Kept a good pace. I had planned on taking 1/2 a gu at the turnaround but forgot about it and wouldn't have slowed down long enough to take enough water with it anyway. Started getting a stitch in my side around mile four but was trying to pace someone who was close to where I wanted to be but a little stronger so that pushed me to keep going.

If I'm not going to slow down to take a gu at half the I should take a full gu at the beginning with water before the race starts.

Things were ok for T1. I wasn't moving super fast as I was trying to catch my breath and Trasition was going up a hill to the mount line.

Nothing.

I did everything I could to try and keep my cadence at 80+ and my speed at 15mph+.

I will say that the race course director has been in the area for 20 years and this is the worst wind he's ever raced in. Some comfort. If you didn't have a headwind you had a strong side wind. We only had 8 miles of tailwind. Great training for Lubbock.

Almost forgot in the midst of all my whining....I peed on the bike! Sorry, TMI I know but it's a first and if I can't share it here who am I going to tell?? My girls night out girls just wouldn't understand.lol. Should probably thank the race director for forcing the issue since it was that or bare my ass to the world since there weren't any PP. Actually, that wouldn't have bothered me near as much as getting off my bike. If I had gotten off I'm not sure I would have gotten back on. This race had a 5 hour cut-off that I was worried about considering the wind. It really helped me push mentally to keep everything going.

This race was also a qualifier for ITU Worlds so we had lots of strong athletes and out of state competitors in here just to qualify for a spot. NOT something I was concerned about.

I did great on the bike considering the conditions. I just kept thinking about putting the hay in the barn for BSLT in June. It's liable to windy on my flats there and I can pull what I did today with constant inclines the flats in Lubbock will be ok.

I was really ticked off in T2. The racks were tight and someone racked there bike on the other side in my spot. I ended up hanging my bike by one brake. GRRR.

Very tired coming in. The last two miles into the park were once again into the wind.

I knew this run was going to be tough. I have some work to do. I need to keep working mentally. I met my bike goal that would allow me to walk this entire leg if I wanted and I shouldn't have allowed myself to even think about it. I walked the water breaks which I'm ok with (for now) but I also extended the walking in two parts. My HR was at the top end of zone 4 and I don't usually train there. My stomach was also a little sloshy from all the liquid on the bike. Took one pit stop on run. Took 1 gu at the beginning of this run but didn't have water to go with it so I don't know how much it really helped. Pit-stop and walking probably cost me 5 minutes.

Need to figure out what solids and how to eat on the bike so I'm not so full of liquid. Will try the uncrustables in training while riding. I just usually stop and eat one and when I'm racing and that's not an option.

Walked around for 5 minutes. Stood in the river for 10 minutes.


Training...Mental game..Nutrition


There isn't anything technical or really tough about the bike course except for the long inclines and wind. No real monster hills. Run is on a rocky dirt road. Two weekends in a row now I've done races with unusual trail conditions. It's not something I train on and don't care for. Can't wait for CapTex and pavement.
This was a great training race. Even though I don't care for Du's in general. Not being a runner to begin with this really tested me and let me know that I still have work to do.