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 Swim
Comments: Swim leg canceled due to high headwinds (gusts to 27 mph), unsafe conditions. RD made the decision NOT to substitute a run, but to start directly with the bike segment.  Transition 1
Comments: No T1 of course because there was no swim!  Bike
Comments: We were started one at a time at intervals of ~4 seconds. This took a long time, and I got pretty cold waiting for my turn. At least I could wear my m2m short-sleeved jersey over the singlet. I didn't know whether to leave shoes clipped into pedals as I normally do, or to put them on my feet in advance. The run from the timing mat to the mount line was only about 15 feet. I chose to mount barefoot as usual, but lost a few seconds getting my feet into the shoes. I felt quite strong on the ride, not having had to swim first. The headwinds & crosswinds were quite challenging in places, especially going up the longest hill in a strong headwind. I had some concern that the 60 mm wheels would get squirrely in the crosswind, but they were fine. (When I first got them I found them hard to manage in crosswinds, but apparently have gotten used to that.) I'm happy with my time/speed, given the adverse conditions. 35th %ile among all participants and 54 %ile among all women. Nutrition: 1 Hammer gel (with caffeine) 1/2 hr prior; 2 Perpetuem solids on the bike plus 1 water bottle. What would you do differently?: I suppose I could time myself in advance in a similar mounting situation and see which method is fastest, shoes clipped in or unclipped. My hill climbing is still very slow & needs work. If I'd brought socks I would've had the option of wearing some since we didn't swim; but I didn't & it didn't matter. Transition 2
Comments: No problems; already had race belt on before the bike. 71st %ile among all participants and 77th %ile among all women (44th out of 197). I'm happy with this. What would you do differently?: Make a study of whether I run faster with or without the bike (I would guess without, but you never know) and then rack the bike strategically if I have the option. I did rack near the bike in.  Run
Comments: I could see Ruth R about 30 yards ahead of me all the way to the turn-around. I beat her at CLT by only 58 seconds & had been concerned she would take it this time. However, I knew she had started her bike before me, although I wasn't sure by how much. I was pushing myself to keep her in my sight, but I knew that at the turn-around when she saw how close I was, she would amp it up, which she did. (My age, she has completed 100 marathons and is a better runner than me!) I really wanted to walk on that last nasty little hill, but I thought about my friend Zsofia, who always puts out 150%, and ran up it using my sideways running technique. I'm not unhappy with my time, since the course was so hard & my effort was at the max. 27th %ile among all participants and 38th %ile among all women. Nutrition Hammer gel at about mile 2, just in order to get that caffeine boost! What would you do differently?: Just keep running! Post race
Warm down: Fizz electrolyte and 1/2 Recovery bar. Water, pizza, pb bagel, banana. After walking around awhile eating, did my rolling & stretching on the grass. Hung out chatting with Ruth waiting for the awards. Despite or because of our rivalry, we have become friends and mutual supporters, and it'll be sad not to see her until spring. (I did beat her by 4 minutes this time!) Good news: right leg/knee did not hurt either during the race or after, although it had been hurting some before the drive. What limited your ability to perform faster: Just need more training, especially running & biking uphill. Event comments: My overall time was in the 35 %ile among all participants and 49th %ile among all women.(40 seconds faster & I would have been at 50th, but I don't know where that 40 secs could have come from.) This was a special race.Since I was unable to participate in mountain2mountain Global Solidarity Ride in support of my beloved Afghan National Women's Cycling Team, because it was on the same day, I had decided to dedicate this race to them. I did what I could on Facebook to raise awareness and funds, and am also donating to their cause the cost of the hotel I did not take . When I was struggling up the big hill with the big headwinds, I thought of them and all the hills both literal and figurative they have climbed. During my ride I sent out many thoughts of prayer & protection that none of that group should come to any harm. Profile Album Last updated: 2014-04-05 12:00 AM
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SkanRaces.com
62F / 17C
Overcast
Overall Rank = 307/470
Age Group = 65-69F
Age Group Rank = 1/4
I had decided not to get a hotel the night before, since I usually don't sleep past 3am on race mornings anyway. This was a record, though. I woke up at 1 am and stayed awake, even though I didn't have to leave home until 3:45. I was pretty tired after the drive, which was only 1 1/2 hrs not the 1:45 predicted by my navigator. I drank a lot of coffee which had a strong effect since I had been cutting back for several weeks. Then as soon as I got to Skaneateles the adrenalin kicked in and I was fine.
Any time the day starts out with the registration volunteers asking the athletes to go find rocks to keep their papers from blowing away, you might suspect you are in for an interesting event! Skaneateles Lake is 16 miles long, and the wind was barreling straight up it at 19 mph, gusting to 27. Fortunately for my mental state, during my last swim workout I had just thought to myself that while I am not a fast swimmer, I am a strong one. I didn't doubt that I could complete the swim despite the strong headwind and chop, strategizing to keep a fast turnover & to "follow the bubbles",but I knew I'd be exhausted afterwards.
Nutrition: 2 hb eggs & v8 juice at 4 am; ww bread with hummous at 5:15 for 7:30 start.
Set up transition; rode bike just to check equipment. Started run warmup at 6:35 for nine minutes including 3 x 20" strides. While running I heard that the swim might be cancelled due to unsafe conditions, and at 7:00 we were informed this was the case. I wasn't sorry.