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 Swim
Comments: Bummer bummer bummer. I expected to be out of the drink in about 1:12-1:15. I sighted poorly (helped by a lack of buoys and some chop/wind in the second half of the swim) had a NASTY hamstring cramp that stopped me dead in the drink with about a mile to go, and just never really got comfy on this swim. I really over swam the course according to the garmin, which means I REALLY need to sight more and not get pushed around by currents. I repeat, bummer bummer bummer! What would you do differently?: Not be a lazy sighter...this was my major error I think on this swim. my pace was about my usual OWS pace, but I got off course too much and it cost me a LOT of time. Not drink so much of the lake...I've no idea how to prevent the cramp...never had that one before!  Transition 1
Comments: Well, I ran to T1, then walked the long row to my bike. Got my sh*t together, angry about the long swim, and then got running to the mount line. Slow as usual. What would you do differently?: Act like it was a race,and hustle, since it WAS a race!!! Must not allow pity parties in transition.  Bike
Comments: Well, my happy place was not happy. Unfortunately my gut was in knots for almost 3 hours of this bike starting right from the get go. I almost cried twice. On my bike. My love. :( I knew if I didn't eat and drink (in spite of my gut ache) I would not be able to run, so I managed to stay on top of my nutrition. Lots of my infinate leaked out of my speedfil in T1, and the aid stations didn't have aquarius (gatoraide like drink) until the last aid station of the loop...I got off on loop one and filled up with some volunteers help, and made a critical error...this is where the only porta pot was on the entire bike course, and I SHOULD HAVE PEED HERE. I did not, and paid for that later. Finally the gut settled down, and by that point I really had to pee. I tried to go on the bike repeatedly to no avail. I really didn't want to drop my drawers on the side of the road, so I just prayed and pedaled (and was in serious pain) till I made it to that aid station again. Then I got to actually race the rest of the bike. That was at least fun, swooping through the round abouts into downtown and into T2. What would you do differently?: Well, so much!!! I MUST be able to pee on my bike for IMFL. I WILL master this. I think the gut issues could be due to quite a few things...I ate the breakfast provided at the hotel all week, then had my usual oatmeal/banana this am...that could have been an issue. Not eating much in the way of greens since arriving in Spain, drinking the lake...all could have been reasons for the horrible pain. None will be issues in IMFL...I won't be drinking in the gulf, I will be eating and drinking my regular foods, and I won't be jetlagged or eating weird tapas and pintxos in the days prior to the race. Transition 2
Comments: volunteers were there to take our bikes (YAY) and we were advised to not leave our shoes on the bike, but thats how I race, so that's what I did. My shoes are old and I figured if I lost um, I lost um. (there were there at the end of the race). I went into the coed tent and saw Joanna, my teammate just in front of me ready to leave. Shit. She beat me on the bike into T2! I fully expected to be passed by her on the run, but not in T2! Shit! I put on some sunblock as half the run was sunny, grabbed all my gu's and biofreeze and shoved them up the legs of my suit, and lastly the two tylenol and a couple salt tabs. I put on my visor and shoes and headed out What would you do differently?: Hurry the heck up! Again, a minor pity party in T2 due to Joanna beating me there. I didn't have a firm plan, and that always slows me down. Mustn't think in transition. KISS principle only!!! :)  Run
Comments: 4 laps of a great flat, fast course. People lining the streets yelling "animo" which I thought was animal. LOL! I take 1' walk breaks every mile, and the fans did NOT like that! "Run Marshall!!! Gooo! Animo!!!" :) There was music, cobblestones, winding streets, running by the hotel with Team USA supporters, Loren and my boys out on the course. I saw Joanna, Scribby, Steve from BT, and Kylie too...pretty much the best run course venue ever. :) I was feeling pretty good...mile 5 I think to myself, I am LOVING this run! Mile 6, feeling crappy. So, I took gu #2 sticking to my nutrition plan. Keep running...see teammates Joanna, Steve, our adopted teammate Kylie, BT'r Steve, Loren twice, and my hubby and son twice. A boost from all! Then on lap 3 I am about 10 feet behind a paratriathlete for about a mile...so much energy from the crowd for him! I see him checking over his shoulder, and then peel off to the shoot, winning the paratriathlete title!!! Talk about inspiring! I go left and on to my last lap. Achilles is grumping a bit on the left, but I am determined to run through the last 5k without walking, pushing as hard as I can. Our adopted teammate had never swam 2.5 miles (she found out from us that the race was not a half 3 days before the event!) and she told me she was not going to f*cking stop on that swim. Well, I decided to borrow her mantra for the run. I took my last gu at 15.5 (gagged...soo gross!) then started my last 5k. Oh I negotiated a lot with myself. But in the end, the mantra won out. Finally...a breakthru on the run.:) What would you do differently?: Well, I'm sure I cheated on my 1 minute walk breaks, so I'll be training with the 910 walk break function from now on to get prepared for IMFL. I think doing the gu's every 3 miles works, but man I almost hurled when I took the last one. I'd like to be more steady on pace...I slowed down starting at mile 9 I think, and I don't know if that was a function of knowing I was about half way, or just feeling a bit fatigued at that point. Overall, I'm really happy with my finish and finally executing the run as my coach's wanted me too. Oh, and I actually PASSED SOMEONE IN MY AG ON THE RUN! That very may well be a first in a longer distance race for me. :) Whoo Hoo! Post race
Warm down: Steve was waiting in the athlete food area ( which was crappy and small) and helped me get some food, walked me to get signed up for a massage, and then we walked some more to stand in line to gather our bikes,transiton and gear bags. Then I just sat till it was my turn for massage, which was three massage therapists on one athlete, and very european...my singlet was down, bra unhooked and shorts hiked up, but I was totally ok with it! :) What limited your ability to perform faster: A lot. I really was not focused on executing this race to the best of my ability. From what I ate, how I studied the course, to knowing what/where aid stations were, having a specific fueling plan on the bike as well as watts. This all showed up on race day. I was underprepared due to the travel, having my boys there and treating this more as an experience and vacation than an A race. Event comments: Overall, even though I am disappointed in my performance as a whole, I am very pleased about the run. I was very geeked that I mentally didn't quit on the last 5k and take a walk break. It may seem funny to be so excited about being 19th of 24 in my AG on the run, but I PASSED someone on the run, and did what I set out to do! Whoo Hoo! That's what I'm hanging on to from this race. That and you get what you prepare for. My lack of attention to detail got mediocre results on the bike and swim. Duely noted. I had so much fun rooming with Joanna, meeting Kylie, and the AWESOME Steve from BT (first American in his AG!!!) racing with Scribby and having Loren there as my adopted "Dad" and sharing the experience with my hubby and son. They don't usually go to my races, but it was awesome to have them there to support me and all my team mates, Kylie and TEAM USA! It was a great experience and if I'm lucky enough to race for Team USA again I'll have a much better handle on the whole travel thing. Spain was fantastic, and I hope someday I can return to explore even more! :) Last updated: 2012-02-21 12:00 AM
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Spain
70F / 21C
Overcast
Overall Rank = /
Age Group = 45-49
Age Group Rank = 15/24
Wow...lots! :) Tuesday evening/Wednesday flight to Paris, then Bilbao. All good, no problems. Long day Wednesday getting to hotel, bikes built up (thank you Scribby!) issues checked and checking the boards for Team USA. We all (Steve, his dad Loren, Joanna, Dave and Brian) went walking for dinner or something to eat...Santo Domingo day in town...kids dressed in costume and dancing and partying...but no dinner till 9. Finally got tapas and awesome wine at 8, and toddled home to sleep.
Thursday we ran short early, then took a train to San Sebastian. Awesome day of exploring the city, 2 beautiful cathedrals, eating pintxo's drinking sangria and swimming in the Atlantic ocean. Brian really enjoyed the topless sunbathers although he denied it and said there were no cute girls. Awkward as his mom? YES!
Friday we took the bus out to the swim venue and T1. Got about 1500m in...nice body of water! Then the bus ride home took us on the bike course. Good road, not to hilly, beautiful! Hung out with our new buddy Kylie from LA who just found out from us that the race is longer than a half! Got registered at town and there was NO swag to buy with ITU worlds on it. Not a single thing! Bummer! Then we did a short ride from the hotel on part of the bike course to check gears and do a few repeats. All was well with the bikes. After that we took a tour of Vitoria and the cathederal which was very interesting. The plaza where we will be finishing is a perfect square...architech students come from all over Spain to study it!
Saturday was gear bag day, and bussing out to T1 to have our uniform, bike helmet inspected and a photo with our gear, then set up transition. ITU rules...everything in the basket! Tried to get relaxed, roll and to bed on time. Pasta take out for dinner. It was yummy. Eating at 8pm is not the norm for us yanks though!
Sunday, race day! Woke up at 4:30 so we could eat at 5, and be on the bus to T1 by 6. Ate my usual race morning breakfast of oatmeal, pb2 and a banana, coffee (after a few days of meat and cheese, this may have been my undoing!) Drank the sports drink being served on course, Aquarius, water and had a mini muffin at race site. No stomach issues before race...no signs of what was to come.
Basically just got my nutrition on my bike, checked out the pro bikes (bike porn!) went potty, enjoyed the bells ringing and seeing the sheep come into the rolling fields across the road from t1 (a favorite memory from this race!!!) and found Dave and Brian. Got my kisses and hugs, went back into transition (that is where they led us into the start) and found Joanna and Kylie. They were playing the Pirates of the Caribbean theme song which I loved (my orchestra babies played it!!!) but when it was time to count down for an AG start they switched to this very intesnse heartbeat sound. No need to swim to elevate my hr...that music did it all! 9:01 am start...saved the best for last...40-49 women!!! :)