My goal is to his the gym every day I'm on vacation. Usually I just end up sleeping and drinking beer. -- Gary Allan The purpose of a vacation is to have the time to rest. But many of us, even when we go on vacation, don't know how to rest. We may even come back more tired than before we left. -- Nhat Hanh
Last week I was on vacation. Seven glorious days on a cruise ship in the Caribbean...so relaxing. So restful. So NOT conducive to training. And maybe that's OK. Sure, you plan to follow your training plan on vacation, but then there are so many other things to do, so many fun things to drink...and instead, you end up running a little, swimming (only as much as necessary to snorkel), walking on shore excursions, and climbing stairs forever. And that is what counts as exercise.
It wasn't exactly what my coach told me to do, but on the flipside, it was restful. Yeah, I'm supposed to be building up to IM Louisville, but I gotta say, this week of rest was probably what I needed between Rev3 and the next long couple months of hard training before the big day. And so I'm good with it. I came back less tired than I left and ready to dig in.
It is so small a thing to have enjoyed the sun, to have lived light in the spring, to have loved, to have though, to have done. -- Matthew Arnold
When the weather report comes in the week of your race and
it says it’s going to be the hottest weather yet of the summer…well, that kind
of sets up your expectations right then and there. What kind of idiot signs up to do an HIM in
July? In Virginia? I’m a special kind of idiot, but you already
knew that. Last weekend's race - REV3 Williamsburg was kinda like walking on the sun.
Pre-race prep: Well
other than training, which had gone OK but not perfect, I bought a sun cooling
bolero. Actually, I bought cooling
sleeves first, but these arms are a little too thick and I felt like a
sausage. So I returned those and went with
the bolero – and that actually turned out pretty brilliant.
Pre-race: We drove to
Williamsburg on Saturday morning. Check
in was easy-peasy and there wasn’t much to see at the expo, so it was on to the
practice swim. The practice swim was
held in the swim exit area, at low tide.
I could pretty much walk the whole thing – if I wanted to walk in 2 feet
of foot-sucking mud. It was super gross,
super shallow, and really unpleasant. But
the water felt good and I didn’t have any lingering fears about the swim…which
is good…considering my last HIM attempt was the Raleigh head-kick fiasco. After the practice swim, we checked in my
bike, got some lunch, and went to the athlete briefing. For the afternoon, the only goal was to be
off my feet and in the cool – so we drove the course and hung out at the
hotel. I have ridden most of the course
at various points in different events – but it was still good to see it start
to finish (from my car). For dinner we
met a friend at a local Italian restaurant…where pretty much every triathlete
from my town was at. It was crazy. (We didn’t plan it that way, really!) After dinner, it was TV and to bed in the
hotel. I was nervous. I’m always nervous.
Race morning: We got
up early and drove to the site. I went
down to transition to check on my bike and pump and…because no race day should
start without a little adventure – I popped the valve off my front tire while I
was taking the pump off. Tire is full…but
no valve. Freaking out. Yeah, I had a flat kit and there was
allegedly bike support…but yikes! I took
my bike out to a local tri shop owner – he was selling body glide and stuff
(not bike support) but he knows bikes (and I'm a bike idiot, among many other kinds of idiot) so I asked him if my tire would be full
when I got to transition after the swim.
He said yep…the only downside is that I couldn’t inflate my tire
later. Well, if it deflated at any time
during the race, it was because I had a flat and I’d be changing it anyway, so
I decided to risk it. No problem – my bike
tire caused no more anxiety. I should
probably remember to change the tube before my next training ride…hahahaha.
Breakfast of Champions:
I tried to choke down a Picky Bar in the hotel room while I was getting
dressed, but I had a heck of a time eating.
Nervous stomach. I need to work
on this. Before the race, I managed to
get in most of a Picky Bar, two Mountain Dew Kickstarts, and a package of Honey
Stinger chews. Probably not enough to
eat, but it was all I got in.
Swim: The swim course
was with the tide and current – although it was basically slack tide for the
HIM. The swim was only one real turn –
we swam out of a channel, turned left at the river, and then down to swim
exit. The swim in the channel went fine,
but once I got out to the turn….I couldn’t get there. What?
I could see the orange buoy but I wasn’t getting any closer. Are you kidding me? Part of it was the current, but I then
learned the real part of it…the buoy was MOVING! OUT! AWAY FROM ME! I
swam into a pack of people, all trying to figure out WTH…and all the while, the
kayaker at the turn buoy is chasing the buoy down. Finally she grabbed it, held it, and just
told us all to turn. I hadn’t made it
around the buoy and was worried I would be DQd for cutting the course. But the official said turn, and I
turned. The swim back to swim exit was
less exciting and with the current, which was awesome. Out of the water, I looked at my watch and
realized I had cut about 5 minutes off my best HIM swim. Current aided, of course…but still. I was a little worried that it was because I
had cut the course too short, but it turns out (looking at my Garmin later) I swam the full course and maybe a little extra even
(probably trying to chase the buoy). I
was still slower than most of the swimmers, but it was a comfortable, safe swim
and I am super happy with it. I need to
keep piling up these swim wins.
T1: Transition is
always a welcome site after my swim. And
there were still bikes there, so that was nice.
(Of course, the Oly length tri hadn’t even started yet, so of course
there were bikes there, but don’t rain on my parade.) Got in a gel and a swig of Gatorade, put on
my bike gear and my fancy new bolero, and headed out.
Bike: My goals for
the bike were to not die and to eat and drink like it was my job. Well, I didn’t die and I did a good amount of
eating and drinking – although I could probably get a little more in if I was
doing my job better. The bike was super
desolate for me, except getting passed by the screaming fast Oly pros and men
before where the course divided. I’m not
fast on the bike but I kept a move on.
No pit stops on the bike, although I did roll to a stop at the 2nd aid
station (mile 31) where a volunteer helped fill my front bottle and I splashed
some water on my sleeves, but that was it for stopping. Got a fresh Gatorade while rolling at 3rd aid station. Intake – 1 gel,
1.5 picky bars, lots of Gatorade, and my treat…NERDS. Yes. I
did. I had a little tube of Nerd candy
in my bento that I kept tossing in my mouth whenever I felt low. Also base salt every 15 or so minutes. Partway through I moved water up front and
put Gatorade in the back holder because my mouth was getting sticky. I should eat more real food (Picky Bars) but
other than that, I’ll call win. I do
want a faster bike split, but that requires more time on the bike…and I just
haven’t quite had the luck with that I would have wanted. I didn’t get to bike at Raleigh, I had the
near-collision-with-a-car that cut short a long bike, etc. etc. etc. Not excuses, but explanations as to why I
wasn’t as fast as I wanted to be. More
long bikes are in my future between now and IMLOU, that’s for sure. J
T2: Once the bike is
done, the rest is fun. OK, that’s a big
fat lie when it’s 95 degrees out, but that’s what I feel about getting to
T2. Once you get off the bike, it’s all
under your control. You just need to
keep moving forward to the finish. On
your feet. Easy! I was a speed demon in T2. FAST!
(That’s the only time I’ll use “fast” to describe my race….seriously.) Swap shoes, swap hats, race belt on, and GO!
Run: Run is a funny
way to describe the next 3+ hours. There
was some running. There was a lot of
walking. It was hot as hell. My goals for the run were to drink like a
boss and finish before they turned off the clock. Score!
I did that! The race is cruelly
situated in a park near a river…with the bike and the run course really taking
off on the other side of that river…so leaving out (and coming in) on both the
bike and the run involved crossing a long hill of a bridge. And worse yet – that bridge is BAKING in the
sun. Ick. And…because the HIM is so special, we did a
two loop run! 4 flippin’ times across that
bridge. Well, anyway, I complain only to
point out that I walked the uphill of that bridge All. Four.
Times. And the first time over, I
walked the downhill too. This got me to
mile 1 and an aid station where (Coach Kelly – this is for you) I ate the
flippin’ banana! And drank. And took some base salt. I ran when it suited me. I walked when I didn’t feel like
running. And I did that for 13.1 miles. I drank at every aid
station. Gatorade. Water.
Coke. I poured water on my
sleeves at nearly every aid station – and that was pretty awesome. They do work – if for no other reason than by
giving you a mental boost of being cold for a few minutes…oh, and keeping me
from a serious sunburn. I got a couple
splotches where my kit and bolero didn’t cover, but otherwise, I remained
burn-free! (Which is good, because I don’t
remember REV3 doing the whole sunscreen thing like IM does.) I kept pouring ice in my tri top...dual purpose of keeping me cool and giving me ice to snack on between aid stations. Yes, I admit it. I ate boob ice. It's OK. Other than the banana and boob ice, I don’t remember
eating anything else. That could be part
of the problem. But I did drink. And drink.
And drink. And drinks with
calories. It was just SO. Freakin.
HOT. I give me credit for drinking like a boss, though.
I also caught up to a friend at about mile 5 who was having bad thoughts, so we struggled together for a good bit of the race and I tried to keep her upbeat. It helped me too. And she finished her first HIM! So happy for her.
Finish!
I love that REV3 lets you finish with your family. I had really been looking forward to finishing with my girls.
Course comments:
Some people have asked about the course – because this is a
new venue & course for REV3 in Willliamsburg.
Swim: The swim is a
simple V – out through a channel and down the river. The RD has the option to reverse the course
based on tide and current, although it would be a hell of a run to transition
from what was the swim start. The water
is dirty and because it’s July…warm.
83.4 on race morning. Otherwise,
though, it was very pleasant. The water
doesn’t smell, there weren’t many boats during the race (there were some during
the practice swim), and I actually enjoyed the swim…other than the buoy
floating away. I heard both the Oly and
the HIM were affected by this problem – I assume REV3 will plan a little
differently going forward to ensure the buoys stay put.
Bike: The bike course
is a popsicle, or actually more like a P shape.
Out of the park, over the bridge, and then a few miles on Route 5. Then it’s into the country for miles
~5-35. In the country, you have farms,
forest, scary houses, and more. The scenery
is sometimes pretty. The roads are
generally good condition – a few “hills” and some rollers, but also a lot of
flat. I’m crappy at aero, but I spent
good time there. Three well placed aid
stations (15-31-46). I skipped the first
and last, but I made good use of the middle one. After mile 35, you get back on Route 5 for 20
long straight miles. Again, a roller or
two, but the only real challenge of the back stretch is willing your body back
over the bridge at mile 55. There was
little traffic and I never felt impeded by cars – although, as I mentioned, I
spent a lot of time by myself. Faster
people may have encompassed a different scene.
There was a nice tailwind for that last 20 mile stretch, I hear.
Run: The run leaves
transition and is on the grass for a bit.
Then it’s onto the Capital Trail – a fantastic paved trail. The first mile is out of transition and over
the hellacious bridge, then it’s a mix of sun and shade. Aid stations just about every mile and the
course is a 2x out and back, so you hit them a lot. Pretty much flat except for the bridge. That you cross 4 times. You go out about 3.5
miles, then back to the base of the bridge closest to transition, then back out
again over the bridge and to the turn around, then back and over the bridge one
more time, on the grass around transition, through a campground on the road,
and into the finish over grass.
Other: The volunteer support was great and they had people out there until the very last. As far as I know, they never ran out of ice or anything on the course...if they did, they replenished it right away. The folks at Rev3 are awesome. I got to witness the last finisher and the race folks got everyone in the immediate area to give her a standing ovation at the finish line...I had seen her on the course and she had a couple of Rev3 staff members running with her the whole time. It was inspiring.
I have some other thoughts about MY race, but I think this sums up the race itself. I enjoyed the course and other than the heat (hey, it's JULY!), I wouldn't hesitate to do it again. Oh, whatever, I'm totally lying - I'll definitely do it again. It should be a fast course, I wasn't fast, and I got something to prove now.
A woman is like a tea bag -- you can't tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water. -- Eleanor Roosevelt
Well. The good news is that I'll know how strong I am after this coming Sunday. Because I'm going to be in hot water. And hot air. And hot everything. I'm set to race my 2nd HIM (hopefully more successful than Raleigh's head-kick DNF) at Rev3 Williamsburg and the forecast is unGodly. As Cole Porter would say...it's too darn hot.
Now, I get it - I'm a little bit of a Goldilocks. Too hot, too cold, too soft, too hard. Nothing is ever just right. The perfect riding weather, in my opinion, is 75 degrees, sunny but not too sunny, a light cooling breeze always at my back, and downhill.
But that's not my reality - not this Sunday and generally not ever. So what's the plan?
Well, I'm hydrating. My coach even sent me an email to get a report on my fluid intake. BWAHAHAHAHAH. I'm guessing she wasn't expecting my answer (coffee, diet Mt. Dew, sugar-free lemonade...yeah, healthy stuff there, folks) but it did make me more conscious about what I need to do. Water. Sports drink. Water. Sports drink. (And of course the occasional diet pop and always coffee thrown in. Maybe a bit of vino in the evenings...)
And I've tried to get out into the miserable weather, doing some of my easy runs at lunch time or in the afternoon, to at least acclimate a little bit. It's horrible, but at least Sunday won't be quite as much of a shock to the system.
I am trying to use some cooling technology. I bought a pair of cooling sleeves to try, but they made my arms feel like sausages - so uncomfortable. I returned those and have a bolero coming in today - I know, nothing new on race day, but I figure I'll get a short test with it before Sunday and worst case I just take the damn thing off if it is bothering me.
Finally, I'm setting realistic expectations. It will suck. The best thing I can do on Sunday is go out there, avoid getting kicked in the head, swim to T1, bike to T2, and run/walk to the finish. And enjoy it. Smile. And finish. That's the only goal. And a mighty fine goal it is. Because that's all you can do when it's too darn hot.
I think togetherness is a very important ingredient to family life. -- Barbara Bush Insanity runs in my family. It practically gallops. -- Cary Grant
I tri. My husband tris. My younger daughter tris. And my older daughter, before she got too busy playing competitive soccer, also tri'd (and occasionally kicks around the idea of doing a relay tri with us). The family that tris together stays together, right? The family that tris together also overwhelms the mailman...
All kidding aside, it's fun to be part of a triathlon family. When we go to races, the girls know what is going on. They know what to cheer for. They recognize the achievements of the pros and of the back-of-the-pack. They get it. And because they get it, it's fun to be part of it with them.
But there's another thing that I've been thinking about regarding families who tri...these kids hopefully never have to hear that voice in their head that says "you can't be an athlete" - because even when they get old and fat and slow, they've been exposed to athletes just. like. that. (Heck, my kids even live with an old and fat and slow triathlete.)
This video from Upworthy is awesome. Watch it. No really.
Anyway, I hope that growing up in a family of athletes will help my girls as teens. There are plenty of studies and stuff that says healthy athleticism goes a long way to keeping teen girls out of trouble and more, well, healthy. Food is fuel. Working out keeps us strong. Strong is pretty.
But I also hope that growing up in a family of athletes will help my girls when they get older. They won't have to learn to swim as grownups - like I did. They won't be afraid to try something new, because maybe they've already did it. Or may be they'll enjoy the challenges of trying something new and won't be afraid for that reason. And maybe that little voice that says "you can't be an athlete" won't even exist in their heads. And if it exists...they will be able to shush it.
Next post - the one where I freak out about racing in 900 degree heat this coming weekend...stay tuned!
Give a man a fish and feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and feed him for a lifetime. Teach a man to cycle and he will realize fishing is stupid and boring. -- Desmond Tutu
I know that I said my next post would be about families who tri...but I was out at the Cap Trail today and wanted to talk about biking instead. Maybe next time - families who tri...
Fishing is stupid and boring. Biking is so much better. I don't love biking - maybe I would if I was better at it. But I do love bikers. The world is full of people - some who love bikers and some who don't love bikers. Surprisingly enough, I think there are a lot of people who ride bikes that don't love bikers...and that makes me sad.
The Cap Trail is fantastic and I love to see the bikers - men, women, all ages, all colors, all BMI measurements. There are road bikes, tri bikes, recumbent bikes, tandems. Some of the bikes cost more than my house. Some of the bikes look like they weigh more than I do. People ride in kits from races, clubs, colleges, and more. Other people ride wearing...well, things I wouldn't ride a bike in...but hey. I'm not judgy.
But there are some things bikers do that make me judgy. And these things make me feel like these bikers maybe don't love other bikers. And like I said, that makes me sad.
Bikers who don't wear helmets. I know the argument is that not wearing a helmet only hurts the idiot that doesn't wear one...but I disagree. If I see you and you're not wearing a helmet, I ride more carefully around you. I slow down. I ride far to the side. Because you, obviously, don't care for your safety. And so I can only assume you don't care for mine either. The last two times I've ridden the Cap Trail, I saw a couple of helmet things that completely mystify me. Last time, there was a couple riding who had bike helmets hanging off their handlebars. WTH! They OWNED helmets. They had them with. And they were carrying extra weight by hanging them...but they weren't wearing them. So confusing!!! Today, there was a family that spent a good 15 minutes putting on sunscreen...mom, dad, kids...but then went riding without helmets. How do you care so much about your skin that you slather on the sunscreen, but you don't care enough about your noggin to put on helmets? WTH!
Bikers who turn into jerks in cars. Sure - you ride your bike and you put forth some good manners...until you're in your car. And then you act like every other stupid redneck that hates bikers. But it's worse - because you have a bike rack on that car...or a triathlon/cycling sticker...or both. So when you buzz by me or try to run me off the road, I know you're a cyclist. WTH!
Bikers who don't ask if help is needed. I rode past a few people today who were pulled over to the side of the trail, looking like they may be having a mechanical. So I slowed down and asked if they were OK and did they need anything. And I always do this. I'm glad they usually don't take me up on it, because I'm a bike mech idiot...I couldn't actually help them, but I'd be happy to share a tube or loan a wrench or whatever. I don't ask if it's clear that they're just stopping to get a drink or if there are other people there with them. But most people don't ask. And that makes me angry. And judgy. And makes me think that people who don't ask don't really love other bikers. How hard is it to see if someone needs help?
Anyway, I ask. I usually do. And today, there was a guy I asked who didn't need any help. But when he passed me a mile or so later, he thanked me for checking on him and said he appreciated that someone cared. Bikers should care about other bikers. Bikers should care. Bikers should love other bikers...and if they don't, they should go fishing instead.
