Monday, July 11, 2011

Mill City Olympic Tri Race Recap

Couple things- this post is more for me to get everything out of my head from this race in prep for Timberman and this was my FIRST Olympic distance race. Saturday did packet pickup and some recon- swam a bit in the river and did a bike on the run course (ended up doing 6.86 mi and avg pace of 15.5mph). Saturday nights dinner was corn pasta w a meat/tomato sauce and peas. I made sure to drink a big gatorade on Saturday knowing Sunday would be hot! Got to bed around 11- alarm set for 4:45.

Got up made breakfast- 3 eggs scrambled GF bagel with cream cheese and started sipping on a gatorade and seltzer water. I had 2 endurolytes. Made a PB and J on GF bread to eat later. Left the house around 5:30- finishing my bagel on the way.

Arrived on site around 6:30. Set my transition area- towel with running shoes and visor on top, cycling shoes with race belt and number, gps on top. Helmet, sunglasses and headband on aero bars. Food in bento box- 1pkg gu chomps, 1pkg margarita blocks, 1 odwalla bar (cut in half). 2 bottles on the bike 1 gatorade, 1 water. 1 sm water bottle on towel and extra fuel (margarita blocks and gu's).

Hour pre race ate PB and J finished my gatorade. After eating I put on my wet suit and got ready to hop in the water for a little- just to get wet. Ate a hammer gel approx 15 min before the race start time. Listen to pre race announcements and I was in the first wave.

.9 mi swim- 31:31- There was a strong current for the first portion then the current pushes you back for the second half. About the same time I had with my last swim at Merrimack River. Not a super fast swim but good pace. Wore my wet suit for another race with it. Made sure to kick and worked on sighting. Had trouble sighting on the way back with the sun in my face- wore my mirrored goggles but it was just super sunny.

t1- it is a long run across a 4 lane road to transition got my wet suit off no problem and was able to toss my goggles and cap to D. Got myself mentally prepared for t1 while in the water- bondi band, sunglasses, helmet, watch, race belt, shoes. I should have turned on my garmin a bit earlier in the transition so it was a bit more accurate. D reminded me to take it slow and catch my breath so I was sure to take a sip of water.

26 mi bike- 1:29:24 w transition- got on and immediately ate 1/2 odwalla bar. I knew I was going to crave fuel soon. Once I got in a rhythm and got my heart rate down a bit I could eat the other half. I worked on the gatorade first. At a half hour on the bike I was sure to have my first half of the margarita block sleeve. I continued to sip on the gatorade and was sure to finish it by an hour into the bike. At an hour on the bike- I had 1/2 the pkg of gu chomps. At an hour in I looked down at my watch and was happy to see over the hour I had avg'd 17.5 mph. Once the gatorade was gone I worked on the water bottle- not sure how much water I got in for the 1/2 hour I had left on the bike- I think about half. I ate the other half of the margarita blocks as I came close to the transition to finish off the pkg. Put the other half chomp package in the pocket in the back of my suit. Coming into transition I dropped into an easy gear to prep my legs for the run.

t2- didn't think about this one as much before (which I need to do). Got everything off okay. Put my visor on and slid on my shoes. Took another sip of water. As I went thru transition I could feel the chafe on the inside of my arms from the long ride in aero and rubbing against me. But nothing I could do now just had to get thru the run. Grabbed the other package of chomps for the run just in case.

10k run- 1:09:16 with transition- headed out of transition and my reaction is to usually push hard thru the jelly leg feeling then settle into a pace. I started out with a 8:30 pace then slowed to around 10 for the first mile. At the 1/2 pkg of gu chomps in the first 1/2 mi to continue the fueling. Stashed the other package in the pocket. At the first water stop- 1 mi- grabbed a water skipped the ice. Second water stop was just before 3 mi. Grabbed a water and an ice package. The ice felt great as I stuffed it in the front and lower back of my suit. Next water stop was just after 3 mi. Grabbed a gatorade. Once the ice melted I poured it over my head which helped me cool down. Just before I hit mile 4 I started to feel my feet chafing. Left foot felt like a blister in the arch and right foot was a rub on the heal which already felt cut wide open. I slowed after the water stop around 4 after taking on water and ice again. Slid my shoe off to see if maybe if I put my foot back in it would help. My feet continued to hurt thru mile 4- again I put the ice on my lower back and in the front of my suit and dumped it over my head when it had melted. At the sign for mile 5 I told myself I could tell my body to shut up for a mile. So I grabbed a water and an ice bag again. This time I figured out how to get the ice just over my QL on my R hip. I got it completely numb then dumped the water over my head. The last mile my feet hurt really bad- but I was close to finishing and I just wanted to be done. The heat was pretty bad and the run course was mostly in the sun. The ice bags really helped. And I need to coat both my cycling shoes and my run shoes in anti-chafe everstride. Run splits 10:17, 10:36, 11:17, 11:17, 12:21, 11:45, 8:45. As you can see it was about mi 4 when my feet really started to bother me. When I finished I had D remove my shoes immediately. My feet were so swollen even as loose as they were they were hard to get off. My rings wouldn't pull off my fingers and they are usually so loose they spin around. I am not really sure why I am swelling. I felt pretty good- my nutrition plan seemed to work fine. I really need to figure this out it has plagued me off and on throughout my training.

Overall finish time 3:10. I was happy that my nutrition plan had worked and I wasn't hungry at any point nor did I throw up. I need to consider socks at least on the run if not for both the ride and the run. I think if I hadn't had the issues with my feet the run time would have been a lot better. I had a solid swim- given the current. I am very happy with the improvements to my biking speed- I figure I avg'd just under 18mph (taking out time for transition from my bike/t1 time). My sprint tri in May my avg pace on the bike was 14.73mph so that is a big improvement- due both to aero bars and training. I think my run could have been faster- the chafe really got to me and the heat. The last mile and a half it took a lot mentally to keep running- and to not just walk.

This morning I realized this was the longest (time) race I have done yet. It left me feeling good for Timberman. I know it isn't going to be easy but I still have about 5 wks left to train. I think given the improvements I have been making I will be ready to go. This Friday I am riding the Timberman course with my coach and that will only help me feel more prepared!