Ultramax Kansas 50 - TriathlonLong Course

My initial strategy was to go out really hard at the beginning and try to hang with the girls with wetsuits on... I wanted to see if I could swim as fast (going all out) without one as I could WITH one. Started very close to the front and ran in full speed.

The first 200 yards I was sprinting. I knew I would get a little winded, I was prepared for that. I did very well at the beginning and was proud of my effort here. I soon settled into my stroke and slowed down a touch since I knew I couldn't sprint for an entire mile.

But then I noticed the water was not so smooth... there was a pretty strong chop going on. I guess since we started so late, the wind really picked up (spectators mentioned this afterwards) right when our wave started and we got stuck with a pretty choppy lake.

Immediately, I wished I had that damn wetsuit. Aaarrrggh. I was getting really good mouthfulls of water about every 5 or 6 breaths. Yuck. This was not really fun at all. But, I figured we were all in the same boat. Except for those with their damn wetsuits on, they had a pretty distinct advantage here.

About 100 yards before the turn, something happened that has never happened to me on a swim in my life. My right calf got a massive CRAMP. WTF??? My right foot had cramped a little in the beginning, but I was able to stretch it out. But this... this was deblilitating. I tried to stretch my leg out and keep swimming but it hurt SO BAD. Keep swimming... it will go away. It didn't. My entire right leg was contorting and bending inward on its own - I had very little control over it, and could barely move it at all. I heard myself yelping underwater because I was in so much pain. I was kicking with just my left leg, and basically just pulling with my arms for 300-400 yards. I contemplated hanging on to a boat to massage it out, but decided to just keep going. Oooh my, this was tough. FINALLY it got better, but man... another time I really wished I'd had that wetsuit so I could just stop kicking all together wihtout having to worry about sinking. Stupid.

At the very end of the swim, a girl started to pass me and I thought "OH NO YOU DON'T!" - That's what I DO! Haha. I actually passed her by dolphining up to the beach. I was afraid she would run past me on the beach, so I ran as fast as I could up to transition, and passed 3 people doing this.

My watch said just over 35 minutes when I wasn't even out of the water yet, so I'm not sure how my time got to be UNDER 35 mintues, but okay.

Bring my wetsuit.
I felt like I dealt with the calf cramp and the chop very well. They certainly affected my overall time, but I had no control over either.

T1 was fine. I was out of breath from running so fast up the beach, but made sure to grab the right bike. Linda and I have the EXACT same bike, and there was another identical one on our rack (and two more idential ones at the race) - crazy huh!

I was a little caught off guard because when I was in T1, there were some sprint athletes in their T2... they were running out the Run Exit (of course), but it really confused me. I kept thinking "why are they going the wrong way and where are their bikes?" I finally figured it out but that was weird.

I had to run almost the entire length of transition with my bike in my cleats, since our division was assigned the rack furthest away from bike-out.

Nothing.

Started the bike feeling pretty good. I knew it would get hot but I was loaded with 1 bottle GU20 and a full aero bottle of water. They mentioned in pre-race that there would be water on the bike course (but no sports drink - boo to that).

Linda passed me around mile 8 - she was looking super strong! There were a few hills on this course which I really enjoyed. Most of the course was in the cross wind - the wind was STRONG. It was all I could hear, very loud in my ears. Turning into the headwind was not fun, but I think it was only 5 or 6 miles on each loop, so bearable.

Took a bottle of water at the aid station, which was located pretty far into the first loop. Hollered at Ryan Robinson, race director extrodinairre, who was manning the station with a kid.

Started the second loop and got HOT. The only thing that saved me from the heat was the wind which cooled me off a little. My average starting the 2nd loop was 16.1, and I really hoped I could hold it. I was eating a few Shot Bloks at a time, but my tummy really didn't want anything at all. I knew though, that I'd need some calories for the tun so I forced myself to finish the GU20 by the end, and I forced down probably 3 bites of my KIND bar. It was pretty lonely on this loop... so many people had passed me, and for most of the 2nd loop I could only see 1 person in front of me.

Came around to the aid station on the 2nd loop and was looking forward to some cold water, but they had shut down. Uuuuhhh... that's not good!! The kid was sitting there, but he was clearly not handing anything out. This did not please me. I had enough water I suppose, but it was blazing hot and I would have drank more if I'd gotten a fresh bottle.

Oh on the last half of the 2nd loop, my feet hurt soooo bad. They started doing that "hot foot" thing where they feel like they're on fire. It sucked! But I pushed through it and finally rolled into the park for the last 3 miles.

A little disappointed there were hardly any volunteers in the park area. They were there on the way out, but had packed up I guess by the time I came through at the finish. There were signs that said "RACE" so I just followed them back to the lake.

More intense bike work. I just need to get faster.

Guessing on my time since it's not posted.
Nothing unusual here. Grabbed my stuff, including a GU, and felt I was out of there pretty fast.

Nothing.

Before the race, I really wanted to run the entire run. Really, I did. That was my goal. But my race strategy quickly shifted from "Run the whole 10 miles," to "OK, run the first half and then re-assess," to "Survival mode," which equalled a run/walk combination.

I ran the entire first mile (in about 11 minutes) and stopped at the first aid station completely spent. My calf was super tight from the calf cramp on the swim - I could run on it, but it did not feel good. The heat was in the mid-90s with the humidity super high - heat indexes were around 103. My head immediatly started POURING sweat - right into my eyes. My eyes stung for the first 2 miles and I didn't have anything to wipe them with. My sunglasses also immediately got crusty and grimey with salt, dirt, and sweat and I couldn't see out of them. I carried them for 9 miles in my hand.

So after that first mile, I was doing a run/walk combo. It was completely brutal out there. I felt like crap. I wanted to stop. It was just so damn hot. The aid stations only had HEED and water... I literally gag on HEED so I just got water at the first two aid stations. After that, I started taking 2 full cups of water and one of ice. Drinking a full cup of water, dumping one on my head, and carrying the ice to the next aid station. I was actually drinking a LOT of water on the run. To the point where it was sloshing around in my tummy. I guess my body just couldn't absorb it fast enough by that point.

Coming back on the end of the first loop I passed transition and the finish line. I halfway contemplated stopping. This sucked so bad. But no... I'd walk the last 5 miles if I had to. There was a fireman hosing people off and I said "yes please." He literlly hosed me from head to toe. That was nice, except now my shoes and socks were soaking wet. With 5 miles left to run. Oh well.

Started the second loop and my shoes immediately turned mud brown from the water mixed with the dirt trail. I ran as much as I could but this 2nd loop was more walking than running. I opened my GU, hoping that would help me through the 2nd loop. I nursed it for awhile - probably only ate 3/4 of it.

If I were to estimate, I'd say around 70 percent of the people I saw were walking at some point. I saw Linda three times I think, who had found a running buddy. I really wished I'd had someone to run with. But I didn't.

The ground was pretty uneven on this trail - one of my tri club buddies fell down right in front of me at one point. It really was just not a great surface to run on.

The 2nd loop was so freaking hot I was starting to get dizzy and see stars a few times. I knew I was in bad shape and tried to be smart by walking, even though I hated every second of it. I love to run. I can run forever, slowly... but I can run forever. I was very disappointed that I was forced to walk so much, but it was what I had to do. I was hontely afraid I was going to pass out at any given moment.

Around mile 8, there were a few volunteers walking the run course asking if everyone was okay. I said I was okay, just hot. I didn't want to tell them I'd been dizzy cause I was afraid they'd pull me from the course. After that, I started to cry. I didn't want to be out there. I had blisters on my feet from my wet shoes. I couldn't run more than 60 seconds at a time. I just wanted to stop. My throat started to close up from crying and now I was just gasping for breath. Gaaah get a hold of yourself, Lisa. You still have to finish.

Finally with about 1/2 mile left to go, I find someone to chat with. Some guy who did a run/walk with me until we saw the finish line and jogged it in - nice guy but wish I'd found him at the beginning of the run.

By the time I finished, they'd already done all of the Male awards. It was to the point where the announcer says "ooh look I think we have another finisher coming in" and everyone turns and gives a sort of pity clap.

I crossed the finish line and could barely breath. I was very, very out of it and just wanted to sit down. Later I told Linda that this 10-mile run was harder than the marathon I ran earlier this year. For. Real.

Bring a sweat towel.
Not race in 100-degree heat.

I hobbled over to a tent with some shade and just stood there trying to catch my breath. I did not feel very well at all. I finally sat down. A few minutes later I felt a little better and went to find my food wristband. They said in pre-race that they'd have vegetarian food options. They didn't. So I ate a small bag of chips and a Coke while chatting with Linda and some other girls.

It took me forever to gather my stuff and hobble back to the car - my calf gave out on me more than once after I'd been sitting. Drove Linda back to her house, and then drove to my grandparents house.

I guess everyone was worried about me since they thought the race started at 7 or 8 and it was like 4:00 when I got back. My grandma could tell I didn't feel good and she offered to make me some dinner. I told her I'd just grab some Chipotle on the way home - but actually nothing sounded good in the least. Called my parents and they were glad to hear from me. Called Tom and cried a little because I was so disappointed in myself.

Tom always makes me feel better though. He is right... it was a tough day. Swimming w/out a wetsuit, the chop, the calf cramp, the wind, the hills, the HEAT... he told me I won't always have good races, but I did good considering the circumstances.

He convinced me I needed to eat and even nap before I tried to drive back to Wichita. So when I got off the phone and went to tell my grandma I DID want some dinner, she laughed and said she had already started making me some gluten free pasta and it would be ready by the time I got out of the shower. Grandmas are awesome like that, aren't they?

After my shower I sipped on an anti-oxident smoothie I'd brought, and ate with my grandparents - immediately started feeling better. Good enough that I didn't want to try to nap cause I'd just be OUT if I did that. So I got on the road fairly quickly to make sure I didn't fade.

Kept the car super cold so I would stay awake. Stopped halfway and got an iced latte from Starbucks. Funny thing was I'd done this on the way up there and the barista guy had noticed my "nice bike" the day before... well it was the same barista guy on the way home and he asked how my race went - how funny! Anyway, I also got some McDonalds fries and a Coke - nom nom.

Made it home around 9:45 p.m., told my parents I wouldn't be picking my dog up tonight, and crashed. What a tough day.


Heat. Simply the heat.


I know it was the first year for this race and they probably learned some lessons, but here are my suggestions.

First and foremost, start the race earlier. If you're going to be racing 53 miles in August in Kansas, you can not have waves starting as late as 8:45 a.m. I will not do this race again unless they move the start time up drastically.

1 aid station for 42 miles of biking is NOT ENOUGH. I imagine with the course being 2 loops we were supposed to be able to use it 2 times, but by the time I passed it the 2nd time it was shut down. Fail.

The bike aid station needs more than simply water.

HEED is not an acceptable sports drink, at least not to me. I literally gag on it, so could only drink water on the run.