Lake Stevens 70.3 Race Report 2012

Excellence is the gradual result of always striving to do better- Pat Riley

Lake Stevens swim course. Photo by Joey Compton.

I ALWAYS try to look at the positives with every race, although, I was quite disappointed in Hawaii.  I could come up with several reasons as to why it was such a low, but I chose to take away from it the improvements.

If every race were perfect we would never learn, never have much more desire and never find that extra little bit that drives us one step further.

I made some changes to my training post-Hawaii. Nothing too big, just more swim focus (frequency, not in volume) and more bike focus.  I had a REAL agenda going into Lake Stevens, quite simply,it looked something like this:

#1 Give the swim everything, from the get go.  Prove to myself that I can swim and RACE.

#2 Give the bike all I got.  Watts higher than Hawaii.

#3 Run with whatever I had left and aim for sub 8’s.

(This is not how I typically race. This was actually thought out and planned as my run fitness would pretty much land me the same no matter how I paced on the bike….it’s the truth J)

Swim: SUCCESS.

TYR Freak of Nature!

I feel this was my best swim race of my ENTIRE triathlon career yet and it was in my all-time favorite wetsuit the TYR Freak of Nature. My plan was to not get punched…yes, I had decided I was going to control this. And to put my head down, swim my heart out and never let up. I changed my normal plan and had my gel 15' (instead of 10') before the start and went without the caffeine, this helped in not making me feel nauseous from the get-go.  I started my watch when the pro men left (2 minutes early) so I had nothing to think about but waiting for the gun. I put my head down for 12 supa-dupa-fast strokes (4 more than normal) and took my first breathe and no one was beside me.  Hallelujah!!!! I went straight for the buoy cable and swam right on top of it. I imagined it as a pool lane line and remained dead-center over it.  Knowing each and every stroke was moving me directly forward.  I would sight every-so-often and decide how many strokes to the next buoy, count them out, site, move to the right and then get right back on the cable.  At the pro meeting they told us that the “direct path” was not to follow the buoys on the way in. So as soon as I could see the finish “arch” I moved over and aimed for it. I knew someone was on my feet around the lake as I would get a few taps on the toes here and there.  With the final few yards to go Tenille Hoogland put the hammer down and came out first (she had an amazing come-back race placing 2^nd overall for the day!). I was so happy to really feel like I could swim again!!!!  The biggest highlight was the face plant I did coming out of the water….oops.

T1: Spent forever in trying to get my wetsuit over my garmin….grrr!!!

Bike: SUCCESS!

Photo Courtesy of Kevin Tu

If I pushed my hardest the whole ride I could hold a HR of 158-160.  I did this for the first hour and then my body was FROZEN. I kept aiming for my cadence goal as I watch my HR dip further and further south as my body was becoming an icicle in motion. I started counting down the time to get off the bike.  2 hours, 1:30, 2x30’, 30’….etc. My body stiffening, descending in rain, and thinking I would be pulled from the race was not how I wanted to feel on this ride.  I continued to give it my all, being aware that my hydration was low because I was way too cold to drink.  The conversation between my chattering teeth and my mind were not agreeing. Beth Walsh passed in the final 10’ish miles and it forced me to have a self-talk of a lil’ “suck it up sista”.  Not enough fluid and 6 yummy Powerbar gels later, the dismount line was in site. The ride was a huge improvement, holding 10 watts higher than Hawaii and the highest ever since my return.  The goal was to be stronger and I was!

Photo by Joey Compton

Run: SUCCESS!

I felt great the first 2 miles but my gut forced me to the port-o-let for a couple minutes at mile 3. From there on I just stuck with my goal of trying to hold sub-8’s which would be a huge improvement over Hawaii. And that I did. My gut was not happy which I normally do not experience as much in a half but with my choice-lack-of-fluids on the bike I couldn't expect perfection.  In the last two miles I tuned out everything and ran my fastest miles of the day.

Soaking up the final stretch!

To say I am happy is the truth, to say I am content….absolutely not.  The flame is burning deep inside, there is more.

I have never, race a local BIG race where we have tons of TNM athletes racing. Choosing to do this one since I had not raced Lake Stevens since 2007 and I really wanted that home-town feel…beyond euphoric. With 23 TNM athletes on the course and a team tent full of amazing supporters I was beaming.  TNM family….you rock!

TNM LOVE!!! Photo by Joey Compton

Striving. Believing.Dreaming.

Thank you to TYR for the amazing gear-goggles to site, a comfy wetsuit, and cozy racing gear- this girl could not ask for anything more!
To Powerbar for keeping me fueled, recovered, and a little less hungry!
To Cyclops for the power to see the power!
To Gerks and Specialized for the bike that is smooth!
To Rudy Project for keeping my head and eyeballs safe!
To Zoot for the non-blister, light, colorful shoes that keep my feet happy!
To Seattle Athletic Club downtown for the massages, the amazing trainers (pilates and Kurt Kinetic) and the healthy enviroment I get to be in all year-round!
To lululemon for the super sporty-girly outfits to keep me running!
To 110% and Recovery boots for keeping my legs from screaming at me!
To all my coaches for just being YOU!
To my TNM-family....you inspire!
To my friends, family, and husband....I love you!

Friday Night Swim Race Race Report

Long overdue indeed.

I love this race.  Lots of TNM participants, low-key, very well organized (Thank you Raise the Bar), and my favorite sport, really can't ask for much more.

We left super-early to beat traffic to Kent on a Friday night.

Which gave me plenty of time to “think” about the race,  I’ll admit, B and C races I don’t put too much thought into, just go in and give it all I got…or something of that sort.  But there is something about the smaller races that also make me more nervous than the bigger ones. So in “thinking” out loud to Mark  I had a lot to go over:



Positive thinking:

Hawaii swimming days!

*I had put in a ton of swimming in Hawaii (Linsey you rock)and beyond and was feeling strong in the water.

*I love swimming.

*Great practice race.

*I love racing!

Race Strategy:

*Start out conservative

*Pace myself with the group/people I am comfortable swimming with.

*Build and then “hang on”

*"If it is super close, you sprint to the finish" (that was Mark’s advice!).

I lined up for the start with the New TYR Freak of Nature. So comfy! I was alongside my husband and 3 other soon to be TNM Ironman CDA finishers.  I knew there was a strong field in the group. Mike who attends the swim classes I teach at Seattle Athletic Club downtown and my friend/teammate Linsey who is one tough cookie.  When the going gets tough this girl can dig deep like no one I have ever seen.  She just happened to swim 3 (yes 3!) open water swim miles that morning in prep for her upcoming 11 mile swim race.

Mike and Linsey post-race

I am never one to start out sprinting, make me incredibly nauseous, so I put up with people yanking at my feet while they sprint the first 100 or 200 or whatever yards.  About mid-way through the first straight-a-way through a two loop course the petting of my feet stopped and I could see someone  ahead, whom had picked a totally different route of swimming the course.  I stayed directly in line with the buoys.  I figured at this point that swimmers would be on my feet and I kept it conservative trying to stay in my comfortable place so I could use my matchsticks for later.   Rounding the first turn buoy I did a quick check and could see some swimmers behind, but none right on my feet. Phew…this helped settle me a bit so I could swim at my own pace without the pressure of others. I kept my sights on the one swimmer ahead.  I knew the stroke but I swore it was Linsey.  1^st loop I checked my watch around 26’. Never super accurate as I always start my watch early to be ready for the gun to go off AND I can’t do math and race at the same time. But this is where I had “estimated” I would be so knew I was swimming solid. Loop two I started making ground on the swimmer ahead and had small vision of possibly winning. After the final turn buoy I really gave it what all I had left and could feel my face burning hot and my fingertips going tingly numb.



Laura and I.

I popped out of the water as second swimmer, and found the first swimmer was Mike the whole time.  I had won overall women afterall.  I know if Miss Linsey were not swimming over 16 miles that week that this would have been a much closer race and I am excited to see her flourish in just a few short weeks at her big event!



I was lucky to meet Laura who is a fabulously strong swimmer and triathlete, but it was her kindness and sweet smile that stuck me the most.  She had an awesome swim winning herself a cinnamon roll that looks to-die for!

Thanks to RTB for the fabulous fun event and the super yummy 40 pound pie!  With Mark a few weeks away from CDA it didn’t disappear within 2 days like last year!

Rev 3 Costa Rica Race Report

So, so happy! I would be lying if I said I was not nervous for this race.  I was going into this race with the most fitness I have had since being hospitalized for the first time in July of 2010.  It wasn't like last years events to just show up and cross a line. I had goals, I had a plan, and I was anxious to see where I was at. I am looking at this year as my real "rookie pro" season.

3:20am wake up call and the six of us were out the door by 4am.  No need for any long sleeve attire here as the temps were already mid-70's. The TYR carbon kit was all I needed. We headed down our back-wheelin' hill and arrived at Playa Conchala with the sounds of wildlife in the near distance.

For starters, this race taught me a lot, gave me a lot to practice, to learn and a new prospective on racing.

The swim was a beach start.  It felt great to be back in the TYR Sayanora that has been tucked away for so long. I knew this field was stacked but looking back realized that it was my open water skills that held me back.  This was a great learning experience.  To be stacked up against these phenomenal athletes (not to mention how fast these girls are in the water) and see where I fell back.  From the initial contact with the water I was a body length back. I made it up and was with the huge lead pack (8 of 12). Around the first buoy I had to play catch up again, then the second buoy the same thing happened (didn't learn the first time!). I found myself swimming just off the lead group.  Coming in from the first loop I went to stand up and was swept back into the ocean, literally, had to start swimming again to get back to shore. It made me laugh and was even more pathetic that all the half ironman racers were there to witness my little "yelp".  I was now going to be leading the second pack the second loop.  I came out of the water 8th, not what I am used too, but realizing that this Olympic distance racing is no joke.  Immediately two girls passed while running on the sandy beaches to mount our bikes.

 (Finishing the second loop. Know this because I am not being swept back into the Ocean as the previous loop.)

The bike ride was two loops with big climbs to and from transition.  This was my first race and third bike ride on the new Specialized Shiv. I am in pure LOVE with this bike.  I have also learned to love to climb now.  Before, (meaning before my training hiatus) I was solid at the flats and at a high cadence, things have changed a bit and I am needing to find the balance between using my strength (low cadence) and being able to keep a high cadence, I prefer above 90.  This is where I have work to do and will do a smaller race here locally in order to just focus on racing with a high cadence again. I passed a girl on a climb and the first loop (there are lots of out and backs) was able to keep an equal distance on all of them, with the lead group of riders making a couple minute gains.  The second loop was a different story.  As I was maintaining the same watts but was getting passed.  I think it was a combination of them speeding up and me not being very efficient and grinding on my gears.  The things I know, yet, need to learn to apply again.  My effort though was beyond where I thought I was capable with my watts nearly 50 higher than the last Olympic I did back on September of 2011. And my HR was exactly where I thought it would be so overall, outside of bike handling I know I gave it my all on that day.

(Seriously THE BEST photo I have ever seen! Bree dodging cows! Her laugh, the humor, and really what describes and defines this whole trip is captured here.)

I started the two loop run course in 12th and had felt so great on this run a few days prior.  My legs just didn't want to go. I am a firm believer that your bike sets you up for a solid run and knowing now how low of a cadence I maintained this run is of no surprise. Each loop consists of approximately 1.5 miles of beach running, soft, but not quicksand soft. Then a little out and back trail through Brasilito and then up, up, up the road and through the golf course, then a nice downhill through transition and repeat.  By the start of the second loop I was chilled and a bit nauseous. The heat? More fluid? Not sure, but it was a battle of my mind and body. The locals were more than generous with their sponges, literally chasing us down and keeping us cool, at least for a few minutes.  It was the most refreshing feeling when they soaked us. Heart stopping, bone chilling, refreshness.  With Erin hot on my heels I decided to run as strong as I was able until she caught me (great mental thoughts, right?!).  But the miles kept ticking and I was not hearing her footsteps, so I had to keep going strong.  The last .25 miles (the course was 6.5) are the real quicksand super soft beach running, I should have been down on Alki practicing.   Thank you for pushing me to the finish line and for sharing an ice bath!!

I am excited that this season has finally started.  TYR has stood by me for years on end now and I can not thank them enough for the speedy swim attire, the stay-cool-and-look-cool-kit, the goggles that make the buoys so visible and the love from the TYR family. To Gerks for keeping the Specialized Shiv dialed in and ready to go at all times. To Cyclops for keeping me honest in my training and helping me "see" fitness gains. To Powerbar for the tasty fuel that keeps my engine running. To Zoot for the amazing shoes that feel so wonderful to slip into before hitting the pavement. Rudy Project for keeping the sun out of my eyes and my head safe.

And to my coach whom I laughed at when he told me the watts I was capable of when we first started working together. Thanks for getting the most out of me with my training limitations.

To the Rev 3 crew.  Your friendliness, your generosity, your kindness are what truly set you apart from any other race.  These are characteristics that can not be "learned" but are ingrained in each of you. Myself and the TNM crew that witnessed your top-notch assistance in everything this past week have nothing but praise to say about you and your events.  Thank you so much for all you do!

And lastly, my friends, teammates, family and husband. You each continue to inspire and amaze me day in and day out.  You help me be a better person, coach and athlete.

Until next year Costa Rica, you will be missed!