Long Course Duathlon National Champion F50-54: That's Fun!

This will be a pretty short race report as I have to get right back into life and work and I'm racing again next weekend. Also I have a stack of exams in urgent need of grading. (Helloooo, grading fairies....where are you???)

Early in the year I saw the list of USAT National Championships which showed that the Long Course Du would take place in not-too-far-away Cary, NC. I figured I should take advantage of the relative proximity and race it especially since it didn't seem all that long with a 5 mile run, 31 mile bike, and 5 mile run. Those are great distances for me! Coach Jim incorporated a number of run-bike-run bricks into my training and I felt ready! 

I was mentally relaxed on race day and not having a swim to contend with certainly simplified things. My stomach felt pretty rough which is unusual for me and I hoped it would settle once the race began.

The race venue was within the USA Baseball National Training Complex and the Virginia Tech Hokie baseball team was staying at our hotel!

I was surprised the turnout for the race was not larger, but some of the top multisport athletes were there like Kirsten Sass so I figured that competition would be tough for the top spots.

The women's field started together in one wave. Each run was two loops that involved quite a bit of turning but I kind of enjoyed that rather than just a long boring straight out and back.

My legs felt snappy, my stomach settled, and I surprised myself by running a 36:03 which comes out to 7:12/mile and my last mile was my fastest! (Goal pace was around 7:30) One kind of curious thing was the lack of timing mats on the run course -- odd, given how much attention course cutting has been receiving lately.

 

Then it was off on the bike where I totally bumbled my uphill mount a few times before getting going. It was a nice open and scenic course with generally good road conditions and plenty of marshals to keep us going in the right direction. Only once was traffic even a slight issue. We were pretty well spread out and I didn't see any blatant drafting. However, on a slight uphill I was behind a few riders and the motorcycle ref somehow pulled up quietly next to me. I had a small panic attack wondering if I was far enough back from the cyclist ahead of me? I retreated when in fact, if I had any doubts, I should have just made a pass just in case. Anyway, I rode along wondering if I'd maybe I'd gotten a 2 min penalty (never had one before), but then I decided I'd just work to finish MORE than 2 minutes ahead of whoever was behind me in my age group just in case. I did not get a penalty, but it was motivating and a wake-up call to pay closer attention to my position relative to other cyclists and eliminate all doubt! It's good the refs are out there.

I felt I rode decently enough considering the run I had put in, averaging 180w / 187w normalized and 20.9 mph. By the time I'd clicked off the 31 miles, I was more than ready to switch sports and get on with the second run. I had some calf cramping on the bike so in T2 I chugged a Hot Shot, then I doused my small towel with water and threw it around my neck for the run as the temperatures had climbed into the upper 80s.

The second run was a far different experience than the first. I began by dropping my gel heading out of T2 and stopped to get it.

retrieving the dropped gel

Love how we are both starting our watches! 

I unapologetically walked at every aid station to dump water on myself or put ice in the towel around my neck. I walked up the one short steep hill on the course to stave off the growing threat of cramps. Somehow I stayed reasonably positive knowing everyone was struggling in the heat. I'm not sure who all the young volunteers were on the run course, but they were certainly encouraging and motivating.

My second run was a 40:38 - more than four minutes slower than my first (oops) - and an average of 8:07 min/mile. Could a more reserved first run helped my second? Maybe a little but I kind of doubt it. And I had so much fun on that first run, so it was worth it! Overall I'm happy with my effort and excited to have a National Championship jersey for F50-54 and to be included in the USAT news article: Albert Harrison, Danielle Dingman Earn Long Course Duathlon National Titles, April 29, 2017.  I had an absolutely wonderful time at this race! 

Thank you THANK you to Coach Jim McGehee who has been my steadfast coach now for almost 8 years! He has an incredible knack for keeping my training fun, interesting, and productive. He seems to magically know how to best fit it into my life without it ever seeming overwhelming. 

Thanks to Bryan Walsh and Solar Connexion for supporting my racing in so many ways!

Thank you to my terrific sons Spencer and Grant who never question my need to swim, bike and run. We rally round one another in whatever our missions.

Lastly, thanks to Kristin and Chad for the great post-race company. 

Me with Kristin

Goodbye 49!

Tomorrow I will be 50! I'll have gone around the sun 50 times and will embark on my 51st journey. I just took this unedited photo to document the moment. All-in-all, I'm comfortable with me. I think that comes from being happy with what my body can do, the places it takes me under my own power, and the way it lets me feel!!

I don't wish to be a different age. That would mean undoing things I have done and things I have learned. Life has filed away many of the sharp edges and left me softer, more open, less fearful. I like myself more now than ten years ago. I know that the things I value most can't be taken from me - love, relationships, knowledge, skills, courage, freedom, fun, resilience, and gratitude. 

This past year has taught me that I'm capable of more than I thought, and shown me that I am stronger than I believed. 

I choose to move forward with a spirit of adventure and with a heart full of love. Yeah, I think that pretty much sums it up. 

I'm opting to have a pretty low key birthday without any special "50" related workouts. That is a big departure for me. I have a brick scheduled and I'll do it as planned - my first race, a duathlon, is just a month away! Training has been going reasonably well - on track and on schedule - which is kind of amazing if you knew how insanely packed life is at the moment.

I want to wrap this blog post with something I say a LOT, which is how wonderful it is to be a part of the running/swimming/tri community. People are active and competitive through their 80's, 90's and beyond! There's a great flow of energy and fun with friends in the sport and from the sport itself. I feel very fortunate and never lonely!

Watch out 50-54's...here I come!

P.S. Once the semester is over I will be grading less and blogging more, lol. 

Making vs Having Time

I am back from a nice 50-miler (with NO traffic lights) on this unseasonably nice February day with my good friend (and multiple Ironwoman) Janet. I noticed the forsythia is just starting to bloom which means spring is not too far away! Despite the lack of blogging, rest assured my training is on track as I prep for my eighth race season despite the self-imposed crazy busy-ness of life.

This year I added an extra bit of "excitement" to life by agreeing to teach one class this semester at Virginia Tech. It's been a while (years) since I've been in the classroom, and when I was asked I was simultaneously excited and terrified! I'd not taught this class before, the whole course management platform had changed since I taught last, the class has 84 students, and there is a lot packed into this 3-credit Introduction to Green Engineering course.  Critical to me has been ensuring that it does not take away from my work with the triathletes and companies we support through the fortyninegroup, so most class prep happens on the weekends. 

the classroom

I get a kick out of this when I start up the AV system!

Triathlon has taught me that it's alright and even good to take on things that are scary, and to do so without feeling like you are ready or that you know everything. Sometimes you just have to jump off that cliff and have faith that with hard work it will be ok! Anyway, I'm glad I made the decision to go for it. I'm enjoying the material, the challenge, and the students. Is it easy? No. Is it worth it. Yes!

This added responsibility means I have had to get even more efficient with my time. For example, I teach at 8 am T/H, which are my swim days. So now, I swim at 6 am, am out of the pool at 7:20, I change for class, eat a snack on the way, and am in the classroom by 7:50. Is it easy to plan and get up at 5? No. Is it worth it? Yes! 

There are some folks around me who seem to think I must have a life of leisure to be able to incorporate such "frivolity" as triathlon. It's not about HAVING the time, its about MAKING the time. Like a lot of us, I work full-time (and then some) and am raising two boys and managing a household. We all make choices and tradeoffs about how to spend our time and for me, training is the scaffold of my life. I wrote this bit of reflection to Coach Jim after a hill workout a few weeks ago:

The training time provides MUCH need time away from the computer, phone, and people. It gets me off the hamster wheel of life and gives me something that involves tangible progress - yards, miles, minutes logged. I like knowing I'm doing something that most people don't do and it's a daily reminder that I'm resilient and capable when other parts of my life might be sending me different messages. So, thank you very much for being my coach and for the thousands of workouts you have written and responded to, and for giving me such an important, constant source of structure, purpose, and joy for the past almost 8 years now. I'm very grateful for the time and energy and encouragement you pour into me, and I'm grateful for that training calendar!!!!"

I make no apologies about devoting some time to fitness, getting outside, and being with friends!

I've been encouraging my students to get outside too. One of the ways they can earn extra credit is to listen to podcasts related to energy and green engineering topics and provide a written synopsis and reflection. I've suggested while they listen that they get outside to walk or hike and if they do, they can write to me about their experience outdoors! There's no better motivation to protect the environment than by being out in it and appreciating its beauty and the priceless ecosystem services it provides (clean water and air, nutrient cycling, waste removal, etc). I want them to leave class knowledgeable and empowered to influence and make decisions that are positive for the planet.

Engineering, environment, life - it's ALL about tradeoffs and choices. 

I stand by mine.

A year of endurance, in sport and in life

If there has been a theme for my year it's surely been endurance: "the ability to sustain a prolonged stressful effort or activity." By activity I would mean...life. It's been a year chock-full of personal challenges that have rolled in one after the other, rather tsunami-like. I've left a lot of it off the blog, because frankly it's all the white noise of life. It IS life. While my particulars differ from yours, none of us are immune from the "stuff" of life that we are dealt.

I'm using this post to reflect on my year and to look ahead. My thoughts are taking form as I type this so my apologies if it's a little rambly.

This year has taught me that just when I think I can't handle any more, I discover I actually can. Does that sound like something else? Like maybe a race? 

To reach a new level as an athlete takes consistent effort, getting out of one's comfort zone, and having belief that better performance can be achieved. This year, I want to carry that mindset beyond training and into life.

Training keeps me on an even keel. Nothing beats the free therapy that comes from fresh air and sweat!! I realize more than ever how much I NEED and appreciate the reason to move, especially outside. I will never regret or apologize for a single minute or mile. I will always make room in my life to be active. 

This year taught me that you don't have to have ideal life conditions to race well (or to do some other thing well). You just have to put in the work and be able to flip the switch to clear the mind for your sessions and races. Racing has given me a much-appreciated infusion of strength and confidence to carry me into 2017 - most recently a half marathon PR last month (1:39:45) and a solid go at the annual Runabout Sports Frosty 5K on December 24 (21:39).

I did 14 races this year, winning three, landing on the overall podium at three others, and finishing top female master's at five. As someone who never called herself an athlete until her 40's, it still feels like an "out of body experience" to be decent at this stuff. For anyone who races for years on end (8 so far for me), racing is just a small part of the larger fun of it all.

I've learned you can't wait for life to be smooth or planets to align to go for your goals and be happy! I have some of my race schedule planned for 2017 including a few new races and challenges. I'll be "Du"ing my first duathlon in April. It's just a few hours away so it seemed like a good opportunity for a 5 mile bike, 33 mile bike and another 5 mile run! I'm also putting the Mountains of Misery 100-mile bike ride on my list. It's a rite of passage for most cyclists around here and it attracts masochistic cyclists (who love a steep uphill finish)! Pinehurst, if family and schedule will allow, will be a new-to-me race enjoyed with others from our swim group!

• Long Course Du Natls - 4/29/17
• Smith Mountain Lake Sprint Tri -5/6/17
• Pinehurst International - 5/20/17
• Mountains of Misery - 5/28/17
• Bath County Sprint Tri - 6/??/17
• USAT Age Group Natls - Sprint - 8/13/17
• USAT Age Group Natls - Oly - 8/12/17
• ITU Grand Final - Oly - Rotterdam - 9/17/17 (probably)

I can't close out the the year-end without the 2016 training stats

• Swim - 314,342 yards (178 miles) 117 sessions 
• Bike - 3043 miles, 172 hours, 150 sessions
• Run - 933 miles, 132 hours, 173 sessions 
• Strength - 41 sessions - not so good :-(

Swim/bike/run friends are the best. Most of my social life happens before noon on the roads and trails, and at the lake and the pool, and I wouldn't have it any other way! Thank you, friends!

Here's to a bright New Year, full of possibilities and opportunities!! 

Thankfulness and Lightness at the Star City Half

Malin, Zach, Theresa, me, Julia

Yesterday I ran the Star City Half Marathon. It was a last-minute decision, but an easy decision, driven by the need to feel the energy of fellow runners and friends and to run a new route in different surroundings. I also wanted to run the half marathon that I never finished at IM 70.3 NC and end the season on a more positive note.

With just 44 unstructured off-season run miles under my belt in the last month, I wasn't exactly primed to race. (Nor had I told my coach!!) I had no expectations, and my only goal was to stay happy and relaxed for the duration. (inspired by Kelly's amazing relaxed marathon PR)

I left my house just as hints of the sun began to appear and I was suddenly filled with happiness, for the morning, and for life in general.

I arrived to a very warm welcome (Julia!) on a crisp and clear morning that was perfect for running! Off we went - the half marathoners and 10k-ers starting together. I settled in with a small group and was pleased to discover that my legs felt light and willing.

I spent a lot of time on that course thinking about how fun it is that you can run alongside perfect strangers, and with great ease share words, space, time, and effort. Imagine doing that in any other environment - just hanging off someone's shoulder in their personal space like that!

I leapfrogged a few times with my friend Dave who, when he isn't managing an IT band situation, would be far ahead. I bridged up to a group of 5 girls who were running strong and I thought I'd be pretty thrilled to hang with them and not get dropped. Then I got a burst of "flow" and moved past them. The miles ticked by and I was still in disbelief at the lightness I felt.

photo by Tyree Ellison

At mile 9 there is a short steep uphill of the sort that was my undoing at IM 70.3 Chattanooga. I took it super easy but kept running. At the top we were rewarded with an awesome sweeping downhill section where I passed another runner.

Things started to feel hard and a little lonely around mile 10 as I ran solo, but here I thought about elite runner Kate Grace (Runners World, Dec 2016) who said when she has doubts in a workout, she acknowledges it then focuses on the "but." So, I'd think, "this feels tough but I am tougher!!"

My calves began to cramp, and again, I thought "my calves are cramping, but at least it's not my quads, this I can manage!" I downed a mustard pack and tried to will relaxation to my legs! It was a hard final two miles but when I got near the finish I could not believe my eyes! I saw 1:39:__ on the timer and I gave it all I had, finishing in 1:39:45. That was a PR for me, by just 10 seconds compared to the Hokie Half from two years ago, but a PR nonetheless at age 49!!

So, it's fair to call me a sandbagger. Or one could say it's the "spirits of endurance sports" working their magic - humbling us one day, and unexpectedly rewarding us another. It's one of the things I love most. When we say "have faith in the training" it doesn't mean it will necessarily play out the way we hope or when we expect it. It means it will ultimately be worth it.

After the race, I walked back to my car, got in, and tears began to stream down my face. Life has presented some major personal challenges lately, but I can't help but feel blessed beyond measure. (thanks Janet for the timely texts :-) The things that matter most, aren't things at all, and can't be bought.

I am so incredibly thankful for running and triathlon and for the community that comes along with involvement in the sport. To everyone who cheered for me, or took time to say hello or chat, I just want to say thank you. I am thankful for each of you, and I hope my energy lifts you in the same way that yours lifts me.

Happy Thanksgiving week everyone!