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 Swim
Comments: For me the swim was the big unknown for this race. I've been swimming only a month since the bike crash/seperated shoulder and only been about 2 weeks of swimming 1200+ yards. I really thought a 40-45' swim would be likely for me as I've been swimming across and back in loon pond in 18:30-20' when the course covers the edges of the pond more. I started in the back of my wave and had been hanging out with Joanne (isis58)and Laura (MAtrimom) the other two 45+ BTers. I had to wait for pokey swimmers in front of me. I got to the first strange cove, and saw lots of folks walking so I did as well. I was passing folks walking so I kept walking until it got to deep...score one for me. Key to doing well is to navigate this course as it is an odd shape...shortest distance between two points is a straight line. Often there would be 3 bouys that would not be lined up and folks would swim next to the bouys but I'd go point to point which saved me a ton of time. From electric lines to bouy I was swimming all by myself but in the straightest line. Not until I got to the otherside of the pond did the blue caps catch me who started 5' after me which pleased me. Made it through the loop at the far side of the pond and lots of blue caps were passing me. Some kept swimming up my legs which I very much don't like. Band me from the sides I'm okay push my legs down and it makes me feel like they are pushing me under and will swim over me I don't like that at all. Once I got to the point, I walked again tried to get feeling back in my left hand (issue from shoulder seperation), waved at the laughing scuba diver, and cut the corner and aimed straight for the exit where everyone else swam next to the bouys and I probably saved 50+ yards navigating smarter. I was sucessful at peeing while swimming for the 2n time....good skill to have.d White caps came, at the very end the orange caps came....I was racng w/o a watch on purpose to help me be neutral on how I was doing and focusing on doing the best I could at the moment. I did figure fastest swimmers were 20' and they started 15' after me so maybe around 35' swim which thrilled me. Right in line time wise with tri calculator and faster than St. A's and Mooseman both Olys this year pre accident. I'm sure my walking/navigation helped cut my time 4-6'...which is cool! 2006: 29:49 Tri Calculator: 35:31 What would you do differently?: Not crash on the bike and seperate my shoulder. But given what had happened I did great. I beat 35 people...to be MOP on the swim wold be so great.  Transition 1
Comments: On the run to transition I got my arms half out of my wetsuit and they were stuck. It took some time to wiggle out of it but I worked it out. Worked quickly at my bike and was off. What would you do differently?: I was happy...run to transtion was long which is why my time may appear long.  Bike
Comments: Goal was to push hard. I pushed a little to hard at the start of the race as I'm excited to be on the bike and passing so many folks. It is a challenging effort to push hard....I just kept at it the best I could. I drank much more than normal and had to pick up more water at mile 15; I did first 20 miles under 60' happy with 20+ mph but knew the end was mostly uphill. I was riding mostly with the fast women 40 & under. Many women were not following the USAT rules and riding next to folks, not passing and moving to the right. It was annoying at many times there was no place safe to pass. It was frustrating to pass the same group of women downhill and then have them pass me on the uphills over and over again and then often be boxed in so I couldn’t pass them when I was able to. Often I’d have to go easier as there was no place to ride. After about 15 miles I just paced off someone probably did a bit of drafting but I was tired of the back and forth and bad riding by so many folks not getting to the right. After I realized what I was doing, I passed that women again, and just tried to ride my race. Funny thing while riding I was like oh yah it hurts to ride hard long and I seem to always forget that until I race the next time as pushing hard is challenging. I didn’t really watch my PM much but would glance at my HR number. I went out a little too hard I think and was slower/less power second half. Some is due to the terrain and part was I think how I was riding. NP was only 162, VI was 1.08 which surprised me but probably due to being boxed in and not being able to ride how I would want to.. Avg HR was 154 which is higher than both St. A’s and Moose….when I first saw power numbers I was annoyed like how can that be. But it really doesn’t matter. I think in part, I have been doing hard efforts ie TT that are like 20-24 minutes so I’m good at that. Race pace stuff I’ve been doing is longer and my HR has been lower; so I wonder if I haven’t really trained for doing race pace stuff at 25 miles. I did push as hard as I felt I could….need to keep working on this though. I was breathing heavy the whole time on the bike. Drank 35 oz of water, 22 oz of Gatorade Endurance or 57 oz; took 4 or 5 lava Salts as it was hot and I could feel precramp leg feeling…so 1850 sodium on bike…or 250 less if I only took 4. I drank more than normal but it was hot and humid…I think it worked good. I took in about 350 calories on the bike. Entire workout (151 watts): Duration: 1:17:22 Work: 698 kJ TSS: 91.1 (intensity factor 0.842) Norm Power: 162 VI: 1.08 Distance: 25.032 mi Min Max Avg Power: 0 486 151 watts Heart rate: 125 166 154 bpm Cadence: 29 174 99 rpm Speed: 2.8 32.5 19.4 mph Pace 1:51 21:27 3:05 min/mi Hub Torque: 0 267 55 lb-in Crank Torque: 0 712 130 lb-in 2006: 1:19:48 Tri Calcuator: 1:16:33 No I didn't pee on my bike on my new Zipps What would you do differently?: Pace more evenly....figure out how to ride/pass folks when blocked/boxed in. Push harder...should have had higher NP numbers. Transition 2
Comments: Passed the women who came in the same time as me in T2 that I had been racing with most of the last half of the bike. What would you do differently?: Nothing..maybe learn to take feet out of shoes and get running dismount.  Run
Comments: Run was hot, humid, hard but fun. I came off the bike and saw the fastest guys finishing so I knew I was maybe around 2 hours off the bike which is pretty good and confirmed I probably didn’t swim super slow as I had thought I would. Bunch of friends cheered me on as I went out on the run. I did my inhaler in T2 and ran out, but felt pretty crappy right away. I think I walked 4 times first mile. I caught Sue at about 1/3 mile into run which brightened my day. We chatted and I got a hamstring cramp just about the same place they started last year. I took both my Lava Salts, Sue gave me her electrolyte stripes said she didn’t need them (wrong though). We ran/walked in the area of each other 3-4’ then I didn’t see her again. It was so cool to see her and talk with her. Turns out staring first women wave and being a fast biker & slow runner rocks! I saw maybe 30+ women I know on the run course who I’d encourage and would encourage me and we’d say a couple things to each other I saw lots of Tri-Hard coached folks on the run. My legs felt better 2nd mile…was able to pee while walking thru aid station mile 2…wet socks worried a little about blisters and my poor Newtons. Met a nice women who did IMLP and we chatted and we talked about kids and I cried while talking about Kyle. This continued…talked with strangers who were kind and nice…only cried one other time. That women introducd herself and told me her youngest was leaving for college. It would always get me when I'd say my son is getting dropped off at college and I'm doing this race. It was so hot/humid but in time I was accepting of it. Ever water stop I'd dump 3 glassed of water on my head. No way was I going to try to go all out after mile 3 as it was just too hot. But each mile I did more running; these 30 year old guys told me they were pacing off me but I dropped them in time …they said something like you are 46 wow...it was pretty cool. I was behind a skinny fit looking women in my AG for last 2.5 miles. She just ran. I ran and walked a couple of the hills but she kept ahead. I saw Scott and walked up the last steep hill with him, then went all out...guess what I passed the lady in my AG in the last 1/2 mile. You know how uncommon that is for me? I was thrilled and felt my pacing was good and I probably got faster throughout the run. I drank about 20 oz of GE. So my run was emotional, hard, fun, talkative, and very different than every other tri I have done…but it was great. I was slower than last year by just over a minute but don’t really care as last year the weather was perfect for me this year it wasn’t. I walked a bunch but it was close time wise and I had way more fun. I finished strong, ran hard thru the finish line stunned that I came in just under 5’ slower than last year. I was thrilled and happy for that….I was prepared to be slower by more than that. I had very labored breathing last ½ mile and pushed as much as I could. My daughter, Emily said I was running fast to the finish and she doesn't say that lightly...so it was good. 2006: 1:07:04 Tri Calculator: 1:03:23 Last year I beat about 50 people on the run tis year slower but beat over 100....it was tough running for many of us. What would you do differently?: Not be injuried, keep working on running...I hope next year will be a banner run year for me. Back when I started doing tris I would have never guessed my run placement would be higher than my swim but that is case now.... Post race
Warm down: Followed around finish chute as I was breathing very loudly and they were worried about me. I was border of having an asthma attack. I need to see a specialist to learn how to deal with this better before more longer races. Got a cool rag on my head, drank water, found Emily and continued to walk around and catch my breath. After feeling better I jumped in the lake and cooled down. I was stretched later, had some recovery food and finally ate chicken lunch. What limited your ability to perform faster: Bike accident 6/9 with seperated shoulder limited swim training, running injuries that have plagued me since October '06. It was hot/humid which made the run harder for me and slower. Asthma Honestly I was shocked that I was just less than 5' slower than last year. I thought a 3:15-3:20 time was likely. I was pleased with how I did given the situation I was in with training, injury, heat/humidity. I really hope next time I do this race I can get to 2:50ish with a good swim, small improvement on bike, and a nice improvement on the run. So after being a whacky person last week, I’m at peace with how I did. Knowing I had fun, did the best I could do and that is all I can ask of myself. Swim I’m happiest about, run was the most fun, bike I challenged myself and going hard is tough…can’t wait to still get faster. I see in the future I will (hope to be) be a more well rounded Triathlete with improved running & swimming. Improving running times will surely make a big difference in my overall time. I will hope to continue to get faster cycling but there is more room for improvement time wise running and with more work swimming too. Event comments: Great race and so fun with so many BTers racing. If you live in the area consider doing this race. BT get togethers before and after the race makes the race so much more fun. On the bike/run it is great to see friendly faces:) Volunteers were great..including Emily who body marked, then directed runners. She was asked to put toliet paper in all the port a potties. I felt horrible for that as I emailed the RD a list of suggestions after Patriot HIM and one was to refill port a potties with toliet paper as they all ran out...and he stuck my daughter with the job...irony? Last updated: 2007-03-17 12:00 AM
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United States
Sun Multisport Events
87F / 31C
Sunny
Overall Rank = 442/584
Age Group = F45-49
Age Group Rank = 21/28
My race was so strange in many ways. You know last week I was having a hard time with the race. What my coach sent me help remind me of many important lessons of progress or lack there of and looking long term for growth. I looked back and read what my coach Will told me last time this happened before Mooseman and I think what hit me the most was something he told me back in May “ Some times when folks are fired up for an event, it is easier to come up with lots of reasons why they shouldn’t do well so as to lower expectations and reduce pressure internally. “
I think this is what goes in my head when I feel pressure from races that I’m fearful I won’t reach my dreams or goals. It helps ease the pressure.
For me with Cranberry it was sort of grieving the fact that I wouldn’t hit my goals and the dreams I had for the race. Plus I was stressed over my life and sad over changing parenting role with my sons going off to college. I really want to go sub 3 in an Oly and last year figured easy I’d do it this year…3:04 at St. A’s and not happening at Cranberry given my summer. After last Cranberry we set time goals for this year, it meant improving running significantly and swim/bike some too. I’ve known in my heart I wouldn’t make those goals and suspected I’d be slower than last year, and it makes me sad. Knowing how I will do roughly helps me be more accepting afterwards.
Cranberry Goals:
1. Be thankful that I can participate and race given bike crash/injuries
2. Enjoy each minute of the race day
3. Do the best I can throughout the race by racing in the moment
4. On the bike/run push hard and try to embrace the challenging effort
5. Improve bike split maybe 1-3’; last year 1:19:48
6. Improve run split maybe 1-3’, last year 1:07:04
7. After race judge it on how I felt and if I gave 100% not on time
8. I’d love to go sub 3 as that has been a goal for awhile in an Oly…we had set a goal time after last year’s Cranberry 3:01:15 of 2:49-51 unless I have an amazing swim day don’t see those goal times are possible this year. Last year I did the swim 29:49; last ows I did at Loon Pond I swam 11:45 to the point where a year ago before Cranberry I did 8:45. Shoulder injury effects my swim a ton and I'm fortunate I can do the race. I see 40' swim possible and would be thrilled with anything faster.
9. Have fun! (how could I forget that one..is covered kind of in #2)
Cranberry thought:
I will focus on using my best skills and strategy based on where I am today
Plan is to go hard on the bike and run and see what happens and try to give it my all so I know I left it all out there...I don't think I've ever done that yet where I felt I just couldn't push any more...if I blow up who cares, I'll have learned something...and I'll just slow down.
Packet pick up Saturday and fun BT dinner afterwards. Racing with other BTers always makes a race more enjoyable.
Up at 4:45 am woke up on my own and slept well. I ate whole wheat blueberry pancakes with sugar free syrup and canadian bacon. I ate 3.5 hours before race start so ok for some protein. Strange after being neutral to negative about racing, I work up ready to go.
Got to race site 6am, scored great parking space near finish so I could leave cooler and other stuff and have easy access to it later.
Dropped Emily off for body marking, got stuff and walked over to bike shop to have them pump up my Zipps as my pump keeps blowing off when I pump. Saw lots of BTers, racked my bike and had lots of space as Ellen was next to me not racing though.
Ran at about 7:50 for 7-8', went back to transition and got everything set. Put on my wetsuit but they wouldn't let me in the water so I was baking so kept unzipping it. Found the Laura and Joanns who were in my wave.
Hugs from Emily, walked thru timing mat, got some water in my wetsuit, peed, and was ready to race.