I'm giving myself a HC award....

Last night I went for my 60 minute training run...outside. Normally this would not be a big deal, except for the fact that it is December in WI and it was raining, dark, and windy. There was a blizzard warning in effect. I have been doing most of my runs lately on the treadmill because of the weather, and I was so sick of running on the treadmill that I decided to go outside. About 40 minutes into my run, I ran under an overpass, a car drove past me, hit a HUGE puddle and splashed me with nasty, cold, street water from head to toe. As I was gasping for air and spitting out gravel, ANOTHER car drove past and I was hit again! It was very cold and windy, and now that I was soaking wet, it was even worse. To make matters worse, I ended up running extra time as I couldn't see my watch and had paused it for about 15 minutes during my run. All in all, I made it through the run, hopped immediately into the shower to warm up and clean up, decided that this would be a training run that I will always remember, and deemed myself hard core.

2010: Ironman Wisconsin

This was my 2nd ironman. Last year I had a lot of abdominal issues on the run, forcing me to walk/shuffle the first 7-10 miles. My goal this year was to perform similarly on the swim and the bike; and then try to run a strong marathon.

I had experimented a lot with nutrition during training and races throughout the season, and felt pretty comfortable with my plan. (For full nutrition details see below.) I was less nervous and more confident coming into this race than last year. Transition set-up went well (other than having a staple in my rear tire—which I did not know about until after the race).

Matt and I funneled down the helix and into the water with the other swimmers to start the race. We entered the water a little later than we had hoped, and didn’t have as much time to warm-up as we had hoped. We started the swim in the 2nd or 3rd row back, near the inside of the start line (close to the buoy). The cannon went off and the mosh pit began. I tried to stay back and out of the way for much of the first loop to avoid getting beat up too badly. I wanted to avoid getting a black eye like last year. I managed to take in a good amount of lake water on the first loop. It seemed like every time I breathed, a wave or splash would hit me. Once I had to stop because I was choking so badly and couldn’t breathe. (I really miss my lane lines!) The 2nd loop wasn’t so bad and I cruised in to the swim finish. I was about 2 minutes slower in my swim than last year, but was glad to come out without any major injuries.

The wetsuit strippers had some difficulty getting my wetsuit off, but eventually it came and I was on my way up the helix. I got in and out of T1 uneventfully and headed out on the bike.

It was difficult to maintain a steady pace on the bike as people passed me. I kept checking my power meter to make sure that I wasn’t going too fast or slow. So far, so good. I was pleasantly surprised when I arrived in Verona in 43 minutes. Somewhere between Verona and Mount Horeb, I started to feel nauseous. I tried to maintain my pace and just keep going, but the feeling kept getting worse. I started erping my nutrition up and even thought about stopping on the side of the road to throw up. Physically and mentally I entered the “dark zone”. This was not good because I was probably only about 30 miles into the bike. I seriously considered quitting the race for the next 60 miles. I had to ease up on my pace. I stopped taking in any nutrition and tried to get my stomach to settle.





Eventually I abandoned my nutrition plan (First Endurance Liquid gels, salt stick salt tablets, and First Endurance EFS drink). I couldn’t figure out what was going on. I had trained and raced with this nutrition plan since June and had not had any issues. I grabbed a water from an aid station in Verona as I was about to go into the 2nd loop and then stopped at special needs a few miles later. I spent some quality time in the porta potty with diarrhea, and felt only slightly better. I rode out of the aero position as it seemed to make my stomach feel better.

Around mile 50 my power meter started giving me strange data, like 2 watts while pedaling and only 80 watts while going up big hills. I just sighed and thought sarcastically, “Perfect.” Luckily I also had my Polar watch and heart rate monitor on, so I was able to monitor myself with heart rate for the rest of the ride. I tried to think of all the reasons not to quit the race (friends and family traveling from afar, all the work and training that I had done, coming back from being hit by a car on the course while training in mid-July resulting in Matt having to assemble multiple bikes for me this year, and the finishers hat and shirt). By the time I came around by the stinky cow farm, just outside of Cross Plains, I was starting to feel a bit better. I had figured out that the nausea was likely because of the amount of lake water I “drank” on the swim. I had pretty much given up on doing anything fantastic time-wise and figured that my shot at getting a qualifying slot or placing well in the age-group was now out of the question. I reminded myself to have fun and that I was lucky to be able to be healthy and even compete in an even such as the ironman. That was when I saw one of my heroes of the day; John Lancaster. John gave me great advice. He told me that I wasn’t that far off my time and that I was still in contention. He encouraged me to keep a consistent bike pace and try to have a solid run. He reassured me that I am a strong runner and that all I needed to do was keep it together on the run. His information and advice lifted my spirits. I continued on and the nausea cleared. I rode the last 20 miles without discomfort and cheered on the other cyclists as I went by. I was so happy to see the Monona Terrace! I rode up the helix and into T2 with the attitude of “let’s just see what happens”. At this point, I was mentally able to accept any type of race and just be happy with finishing.

T2 went smoothly and the volunteers were very helpful (as usual). I was surprised with how quickly I was through the transition area and out onto the run course. My T2 time was only 3 minutes, almost as fast as it is in a regular triathlon!

I started the run cautiously, making sure not to take the first several miles too fast. I decided to start taking soda at the aid stations right away (vs. waiting until the 2nd loop of the run course).



I also took 2 Ibuprofen during the bike ride with the hopes of preventing the severe abdominal pain that had crippled me last year. It was working! I was overjoyed that I was able to run, and run strongly! I felt great and ran comfortably, cheering on other athletes around me for about 22 miles of the run. Then I started to get too tired to cheer. I knew I was running well and wondered about how I was doing in the age-group. I had passed a few girls that I thought might be in my division, so when I ran past Pat and Hilary Toft around mile 22 I asked where I was at. Pat was very helpful and told me that I was doing well and that I was in 4th place in the age-group. I was pretty sure that we would have 3 slots for Kona, but wasn’t sure about 4. I tried to pick it up with the hopes that 3rd place was not far ahead. My legs just got tighter and tighter.



The closer I got to the finish line, the more I focused on just continuing running and not getting caught by the 5th place girl. I knew if I could make it to mile 25, the spectators would carry me into the finish line. Finally I reached the mile 25 marker and knew I was almost there. I rounded the corner and headed onto State Street. Spectators were cheering loudly. I saw Matt come forward from the crowd. He yelled to me, “Run faster!” I thought to myself, “I will try, but I don’t know if I can.” I got up and onto the square. I saw my friend Travis. He was going nuts! He cheered for me wildly and reminded me that there were only 2 more straight-aways and then just around the corner to the finish. I muscled it around the square and down the finishers chute. I looked at the clock and had to look several times because I wasn’t sure what it said. Finally I realized it was 10 hours and 55 minutes. I hustled into the finish line and was overjoyed to be done!





Overall I was happy with my race. My bike was about 5 minutes slower than last year, but not bad considering the physical and mental struggle that I went through for 60 miles as well as the bathroom stop. I met my run goal and was very pleased with my time.





Everyone always says that the fourth sport in triathlon is nutrition. I totally agree. This has been the most challenging for me from the beginning, and I really tried to work on it this year. I have made the following modifications over the season:
1. I eliminated gluten and dairy from my diet starting in April. I think this was a good change for me. I had less difficulty with digestion and discomfort from bloating on a daily basis. I was forced to eat healthier (no more frozen pizza, ice cream, brownies, pre-made meals), and cook more well-balanced meals. I ate more meat, fruits, and vegetables than was typical for me. As a result, I felt more energetic throughout my training this year.
2. I switched from taking water and gels for nutrition during the race to the First Endurance products (EFS and liquid gels). I continued with the salt stick salt tablets, but increased the amount that I take before and during the race. I was pleased with my nutrition plan until this race. The liquid gels and EFS just seemed too sweet this time. Once I switched to water, it was better, but I still felt like I had to force the liquid gels. I even picked up 3 gels at an aid station on the bike as insurance because I thought I might not be able to stomach the liquid gels. I will have to think about this some more. The First Endurance products work for me in ½ ironman and shorter distance races, but are difficult to stomach during a full ironman.
3. I had a realization about 4-6 weeks ago that the times when I had run well without the abdominal pain, were times when I had a little bit of Ibuprofen in my system. I talked with the GI specialist about this in early August and he found it interesting. He told me to go ahead and use it on race day as needed and that we would figure things out after the race. I go back in early November and he is going to test me for Celiac Disease at that time. (This also means that I get to load up on gluten and dairy for the next 2 months—yum yum!)
4. The reason I document my nutrition/race day intake on each report is to keep track of any patterns and comment whether items were helpful or not with the hopes of trouble shooting my nutrition.

Pre-Race Breakfast @ 4 AM:
2 Clif Bars and 1 Luna Bar—I had tried Lara Bars for the Pigman ½ Ironman in August and had GI issues for the last 3 miles of the race as well as diarrhea post-race for about 4-5 hours. Not doing that again. Will stick to the Clif Bars/Luna Bars.
2 Salt Stick salt tablets
2 Ibuprofen
1 16oz water bottle of Pre-race and EFS, which I sipped up until about 60-90 minutes before the race.

Bike:
Started sipping EFS at 30-40 minutes into the bike ride. Took first gel around 45-60 minutes. I then tried to take 2-3 gels per hour, sip EFS every 15-20 minutes and take 1 Salt Stick salt tablet per hour. This plan failed and I had to abandon the EFS. I stopped the nutrition for a while and just took in water. Slowly I was able to reintroduce the liquid gels. I managed to take in all of my liquid gels by the end of the bike ride and reach my goal for salt tablet intake. I also took 2 Ibuprofen at special needs on the bike, thinking maybe the nausea was menstrual cramps, and also to prepare me for the run.

Run:
I took salt tablets intermittently throughout the run as I felt they were needed. I alternated coke and water vs. sports drink and water per aid station. I took 2 more Ibuprofen at about the ½ way mark of the run, just to make sure.

As far as hydration, for future reference (for myself) I peed 2-3 times during the swim, 2-3 times on the bike, and 2-3 times on the run.

Post-race, my stomach felt the best it ever has. I was able to eat/drink within minutes of finishing and was even able to put down a cheese burger and fries within a couple hours of finishing! Last year I was in abdominal pain with diarrhea for hours and still had trouble putting down 1/3 of a sub sandwich while watching the finishers come in between 11 and 12pm.

Overall I was pleased with many aspects of my race:
1. My finish (time and place)
2. Getting a Kona slot for 2011
3. Overcoming adversity (physical and mental) on the bike
4. Being able to run the entire marathon without abdominal discomfort
5. Having a fantastic time
6. Finishing with a smile
I have many, many people to thank for my performance this year. I hope to get everyone listed, but I am sure that I will likely miss people—and for that I apologize in advance!
1. Matt for helping me train and supporting me throughout the season and the race.
2. Emery’s bike shop for putting together 3 different bikes for me this year (d/t the hit-and-run incident) and for providing a great cheerleading section on race day. Special thanks to Anna, Steve, and Brent.
3. Kate and Dale for taking care of our dogs all summer while we traveled around the mid-west doing races.
4. My parents for providing support and encouragement all summer long and great cheering race day. I appreciated the verbal and visual support (they made signs too!)
5. My Aunt Nancy, Paula, and Travis for taking 2 days off of work and driving for many hours to come and watch me race. You guys were also fantastic cheerleaders and really helped me get through the race!
6. Jan for getting up early with my parents and Nancy to come out and cheer. You have a great voice! I could really hear you out there!
7. Rose and Ted Amman for providing us with lodging race weekend as well as various times throughout the summer while we trained in Madison. Also for coming to get me after I was hit by a car on the course while training in July and for the support.
8. Everyone who cheered for me on race day (Rick and Carolyn, Joel, Pat and Hilary, Julie, John and Mary White, Rick Amen, Rick Walls, the Amman family, the Weisshaar family, everyone at the Conohan’s party, Mary Bowe and her crowd, everyone at the Gallagher’s party, Tina.
9. Special thanks to Pat and Hilary for giving me encouragement and telling me my stats at mile 22. You guys helped me run in the last 4!
10. Special thanks to John Lancaster for your support and helping me straighten out my mental attitude going into the run. I may not have been as positive going into the run without your encouragement.
11. Special thanks to Tina for running with me all summer and helping me improve my run fitness this year—rain or shine! You rock and I wish you the best at your 50 mile race on 9/18/10!!! You are hard core!
12. Special thanks to my good friend Cheryl! I know you were unable to be there with me on race day and that you wanted to. Given the circumstances, I am so grateful and impressed that you were able to take the time to cheer for me via phone and email.
13. Everyone else who cheered for me from afar on race day (my extended family, the Olson family, and my coworkers).
14. Team Gear Grinder for all of the support and camaraderie throughout the season.
15. Beth for loaning me her tri top for the race (as my race kit was not available in time for ironman).
16. Tri Wisconsin for support race day and all season during workouts and races.
17. Scott and Mary for being great friends, helping me through the season, and keeping my pre-race nerves under control with great advice.
18. Mike and Sue Pierson for great support race day and good advice in the weeks leading up to the race.
19. Brian Ray and Planet X for supplying me with multiple bikes this season and doing so in a hurry!

Pigman 1/2 ironman

After being unable to compete in the Door County 1/2 ironman (because of the hit and run bike crash in July), I decided to sign up for Pigman. I had never done this race before, but knew that it had a reputation for having trying weather conditions in past years. This year was no different.... it was hot enough for a pig roast! Oink. Oink.

We got to the race with plenty of time to set up in transition and get organized. We headed down to the beach, only to be informed that the race was going to be delayed due to fog. We hung out in the very warm (likely not wetsuit legal--but everyone was told that they could wear wetsuits anyway) water for a while. After a 45 minute delay, we were off. I was in the first wave, and we were standing knee-deep in the water. (Defining knee-deep seemed a bit subjective to me...my knee deep or the guy next to me who is 6'4'' knee-deep??). They had just finished the National Anthem, and luckily I had my goggles on, because all of a sudden I heard someone say, "Ok. Go!" Everyone took off, and I stood there stunned. I watched everyone else moving around me and my first thought was to try to start my watch! I messed around with it for a bit before thinking to myself, "What am I doing?" and taking off. As a result I got off to a late start and ended up getting stuck in a pack of swimmers. I had to stop several times to avoid getting hit in the congestion. It felt like a mosh pit in the water. Finally I came out and onto the beach. I looked at my watch to find that it hadn't started anyway. Oh well...

I ran into T1 and headed out on to the bike course uneventfully. My goal for the bike was to try out my new powermeter and attempt to ride at my goal ironman pace. I got passed a fair amount on the bike, but this was not really anything different from usual :) The bike course had some nice rollers on it, but was great for testing out the powermeter as there weren't any real severe downhills where I coasted. I started my nutrition about 30 minutes into the bike. I took in 5 salt stick tablets, 1 20 oz. water bottle of EFS, 5 liquid shots, and a couple of small sips of Heed and water. On a side note, this was my 3rd 1/2 ironman this year (Triple T, High Cliff, Pigman), and my 3rd bicycle this year. I had my pink Planet X at Triple T, my black exocet Planet X at High Cliff (which got smacked by a car 3 weeks later), and now my black Planet X (replacement for crashed bike) at Pigman.

I came into T2 feeling pretty fresh. I messed up my transition somewhat as I ran around the rack and racked my bike on the other side. (Maybe some day I'll get the hang of these things....). Overall though, not too bad of a transition for me.

I headed out on to the run course. I had a goal of trying to PR my 1/2 marathon time, but it did not happen. I ran well for the first 9-10 miles, averaging around 7:00 for the first 3 miles, then falling off a little to around 7:30-7:40 for the next 6 miles. Around mile 10 there was a big hill to climb. The heat was taking its toll. (It was in the low to mid 90's and the course was totally exposed-no shade, no wind, etc.) I started to fall off my pace and dropped back to 8:30ish miles. I also started to have some GI distress those last few miles and had a mild version of my infamous stomach pain. I was very happy to see the finish line. I did not take much nutrition on the run; just some occasional sips of water and Heed provided on the course. I grabbed something at every aid station--usually Heed, 1-2 cups of water, and 1-2 cups of ice, and poured the water and ice over my head and down my shirt to try to cool my body down.

After the race I continued to have an upset stomach with some GI issues. I drank a few sodas, but was unable to eat anything solid for a few hours. It did not totally resolve until about 8 or 9pm that night.

Other things to note:

Breakfast:
2 Lara bars
2 Ibuprofen
2 Salt stick tablets (also had 2 before bed the night before)
~ 18 oz of Pre-race mixed with EFS
**When we started the race I was slightly hungry--probably as a result of the 45 minute delay.**

Things to remember for next time:
1. Be better prepared for the start of the swim and when they tell you to go, don't hang out forever fiddling with your watch!!!
2. Ibuprofen seems to help the stomach issue--maybe consider taking 1 on the bike?
3. Consider not taking Mirilax the night before the race to see if this relieves the GI issues? (The GI doctor had put me on this in July thinking that colon spasms and constipation may be responsible for my abdominal pain when running.)
4. Consider racing with a visor vs. a hat on hot days.

2010 Tri-ing for Children's Triathlon

Tri-ing for Children's Triathlon
Olympic Distance
2nd Overall 2:17 S-22 B-1:10 R-41

I did this race back in 2006. At that time the race was located out in Lannon, WI and it stormed so bad that morning that they shortened the olympic to a sprint distance. I was kind of bummed because that was supposed to be my longest triathlon at that time.

Jumping ahead to 2010...
The race was held in Eagle, WI. I really liked the location for the race. The lake was small with smooth, calm water. The run and bike were on fairly good terrain and provided a fair number of spots for specators to view the race.

My main goal for this race was to figure out my nutrition. For breakfast I had a Larabar and 12 oz. of EFS mixed with 1 scoop of pre-race. I also took 2 ibuprofen to see if this would help with preventing colon spasms that I have been having with running.

I was a bit nervous going into this race as I had only been on my bike twice (once outside and once on the computrainer) since the crash. We got to the race with a good amount of time for set up and preparation of the transition area. I had forgotten my ID at home, so I had to have John White vouch for me at the registration table (Thanks John!!!!!). I did a short swim warm-up and then walked to the starting area on the beach.

I had a good swim and was able to sight the buoys well. I may have gone just a tad too fast because I had a very slight side stitch at times. I came out of the water and ran into the transition area. My wetsuit came off a bit more easily than in the past (we again cut the arms and legs the night before the race). I also decided to put on socks in T1 and see if it made any difference with transition times.

Biking my muscles felt sore and were burning. About 24-25 minutes into the bike Tracy Kellner passed me. She was really cruising! I tried to keep her in sight, and then my rear derailler jammed, locking up my rear wheel. I had to get off my bike and manually dislodge my chain. My rear derailler had not been acting right since the crash, so this wasn't a huge surprise to me. I got back on the bike and continued on my way, although I definitely had lost some of my focus. I came into T2, changed shoes and got out onto the run uneventfully.





I had taken 1 of the First Endurance gels on the bike and I wanted to see how this would sit in my stomach and if I would have any problems with the colon spasms. My stomach sloshed for about 1/4 of a mile and then it was fine. I had no stomach issues the entire run and was able to consistently run between 6:30 and 7:00 minute miles. Parts of the run were a bit soggy from the rain and that made it difficult to stay upright at times, but overall it was a great run.

I was very happy with my race and pleased that my nutrition plan and stomach had cooperated with me.



Things to work on:
1. Transitions are still slow.
2. Get bike in better working shape before next race to ensure shifting issues are resolved.
3. Try to stay focused on the bike to maintain a consistent effort and not go too easy.

Things to keep doing:
1. Don't be afraid to push the swim a bit as I can still maintain a good pace for the rest of the race.
2. Take some Ibuprofen with breakfast to prevent colon spasms.
3. Use First Endurance products (gels, EFS, pre-race) for nutrition as it seems to absorb faster and has a higher electrolyte content than other products.
4. Continue to wear socks on the run--even for olympic distances--I had some fairly significant blisters after this race; even with wearing socks!

2010: I Got Hit by a Car!

I got hit by a car while biking on the IM Wisconsin bike course Sunday July 11th, 2010. The Madison newspaper had a write-up about the incident. The LaCrosse Tribune had a more complete piece.

I'm recovering right now.

Thanks for the all the support! Right now the case is being investigated so I'm not commenting on the incident.

Stay safe!

Pleasant Prairie Olympic Distance Tri

This week was a recovery week for me, so why not do 3 races in 8 days??? Seriously, I decided to sign up for this one the day before to try out some new nutritional products (First Endurance - EFS drink and the Liquid Shot gel) to see if they would help with the stomach issues. I also wanted to try out a different seat on my bike (John Cobb) before making a final decision as to what to purchase (Cobb vs. Adamo).

So, we got up super early (yet again) and headed south in a thunderstorm. I changed up my breakfast routine and drank a 12oz bottle of EFS with 3/4 scoop of pre-race in it on the way there. Luckily the storm went away and we were able to start the race on time.

The announcer commented that there was an abrupt drop-off from the shore going into the swim, but I didn't realize it was THAT abrupt. I ran into the water and foop! fell of the ledge. I went from the first row of swimmers to middle of the pack just like that! Over the course of the swim I managed to catch back up and ended up coming out of the water 3rd.

I ran into T1, found my bike easily, but got stuck in the legs of my wetsuit (a little bit). Finally I grabbed the bike and ran it out of transition (the long way). Oh well. Anyway, I got on to the bike course and rode fairly strong. Around mile 5, a woman went flying past me. (She was the one who went on to eventually win the race). She was really strong. There was no way I could hang with her, so I just stayed on my pace and did my own race. I had an Liquid Shot gel and a swig of EFS drink about 55 minutes into the race. Overall, the roads were good considering the earlier thunderstorms, and the wind wasn't too bad.

I came into T2, switched to running gear and got onto the run course. Right away my stomach started sloshing and I thought, "Oh no...". I ran faster than I thought I would, considering the slosh, for the 1st mile.



I backed it off some for the 2nd mile as the slosh continued and a side stitch started. Matt was cheering around the 2.5 mile mark and yelled at me to breathe. I did and it helped some. I continued to exhale every 6th stride on my left foot, but also threw in a sigh/cough/deep belly breath in occasionally and this seemed to help some. The slosh eventually went away around mile 3 and I continued on with only the side stitch to deal with. I tried to think about my breathing and my running form and this seemed to help too. I managed to run it in without too much of a problem and was happy with my finish.

Swim - 22
Bike - 1:09
Run - 43
2:18
3rd Overall Woman

Super Run = Super Fun

I had watched the Super Run in the past, but this was the first time that I was an actual participant. I was pretty nervous going into the race as this was the first 5K I had done in a couple of years. Also, I still had some lingering stomach pain from the 1/2 IM a few days before. Regardless, I decided to give it a shot. I started near the front of the pack by Matt and Scott Bowe. There were a few other girls up there with me, so I wasn't alone. The run started off quickly and headed down a winding hill. I reached the first mile marker just after reaching the bottom of the hill. I glanced at my watch and was startled to see how fast I'd run; and with no abdominal discomfort/pain. I just hoped I could hold on and not die :) Inevitably, the next 2 miles were slower than the first and a couple of girls passed me. I had some stomach pain and a side stitch, but managed to work through it (although I probably sounded pretty bad--lots of huffing and puffing and grunting). The best part of the race was between miles 2 and 3 when I ran up the big hill with Scott and Jim (see picture above). They really made the hill fun! I ran in the last mile, finished the race, and was pretty happy with my time overall. I am still amazed at how fast 5ks can be and how hard they are! I think I would rather do one as part of a triathlon than stand alone! Great job to all the TriWisconsin and GearGrinder racers, and thanks to John White for organizing a very well-run race!

Highcliff 1/2 Ironman

This was the 3rd time that I competed in the 1/2 IM at Highcliff. It was a great race with a beautiful course as usual. Typically we go up on Friday night and stay over, although this year we decided to drive up to the race that morning. We woke up at 3:30am (ugh!) got packed up and headed out the door by 4am. I had 2 Cliff bars for breakfast at 4am, and then 1/2 a can of Red Bull around 4:30 or 5am. I was really tired on the way up to the race as I had been up late for several nights in a row. I kept dozing off in the car on the way to the race--don't worry, Matt was driving!

We got to the race around 5:45am. We put our bikes together and found out that my rear tire was rubbing. We switched rear tires and put Matt's on my bike, but it was actually worse. I ended up just riding the tire with the rub. As a result of all the mishaps with the tire, we didn't get a chance to warm up and were rushed with packet pick-up and transition set-up. We ran down to the race start and got there within a couple of minutes of the start.

The water was pretty choppy from the wind and the swim was pretty wavy. I had trouble sighting buoys and felt a little sea sick at times. I did a lot more breaststroke strokes than usual, just trying to get my bearings. I wanted to make sure that I didn't swim off course (like at Lake Mills). Finally, I rounded the last buoy and swam into shore. Wetsuit strippers were provided at the race this year and I decided to take advantage of it since I generally have trouble getting my suit off. The strippers were great. They helped me and I ran into transition. A spectator shouted to the girl right infront of me that she was the 2nd woman out of the water; so I knew I was in contention...

I got out of T1 and onto the bike ahead of her. I was conservative riding up the hill and onto the bike course. I had some muscle tightness in my deltoids the first 10 miles, likely related to the new bike and positioning, but it subsided after that and I was fine. I really liked the new bike set up (Planet X Exocet). My legs felt much stronger and powerful, and less tired while biking. I had borrowed an Adamo bike seat from Dave Orlowski, and really liked it. Dave had also lent me a Lazer aero helmet to try and that was pretty awesome too. Overall, I had a good bike split, but found that I had difficulty focusing on biking. I had to consciously remind myself several times to focus on what I was doing. I tried to time myself between each 5 mile marker to measure for consistency and found that I ranged anywhere between 12-13 minutes all the way up to 17-18 minutes. I waited for the faster woman bikers to catch me on the course, but no one did; until the last 3-5 miles. That was when the first girl caught me, other than Jackie Arendt, who was miles ahead of me by now. I kept her in sight all the way to T2. She exited before me, but I caught her going up the hill on the run. We ran together for a while (which was kind of nice--I liked the company) and traded positions on and off. I was having a bad stomach day and could tell from the first mile on the run that it was going to be a tough one.

Throughout the run I battled sloshy stomach, side stitch, and the infamous Adrienne abdominal pain (intense cramping-almost like a charlie horse-1.5 inches to the right of my belly button). I was able to keep the stomach issues somewhat in check by using breathing strategies and briefly walking through a couple of aid stations. I started to feel better around mile 6 and picked up the pace a little bit. By mile 7.5 or 8 the side stitch and pain were back again; and worse. I had to stop and walk for about 300 yards. Renne Groff Richards passed me and encouraged me to run with her, but I couldn't. I started to run again, but at a very slow pace. The stomach pain and side stitch never went away and Sue Pierson passed me around mile 10. It was frustrating because the rest of my body didn't feel tired. Finally, I shuffled through the last few miles and then ran down the hill and into the finish line.

Overall, I was happy with my race as I had improved my time from previous years (even with accounting for the short swim). I am still baffled by my abdominal pain and need to do some more reading on it. I think the gluten-casein free diet has helped, but there is definitely more to it than that.

Keep doin' it:
- Adamo seat
- Lazer aero helmet
- Positive mental attitude

Things to Ponder:
- More Saltstick tablets on bike and run
- 1 salt tab per mile on run
- 2 salt tabs for breakfast
- Powermeter to keep effort/pace even
- Trade out Red Bull for First Endurance EFS Pre Race
- 21 mm tubular tire doesn't rub; also use long set screw tabs

Lake Mills Sprint Triathlon

Lake Mills Sprint Triathlon
June 2010

The morning was beautiful and great for racing. There was a slight wind, but no rain and a decent temperature. Matt and I arrived to the race somewhat later than I would have liked and I felt rushed. I completed a 15 minute warm-up on the bike, but did not get a chance to run. I had to hurry to set up my transition area and get into my wetsuit. I didn't get much of a chance to look around transition to get an idea of where I was located, run/bike in/out, etc.

I started the race in the elite wave. I was very focused on getting out fast and swimming straight with the rest of the group as I had made some mistakes with this in the past at this race and had gotten beat up in the swim. I made it to the first and 2nd buoy ok without getting whacked too badly. The problem started after the 2nd buoy as we had to turn back into shore. The small orange cone on the beach was impossible to see. I stopped twice to tread water and try to catch my bearings as to where to head on the shoreline. I noticed that the swimmers had split into two groups; one was further to my right, the other slightly to my left. The lifeguard shouted, "Go straight!" and I followed the group slighty to my left. As I came up to the shore line, I noticed swimmers standing. I was very confused. The swimmers yelled, "Go that way!" and pointed to my right. I looked over and noticed that the water exit was about 100m to my right! Frustrated, I swam hard over to the correct swim exit and ran out of the water and into transition. I was flustered and somewhat clumsy in my transition, but eventually I got out on to the bike course. I rode strong, trying to keep a positive attitude about the race.

The bike course was mostly flat with a few rollers. The wind was there, but not overly strong. I was able to stay in the aero position for most of the ride. Early on I had several men and 1 woman pass me on the bike. She was flying and I never saw her again. In the last 3-5 miles, another woman passed me on the bike. I kept her within sight and was able to pass her back in the last 1/2 mile on the way into transition. We basically ran into transition together. Again, my transition was slow. I missed my spot by a few racks and had to back track to rack my bike. I then SAT DOWN to put on my running shoes and ran out of transition heading the wrong way! Matt yelled to me to turn around. I did and eventually got out on to the run course.

As a result of my blunders in T2 the girl who I had come into transition with was now slightly ahead of me on the run. I caught her easily and found a good rhythm while running. I never ended up putting my race belt around my waist and decided to just carry it in my hand instead. I had also decided to forgo putting on a hat in transition (mostly because I had camped out there for much too long already that day!). I glanced at my watch at the first mile marker and was pleased with my time (6:14), but a little wary of what might lie ahead of me as this was a fast split for me. I decided to hold my pace anyway and just see what happened. At mile 2 my split was 12:04. Again I was surprised, but tried to hold the pace. I had a slight side stitch the last mile, but was able to continue with a good pace. I came into the finish line and was very pleased with my run split as it was a 5K PR for me.

Overall I had fun at the race. I had several friends come over from Milwaukee to cheer me on (thanks for coming Tina and Paul!!!!!) and it was nice to see others from both Gear Grinder and Tri Wisconsin out there on the race course. There were definitely many costly mistakes made that day and a lot that I can learn from my performance going into my next race.


Keepers:
1. Cutting the arms/legs further on my wetsuit really helped me get it off better.
2. Nike lunar racers without socks worked well for the 5K.
3. Don't be afraid to run strong and push the pace.
4. Continue to have fun no matter what happens during the race.
5. Continue to cheer people on and stay positive.

Mistakes to learn from:
1. Get to the race earlier to have more time to warm up, check out the race course, mentally go through transition area and designate landmarks for where rack and swim finish are located. The swimming error probably cost me 1:30 and my transitions should each be 20-30 seconds faster. These errors cost me 2nd place.
2. Try elastic quick laces in shoes.
3. Stand up in T2 when putting on shoes rather than sitting down.
4. Work on getting transitions faster for sprint distances.
5. Keep working on the bike; this is still a relative weakness as compared to running and swimming.

Running in the rain

Last night my super awesome friend, Tina, showed up to do a training run with me. It was sunny for most of the afternoon, but just before we started our run it started to rain. The rain was fairly light and as we started running I said to her, "It'll probably blow over". Twenty minutes later we were in the midst of a downpour with lightening and thunder all around us. We completed the run, but were both soaking wet. It was a ton of fun. Only later did I find out that they were telling people to take cover the entire time we were out running! I guess you never know what the weather is going to be like on race day, and we definitely got a chance to train in the rain...

2010 American Triple T

For the 3rd year in a row we went to Ohio to do the American Triple T, which is 4 races in 3 days. Friday night is a super sprint (250 m swim, 5 mile bike, 1 mile run), Saturday is 2 olympic distance races (1 in the AM and 1 in the PM), and Sunday is a 1/2 ironman. This year I teamed up with Joel Aziere to race in the coed team division. Going into the race Joel was a bit unsure of himself as he had surgery on both legs less than 1 year ago. Despite that he decided to give it a whirl and I was there to support him.

Friday--Race #1:
After a 9 hour drive (mostly through rain), we rolled into Shawnee State Park near Portsmouth, OH. We had pleanty of time to check into our cabin, get our race registration packets, and get to the starting line. I decided to forego a wetsuit for this first race as the swim is pretty short. Luckily by the start of the race the pavement was fairly dry, so I wasn't too worried about spinning out on the bike. Overall, the race went well, but the grass was very soggy making the run a bit treacherous. Regardless, I finished faster than in previous years and was happy with my race.



Saturday--Race #2:
This race was an olympic distance (1500 m swim, 25 mile bike, 6.2 mile run). I had brought a total of 3 pairs of running shoes (mostly due to indecision about which shoes to wear on my part), and it was good that I did as my shoes were very soggy and muddgy from the previous night's race. I decided to run in my older pair of running shoes because of the mud. The one thing I forgot was that these shoes did not have quick tie laces in them. Also, they ended up moving the run course up to the road anyway. Overall, I had a good race performance as compared to previous years; even with having to tie both shoes durng T2.

Saturday--Race #3:
This was the 2nd olympic distance for the day, but with a different order (bike, swim, run). This is always my favorite race, because it favors the swimmer. It had stormed heavily over night on Friday and into the early hours of Saturday morning causing the water temperature to drop to 58 degrees. Therefore, I decided that a wetsuit would be a good idea. Putting on a wetsuit after biking and in a hurry is never an easy thing to do, but for me I think getting the darn thing off is equally as hard (see end summary comments). The race strategy that Joel and I decided to use for this race worked well. Joel went ahead on the bike with the plan that I would catch up to him on the swim and that we would then run together. Joel had run well up to this point, but his legs were starting to give him some problems. Despite this, he was able to finish the race, but not without difficulty. This race went pretty well for me too, other than I stupidly sighted off the wrong buoy once and had to correct my swim line, which probably cost me a minute or two.

Sunday--Race #4:
This was the last race of the weekend, the 1/2 ironman. Joel's legs were not doing great by this point in time and we were pretty sure that we were going to have to walk most of the run. Our strategy was that we were both going to swim a good effort and then that Joel was going to catch me (and pass me if possible) on the bike. He would get a headstart on the run and I would catch up to him; or we would start the run together depending upon how things went. My swim went well, except I had to weed through a lot of traffic. Had trouble getting my darn wetsuit off AGAIN and a volunteer kindly helped me pull my foot out of the last leg at the very end. I hit the bike and biked a solid first loop. I still hadn't seen Joel by the time I came into the transition area for the aid station/turn around. I thought this was kind of weird--especially since I dropped my water bottle on the course once and had to go pick it up--but I kept going. I was pushing the bike harder than I probably would have if I was sure that I was going to actually run the run. Although, the whole time I was thinking...what happens if something happens to Joel and I have to run the run? Would I actually be able to run at a decent pace with how I am biking? I kept the pace up and ignored the nagging voice in my head that kept asking this question. I ended up even-pacing both loops on the bike and came into T2 still without seeing any sign of Joel....and there he was...with a bag of ice on his leg and limping towards me. He had felt something pop in his calf as he was just heading out for the 2nd loop on the bike. He turned around and came back. He was told to stop racing by the medical staff. Yikes! I wasn't quite sure what to do. I decided to head out onto the run course and asked Joel to check and see if my race would still count if I finished it. Part of me wanted to stop, but the other part of me wanted to finish and really race. As I came in to the turn around on the run, Joel yelled, "Your time DOES count!" I kept going even though I was very tired. The run was very challenging with lots of hills, and I could feel my feet and my quads getting beat up. I smiled to myself because I knew this meant I was really pushing my limits. I looked forward to being sore the next day. Finally I made it up (and down) the last hill and onto the pavement. The finish line was in sight. I tried to focus on form and pick up the pace. I came into the finish line and was very happy with my ability to run as well as I had even with working the bike a bit harder than I would have if I had planned to run.

Keepers:
1. wear wetsuit on race #3 to prevent cramping/freezing to death
2. like the lunar series by Nike (lunar racers and lunar glides)
3. tubular tire and CO2 cartridge in 1/2 cut H20 bottle in rear cage worked well with pitstop taped to top tube for all races. In longer races where I need to carry 2 bottles with liquid or gels, will have to adapt this...but worked well this weekend.
4. 5 gels on bike during 1/2 IM worked well. Also drank almost 2 bottles of water during the bike and had no stomach issues on the run (e.g., sloshing, puking, etc. like in past). I also took in water, Heed, and Coke on the run without problems.
5. liked the dry max socks--less blisters than in previous year and smaller too!
6. Continue to bike at a pace harder than I think I can, because I can still get off and run a good race.
7. Continue to have fun no matter what happens during the race.
8. Continue to cheer people on and stay positive.

You did WHAT???? Are you a newbie???
1. make sure all running shoes have quick ties on them--duh.
2. figure out how to get that stupid wetsuit off quicker--I have already cut the arms and legs and use tons of body glide and zoot suit spray. Any other ideas anyone??
3. make sure to sight buoys a little better.
4. don't drop your water bottle on the course

Add to throw in a story about my history at TTT: Back in 2008 a couple of friends convinced me to do this crazy race in OH called the American Triple T, which is composed of 4 races in 3 days (Day 1: super sprint, Day 2: Olympic distance in the morning and then again in the afternoon, Day 3: 1/2 Ironman). I had only done about 2 triathlons before this, both sprint distances, but was reassured by these friends that I could make the distance. I completed the first race, the super sprint, without difficulty and impressed myself after completing the first Olympic distance the morning of the 2nd day. As I was standing in the very cold water after the 2nd race, a fellow racer asked me what the longest distance was that I had completed in triathlon. I looked at him and said, "The Olympic...this morning". I thought he was going to fall over :).

The 2nd Olympic distance and the 1/2 Ironman the next day were both team races; meaning that you do the race with your teammate and that you are allowed to draft. The Olympic Saturday afternoon was hard, but relatively uneventful. The real challenge was the next day. The 1/2 Ironman was the hardest thing I had ever done up to that point in time. I was very tentative on the bike; never riding in the aero position and very tired upon coming into T2. We headed out for the run and somewhere during the 13.1 mile run course I bonked badly. (I had only eaten 2 or 3 gels on the bike. I had no idea how to eat during a race or how much to eat.) I lost track of where I was in the race and became disoriented. My partner looked at me when I said that I needed to walk and said, "How bad is it?" I replied, "I think I need medical." She then looked at me and when we hit the next aid station made me drink some fluid and take about 9 salt tablets! I started to feel better and she kept encouraging me on saying, "Come on! You're better than all these other girls!" We ended up finishing the race and doing well. I had accomplished my longest triathlon distance ever that weekend (3 different times) and celebrated by puking up just about everything that I tried to consume for several hours post-race (including a delicious home-made cherry torte--rats!!!!). I divorced my friends for several days after the race, but it must not have been too bad since I returned to race the American Triple T again in 2009 and 2010...