Monday, July 12, 2010

Race Report - Couples Triathlon

This is the second event I do for the Texas Tri series and one I had not done before. It was a a little bumpy to the start line, but it ended up being a great race.

When I signed up initially I didn’t have a partner, so I was placed in the Individual category. However, about two weeks before the race I received an email from the organizers saying that they would pair up singles that were still looking for a partner and put them in the Mostly Strangers group. I decided to take my chances since they had already warned me that the singles were the last wave to start (not really, I found out later that the relatives were the very last to go in the water). Imagine my surprise when I received an email back saying that I had been paired up with a Jody Kelly. Hmmm, could that be the Jody Kelly I know, the one that is also a TriZoner? The one that has been training with me on Tuesday nights? I didn’t want to embarrass myself by sending a very excited and warm note to a perfect stranger only to figure out later that there were two Jody Kellys around. So, I sent an email out to the Jody I know and, YES!!, it was her. What a crazy little world, we both sign up to be randomly paired up with any other single and we end up being paired up with a teammate. We decided to change our status to Friends and registered under the name “727”; Jody is 72 and I’m 27, get it? I thought it was a pretty cool name.

My Goal for the Race

All I wanted to do was to be able do the run without stopping. I did really good last time in this course for Danskin, but by the time I got to the run I was really tired and had to walk much more than what I would have wanted. So the strategy was to pace myself (aka, slack if needed) in the swim and bike, so that I would have enough energy to do the run without slowing down, not even in the water stations. I was also going to try eating some more calories during the ride, hopefully that would also help with the run goal.

Pre-Race

As I usually do, I left all my stuff packed and ready the night before. The only thing left to do in the morning was fill out the water bottles, and, since this wasn’t one of my A/B races I decided to try out this new and revolutionary concept called: eating breakfast. I usually don’t eat anything, other than the occasional post workout chocolate milk, before nine in the morning; on race days I sometimes do the chocolate milk or some kind of cereal bar but never anything filling or heavy. I decided that a PB&J sandwich could be a good option… some carbs, some protein, and also much more substantial than a glass of milk… if it didn’t work out this time, I could try something else next time.

Well I got ready, M got ready, I ate my sandwich, filled my bottles and off we headed to Decker Lake. I wanted to get out of the house before six in the morning and be at the park by 6:20, but for some reason or another that did not happen. We actually made it to the park at about 6:45.

Once there I decided to pump my tires at the car so I didn’t have to carry the floor pump to transition. I started unscrewing the lock on the valve and I still don’t know what I did wrong but I actually broke the valve and deflated the tire in the process. Great! Now I have to change the tire. Well, at least it didn’t happen during the race, and at least I had M to help me (my fix-a-flat skills are way better than his, but he’s got the strength I lack to take that last part of the tire into the wheel rim). That took us a good ten minutes so I made it to transition at seven, much later that what I would have wanted. I knew I was not going to get a good place to place my bike, but then I was actually surprised to find a spot not too far from the bike out.

I took everything out of the bag and that’s when I realized I left my gloves. Hmm, ok, I guess I’ll do the ride without them. I kept setting up my stuff and discovered I also left my socks. How did I pack this bag yesterday? Oh well, I couldn’t do anything about that, so I was going to have to race without them.

I got out of the transition area to meet up with M and I told him about the gloves and the socks and he reminded me that he had a pair of gloves in my car. I told him it was ok, that I would do without, but he insisted, so we went to the car and I was able to find a spare pair I had left in the car, I think since last season. (Good, because M’s gloves would have been huge for my hands.) Walking back to transition from the parking lot he also offered to give me his socks, he’s so sweet :). Still, I declined; for me running with big bulky socks is far worse than running with no socks at all.

I barely made it back to transition in time to set up the gloves and before I could make it out of there, they were already asking all to step out of the area. Well, at least I was able to set up everything, but it was a close call.

Once out, I left my bag at the TZ tent, then I headed to the swim start where I met up with Jody. We had one of the earlier waves, but we still had time to chat a little before we started.

The Swim

Jody told me she was going to stay towards the back and I decided to join her, after all, there is no point on me pretending I’m one of the fast ones only to have a bunch of people swimming over me later. Well, let’s just say it was rough; even back there there were people kicking me and hitting me and swimming over me. It was a brutal start. I think I had to swim 75-100 meters before I could actually found some space. After that I was able to find my pace and just relax… mostly… once the next wave started passing me it was kicking and hitting again. Seriously, WTF?

I made it out of the water in 23:13, almost a minute slower than Danskin. But I was actually quite happy with the time. I had thought earlier that the Danskin course was short and that there was no way in this world I could have really finished 800m in less than half an hour, but it seems that the swim classes are really paying off.

T1 was uneventful. I spent 2:34 there.

The Ride

One of the things I wanted was to eat more calories during the bike, so as soon as I found my pace I ate a few Cliff Shots. Before I knew it I was approaching Little Tard. I was mentally ready to walk it if needed… just part of the strategy, saving my legs for the run ;-). At the end I didn’t need to, and, although I was out of air by the time I reached the top, I was able to find a good pace to continue. Towards the end of the course I finished the Cliff Shots and was looking forward to the run.

The time for the bike was 42:50, Danskin was 44:08 so a bit better. I was in and out of T2 in 1:26 and now my real race started.

The Run

I don’t know if it was the breakfast, the extra calories in the bike, the peak performance workouts or all of the above, but going out to the run felt really great. The course wasn’t  as muddy as I thought it would be, last year I had to stop a few times to scrap my muddy shoes, and it was nothing like that this time. Before I knew it I was at the first water station. I normally slow down or walk for a while, but not this time, I was on a mission. On my way downhill I found the second water station and I was still running. No slowing down on this one either because that last uphill was coming and I might need to slow down there. Well soon enough the moment of the truth came and no, no backing out going up either. Up the hill I went and once there I was able to find some more in me to sprint –well not really a sprint, but definitely speed up– to the finish line. I finished at 1:40:52 with 30:47 on the run. Yey!! That is both a PR for the course and the run!! (1:43:09 and 31:45 were the previous.)

Saturday, July 3, 2010

From Brazil to Texas in a Week, With a Short Stop in France

Last Thursday I went to the Peak Performance workout and I’m not really sure why Coach Jen mentioned that I was doing an Ironman. Brazil, right? Yeah baby! Brazil!

Well, at least that was the intention, because when I got home I decided to finally register for it and NOOOOOOO! I found the following message in their website:

The registration for Ironman Brazil 2011 is SOLD OUT !

No!!! When did this happen? How did this happen? Who? What? When? What? What? Sold out? Why? What am I going to do now?

I admit it, I panicked. You know when you have a dream and it get’s crushed in front of you eyes… that’s how I felt.

After I told M so we could share my sad moment, I went to the ironman page. Surely, there has to be some other I can do… right? Well, yes, if you want  to do it in Idaho!  <Notice the sarcasm> (Nothing against Idaho, ok, maybe a little.)

Well, after another moment of panic and sadness I came to my senses and realized that the races in Canary Islands, Nice, and Austria could be good options. I also noticed that the brand new Ironman Texas, on May 21, 2011, had not started accepting applications yet.

Ok, ok, breathe, there are still options. 

I checked out the courses, the prices, the temperature, the price of the plane tickets, the locations, everything, and narrowed it down to two: Nice and Texas. Texas? Yes, Texas.

The Nice option was really a replacement for Brazil. Awesome place to do a race and to visit; and if you are going to travel to do a race might as well go to a great place. Texas was just a different story, it’s practically on my backyard, no traveling involved, and the opportunity to actually practice on the race course. The only thing these two races have in common is that they are both Ironman events.

So, after asking around for advice, considering all the pros and cons, and even flipping a coin I decided for Texas… and then Nice… and back to Texas.

Now, seriously, it took me about a week to decide, but I finally registered for Ironman Woodlands, TX. Now the clock starts ticking; in less than a year I will become (or at least attempt) an Ironman. Let the fun begin.