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...
