tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44300996300647697842024-03-19T00:37:32.686-07:00Haile StormCortneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01215292692520265089noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430099630064769784.post-69262309993452995182015-03-26T12:35:00.000-07:002015-03-26T12:36:33.539-07:00A broken butt, torn hamstring and machine gun fire… AKA my Puerto Rico 70.3 Race Report<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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There are so many things to say about such an eventful race!
I will try my best to keep it short and sweet. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Last year the Tribike Transport Team decided it would be fun
if we picked a team race for the year. We decided on sunny Puerto Rico in March
(mostly for our East Coast friends who were suffering through a brutal winter).
After tearing my hamstring in Kona in Oct. I knew this race would be more
social for me than anything else but what better place for a fun race? One of
my goals for this year is to have more fun at races so I was excited to be
meeting up with 20 of my teammates at the fabulous Caribe Hilton.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from our room</td></tr>
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I arrived in Puerto Rico feeling relatively healthy (just
lingering hamstring pain that I thought was due to tendonitis). The week
leading up to the race I had undergone an ultrasound and an MRI. I was still
waiting for the results so in my mind that meant I was healthy because no one
had told me otherwise!! I hadn’t been on my bike much since October but I still
had grand expectations of possibly pulling off an early-season win (yes, I know
that’s silly considering my first run off the bike was the week previous).</div>
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The days leading up to the race were jammed packed with team
events and race prep and we were all having a blast getting to know each other.
I lucked out in having an awesome roommate, Jennifer Hienton, who was up for
exploring the city, drinking wine, and indulging in local Puerto Rican food. I
mean we were on vacation, right??<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj13EbMIZYaat_rDFvQFhr4hkrlNjR_KsSXcgXpE_1uqkmwqoJivRfvjHDXNVrjiPTGYQ0eWq3z1bnMk85SPp5lGVozO-ciH61DXAwWkeGALTg9cSJab_MlQTm-T55sAcpJNFKosJbwXU0/s1600/FullSizeRender.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj13EbMIZYaat_rDFvQFhr4hkrlNjR_KsSXcgXpE_1uqkmwqoJivRfvjHDXNVrjiPTGYQ0eWq3z1bnMk85SPp5lGVozO-ciH61DXAwWkeGALTg9cSJab_MlQTm-T55sAcpJNFKosJbwXU0/s1600/FullSizeRender.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Local cuisine, mofongo</td></tr>
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Race morning we navigated the logistics of a split
transition that was over a mile apart and pretty soon Jennifer and I were in
the corrals waiting for the gun to go off (I should mention she was eating a
snickers bar like 4 mins before we got in the water). Knowing this was a warm,
non-wetsuit swim I had NO expectations of a having a good swim. I have learned
I will come out far behind and I am ok with that, for now. The water was clear and
pretty and I had a rather uneventful swim. I exited in 10<sup>th</sup> place,
which is nothing to brag about but also right in line with my previous swim
performances. <o:p></o:p></div>
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T1:<o:p></o:p></div>
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Can we talk about the fact T1 is over a quarter of a mile
away and you have to run on asphalt through the streets? Like most of the
athletes, I didn’t realize this when packing for the trip so I didn’t have an
extra pair of shoes for the run. I did my best to try to avoid stepping on debris
or slipping when I got to the slick sidewalk. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Bike:<o:p></o:p></div>
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I came out of T1 and figured I had a hand full of girls to
chase down. However, within the first mile I had a flurry of volunteers come
running towards me waving their arms and yelling, “Stop! Get off your bike.”
This was definitely unnerving, and I was a little unsure what to do. I assumed
there was a bike crash ahead but the panic in the volunteers seemed overboard
for just a typical bike crash. As I came to a stop at the base of an overpass,
I could see lots of bikes and bodies down to my right. Little did I know that
one of my teammates, Tomasz was on the ground (sorry Tomasz, I swear I didn’t
see you!)<o:p></o:p></div>
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I quickly looked away, not wanting to freak myself out.
There were no cops or medics on the scene yet- just lots of chaos. I sat there
for a minute or so and then just slowly started to pedal again. Nobody tried to
stop me so I took off. A few minutes up the road I saw 2 more little crashes so
I started to get nervous. The roads were full of potholes and I really didn’t
want to end up in a pile up. I tried to shake off the nerves and just focus on
the road. While the route for the bike course is somewhat scenic, the crappy
road surface really took away from any of the beauty. Plus there was a
ridiculous amount of road kill (and blood). Ugh. I was feeling pretty good
until about mile 30 when my hamstring and back started to really hurt. It was
the same feeling I had in Kona and I knew that wasn’t a good sign. By this
point in the race, the course was crowded and drafting was in full force. I saw
a ton of marshals but they were just giving out “warnings”, while the penalty
tents sat empty. It was really frustrating being in that much pain and seeing
girls cruise by in a group of 5-6 guys. I still don’t understand how adults
cheat in a sport that they are doing purely for fun.<o:p></o:p></div>
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By mile 40 the pain was so bad that I could only pedal for a
minute or two in an easy gear and then I would stand up out of the saddle and
coast. I was having the same mental battle I did in Kona- trying to figure out
if I finish or just get off my bike and call it a day. Needless to say, it took
me an eternity to finish those last 16 miles. With less than a mile to go I
heard someone on my left yell, “Dude, what the f*ck are you doing here?” It was
Jennifer!!! Her joke all week was that I was fast and she claimed not to be (which
is a lie) so she didn’t expect to see me until the end of the race. I told her
that I was in a ton of pain but that she was having a great race! She politely
let me stay in front of her and dismount first (that gesture was not lost on
me)! <o:p></o:p></div>
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T2:<o:p></o:p></div>
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Jennifer and I came into transition together and racked our bikes right
across from each other. She asked me if I was going to try to run and I said
yes and with that we were on our way to a hot and hilly run course.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Run:<o:p></o:p></div>
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The run course in PR is no joke. When looking up the results
from last year, only 2 girls broke 2 hours! TWO HOURS for a half marathon! I
was excited though when I saw the profile because a hilly run is totally my
jam. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course, that’s provided I am
healthy. I had no idea if I would be able to run or if I would be stuck
shuffling along in 95-degree weather hating every second of the run. Thankfully
the pain was a lot less once I got upright and I found my running legs pretty
easily. The pain was primarily just in my hamstring and I had gotten used to the
feeling so I was able to put it out of my mind for the most part.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The run course is 2 loops with a ton of
hills out and back. It’s incredibly scenic as we run past historic forts on old
cobblestone roads. </div>
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I would say my only complaint about the run was regarding
the lack of aid stations and the difficulty in getting aid from those stations.
There is a part of the course nicknamed the “microwave” because it’s down at
sea level with a huge fort wall trapping in the heat. Temps get up to 115
degrees down there. It was a little over a mile out and back and there were no
aid stations. It’s a two- loop course and by the second loop I felt like I was
getting cooked in the microwave. There was also an issue of local Tri Clubs setting up their own aid stations and refusing to give aid to
athletes who weren’t on their team. Apparently officials were supposed to be
cracking down on this but it was blatantly happening and it was frustrating!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"The Microwave" looks pretty but it's hot!</td></tr>
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On a positive note, it was AMAZING to see all of the TBT
athletes on the course. It felt like every few minutes there was a familiar
face cheering me on. It really made a huge difference. I also felt like I was
getting into a groove on the 2<sup>nd</sup> loop. I knew I was out of the race,
but I thought maybe I could at least have a decent run. My goal was to break 2
hours and I realized I was going to easily meet that goal. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ended up running from 14<sup>th</sup> to 6<sup>th</sup>
place with a time of 1:46:02. <o:p></o:p></div>
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After the race, I met up with a bunch of the team and
learned the reason I was stopped on the bike was due to a shooting that
affected 2 athletes and in turn caused a bike crash that took out my teammate
Tomasz. Luckily Tomasz’s injuries were minor and we were all thankful that
everyone was ok! I have to admit, I am a little surprised the race was not
stopped until police were able to secure the venue and make sure the race itself was not a target. I am
not sure if there is a protocol in place for such a thing, but it seems risky
to keep a race going amidst gunfire!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Post race fun:<o:p></o:p></div>
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One of the best parts of racing as a team is celebrating
after the race as a team! The owners of TBT, Marc and Angela, were kind enough
to put on a post race happy hour for us at the hotel so that we could all
exchange race stories over cocktails and food. We also got a chance to
congratulate Angela who raced PR 70.3 as her first triathlon ever! I can’t
imagine picking such a tough race as the first one, but I think they will all
be easier from here on out! The festivities continued that night in Old San
Juan over tapas and wine!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Now about that broken butt and torn hamstring…</div>
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Monday night while on a layover in Miami I had 3 urgent
messages regarding my MRI results. The last message said that they would be
setting me up with a surgeon and to please call them immediately. I knew that
couldn’t be good, and my flight was about to take off so I did what anyone would
do… bought a pizza and a bottle of wine and tried not to think about the
horrible news that was coming my way when I landed in LA! </div>
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After a few opinions
and doctor appointments, it’s been determined that I still have a torn
hamstring but I also have a huge edema to my ischia tuberosity that is a
pre-cursor to a stress fracture. Basically I broke my butt. No wonder it hurt so
much to sit on the bike! Duh! Right now I am looking at 4-6 weeks of no
activity (other than swimming with a buoy) and I have to use my nifty donut (or
ass cushion as we affectionately call it at the office). Apparently the edema
is more concerning than the hamstring. Wonderful! I am on day 7 of no activity
and I am going stir crazy. I have so much free time I don’t know what to
do. I am also struggling to cut down on my food intake to match my decreased
activity level. Acting like a “normal” person is hard!! <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">L</span></span><o:p></o:p></div>
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In the end, had I not been in Puerto Rico with my team I
think I would have sulked about my bad race and injuries; but I had so much fun
and got to make so many new friends that I can’t be disappointed! I am still
hoping to salvage the year and be able to race in a few months (IM Japan with
Keish and Jason sounds too good to pass up) but I also know I can’t rush the
rehab process so I am trying not to get ahead of myself. <o:p></o:p></div>
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In the meantime, I will be at Oceanside 70.3 this weekend cheering
on friends and teammates. If you are out there look for me- I will be the girl
sitting on the butt cushion!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Lastly, I have to give a shout out to the sponsors who make all of this fun possible...</div>
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Cortneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01215292692520265089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430099630064769784.post-9766740401019890862015-02-13T06:20:00.003-08:002015-02-13T06:20:43.040-08:00And I'm Back!!<br /><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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It’s been a while since my last blog (Kona in October to be
exact) and there’s a reason for that hiatus. I took a serious break from all
things triathlon. After suffering through Kona with an injury I really thought
that was going to be my last triathlon. I had no desire to race let alone
train. So I took a break. A long break.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I slept in, stayed out late and drank lots of wine until finally that
itch to race and train started to come back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In the course of that hiatus I agreed to run a marathon with
my dad in his attempt to qualify for the Boston Marathon (because in my mind
that was somehow still taking a break from racing). It seemed like a reasonable
task even though I was nursing a partially torn hamstring and not doing
anything physical at all! But agreeing to do that race was probably the best
thing, because it got me motivated to fix my hamstring and get off the couch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I hired a new coach, Nate Helming (<a href="http://www.helmingathletics.com/">http://www.helmingathletics.com</a>), who
I had been watching on YouTube for a while. I thought his approach to training
was the change I needed. We started working together in December and slowly started
rebuilding this broken machine! He also convinced me to start working out at Deuce
Gym (<a href="http://www.deucegym.com/">http://www.deucegym.com</a>). One of the
owners, Logan, is how I found Nate in the first place. This would allow me to
have trained eyes on me while I did my strength work; and Nate could still
program it around my training schedule. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I know I am going to hear so much backlash from all of my
triathlon friends (Dusty Nabor) about incorporating strength training into my
routine but it’s been the best thing I have done in years. Not only is it super
fun, but also I am making huge gains in the swim, bike and run already and my
body has never felt better. It’s only been 2.5 months and the difference is
pretty remarkable. It’s also nice to have a change in training and be around
athletes who are not triathletes!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I am now excited about the idea of racing in 2015 and I am
starting to plan out my season (which still might include some mountain bike
and trail races). It will definitely be a slow build with my bigger races taking
place later in the year, but I am looking forward to having fun in the sport
again! <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Speaking of “fun”, the marathon with my dad is THIS weekend,
and although I am far from being in top running shape it’s a chance to do
something just for fun with no real pressure to perform (all of the pressure is
on my dad to break 4 hours!!) Go Dad!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Cortneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01215292692520265089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430099630064769784.post-34657697374980889492014-10-17T16:00:00.000-07:002014-10-17T16:00:20.694-07:00Kona 2014<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Far better it is to
dare the mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by
failure, than to take rank with the poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer
much, because they live in the grey twilight that knows not victory nor
defeat.” – Theodore Roosevelt<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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This is a hard race report to write. I don’t enjoy writing
about the great races, so the bad ones are really tough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is my first year racing where nothing
has gone right. Every race has been a struggle and results have been far less
than stellar. The fact I even squeaked out a 2<sup>nd</sup> place finish at IM
Texas to qualify for Kona was a small miracle.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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The week leading up to the race was a little strange as I
was in Kona alone. Although I had lots of friends there racing and spectating,
I was trying to rest and stay off my feet which meant a lot of time alone in my
condo. I couldn’t wait for Elisa to arrive Thursday night to cure me of my
boredom and get me excited for the big day! Her support was invaluable and I
got to the race start Saturday morning feel great and ready to roll.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Swim:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I somehow tweaked my back (my SI joint) during the swim,
admittedly probably due to the swell and my inability to sight without severely
arching my back. I always swim between a 1:08-1:10 no matter the conditions- I
never get faster or slower so I just assume I will always be in that window.
When I hit the swim turn around in 34 minutes I figured I was right on track. Soon
after things went downhill. The current was strong going against us and I
pretty much swam the last 1.2 miles alone (this was a notable difference from
2012 when it was a mass start and I was surrounded by bodies the whole way). I
prepared myself for a slow swim time, thinking worst case scenario would be
1:12-1:13. You can imagine my surprise/shock/horror when I exited and saw 1:20
on my watch. I honestly thought my watch had stopped at 1 minute and 20 seconds
into the race. Even my first Ironman swim (before I knew what a swim interval
was) was faster than this!!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I told myself it wouldn’t matter as long as I had a solid
bike (5:30 ish was the goal) and could execute my plan of a sub 3:30 run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Somehow Taylor Swift’s cheesy song, “Shake It
Off” popped in my head and I spent the next half hour singing, “shake it off.” I
was determined not to let negative thoughts ruin my race and if Taylor Swift
was somehow a catalyst for this, so be it.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Bike:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It wasn’t until 25-30 miles into the bike that I knew something
was seriously wrong with my back. It had been super tight and achy up until
that point but I thought it was just going to be an annoyance. Soon with every
pedal stroke my back would tighten and seize. It was around this point the wind
became unbearable and I had to put more power into the pedals just to stay
upright. This was the wind I remembered from 2012 (when they said it was the
worst wind in 10 years) and I was hoping we weren’t going to see it again in
2014. By mile 40 I knew my race was done. I was struggling to push 100 watts
and tears were in my eyes (I don’t cry, like ever). The next 20 miles to Hawi
were incredibly brutal. I had already turned off the time on my bike computer
because I knew it would just upset me more. When I finally got to the
turnaround in Hawi I thought I could at least get some fast miles in without
having to put much power into the pedals. Thanks to my huge 54 big ring I was
able to start hauling at about 35 miles per hour with no pain. However, within
about 2 minutes I saw FOUR girls go down due to the wind. That is some scary
shit. A guy who was riding in the opposite direction yelled to me, “slow down,
everyone is crashing.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I slowed down,
not wanting to crash but also upset that I couldn’t take more advantage of the
tailwind. By mile 75 I was in excruciating pain and trying to figure out
whether I should stop on the side of the road and try to stretch or just call
it a day. I honestly didn’t know what to do; I was in my small ring, spinning at
about 9 mph. That’s brutal when you still have over 35 miles to go in a serious
head wind. I also have to admit due to the staggered start and the slow pace I
was keeping, I was at the back of the race for the first time in my life.
Between miles 80- 95 I maybe saw 4 people. I was hurting and crying and totally
alone in the hot lava fields. It felt like hell. I just wanted people around to
at least make me feel I was still in a race damn it. Just then I heard a voice,
“Cortney, is that you?” A new friend I had made that week, Sherry, rode up next
to me. She is a coach and super strong athlete who was gunning for a podium
spot in the 50-55 AG. I told her I was in pain and I didn’t know what to do.
She yelled, “ When you’re going through hell, just keep going.” Those words
seemed like magic (along with the Advil and soda I got at the next aid station)
and suddenly I felt a tad better (and this means instead of 80 watts I could
push 120). <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Those last 15 miles were definitely the hardest I have ever
ridden. I was trying to figure out what to do when I got to T2 to help my back
so that I wouldn’t have to walk the entire marathon. I staggered into T2 and as
soon as I sat down the tears started and those tears triggered an asthma
attack! I LITERALLY couldn’t cry! My lovely volunteer wanted to send me to
medical but I refused. I told her I wanted to try and promised I would come
back if I couldn’t make it. I downed a few more Advil, used my inhaler and got
up to run a marathon, only I got stuck and couldn’t stand up. F$@%&!!!
Another quick pity party and I was on my feet. I figured the pain would be
there whether I was running or sitting in medical so why not try to run.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Run:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I left T2 and tried to hide the fact I was crying because
there were so many amazing spectators cheering and I am certainly not used to
crying in public (or ever). I did my best job of faking it and turned to run up
the hill at Palani. Just then I heard the announcer say, “Number 1696 coming up
Palani has text book perfect running form. Everyone should take a look at that.”
WHAT?? He’s talking about ME? This sounds stupid, but I swear that gave me a
huge kick to try harder and suddenly I thought maybe I could actually get
through the run. Within that first mile I saw friends, Adrienne Smith and
Cherryl Rose, who cheered me on and gave me a boost. My first mile clicked off
at 7:28 and thought, “holy shit, let’s turn this day around and at least have a
respectable run.” The pain in my back was intense, it felt like someone hitting
me in my SI joint with a bat with each step, BUT I was still able to move and
getting good turn over. The pain was much more manageable than on the bike and
I figured if I could move than I could put the pain out of my head. I started
pretending the throbbing pain was like a metronome that I was running to (this
is better than a Taylor Swift song, right?).<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The energy on Ali’i Drive is always amazing and it was so
nice to finally see people after being alone and in a dark place for so long
during the bike. I got several more shout outs about my running form (I guess
when you don’t use energy on the bike it’s easy to have good running form). The
cheers kept me going and soon I saw my amazingly wonderful sherpa Elisa, which
was a huge boost. And at the turn around I saw my Tribike Transport peeps and
they gave me a lot of motivation as well. I thought maybe my day was looking
up. When I made the U-turn to head back up Ali’i <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>my back seized hard and reminded me that I was
not well. I realized that the climb up Palani and the Queen K was going to be
difficult. I tried to keep my pace (7:40ish) knowing that it was going to slow
once I got to an incline. Sure enough as soon as I went up Palani things got
bad. Everything was tight and seizing again and I couldn’t find more Advil. I
managed to hit 13. 1 miles at 1:45 so I just kept hoping I could squeeze out a 3:30ish
run. Soon both feet went numb and my left high hammy locked up badly. I had no
choice but to slow down and change my goal to just being able to finish without
walking. It was pretty difficult because my running has been so solid and I knew
I was capable of a great run that day. It just sucks when things are out of
your control (especially when you are a control freak like me). Those last 11
miles I did a lot of soul searching and tried to focus on the things I was
gaining from this horrible day. I have never been on a course that late and
seen people walking, suffering, laying on the ground getting medical attention,
etc. It’s a whole different experience and one I had never known before. As I
ran out of the energy lab and down the Queen K for the last 6 miles, the sun
was setting over the ocean. I got a little emotional, as I have always prided
myself on finishing before it got dark. I was chasing that sun but it was
obvious I wasn’t going to win that battle either.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I finally conceded and just took it all in.
At that moment I saw Elisa (she had run about 10 miles just to find me because
the tracking had stopped and she thought I was in trouble) she’s the best! She
told me everyone was worried about me and that I needed to get to that finish
line! I promised I would see here there in less than 15 minutes and with that I
was off onto the last 1.5 miles. Coming down that final turn to Ali’i Drive was
so much more special than it was in 2012. I had really struggled and although
my time was over 90 minutes slower than I had hoped, it was the most rewarding
finish of my racing career. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Ironman is always a tough day, and the conditions at Kona this
year were some of the worst. There were a lot of top athletes (pro and amateur)
who didn’t make it across the finish line Saturday. I am thankful I was able
finish another World Championship and on a year that saw the highest amount of
female athletes ever (up over 50% from 2013). Watch out guys, the girls are
coming for ya!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p> </o:p>In the end, it’s always tough to put so much on the line for
one single day and when things don’t go as planned it can you leave feeling
very empty. I know I learned a lot about myself in those dark hours and that’s
something I will carry with me forever. In the meantime, I am going to REST and
get my body healthy. It’s been a rough year and I think this was the final sign
telling me to take a break. I plan to take some time off, play in the dirt with
some of my trail buddies, drink good wine and eat cookies (some folks will get
that joke).</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I also have to give a shout to those who helped me get to
the start line. As always, my coach Joanna Zeiger at Race Ready Coaching (<a href="http://racereadycoaching.com/">http://racereadycoaching.com</a>), Tribike Transport <a href="https://www.blogger.com/(http://www.tribiketransport.com">(http://www.tribiketransport.com</a>),Triathlon Lab (<a href="http://www.triathlonlab.com/">http://www.triathlonlab.com</a>), Ero Sports(<a href="http://www.ero-sports.com/">http://www.ero-sports.com</a>), Athlete
Octane (<a href="http://athleteoctane.com/">http://athleteoctane.com</a>) and Original Nutritionals (<a href="http://www.originalnutritionals.com/">http://www.originalnutritionals.com</a>). And the one and only sherpa extraordinaire,
Elisa Hein, who said in 2008 when we raced IM AZ together that she would come
to Kona with me one day and she kept her promise! <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Cheers to living to fight another day and avoiding that grey
twilight!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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Cortneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01215292692520265089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430099630064769784.post-44983524954032656302014-06-18T15:40:00.000-07:002014-06-18T15:40:08.246-07:00Ironman Texas<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Ironman Texas</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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The 2014 season had gotten off to a rocky start with 2 bad
races in a row. I managed to figure out my asthma issues and changed my diet in
hopes of making it to the start line healthy for once, but the bigger challenge
was working on my mental game.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After
Oceanside 70.3 I had a few weeks to prep physically and mentally for Ironman
Texas. I felt like I was in the best shape I had ever been in but my head
hadn’t been in the game and that’s the difference between a great race and a
bad one. So Joanna and I spent more time working on my mental toughness than my
watts and I hoped I could finally pull my head out of my ass in time for IM
Texas!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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The days leading up to the race were great as the venue was
beautiful and the locals were really friendly. Thankfully I had fellow LA’er
Jeff Ku with me who was such a big help in prepping for the race and making
sure I didn’t have to eat dinner alone every night!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Race morning went as planned and Cheryll Ku was an amazing
Sherpa, helping to make everything easier. We found out that morning that the
swim was going to be wetsuit legal and I did a little happy dance. YAY!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">SWIM: 1:09:25<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Just like any Ironman, the swim start is a pretty amazing
event. As I sat there bobbing in the water with 2800 of my new friends I
couldn’t help but get excited. This is why I race-it’s freaking fun!<o:p></o:p></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0C_3poWC0z19hVJeBnk3I8l4HPJGYRPq25FZdv0uS2tcSEMF4mMty-fmuiIr1tqRb8z1tpYFKfw0HD-UVDgzl556XfNot4G8CAZorlSUmcmBrT2ghxfytpj2ZiNY31578gLhEZoVjEAY/s1600/10298955_10152999170945288_4120282299540632615_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0C_3poWC0z19hVJeBnk3I8l4HPJGYRPq25FZdv0uS2tcSEMF4mMty-fmuiIr1tqRb8z1tpYFKfw0HD-UVDgzl556XfNot4G8CAZorlSUmcmBrT2ghxfytpj2ZiNY31578gLhEZoVjEAY/s1600/10298955_10152999170945288_4120282299540632615_n.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo courtesy of Cheryll Ku</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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The swim was rather uneventful-just the typical kicking and
punching. I got hit in the face so hard once that my goggles came off so that
wasn’t fun. It’s been almost 2 years since I have raced an IM and I forgot how
long that swim is. I felt like it would never end! I came out of the water
about a minute slower than my usual time but I was just happy to be done! I
have been swimming slower and slower lately so definitely need to make some
changes.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">T1</b>: The
volunteers were amazing and before I knew it I was on my new bike<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">BIKE: 5:32:34<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I recently became the proud owner of a new Cervelo P3
(thanks to <a href="http://www.triathlonlab.com/">http://www.triathlonlab.com</a>)
and I was so excited to race on this bike. I had an amazing fit dialed in by
Jim Manton (<a href="http://www.ero-sports.com/">http://www.ero-sports.com</a>) and
I knew I was in for a fast and comfortable ride, or so I thought. About 20
minutes into the bike course I hit a lip in the road and my seat slipped. WTF? (I
had this problem twice already in the weeks leading up to the race). I tried
not to panic (mental focus is the name of the game, right?).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I figured I would stop at the first aid
station and fix it and not lose much time. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Around that time I came up on a girl in my AG (bib
# 520) and we jockeyed back and forth until the aid station at which point I
had to pull over. IT WAS SO HARD to do this and watch her ride away but I knew
I had to be smart. Unfortunately when I looked at my seat it hadn’t slipped
down like I thought. Nobody had an allen wrench (seriously) so I thought as
long as the height of the seat hadn’t changed I would be fine. I jumped back on
my bike and tried not to kill myself to catch up. Within a few minutes I
realized the seat had tipped back (with the nose pointing up higher) and I was
REALLY uncomfortable. I got pissed realizing I was going to have to stop again.
I rolled into aid station #2 yelling for an allen wrench and again nobody had
one. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Typically at this point I would
have pulled a Norman Stadler and thrown my bike across the road feeling like I
was losing too much time and my day was ruined. Instead I used my new mantra
that I had been practicing for the race… KEEP YOUR SHIT TOGETHER (found this
gem in an interview with Shalane Flanagan after Boston).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got back on my bike and tried to just
control what I could and not stress about the rest. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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I had found a sweet spot on the seat that made the position
tolerable and I thought I was going to be fine, until the nausea set in around
mile 30. Not to worry, I had packed some Tums so I thought things would be
fine. However, I couldn’t shake the nausea and soon I couldn’t take in any
calories and just being in the aero position made my stomach worse. This wasn’t
good. Around mile 45 I threw up a little but then I felt better. I thought that
the worst was over and I was ready to get in some calories and pick up the
pace. That lasted about 10 miles and then things started feeling bad again.
Around mile 60 I was totally caught off guard by a massive projectile vomit!
Thankfully nobody was around me to experience it, although I do wish the race
photographers had captured this! I felt much better though so I started to slowly add some calories. By mile 80 I caught up to #520 and I literally
said out loud “I’m back in this!” But of course that feeling didn’t last long
and soon I was feeling sick again. This lasted the rest of the ride. I started
to panic knowing I was going into the run in a massive calorie deficit, so at
mile 90 I grabbed 3 gels from the aid station. Before I could take any of them
they all blew out of my bento box. Did I mention how freaking windy it was? Needless
to say the last 30 miles were just a suffer fest and a few more girls
started gaining on me, including #520. I rolled into T2 much later than I had
hoped but I was happy to be off the bike and upright!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">T2:</b> Again the
volunteers were great. I think this is the worst shape I have ever been in
coming off the bike. I was a sweaty, salty, puke stained mess. The volunteers
basically washed me down with water as another helped me with my gear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Soon I was on my way to start a marathon with
nothing in the tank!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Run: 3:42:34<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My run training the last 6 months has been amazing and I had
lofty goals for this race. I have never run well off the bike in an IM and I
really thought Texas was going to be my breakthrough race. As I started the run
I had to readjust my goals from trying to break 3:30 to just getting in
calories so that I could finish. The first few miles weren’t so bad as the
nausea had subsided and I was taking coke and water at every aid station.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Around mile 4 I heard someone coming up
behind me and sure enough it was #520! UGH. I was pissed but I told myself that
we still had over 20 miles to go and anything could happen, I just needed to
keep my shit together! And that’s pretty much what I did over the course of the
next 20 miles. By mile 8, I realized I needed electrolytes and I couldn’t get a
gel down so I started adding PowerAde to my aid station stops. I definitely
spent more time in the aid stations than any other race but I knew I needed the
nutrition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Aside from the coke, the
other thing that got me through the race was the amazing support on the course.
I have never experienced such energy on a run course. It was truly amazing and
really helped me push through. By the third loop of the run it seemed like I
was never going to catch #520 and I didn’t see anyone close to me at the out
and backs so I figured if I could just hold on I could keep my position. I
should mention that I assumed #520 was in the lead and that I was in 2<sup>nd</sup>
(not so much). <o:p></o:p></div>
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At mile 24 as I was coming out of the wooded part of the run
into the electrifying downtown area I saw her… #520 was in my sight! Holy shit
I could pull this off (remember I am thinking she’s in first).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anyone who knows me knows I am notorious for
being a bad “closer” and losing within the last few minutes of a race. I have a
tendency to get negative if I am losing and just think about quitting. This time
my mental game was on and I took off! The crowd support was awesome and I
passed her at a 6:45 pace. I tried to make it look effortless but it hurt more
than anything I have ever done in a race. The next 2 miles my lungs and legs
were on fire but I was determined not to let her pass me. I was using my mantra
and talking out loud to myself (yes I was THAT crazy girl). But it worked, and
at the turn around at mile 25.5 I saw that I had a big enough gap that I could
enjoy the last half- mile. I ended up putting 5 minutes between us in those
last 2 miles! Now if I can just learn how to push myself that hard for an
entire race.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The finish line in TX is a long stretch right through the
center of town. It is so pretty and I was the only finisher around so I took it
all in as I crossed that line. <o:p></o:p></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYWKafL4UnfgYwOc6khQHja0wKxqhMNh_0jnZRtBDwrjIFzrWQKgp_WenjKeYuqIAn0Jog3WVG3Tv6WGbG5AIEDRPjP4L64CZqiSE4A5EE1TNykxqPf5Gwji5SJ0dmUKgplKt_q_e0z8c/s1600/10259103_10203132998279042_8691042986545568133_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYWKafL4UnfgYwOc6khQHja0wKxqhMNh_0jnZRtBDwrjIFzrWQKgp_WenjKeYuqIAn0Jog3WVG3Tv6WGbG5AIEDRPjP4L64CZqiSE4A5EE1TNykxqPf5Gwji5SJ0dmUKgplKt_q_e0z8c/s1600/10259103_10203132998279042_8691042986545568133_o.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enjoying the finish line all by myself!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Even though this wasn’t the race I was hoping
for I had won my own personal victory. I had finally conquered my negative
thoughts and on a day that I wasn’t physically racing the way I had planned.<br />
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I should mention that I still thought I had won my AG for
about 30 mins until I finally made it to the results area and saw I was 2<sup>nd</sup>.
<o:p></o:p></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYOixNzzp-TaW5Ky8IWWPLf6MwtQ5CkA8ezoCjnp9uLSB24bqp7_55cez3ARdpPLu96vJA-YFG9w_xwXegUklika2gbgYZu50255sIcATo8ry0daEslLXjkxvWvDkHA456UCVHlGehnu8/s1600/10272620_10203132998519048_7111075742693868634_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYOixNzzp-TaW5Ky8IWWPLf6MwtQ5CkA8ezoCjnp9uLSB24bqp7_55cez3ARdpPLu96vJA-YFG9w_xwXegUklika2gbgYZu50255sIcATo8ry0daEslLXjkxvWvDkHA456UCVHlGehnu8/s1600/10272620_10203132998519048_7111075742693868634_o.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fist pump thinking I had won! Oops</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
My heart sank a little but I felt like I couldn’t complain. Despite my slower
splits, I had finally had the mental breakthrough that I had been needing for
almost a year.<br />
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There weren’t very many people hanging around the finish so
I grabbed my stuff, chatted with some teammates from TBT and headed to my car.
It seemed a little uneventful to be driving myself back to the hotel and
sitting in traffic just a few minutes after a hard fought race. That night was
pretty rough as my stomach was in bad shape. I couldn’t enjoy my typical post-race
margaritas or any fun food (why even race if you can’t be glutinous right
after?)<o:p></o:p></div>
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The awards ceremony the next day was incredibly nerve-wracking,
as I didn’t know how many Kona slot were in my AG. There tend to be fewer slots
now, and especially for the women. I was also nervous for Jeff who was hoping
for a roll down slot after a really impressive race. The 2 of us sat there like
nervous little kids, praying we would both get the outcome we were hoping for.
When I went on stage to get my award I was told there were 2 slots in my AG!
Those last 2 miles made all of the difference! Phew! I should also mention that
I met the infamous #520 and she was really nice! Always great to race with cool
chicks!</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1pgzlA2pdLjjsGGwgXVDtaS4L0iZYUwneabPD8oHeOFsnzeXlAt4vPPG-483ShZSzpQr-vr34tleX7Z0zcaqaPl5OP4pKi2Ddm5bLSByjpxPHp_jq9_POE2VY5yM26MqTuiI9legy6lo/s1600/10321639_10152454171736788_9204794621347928084_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1pgzlA2pdLjjsGGwgXVDtaS4L0iZYUwneabPD8oHeOFsnzeXlAt4vPPG-483ShZSzpQr-vr34tleX7Z0zcaqaPl5OP4pKi2Ddm5bLSByjpxPHp_jq9_POE2VY5yM26MqTuiI9legy6lo/s1600/10321639_10152454171736788_9204794621347928084_o.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#520 and the rest of the girls!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<o:p></o:p><br />
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Jeff had to wait about another hour for the slot allocation
process and he ended up getting his slot in dramatic fashion! It was awesome
that we both came away with Kona slots and could celebrate together!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Shout Outs:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have so many people to thank who helped get me to the
start line. Of course my coach, Joanna Zeiger, who always figures out my
problems and calms me down when I am a big ball of stress. Check out her new
coaching company (<a href="http://racereadycoaching.com/">http://racereadycoaching.com</a>)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
My amazing sponsors: TriBike Transport, Triathlon Lab and
Athlete Octane.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
To my friends who support me in so many ways, but especially
Keevin Blue who did emergency surgery on my bike shoes the day before I left
for TX, Jeff and Cheryll who let me be a third wheel during our trip, and to
high school friends Randy McCall and Joe Feaga who saw I was racing in their
area and came out to cheer me on. It was awesome having some familiar faces out
on the course!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Up next is Vineman 70.3 where I will try to defend my AG win and Keep My Shit Together!</div>
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Cortneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01215292692520265089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430099630064769784.post-49474436745542021892014-03-14T18:05:00.000-07:002014-03-14T18:05:37.941-07:00Desert Triathlon<div class="MsoNormal">
I am finally getting around to writing about this race. My
work schedule has been crazy and I honestly don’t like writing race reports
(especially for races that go badly). So two weeks later here is my recap of
the first race of the season…<o:p></o:p></div>
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This race is always a fun social gathering and a good
indicator of fitness levels, power data, blah, blah, blah. I headed down
Saturday with the lovely Erin Marouka and we checked into our fancy digs at the
Travel Lodge. That was followed up by a fun group dinner with Dusty Nabor,
Karin Langer, Tyler Olson, Erin Marouka and a gang of Wattie athletes. Again
the highlight of the Desert Tri is the fun group atmosphere!<o:p></o:p></div>
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The plan for this race was to gather some great data on the
bike and run. For the last few months I have been working hard on my LT watts
on the bike and my running has been better than ever. I was really excited to
see my improvements and geek out over my new higher numbers. The only hiccup in
this plan came earlier in the week when I started suffering from asthma issues.
A swim on Tuesday left me struggling to breath so I emailed Joanna and told her
something was up. My run Wednesday had me wheezing and sucking for air. Hmmm
this could be a problem. We chalked it up to the changes in weather due to the
storm coming through and I made sure I was diligent with my asthma
medicine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would later learn we were
both worried about this being an issue on race day but neither of us wanted to
jinx it by talking about it. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Race morning went as planned and before we knew it Erin,
Karin and I were lined up at the swim start chatting as if we were at a local
coffee shop and not standing on the edge of a lake in ridiculous-looking
wetsuits! Karin is an amazing swimmer and I knew there was another former
collegiate swimmer in our wave. My hope was to try to get on their feet and
hang on as long as I could. The plan started off pretty well and I felt like I
had a good clean start. After a few minutes though my chest started getting
tight and I could actually hear myself wheezing as I tried to breath. Soon I
felt like I might be having a heart attack. I know this sounds dramatic but the
pain in my chest was actually freaking me out. I stopped swimming and started
treading water in place (as if this was my first time in the open water). I
tried to get my breathing under control and after probably 15 seconds I started
swimming but at a much slower effort. It was frustrating to see the pack had swum
away. I spent the rest of the swim fighting my way back. I guess the only
good news is that I ended up 3<sup>rd</sup> out of our age group (behind the 2
collegiate swimmers) but I was WAY behind them. The time I lost was pretty
significant, especially in an Olympic distance. (Yes Dusty you are right, the
swim does matter).<o:p></o:p></div>
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T1 was a blur and before I knew it I was on my bike and
sucking wind. It was such an awful feeling. I couldn’t get a deep breath so I
settled in for a very unpleasant ride. I kept hoping my breathing would improve
but it felt like it was getting worse. I couldn’t stay aero much because that
made the breathing tougher. The bike was rather uneventful except for the dude
who kept passing me on the right. I would inevitably re-pass him (legally) and
then he would pass me on the right again. I yelled at him but his nonsense
continued. He actually apologized after the race but interestingly enough
didn’t correct his behavior DURING the race. Whatever, I just wanted to be off
the bike. My watts ended up being exactly what I held in Vegas for the 70.3
World Championships. Another words, about 20 watts lower than I was expecting.<o:p></o:p></div>
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When I got into T2 the only bike I saw was Karin’s! I got excited
thinking there was a good chance we would be on the podium together, which was
part of our master plan devised the night before at dinner. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I took off running but of course couldn’t come close to the
pace I am used to holding for that distance. I am pretty sure people could hear
me coming from a mile away with my obnoxious heavy breathing and grunting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was also wondering how far up Karin was as
I thought she was in the lead. The course is 2 loops and I didn’t see her until
the start of my 2<sup>nd</sup> loop. It turns out I was actually 4<sup>th</sup>
off the bike, not 2<sup>nd</sup> like I thought. I had already passed another
girl and caught up to Karin around mile 4. She kindly told me that there was 1
girl ahead of me and try to catch her. I ran those last 2 miles the best I
could while breathing through a straw. My pace was slower than my half marathon
pace (see a theme here?) and I lost by a whole minute.<o:p></o:p></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqsdh-Y8sLspuVDwmcPsYVVW1mya29IT4Oj3cfwanpR8XG_X0F3W3T1sOJBOKVoRSausATRgVkwruUztziNUBug5Lru9KOigclhDxOIn0NcpXA71GaXt6hilBo3Gzhi-dAhPISxrmNYOc/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqsdh-Y8sLspuVDwmcPsYVVW1mya29IT4Oj3cfwanpR8XG_X0F3W3T1sOJBOKVoRSausATRgVkwruUztziNUBug5Lru9KOigclhDxOIn0NcpXA71GaXt6hilBo3Gzhi-dAhPISxrmNYOc/s1600/photo.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Tyler Olson</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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In the end Karin and I ended up on the podium together, but
selfishly I was still pissed. It sucks to not be able to perform the way you
know you are capable, especially when it’s due to something out of your
control. I was also bummed not to have accurate data to help determine some
other training/racing benchmarks. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The next few days I couldn’t do much because my breathing
was still so challenged and a lot of the muscles in my chest and back were
super sore from the deep breathing during the race. A trip to the asthma doctor
confirmed inflammation in my lungs but no infection. I am finally back to
feeling like I can breathe again but I am honestly so nervous about this
happening again. My confidence is definitely rocked going into Oceanside so I
need to work on that in the next 2 weeks. If any athletes with asthma have some
advice I would love to hear it!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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On a positive note, I am really excited about the rest of
the season. I am back to racing Ironman distance, which is my preferred
distance and I am gunning for a trip back to the Big Island. I also have a host
of great sponsors who will be helping me on that journey. Thanks so much to Tribike
Transport, Athlete Octane, Rudy Project and Triathlon Lab. Hopefully there will
be many more podium finishes this year!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Podium with friends!</td></tr>
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Cortneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01215292692520265089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430099630064769784.post-63362239379512038302013-09-24T17:57:00.000-07:002013-09-24T17:58:41.806-07:0070.3 World Championships<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<br />
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Leading up to the race:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As most of you know by now (due to my constant complaining),
I went into this race with an injury to my achilles/heel. In the weeks leading
up to the race when I would ask myself why this injury had to happen now, I
thought about how many people would have the perfect training leading up to the
race but unexpectedly wake up sick on race morning and have their race plans
screwed up. Little did I know I was foreshadowing my own fate!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The week leading into the race I continued to receive
treatments at Altus (<a href="http://www.altushealth.com/elite-wellness-programs">http://www.altushealth.com/elite-wellness-programs</a>)
and I also had diagnostic imaging done that revealed a bursa sac near my
Achilles that was causing a lot of the pain. I had that sucker drained (not a
fun thing) and then injected with Traumeel. I wouldn’t be allowed to “test” my
foot until the day before the race. In the midst of rushing to doctor
appointments and therapy sessions, I was also working a TON. I wasn’t
getting a lot of sleep and I was starting to feel run down. I told myself that
I wasn’t getting sick and that I would feel better once I was on a plane to
Vegas. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thankfully my mom flew out from Philly for the race and we
met at the airport. She hadn’t been to a race in 4 years, since my first 70.3
Worlds, so I was determined to show her a better race! Having a Sherpa with me
made all of the pre-race stuff super easy. After we dropped off my run gear in
T2 on Saturday we went to lunch and that’s when things started to go bad. I had
chills, starting feeling feverish and my throat was on fire. In the next few
hours things quickly got worse. My coach called that afternoon and based on my
“hello” she said, “holy crap what’s wrong with you?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
By dinner I had my head in my heads at the table and had to
cut the meal short in order to get home and get to bed. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I woke up Sunday feeling bad but not horrible, so I thought
I would be ok. Within an hour the chills, fever and nausea started and then I
saw it was raining. If this were any other day I wouldn’t have gotten out of
bed. I was having trouble keeping anything down and I just wanted to curl in a
ball and pull the covers over my head. Instead, I gathered my stuff and told
myself I was going to see what I was made of. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I quickly got set up in T1 and then I got a message from
Joanna saying “Be Strong." I am typically not good at having race mantras but these 2
simple words would prove to be invaluable in the course of my day. I also felt
bad for my mom who was having to find her way around the race site in the dark
and pouring rain. She was doing all of this to support me and I didn’t know if
I would even make it to the start line! I tried to not think too far ahead and told myself to just
get my warm up done and see how I felt. I had
to take everything in increments as I was feeling worse and worse as the
minutes clicked by.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
Ok enough dramatic build up, onto
the actual race:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Swim:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It’s an in- water start and girls were already clobbering
each other so I kept moving farther and farther back. I heard a familiar voice
next to me, Audra Adair, who I met running side by side in Oceanside this year.
She’s a great competitor and someone I knew I had to keep an eye on during the
race. The gun went off but I found it hard to get into a groove. The nausea was
a lot worse swimming than when I was just standing around and I couldn’t shake
it. After the first turn buoy my left foot started cramping just like in
Vineman. I had to stop kicking and without a wetsuit that’s bad news. The cramp
started moving up my lower leg and I knew if my whole calf cramped I would be
done, so I swam slow and didn’t kick at all. I really need to figure this out!
I exited the water in a horribly-slow time but I was just happy that I made it
through. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
T1: The run from the swim exit to T1 took us through muddy
grass and sand, which my Achilles did not appreciate. I grabbed my bike and got
to see my mom on my way out. She was standing in the rain with a trash bag over
her head-there was no way I was quitting this race! (Although if I had known I
was in 35<sup>th</sup> place coming out of the water I may have debated it).<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Bike:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The first few minutes on the bike
were brutal for me. I thought for sure I was going to puke and my fever and
chills were in full force. By the time we exited the resort I was thinking how
I could drop out of the race now and still be close to the hotel. I backed off
my power, took some Tums and water and then had a little talk with myself. BE
STRONG. If I could just be strong for another 4.5 hours this would all be over.
So this became my anthem for the day thanks to Joanna. I was literally saying
it over and over and out loud at times. After 10 miles I started feeling a
little better. It was raining hard but that was the least of my worries. I
tried not to punk out and I took chances figuring if I crashed it wouldn’t
matter that much anyway. Soon I started passing girls who have beat me earlier
in the season so it gave me the confidence and the kick I needed. Then a new
mantra popped into my head <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’m droppin
bitches!” I know it sounds <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">ridiculous</b>
but sometimes you can’t help what gets stuck in your head during 56 miles on
the bike. Despite the rain, nausea and chills I started having a little fun. I
figured if I quit I would still be sick so I might as well see how far I could
go feeling this bad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Joanna told me that
around mile 30 nothing should feel good and she was right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had to get out of aero more than I would
have liked due to my stomach and my legs were starting to feel the pain. The
last 5 miles seemed to take forever, but I was afraid to get off the bike! I
hadn’t run in 4 weeks and I had no idea how my foot would feel. Also the rain
had stopped and the sun was out so the idea of running in the heat with a fever
and a bad stomach was not appealing!</div>
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<br /></div>
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T2: My first step off the bike and
my Achilles screamed at me. I got into the changing tent and just as I was
about to leave Audra sat down right in front of me! I have to admit it gave me
a boost and made me think I wasn’t too far behind!</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Run:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I had prepared myself to deal with
the flu symptoms I was experiencing all day but I really wasn’t prepared for my
foot/Achilles pain. I had planned on attacking the downhill out of transition but
had to back off a little and let everything settle down.</div>
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<br /></div>
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My training for this run course
had been perfect up until my injury. Every other weekend I would do my long
runs in Mandeville Canyon (5 miles up/5 miles down hard/3.5 miles up/ 3.5 miles
down hard). This proved to be key as my run actually wasn’t too bad. I was
slower on the uphills than I would have liked but I think this was due to being
so sick. I was able to keep all of my downhill miles between 6:24-6:31, which
was right on target. I think I was so focused on how bad I was feeling and
trying to keep from puking that I didn’t really pay attention to the
miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thanks to Tyler I have proof of
what it looks like to run when you really just want to throw up!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8cCflSHKorPtIbKAIE6e7Z1DMkrJbFtiOajNNm-elacmVucAzotiNW6ZNoO6uEYTK3CC29WtXA2lTNRAHvqLTAF0O77mGZcxdD11-9grnrhTE942D5nogKHMOpBcKc_-DcDI52ZL2xGc/s1600/vegas_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8cCflSHKorPtIbKAIE6e7Z1DMkrJbFtiOajNNm-elacmVucAzotiNW6ZNoO6uEYTK3CC29WtXA2lTNRAHvqLTAF0O77mGZcxdD11-9grnrhTE942D5nogKHMOpBcKc_-DcDI52ZL2xGc/s320/vegas_1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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As the miles ticked by I just kept
telling myself it would all be over soon and I could go to bed! Around mile
10.5 a girl who beat me at Oceanside came up and passed me. We continued to go
back and forth until she opened up a gap I couldn’t close during the last
uphill. As I made the turn around for the last mile I wanted to cry I was so
happy. I spotted a girl ahead of me in my division and figured I had to try to
run her down. I passed her and held her off in what turned out to be a 5:46
pace for that last half mile and I came into the finisher chute happy but
feeling broken.</div>
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<br /></div>
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I told the volunteers I was ok and
didn’t need medical but that was a mistake. I guess when you race for 5 hours
with the flu and then suddenly stop your body freaks out. As I walked away from
the finish line my body started shaking, then I felt my cheeks and lips start
quivering and within a second I was crying. But it was a strange uncontrollable
cry. I found a trash can and stood over it just in time for an asthma attack to
start. My inhaler was in T2 and I started looking around in a panic. I couldn’t
get any words out. I tried to control my breathing and at that moment my mom
found me. I made a motion to her that I needed my inhaler. She found a
volunteer who told us that the medical tent was on the other side of where we
were standing. I didn’t want to walk so I just stood there and hoped I would
get a breath soon. Everything calmed down and I was able to hobble to T2 and
get my inhaler. It’s weird but I have heard multiple stories of people having
the same experience that day at the finish (the asthma attack and the crying
fit). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the end, I feel like I made the
best of a really rough day. I finished 16<sup>th</sup> (and it looks like 12<sup>th</sup>-16<sup>th</sup>
were all less than a minute apart)! I now know that I can push myself beyond anything
I thought I was capable of and I have definitely improved my mental game! As it
turns out, my power file on the bike was the best of any race to date so that’s
one good take away. Thankfully I made the decision last year not to race Kona
in 2013 so my season is done and I couldn’t be happier. I am still not over
this flu thing and my Achilles is on the mend so it’s time to just chill for a
bit!<o:p> </o:p></div>
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Lastly, it takes a village… this
saying doesn’t just apply to raising a child. Any triathlete who tows the line
at a major race has not gotten there on his or her own. I owe a huge thank you
to my mom who came out to the race, my coach Joanna who prepared me and gave me
the mantra that kept me going, the whole team at Altus who worked around my
crazy work schedule to get in me for treatment everyday. Also my sponsors:
Tribike Transport, Athlete Octane, Cynergy Cycles, Rudy Project and Ero.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Cortneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01215292692520265089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430099630064769784.post-20774925025571254072013-09-04T11:50:00.001-07:002013-09-04T11:52:20.655-07:00Injuries Suck. The end.<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I tried to come up with a clever or inspirational quote
about overcoming adversity, blah, blah, blah, but the honest truth is that
injuries just plain suck!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My training for the 70.3 World Championships had been going
perfectly and coming off a win at Vineman, I had high expectations for Worlds.
My coach had come up with a great running plan to prepare for the suffer-fest
of a run course that is Vegas. We built up slowly, did everything right but
after a weekend of what I thought was great training I awoke with pain in both
heels. I figured it was inflammation due to all of the downhill running so I
didn’t panic. I acted conservatively and took a few days off from running and
did lots of icing and stretching. I would soon find out this wasn’t an easy fix
and I had done quite a number on myself. It all stems from some biomechanical
issues that I have been trying correct (with the help of everyone at Altus Sports Institute). My
mindset quickly had to shift from trying to heal fast enough to get some
running in before the race, to trying to be healthy and pain-free to even
consider racing.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This past Saturday was my first attempt at running. It was
supposed to be an easy 30 mins off the bike. Everyone was confident that it
would go well (including myself). My run lasted 1:30 (as in 1 minute and 30
secs) before the pain stopped me in my tracks. I was devastated, pissed off,
and just plain sad. If I couldn’t run 30 mins today how would I run a really
difficult run course in one week? The pity party continued into the long weekend
and I stopped stretching, etc. and basically just ignored my lame foot. And
then something interesting happened-it started feeling better! After 3 days of
just leaving it alone I saw massive improvements. A diagnostic ultrasound on
Tuesday showed that nothing was torn and the culprit was a stupid bursa sac
sitting in my heel. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was the best
news I had heard in weeks. This meant we could “fix” it and I could run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
This morning I did an easy 30-minute run and
even though it wasn’t totally pain-free it was something. I followed this up
with my acupuncture treatment (which has been amazing) and I am feeling good. Tomorrow
I will have an injection of Traumeel into the bursa sac and that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">should </i>knock out the rest of the pain. Fingers crossed. That still means my first potentially pain-free run won't be until Saturday (the day before the race). I am hoping I can make up for my lack of training with heart and determination! I've worked too hard to not fight til the finish!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<!--EndFragment-->Cortneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01215292692520265089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430099630064769784.post-73670684313105876262013-07-27T19:46:00.001-07:002013-07-27T19:46:35.589-07:00Quitters Never Win…
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Vineman is one of those races that attracts a competitive
field of athletes and for good reason. The pro purse is large, the course is
beautiful and it’s in wine country! I was excited to be going back to Vineman
after 3 years and I was curious to see how I would stack up.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In a last minute change of plans, I ended up staying with
friends at their rental house in Windsor (thanks guys)! We had so much fun in
the days leading up to the race (i.e. wine tasting) that I was a little worried
how I would feel on race day. It definitely wasn’t my normal pre-race routine
but we had fun!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Race morning we got to the start early as Tyler, Dusty and
Jason went off at 6:38. My wave didn’t go until 7:54 (ugh) so I had plenty of
time to warm up, spectate and hang with Erin, Karin and Amy (they took their
Sherpa duties very seriously and were awesome. All pics courtesy of them).<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As Erin and I were watching the swim start we couldn’t get
over how many people (all men, of course) were either late for their wave start
or missed it entirely! As if that wasn’t surprising enough we saw a dude with
his wetsuit on INSIDE OUT and it was fully zipped! Fail!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">SWIM: 32:42, 9<sup>th</sup>
(holy crap that’s bad)<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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By the time my wave went off I was anxious to get started. I
walked into the water for our little 3 minute warm up and immediately my left
foot and calf cramped. Uh oh. I tried to shake it out but nothing was helping.
I basically did the entire swim trying not to move my legs because every time I
did things started cramping. I’ve also been dealing with a bum left shoulder
that decided to flare up before the race so I felt like the only thing working
was my right arm! This technique does not make for a fast swim (as noted in my
very slow swim split). <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR24fs-Vag4pSnCqJqVhI7cpApnnRFI_6O4Wsmnf0s3mgKoK4a2lOcaP9Mp324YDtW2yvTRO5uKk96pztIRYpqpyZETX2EKvs-9JeJqXd6eS1pCWexhWGRwr8yBVGWzye-IHGTBIZjwd4/s1600/swim_start.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR24fs-Vag4pSnCqJqVhI7cpApnnRFI_6O4Wsmnf0s3mgKoK4a2lOcaP9Mp324YDtW2yvTRO5uKk96pztIRYpqpyZETX2EKvs-9JeJqXd6eS1pCWexhWGRwr8yBVGWzye-IHGTBIZjwd4/s320/swim_start.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">T1: 3:19<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After seeing my slow swim time I hauled ass up to my bike
and attempted to rip my new awesome wetsuit off as quickly a possible (thanks
TBT for the new Helix). As soon as I bent over both calves locked up! I have
never experienced any type of cramping in a race so I started to panic. I ended
up having to sit down in the mud in order to get the suit off and keep my legs
from seizing up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Things were not going
as planned!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Bike: 2:39:23, 1<sup>st</sup><o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After a very rocky start at the mount line (literally I rode
with what felt like boulders in my shoes from the gravel in T1) I was off on
the bike and hoping to put the swim behind me. I felt like I was moving pretty
well in the first few minutes but then the cramping came back. Not only were my
legs crampy but my hands and right arm too. WTH?? I started worrying that
perhaps too much wine leading up to the race was to blame for how crappy I was
feeling. The rest of the ride was just a suffer-fest. My power was about 5
watts lower than my race in Kansas the month prior and I just never got into a
groove. Then the negative thoughts started flowing and I found myself hoping to
get a flat so that I had a legit reason to quit. I couldn’t remember ever
feeling that miserable and desperate on the bike, even during an Ironman.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Coming into T2 I assumed I was probably in 10<sup>th</sup>
position or somewhere along those lines and I really just wanted to quit. I was
afraid that the cramping I was experiencing on the bike would only be worse on
the run and I didn’t want to be one of those people hobbling along for 13.1
miles in pure misery.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">T2: 3:07 (um,
really?)<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
At the dismount line I saw one woman right in front of me. I
didn’t think much about it until we both ran to the same bike rack and I
realized we were the only ones there. She was in first and I was in second.
Suddenly I had to switch my mentally as I was still in the mix and realized I could
actually pull off a win after such a miserable swim and bike. I tried getting
my flats on and of course my legs started cramping. I had to sit down again and
fumble with my shoes for what seemed like minutes (3 to be exact) as I watched
the other woman fly out of transition. It was so frustrating giving away that
free time. I finally got my act together and made it out of T2. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Run: 1:31:52, 1st<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I felt surprisingly good as I started running until I
realized that I left my precious bag of salt pills sitting in T2. I take a
ridiculous amount of salt during my run and due to all of the cramping I was
experiencing I planned on taking one every mile. This would be my first run
without salt pills. Crap. The first 5.5 miles went by pretty quickly and I was
keeping my pace between 6:30-6:40. As we turned in La Crema and hit the dirt
path I saw the girl who was in first and passed her pretty solidly. I actually
loved this part of the course and felt like I was putting a good gap between
us. I ran the next 4.5 miles scared as I have lost most of my races this year
within the last 2 miles. Every time I looked over my shoulder I didn’t see any
women so I thought I was in good shape, until the aid station around mile 10.5.
As I went to grab water the volunteer said “looking good ladies.” WHAT?? I
turned around to see that she was back and RIGHT ON MY HEELS.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead of panicking I got pissed. I wasn’t
going to lose again in this fashion. I dug deep and somehow found another gear
that I haven’t been able to find in past races. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I told myself to run as hard as I could until
I puked or blew up. Thankfully neither of those happened and I managed to cross
the line first (by a mere 17 seconds). As much as those last 2 miles hurt I
knew it wouldn’t hurt as bad as coming in 2<sup>nd</sup> again!! Even though
this wasn’t my best race I guess the moral of this story is to never give up. I
have never wanted to quit a race so badly in my life…it’s a good thing I
didn’t! <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYU38Kf10lAnGbmpkcSKbE0M8N3WcbA1WL6bjqfVwaZ9XDziupRmLmAbbVGmbVpdkEFK_09jI0K12s_19Z5tVcn8jofi28vYOCo4bkAXBv5KoHzTUqDhL07IyqXUftBjhbt_uGO2yKzCM/s1600/run.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYU38Kf10lAnGbmpkcSKbE0M8N3WcbA1WL6bjqfVwaZ9XDziupRmLmAbbVGmbVpdkEFK_09jI0K12s_19Z5tVcn8jofi28vYOCo4bkAXBv5KoHzTUqDhL07IyqXUftBjhbt_uGO2yKzCM/s320/run.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Another great thing about Vineman is so many SoCal people do the
race. A bunch of friends got together that night for a fabulous home-cooked
dinner (thanks Liza and the gang) and we managed to quickly kill the bottle of
wine I got for winning and Reilly’s bottle too!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK1rB_DFO1oLDi6Au5wrzZcxQVVLvNLO20B11Hi_xFZ_T6DbDIR035au5XTAjTkk0_T4QWUdloXNzvRyHrYRccr78vtoffDeUp1h7Fh2QTjysGECI6Ck0YXMi1g8b_WvWMQrgrLpw7msQ/s1600/wine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK1rB_DFO1oLDi6Au5wrzZcxQVVLvNLO20B11Hi_xFZ_T6DbDIR035au5XTAjTkk0_T4QWUdloXNzvRyHrYRccr78vtoffDeUp1h7Fh2QTjysGECI6Ck0YXMi1g8b_WvWMQrgrLpw7msQ/s1600/wine.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
On the flight home the next day a woman from my age group
was on my plane and asked if she could take a picture with my “wine box trophy”
to send to her coach. It was pretty funny. Then I was approached by a guy on
the plane who was the last finisher of the race. He asked if we could take a
picture together. I explained that I wasn’t Meredith Kessler and didn’t win the
whole race but he didn’t seem to care. It made for a pretty entertaining flight
home (and the free wine helped-love Alaska Airlines for that perk).<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As always, I want to thank those who help me out so much… My
coach JZ, Athlete Octane, Tribike Transport, Cynergy, Ero and the crew from the
house that weekend (Go Team Tawney).<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Up next 70.3 Worlds in Vegas (there will be no wine until AFTER the race)<o:p></o:p></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Cortneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01215292692520265089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430099630064769784.post-36084888043446736782013-06-19T13:28:00.000-07:002013-06-19T13:28:35.830-07:00YOU CAN’T WIN IF YOU BREASTSTROKE THE SWIM!
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Kansas 70.3<br />
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I decided to race Kansas simply because I needed a race on
my schedule in June and this one was still open. I headed out to the Land of Oz
alone and hoped I could handle all of the logistics on my own. I was pleasantly
surprised at how easy the trip was. I take back all the jokes I made about
Kansas. It was much better than I expected. Some of the perks:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">-there is NO traffic. Like none at all<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">-the speed limit is 75<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">-a gallon of water is $1<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">-parking downtown is a quarter<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">-everyone is very friendly<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">-there are tons of vegan, gluten-free restaurants<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">-it is really pretty (I forgot the sky can be so blue and
clear)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Race Morning:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I arrived at the race at 5am but still found I was too
rushed. The parking is a good mile from T2 and from there T1 is about another
half mile or more. It just seemed like everything took longer than normal and I
found myself with 7 minutes to get my stuff ready in T1 before getting kicked
out. Agh! It definitely was not a stress-free morning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Swim- <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The swim course looked like it would be incredibly simple to
follow and I was ready to have a great swim. It was an in-water start and I
seated myself in the front but as I sat there treading water I realized it was
pretty choppy. I kept swallowing water and the race hadn’t even started. Uh oh.
The gun went off and I had my cleanest start ever. After a few minutes I
realized I was leading. Sweet! I kept thinking I was going to have a great swim
until something strange happened. Due to the chop I was taking in a lot of
water. Suddenly some water went down the wrong way and I started choking. I
pulled my head out of the water and proceeded to tread water as I coughed my
head off. Then my throat did that weird spasmy-thing that happens when you are
coughing hard. CRAP! I couldn’t breath so I certainly couldn’t swim. As I sat
there treading water I watched at least 15-20 girls swim past me. I was trying
not to panic but I started to worry that I wouldn’t even finish the swim! I
flew all the way to Kansas in hope of winning and I was going to get pulled
in the first 5 minutes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">After what seemed like forever I put my head in to swim but
could only breaststroke with my head above water as I coughed. I had a
flashback to my first triathlon when I had to breaststroke the entire swim.
Eventually I stopped coughing and was able to start swimming but I was pissed
and also afraid that the cough/spasm thing would return. I decided to swim
pretty easy for a few minutes and make sure everything was ok before picking up
the pace. The rest of the swim went well although I was fighting hard to put
the negative thoughts out of my head about the time I had just wasted. I was 4<sup>th</sup>
out of the water so at least I was able to make up a lot of time, although I am
annoyed that those precious minutes were wasted (it would prove to be really
important in the last few miles of the race).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Bike-<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Coming into T1 I was nervous that I would see a ton of bikes
gone after my rookie swim performance; but from what I could tell, I had to be
in the top few so I took a deep breath and told myself to leave the swim behind
and focus on the bike.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This bike course is SO MUCH FUN! It’s much hillier than I
thought (again another misconception about Kansas, it’s not all flat) and it
was really pretty. The course reminded me of Vineman 70.3 with lots of rollers
and fun down hills.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After looking at my
power file from Wildflower my coach’s plan was for me to ride much more
consistently (I tend to have very erratic power files that usually start off
too hard and die at the end) and to avoid big surges that zap my legs. I felt
great the whole ride and was pretty confident that I was meeting my power
goals. Coming back into the race site with about a mile to go a girl came up on
my left and passed me. I hadn’t been passed by anyone the whole ride and I
wasn’t going to get passed at mile 55! I quickly re-passed her and we both killed
ourselves trying to come into T2 first. Luckily I was able squeak out a few
seconds on her to be first off the bike (first time in a big race that has
happened)! But now I knew I had competition right on my heels. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Run-<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I was first out of transition and since I was feeling good I
decided to take the first mile a little harder than planned in order to put
some distance between myself and the other girl. Thankfully there was a female
pro starting her 2<sup>nd</sup> loop at the same time so her and I ran together
for the next 6.5 miles. I was feeling better than I have running off the bike
in quite awhile. However, once the 2<sup>nd</sup> loop started and I lost my
running partner things started to slow down and the wind started to pick up. By
mile 10 my legs were done and I started grabbing coke in hopes it would help
(it did not). For some reason I had completely forgotten about the women that
came in right behind me on the bike. Around mile 11 I was reminded of her as
she flew by me at a pretty good pace. NOOO!!!! I realized if I didn’t catch her
I was going to lose the lead I had been holding for the last 4 hours! These are
the moments I think about in training but in my mind I find some super human
speed and I am able to surpass my opponent and win. I tried everything I could
but my legs just weren’t cooperating. I had nothing left and I watched as she
ran away from me. Running those last 2 miles knowing I had just lost yet
another race in the final moments was tough. I also couldn’t help but think of
the time I gave up in the swim. Thankfully former LA Tri Member and cheerleader
extraordinaire, Liz Kollar, was there motivating me and pushing on til the end.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">After getting over my initial disappointment, I was pretty
happy with my race. It was my 2<sup>nd</sup> fastest time (4:46) and I had a
blast the entire way (until mile 10 of the run). Since my focus is still on my
bike fitness, I was happy to learn that my power was 10 watts higher than at
Wildflower and completely consistent (this is the first power file my coach has
ever liked)! I am still working on being able to run hard after a harder bike
effort. It’s slowly coming along but it’s frustrating to be putting up such
slow run splits this year. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I was able to grab my Vegas slot and finishing 2<sup>nd</sup>
in my division and 5<sup>th</sup> OA amateur isn’t the worst thing in the world
(although first is still a lot better). I highly recommend this race as it is
such a great course, I will definitely be back!</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Cortneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01215292692520265089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430099630064769784.post-62096914234962229252013-05-15T13:47:00.000-07:002013-05-15T13:47:17.247-07:00Wildflower Race Report
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GET OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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We hear this expression a lot in triathlon and it’s
something I have not been good at executing in racing. I have a tendency to
race comfortably and too conservatively and that’s often the difference between
first place and second. Since Wildflower is not an Ironman event and there are
no qualifying slots, it makes it the perfect race to test things out and have
some fun. That was the plan this year. Joanna (my coach) and I have been
working on my cycling ever since we met (3 years and counting). It has slowly
improved but I haven’t had a significant breakthrough. It’s still my limiter in
every race. Since Oceanside we have been trying some new things with a heavy
bike focus, so we decided to take a different approach this time out. I would
try to push the limit and get out of my comfort zone and if I blew up, oh well.
It would be a lesson learned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her
advice…ignore your power, don’t let anyone pass you, go until you blow up and
finish with nothing left. Sounds like a fun Saturday afternoon!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Ok onto the race stuff…<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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After a great visit in SLO with a fellow triathlete friend,
Sara Davis, I was off to Paso Robles with Steph Pacitto. We both agreed that a
hotel the night before the race would probably make for a better night’s sleep
than camping. The hotel wasn’t that far and we got to the race in plenty of
time race morning. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Swim- 8<sup>th</sup> place AG<o:p></o:p></div>
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I have always had a good swim at Wildflower. Last year I was
2<sup>nd</sup> out of the water with a PR of 27 mins. I was hoping for the same
result this year. Right before my wave started Michellie Jones, who was
announcing that day, kindly reminded every one that “Cortney Haile is here
today. She finished 2<sup>nd</sup> last year by just 1 second so you can believe
she is gunning for the win today.” Just what I wanted to be reminded of 30
seconds before the start of the race!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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The gun sounded and I had a clean start but within a few
seconds was dropped from the lead pack. Ugh. I continued along with 1 girl next
to me and we made our way through the sea of swimmers from earlier waves. After
hitting the turn around buoy I finally bridged the gap to a pack of 3 girls. I
assumed this was the lead pack but I was wrong. The 4 of us swam the rest of
the way back, battling and fighting over position. I have never swam in a pack
this long during a race and it was tough. I figured this was the start of
getting out of my comfort zone and I wasn’t going to let them go. By the time
we got to the ramp I had worked my way up to 2<sup>nd</sup> in the pack. I
thought for sure I would see a PR when I looked at my watch. Instead I saw 32
minutes! WTH?? That’s the slowest wetsuit swim I have had in a while. I knew I
had a good swim so I decided not to worry about (later I would see that
everyone’s times were really slow, possibly due to a longer course). <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<o:p> </o:p>Bike- 2<sup>nd</sup> division, 3<sup>rd</sup> overall
amateur, 12<sup>th</sup> female including pros</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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I jumped on my bike and began what I knew was going to be a
tough ride. This course is hot and hilly and will test even the best cyclist.
Within a few minutes of leaving transition there is a long, sustained climb and
I felt like I was flying. My power was up and my legs were feeling good. For
the next 20 miles or so I didn’t get passed by anyone, male or female. I was
working hard but I was also having fun. Sometime around mile 20 a girl came
flying by me on an uphill with the highest cadence I have ever seen. I wasn’t
going to let her get away so I attacked and was able to re-pass her. The plan
was working! Her and I would continue this game for the next 20 miles though.
When we got to Lynch hill I started to worry because I knew she wasn’t too far
behind me and I knew she was a stronger climber.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had about 200 yards until the top of Lynch
when I heard “Come on girl, let’s do this.” It was her and I just looked and
said “Oh crap, you’re back.” That was the last time I would see her and she
would go on to win. SHE WAS THE ONLY PERSON TO PASS ME ALL DAY ON THE BIKE.
UGH. It turns out I had the 3<sup>rd</sup> fastest amateur bike split of the
race, even beating more than half of the pro women. Finally the breakthrough I
had been waiting for!! I ended up biking 14 minutes faster than last year and
on a much harder day. At that point, I knew however the race ended up I had to
view this day as a success.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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Run- 3<sup>rd</sup> AG, 10<sup>th</sup> overall amateur<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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When I came into transition I saw there was only 1 bike on
the rack, so I knew I was in 2<sup>nd</sup> but I didn’t know how my legs were
going to respond after such a hard bike. Normally the run is my time to shine
and chase people down, but I had a feeling I was going to pay for that hard
bike effort, and I did. The first 2-3 miles didn’t feel so bad but it was so
hot in the trails and my legs started feeling heavier and heavier. By the time
I got to mile 4 and the start of the really nasty hills my legs were toast. I
was getting passed by people and I started to worry. What if I didn’t finish? I
would be one of those jerks who bikes super hard and leaves nothing left for
the run. I tried to put those thoughts out of my head and focus on what I could
control which was my nutrition. Thankfully by mile 6.5-7 my legs started to
come around just in time to run through the campground. This is the best part
of the race. For those who have never been, it’s hard to even describe. I saw
lots of friends and more naked dudes than I care to remember. Apparently some
of those “friends” sent one particular naked guy to find me on the trail and
run along side of me for about a quarter mile. There was nobody else on this section
of the course so it was just him, his heart rate strap and me (refusing to look
anywhere but straight ahead). Thanks guys! After leaving the trail, the course
becomes a death march into the “basin” that you eventually have to run back out
of.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think this year I managed to hold
it together a little better but that’s probably because I ran the first 6 miles
so painfully slow! But the last mile of this race is always fun as it’s a long downhill into
a great finish line area. I made sure to look over my shoulder several times in
that finisher chute this year to avoid last year’s debacle. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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I ended up 2<sup>nd</sup> in my division and even though I
really wanted to win this year after taking 2<sup>nd</sup> last year, I was
happy with my race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I biked far better
than I ever knew I could and I ended up 4<sup>th</sup> overall amateur. Not a
bad day in my book. Overall it was a fun weekend with old friends and I even made some new ones, including Amy Olin who kicked my ass on the bike and has promised to do it again in training this summer! Oh and Saturday night I camped for the first time ever. I will continue to
go back to Wildflower but I think I can do without the camping!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Up next…Kansas 70.3 on June 9<sup>th</sup><o:p></o:p></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Cortneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01215292692520265089noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430099630064769784.post-30445509403144674042013-04-05T17:53:00.001-07:002013-04-05T17:59:14.997-07:00Oceanside 70.3 Race Report <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My goal for this race was really just to finish. Normally my
goal is much loftier (a win, podium spot, WC slot) but after the rough
pre-season I have had I really just needed to get a race under my belt. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In February I had a strange running injury that caused me to
drop out of the Surf City Half Marathon at mile 5. I followed that up nicely
with a car accident a few weeks later that left me with whiplash and a
concussion and unable to train for a little bit. With a DNF at Surf City and a
DNS at Desert Tri, I knew I wasn’t in good racing shape, but I needed to finish
a race for my own peace of mind. That race would be Oceanside.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Normally I go into a race with confidence knowing I have
trained well and that I am prepared. This was the first race where I knew I
wasn’t prepared and it wasn’t a great feeling. By mid- week the concussion
symptoms were back and I literally stopped at the neurologist on my way to
Oceanside. Not the best sign. Friday morning I cut all of my workouts short
because I felt so bad and I went back to my hotel room pissed off and worried I
would add another DNF to the season.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Luckily I had a great group to hang with on Friday (Tyler,
Erin, Dusty and Karin), which kept my mind off of things and allowed me to
relax. Karin wasn’t racing so she was our Sherpa, which proved really helpful
on race morning. While everyone else biked in the dark to T2 and back over to
T1 we all jumped in the fancy Range Rover and were escorted to the race site.
This was a big relief, as I knew I would somehow manage to crash if I was
riding my bike in the dark with 3 bags hanging off my bike.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I got in my usual warm up and then hung out with Erin until
it was time for our wave. When I saw the pro men come in around 20 minutes I
knew it was going to be a fast swim!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Swim: </b>29:39,
6<sup>th</sup> place<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The water temp was perfect and the conditions were great. My
goal was not to get a horrible headache. Since the accident, swimming has
caused the most severe headaches and I was worried the cold water and
adrenaline might make my head explode. I started at the front and had the
cleanest easiest swim ever. I got a little frustrated having to swim through so
many people from earlier waves (I was wave #16) but other than that I had no complaints.
I haven’t raced a 70.3 in almost a year and I realized half way through that I
was probably putting out more of an Ironman effort and needed to up the
intensity. I was really comfortable the whole time and I don’t think that
should be the case in a half! Something I need to work on.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Bike: </b>2:45:31,
4<sup>th</sup> place<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Anyone who has done this race knows what the last half of
this course is like. If you are not in good climbing shape it will be obvious,
and it was.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The first 25 miles are fast and pretty easy. I figured with
a sub 30- minute swim I had to be in a fairly good position and I just wanted
to hold on. After a few miles a girl came up next to me and we continued to jockey
back and forth for about 20 miles. I was fighting hard to not let her go, but
once we hit the long climb at mile 25 she dropped me and I wouldn’t see her
again (she ended up winning). During this part of the course I started getting
passed by a lot of girls. I knew going into this race I was not in climbing
shape due to all of my injuries and set backs so I tried not to get frustrated
and just maintain a consistent effort. This is also the point my headache
started to kick in. It wasn’t the horrible type of headache I had been getting and I just prayed it wouldn’t get worse. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Miles 25-40 were pretty rough with the hills
and the headwind. Thankfully the last 16 miles were fast and we had a nice
tailwind (which has never been the case when I have done this race in years
past). I knew I was going to be 5 minutes shy of my bike goal but I was happy
that I was almost done with the race and my headache had not gotten worse.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Run:</b> 1:34:42,
4<sup>th</sup> place<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I cringe just seeing that run split. This was my worst half
ironman run ever! This is usually my favorite part of the race since I am a
better runner than swimmer or cyclist, but my leg had been acting up so much in
the last week I wasn’t sure how this was going to go. Within the first mile or
so I passed a woman who complimented my pace. A few seconds later she was by my
side telling me that the first place girl was just ahead of us and that we were
going to reel her in together. This is just what I needed as I was not feeling
the typical spring in my step. Together we started picking up the pace and although
we were still running slower than I had hoped, she was pushing me to get it
together. The next 6 miles were great as she motivated me, yelled at me and
bribed me with promise of drinking together after the race (Audra Adair, you
rock)! Sure enough around mile 4 we caught the girl who we “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">thought”</i> was in 1<sup>st</sup> place. We
passed her with confidence and it felt great to be really racing. However, the
fact I was not racing at 100% health started to become more apparent around
mile 7 as Audra pulled away. The next few miles I slowed to an embarrassing
pace and just hoped I could hold onto my position. At the last turn around I
spotted a girl who was too close for comfort and that motivated me to pick it up.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What I didn’t know was that there was
someone 30 seconds in front of me! UGH. I crossed the line and Audra was
waiting for me (as she promised) and we both celebrated what we thought was a
win for her and 2<sup>nd</sup> for me. It took about an hour<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(love ironman tracking) for the results to be
sorted out. We found out that Emily, the girl who passed me at mile 25, had
won; Audra had taken second and I had slipped to 4<sup>th</sup> (30 seconds
behind Stacia). I was definitely bummed but not as hard on myself as I normally
would be given all the issues I was dealing with. It really just felt great to
be back racing, seeing old friends and making new ones (I now need Audra to run
with me at every race)!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Finish</b>: 4:55:34,
4<sup>th</sup> AG, 10<sup>th</sup> OA<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Up next is Wildflower Long Course followed by Kansas 70.3
and Vineman 70.3.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just need to work on
getting healthy (and staying that way) so that I can grab a Vegas slot.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have to thank my coach, Joanna Zeiger, who puts up with
all of the curve balls I throw at her and keeps me calm and sane in the midst of
it all. I also have to thank everyone at Altus (if you are in LA this is the
place to go) for helping me with my slew of recent injuries.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I am looking forward to a fun and injury-free season!<o:p></o:p></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Cortneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01215292692520265089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430099630064769784.post-40800435338379613242012-10-24T12:31:00.000-07:002012-10-24T12:31:53.568-07:00Ironman World Championships
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<br />
<br />
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It’s hard to explain the importance of this race to friends
who don’t do triathlons. The best analogy I can come up with is that it’s like
the anticipation of Christmas as a kid; however it doesn’t come every year and
you have to be really good in order to earn it. It took me 3 years to earn this
Christmas and I was excited!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There is a quote from Dean Karnazes that I love and I
brought it with me on this trip as a little inspiration…<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>“Most people never get there. They’re afraid or unwilling to
demand enough of themselves and take the easy road, the path of least
resistance. But struggling and suffering, as I now saw it, were the essence of
a life worth living. If you’re not pushing yourself beyond the comfort zone, if
you’re not constantly demanding more from yourself-expanding and learning as
you go-you’re choosing a numb existence. You’re denying yourself an
extraordinary trip.” </i><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ok now on to the race
stuff…<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I arrived Monday and spent the next few days busier than I
had planned with lots of things to do and people to see. Thankfully my dad
arrived on Thursday and was able to help me with the last few pre-race
preparations.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Race morning I woke up ready to go after a solid 7 hours of
uninterrupted sleep!! I kept waiting for my nerves to kick in but this was the
first race in awhile I didn’t have to try to podium or qualify for something so
I felt relaxed yet excited! I know I am a year or 2 away from being able to go
sub 10 and the top girls here always go sub 10 so there was no chance of a
podium spot. This meant I could just enjoy the day and race to the best of my
ability. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Swim: <o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One of the things I was most looking forward to was the
cannon going off to signal the start of the race. Apparently it misfired and
all we got was Mike Reilly saying, “Go, go, go”. That was a bummer.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My plan for the swim was to start far to the left to avoid
all the chaos and try to get some clean water. I had heard that this swim was
the worst when it came to getting beat up since the majority of people are of
the same swimming ability.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The start was great and for the first 20 minutes I kept
thinking to myself, “wow this is the easiest Ironman swim I have ever done.” I
should have known better. As everyone started to converge and approach the turn
buoy all hell broke loose. It was absolutely awful but I kept telling myself
after about 200 meters we would turn again and everyone would spread out. Wrong
again! The last mile was the roughest thing I have ever been a part of (I
literally have bruises and scratches on my upper body to prove it)! In
hindsight it was my fault because I had managed to get myself right in the
middle of the pack heading straight for the pier. I realized this but couldn’t
make my way out. I just kept praying for it to be over. When I finally exited
my watch read 1:10, which I was ok with, but by the time I made it to the
timing mat it was 1:11:02 (grrr). Not my best time but not bad for my first
non-wetsuit swim and the boxing match I had just endured.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">T1 or better known as
LOOK IN YOUR SHOES DUMMY!!!<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Usually I don’t write about the transitions but this was
seriously a calamity of errors and cost me some precious time. First, the
volunteers couldn’t find my bike bag, when I finally got it I ran into the
men’s changing tent (oops) then couldn’t figure out where the women’s tent was
(obviously needed to calm down and think). When I finally sat down and dumped
out my bag the only things that fell out were my shoes! I realized my helmet
was on my bike and we didn’t need our bibs for the bike but something was still
missing… SUNGLASSES! Crapola, where were they? I panicked and thought they must
be in my run bag. So I ran back out of the tent and against traffic (not easy)
to the run transition area. When I finally found my bag and emptied it out there
were no glasses. WTH?? I wanted to throw up. I couldn’t ride in the wind with
contacts and no glasses. This was going to suck! Because my bike was on the
last bike rack at the end of the pier I had decided to run with my shoes in
hand and put them on at the mount line (amateurish, I know, but I still can’t
mount with my shoes on my bike). As I got to the mount line and stepped into my
shoes I found my stupid sunglasses. I had been running all around transition
with my glasses in my shoes the whole time. Great way to waste 5 whole minutes
in T1!!!! AGGHHHH!!!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Bike:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Starting out on the bike I couldn’t let go of the disaster
in T1. I know the cardinal rule is to let it go and focus on the rest of the
day but it was hard. As I was heading up to the Queen K I was pissed and only
thinking about my sunglasses when suddenly I hit a reflector and my aero water
bottle went flying! Really? What else was going to go wrong? I knew bad things came
in 3s so I was just waiting for the next one. That wouldn’t happen till mile 20
on the run <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">L</span></span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The first 50 miles on the bike were great despite the wind.
I was holding my goal wattage and feeling like I could keep it up all day. Wow
I was actually enjoying the bike at Kona! The winds picked up around mile 30
and grew increasingly bad as I made my way to Hawi. As people around me were
complaining about the wind I managed to stay aero and felt like I was fighting
the wind better than I ever have. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
(I still have A LOT of work to do regarding my cycling but
it’s slowly improving). The new aero position was definitely working and I felt
stronger than I did in Honu 3 months prior. The turn around in Hawi looked like
a hurricane was brewing. The sky was dark and ominous and trees were bending in
the strong crosswinds. I was happy to get out of there. The next few miles were
fun and fast (I think I actually averaged over 30 mph for that split). Of
course the fun soon ended as our tailwind turned back into a nasty head wind
and I was going 17 mph and then 14 and then 10. UGH!! There goes that bike PR I
was hoping for. Around mile 90 I started getting nauseas, probably due to
working so hard in the wind and being in the aero position for so long. I
popped a few Tums and sat up a bit but nothing was really working. I finally caved
in and grabbed a coke from an aid station. It’s amazing how something that’s so
bad for you can make you feel so much better! The last 20 miles were really
just a slow push to get to T2. I was feeling better but I missed a bike PR by a
few minutes.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">T2:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thankfully this went much better and I was on my way!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Run:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The start of the run is always fun for me as I am so happy
to be off the bike onto my favorite part of the day! I had heard that the first
10 miles were fast and easier than the rest of the course and to make sure I
didn’t go too hard. I did a good job of staying between 7:40-7:55 for these
miles. I was actually really enjoying myself and it was great seeing so many
familiar faces (my dad, Jim, Tyler, Jason, Gricelda, Oscar). I kept thinking
“wow I could hold this pace all day. This is going to be a great finish to the
race.” Um not so much.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The steep hill up Palani was fine but then the next 6 miles
on the Queen K were just slow! I had looked at splits from previous years and
knew these miles were the slowest but it was a little frustrating. I kept
plugging along knowing that I could still PR the run as long as my last 10k was
solid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Going into the energy lab my
stomach started going south. UGH!! I haven’t had this problem in years since
going gluten- free. I kept hoping it would settle down but by mile 20 I knew I
was going to have to make a pit stop. This was so frustrating with only 6 miles
to go. I still would have managed a PR if it weren’t for this unforeseen stop.
The last 6 miles I also suffered from a horrible side stich (my coach blames
too much Coke for all of these stomach issues). I ran holding my right side,
half -way hunched over. It was definitely not how I planned on finishing the
day. As I turned onto Alli’i Drive I managed to run upright and let go of my
side so that I could hi -five folks and take in the last few moments of the
day. There were 3 other women around me running through the finisher’s chute
and I was running slowly and taking in the moment when suddenly my friend and
team mate Christine snuck by me at the finish. Doh! It was like Wildflower
again but this wasn’t for the win so it really didn’t matter! <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
All in all I was really happy with the day. I was only a few
minutes off a PR in each discipline so I figure that’s not too bad for my first
Kona experience with tougher than normal conditions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am also happy to have finally achieved the
holy grail of triathlons so now when non-triathletes ask me, “Have you done
that race in Hawaii?” I can finally say YES!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I owe a huge thank you to my coach, Joanna Zeiger, who has
helped me so much in the last 3 years. Not only is she a great coach and
friend, but also she is an amazing problem-solver and always willing to listen
to my latest complaint, ailment, etc. Thanks JZ!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I also want to give a shout out to my amazing sponsors who
have made this a great season. Tribike Transport shuttled my bike all over the
globe this year and took the stress out of the race logistics! Cynergy Cycles
got my bike race ready and FinalFit helped me finally achieve the aero position
that made me so comfortable for this race. Powerbar and Athlete Octane kept me
fueled, hydrated and healthy all year.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Lastly, I want to thank my Dad who traveled from South
Carolina for a very short trip to Hawaii that didn’t involve any typical
vacation fun. Thanks for being my sherpa and running around in 95-degree
weather to see me zip by for a split second.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I am looking forward to a little off- season fun (wine, surfing, and probably more wine) and then
focusing on next year, which will NOT include an Ironman! I’m going to mix
things up a little bit and try to gain some speed at the 70.3 distance. Until then I will probably blog about wine :)<o:p></o:p></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Cortneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01215292692520265089noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430099630064769784.post-49712847680661564502012-08-29T10:32:00.000-07:002012-08-29T10:32:24.562-07:00Santa Barbara Triathlon Race Report
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I still hate writing race reports. I just want to say, “it
was fun, the end” </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">but I will try to rehash the day without being too boring. Here
we go…</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I love doing local races not only for the convenience factor
but also because there are so many familiar faces at the race. A great part of
the trip was the generous home stay offered by Adrienne and Jason. They were
also housing another female athlete, Christine, who happened to be the overall
winner last year. I was in good company and we enjoyed an amazing pre-race
feast at their house and talked a little about the course and strategy before
going to bed for our 4am wake up call!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The morning routine went as usual and I was feeling good. I
had decided to race in the elite/pro division for this race as a way to test my
fitness but also test my restraint since that will be the key to a good race in
Kona. I really just wanted to see where my fitness was and test out my new bike
fit (courtesy of Jim at <a href="http://www.finalfit.com/">FinalFit</a>).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I haven’t done a beach start swim in years and I knew that I
would probably not be able to hang with the elite crowd in the swim. I was
right. I hung onto the back of the pack til about the 3<sup>rd</sup> buoy but
then it seemed like everyone disappeared. I was left to swim the rest of the
way alone. It’s easy to get into a negative place when you are swimming alone
in the ocean chasing people you can no longer see. I had moments of thinking
“this is stupid, I should probably quit.” I quickly refocused though and
reminded myself that I knew I was going to be slower in the swim and to
concentrate on the fact I was actually swimming well for my ability. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">When I got into T1 I was happy to see there were still some
bikes there and Christine was just exiting so that meant I wasn’t too far
behind. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I mounted my bike a
volunteered yelled, “be careful it’s slick out there.” UGH, not what I wanted
to hear. I was a little worried about the technical aspect of the course and rain
was not going to make things better. I took the first 10 miles probably too
conservatively but I was alone out there and actually having a hard time seeing
out of my dark glasses (note to self: bring clear lenses in case it rains).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Despite the annoying rain I LOVED this bike course. It was
not nearly as hilly or technical as I thought it would be and it was just FUN!
The time seemed to fly by and around mile 25 I caught Christine. I couldn’t
believe it as I never catch people on the bike; I always have to run them down
and that was my plan for today too. This totally changed my mood as I realized
I was in the game now. Her and I jockeyed back and forth for the next few miles
until we came up on a female pro from Australia. Christine and I both favored her
to win as she was a “real” pro and also an ITU girl so we figured she had the
speed us long course girls might be lacking. When we caught her I was pumped!
Now the 3 of us were in a full on race for the next 4 miles. Nobody was letting
up and we arrived at the dismount line together. I heard someone yell, “ladies
and gentlemen we have a race on our hands.” </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The dismount line was also hilarious b/c the night before
Christine and I were both joking that we still run in our bike shoes (like
newbies). Of course the girl from Australia dismounted her bike like a pro and
Christine started laughing as her and I tried chasing her in our bike shoes. I
really do need to work on this along with my transition as I came out of T2 far
behind both girls.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I caught up to Christine and soon I could see the Australian
not too far ahead. I realized I could probably catch her and still keep the
conservative pace I had planned for the first few miles. I caught her around
the first mile and took the lead! I was expecting her to challenge but she
didn’t and by mile 2 I could no longer see her over my shoulder. Shit I really
had a solid lead but with 8 more miles to go I was so nervous I would screw it
up! The rest of the run went by quickly and was so much fun as people were
constantly cheering and shouting, “you’re the first female.” I don’t think I
have ever smiled that much during a run! I was still running scared though and
didn’t want to get too comfortable as the fear of losing it in the end haunted
me (i.e. Wildflower earlier this year). Around mile 8 I asked a guy if there
were any girls in sight and he told me no that I had it. At that point I felt I
could finally enjoy the idea that I was going to be the overall female winner!
Coming down the finisher’s chute with so many cheering friends around was
awesome too!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">In the end this is obviously not a big race, but it gave me
confidence that the training I have been doing since IM CDA is working and more
importantly that we finally nailed my bike fit (again thanks to Jim Manton)! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">After the race I was hoping to stick around for the after
parties that night but I had a 5 hour ride looming the next day (thanks coach)
so I headed home to get some rest. Only a few more weeks til Kona and then
there will be plenty of time to celebrate!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Cortneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01215292692520265089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430099630064769784.post-40517914592803929062012-06-28T16:19:00.001-07:002012-06-28T16:19:44.394-07:00Ironman CDA 2012<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For those who know how this race unfolded for me last year,
I was coming back with some unfinished business to handle. The big goal was
Kona, although I was hoping to win my age group and improve on my top 10
overall amateur finish. Only one of those 3 things happened this year, and
thankfully it was the most important one!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Jim graciously came out as my sherpa again this year and we
stayed at a great bed and breakfast that was recommended to us by a fellow
triathlete, Alex Garcia. We were 1 block from the race start and in a house
amongst friends and fellow athletes. I couldn’t have asked for a better set up.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Race morning it seemed that the storm we were expecting was
going to blow over and we would have great conditions for the race. The water
temperature was still freezing (around 55 degrees) but warmer than last year so
I wasn’t concerned. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A funny thing happened as I stepped onto the sand to line up
for the start. I looked at the spectators, volunteers and all of the kayaks waiting
for us on the lake and I started to get choked up! I NEVER cry at anything
(funerals, weddings, movies, nothing ever gets me). What was happening? I was
just overcome with this feeling of how much I love racing. It was amazing and
it totally validated all of the pain, sacrifice, time and money spent. I do it
all because I love it! <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When the gun went off I had a good clean start and was
relieved thinking I had managed a pretty pain-free entry. Boy was I wrong. Not
only did the typical mass-start melee ensue but we were swimming against horrible
current, chop and wind. Every time I tried to breath I got a mouthful of water.
I literally stopped 7 times before the first buoy b/c I was swallowing so much
water. This is not the type of swim performance that wins races. I was trying
not to panic and actually had to have a few talks with myself to pull it
together. Soon the nausea started to set in from the chop and the amount of
water I was swallowing. After rounding the first turn buoy I threw up! WTH??
That’s certainly a new one for me! As we exited the water to start the second loop
I was afraid to check my split given how horrible things had gone. I was
surprised to see 32 minutes. Not fast but not horrible, all things considered.
My goal was 1:05 and this split meant that was still possible, or so I thought.
The second loop proved to be worse than the first. Although I was no longer
battling the masses, the current and chop had picked up significantly. I was
swallowing huge amounts of water and couldn’t sight due to the waves that were
now rolling in. I got off course a little on the way into the finish that cost
me precious time, which was obvious in my final split of 1:08. Ouch. I knew everyone
had to deal with the rough conditions, so I sucked it up and headed to T1.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The first part of the bike was cold and raining. Not the
best thing after spending over an hour in 55-degree water. But I was happy to
be on my bike and have 1 leg of the race behind me. Things were going well
until roughly mile 25 when the straw to my speedfil slipped out of position,
wrapping through my spoke and around my skewer! Thankfully I was going uphill
at the time so I was able to quickly clip out before crashing. Had I been going
any faster it would have been a disaster. Although I was pissed that I had to
stop I figured I would fix it and be on my way. However, the neoprene part of
the straw was wrapped so tightly in my skewer I couldn’t get it out. I stood
there for what seemed like an eternity trying to rip that stupid thing out. I
tried to keep my cool but I couldn’t believe this was happening. Eventually I
got it out and was back on my way. I decided I shouldn’t try to catch up to the
people I was with before or I might blow up and pay for it later. I was also
afraid of drinking any water, as I didn’t want the straw to slip again and
cause a more serious problem, so I tucked the end of the straw into my bento
box to try to keep it in place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had
been taking salt every 20 minutes and it was time for my next dose but as I
opened my bento box to get a salt pill that stupid straw flicked my bag of salt
into the air and it was gone. OMG. What else is going to go wrong? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Luckily I had put extra salt in my special
needs bag and even though I planned on not stopping at special needs, at least
I knew I could get more salt!<o:p></o:p></div>
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The rest of the first loop went smoothly and I clocked in
right around my goal time of 2:45 (hoping for a 5:30 bike split). The head wind
had picked up a lot on the second loop and I knew I was slowing down. Around
mile 80 I suddenly got super nauseous again. I felt like my nutrition was spot
on so I attributed it to all of the lake water I had swallowed earlier. From miles
80-92 I was miserable!! I had to back way off my power as I debated whether I
should puke and get it over with or try to figure out how to stop it. I chose
the later and<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>began to ride slower, take
in more water and hope for the best. Around mile 92 or so I magically felt
better and instantly was able to increase my power back to my goal wattage;
however the time I had lost was significant. Final bike split was 5:45. My big
limiter is still the bike. No matter how much stronger I seem to get in
training I have never had a good bike split in a race. It’s so frustrating!!! Gotta
figure this out.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Heading onto the run I knew I had to make up time. The girl
who would eventually take 2<sup>nd</sup> place BLEW past me at mile 75 so I
knew she had a huge gap on me. Coming out of T2 there was another girl (in a
different AG) about 200 yards ahead. I caught her pretty quickly and the 2 of
us ran the next 6 miles together. She turned out to be great company and
motivation and since we were 2 of only a few girls on the course and were
running side-by-side the spectators were going crazy. We got so much motivation
from the crowd it was great! We were running faster than my goal pace
(averaging about 7:15-7:20/mile) but I had decided I was just going to go fast
while I felt good and hope I didn’t blow up later. I was feeling the best I had
ever felt coming off the bike until mile 12-13. Then I just got tired. Nothing
hurt and my nutrition was fine I was just plain tired. I decided to try
drinking some coke. This was risky b/c I never drink soda in real life and I am
really sensitive to caffeine but it worked! The combo of coke and water was
like a magic pill. All of a sudden my pace was back and I was no longer
considering giving up triathlon (during miles 12-15 I had decided triathlons
were dumb and this was going to be my last). Around mile 17 Jim yelled at me
and told me to pick it up b/c this was the moment I had been training for and I
couldn’t let it slip away. It really helped get me back into a competitive
mindset. The last half mile of this course is like non-other. Not only is it a
downhill finish but also it is through the main drag of downtown and the
streets are lined with spectators on their feet, at local bars, and in the
stands. Coming down Sherman Way there were 3 other guys and myself. I passed 2
of them and then I was just enjoying the last few minutes of the race. At that
point a woman seated at a bar along the course yelled, “ Go girl, pass that guy.”
It may have been bad sportsmanship on my part but I took off. As I passed him
the crowd erupted and started going crazy. It was hysterical. Who knew the last
few minutes of a 140-mile race could be so fun? I crossed the finish line all
smiles not knowing how I had placed but knowing that I had done the best I
could do on that day. It wasn’t until I saw Jim a few minutes later that I
found out I placed 3<sup>rd</sup> and possibly had a Kona slot. At that point
it was just icing on the cake. That night we went back to the finish line
around 10:30 and stayed till midnight to watch the last finishers come through.
It was a magical thing to witness and I wish I hadn’t waited all of these years
to experience it. The vibe and the emotions there were unlike anything else. It
was truly a great end to a great day. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Of course the looming question was Kona. I wouldn’t
officially know till the morning if I was in. I felt like I had a good shot
since there were 4 slots last year but they also decreased the total number of
slots this year from 75-50. It was a total guessing game and I didn’t want to
play. I just waited till 9am Monday morning and solemnly approached the award
area to see the final results. I almost threw up (again) when I saw 3 spots for
my division! I made it! I really didn’t want to get a roll down slot, as I
wanted to feel like I had earned the spot 100%. In the end I didn’t win and my
overall placement was lower than last year but I achieved the big goal!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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I have a lot of work to do between now and October and the
thought of doing another Ironman this year is frightening. I have to figure out
a lot of things in the next few months (mainly why I still can’t ride a bike
fast) but I know I can do it with the help of my coach, Joanna Zeiger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I owe her a huge thank you for all of the
time and effort she has put into coaching me, it has certainly paid off! I
would also like to thank my newest sponsor, TriBike Transport for making the
logistics of racing a lot easier this year. I hope I never have to take my bike
on a plane again!<o:p></o:p></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Cortneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01215292692520265089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430099630064769784.post-28144226281866655362012-06-07T10:49:00.001-07:002012-06-07T10:49:42.094-07:00Kryptonite<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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I am going to try not to make this report too long but I feel
like there is so much to say. As much as I would rather just write about all of
the fun things we did while in Kona (paddle boarding, hiking, etc.) I have to
write about the race that I would rather forget! I titled this blog Kryptonite
because as my coach Joanna said after the race, “wind is my kryptonite.” For
years I have tried to improve my ability to conquer the wind but the race on
Saturday was proof that I have a long way to go. I know that Kona is
historically windy but the last few years the weather has been great at the
Honu 70.3. I knew I would battle a little wind but I thought I would take my
chances and hopefully come out on top. I was wrong.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When we landed in Kona I was almost literally blown away by
the wind. It was so intense that at lunch my meal blew off the table. When Jim
and I took our bikes out on the course the day before the race I knew I was in
trouble when I was pushing 5-10 watts above my goal wattage and only going 13
mph (and this wasn’t even the windy part of the course).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Race morning we woke up at 4am to find that the wind was
already gusting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was hoping the wind
wouldn’t pick up till later in the morning buying us a few hours of reprieve.
Again I was wrong.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The transition area was a “clean” transition meaning
everything had to be in your bag at all times, which was probably a good thing
since things kept blowing away (including my water bottle). I got in my normal
warm up and headed down to the water. As I tried to scope out the course I
realized it looked different than I had thought. I was unsure of the route so I
started asking strangers what the course was. Every person I asked gave me a
different answer-not a good sign. Before I knew it the horn sounded and we were
off. This swim was VIOLENT! It’s been a long time since I have gotten that beat
up in a swim and it didn’t let up till at least the 2<sup>nd</sup> buoy. At
this point the chop kicked up and it seemed like I was getting a mouth full of
water every time I tried to breath. Despite the conditions I felt like I was
swimming strong. Then something weird happened… after rounding a buoy I saw people
to my right swimming into shore and a few people to my left swimming out
farther to the left. Which way do I go? A lifeguard on a paddleboard started
blowing his whistle and telling everyone who was heading into shore that there
was one more buoy they had to swim out to before heading in. Most people didn’t
listen and just kept going. I was a little thrown and wanted to follow the mass
of people but instead I asked the guy, “which way do I go?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He replied that we had to keep heading out so out I went
with just a few others. This really pissed me off as I saw all of these people
cutting the course. After all of that drama I was sure my swim time was going
to be horrific, not to mention this was only my 2<sup>nd</sup> non-wetsuit race
and the first one was no bueno. I told myself if I could be under 35 minutes I
would be ok. I was stoked to see 31 minutes on my watch as I headed up to T1.
When I got to my rack everyone was talking about the crazy swim. The girl next
to me said, “yeah I didn’t even swim out to that last buoy.” AWESOME.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Now I was worried that the gains I made in the swim would be
diminished by all of the cheaters! Oh well, time to move on and get on the
bike.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This is when the kryptonite comes into play. The first few
miles were an out and back and as I saw the pros coming back from the
turnaround I could tell the wind was nasty (even Lance looked like he was
fighting as he road super fast). The next 30 minutes or so were tough but
totally manageable. I assumed that’s what the whole ride was going to be like,
but soon the cross winds started gusting and it was unlike anything I have ever
felt or seen. A girl in front of me blew across both lanes of traffic and
almost over the edge. I didn’t want that to be me. I was holding on for dear
life just fighting to keep my bike upright. This is the stuff that freaks me
out. My power was all over the place but at that point I wasn’t that concerned-
I just didn’t want to crash. Then as a guy passed me I felt this light
sprinkle. I assumed he had just peed and I was getting sprayed. Nope. It was
rain. It proceeded to rain for about the next hour making the roads slick but
keeping then temperature cool. It was around this point that a huge gust came
and lifted by butt right off my seat. I swear it was a good 10 seconds before I
made contact with the seat again. WTH?? I was so happy to finish the climb to
Hawi and hit the turn around. It felt like heaven for about 10 minutes but then
the crosswind was back. This time since we were going down the Queen K I was
moving much faster, around 38-40 mph, so the thought of crashing was a little
scarier. This is when I had to have a little conversation with myself, swallow
my fear and just go with it. I had a few guys tell me they were impressed I was
keeping that bike upright and I felt the same way. I didn’t hold back and even
though I had lost a lot of time and energy in the wind I gained some
confidence.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Coming into T2 I was happy to get off my bike, assuming the
wind wouldn’t be as much of a factor on the run. Again, I was wrong. It took
awhile for my Garmin to find a signal but once it did I saw that I was running
about a 6:35 pace which was right within my goal time. Around mile 3 I turned
and hit the same wind that plagued me on the bike. I was going nowhere. My
friend Stacey came by me around this time and gave me a few encouraging words.
She has earned a Kona spot at this race the last few years so I knew if I could
just stay with her for the next 10 miles I could squeak out a good run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That lasted maybe all of 20 seconds. Stacey
pulled away as I watched in amazement, as the wind seemed to not slow her down at
all. That’s when I got frustrated. I didn’t understand why the wind was
crippling me so badly. I was literally stumbling and falling. Cardiovascularly<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt fine I just couldn’t muscle through
the wind. This agony continued until about mile 7-8 and then things started
looking up. At mile 10 I hit the long out and back stretch on a desolate, dusty
road and that’s when I saw how far back I was. I counted girl after girl who
was ahead of me. Crapola. I didn’t realize things were that bad! The last 3
miles I picked up the pace and started running a few folks down. The last mile
I ran as fast as I could (I even lost my favorite hat as the stupid wind took
it right off my head). I kept looking over my shoulder to make sure I didn’t
get punked in the finisher chute again but let’s be honest-all of my
competition had already crossed the line. As soon as I finished I saw Jim whose
first words were, “what happened to your hat?” We exchanged war stories as we
headed to the beer garden and BBQ area. I have to say this was the nicest
finish area of any race. Perched right along side the ocean on the grounds of a
beautiful hotel. I was just happy to be done, in one piece and now relaxing in
Hawaii.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
At the end of the day I was 7<sup>th</sup> in my division
and 13<sup>th</sup> overall amateur. Not stats I am proud of at all. But I
learned a lot and I didn’t crash so I will just chalk it up to another race
under my belt. I have to focus on my “A” race of the season, which is less than
3 weeks away. I am praying for no wind! <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Cortneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01215292692520265089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430099630064769784.post-4769166353394090312012-05-08T12:55:00.001-07:002012-05-08T12:55:29.661-07:00Wildflower Race Report<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I know I have been away from blogging for quite awhile. I am
honestly still not that comfortable with it but I am going to give it another
shot! I have some amazing new sponsors this year (including <a href="http://www.tribiketransport.com/">TriBike Transport Team</a> and <a href="http://www.powerbar.com/">Powerbar Team Elite</a>) and they want me to blog so here we go…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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Wildflower was my first big race of the season. I have done
a few running races in the off season and one Olympic distance race with pretty
good results, so I was chomping at the bit to get to finally race a half
ironman this season. Since Jim was racing too I got to take advantage of the
free pro housing that Tri-Cal offers which is an amazing perk for this race.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Race morning was perfect and not nearly as windy as last
year. Since I am now an old lady my division didn’t start til 9:30! The only upside
to the late start was getting to see Jim and a few other friends exit the swim
before I had to start my warm up.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Last year I loved the swim conditions at Wildflower and this
year was even better… perfect temps and no chop (unlike last year). I started
at the front of the pack and for once managed to stay with the lead pack. I was
trying not to get too excited and just keep a good rhythm. Within a few minutes
I was able to drop the other 2 girls next to me although there was 1 girl who I
was pretty sure was still ahead of me. Either way I was stoked to be feeling so
good. Things got a little hairy as I started encountering people from previous
waves. I tried my best to swim around them(and sometimes over them-sorry)
without getting off course. I came out of the water feeling great and pretty
sure I had my best swim. I didn’t look at my watch until I was on the bike and
out of the campground area. I was shocked when I saw 32 minutes on my watch. I
have never broken 30 minutes and in fact my PR was 32 minutes and here I was
already out of transition and a few minutes into the bike!<o:p></o:p></div>
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My official swim time is listed as 25 minutes but I have to
be honest and say I didn’t swim a 25. I think something got wonky in the splits
as my T1 is listed as 7 minutes. Either way I know I broke 30 by a good margin
and I feel like all of these early morning swims at 5:45 are finally paying
off! (2<sup>nd</sup> place swim)<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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My excitement from the swim was quickly diminished as I got
on my bike and all of my nutrition from my camelback started leaking down my
back. WTF? I had 600 calories in that sucker and I knew I would be in trouble
without it. I managed to salvage some of it and improvise for the rest of the
ride but it did throw me off for the first few minutes as I tried to figure out
what to do. I think I am finally giving up the camelback (sorry Joanna) and
going with the Speedfil.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Anyway, onto the bike-ugh! This bike course is no joke. I
went in with high expectations of redeeming myself from last year’s horrible
bike split. While I did manage to shave 9 minutes off my time from last year, I
was still far off where I need to be. I really think my descending skills are a
big part of the problem. I am still a chicken and because I am on the smaller
side I spin out easily on the long down hills. I am hoping a 54 ring in the
front and some more practice will remedy the situation. (4<sup>th</sup> place bike)<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Coming into T2 I was annoyed with my bike time but happy to
see that I was the first person back to the rack! Wahoo! I was in first place
with my best leg still to go. I knew I just needed to focus on my nutrition and
not blow up as temps were up to 100 degrees. The first 4 miles of the run were
great and I felt like I was running really well. Of course things slowed down once
I got to the crazy steep hill but I knew it was coming and thought it didn’t
take too much out of me. The best part of this run is coming into the
campground-the spectators are amazing and the course is back on asphalt with a
little downhill so it feels like heaven. I think this is also where I made my
mistake. Things were feeling so good and the crowds were so much fun that I
think I got a little over zealous from miles 7-9. Once I started running into
the “pit” around mile 9.5 I knew I was in trouble. Even though I was keeping a
fast pace on the downhill I could tell my legs were getting really heavy. As I
made the turn around at mile 10 and started the 2 mile climb back up things
went from bad to worse. I have never felt such pain/heaviness in my legs. I
seriously thought I was going to have to start walking. I was so close to being
done (and snagging a division victory) but it seemed like it was all falling
apart. I hadn’t been passed by anyone on the run until around mile 11. As I was
shuffling up the hill a woman passed me but I couldn’t see her bib # and she
didn’t have any body markings. To be honest, she looked older so I didn’t freak
out as I thought I may just be giving up 1 spot in the overall rankings and at
that point I didn’t care, I just wanted to be done running. After the slowest 2
miles of my life I finally got to mile 12 and the start of the super fast
descent into the finish. I managed to pull myself together and attacked the
downhill. Soon I was running just under a 6 minute mile and saw the woman who
had passed me. As I passed her she said “nice job” and I nodded back. I had
less than half a mile to go and this thing would finally be over! As I ran into
the finisher’s chute I saw Jim and I waved and smiled for the camera. I was
still running fast as I knew that woman wasn’t far behind me but I didn’t
expect what came next. I crossed the first timing mat (which as I learned later
doesn’t count for time but simply gives the announcer your bib number and name)
and as I was approaching the finish line and final timing mat I felt someone
pass me. WTF??? What just happened? The same woman snuck up on me and beat me
by 2 seconds and it turns out she was in my age group! If we had been shoulder
to shoulder in an all out sprint and I lost I would have been bummed but I felt
like I just got punked. It’s my fault and she ran a great race it’s just a
bitter pill to swallow. (1<sup>st</sup> place run)<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Marker Felt";">In the
end I am trying to focus on the positive (which doesn’t come easily for me).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Marker Felt";">I did
qualify for Team USA again which has it’s big race this summer in Spain.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Marker Felt";">Although
my overall time was not where it needs to be, it's also early in the season and
IMCDA is my "A" race. I am not in peak shape yet as I have 7 weeks to
go but this race is a good indication that things are headed in the right
direction. I am also going to look over my shoulder from now on and sprint my
heart out through every finish line!!! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment--></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal">Finally the last race of the season… ITU Long Course World Championships. Jim encouraged me to try to make the team and I really didn’t know much about it since my focus has always been on Ironman and Kona. Given what happened to my Kona plans this year I am happy I have this race to finish off the season.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The theme for tomorrow is PATIENCE and anyone who knows me knows I have zero!! I will admit that I am a very impatient person and I still don’t know why people say patience is a virtue. Really? I am not a believer. So tomorrow is going to be a mental test as well as a physical test. This race course is no joke. Over 5,000 ft on the bike and 2,000 on run means it’s going to be a long day. I know that I have to be patient on the bike, stay within my set wattage and let people pass me knowing that I will get them on the run. It’s a great plan but easier said that done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I went into this race thinking it was the same course as the 70.3 World Championships but boy was I wrong. Sure it starts off the same but the “fun” really begins at mile 56 with the 3 sisters (3 climbs in a row at an 18% grade) followed by a 2.5 mile sustained climb and then more rollers til we hit T2. I am assuming people are going to take these hills hard and then be toast on the run. If I can be conservative on the bike I know I can have a great run. Although I haven’t been running as much as I would like due to my foot issue, this run course is right up my alley. It’s 4 loops totaling 18 miles of hills-which means we are either going up or down at all times. Ever since I started training with Joanna she has emphasized the importance of being a good downhill runner. We have worked hard on it for the last 2 years so I feel like I am ready for a course like this.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Jim is out here as my Sherpa again (thanks babe) and there are some other LA Tri peeps who are racing (Cherryl, Lou, Holger, Liz, Lynne and Jen) who will be great motivation during the race. I guess the second theme for the day is Liz’s motto “ I love hills, I love hills, I love hills!” <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Lastly, I have to give a shout out to my dad who is racing the Rock n Roll Marathon in Savannah and Jim’s mom who is racing her first 5k! Wahoo! Our families rock!<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><!--EndFragment-->Cortneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01215292692520265089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430099630064769784.post-16079215032149756872011-09-15T14:24:00.000-07:002011-09-15T16:05:23.351-07:00My last post about China (I promise)<div class="MsoNormal">There are so many things I will take away from this trip, but here are just a few of the things that stand out.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">-The Chinese people are amazingly kind and honest. From the volunteers assigned to help the athletes, to taxi drivers, to strangers on the street, every person was friendly and willing to help the dumb Americans. For example, numerous times we had taxi drivers give Patricia money back when she over-paid or accidentally handed over the wrong amount. We had volunteers ride a bus with us to Wal-Mart because they didn’t want us traveling alone. We even had a taxi driver pull over on a freeway and buy bottles of water for everyone before we started our long drive to the Great Wall. I just can’t imagine any of these things happening in LA!<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">-The race provided volunteers who are students at the local university. If it were not for the 2 volunteers at our hotel I would probably be stuck in China. They worked day and night helping us with anything we needed. They must have been prepped to ask us a few “American” questions as the first volunteer Patricia met asked her who was her favorite character on FRIENDS!! Also, they kept saying, “hey lady” whenever they wanted to speak with us. It was pretty funny but when we went to the silk market and there were hundreds of vendors yelling it at us it wasn’t so cute anymore.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">-The bathroom situation. I asked so many people about China and somehow NOBODY told me about the lack of Western bathrooms! UGH! A hole in the floor covered in porcelain is the standard and toilet paper is rare. I have never been so happy to see my bathroom at home!<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">-That leads me to breakfast (or maybe the other way around, whatever). Breakfast sucked in China. I was warned that they don’t typically eat breakfast so it was very nice of our hotel to try to accommodate the Westerners. We had a buffet every morning that consisted of things like, fried rice, stir-fry, broccoli, baked beans and watermelon. Some days we lucked out and got sweet potatoes so I made sure to eat a ton of them when they were available. The food wasn’t bad but eating stir-fry for breakfast 7 days in a row is tough. I started dreaming of pancakes and waffles!<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">-Driving in China is everything you have heard it to be and more. Try doing a YouTube search of traffic in China. IT’S INSANE! I don’t even know how to explain it. People do not stay in their lanes; they don’t pay attention to lights, cross walks, pedestrians, bikes, etc. They have no problem reversing down a freeway (as our taxi driver tried to do once) or driving on the opposite side of the road to get around something. It’s amazing how the bikes, carts and people can intermingle in this mess and somehow it all works out. People come within millimeters of hitting each other but nobody seems to get upset or have road rage. It’s truly mind-boggling. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">-Lastly, the reason I was there… to help Patricia race. I am amazed by Patricia and her fearlessness and ability to navigate a foreign city (blind nonetheless). I was literally following her around the city most of the time. I can’t even begin to imagine accomplishing a fraction of what she does on a daily basis, let alone race triathlons at a competitive, international level. It was also inspiring to meet the other members of the US Para triathlon team. They each had their own story, many of the amputees were veterans of the current war, and each one was inspiring in their own way. I would say most of the team was not born with their “disability” but rather it happened later in life. Seeing how people can adapt and move forward is amazing. For anyone who thinks they can’t do something or they are too afraid to do something he/she should meet anyone from this team. I feel fortunate that I got to experience this first-hand and hopefully I can share a little bit of what I learned with anyone reading this blog.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt;">Xiexie (Thank you)</span><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div>Cortneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01215292692520265089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430099630064769784.post-36726945663754540082011-09-12T10:37:00.000-07:002011-09-12T10:37:56.539-07:00Race Report<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:DocumentProperties> <o:Revision>0</o:Revision> <o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:Pages>1</o:Pages> <o:Words>1542</o:Words> <o:Characters>8794</o:Characters> <o:Company>Arsenal FX</o:Company> <o:Lines>73</o:Lines> <o:Paragraphs>20</o:Paragraphs> <o:CharactersWithSpaces>10316</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:Version>14.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>JA</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/> <w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/> <w:OverrideTableStyleHps/> <w:UseFELayout/> </w:Compatibility> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<div class="MsoNormal">I am so happy this race is over and Patricia ended up on the podium. I really have never been more nervous for a race. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Race day was a little weird since the start time was 3:45. I did a short run in the morning to loosen up and then we went to a pool to finally practice swimming with the tether (nothing new on race day, right?) The swim went surprisingly well which gave me a little more confidence about the day. After a team lunch we boarded the bus and headed to the venue.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The race site was incredibly pretty and we had perfect weather. The one thing I have to note about this race was the complete lack of organization. I am really surprised that a World Championship event can get away with such poor planning and execution. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">After waiting in a long line to obtain our timing chips and then waiting for transition to open we were finally allowed in at 3pm. The race start time was 3:45! Not a lot of time to get settled and Patricia and I still had not practiced running together with the tether. We quickly tried to get settled, figure out the course (which we never actually did) and get in a quick run. They hustled us out of transition at 3:30 and lined us up for the swim.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each athlete was introduced by name and country (i.e. Patricia Walsh, National Champion from the United States), which I thought was pretty cool. We were told the water temp was 82 so we chose not to wear wetsuits, but probably 80% of the field still wore wetsuits. I think the water temp was in the high 70s but for such a short race it didn’t seem worth the time and effort to wear a wetsuit. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After some incredibly ominous Chinese music that sounded like we were marching to our death, the gun went off and the race was underway.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Patricia had warned me that she still suffers from panic attacks in the open water, as many athletes do. I still can’t imagine swimming in an open body of water in total darkness. After what seemed like a good start, Patricia’s head popped out of the water and I knew panic was setting in. There was nothing I could do to help (the rules are very strict to prevent a guide from giving an assistance or “towing” an athlete). It was so hard for me to watch her in this state and not be able to help. I wanted to just put my head down and swim as hard as I could to pull us through the course, but I couldn’t. To Patricia’s credit she never stopped moving once, we simply swam water- polo -style for about ¾ of the swim. Eventually she was able to put her head back in the water and swim the last portion of the course. We had a speedy exit out of the water and a fast run through transition. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Now it was time for the bike. The part I had been dreading for weeks and was still scared out of my mind about! Before the race I had countless athletes tell me they had no idea how I would ride a tandem bike on such a technical and hilly course. This was not helping my confidence. The look on people’s faces when I told them my first time on a tandem was the day before was priceless. My goal simply was to get us through the bike portion in one piece. Not only was I afraid of turning the bike but I was even more afraid of having to make a U-turn. I honestly still have problems with U-turns on my own bike let alone a tandem. I was told there were no U-turns on the course so I quit worrying about it and we never practiced it. We mounted the bike on the first try (which was a huge success for me) and then they directed us in the opposite direction that we were told was the bike out. The first thing I noticed exiting in this direction was a U-TURN!!! WHAT??? NO!!! I seriously thought I was going to puke. We were still in front of the stadium so if we wiped out everyone would see us, not to mention I didn’t want to wipe out in the first 30 seconds of the race. I took a deep breath and went for it and we made it! I am sure it was ugly but we did it. I was so excited and full of adrenaline that we took off. I figured I just conquered my biggest fear so the rest of the course couldn’t be any worse. We had 2 loops on the bike and now I wanted to catch all of those girls who were ahead of us in the swim. The course was really challenging but also really fun. We had a long, steep hill right out of transition where we passed about 10 people. I have to admit it was pretty fun barreling up the hill on this huge bike. After that climb it was non- stop hills and turning. In fact for one of the turns they had taken blue gym mats and taped them to the trees! I had to laugh at that one. Just around one of the first really tight turns I saw a tandem men’s team from Great Britain had crashed! I took a deep breath and tried to shake it off but I have to admit it freaked me out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I couldn’t dwell on it, as I knew at this point the race was more mental than physical and I couldn’t let my confidence waiver. We continued on and I tried to focus on the locals who had come out to cheer us on. I do have to point out that we never saw 1 race official, nor were there mile markers or volunteers telling us where to go. At one point I came to a T where I had to pick left or right and there was NOBODY there! I don’t see how that’s possible in an event of this caliber. I had to make a split second decision and thankfully it was the right one. After completing the first loop I knew we were in good shape and had to be gaining on the girls in front of us. The second loop went by pretty quickly and the moment I had been waiting for was upon us-I WAS GETTING OFF THIS BIKE! We rolled up to the dismount line and clipped out (without falling over which again was huge for me) but as we started running to our rack a race official chased after us and told us that we were being given a penalty for dismounting over the dismount line. WHAT?? I had been slowing that bike down 100 yards out from the line-there was no way. I stood there arguing as Patricia and I got ready for the run. I was pissed and I knew this was 100% my fault and I didn’t want to let Patricia down. I will admit I am not used to racing ITU and all of the strict rules that come along with it. In transition we were given a box that we had to put all of our gear in after each leg of the race (again a new rule we were not used to). This seemed simple enough but we were only given 1 box and we are a team of 2. As we transitioned from the bike to run and threw more stuff into the box it was apparent everything was not going to fit. Patricia started to take off on the run but I noticed a bunch of things had fallen back on to the ground and an official was calling us back! Seriously??? I was not about to get another penalty so I made us turn back. Just as I started to pick up the stuff that had fallen another official waved us on. So, we had 1 official standing there yelling at us and another official telling us to go. It was ridiculous! I decided we should just go and deal with the consequences later. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">As soon as we started running I knew this was Patricia’s time to shine. She is a great runner and we were hoping to run down our competition. The run was only a 5k but we had to complete 4 laps of the same out and back loop in front of the stadium. I felt like a hamster in a wheel but oh well. As we rounded the corner to finish our first lap the officials yelled out our race number and pulled us off the course into the penalty tent. I was freaking out thinking I did something wrong on the run (we can be penalized if my feet are ever in front of Patricia’s which is actually hard to always be aware of while running). It turns out we were serving our penalty for the stupid bike dismounting issue earlier. Thankfully it was only a 15 second penalty so in the end it had no bearing on our results but it was still stressful and I felt badly! We had 3 more laps to go so again we just had to shake it off and not worry. I have to admit running with the tandem was harder than I thought. We didn’t practice it at all before the race but I wish we had. I think we were fumbling and bumping into each other more than we should have been. Despite all of these obstacles, we finished in 19:34, which was a PR for Patricia and the second fastest female run of the day! <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">We were done and I was so happy! I knew Patricia would be disappointed that we didn’t win but a team from Great Britain had a 6- minute lead on us out of the water and we just couldn’t catch them. Had the race been longer I know we could have run them down. Our bike splits were only seconds apart and we smoked them on the run. I mistakenly thought we got 2<sup>nd</sup> as did everyone else on our team since we passed a second team from Great Britain on the run. It turns out they were a lap ahead of us. So even though our bike split and run splits were faster the swim proved to get us in the end. I felt horrible having to tell Patricia that we were actually in the 3<sup>rd</sup> but she took it well. She was still on the podium at a World Championship! <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">The award ceremony was really nice and not only did I get to stand with Patricia on the podium but I was given a bronze medal as well. That was a great surprise!<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">As soon as the award ceremony was over we started packing up for the long walk back to the bus (about 1.5 miles). Just then all the lights went out and we were left to navigate in the dark without volunteers. Another example of how poorly this race was organized. As I complained that I couldn’t see where we were going Patricia said, “hey welcome to my world.” She was right! She just did an entire race in the dark (which I can’t imagine) and I was complaining about walking back to the bus in the dark. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">In the end, I think the race was a great success. Patricia is of course beating herself up about the swim, as I think most athletes do, but I keep trying to remind her how much she has accomplished. A year and a half ago she didn’t even know how to swim! Now she was in China representing her country as a National Champion. This was also her first Sprint distance race (she is a distance girl too) and this was the first time she and I had raced together. I think that’s a lot of “firsts” in a big race like this. She was also the fastest woman on the team that day and I think to come out with a bronze medal is fantastic! <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I am honored that Patricia let me come along on her journey and hope she is happy with where the journey took us!<o:p></o:p></div><!--EndFragment-->Cortneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01215292692520265089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430099630064769784.post-3347919106535969492011-09-08T17:31:00.001-07:002011-09-08T17:31:18.044-07:00RACE DAY!!<div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Today is the race but we don’t start until 3:45pm! I am not sure if that’s for Western viewing of the race but it’s definitely weird. It’s also weird to eat fried rice for breakfast the day of a race</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Yesterday proved to be another chaotic day due to logistics. Apparently the government is controlling our shuttle bus schedule so there has been a lot of sitting on buses and waiting. We attended the race meeting that was really hectic and overwhelming. I have never been so nervous at a race meeting. The bike course was described as challenging, hilly and very technical. Not good news considering I had spent less than 10 minutes on the tandem bike and was still just having problems clipping in! The plan was to get to the race site and run through the swim, bike and run. However, due to the logistical nightmare, we got to the venue with 40 mins to practice! We got out on the bike and rode what we could. I have to admit I was scared out of my mind but it went better than I hoped. I got us a little lost so we didn’t get to climb the big hill we heard about but I felt a little better that I was able to ride for a steady 30 minutes without any problems. I have to admit; it was a little surreal to be piloting a tandem bike in the rural countryside of China on my own. </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">We still have not swam together or ran together which makes me nervous. Everyone here assumes that we have been training together for months-not the case! At this point I just have to have confidence for Patricia and try to stay strong. I will admit I can’t wait for this race to be over. We also found out that there are more girls in her field than she has ever competed against so that has us both a little rattled. We are going to do our best to bring home the win!! GO USA!</span></div>Cortneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01215292692520265089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430099630064769784.post-88211198734797691712011-09-08T05:25:00.000-07:002011-09-08T05:25:28.447-07:00My second day in China was a Doozy!<div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">First I have to say that everyone here is incredibly friendly, in fact the only rude people I have encountered have been Americans! The volunteers are great but they aren’t fluent in English, so the language barrier makes things very difficult. We are trying to get as many addresses and locations translated into Chinese as we can so that we can simply show people a piece of paper rather than playing charades.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The day started with an interesting breakfast buffet. I was warned that the Chinese don’t typically eat breakfast so they are trying to accommodate us Westerns the best they can. My breakfast basically consisted of vegetable stir-fry, fried rice, pumpkin porridge, hash browns (score) and watermelon. It was an odd mix but I ate enough of it to feel full!</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The mission of the day was to get the tandem bike put together, take a test ride and get Patricia checked in for the race. It seemed simple enough at 8am but it would take us till 5pm to get it all done! We are not staying with the rest of Team USA so we decided we should take a bus to their hotel to have the team mechanic put our bike together. We took a bus (keep in mind we are dragging a tandem bike in a bike box and 2 transition bags) we thought would take us right to the hotel. However, it ended up taking us to the site of the aquathlon race. The bus driver made us get off the bus and took off. Thankfully a stranger helped us and told us the hotel where we needed to go to check in was close by and they would have a bike mechanic. So we hailed a bus again and quickly arrived at the hotel. The next 2 hours proved to be incredibly frustrating as I tried to explain that we needed to check in to the race and get our bike put together. The language barrier was too great and nothing was getting accomplished. After dragging that bike all over the hotel we finally decided we needed to get a cab to the Team USA hotel after all. It took another 30 mins to get anyone to understand where we needed to go and how to fit the bike box in a taxi (I ended up sitting on top of the box in the back seat)! Forty minutes later we arrived at what seemed like paradise. A beautiful 5 star hotel filled with people speaking English! I was exhausted but so happy that we had finally arrived. We found the mechanic and things seemed all good until Patricia realized she left the wheels in a different box at our hotel. So we hailed a cab again (which is never as easy as it seems) and drove another 80 mins round trip to pick up the wheels. We finally got the bike put together, grabbed some lunch and even had time to see the team chiropractor. Things were looking up!</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Then it came time to actually ride the tandem, the thing I have been dreading for 4 weeks. We decided to practice in the area in front of the hotel because the streets of Beijing are SCARY! I knew that mounting the bike would be the hardest part but I had no idea how hard it would be. After 5 failed attempts to even get us on the bike, Patricia suggested I try to ride it alone to get comfortable. That proved to be a good idea and after a few minutes on my own I rode back over and picked her up. I can’t explain how stressed out I was thinking that I was flown all the way to China to help her race and I couldn’t even get on the bike! For the next 20 minutes we road back and forth in front of the hotel like 5 year olds who just got the training wheels taken off of their bikes. We practiced mounting and dismounting and each time it got a little easier. It’s still not a pretty sight as I am having a hard time keeping the bike steady for the first few pedal strokes but at least we get up each time and stay on. Tomorrow we will take the bike to the race site and hopefully we can ride for a longer stretch. I know the race is only 12 miles but I am more nervous now than ever. I really don’t want to screw this up for her and I am just not that confident in my ability to do this! It’s funny because as a triathlete we only have to answer to ourselves if we have a bad race. For the first time I am not only part of a team but my performance, or lack thereof, will determine someone’s else’s race outcome. It’s a lot of pressure and I am sure once the race is over it will make the success even sweeter. Fingers crossed that tomorrow is a better day!</span></div>Cortneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01215292692520265089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430099630064769784.post-7726716488993668532011-09-08T05:23:00.001-07:002011-09-08T05:23:38.387-07:00What Happened to Labor Day?<div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I got to the airport a little before 11am today and when I land it will be Tuesday at 5pm. So much for Labor Day this year. As I stood in a loooong line at Air China I started making some funny observations about my fellow travelers. I thought it would be a fun game to write down all of the odd and corky things I see while I am traveling. I figure since I am part Asian I can get away with it??</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">First up the cute Chinese family of four who had decorated all of their luggage with gay pride rainbow straps. I am guessing they just thought it was pretty or they were showing their support of Chaz Bono on DWTS this season? You decide.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Next up was the guy in front of me who must have been really excited about rocking his new pants, size 38x32. I know this because he left all of the stickers and tags on them!</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The check- in process took forever because most people traveling to China are not packing light. I think the average person had at least 5 suitcases but the woman with 13 suitcases won the prize. I am sure everyone was wondering why the white girl only had 1 bag and a nerdy triathlon back pack.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">As I type this I am in 6 hours into a 13-hour flight. Just the flight has already been quite an experience. The first few hours felt like being in a crowded market. People talking really loudly, standing up, walking around, etc. I woke up to a woman standing over me eating an apple with her hand on my head. </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I was hoping to pass the time by watching a few good movies, but guess what? They are all Asian films! sigh</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">We are supposed to be getting dinner soon, but after the lunch special I passed on I am not holding out much hope for dinner. (Who wants to eat duck on a plane ? Not this girl). I have already managed to eat my weight in trail mix and Kind bars. This could be a long week!</span></div><div><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><br />
</span></div>Cortneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01215292692520265089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430099630064769784.post-11593156828826140442011-09-04T11:31:00.000-07:002011-09-04T11:31:48.208-07:00I Be Bloggin... <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:DocumentProperties> <o:Revision>0</o:Revision> <o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:Pages>1</o:Pages> <o:Words>450</o:Words> <o:Characters>2568</o:Characters> <o:Company>Arsenal FX</o:Company> <o:Lines>21</o:Lines> <o:Paragraphs>6</o:Paragraphs> <o:CharactersWithSpaces>3012</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:Version>14.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>JA</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/> <w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/> <w:OverrideTableStyleHps/> <w:UseFELayout/> </w:Compatibility> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<div class="MsoNormal">For a while people have been asking me why I don’t have a blog (in the triathlon world it seems to be a requirement these days). Honestly, I don’t really think I have that much to write about and I feel it’s a little narcissistic. I am not the type that likes to rehash a race once it’s over (although Jim may disagree with that statement) and I think writing about my training would just be painful for others and myself.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">So why am I writing this blog? <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I was presented with an amazing opportunity to be a guide for a visually- impaired athlete, Patricia Walsh. This is something I have always wanted to do, especially after Jim and my brother both guided athletes and loved the experience. I thought I would start small, maybe with a local 5k race just to get the hang of it. But then my friend Aaron Scheides (the #1 visually- impaired triathlete in the world) called and said he wanted to know if I would guide a friend of his in the Sprint World Championships in Beijing! So much for starting off small…and she wants to win…no pressure at all.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">While I was flattered that he would even consider me, my immediate reaction was no. After racing IMCDA this year I got a nasty case of posterior tibular tendonitis and stopped running altogether. When Aaron called I had actually just left my first physical therapy appointment where I was told I wouldn’t be running for at least a few weeks, maybe months.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After telling Aaron that I didn’t think I could physically be ready to race in 4 weeks I called Jim to ask him who we knew that might be able to do it. He immediately said, “YOU, you are going to do this.” He was right, it was an amazing opportunity and I really wanted to do it. That day I called my coach, Joanna Zeiger, my doctor, and my family and everyone agreed I should do it as long as it wouldn’t make my injury worse. I called Aaron back and told him I was in! I think he was as excited as I was!<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">So in the last 3 weeks my injury has healed much faster than anyone predicted thanks to the amazing team at ISPI and the guidance of my coach who has kept me sane while making me do “long runs” on the elliptical (if you thought doing a long run on a treadmill is boring try an elliptical). Anyway, I did my first speed workout yesterday and thankfully a 5:45 pace felt comfortable so I guess those elliptical workouts really worked. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Now that I feel confident in my running fitness I have to tackle my next fear…riding and racing a tandem bike. Anyone who knows me knows about my lack of technical riding abilities (to put it nicely) so I am little worried about being in charge of a huge tandem bike. Thankfully my friend Eve has volunteered to be my test dummy and rent a tandem bike with me this weekend. Yikes! <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">So back to the point of this blog… I wanted to document my travels and experiences in China (since roaming charges are outrageous and I probably won’t use a phone for the next week). And who knows, maybe I will like this blogging thing and try to keep it up for awhile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’ll see…<o:p></o:p></div><!--EndFragment-->Cortneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01215292692520265089noreply@blogger.com0