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April 29, 2008
I'm Alive!
Well I have quickly become THE biggest blog slacker in the world! But that's what happens when you take me out of my routine. And of course we were traveling. And of course the battery on O's computer died very quickly while waiting in the Charlotte airport for our conneting flight. And of course the Charlotte airport apparently only has about 1 outlet in it's B wing to plug a computer into. Oh well.
So without further ado - my race report from this weekend! (I know, I know, you were all just waiting on the edge of your seats... :)
First of all, we had a great weekend. I got into Tampa early on Friday and enjoyed a nice relaxing day picking up my packet, taking in the sun, relaxing in my hotel and putting my bike back together. And I only got lost once or twice (or maybe 3 times). O and my parents got in late Friday night and so on Saturday morning we were all ready to go.
St. Petersburg is simply beautiful and I could literally just sit in the shade and stare out at the Bay all day. O and I drove down to the race site early Saturday to so a little running, biking and swimming and then met up with my parents later for lunch, bike check in, driving the course and enjoying the day. We had a great dinner together back near our hotel and finally, after some chatting by the pool hotel, we went to sleep.
Sunday was an early morning as most triathlons are but I'm not complaining. I'm so thankful I was in the 4th wave and not the 24th or 34th (I swear some people weren't even started by the time we were finished!).
And so it goes. I was pretty nervous for this race as I usually am, but perhaps moreso given the level of competition and the fact that the first race of the season always seems more nerve-racking than most. I must have checked my bike in transition 10 times before I was finally assured enough with it to warm up some with O. We jogged a bit and then down to the beach it was. Get the wetsuit on and lets go!
My goal for Sunday was simply to finish in the top 10 of the elite amateur race. I didn't care about time so much but I wanted to be competitive and I knew it was going to take a big effort to meet my goal.
I saw Jen and Jerome Harrison down at the start and Jen calmed my fears some. Nothing she said in particular really, other than the fact that she herself was a picture of composure and very excited to race. Briefly met Bri Gaal on the starting line and then off we went!
So do I have to talk about the swim? I would really just like to gloss over the fact that I SUCKED out there! Holy cow. I don't even have any excuses. But I'm refusing to let it get the best of me. It's a weakness for sure. I need to become a better open water swimmer. I need to actually COMPETE in the water instead of just hoping it will eventually be over the whole time. I need to be more aggressive. What I need is a little Jen Harrison in me.
So needless to say, when I got on the bike I had my work cut out for me. Fortunately the story gets a little better from here. In a triathlon the bike is probably my favorite leg. So I was happy to finally get on my bike and go. I saw O early on who told me I was in about 20th place. Luckily I felt good and strong and although I caught myself daydreaming at times (no time to day dream in a 40K bike you know!), overall I was pleased. Despite the turns that course is FAST and flatter than any course I’ve ever seen.
I had passed quite a few gals on the bike but at one of the turnarounds saw another big pack ahead. (when I say pack, I don't mean that they were drafting or anything, I just mean there was a group of 4 or 5 gals within range) Try as I might I couldn’t reel them in on the bike so I figured I was going to have to run like crazy to try and catch some there. I hadn’t given up on my top 10 goal just yet.
Off the bike and onto the run. Again I felt good running and although I was quite concerned about the heat (remember it was just a week or so ago I was still running in tights) I have to say I didn't feel all that awful hot out there. There was more shade on the course than I thought there would be and many aid stations (of which I partook in all of them).
I was also quite concerned about nausea which played a big role in my races last year. I was plagued by nausea in most all of my tris last season, especially the HOT races. The nausea was the worst on the run and slowed me considerably. I tried just about everything my coach and I could think of to try to alleviate the issue but it never truly resolved. Luckily I met a very nice MD who is also a triathlete at the Spencer Smith/Jen Harrison clinic I went to in January. She suggested that my problem might have to do with over production of gastric acid (it was almost more of a gagging/heartburn kind of nausea, not lower GI issues) or GI motility and that something like Reglan or Pepcid might help. Several weeks ago I went to my family doc to see if he would prescribe me some sort of motility or acid reducing agent and I walked away with enough Prevacid for the next 10 years. :)
I tried the Prevacid in training of course, using it before long Saturday bricks or Sunday long runs but I wasn't sure it if was working. It's only the stress of racing that causes my nausea because even the most intense track workouts or bike intervals in training don't elicit the same kind of issues. So at the very least I knew the Prevacid wouldn't hurt me. I could only hope that it would help.
And apparently it did. Because it was hot and although I felt a tad bit sick to the stomach it was NO WHERE even close to the kind of problems I had last year where I was having to stop to throw up in just about all my races!
Anyway, back to the run! I was super thrilled to get off the bike and not only feel good running but also not be sick to my stomach. I immediately set sight on a group of 4 girls that came into transition with me and by mile 1.5 had passed them. I was looking forward to seeing O somewhere around mile 2 to give me an idea of my placing.
When I did finally see him he was a bit sketchy on exactly what place I was in but told me there was another group of 4 girls about a minute ahead of me. I knew I had to put my head down and run hard.
And I was running hard but I wasn't seeing anyone ahead of me! UGH! Finally at the turnaround (the run course is essentially out and back) I saw the girls O was speaking of and so I set about trying to give chase.
And it was a battle. I caught one. And then another. But it was starting to feel hot all of a sudden and I was starting to hurt. I knew at this point that I was probably in the top 10 but I wanted to make sure I gave it every last bit I had and I could still see Bri and Jen up ahead of me. So I put my head down and tried to seize the opportunity that I had been given.
Oh my did I go through the mental battles that we all face. I would feel like I was gaining some ground and then look up and think "just back down, finish it up and you'll still be on the podium". But then I would gain some strength and go a little harder but again be faced with the negative energy of "just settling". It went back and forth and back and forth until I finally tried to push ALL thoughts out of my mind and JUST RUN! I caught Jen around the 6 mile marker and ran as fast as I possibly could because I knew she wasn't going to go without a fight. And indeed she didn't.
I was so happy to finish! And beat dead tired too. :) When O found me after the race the first thing he said is "man, that Jen Harrison is tough!!" And I felt like saying, "yeah, no kidding - you haven't been chasing her for the last 32 miles!!" :)
But it was a great experience and a great race and a great way to start the season! It was one of those races where I didn't even think to check what my final time was until well after it was over, which is very unlike me because I'm all about splits and times and PRs and running this pace or biking that pace. It truly was about competing well which I think is what we have to do to get the most out of ourselves. But my final time was faster than all my Olympic distance races last year.
Looking at the results I couldn't help but think "man - if only I could actually swim!" but I know it will come and patience and dedication to improvement are the only thing that will get me there. And that's what triathlon is all about right? Throw the really good swimmers in with the good runners who can't swim. Toss in an excellent cyclist who is an okay swimmer but maybe can't run well. Add in an amazing runner who doesn't have good bike handling skills. And start them all at the same time and see who comes out on top? That's the fun of the sport and the challenge of it and I'm sure that's what will keep me going in the sport for a long time.
Of course I would be remiss to not mention all the wonderful people I met at this race which was certainly a highlight of the weekend for O and I. We both were really looking forward to meeting some bloggers face to face and wouldn't you know I ended up staring at two of their backs (Jen and Bri!) for the majority of the run! We also enjoyed meeting Bree who was so impressive during the race (I watched her fly by on the run and bike!) and fun and amazing to talk to! I was bummed to miss Kellye but given the 1000s of people milling around after the race I thought it was a bit of a long shot to catch everyone. :) Regardless, it's such a nice little community we have and I'm very thankful for it! YEAH bloggers for representing!
AND it was great as always to have my own family there! O was a superstar as always, running around on the course and helping me every step of the way. And my parents as well - flying down to watch and cheer and take pictures and support and just be the best parents there are. I enjoyed every last second of the whole entire weekend (except maybe for the last 0.2 miles of the race when I was running scared... :)
And so it goes. After a long day of travel yesterday (who knew it could literally take ALL day to get from FL to PA?) we are back in cold and rainy Pittsburgh. :) Today is about getting life back in order and some easy recovery workouts and then tomorrow it's back to the grindstone! I just noticed I have mile repeats on the track tomorrow. OUCH! :)
Thanks to everyone for their well wishes and good luck! I appreciate it all! Once O gets home I will post some pictures. I somehow can't find the pictures on his computer that we already downloaded. I never said I was a computer whiz... :)
Have a great day everyone!
Posted by beth at April 29, 2008 11:15 AM
Comments
looks like you had an AWESOME race... if i know you the swim will get more competitive soon...
Posted by: Kranky C Dale at April 29, 2008 1:32 PM
Nice job Beth! I was thinking about you guys on Sunday morning! That's so cool that you, Jen, and Bri finished 7, 8, and 9! Go bloggers!!
Posted by: Ness at April 29, 2008 2:16 PM
Nice race Beth! It was great to check out the results and see familar Blogger names in the top 10!
As a swimmer myself, I often look at the results wishing I could run!! Ah, the beauty of triathlon ;-)
Posted by: Cathy Yndestad at April 29, 2008 2:26 PM
Nice race! And always good to read such a great report. And, oh, xMiles after a race week? Egads!
Posted by: Joseph Vinciquerra at April 29, 2008 3:00 PM
Beth,
As I told you on Sunday - congrats on your race! You did a great job! I ran hard and tried to put up a good fight - glad I made you work a bit. :) Thanks to O for cheering for me/us and telling me where I was on the run...I kinda knew, but that was nice. I rode in the sleet outside today. Oh lovely! Jen H.
Posted by: Jennifer Harrison at April 29, 2008 3:33 PM
Again, great race, Beth! You work very hard and deserve it. Have a great season and I guess I'll see you in NYC!
Posted by: Bri Gaal at April 29, 2008 3:41 PM
Hooray BETH!!!!! NICE JOB - I breathlessly read your RR - great job! We all go through the mental battles of "can we"/ "cant we"? But you put to rest your doubts and charged ahead. Congratulations on a battle well fought!
And - by the way, Jen Harrison IS TOUGH! We all know that!
Posted by: marit c-l at April 29, 2008 4:04 PM
Oh I love your photos, they tell the whole story! Seriously I am so glad I was not in the wave with you, Jen, & Bri! You girls were going nuts all day beating the crap out eachother and I WISH O took a video of you running Jen down at mile 6! What a close race... CONGRATS stud! Have fun swimming more... you can do it! YOu just get faster as the race goes on!
Posted by: Bree at April 29, 2008 5:08 PM
Oh I love your photos, they tell the whole story! Seriously I am so glad I was not in the wave with you, Jen, & Bri! You girls were going nuts all day beating the crap out eachother and I WISH O took a video of you running Jen down at mile 6! What a close race... CONGRATS stud! Have fun swimming more... you can do it! YOu just get faster as the race goes on!
Posted by: Bree at April 29, 2008 5:09 PM
way to go sister! WOO HOO!
Posted by: mary at April 29, 2008 5:24 PM
way to go sister! WOO HOO!
Posted by: mary at April 29, 2008 5:24 PM
Beth,
Congrats on toughing it out and a big comeback from the swim! Sounds brutal competing so closely with people who are becoming your real life friends! I'm really glad to hear that you think you've worked out the belly issues, since that's what you felt was hampering some really good runs last year. I hope you don't beat yourself up too much on the swimming thing, but let it motivate you to continue working on that. In the last picture, you look tired and happy, and I guess that's what racing is all about. Great job, Beth!
Recover well,
Meghan
Posted by: Meghan at April 29, 2008 5:46 PM
Nice job out there!
Posted by: tri+umph at April 29, 2008 8:14 PM
Congrats on great race and overcoming a tough swim. The swim times seemed slow in general, so I wouldn't feel too bad about it.
Posted by: maija at April 29, 2008 8:58 PM
Nice racing Beth...and I'm so glad that you were able to enjoy the sunset even through your nerves.
Your swim will shine soon--I am very sure! And, you are always welcome up here in Vermont to do lots of open water swimming practice in the reservoir.
Hope you have a good recovery.
-Danielle
Posted by: Danielle at April 29, 2008 9:13 PM
awesome race! my kind of race - chasing the whole time!!!!....i know that thought all too well - if only i could swim better, lol. but way to suck it up and put your head down and do what you do best. love the pics - you look super fierce in the run one and i am so glad that i wasn't there in that wave :)
Posted by: kerrie at April 30, 2008 12:44 PM