Life's a Beach - The St. Anthony's Triathlon

The St. Anthony's Triathlon has long been on my to-do list. First off, it's a huge race. Several friends of mine have done it, mostly through Team in Training. My aunt (Linda) has egged me on to do it for some time, as she lives in St. Petersburg, Florida, where the race is held. This year was the 25th anniversary of the race. I thought it would be a perfect opportunity. As a bonus, Timra offered to drive my bike to Florida (thanks much!!) and the race happened to coincide with recovery weekend, so I would not miss any long bike rides. Best of all, I would be able to have a weekend away in Florida on the beach.

Timing worked out well as my great aunt (Grace) celebrated her 90th birthday a couple days before the race. Although I wouldn't actually be there for her birthday, her son (Dave) and daughter-in-law (Sue) were still in town, enabling us to have a big family dinner Friday night. I naturally got the questions about triathlon. During our conversation, I discovered that Dave and Sue happened to be in Kona on vacation last October and got to watch Ironman there! The course passed right by their condo! They had no clue that the race was scheduled for that time frame and were surprised upon their arrival in Kona to see all the "Welcome Triathletes" signs. They loved watching the race and would like to return to volunteer. Of course they asked when I'm going to race in Kona, but I really don't think that's in the cards for me. Perhaps I can convince them to see me in Lake Placid?

Saturday evening I met up with Timra (after spending most of the day chilling at the beach less than a block from my aunt's house...). First we did bike check-in. With 4000+ racers, the transition area was enormous. Afterwards, I joined her, Casey, and their TNT team for the pre-race pasta dinner. The TNT dinner was inspiring as expected.

Race morning I arrived at transition, did the typical set-up, and then trekked over to the swim start. Helen had warned me that it was a bit of a hike to the swim start, but I never imagined it to be 0.82 mile. I forgot to heed to her advice to bring cheap flip-flops, so I was forced to hoof it barefoot. Oh well. At least the sidewalks were glass-free.

With several swim waves, the race start was spread out over two hours. Naturally, the ladies are in the latter waves. So, I had time to go for a swim, watch several swim waves start, meet some new Team Z'rs who also happened to be there, and hang with the TNT peeps. Literally, the first pro men's finisher came in before my race even started.

The swim was on the challenging side. The wave action was not awful, but I simply am not accustomed to swimming in water in motion, so to speak. That, coupled with the taste of salt water, made for an unpleasant swim. Silly me neglected to use Body Glide around my shoulders too, so I began to chafe on top of it all. Nevertheless, I did not suffer as much as some. Weaker swimmers began to hold onto buoys for dear life. Needless to say, I was very happy to exit the water. We had to climb a ladder to exit, when I accidentally took a huge swig of sea water. Ug.

The bike course was pancake flat as expected. My plan was to stay in Zone 2 the entire day, as it was technically a recovery weekend. So, I took it a little easy on the bike. The course was crowded with several turns, including two hairpin turns. Traffic was often 3 or 4 lanes wide. I leapfrogged several times with the girl who was racked next to me in transition. (I never got her name, but gathered it was her first triathlon overhearing her talk to a friend pre-race.)

Upon finishing the bike, the legs felt fantastic. My limiting factor on the run was the heat. I was experiencing cardiac drift, so I had to run on perceived effort. I ran the first couple miles with a woman named Beverly from Atlanta. This was her first workout since a bike accident where she hurt her tailbone. A fellow Ironman finisher, we traded some stories. The bike accident began to haunt her, however, so she urged me to go ahead. I heard pre-race that the run course was quite shaded. Not so. It was maybe shaded about 25% of the time. Even with a hat on, my head began to fry. At each aid station, I grabbed a cup of water to pour on the head and a cup of Gatorade to drink.

Coming into the finish, I saw Jenni Banks, who cheered for me as well as her TNT team. I was able to pick up some speed heading into the finish line. My aunt and her husband were there to cheer me on, and seemed more excited than me.

Now, post-race seemed to be a bit of a CF. As well organized as the race was overall, I was a little disappointed afterwards. I was handed some water, or what I thought was water. It was actually some imposter vitamin water. Upon consumption, I began to vomit. OK... stop drinking that stuff! My phone (and everything else) was in transition, so naturally I headed there first. What a long line! At least it gave me a chance to chat with Andy, a TNT guy from Philly, and Gary, a seasoned triathlete from St. Pete. I waited a good half hour (maybe more) to get into transition. Needless to say, grabbing food or a massage was sacrificed, as my mind was on getting to the finish area by the TNT peeps. Now, that was fun to watch the final finishers come in.

All in all--- fun race.

Swim: 33:26 (1.5K)

Bike: 1:22:20 (40K)

Run: 1:03:56 (10K)

Finish: 3:06:21

Would You Rather....? (Kinetic Half Iron Distance Race Report)

There's a game called "Would You Rather...?". After this weekend's Kinetic Triathlon Weekend, I pose the question: Would you rather race in the heat or in the rain? I did the half iron distance triathlon on Saturday, where the high temperature reached 85 degrees with essentially no shade relief. Sunday was the sprint distance triathlon, with a precipitation total of 2.18 inches for the day. In the game of "Would You Rather...?", neither option is favorable, but a player is expected which option he or she feels is the lesser of two evils.

Race morning started off at 3am to be able to meet Harriet at 4:30 and drive to the race. Harriet wasn't exactly keen on the idea. However, I tried to put a positive spin on the notion, by pointing out that the race was part of our training for Ironman. We'll need to wake up at 3am on Ironman race day, so why not wake up at 3am on a training day?

As I got ready to leave the house, nausea began to set in. Before long workouts, I sometimes have some sort of anxiety and essentially come on the verge of vomiting (or actually vomit), especially when I seemingly eat breakfast too rapidly beforehand. However, my stomach was still empty at this point, having planned to eat en route to be able to time finishing breakfast 2-3 hours before race start. As a result of the nausea, I sat back, slowed down, and regained my composure. My stomach settled down. At least this gave me an excuse to try some Tums. I had no stomach issues the rest of the day.

I met up with Harriet bright and early and we were able to zip on down to the race. I again tried to shed some light on the early wake-up as we heard horror stories regarding traffic from people who drove down the night before. We were able to fly down to Lake Anna State Park and get to the race in plenty of time.

The weeks leading up the race, air temperatures remained rather cool. I raced the sprint last year and swam in 56 degree water. Cold water like that hits the face like a ton of bricks, but I knew I could do it. Needless to say, the last couple days before the race, air temperatures began to rapidly increase, and by race morning, the lake was 65 degrees. Very doable. However, those rapidly increasing air temperatures would affect the race day itself. We hadn't yet trained in warm weather this season. After all, last weekend we were riding Skyline Drive in the sleet!

I was not quite sure what to expect in terms of race finish. This was my fifth half-iron distance triathlon, and first since Eagleman nearly two years ago. I have learned a lot since then, having been more disciplined about HRM training and stronger all the way around. However, this race was at the end of a challenging two-week build cycle (i.e. not tapered for it), and I knew the heat would be a factor. So, on one hand, I wondered if a PR was possible and yet on the other hand, I thought I'd be lucky to break 7 hours.

I was in the fourth and largest swim wave. Although I did a small warm-up in the water prior to race start (primarily to get past the initial shock from the cold water), it took me a bit to get into a groove once the race started. About 10 minutes in, I settled down, though, and truly began to enjoy the swim. Once I was in a groove, I was in a groove. I did not want to stop swimming. I swam wide to avoid people (and I just am a poor sighter). Actually, I swam a little too wide as when I was at the far end of the second loop, a safety kayaker flagged me down to redirect me back on course. Perhaps subconsciously I did not want to leave the water and was simply in my element?

As I left the lake and headed into T1, I was greeted by the usual sea of Team Z green. I felt great. I sauntered into transition to avoid a spike in heart rate. After struggling to get off my wet suit, I was ready to head out on the bike course.

The course was relatively flat. I'm glad there were enough hills to make things a little interesting, but it was certainly a flatter course compared to what we usually train on. I made a point to stick to a strict nutrition plan, of consuming Accelerade about every 10 minutes and either a Gu, Bloks, or Sport Beans every 45 minutes. The plan served me well.

It did get a little lonely out on the bike course though. I seemed to be passed an awful lot (and I passed maybe one person?) I kept trying to keep things in perspective and not let it go to my head. I was sticking to my plan and not worry about anyone else.

I did miss my tri bike though. As someone put it, my tri bike is on vacation in Florida. It is in Florida, awaiting me to retrieve it from Timra when I head down to St. Anthony's Triathlon next weekend. With the relatively flat course and the winds that picked up during the day, the course was well-suited for a tri bike. Nevertheless, I plan on doing Ironman on my road bike anyway.

At about the 20 mile mark, I was relieved to see some familiar faces. Dan and Roy were taking photos and also had Jill, Tom, and Linda in their company. Shortly thereafter, I approached the end of the first loop and saw several members from Team Z. Additionally, Talia, who was not racing, rode the course backwards and I saw her three times. Seeing friendly faces is uplifting.

As the winds picked up and the temperatures rose during the second loop, I kept trying to keep myself entertained. I was not going to let my morale slip. There was one section of newly paved road that was simply awful. It was soft, so the bike sank. It was rough as well, with tiny pebbles that kicked up as we proceeded. I began to loudly sing over and over, "This is the road that sucks; this is the road that sucks." I amused myself and just did the best to make light of the situation.

So, I averaged 14.8 mph on the bike. Although it was certainly on the slow side for me, I considered the bike leg a success, given my positive attitude, staying in Z2, and adhering to my nutrition plan.

I was not looking forward to the run though. It was hot. And by this point, I had given up hope of breaking 7 hours. The run course was three loops, which had it's pros and cons. I felt that the pros outweighed the cons, however, although I think I'm in the minority there. Yes, it sucked passing by the finish line twice prior to actually finishing. And spectators would cheer "way to finish" when I was actually only 4 miles into a 13.1 mile run. On the flip side, it was fun to see absolutely everyone from our team. When else do I get a chance to run with Chris Wren or Ryan Pettengill during a race, albeit briefly? And the multiple loops gave me a chance to look forward to seeing those that I knew who were still out there with me: Harriet, Carol, Kitty, Alex, Frank, Joanna, Andrea, Charlotte, Christy, Kari, Pam, and Kat. Some of them were having truly a tough day. One was Collin. At the start of my second loop, his third, he was in bad shape. I stopped to talk to him a bit, and let him know that this race was not worth winding up in the ER. I was relieved when a short while later, he ran up past me, having found new life. He looked so much better.

The one real complaint I had during the run was the lack of aid stations. Sure, they were out there, but not as frequently or well-equipped as they should be for a half-iron distance triathlon. I began to get a serious craving for pretzels and cream-filled cookies. Alas, I settled for oranges. Lots of them.

Swim: 42:47
Bike: 3:47:32
Run: 2:45:26
Finish: 7:21:56

Post race, I joined the crew in the tent for camaraderie. I saw Chris Wren chowing on some pretzels. A shadow was cast on them such that it appeared they were chocolate-dipped pretzels. I asked Chris if my eyes were serving me correctly, and John Mead concurred that chocolate-dipped pretzels would be M-O-N-E-Y. I guess I appeared crushed upon discovering they were just simple plain pretzels, as Chris then secretly went on a mission. Upon fulfilling his mission, he sent out word he was looking for me. Imagine my delight when Chris presented me with a chocolate-dipped pretzel!

Kudos to all those who raced with me on Saturday. I loved seeing your smiling faces and sharing a few laughs during the run and thereafter. Much thanks to Roy and Linda for your hospitality that evening. And lastly, big props to those who raced in the sprint on Sunday. I think after watching that, I'd rather race in the heat.

Hammer Fest at Hains Point

Time to drop the hammer at Hains Point again! I gaven't been out there for speed training since last year. It seems like the Whos-Who of Metro D.C. cycling is always out there. There's the peleton of roadies who zip on by. There's the casual recreational riders on fat tires. And there's us triathletes, somewhere in between. We traditionally are there Thursday nights for speed training.

It was my first visit out to Hains Point since The Awakening was relocated. Maybe a new sculpture will make a home at the foot of Hains Point?

I managed to top out a max speed of 22.4 mph, with an average of 18.1 mph for the whole workout. Maybe by the end of summer I can top out at 25 mph, with a 20 mph average?

Skyline Drive - The First in a Series of Three

Today was our first visit to Skyline Drive, the road that runs along the length of Shenandoah National Park (SNP). It was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the 1930s. Of course, since it is in a National Park, the views are fabulous. As cyclists, we ride there as it's the most challenging terrain local to Metro Washington D.C., allowing not only a chance to learn how to climb mountains, but also how to descend them.

Because of my bike fit on Friday night, I was curious. Would I have a successful day on Skyline Drive?

My first time out to Skyline Drive 4 years ago (pre Team Z), I started at Dickey's Ridge and rode from there. All the parking outside the park was taken, so I drove in the park until I was able to leave my car. That was my first visit to SNP. My car struggled with that initial climb. I rode solo that day, but a fellow cyclist whom I happened to be dating at the time (why didn't he take me out there for my first visit?) told me I missed the best part by driving the initial climb, rather than riding it on my bicycle.

I've since been out there several times. It's been a while since I've ridden it though. My climbing has considerably improved in recent months. How would I fare?

It's easy to get spread out on Skyline Drive. For one, upon entering the park, there is a fee. As a result, there's a time delay getting everyone through. Plus, with varying levels of riding ability, some are able to climb the drive faster than others. In reality, though, we are all relatively close to one another, but due to switchbacks, are out of eyesight.

I rode for the first two hours with Ann. I haven't had much opportunity to ride with her in the past for various reasons, but this gave us a great opportunity to chit-chat, giggle, and make the climb that much easier. She had to turn around at the two hour point because, well, that was what her schedule called for. Only those of us doing Ironman this year had to press on.

I was ascending for 2-1/2 hours when it was time to turn around. I made it mile marker 19. It was time to fly down the hills. However, by this time, it was rather chilly up in the mountains. And it began to sleet. Trust me, descending on a bike at 35 mph in sleet feels like razors against the cheeks. Once the ride was done, I nearly had to check in the mirror to ensure I did not have gashes on my face.

The return trip took an hour.

Despite the chill and sleet, I had an AMAZING ride. I kid you not, my legs felt fresh at the end. I was not tired; I was not sore. I had some very mild discomfort that goes with a 3+ hour ride, but other than that, I felt great! Score!

Post ride, we ventured to the traditional post Skyline Drive stop of the Apple House, a cheesy shop with useless Virginia-themed souvenirs, but the food is worthwhile. I ate a buffalo burger and fried apple sticks. Very good.

I have enough post-ride energy to show at the Sunday night recovery swim. The schedule mentions a surprise. I'm intrigued....

As the Sun Rises over the National Mall...

This Saturday was my first day working at Chrysalis Vineyard and had to be there at 10am. Yet, my training schedule called for a 14 mile run. What's a girl to do? The run would take about 2 hrs, 20 minutes, the vineyard was about a 45 minute drive away, and of course, I had to show up somewhat presentable. A dilemma. The answer was to wake at 3am, to eat and knock out a pre-run routine, then start running at 5am. I decided to run around the National Mall for safety reasons (well-policed and lit).

There's something poetic about watching the sun rise over the National Mall. I took photos of the Capitol pre-, mid-, and post-run to share in the experience.

The Cherry Blossom Parade was also scheduled for the morning. The pre-dawn run enabled me to witness the parade preparations, from the balloon set-up to the horse brushing to the color guard practice.

And there were moments where I absolutely felt like I had all of Washington D.C. to myself. The air was still. The Washington Monument glowed against the night sky. The World War II Memorial was dimly lit as if to whisper to me.

As the sun rose, the pink-and-white confetti dotting the sidewalks began to appear, as the cherry trees are now devoid of their signature cherry blossoms.

As a bonus, by 8am, my long run was done for the day and I was free.

I loved my first day at the vineyard. My job: pour wine for tasters. Simple as that. Thanks to Helen, Jenn, & Alisa for visiting there on my first day. Who's next?

The Conte's Bike Fit Experience

Ready for the weekend? This week I missed most workouts (other than swimming), as my mom was in town. Very fun to see her. And since she lives on the other side of the universe, it was no question to skip some workouts to be able to have the chance to hang out with her.

Will the extra rest pay off? We'll see when it comes to ride Skyline Drive on Sunday. Combine the extra rest with tonight's bike fit, and I should be ready to kick some ass.

I wasn't quite sure what to expect from the bike fit. I've never had one before. I knew naturally they'd take some measurements and adjust my bike accordingly, but not sure to what extent.

After long rides, I suffer from knee stress and lots of shoulder discomfort. I know that some discomfort is expected after a long ride, but I knew that I was in worse shape than the norm. Not good. So Conte's began doing measurements on me and the bike. I almost felt like I was visiting a physical therapist. They got my flexibility and my leg angles and whatnot.

The first adjustments were to raise my saddle and move it forward. I felt the change there instantly. As a result, I was more on my butt and definitely felt more at ease with my pedal stroke.

Next was alleviating the shoulder stress. We found that my stem was way too long and put one that was about 1/2 the length on instead. It allows me to place my hands on the hoods more (i.e. proper form), rather than on top of the handlebars as I typically have been riding. Also, my handlebars are way too wide, forcing me to reach out wider than my shoulders, so Conte's will be replacing those within the next 24 hours.

My pedal cleat positioning also forced me to tip my knees in toward my top tube while biking. There was a bit of a challenge to adjust my cleats, however. My cycling shoes are so old (over 5 years), that the cleats were rusted in and somehow permanently fused to my shoes. I never thought about cycling shoes really having a lifespan, but I guess they do just like any other shoe. He convinced me it was time for a new pair. The new shoes are sw-eet! We also put orthodics and shims in my shoes and they feel great!!

It took a while for me to experience my new shoes, however. You see, I use Time pedals. They aren't very popular, but I like them. Because they are less common, Conte's did not have the corresponding cleat for them. Hmmmm... So, in order for them to finish my bit fit and make me a happy person for this Sunday's ride, they ventured off to another bike store on a quest for cleats. Meanwhile, I got to hang out, read the paper, chat with Meredith (as she's the store manager for the newly opened Potomac River Running store adjacent to Conte's), grab a Clif Bar, talk on the phone.....

Anyway, I hope it'll all pay off. Certainly was a bit of a pricey evening. Will it all wind up shaving an hour (or more?) off my Ironman bike time??