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Ann Arbor Triathlon - TriathlonSprint


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Pinckney, Michigan
United States
eliteendeavors.com
80F / 27C
Sunny
Total Time = 2h 45m 1s
Overall Rank = 404/412
Age Group = 30-34
Age Group Rank = 23/25
Pre-race routine:

Made a protein shake. Took all of my nutrition bottles out of the freezer at 5:30AM.
Event warmup:

Walking, being nervous, hanging with the BT crew, body gliding my body, and taking a few dips in the lake.
Swim
  • 25m 28s
  • 800 meters
  • 03m 11s / 100 meters
Comments:

I am mixing up freestyle and other strokes to keep on going... on the return the freestyle came a lot easier and I felt stronger on the last 400m than I did on the first.
What would you do differently?:

Swim more freestyle. HTFU!
Transition 1
  • 04m 46s
Comments:

Here is where I realized that I was missing one sock. One of my most favorite Smart Wool socks. This took about 2 minutes out of my transition as I was looking around frantically for that darn sock. The good thing here is that I can bike without socks, so I was not so worried for this leg... I just knew that the run was going to suck.
What would you do differently?:

Bring two pairs of socks. :)
Bike
  • 54m 24s
  • 14 miles
  • 15.44 mile/hr
Comments:

Freaking eh. Every hill meant a new photog waiting to take humilating pics of me panting, struggling up hills and generally making nasty faces.

Here is the not cool thing.. I had to use the big ring for 85-90% of the race... HILLS INCLUDED. I could NOT shift to smaller rings to save my life. Tom at Bikesport MI lubed her up a bit so when she did switch gears it was smooth - but all of a sudden I lost the bottom two rings and I knew that the big hills were commming.

The start was rough. Not going to lie. My legs were a little frazzled from the crash Wednesday night and the general excitement of the race. But I like the bike. I need to love the hills!

Once again I finished stronger than I started. I passed quite a few people out there and only the Men 40-44 ag passed me, even then it was only 5 or 6 superstars.
What would you do differently?:

MORE HILLS.
Transition 2
  • 03m 9s
Comments:

My heart broke a little in this transition. This is the exact point where I doubted myself. Not at the start, not on the bike... but right here.

I was all racked and ready to put on my shoes when I had to stop a moment and realy think. CAN I do this 5 mile trail run sans socks? I have not ever ran more than 1 mile without socks, and never in these shoes.

NOTHING NEW ON RACE DAY!

But I cannot let one stupid little sock keep me from what I have been training so hard for, right?

To continue or not was the biggest question. And belive me when I say this - that made me mad. How dare I even have to consider pulling out due to a sock.

Then it hit me. BT was here. Matt was here. Jaclyn was here, Joanne, Kimm, Trixie, Robyn, Glen, Rottieguy, Bob, Ranger, Kristen, Leah, Andrea, Kelly, SweetP and Brickey were all here, if not physically at least in my heart. MY tri club was here. Lana was here. My support system was all right here with me in that little 2' by 4' transition spot.

How could I have gotten 14.5 miles into a race - MY race and then think of quitting? Was a piece of wool so important that it would stand in my way of completing my dream?

HELL NO.

I had come too far emotionally, physically to stop now. Today is still my day - I showed up and toed the line after a bike crash just 4 days earlier. How is a piece of wool going to beat that?

It wouldn't.

So I grabbed the body glide and went to town. NOTE - it is amazing what goes through your head when you have time to stop and think about it. This was the longest 3:09 minutes that I have ever had.

When I applied the body glide to my shoes (the collar) as well as as parts of both of my feet I forgot my arches. Guess where I blistered? Oh yeah. Today, almost a week out from the race, they are still bright red and scabbed over. My arches got rubbed raw.

Dang sock thief!


What would you do differently?:

Body glide every conceivable square inch of my lower body. Seriously. :) No, not seriously, however I would have to remember that any rubbing will equal blistering or chaffing, so body glide is a great thing.

When it doubt - glide it out!
Run
  • 1h 17m 16s
  • 5 miles
  • 15m 27s  min/mile
Comments:

Making hills my bitch since mile 2 on the Poto - this is for sure my new motto. :)

I walked a LOT. Not that I couldn't run, only that I couldn't run well without the rubbing raw of my feet making me want to puke a little.

I am not kidding.

It was LONG, PAINFUL... awakening.

I had a lot of alone time out there. People passed me left and right and I started to break down. Not crying break down - but in my head I started to let the happenings of the last week set in. Please learn something from this - don't let negativity creep into your head at mile 2 of a 5 mile trail run. I love trail running, yet I was in a funk. I needed someone. ANYONE. I just needed someone to appear so I wasn't alone.

Mile 3.5 they came. A fellow female 30-34 AGer that was struggling more than I was. Thank you God for allowing me this. That was it! I found someone that I could cheer on and support and that made me feel so much better. I walked with her and got her to run a bit more than she was previously. I told her that if I can run with raw feet - she can run with me! I think that she needed someone too as she said she was about ready to quit.

We talked, laughed, ran, walked, and shared our training stories the last 1.5 miles. That last 1.5 miles went by in such a blurr - I really am blessed that someone came by just as I needed them.


So, when I say that I finished the race in part because of all of you... please know that I meant it. I am not weak - but I am stronger because of you.

After tackling the last uphill of the race - I came barreling into the park and all of a sudden the pain dissappeared. As people came into focus, the memory of the blisters, the trails, the broken heart all faded away.

I ran down the finishing hill to chants of my name. I felt like a superstar - there waiting for me was EVERYONE! My tri club - my BT friends - my mentors, friends... my family of triathletes!

I felt so excited to have done it! I took "HTFU" to a whole new personal meaning, and I did it.

I was had made my goal and accomplished my dream.

I was a triathlete forged in blood and dirt. And I came out of Ann Arbor stronger than I had entered.

What would you do differently?:

BRING TWO PAIRS OF SOCKS!!!!!!!
Post race
Warm down:

Walking around, tearing off shoes examining blisters, talking with BTers and FASTers. Eating the best dang chicken sandwhich ever (I think that it could have been cardboard and I would have been just as eager to chow it down honestly.)

Stood in line forever for a massage, but decided to not do it since my endorphins were dropping and I wanted to get home.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Really? I cannot put limits on myself, I can only allow myself to move forward. By that alone I was a success. I refuse to think in terms of speed right now. Finishing is my goal and I did it. TIME will improve my abilities.

Event comments:

In my head I swore off AA next year. But now that the pain has subsided and I have a full season ahead of me, I have decided to come back and show AA what I got. This time prepared to run with or without socks, and ready to kick some major biking hills azz.

I am glad that my first race was so difficult. I do not think that I would have the same respect for the sport if I did a smaller race. I know now what it feels like to struggle out there. I needed that.


Profile Album


Last updated: 2008-02-25 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:25:28 | 800 meters | 03m 11s / 100meters
Age Group: 22/25
Overall: 0/412
Performance: Average
Suit: Sleeveless
Course: Triangle, clockwise.
Start type: Wade Plus: Waves
Water temp: 74F / 23C Current: Low
200M Perf. Below average Remainder: Good
Breathing: Good Drafting: Average
Waves: Navigation: Good
Rounding: Good
T1
Time: 04:46
Performance: Below average
Cap removal: Good Helmet on/
Suit off:
No
Wetsuit stuck? No Run with bike: No
Jump on bike: No
Getting up to speed: Below average
Biking
00:54:24 | 14 miles | 15.44 mile/hr
Age Group: 23/25
Overall: 0/412
Performance: Average
Wind: Little
Course: HILLY hilly and hilly. Did I mention hilly?
Road: Potholes Wet Cadence:
Turns: Good Cornering: Good
Gear changes: Below average Hills: Average
Race pace: Comfortable Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 03:09
Overall: Good
Riding w/ feet on shoes
Jumping off bike Below average
Running with bike Good
Racking bike Good
Shoe and helmet removal Good
Running
01:17:16 | 05 miles | 15m 27s  min/mile
Age Group: 24/25
Overall: 0/412
Performance: Below average
Course: One word sums this up = POTO. Hilly, technical, difficult, sunny in places where it crosses the dirt roads, but actually fun! I was ready for it to be over at mile 2, but that was only because I was in so much blister pain.
Keeping cool Below average Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 5
Physical exertion [1-5] 5
Good race? Yes
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? Yes
Post race activities: Good
Race evaluation [1-5] 5

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2008-06-13 1:02 PM

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Expert
1170
10001002525
Berkley, MI
Subject: Ann Arbor Triathlon


2008-06-13 2:13 PM
in reply to: #1465359

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Master
2356
20001001001002525
Fenton, MI
Subject: RE: Ann Arbor Triathlon

AWESOME!!!  You are sooooo much tougher than you know. 

 

2008-06-13 2:35 PM
in reply to: #1465359

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Expert
937
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Traverse Cityish
Subject: RE: Ann Arbor Triathlon
WTG! You picked a doosie of a first race and didn't let it get the best of you.

Nice job indeed!
2008-06-13 2:37 PM
in reply to: #1465359

Master
1895
1000500100100100252525
Subject: RE: Ann Arbor Triathlon

I love it.  You have a great attitude....something a lot of people can learn from (especially me). 

Great job lady!  I can't wait to race with you at Big Fish.

2008-06-13 3:33 PM
in reply to: #1465359

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Expert
771
5001001002525
Farmington, MI
Subject: RE: Ann Arbor Triathlon
AWE-some!!  I'm getting vaclempt....   I'm so glad that we could help you through that race because your attitude has meant so much to the rest of this season.  I think your bright shiny excitement has been contagious for the rest of us who might have forgotten how fun it was to be a newbie (whether it was just last year or even longer).   And that morning, I probably would have crawled back into bed in the middle of those thunderstorms if I hadn't had you and your "Bring it!"  grin waiting for me!! 

Jen, You Rocked this race and showed us what HTFU means!!  Superstar Triathlete, that's you!
2008-06-13 3:48 PM
in reply to: #1465359

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Subject: RE: Ann Arbor Triathlon

I saw you come across that finish line and I never would have guessed you were hurting at all...

You rocked it, girl!  WAY TO GO! 



2008-06-13 7:42 PM
in reply to: #1465359

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Master
1390
1000100100100252525
Ferndale, MI
Subject: RE: Ann Arbor Triathlon

I agree with all the comments posted here so far.  Seriously, the week that you had prior to this event and still coming out to give it what for, AND THEN to find a sock missing and still take the run on.....you are my hero.  I think your attitude is what makes me like this sport so much.  Sure there is some physical training you do, but so much of this is mental like not letting yourself quit because of "pain". 

 

Kudos to you, girl.  You deserve the label "triathlete".

 

2008-06-13 7:48 PM
in reply to: #1465359

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Master
1639
100050010025
Robbinsville NJ
Subject: RE: Ann Arbor Triathlon
Great job finishing it out Triathlete!
2008-06-13 9:06 PM
in reply to: #1465359

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Expert
1170
10001002525
Berkley, MI
Subject: RE: Ann Arbor Triathlon

Thank you so much everyone! 

And I SWEAR that I can spell - I was in the airport hurrying up so I could get the report up before the plane boarded... I need to slow down!    I went back and fixed the mistakes that I caught so far. 

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