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May 19, 2008
Columbia - The Long and Boring Report
Race morning pretty much went off without a hitch and before I knew it I was standing by the dock waiting to jump into the water. This has to be the hardest part of racing - the 2-5 minutes before the start where you are mostly just waiting around getting really nervous. Or at least that's what I'm doing!
When I jumped into the water I thought "WOW this is cold!" But I think the water temperature was about 68 degrees so I have no right to complain how cold it was considering Jen was swimming in 59 degree water this weekend and I was just reading that the projected water temps for the Ironman Coeur d'Alene swim are in the range of high 40s-low 50s. Now THAT'S cold water!
Regardless, the lake was calm and the day was dawning beautiful. I think the conditions were near perfect for this race. No wind. Not too hot or cold for the run (I will admit to really cold feet getting off the bike but otherwise I was fine). And the rain held off until about half way through the awards ceremony!
Anyway, off on the swim we went! The first 200 of an open water swim is the hardest for me. I feel like I'm sprinting as hard as I can and then I look up and realize that we really didn't even get that far and I have a longggggggg way to go. Fortunately I was in a good swim zone yesterday. I felt strong and fluid and I focused on swimming HARD. I suspect one of my issues with my slow swimming in races is the fact that I'm just not swimming hard enough!
Because the water was nice and calm it was easy to site the buoys and I did a better job than usual in keeping on course. I'm still not too good at drafting. I sometimes find feet to draft off of but I worry they won't stay on course or that they are going too slow (funny someone like ME would be worried about that!). Still a work in progress for sure.
The whole time I was swimming I kept telling myself PUSH - you are swimming well, PUSH - you are swimming well and I think it sort of worked because I truly started to believe that this WAS going to be a good swim for me! And when I got out of the water and saw the clock I wanted to cry. I was so happy to finally have swam under 23 minutes and actually in the low 22s! YEAH!!!!
I would have celebrated more but honestly, I was pooped! I was obviously feeling the effort of actually swimming HARD in a race (what a novel idea!) and I was all over the place in transition. Couldn't get my wetsuit off, couldn't get my cycling shoes on, couldn't unrack my bike! I finally got myself moving and up to the mount line and then I couldn't get my feet clipped in! YIKES!!
But I am so encouraged with my swim nonetheless. Like I said, couldn't ask for an easier swim. And I still have a long way to go before I'm really pleased. But I really needed to see some improvement at some point and yesterday I got what I needed! Now I'm as motivated as ever to keep nailing swim workouts and to keep learning how to RACE in the water.
Our picture perfect water.
I think I've said this before, but just in case, I'll say it again. The bike is my favorite part of a triathlon. It's not my favorite in training, but in actual races, I love it.
So off on the bike I went (when I finally got my dang pedals clipped in). As I was riding out of the park and onto the main road to start the bike route a blazing yellow flash of brilliance catches my eye. Could it be? Was it true? Yep, that would be my very own husband sprinting up through a grass field and (I kid you not) hurdling a 3-3.5 foot fence in his attempt to beat me up to the road so he could yell some more encouragement. Maija can corroborate this story as she too saw the jumping incident. Here is O's version of the story. He is a certified nut!!
But in all honestly I consider myself THE luckiest gal to have him as a husband, cheerleader, encourager, supporter, (and the list goes on and on...). He gets SO excited for me in my races that it's pretty hard not to get excited myself, even when I'm dead tired and wanting nothing more than to sit down on the side of the road and rest for a bit. We always joke that he runs harder and longer than I do on race day!
But rest assured, I did warn him that had he not cleared that fence and instead fallen flat on his face, I would have kept riding right by at about 25 mph! :)
Anyway, I rode very hard on the bike. As predicted those "rollers" seemed a lot more like big hills during the race. But I pushed and pushed and pushed some more. I got out of the water in about 9th or 10th place and knew I had a lot of work to do and the bike is often my chance to shine. The bike at Columbia is 41K for some reason but I still wanted to try for a split in the 1:10 range and indeed that's what I did - 1:10:05, exactly 4:03 faster than last year. It helped that this year there always seemed to be at least someone in my sight to go after whereas last year I felt like I rode about 20 miles of the course alone and THEN suddenly everyone came into view. I guess that's one benefit of swimming a little faster! :)
My T2 was much better than T1 and off I went on the run. Coming out of transition O told me I was in 2nd place and 30 seconds back. Unfortunately, I knew who first place was and that she is a very good runner. It wasn't going to be easy but that didn't stop me from giving chase.
The first 2.5 miles of the run are on a path around the lake that is pretty twisty and turny so even though I couldn't see Heather I kept telling myself, "she is just right up around that corner, she is right there!" This was in an attempt to quiet the thoughts of how tired my quads were from working that bike course. I was definitely feeling those hills and my legs were protesting each hill on the run course.
I saw O again where he gave me the update that I was now 28 seconds down (about 2 miles later). Hmm...two miles and only 2 seconds...I'm not a mathematician but I could pretty much figure out that this math wasn't going to work out in my favor. But O also told me that there were 2 men in front of me and then Heather. Okay, I thought to myself, just work on getting one of those guys, and then the next...
I was still struggling up the hills but did catch one of the guys in front of me. And then we got out of the park and into the neighborhoods and I finally really did see Heather! I got a renewed sense of confidence - I CAN DO THIS!
About 2 miles later she still didn't seem any closer. :)
I am happy to report that I truly didn't give up on the hope that I could catch her until the very, very end. But over the whole 10K I only gained about 10-15 seconds on her. I finished 19 seconds down. Not my best run ever and about 70 seconds SLOWER than last year. But I'm not that disappointed. Like I said before, with a close to 4 minute improvement overall from last year, it's hard to be disappointed!
Heather and I after it was all over!
After the race was the best part. O and I got to meet and talk with so many great people! I am usually very shy and unwilling to introduce myself to anyone but the fatigue must have made me a little loopy because all of a sudden I was chatty!
Besides talking with Heather and her husband I met Maija and her husband and their VERY cute dogs Cooper and Frito! (I love the name Frito!)
And I got to meet and talk with some of the pros who are just so down to earth and well, wonderful! It was just like meeting Bree - they are people who love to do the same thing that I love, they just happen to do it faster! :) Linsey and Desiree asked me about my race and upcoming races and training and it was just another highlight in a wonderful day and experience. O and I were laughing at the awards ceremony wondering in what other sport do the pros mingle with the common folk, waiting in the same post race party food line and sitting on the curb like everyone else waiting for the awards to start? I love this sport for the fact that I can compete right along side a world champion and talk with him after the race is over!
And so went the weekend. Many lessons learned, hopefully to be put to good use in the races to come! Thank you again to everyone for their kind words regarding the race. It is a huge encouragement to me. I just read a comment from Bree that says "never give up, hard work ALWAYS pays off, sometimes it just takes forever!" I'm starting to learn that truth. So I don't plan on giving up any time soon. Luckily I have all the time in the world. :)
Posted by beth at May 19, 2008 4:43 PM
Comments
This is so funny... you and a ton of photos with all your favorites! I have dozens of photos with my hero's from last year and when I got the pro card and STILL was asking them to be in photos with me my coach said, "they are now competition"... I needed to chill with the photos and waving and cheering to them... Ooop's never quit! I bet you will never quit either! I love your line "they are people too" and I agree!
AMAZING race Beth.... soak it up, let it continue to fuel some hard training sessions, and then let it be confidence that you have more of these types of races to come!
Posted by: Bree at May 19, 2008 6:18 PM
There's Beth and her abs! Funny, I never pictured you as shy as you seem very outgoing in your posts. But I'm still caught up in the thought of you leaving poor "O" by the side of the road in a puddle of yellow. BTW you look great in your visor!
Posted by: at May 19, 2008 6:39 PM
Of course, you have to keep the big picture in mind. Beth is there to race! I'm just there to watch. Her race takes much higher priority than any injury I would sustain cheering her on.
Posted by: O at May 19, 2008 6:57 PM
Great race!
I, too, am way more social at races than I am in other social situations. Not sure why that is, but it's fun!
Posted by: Alicia Parr at May 19, 2008 7:19 PM
You rock, Beth! I loved your race report - it was not even close to boring - I found it quite energizing and inspiring (especially your 10K run!).
Awesome job!! By the way, O's picture of the fence is crazy!
Posted by: bridget at May 19, 2008 8:18 PM
YEAH Beth!! What a great race, and I LOVE the pictures!! You should be super proud!!
Posted by: kellye at May 19, 2008 9:40 PM
Hi Beth! It was nice to meet you and Oscar. He really is the best Tri Fan you could have. You bike split was awesome! No wonder you disapeared so fast. You should be very proud of how much you improved from last year.
Posted by: maija at May 19, 2008 10:14 PM
HIiiiiiiiiiiii!!
congratulations beth!! what an amazing race/weekend/and post-race mingling! i'm so happy you're so happy w/ your swim!!!
Posted by: Audrey at May 19, 2008 11:19 PM
4 minute improvement overall from last year is AWESOME... keep up the good work...
Posted by: Kranky C Dale at May 20, 2008 8:45 AM
Way to go Beth not only on a great performnce but for the way you embrace the spot and the life! WOO HOO!
Posted by: mary at May 20, 2008 10:36 AM
great race and way to push on the swim(i need to work on that vs. just surviving)! you look so cute and happy(with great abs) in all of your pics. i feel behind...i need to get out there and start racing.....
Posted by: kerrie at May 20, 2008 12:12 PM
Yippee! Glad it was a great weekend all around.
-Danielle
P.S. I was feeling the need to do a few situps while looking at those photos, too!
Posted by: Danielle at May 20, 2008 8:47 PM
Big, big, big congrats to you!
Sigh, what a fun read especially with the photos.
And, I second the comment that you don't seem very shy in your blog!
Recover smiling, Beth!
Meghan
PS. O's fence jumping story is hilarious!
Posted by: Meghan at May 20, 2008 10:02 PM
CONGRATULATIONS!!! I AM SO SO SO SO SO HAPPY FOR YOU!!!!!! What a PHENOMINAL job you did - way to go Beth! LOVE O's jumping story - AND the fact that had he fallen, you would have continued barreling on. Nice! Soak it up and enjoy the next pahse of your training!
Posted by: marit c-l at May 22, 2008 1:19 PM