Friday, September 30, 2016

IM 70.3 NC Training: Mostly good, plus one Pity Party


How in the WORLD is it almost October?? The last two months have flown by, in part because work has been extra busy and exciting with the Olympics, Paralympics, and now Kona - and that is all on top of the "regular" training and racing by the fortyninegroup athletes! On the homefront, our sons, now a sophomore and junior in high school, are nearly at the end of the first nine weeks of school. We have a lot going on, so I just give each day my best.

I am in the final weeks of prep for my last race of the season - IRONMAN 70.3 North Carolina (aka Beach2Battleship) on October 22. I've welcomed the longer runs and rides and training has been going mainly pretty well. 

I saw a solid rise in my bike FTP in mid-September. I knew I had been feeling strong all summer, and toward the end of an 80 minute ride, a 20 minute threshold section gave me just the chance to prove it!

My swimming confidence and skill continues to improve and I am aware of and somewhat more able to control the nuances of the stroke. The best part of swimming is the people in my swim group! It's a triathlon "support group" where we can check in with each other, compare notes, and encourage one another. It's motivating -- especially since three of them race full iron distance, which puts my training into perspective.

Running is mentally the toughest for me right now, and it's where I feel the least consistent. I've had a number of track workouts that scared me, but I was able to meet all my targets, so I'm not sure why the lack of confidence.

Two weekends ago I had a pretty big blowup on an important brick. It seems to happen before EVERY half-iron I train for, this being my fifth. I let it happen.

I had a long-ish bike with two hours at race intensity, followed by an 8-mile run at race pace. The bike was no problem, but I let that run get into my head. My response to the fear was to overcompensate, to run way under the goal pace, and three miles in I fell apart. Big surprise. Then my mental game went south and all I could think about was I HATE RUNNING. It became an ugly Pity Party.



A few tears were shed (pathetic and overly dramatic, I know, but it was a mental and physical meltdown) and I could barely muster a mile at a time. When at mile six I found myself at the entrance to the swim spot, I shut the Garmin off, and hit the water. Then my sopping wet self slogged the last two miles back to the car. 

As upsetting as that session was, I learned from it and it was a wake-up call for how I need to conduct myself on race day:
  1. Don't overcook on the bike. Be disciplined and ride with appropriate power - not "just" 5 or 10 watts higher
  2. Stay on top of fueling!! 
  3. Be disciplined on the run especially in the first several miles - no faster than target pace! Run within myself. You have NO business redlining in a half marathon, at least not until the end. 
  4. Stay relaxed and positive. If the brain goes south EAT something, it's probably a fueling issue. Then suck it up and keep your head in the game!
A few days after the mental meltdown workout, I had a good commiseration session with my friend and lane-mate Kristen Chang. She just makes me laugh and see the ridiculous side of things!

I share this to point out that training is not always smooth sailing. I don't love every single moment, no one does. We all face motivation issues, doubts, and negativity, but we know to move through those times and not make too much of them. The tough days are what make us tougher! 

Runs have gone MUCH better for me since that brick. One thing I figured out is that unless my run nutrition is super easy to access, I won't use it. It needs to be front and center so I tested out a front pouch on last weekend's long run and it worked great! It was a good 13 mile out and back redemption run (photo at top) with tempo miles on the return trip that surpassed my expectations. I finished feeling great (oh, the wonders of fueling!).

So this is my new half IM race belt setup: pouch for Clif Shot Blocks plus BASE Salt, HotShot, and a mustard pack for cramp relief.


And in other news, my Garmin 910 died this week. For a long time I've had trouble with the power button and it finally got to the point where I could not turn it on at all. Disassembly confirmed the button alignment problem, and a new Garmin 920XT was ordered and received. It doesn't look any smaller, but it's lower profile and more comfortable. I'm still finding my way through the menus and things, but the transition has been relatively smooth. I kind of like the bluetooth feature that alerts me to texts and calls, so I find myself wearing it more than just for workouts.



This weekend I have my last long ride and long run and I'm looking forward to both!! Three weeks!


Sunday, September 4, 2016

The Grown-Up Decision to Back Out of ITU Worlds

my $485 outfit

I have decided not to go to ITU Age Group Worlds in Cozumel this year. I will not fill my spot on Team USA that I earned at USAT Nationals in Chicago last year.

It was not an easy decision, but it was the right one.

It's been a challenging year, and most of it not relevant to my sporty blog. So, feel free to skip to the next paragraph if you don't want the details, or read on if you do. My mom was super sick last fall and my dad passed away unexpectedly in February. Then my mother-in-law's partner of 25+ years passed away in April; he was a beloved Grandfriend to our kids and lived nearby. My mom, sister, and I sold my mom and dad's family home, managed my mom's downsizing, and moved her into her new townhouse. There were changes at my husband's job and he's now working from home. Spencer was gone to Governor's School for the month of July. The new school year brought changes, opportunities, and challenges for both kids - now a sophomore and junior in high school. 

It's the stuff of life. But on overload. It's been hard. 

Through it all I have kept up training with minimal deviations. I always wondered how I'd handle sport if life got out of control. Now I know. Getting out to swim, bike, and run is important for me to handle the stress. I'm thankful for the structure and the solitary quiet time to think and re-center. Much to my surprise, I've raced OK too. 

The truth is, I procrastinated on committing to Cozumel. As an early planner, that was really odd for me. I paid the registration fee in March ($485 - includes the Team parade clothes), and I'd had a primo hotel room booked since January, but I had no flight booked. I didn't order a new uniform. After my dad died, I just kind of knew this was not the year for it.

To get to Cozumel was going to take two flight segments, a bus or taxi, and a ferry. Doing that with a bike box did not sound like fun. Shipping the bike both ways was going to be about $800 and take longer than a domestic shipment, and I was too late to get a rental tri bike. On top of it all, I would be racing at the top of my age group. I just couldn't justify the expense when weighed against my motivation level.

So I made the grown-up decision to pull the plug. I'm at peace with it, but after I made the decision I realized that three of our pro athletes from the fortyninegroup are going to be there - Summer Cook, Rudy Von Berg, and Joe Maloy. I'm more disappointed that I won't see them than I am about missing my own race!

This was the right decision for my own sense of balance and for what the kids and family need. But it still kind of sucks!!

I'm doing a local race next weekend and will focus on a solid training block for IRONMAN 70.3 North Carolina on October 22.

As I have often told others - the sport will always be there for us! It's OK to step out of a race, or a season, or a few seasons.

Fortunately Team USA will be there for me again next year in Rotterdam.

Highlights from Chicago's ITU Worlds:




Saturday, September 3, 2016

Race Report: Scenic Mountain Triathlon, Richwood, WV

Coach Jim and I pre-race. Thanks TriStateRacer for the photos!

The morning of Wednesday, August 24th I was packing up to drive 400+ miles to visit my mom at her new house outside of Cleveland, Ohio. Coach Jim had made some adjustments to my training schedule and wrapped his email noting we'd be driving the same roads over the weekend as he'd be "driving back down Rt. 19 on Sunday evening myself...doing the Richwood Scenic Mt. Tri this weekend."

IMMEDIATELY I began thinking about how I could detour off my return trip route and join him!! 

For years, he has talked about this very special triathlon in Richwood, WV that he has raced many times since the early 90's. On June 24th this year, the area was devastated by flooding and the 31st annual race was rescheduled for August 28th. I couldn't believe they hadn't just cancelled. I was compelled to go and support this race and this strong community.



Luckily my race bag is always packed so it didn't take me long to throw it in the car. The plan came together pretty quickly!

I had a great time with my mom and sister doing odds-and-ends new house jobs. My race "taper" consisted of a 60 mile bike ride on the Emerald Necklace trail on Friday and about a 6 hour drive on Saturday to Richwood.

I met up with Coach Jim and his family where they treated me to dinner at the Oakford Diner. Then we headed to the Four Seasons Lodge for the night. The Cherry River runs just behind it, and we soaked our legs and enjoyed the tranquility.


This race is unique in several respects:
  • It's a late start - 10 am - which gives the fog a chance to clear (and athletes a chance to sleep in!)
  • There are two transition areas 17 miles apart. One numbered bag is used for your post-swim gear, and another numbered bag contains your run gear. Both are transported to T2/race finish. It sounds confusing but in actuality it's a smooth process!
  • There are no assigned racks, no swim caps, and no race bibs, just our body markings and a hand-written paper tag for the bike. There's an air of informality. 
  • No turn buoys - the swim is up one side of a rope/swim noodle lane and down the other. 
  • The course is hillier than any I have ever done. Yes, it's scenic, but the word "Mountain" is in the race name for a reason! 
  • There's pretty much no cell phone coverage in the area, and I have to say that was kind of refreshing!




Swim.
This is the only time all year people are allowed to swim in Summit Lake. I was in wave 2 with Coach Jim but lined up opposite him to race my own race rather than just tuck in on his feet (which was tempting). With my preferred breathing side to the right, and the rope to the left, it was not the straightest swim I could have done! Coach Jim came out of the water a good 45 seconds ahead of me. I quickly got my bike and then discovered there was no official mount line. Eventually I realized that and got on!

Bike.
Below is the bike course profile [Garmin Data]. I LOVED it! I zoomed down that first hill in the 30/40mph range, then got to work heading up the mountain! My summer training with a lot of sustained high-power work had prepared me well for this.

Coach Jim's family cheered at several stops along the bike course which helped spur me on. (Both of his children are triathletes too.) Despite a very uncrowded course, I managed to pick up a drafter along the way. I shot him a few nasty glances and he eventually detached and I left him far behind (3 minutes). I averaged 19.2 mph and 196w.


photo by Spencer gives an idea of one of the climbs

Run.
As I approached T2, I saw a volunteer ready with my run bag, and another took my bike. I was off on the run and soon joined fellow runners Krystal and Brandon, with whom I chit-chatted a bit (which if you know me is very unusual) as we all tried to take the first half easy. The course is an out-and-back, so as you are enjoying an easy run DOWN to the Cranberry bogs gate, you just know it's gonna hurt coming back UP. 


The three of us traded off leads but just past mile 4 I fell of their pace [Garmin Data] and I allowed myself to walk a few times (exactly 12 steps each time). I let them go, feeling fairly certain they had been in the first swim wave and thus actually 5 minutes behind me. I felt better again in the final mile and finished up netting an average pace of 7:54.


photo by Spencer - heading down toward the bogs!


 the grass beyond the finish was very inviting


We were all treated to a wonderful post-race cookout with chicken, hamburgers, hot dogs, sides, and plenty of drinks. I enjoyed browsing through the nature center, and as promised, awards started moments after the final racer finished. I finished 4th overall, 1st female [Results at TriStateRacer.com].

Afterward, my bike and I got a ride back to my van with the McGehees - it was still at the lake!

I for sure want to return to this race and to this community again. It's a tough but rewarding course that has inspired me to improve my hill running. I would encourage my friends to join me next year!

Thanks to Coach Jim and his family for all of their help on race day!