Good, steady pace. not as fast as my pool swim, but I felt really comfortable and didn't freak out when I was bumped or kicked. The most difficult part was swimming around people in the waves ahead of mine. Was passed by a few women in the wave after mine, but I was able to draft off of them. My navigation was only slightly off coming into the beach (a constant problem for me), and I only inhaled water twice while sighting.

Learn to navigate. A 2 min improvement from last year.

The transition included the run up the hill (up stairs), so I'm pretty happy with this time. Didn't feel nearly as dizzy as I have in the sprints - may be due to the warmer water?

Need to eventually learn how to mount with my shoes on the bike.

Very happy with my bike time - my computer said the course was a little longer than the website. The course started with a hill and long downhill (sharp left at the end), then a steady up followed by another long downhill (and another sharp left at the end). The rest were short rollers and steady false flats. I felt strong and did some passing but was passed by some ladies in the swim wave behind mine. The long down hill at the beginning became a long up at the end, but it didn't feel as bad as it did last year. Training on hills helps. The nausea set in on the second loop and I knew I should back off, but I didn't. 6 mins faster than last year.

Nothing. I want to be able to hit it harder next year with another year of experience under my belt.

Still need to learn how to dismount with shoes off, but that would take some coordination that I'm not sure I have.

This is where the wheels fell off. I started out feeling nauseated, and it only got worse in the later miles. My pace really dropped between miles 2 and 4. I stopped to walk at the turn around to make sure I ate my gel and drank some water and HEED. Felt a little dizzy and depleted running up the hill after the turn, but I didn't walk again. I think I was able to pick up the pace a little on the last mile (but that may have all been in my head). Every woman that passed me in the last 3 miles was in my age group and it defeated me.

I need to stay more positive when I start getting tired!! I probably hit it too hard on the bike, but I think the nausea limited me, not my endurance. I know I can run faster at the end of an OLY - I ran 1 min faster last year.

Walked around, showered, packed up.


Nausea


I love Luray. It's a well run race in a beautiful location. It's tough, but that's what makes it so great. I was feeling pretty defeated at the end of the race, even though it was almost a 9 min PR because I thought I had my nausea issues worked out. I think next year I'll go for the double so that I don't feel the need to hit it so hard in the olympic.