I really really wish that instead of chatting I had looked at the lake, the bouys and paid some attention. Instead I talked, talked talked and then I was at the water and they said go. I never panick in water and am always relaxed and this time was no different. But I do always doubt that I am going the right way. I am not really worried if I swim so far off track because I know I can swim a really long way. I am worried about getting trouble and Dq'd. So I worried THE ENTIRE TIME that I was swimming the sprint distance. You'd think after swimming for a few minutes that I would realize that that wasn't possible. You'd think the fact that all the swimmers around me had green caps and not blue that I would have known that I was swimming the right way. But no. I was NEVER sure. I even stopped at one point, treaded water, pulled off my googles to try and determine where I was suppose to swim. I couldn't figure it out, so I put back on my googles and decided I would follow the other green cap people around me and hoped they were going the right way.

So I have NO concept of time while swimming. Everyone said the swim was long and my time certainly reflects that but it didn't at all feel like I had been swimming that long. In fact I still wasn't sure I had swam the right distance since at the end I ran over a guy in a blue cap doing back stroke. WTH? Obviously I swam the correct distance but why am I so retarded. It was like I left my brain in transition. So annoyed at how stupid I was about that swim.

Not leave my brain in tranisition

I dont own a wetsuit and I ran to transition. I have no idea why I am so freaking slow. I should mention here that on the way my heel found a rock and now my heel is bruised. Didn't notice it though until after the race. Rocks suck.

Not be so slow.

My bike fitness isn't as terrible as my swim fitness since because of a hip/glute injury I crosstrained a good bit on the bike. In fact in Jan I rode the spin bike as much as I ran. But then in Feb and March when I was able to run I was only cycling maybe an hour or so a week. After Boston though I had managed 2 metric centuries. I would say in regards to the bike I have endurance but no speed. But then again, in regards to me and the bike, I can always say that. I just suck. So I would say this was probably a 100% performance from me. Certainly way faster than I have been riding.

I did have a mechanical issue that hurt me on some of the hills--my gears in the smaller ring jump/won't stay "locked" so it is a bit helter skelter when climbing and being out of the saddle is risky. And I like to climb out of the saddle. I can sit, but I don't like to because it hurts my It band and is also slower. I am a hill attacker and I wasn't able to attack like I normally do.

My other complaint on the bike was this guy who kept passing me. I don't think he should have been passing me. His breathing was out of control and he would ride along side me too long, get directly in front, put me in the draft zone and I would have to slow down/brake and then speed up and pass him again because I swear he would get in front of me and slow down. It was driving me nuts, I was worried he was going to earn me a penalty and so after several miles of rinsing and repeating I decided I was going to have to ride faster than I wanted or I was stuck with him. So I pushed harder than i wanted and I worried that this was going to ruin me for the run. I comforted myself in that my legs had surprised me in Boston when I arrived at Newton hills with aches in my quads but found I could still hit my paces despite the heaviness. So I was counting on that to happen again for the run because I had to get away from that guy. But in the end on a steeper climb and my shifting failed me he passed me again. It was a few miles to go so I just decided he could go as I was starting to worry my bike was going to break and I was going to have to run it in. As it turned out I was fine, rolled in right behind him and then he told me, while we were racking our bikes that he had tore his quad and was quitting.

Just be in better bike shape, not have a mechanical issue but really I think I did well considering. I was seriously thinking I was going to turn out at 16.5 mph pace so I am pleased here.

I wasted time listening to leap frog guy's tale of torn quad DNF. I even asked myself what was I doing since I was ready to go run and was just standing there. Focus Natalie! Focus!

Ignore other people's drama.

This was a great run for me. The 10k distance is the hardest for me. I ALWAYS walk in a 10k when I won't at all in a marathon--, yes even in my 43:5x pr I walked a few aid stations. I just don't know how to pace that distance. I still don't but in an Oly I shoot for that marathon pace feel--which for me is around 8 min miles. Since Dec I have been completely watchless--even for Ga marathon and Boston marathon--and have been focusing on what I call the inner governor. Apparently there is a theory called Central Governor and it is the same thing but my inner governor is not at all polite, cussing a bit and alternates between a British and Boston accent. Nevertheless listening to him has gotten me to the finishline without a cramp, injury, blowup or a runwalk shuffle. And that is way more than I can say the watch ever did for me. So far I haven't run a pr on this method but I would also say I am not at all in pr shape given the past 18 months of injury and illness. Anyway.... I thought I was hitting the 8 min pace but I guess I was under it for most of the 10k. This is great news since next fall (or spring or both) I am hoping marathon pace is 7:48 or whatever a 3:25 marathon pace is. I know I love that pace but I havent quite reconciled it for the full 26.2. It is going to happen though. . .

So yeah! This run was great! I decided to test out my kinarvas for the race and I regretted it a bit the first mile when my achilles and calves were tight. Even still right out the gate I was passing people. The pace though felt hard, my stride uncomfortable and the governor said to hang here, wait it out. So I focused on cheering the faster runners who were coming back on the out/back part of the course. By the end of mile two I felt my body relax and I had that all comfy/floating feeling and the governor said Okay, pick it up! And I would. But my heart rate actually felt lower, easier. So I knew I was right behind the pushing too hardline and if I kept it up I would be able to push harder after the half point. Occasionally I would feel myself crossing the too hard line and I would ask the governor, OMG am I going to blow up!? and he would say no dumb ass you are running up a tiny hill, ease up a bit and push it on the down hill. And I did. And it was awesome! I cheered for people, picked a person in front of me, passed them, did Indian calls through the tunnel, high fived a few people, thanked all the volunteers etc. It was huge boost as I approached the turn around and someone called out to me that I looked too good! Yippy, what a confidence boost. Around the 4.5 mile mark I high fived my friend Shannon on her way out and cheered for her. I could see the people around me starting to fade and was rallied because I felt no fade and just kept pushing! My governor had warned me around 3 miles that I was getting hot so at the aid stations I had been grabbing a water, sip it and toss the rest down my back. I did this at Boston too when it was getting hot and it definitely helps! Staying cool=lower heart rate=faster pace for Nat!
No one passed me on the run and it was hugely motivating to continually pick people off. So much better than on the bike where even little old ladies pass me! I was surprised when I was at the finishline. I still had so much left and had thought I had at least quarter mile more to go but that was again because of my lack of paying attention. I kept thinking we were finishing in transition area. So maybe a garmin would have helped me then but whatever. I sailed over the finishline and punctuated it with a round-off. And that makes me 4 for 4 cartwheeled finishline races this year.

Nothing but maybe kick harder at the end

I crossed the finishline and my friend Shannon's boyfriend Colby was standing there. He was like hey Nat, great job, want a beer. Uhm yes but I need to get my bike. So I jogged down to transition, packed up my bike, changed and went back to the finish area to collect my beer and find out what was my time was.

So this was also my first master's race. I am still 39, 40 in July. I was disappointed that 3rd place in the 35-39 group was exsctly the same as mine and I was 4th in the 40-44 ag. But then on my way leaving I saw they were handing out awards 5 deep. So yeah! I still got hardware, or rather clayware. Not a bad day at all for a last minute race. Oh, and it was even a tiny pr at the Oly distance for me.


Lack of training. Duh.