Close to PR! & my new favorite swim hole!
Took 1:18 off 2000m swim (but 1.2m swim is slightly shorter so PR is close - if at all), despite blowing off a lot of swims. Perfectly executed swim. Went out hard, got into a steady rhythm, drafted where I could, straight line to each buoy - just perfect. I set myself up towards the edge but lined up straight with the 1st buoy - the majority of people were way to the left which I did not understand as the lake jutted out and they would have to swim around. Had one bump to the goggles at the beginning of the race, but very little contact after. I drafted off someone for a good portion of the distance to the 1st buoy then took off and swam mostly on my own for the rest of the race. Started catching up to previous wave at the 2nd buoy. Had that typical "OMG this is sooo long" feeling at the 3rd buoy, but by the time I hit the 4th I started hauling and felt really strong. Solid sprint at the last buoy when I saw another pink cap and tried to beat her to the finish, she got out faster and beat me by 6 seconds or so...I always have issues judging exactly when to stop swimming and get out. No biggie! As I hit the mat I glanced at my watch which was in the 36:$$ zone! W00T!

Nada! Awesome swim. If I trained the swim more regularly I probably could go even faster... But this was the sacrifice I made for this race so I could train more for the bike and run. VERY HAPPY!

Goal was to <40:00. Way exceeded. Yay.

Goal <4:00 for each transition. I had some problems getting out of my wetsuit, stumbled a bit with getting stuff into pockets (I really really need a seat bag for my tubes), and had to sit down to put on socks. Just kept telling myself to be slow and methodical - no use trying to over exert myself here.

I pre-chamois buttered before the swim, but I wish I had put more or had done it in T1 instead, had some rubbing in panty line that felt not so good towards end of ride. Ended up with a small patch of chafe on my inner thigh. I felt okay about this transition, it could be faster, but I'm okay with the time I took and beat my goal so...

Nutrition on board:
2 gel flasks w/ 8 gels total (pineapple roctane & lemon/lime gu)
1 bottle orange gu brew
1 bottle diluted ginger/tangerine nuun (1 tab/24oz)

I felt really sluggish for the first 10 miles, no cycling legs whatsoever. Uggh, is this ride going to be a suffer fest!? First section is false flat too and felt awful. Finally started feeling better after chugging some gel and nuun. Course description said flat w/ rollers - more like false flat with LONG ass rollers - long gradual ascents, long descents. I was flying on the downhills (30+mph) and spinning like mad on the uphills. NEED TO LOSE 20+ pounds! NOW! :)

I kept to eating/drinking schedule 1 24oz bottle per hour + ~2-2.5 gels. I trained with ~275 cals/hr but I ended up taking slightly more than that ~315/hr... 8 gels + 1 bottle of gu brew + most of 1 bottle of heed + 1 bottle of nuun and a little water = 3.5 bottles & ~1000-1100 cals total.

At the first aid station I hadn't even touched my gu brew so I opted not to pick up fresh bottles (mistake!). I thought there was another aid station at the bottom of the loop (nope!). Miles 20-35 went pretty well, was starting to feel better alternating gels & taking in more fluids. Ran out of fluids at around 2:00, 2nd bottle exchange was not where I thought it would be (and I wasn't the only one when a 60+ guy passed me and asked where the aid was). No fluids for about 35 minutes which kinda sucked. Fortunately my gels were watered down so I could still take them. Hit the final aid station grabbed fresh bottle of water and Heed and sucked down a good portion of the Heed and sipped on water til the last 5 miles then stopped all nutrition/hydration.

Lack of chamois butter affected me towards end of ride in panty line region, but fortunately I didn't get the hot-feet issues I had during the last two long training rides. I did wee-wee just a little on some of long descents. I couldnt muster up the urge to stop for a porta-john. (same for the run too)

The course was absolutely beautiful - nice rural roads with view of Mt. Rainier at the bottom of the loop. Rollers were not exactly what I expected and my extra weight didn't help any. Great course though! I held back exactly the right amount, and still beat my goal time of 3:30!

Those over-distance rides sure paid off!

It's possible I didn't quite eat or drink enough in the morning which accounted for the sluggishness on the first 10 miles. I did go out rather hard on the swim though. Lose weight so even slight long rollers don't feel like such a chore! Grab a bottle of something at EVERY aid station just to keep all bottles topped off. I don't think the 35 minutes without fluids had too much impact but it would have been nice to have a steady stream too. Need to learn to keep higher cadence, was really mashing @ low cadence during the 2nd half of the ride.

Temps climbed to 80 during ride, but never felt uncomfortable. Perfect riding conditions, low wind, sunny, mid-70s, no humidity.

Went better than planned, grabbed gel flask, hat, and fuel belt, swapped shoes, and exited T2 running.

Goal <4:00 - beat it!

Not fuss with tire lever/tube bundle in pocket. Drags me down every time, as before, get seat bag!

And here I entered the great unknown. Or, where I continue to sucketh at running! My longest run to date was 10.5 miles - was I going to be able to make it?

My inclination pre-race was that I would get 8 good miles in and beyond that a mystery! Goal was to try to keep a 13:30 pace at 4run/1walk ratio for as long as possible. That mostly worked... for the first 5-6 miles. I felt better than I thought I would after the bike, and was cruising happily along until I hit the first hill at 4.5-5ish. Walked up it and then got back into rhythm. I was encouraging and getting encouragement from other racers - had a blast out there chatting with people.

Miles 6-9 = total blur, I was completely spaced out in the zone just trying to keep an even tempo. The course had really thinned out and we were on back roads - empty and desolate - bleak part of run for me for sure. I was keeping to run/walk as much as possible, but was fading as miles ticked by. Was taking in gel from flask as needed - also had 2 gel packs, and was grabbing sips of fluid at regular intervals.

At mile 8 or so I started pouring water on my head - OMG felt sooooooo good! Brrrr.... revivified me ever so slightly each time. But, I was getting slower and slower, and at 10 miles was starting to wonder if I was going to make it. Dredged up the mental fortitude with a lot of encouragement from fellow racers, and thumbs up from race officials and as soon as I entered back into Nolte State Park with 1.5 miles to go I was feeling highly verklempt - almost started crying, but had to stop myself cause I couldn't breathe.

The last 2-3 miles were definitely the hardest as there weren't many folks left on the course. But thank goodness for those that were, and the spectators around the park that gave encouragement along the way. Race-savers all of them!

The final 1.5 miles was around the lake trail which was great (shade) and terrible (hilly and rocky) all at once. My feet were really starting to hurt at this point and I was eyeing the COLD COLD lake through the trees with lust. I had to walk a bunch of the trail as my legs were getting wobbly and tired. I could hear the cheering of the finish through the trees and when I could finally see the arch I started verklemptness again. Managed to run though the arch, fended off tears and finished as strong as possible! WOOHOOO! Well within my goal time of 3-3:15!

I had no nutrition problems and no digestive problems whatsoever so gels & hydration were spot on...

Run, lots more. Run >13 miles as many times as I can. Lose >20 pounds. Run. Run. Run.

I performed as best as I could for a slightly under-trained suck-arse runner.

OMG I F'IN FINISHED - I DID IT, I REALLY DID. HOLY S&*%!

I walked around in a daze for a minute or so then headed straight to the lake, took my shoes off and stood in the water up to my neck for five-ten minutes. That felt SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO good. Unbelievable. Once out of the water dropped all my crap at my bike and headed to the food table as I was feeling a bit dizzy and fazed. Called in to see where Mary and Jon were - on their way stuck in traffic! Ate some food, cheered on some finishers. Walked around a bit more and then went to the table with results.

Holy crap - 1st in my division! And I wasn't DFL! WHOOHOOO! I couldn't believe I was 1st in the division until I went over the medals table and verified. Holy Sh&! Since I didn't pick up my medal from my Oly earlier in the year - I made sure to get this one! W00T! And I wasn't the only one racing in my division either! W00T!

Packed my gear up smiling from ear to ear and waited in the parking lot for them to arrive. They had a coke waiting for me and we stopped at DQ for blizzards on the way to Olympia. Good times!


My suck-arse run ability. My 20 pounds of extra flub.

I performed to the best of my abilities. I tried to pull off a sub-7, but just couldn't muster any more speed on the run, then I tried to pull off sub 7:15 - SO CLOSE. That damn trail at the end did me in.


THUMBS UP AND HIGH FIVES TO ALL... or at least to the few people that were left :) First HIM and First Half Mary in the bucket!

Could not have asked for a better day weather-wise, a better venue, or a better race for my first half. Awesome day. I am truly in a state of wonder at what our bodies can accomplish when we set our minds to it. I love this distance, everything is just challenging enough and requires a lot of mental fortitude. I can't wait for my next HIM - See you in Oceanside!

Thanks to everyone for all your encouragement and support throughout this training cycle - it made all the difference today!