The Best Worst Race
Lawrence 70.3 June 14, 2009 – Part II
After many notes from friends, I decided to give the half a try this weekend. Having announced that at the CMC meeting Thursday, there was no backing out. And I actually listened to much of the advice given me: treat this as a training day, enjoy yourself, just do the best you can.
So, with minimal organization and much distraction, I packed up Tam’s car and off we went to Lawrence. An easy drive until the destination when the directions were, well, less than desired. Tam stopped at a convenience store and received these directions: “Keep going on this road until you think you’re out of town. Then look for the big road and take it until you see the signs for the park. You can’t miss it.” The “big” road was Route 10 … We arrive at the park and head towards the line for registration. A long line. A really long line. Lots of athletes there, generally sporting their most recent finisher’s shirts or maybe their favorite finisher’s shirt but something that declared to all and sundry, “I have done a race and I finished it!” I had on my newest CMC shirt, no race shirts.
It took over an hour to get signed in and then there were the long treks to T1 for body marking and bike racking and then back up to the Expo area and by then I was beat and nervous. So, no I didn’t swim. And no, I didn’t even drive the bike course. I had such low expectations for my “race” that I would just let the day be a surprise. Tam and I checked into the hotel and ate and she tolerated my pre-race witchiness. To bed by 9:30 and up at 3:30 a.m. I had a strategy for the event: I would do my best swim and really hammer the bike and whatever was left over, I would spend on the 13.1 mile walk. It was to be a well-supported, expensive training day.
It is dark at 3:30. We got to the park at 4:15 and it was still dark. Not too many cars as T2 didn’t open until 4:45. So I sat in the car with Gatorade, diet coke, and food. Blech. I did NOT want to eat. How do people do this?! The first of many jaunts to the bathroom and then walk to T2. The expo area was lit up and all the athletes on the dark road, quietly shuffling along – we looked like we were heading to the mother ship! I felt pretty good, no expectations, so I was fairly relaxed by this time.
As the sun rose, I saw some CMC folks: Joe Greaves, Mark Vellek, Tom Jansen, Maya Moody and others from a distance. My wave start was 6:38 and I was in the water next to Ron Sapp. We chatted for a bit and then off we went.
It was one of my worst swims! Yes, I am comfortable in open water swims. I don’t care about being touched, grabbed, swum over, swum on, punched, etc. It just doesn’t faze me much and I have no idea why it doesn’t. But I swam like a drunk! I was zigging and zagging and playing bumper cars with the bodies in the water. It was stupid. I couldn’t see the buoys to save my life. They were green, the water was green-blue, the sky was gray-blue and my goggles were tinted blue. It all just blended in. Plus, I just couldn’t get a full, satisfying gulp of air! Very annoying. I swam on and counted the buoys I could see and tried to correct course frequently. At almost 700 meters, I finally got air but I still couldn’t see buoys. The red ones on the way back weren’t much better. So I started counting – 3 more feet, now 6 feet, now 9 feet – I was very optimistic about the amount of distance I was gaining with each pull. I could feel the rub on the back of my neck and noted to myself that body glide really is my friend but only if I use it!
Okay, swim’s done and I am actually running to my bike! That never happens. I sort of stagger out of the water and stroll to my bike but this was different. Huh – where did I get legs? The day was gray and it was sprinkling but the forecast thunder storms seemed to be holding off. Lots of spectators cheering on their athletes, which is so fun. I love seeing all the folks that come out in support of family members and friends. Anyway, back to my bike. Blah, blah, blah. Get on the bike, pedal, pedal, pedal.
They changed the course from last year – this year was much flatter. Think froze toes with extra outer loop hills. Long gradual climbs, rollers, more gradual climbs. And, apparently, a lovely tail wind on the way out. Yes, I thought I was quite the stud to be holding speeds of over 20 mph, tooling along, in the big ring, doin’ my thing. Until the turn around. Whomp! Head wind. I started to laugh. Talk about ye olde reality check!!! Still, the ride was good. I “knew” the run was shot, so I was concentrating on the bike. Nicole in my head: use the down hill! Free speed! Pedal! Pedal! Pedal! And I added a new lesson to that. Don’t start the uphill until you have finished the down hill … I concentrated on getting the most out of the down hills and when I started the ups, I had the time and leg to shift into spin, spin, spin.
Oh wait. No, I didn’t really have the legs for that. I had a close approximation but not the real thing. So I got passed. Lots. By 20 somethings, 30 somethings, 40 somethings, 50 somethings, 60 somethings. I got chicked. I got … passed by guys (what do we call that?!) But there were people behind me and I saw other CMC folk on the ride and we all rolled on through lovely Kansas country side. By mile 35, my fanny hurt. By mile 40, I was doing bad math. By mile 45, I was sure commenting to myself about other rides. The “Go Vegan” rider – I wanted to get a “Go Carnivore” shirt. The 67 year old with the bright yellow disc – I wanted to call him Little Mary Sunshine. When one guy passed me, I asked him if he could at least make it look difficult. Big laugh.
The final 5 or so miles and up a lovely little beastie into the park. Think long and slow and not in a good way! I promised my legs that if they kept me above 5 mph, I wouldn’t make them run.
I lied.
Bike to run. Glad to be off the dang bike. Wow – my fanny hurts! Start the run and actually feel pretty good. Hot, but good! Run 100, walk 50, repeat. And repeat. And repeat. Tam has now found me and is running along side with camera and enthusiasm. “You’re looking great! You’re doing awesome!” Thanks. Okay. I’m not doing badly. Chugging along and Tam is loping through the prairie tall grass to catch me at different points of the run course and catching other CMCers out there. I think she worked as hard as I did! The run was, well, long. But I was chugging along and actually felt pretty good. I was revising my original 7:59:59 estimate to maybe 7:30 to 7:45. That would be fine. Saw Maya and Eric and Brinker and Joe and Sarah and Tom J on the run. We all looked like we were concentrating, reduced to the head nod or farmer’s wave but not much else. The day had started out overcast and 60 but it was now hot and 80+ and the humidity was climbing. Around Mile 10 maybe, Joe Co came along side and gave me a good, supportive talking to, and then he went to find Tom Jansen. I walked Mile 11. My knees hurt and apparently, they really do miss having a full meniscus. Mile 12, I started running (an optimistic term for what I was doing) again and turned the corner to the finish chute and channeled Nicole: sprint it in, smile, and be happy you finished.
7:20 is my unofficial time.
So, what was to be my worst race ever was one of my best. I ran more than I walked and I worked the bike. And yes, I was under-trained for this event. And yes, my body is not as forgiving as it once was. But I need to have more faith in myself. And when I don’t have my own faith, I can borrow from my friends.
Thanks to Sarah B. for handing me a cold beer at the finish line. Thanks to Tom Brinker for hosting the CMC tent and the champagne. Thanks to all the CMC folks who turned out and had great, great races! Lots of PRs yesterday. And thanks to my dear friends who sent good wishes and had faith in me. And thanks to Tam for being my “domestic” as Dianna would put it, taking care of the stuff, and keeping me calm and then driving me home so I could sleep.
Steelhead is coming up and shortly after that, Redman. We train hard, we party hard, and our Club is all about “believing to achieve.” Thanks, CMC.