really nice and a bit inspirational. It made me work harder, even just for a bit.
The run wasn't too bad. I am always a bit wobbly getting of the bike so I'll do this more in training. I was definitely a lot slower than I normally run, maybe even a minute per mile, and my legs don't seem to work well until mile 3. I loved the transition to the grassy area as it really broke up the run. I also liked out and back.
Overall, the best part was doing this with our group. It really made it such a blast for me and so much fun! I agree, we all look so happy in the picture!!!!
MARE
Looking at the weather earlier in the week, it was clear that we would not have ideal conditions for our Red Bank Olympic Distance. I decided to get over it and not let that bother me…it will be what it will be. I awoke at 3:30 am to go through my pre-race ritual: shower (yes, I know…smooth legs are important!!), review the course map over coffee, double check my gear, and say a prayer in the quiet. J Despite the rain and darkness, driving down in Anthony’s van was one of those times I will always remember: we swapped stories about how we got into triathlons, listened to pieces of Bob’s incredible life story, John Pax graciously let me grill him mercilessly about every aspect of his life (you are a good sport, john!!)…and watching the video of Kona!! We got there in record time, by 5:30am and the organizers were just setting up. They were not shy about letting us know their displeasure at our early arrival. Quite frankly, they were the most surly registration bunch I have ever encountered, really giving us the business about having our USAT cards!! We couldn’t register online without paying the $10 fee so come on!!
We held off setting up our Transition spots because of the rain…and decided instead to hit the port-a-johns (there were only 4 which I actually e-mailed the Race Director about – CRAZY!!!) and decided to go check out the water. Holy far buoy!! Really?? This was .9??? You could barely SEE the far buoy!! Participants were freaking out about the distance and the race director informed us that he had, in fact, measured the distance the day before with his…hard to believe…iphone!!! Ummm…this is a USAT-sanctioned event, right???? I didn’t mind because you all pretty much know how I feel about the swim: move that buoy out, baby!!! Good for me…not so good for you!! Haha!!
The first wave was for us old farts: 50 and over men and 40 and over women. The water felt surprisingly good! Must be my new $300 wetsuit!! I loved being near Bob and Katie at the in-the-water start. The hug from Bob…although nearly drowning me…was all the fuel I needed to get going! J I pulled away from the crowd pretty much from the get-go and, still not knowing my splits upon writing this, I believe I was in the top group out of the water in my wave. My sighting was effective and I had this one gal in my vision the entire time, using her as a marker. Upon seeing the dock at the end, I bid her a “thanks” and swam past to the ladder! Coming out of the water of course I yelled, “What # am I???” Someone said…”Third!!”…but I don’t think that is accurate.
Always having a strong swim gives me a real jump start on the bike – my weakness – and for awhile, I was pretty much by myself on the rolling hills course! This one guy passed me saying, “I hate being up front..not sure about this course!!” Was I actually “up front?????” The first few miles, my legs felt strained, tight. I do not have a computer on my bike (yeah yeah…next purchase) and there were no signs on the course so I had NO way of knowing if I was at mile 5…or 20!! I would occasionally yell out to the kid volunteers on the corner – who would often hold arrow signs facing the wrong direction!! – asking them what mile we were at?? They had no clue and looked as though they were not quite sure if they were holding signs for a race…or a car wash. About halfway through the course, the “real” triathletes – on their “tri machines!” – started to pass me one by one. I could hear the whizzing of their high-end wheels before I could actually see them! Think of it like a Ferrari passing a horse and buggy – that’s what it felt like to me!! Of course, I kept my eye on their marked calves for 40’s!!
This was the first time I was smart about my nutrition. I ate every 2-3 hours the day before and drank water all day long. I consumed a PB&J (my favorite!!) on the way down, about 2 hours out, and then a banana about ½ hour before the start. Then, 1/2 hour into the bike, I consumed a GU and sipped water which I powdered with Accelerade throughout the ride. I consumed another GU about ½ hour later. I think consciously thinking about my nutrition powered me because the second half of the course I felt the strongest I have ever felt on the bike…during any training stint or race. Something to note: some guy on the route commenting on my ass. I was both offended and elated at the same time! (Been hitting the Smith Machine for squats so yeah…I’m happy its paying off, alright???) I quickly realized, however, that it was Bob and that doesn’t really count! Haha He said, “hey babe” as he blew by me looking so incredibly strong and fast and showing those 30 year-olds how to REALLY ride a bike!!!! It was so great seeing him and I feel he pulled me along!!
Transition went smoothly and started off running with sunglasses (was I afraid of cloud glare??). Decided they would just distract me so I handed them to a volunteer crossing the mat. She was less than thrilled but as I was running up hill I yelled back at her not to lose them!! As always, that first mile just BLOWS, SUCKS, BITES…! But then, like a beacon in the night, I see John Pax, running shirtless (NICE!!) and his smile and words of encouragement (think he said..Hey ponytail!!) lit a fire under my ass. This time, my head was completely in the game and kept my feet low to the ground for the first 2 miles, tucked my tailbone underneath, and was able to open up on mile 3. Although I love him to death, I had Bob in my sights and had to get him back for dusting me on the ride. In true Bob fashion he says, “I’ll see you at the finish line, Mare!!” Sniff..sniff…
For me, I had two absolutely memorable moments which will probably not only stay with me my entire race career (if you can call it that!), but my whole life. Where’s Katie…where’s Katie… I kept saying in my head. I knew my friend had worked so hard to conquer the open water. I have never seen anyone tackle something so head on. My worst fear was that something had happened to her. And then…coming out of the woods at my mile 4…I saw her. I actually had to choke back tears (ps..sobbing as I write this…) Her smile was one of the greatest things I have EVER seen . SHE DID IT!!!! Although we high-fived, I truly could have hugged or tackled her. She had an incredible time and there is no stopping her now!!!
I kept wondering “WTF was Anthony??” Then I heard him before I actually saw him “GET EM MARE!!!!” I saw him at about mile 5. After I had found out about his flat, I was truly amazed by his positive attitude and outlook on the incident. The fact that he was smiling and screaming for me?? It truly speaks to the kind of guy he really is. Wow…I am so proud to be his friend!!
My second most memorable moment: after the race, John Paxton went to look at the results. He comes back: “Not sure, Mare…but I think you are #2 in your age group!!” Like a true “woman,” I start to cry. (There’s no crying in triathlons!!!). I assured my group that it was ok…they can mail me my award…we don’t have to stay for the ceremony. They would hear nothing of it. The sight of them standing there, with their phones out, taking my picture, was just so emotional for me. It wasn’t so much about placing, or the award, but more about this amazing group which I have stumbled upon, who share my desire to train and compete and simply just “get it.” I am touched by their incredible support, not just yesterday, but every day in every way…with EVERY… SINGLE… E-MAIL
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Pre-Race/Transition Seminar
On Friday May 6th we had a seminar that discussed pre-race and transition checklists and went through the steps to take.
Here are the checklists. Feel free to use this or modify it for your own use. As I mentioned, over the years I have really cut back on things I bring with me to a race. That doesn't mean you should limit yourself, I just found certain things unnecessary. This is more than I bring to a race, but I've included some common items many people do use. Also, I will call this list my "Olympic Distance or Shorter" list. For distances further than that, my list will be different.
Here we go...
Swim
Wetsuit
Goggles x2
Cap (from race)
Body Glide
Non-Stick Spray
Race Belt with Number
Bike
Bike
Race Wheels
Helmet
Tri-Shoes
Sunglasses
Race Belt with Number
CO2
Spare Tube/tire
Socks
Run
Shoes
Hat
Race Belt with Number
Sunglasses
Socks
Nutrition
Gels
Powerbar
Gatorade
Water
Extra Stuff
Towels
Bike Pump
Flip Flops
Sunscreen
Post Race Clothes
First Aid Kit
Pre Race To Do's
Hydrate
Rack bike
Put stickers on bike/helmet
Bodymarking
Pump up tires
Put helmet/sunglasses on top of aero bars
Clip in shoes
Lay out run shoes, hat, and sunglasses
Warm-up
Put on wetsuit/cap
I am posting this, but will most likely edit in the coming days. If I edit, I will indicate it here. If you see anything that should be added, let me know!
Here are the checklists. Feel free to use this or modify it for your own use. As I mentioned, over the years I have really cut back on things I bring with me to a race. That doesn't mean you should limit yourself, I just found certain things unnecessary. This is more than I bring to a race, but I've included some common items many people do use. Also, I will call this list my "Olympic Distance or Shorter" list. For distances further than that, my list will be different.
Here we go...
Swim
Wetsuit
Goggles x2
Cap (from race)
Body Glide
Non-Stick Spray
Race Belt with Number
Bike
Bike
Race Wheels
Helmet
Tri-Shoes
Sunglasses
Race Belt with Number
CO2
Spare Tube/tire
Socks
Run
Shoes
Hat
Race Belt with Number
Sunglasses
Socks
Nutrition
Gels
Powerbar
Gatorade
Water
Extra Stuff
Towels
Bike Pump
Flip Flops
Sunscreen
Post Race Clothes
First Aid Kit
Pre Race To Do's
Hydrate
Rack bike
Put stickers on bike/helmet
Bodymarking
Pump up tires
Put helmet/sunglasses on top of aero bars
Clip in shoes
Lay out run shoes, hat, and sunglasses
Warm-up
Put on wetsuit/cap
I am posting this, but will most likely edit in the coming days. If I edit, I will indicate it here. If you see anything that should be added, let me know!
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Training Help
I was recently asked the following question by a fellow athlete... "How did you know what pace to run that race at?"
It is a very good question and my answer has a lot to do with the fact that I've been racing for about 8 years and have a good idea of where I should be. But I want to offer a better answer along with an extremely useful tool that I use in both my training and my coaching. Knowing what pace to race at is one thing, but you also need to know how to train to be at that fitness level.
I give you the answer!!!!!
Click on the link above and follow along with my example. Scroll down to the section where you select an event and choose "5K" and then enter 17:12 and then hit "calculate" That was the time of a 5K I ran on March 26th.
As you can see, you are given a big sheet with a ton of information on it. What I want to you focus on is the upper right corner where it says 5000m with 17:12 under it (which is the info we entered) and it also gives you that mile pace. This tool uses the info you put in to somehow project what your times could be at other distances. Now look at the 13.1M area and notice that my projected time is a 1:19:30. So, given that information my goal time for the Rutgers Half was a 1:20. Now even cooler than that is that this website gives you guidelines for what types of times you should run for different workouts.
I am very confident that the workouts I did this past spring led to a big PR for me. I did a long run on the weekend, a tempo run on Tuesdays, and a track workout on Thursdays. I used this website to find those paces.
I used my result from the Rutgers race to then set a new goal for Long Branch. The 9.55 mile race is very close to 15K. So I went back to the calculator, did some math, and put in a time for 15K that projected a 13.1 time to be around 1:18:30. Well, I don't like numbers like that, so I made my goal time 1:18:00.
Mission accomplished.
Please feel free to ask any questions about using that calculator to help you set new goals and how to train for them!
It is a very good question and my answer has a lot to do with the fact that I've been racing for about 8 years and have a good idea of where I should be. But I want to offer a better answer along with an extremely useful tool that I use in both my training and my coaching. Knowing what pace to race at is one thing, but you also need to know how to train to be at that fitness level.
I give you the answer!!!!!
Click on the link above and follow along with my example. Scroll down to the section where you select an event and choose "5K" and then enter 17:12 and then hit "calculate" That was the time of a 5K I ran on March 26th.
As you can see, you are given a big sheet with a ton of information on it. What I want to you focus on is the upper right corner where it says 5000m with 17:12 under it (which is the info we entered) and it also gives you that mile pace. This tool uses the info you put in to somehow project what your times could be at other distances. Now look at the 13.1M area and notice that my projected time is a 1:19:30. So, given that information my goal time for the Rutgers Half was a 1:20. Now even cooler than that is that this website gives you guidelines for what types of times you should run for different workouts.
I am very confident that the workouts I did this past spring led to a big PR for me. I did a long run on the weekend, a tempo run on Tuesdays, and a track workout on Thursdays. I used this website to find those paces.
I used my result from the Rutgers race to then set a new goal for Long Branch. The 9.55 mile race is very close to 15K. So I went back to the calculator, did some math, and put in a time for 15K that projected a 13.1 time to be around 1:18:30. Well, I don't like numbers like that, so I made my goal time 1:18:00.
Mission accomplished.
Please feel free to ask any questions about using that calculator to help you set new goals and how to train for them!
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Long Branch Half Marathon - Race Report
Beautiful day for a race! The weather was nice and cool in the morning, but it definitely started to warm up by the start of the race. Decent breeze slightly out of the north and off the water, so that kept things comfortable for the whole race. I wanted to go out controlled today, so that meant being above target pace for the first couple of miles. I hate doing this, because I feel like I am playing catch-up the whole day, but it's definitely the smarter way to run. My goal time of 1:18:00 meant 5:56's was the target pace. However, two years ago my Garmin recorded the race to be 13.35 miles. If that's true again, I will have to be faster than that.
Here are the splits.
Mile 1 - 5:55. How's that for being on target?! However, I wanted to be a little slower than that. It's so hard to relax that first mile. It was tough to get a read on everyone so finding people to run with was tough. It took a half mile or so, but everyone finally settled down and I probably went through the first mile in about 12th place.
Mile 2 - 6:03. That's better. The race started to settle down and all the first mile heroes had relaxed. 6:03, though? Was I a first mile hero too? Can't be, this was the plan...but that wasn't an "easy" mile.
Mile 3 - 6:02. OK, still on plan. Mile 2 and 3 were into the wind and I had sat on a guy (thank you to that guy) and hoped he hit the right numbers. He did and once we turned away from the ocean I went by him. Through the 5k I was sitting in 9th according to someone on the course.
Mile 4 - 5:52. It was time to start getting this on track. The rush of the race was gone and it was time to run. I moved past my wind blocker and did some work on my own. The course became VERY crowded and from here until mile 11.5 I would be navigating the huge field of marathon runners. At some points it got frustrating, but other times it was exciting. I had to make a few wide turns and running the tangents wasn't an option. There was definitely a bit of a rush and we passed the marathoners, though.
Mile 5 - 5:51. Another solid mile. At this point I was in 9th and had 8th-4th all in sights ahead of me. All I remember seeing was a black jersey, yellow jersey, white jersey, yellow jersey, blue jersey ahead of me moving through a see of marathoners. We were literally zig-zagging through the course at some points.
Mile 6 - 5:51. Another mile, same split. I moved up into 7th and caught up to 6th but sat back. We're only halfway there! I went through the 6.55 mark (halfway) at an average pace of 5:57. If I wanted to go under 1:18:00 I would have to have a faster second half. No worries, that was the plan.
Mile 7 - 5:53. I don't remember anything from mile 7. Really, I've got nothing!
Mile 8 - 5:56. Uh-oh. This didn't feel easy, but why was it slower? I did take a gel during this mile and made sure to take in enough water. Maybe that was it, but seeing that on my watch had me a little concerned. My average pace was at 5:56, but I was getting tired! I was dreaming of two weeks ago when we were only running a 10 mile race. This is where I turned it on. I didn't like the pressure of being that close to goal pace, especially since my watch wasn't matching the mile markers on the course. At this point it was time to commit to this race.
Mile 9 - 5:45
Mile 10 - 5:43
Mile 11 - 5:40
These three miles sorta all blended into one big surge. By the end of mile 11 I had passed all of the guys I had in sight and was in 4th. The marathon runners and fans were a big help here. There are a good amount of spectators in the section because it's a couple blocks over from the finish line. I just let the energy of the crowd take over and I put in a strong effort. By this point, volunteers on the course were indicating that the two races would split directions so we could finish and the marathoners could continue south. The road was divided with cones and so I stayed left on the lonely 13.1 course. I remember passing a parked VW Beetle on the turn to head North that had a poster on its windshield that say 1.5 miles to go. That felt good.
Mile 12 - 5:48. One thing I never do in a race is look behind me. In all the races I've done I have never turned around to see if anyone was behind me. However, one of my biggest fears in racing is getting caught from behind at the end of a race. As a ran this mile I just hoped I could runaway from anyone that might have hung on during those three hard miles. The "blue jersey" guy that was in 4th when I passed him definitely looked comfortable when I passed him and I had no idea how far behind he was. Usually I will try to listen to the crowd's cheering, but this was a lonely mile and not many spectators were around so I was clueless. In the FAR distance I could see 3rd place and knew I wasn't catching him. My average pace had dropped to 5:52, but I was alone and had to finish this race, into the head wind, on my own.
Mile 13 - 5:52. My watch said 5:52, my body felt like it was a 4:52. Thankfully the end was in sight. I was pretty sure I was on my own, but the clock was ticking. I remember trying to push the pace a little more during this stretch and actually got a little cramp in my calf. It was right as I came onto the boardwalk. The way my watch is set up, once I pass an hour I can no longer see the seconds of the total time. All I saw was 1:16. That could be 1:16.01 or 1:16.59. In any case, I had to get to the finish line!!!
Mile 0.1 (actually 0.3) - Something under 2 minutes. I tried to find another gear at the very end, but my calf cramped up again. I could see the clock and knew it saw 1:17.XX. As I got closer I knew I had it. Of course I forgot to stop my watch when I crossed the line, so my Garmin data is a little off.
Official time was 1:17:51. Snuck in with 9 seconds to spare!!!
Congratulations to all of the Tri Club members who raced today, as well!
Here's the Garmin data...
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/82835776
Here are the splits.
Mile 1 - 5:55. How's that for being on target?! However, I wanted to be a little slower than that. It's so hard to relax that first mile. It was tough to get a read on everyone so finding people to run with was tough. It took a half mile or so, but everyone finally settled down and I probably went through the first mile in about 12th place.
Mile 2 - 6:03. That's better. The race started to settle down and all the first mile heroes had relaxed. 6:03, though? Was I a first mile hero too? Can't be, this was the plan...but that wasn't an "easy" mile.
Mile 3 - 6:02. OK, still on plan. Mile 2 and 3 were into the wind and I had sat on a guy (thank you to that guy) and hoped he hit the right numbers. He did and once we turned away from the ocean I went by him. Through the 5k I was sitting in 9th according to someone on the course.
Mile 4 - 5:52. It was time to start getting this on track. The rush of the race was gone and it was time to run. I moved past my wind blocker and did some work on my own. The course became VERY crowded and from here until mile 11.5 I would be navigating the huge field of marathon runners. At some points it got frustrating, but other times it was exciting. I had to make a few wide turns and running the tangents wasn't an option. There was definitely a bit of a rush and we passed the marathoners, though.
Mile 5 - 5:51. Another solid mile. At this point I was in 9th and had 8th-4th all in sights ahead of me. All I remember seeing was a black jersey, yellow jersey, white jersey, yellow jersey, blue jersey ahead of me moving through a see of marathoners. We were literally zig-zagging through the course at some points.
Mile 6 - 5:51. Another mile, same split. I moved up into 7th and caught up to 6th but sat back. We're only halfway there! I went through the 6.55 mark (halfway) at an average pace of 5:57. If I wanted to go under 1:18:00 I would have to have a faster second half. No worries, that was the plan.
Mile 7 - 5:53. I don't remember anything from mile 7. Really, I've got nothing!
Mile 8 - 5:56. Uh-oh. This didn't feel easy, but why was it slower? I did take a gel during this mile and made sure to take in enough water. Maybe that was it, but seeing that on my watch had me a little concerned. My average pace was at 5:56, but I was getting tired! I was dreaming of two weeks ago when we were only running a 10 mile race. This is where I turned it on. I didn't like the pressure of being that close to goal pace, especially since my watch wasn't matching the mile markers on the course. At this point it was time to commit to this race.
Mile 9 - 5:45
Mile 10 - 5:43
Mile 11 - 5:40
These three miles sorta all blended into one big surge. By the end of mile 11 I had passed all of the guys I had in sight and was in 4th. The marathon runners and fans were a big help here. There are a good amount of spectators in the section because it's a couple blocks over from the finish line. I just let the energy of the crowd take over and I put in a strong effort. By this point, volunteers on the course were indicating that the two races would split directions so we could finish and the marathoners could continue south. The road was divided with cones and so I stayed left on the lonely 13.1 course. I remember passing a parked VW Beetle on the turn to head North that had a poster on its windshield that say 1.5 miles to go. That felt good.
Mile 12 - 5:48. One thing I never do in a race is look behind me. In all the races I've done I have never turned around to see if anyone was behind me. However, one of my biggest fears in racing is getting caught from behind at the end of a race. As a ran this mile I just hoped I could runaway from anyone that might have hung on during those three hard miles. The "blue jersey" guy that was in 4th when I passed him definitely looked comfortable when I passed him and I had no idea how far behind he was. Usually I will try to listen to the crowd's cheering, but this was a lonely mile and not many spectators were around so I was clueless. In the FAR distance I could see 3rd place and knew I wasn't catching him. My average pace had dropped to 5:52, but I was alone and had to finish this race, into the head wind, on my own.
Mile 13 - 5:52. My watch said 5:52, my body felt like it was a 4:52. Thankfully the end was in sight. I was pretty sure I was on my own, but the clock was ticking. I remember trying to push the pace a little more during this stretch and actually got a little cramp in my calf. It was right as I came onto the boardwalk. The way my watch is set up, once I pass an hour I can no longer see the seconds of the total time. All I saw was 1:16. That could be 1:16.01 or 1:16.59. In any case, I had to get to the finish line!!!
Mile 0.1 (actually 0.3) - Something under 2 minutes. I tried to find another gear at the very end, but my calf cramped up again. I could see the clock and knew it saw 1:17.XX. As I got closer I knew I had it. Of course I forgot to stop my watch when I crossed the line, so my Garmin data is a little off.
Official time was 1:17:51. Snuck in with 9 seconds to spare!!!
Congratulations to all of the Tri Club members who raced today, as well!
Here's the Garmin data...
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/82835776
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