Feeling guilty about sleep deprivation (can’t put down my book!) and lethargy coming back from Denver. Know that odds of podiuming are not as good for this race based on last year’s times, but possibly within reach if I have a really great day.
Also feeling a little anxious about the months’ worth of GI and cramping problems. Hoping they won’t be a factor due to the short race distance.
In bed by 10:30 but could NOT put down my book….asleep around 12:45 a.m., whoops. Bad Julie! You know better. At least I slept well.
Swim [6:38]: Water is calm & cool. Line up in 2nd row (1st row: 5 women across), left of center and left of tall girl in front of me. Mistake; these girls were all slower and thrashing about. Should have seeded front left and gotten away immediately (longer course I like them to get it out of their system before they tire and I pass). Relatively easy pass, quick turn to the final line, then dodging earlier wave slow swimmers. No problem, quick finish, felt strong and catch felt great, 1st in AG I’m sure of it, and hit time goal exactly. Good start.
T1 [1:03]: chose the sleeveless wetsuit b/c of strippers at exit; FAIL – couldn’t find tether to get wetsuit down to waist, volunteers fumbled to get me unzipped. Not sure whether speedskin would have been easier and just as quick in the water, but oh well. Lost a few second there and again when I grabbed my helmet and the magnetic visor flew off. Tossed wetsuit on rack. Quick into shoes, replaced visor and off I went. Mount line was very congested so ran beyond and then mounted.
Bike [53:42]: off to a strong start, feeling good and know I need to maintain >20mph to hit time goal for podium potential. Low wind. Keeping an eye on power + cadence. Legs feeling a little tired even though power isn’t at high end of race range. Notice HR is a little high, back off so power drops but cadence stays 95 – 105. 2nd half power continues to drop and legs don’t want to give it more, ugh. Lungs feel great, mostly quads are protesting. Switch technique to pull more from pelvic floor/abs. Helps to redistribute load a little but isn’t sustainable. This does help with RPE and smoothness, see mph come up a little without dropping power – mission accomplished. Passed by 1 woman, then she can’t hold onto it so I pass her back and stay ahead. About 3 mi out passed by 1 more woman. So net only 1 female passed and she appeared to be an older age group – still 1st in AG!
Nutrition: 2.5 Nuun + 2.5 dissolved Saltsticks in 25oz water. Finish all but ~2-3oz. Forced in the last few sips just in case for the run with about 2 – 3 mi to go.
T2 [0:49]: feel a tad clumsy removing shoes. Quick into run shoes, grab glasses/visor/race belt pile and bound away. Accidentally tear bib again when putting on belt, have to tuck it in and hope it won’t be a distraction. Grab a sip of water at the aid station upon exiting while on the move.
Run [26:44 – PR!!!]: calves are so tight, quads are making themselves known. Focus on balancing out form and hope it goes away. Loving the nice weather. Cardio feels so smooth! Pacing around 8:15 – whoa – but it feels pretty good. Decide to keep it up while monitoring HR. For once I am easily passing other racers and only 2 dudes pass me going into the turnaround, none after. Grab a quick water while on the move here. Still holding a nice pace, although it drops off a little in mile 2 (8:55 – 9:15). Legs are finally loosening up, only 1.5 mi to go, so I decide to notch it up a little and see how it goes. With 0.5 mi to go a pack of 5 – 6 super-fast women pass me; can’t tell who’s in my AG b/c no ages on calves. Hoping I’ve hung on to position and that I can keep up the pace into the finish chute. On pace for a PR if I can keep my avg <8:42/mi. Grateful for the final push to be downhill – legs are ready to hammer it and feel as though I’m in antigravity as I float into the finish. So happy with this race! Feeling awesome. Legs feel so much better. Absolutely perfect day.
Overall [1:28:56]: as with STL and PP, knew podium might not happen and the best I could do was to hit my targets and give a nudge more if the conditions were right. No anxiety, just execute. Grateful for the beautiful day. So proud, even though I later found out I missed 1st AG by 0:37. She got me in that last 0.5 mi. Wonder if I should have tried to cling onto the pack for as long as I could and let myself sizzle as a result? Or probably smarter to race my race and continue to set up for Jersey State/AGN/Chicago. Motivation to keep after the running gains :)
Also feeling a little anxious about the months’ worth of GI and cramping problems. Hoping they won’t be a factor due to the short race distance.
In bed by 10:30 but could NOT put down my book….asleep around 12:45 a.m., whoops. Bad Julie! You know better. At least I slept well.
Swim [6:38]: Water is calm & cool. Line up in 2nd row (1st row: 5 women across), left of center and left of tall girl in front of me. Mistake; these girls were all slower and thrashing about. Should have seeded front left and gotten away immediately (longer course I like them to get it out of their system before they tire and I pass). Relatively easy pass, quick turn to the final line, then dodging earlier wave slow swimmers. No problem, quick finish, felt strong and catch felt great, 1st in AG I’m sure of it, and hit time goal exactly. Good start.
T1 [1:03]: chose the sleeveless wetsuit b/c of strippers at exit; FAIL – couldn’t find tether to get wetsuit down to waist, volunteers fumbled to get me unzipped. Not sure whether speedskin would have been easier and just as quick in the water, but oh well. Lost a few second there and again when I grabbed my helmet and the magnetic visor flew off. Tossed wetsuit on rack. Quick into shoes, replaced visor and off I went. Mount line was very congested so ran beyond and then mounted.
Bike [53:42]: off to a strong start, feeling good and know I need to maintain >20mph to hit time goal for podium potential. Low wind. Keeping an eye on power + cadence. Legs feeling a little tired even though power isn’t at high end of race range. Notice HR is a little high, back off so power drops but cadence stays 95 – 105. 2nd half power continues to drop and legs don’t want to give it more, ugh. Lungs feel great, mostly quads are protesting. Switch technique to pull more from pelvic floor/abs. Helps to redistribute load a little but isn’t sustainable. This does help with RPE and smoothness, see mph come up a little without dropping power – mission accomplished. Passed by 1 woman, then she can’t hold onto it so I pass her back and stay ahead. About 3 mi out passed by 1 more woman. So net only 1 female passed and she appeared to be an older age group – still 1st in AG!
Nutrition: 2.5 Nuun + 2.5 dissolved Saltsticks in 25oz water. Finish all but ~2-3oz. Forced in the last few sips just in case for the run with about 2 – 3 mi to go.
T2 [0:49]: feel a tad clumsy removing shoes. Quick into run shoes, grab glasses/visor/race belt pile and bound away. Accidentally tear bib again when putting on belt, have to tuck it in and hope it won’t be a distraction. Grab a sip of water at the aid station upon exiting while on the move.
Run [26:44 – PR!!!]: calves are so tight, quads are making themselves known. Focus on balancing out form and hope it goes away. Loving the nice weather. Cardio feels so smooth! Pacing around 8:15 – whoa – but it feels pretty good. Decide to keep it up while monitoring HR. For once I am easily passing other racers and only 2 dudes pass me going into the turnaround, none after. Grab a quick water while on the move here. Still holding a nice pace, although it drops off a little in mile 2 (8:55 – 9:15). Legs are finally loosening up, only 1.5 mi to go, so I decide to notch it up a little and see how it goes. With 0.5 mi to go a pack of 5 – 6 super-fast women pass me; can’t tell who’s in my AG b/c no ages on calves. Hoping I’ve hung on to position and that I can keep up the pace into the finish chute. On pace for a PR if I can keep my avg <8:42/mi. Grateful for the final push to be downhill – legs are ready to hammer it and feel as though I’m in antigravity as I float into the finish. So happy with this race! Feeling awesome. Legs feel so much better. Absolutely perfect day.
Overall [1:28:56]: as with STL and PP, knew podium might not happen and the best I could do was to hit my targets and give a nudge more if the conditions were right. No anxiety, just execute. Grateful for the beautiful day. So proud, even though I later found out I missed 1st AG by 0:37. She got me in that last 0.5 mi. Wonder if I should have tried to cling onto the pack for as long as I could and let myself sizzle as a result? Or probably smarter to race my race and continue to set up for Jersey State/AGN/Chicago. Motivation to keep after the running gains :)
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