19th Annual Granite Bay Triathlon - Race Report

This race report is the tale of two sisters. I hemmed and hawed over whether or not to do this race two weeks following IRONMAN Vineman. I was afraid of getting a cramp during the swim or being too tired on the ride or run. Ultimately, because my club was doing the race, I decided to sign up. I figured I would do my best and just try to relax and have fun with my Central Valley Triathlon Club teammates.

My younger sister woke up on race morning and thought “Yeah, I think I’ll go do that race today.” Mind you, she hasn’t even been doing any kind of triathlon training except for riding her bike to work and maybe some running. I don’t think she has been swimming at all, unless you count going to Wake Island Waterpark. Obviously, she is the daring one in the family.

Pre-Race

I decided to start my day the same way I did before Vineman…avocado on toast with some coffee followed by chia fresca about an hour before race start. I got up before my alarm and fixed my breakfast and filled the bladder on my bike with ice water and a couple of Nuun tablets. Everything seemed ready to go, so I went back to my room to eat and watch TV. As I sat there eating, I couldn’t figure out why my breakfast tasted so weird. The only change I had made was to use an English muffin in lieu of sour dough bread.

I finished the muffin but decided I was still a little hungry, so I went back to the kitchen to toast another muffin. This time, I decided to just put strawberry jam on it because something must be up with the avocado. As I grabbed the package, I noticed a label on the right side that said “Oatmeal and Cinnamon Flavor”. Ugh! No wonder it tasted like crap! I grabbed the package because it said double protein or something like that, I didn’t see the flavor. Who make’s flavored English muffins? (You can tell I don’t buy these often LOL).

Swim

As my sister and I walked to the swim start, one of the race official let us know that there was a problem with the GPS when they set up the course, so they moved the start farther out. I swam over to the new start and my sis walked with her man on the shore. The start was delayed a few minutes but eventually the first wave of men took off.

Trisha’s man was in the next wave and she was a nervous wreck. She was worried that an injury her guy got at Wake Island was going to make it hard for him to swim. As the orange caps moved farther away from the shore, I told her not to worry because he was wearing a wetsuit and at the very least could float. She on the other had was not wearing a wetsuit.

Who is the crazy chick without a wet suit?

“Where is your wetsuit?” I asked her, quite perplexed because I could not imagine not having my neoprene safety blanket. “I couldn’t find it” was her answer. So, not only does she wake up and decide to do a triathlon she hadn’t trained for, but she was going to do the swim sans wetsuit! She is so much braver than I am! LOL

Finally it was our turn to line up. We opted for the second row because we didn’t want to get run over by faster swimmers. When the buzzer sounded, we dove in, and that was the last I saw of her until the bike course. I quickly found myself battling for position and having to fight my way through a group of swimmers. Eventually things calmed down and I found some open water. All in all, the swim felt good.

Crazy girl with no wetsuit done

Another swim done

T1

All I can say is that it is a long way from the water to transition. I heard different distances tossed about, but I think it was at least a 1/4 mile. The good news it that they covered up the larger rocks that usually dotted the beach with patches of sand.

Swim - Run - Bike - Run

Bike

As I headed out of T1, I could feel the fatigue in my legs. Although I felt relatively good after finishing IRONMAN Vineman just two weeks prior, once I started pedaling, I knew I wasn't 100%. The first loop went OK and I kept my eye out for my Central Valley Triathlon team mates. However, I was more concerned with seeing my sister and knowing that she got out of the lake OK (not that I doubted she would, I just wanted that peace of mind).

On the second loop, I was really starting to feel the fatigue in my legs, but I kept on pedaling. The course is fairly technical, so I just tried to ride the best I could and not crash. About half way into the second loop, I did a quick down-shift and dropped my chain. I slowed and tried to get the chain back on while moving. I was missing something during this process and ended up pulling over to manually put the chain back on.

I feel like I'm on safari

It seemed to take forever! +James passed me going the other direction and asked if I was able to get it back on, I muttered "No!" under my breath because the last thing I wanted James to do was mess up his own race. He has played the knight on shining armor on plenty of occasions to damsels in distress, I didn't want him doing that for me. Eventually I was able to pry the chain out and get it back where it needed to go. I was mad that it took so long, but I knew that there was nothing I could do about that now except to finish my race as planned.

As I neared the end of the bike, I finally saw my crazy sister (ok, that's it...that's her new nickname...MCS "My Crazy Sister"). So anyway, I see MCS and her man and they are riding side by side apparently having the time of their lives. Me on the other hand, I was pissed off about my chain and trying to coax and bit of energy out of my legs. Ugh! I waved and them and pedaled on towards transition.

T2

For some unknown reason, I unclipped my left foot first as I coasted to the dismount line. I'm not sure why I did this, but I quickly realized that I was off balance and had to really concentrate in order not to lean over to my right side as I would have normally done. Thankfully, I was able to dismount my bike without falling over.

Still upright!

Run

My goal for the run was to get through it with as little as walking as possible. I tried not to focus on other runners as they passed me and reminded myself to run my own race. Actually, for a trail run, it went fairly well. Only in some of the really steep sections did I end up walking. At about mile four the trail back in comes within yards of the trail headed out. I saw a woman on her way out (probably mile 2 for her), turn and start to head back to the finish ahead of me. Before fully merging on the trail to the finish line, she turned and spotted me. She quickly made a 180 and headed back out on the course. I was blown away that she could have actually been trying to cheat.

Done!

MCS finishing!

Post Race

The award process seemed to jump all over the place. I was fairly certain that my age group was going to be a while, so I collected my gear and loaded it into the truck. Eventually, they neared my age group and I knew that I had placed 2nd in my age group. I wandered over to the water jugs to get another drink because I was still feeling extremely thirsty. All of a sudden I hear MCS yell "Tracy!" I rush over to the podium thinking that she was calling me because I was missing my award. Nope, not it at all. She was calling me because she had placed 2nd in her age group!!! Way to go MCS!!!

"Who does No. 2 work for?" ~ Austin Powers

After everyone had collected their awards and packed up their stuff, we decided to grab some lunch in Folsom. As sat around eating and chatting, I mentioned that I was considering IRONMAN Cozumel in 2017 for my 50th b-day. MCS says "I'm there!" I asked "Will you race it with me?" MCS answered, "I'll do the half." I sadly informed her that there was no half at that time, only a full. "I'm not doing a full," she says, "but I'm there!" What can I say...I love my crazy sister. Maybe she'll wake up in Cozumel in 2017 and feel like racing!

#endureandenjoy #pearlizumitrichampion #tbfracing

IRONMAN Vineman 2016 - Race Report

Before you start reading this race report and get to the part about all the pain and suffering on the run, look at the photos. For the most part, I am loving every minute of this experience (except for the run LOL). As soon as I crossed the finish line, three years of dreaming and training were realized. I cannot explain the joy I experienced at this moment. All I can tell you is that, if you dare to entertain the idea of doing a 70.3 or 140.6 race, you can do it! Endure and enjoy!!!

Quick Overview

Training

• January through March: Aerobic base training (tried to keep my HR below 135)
• April 4 through July 24: Average of 13.5 hours of training per week

The Numbers

	2016	2015
Swim	1:09:30	1:14:01
T1	0:04:07	0:03:13
Bike	6:10:38	6:18:02
T2	0:03:58	0:05:15
Run	4:58:26	4:50:14
Overall	12:26:39	12:30:45

Injury Report

• All toe nails in the same basic condition as they were before the start of the race BIG WIN!
• Knot on my forehead about the size of a quarter. I think the padding on my helmet shifted so the plastic rubbed on my head. BOO!
• One small raw spot on the top of my left big toe...about the size of a peppercorn WIN!
• One small raw spot on the back of my neck from my wetsuit...smallest spot in over a year WIN!

That's it...140.6 miles and still in pretty good shape (except for my gut).

Pre-Race

I had procrastinated booking a place for race weekend. When I finally got up the nerve to look on Airbnb.com, our usual spot was unavailable. I found a spot in Monte Rio instead that was considerably cheaper than our regular Guerneville location (the owners in Guerneville had also jacked up the price...probably because they found out IRONMAN was in town).

Cabin "C"

The Monte Rio spot looked nice, was close to the river,  and was about five miles from the race start. I decided to book it for Thursday through Sunday and enjoy an extra day in the area before the race. I am so glad I booked that extra day...I would have been in trouble if I didn't!

Great place to kick back and wait :-)

As it turns out, I needed that extra day. All athletes were required to check in on Wednesday or Thursday and to attend an athlete briefing on Wednesday, Thursday or Friday. Friday was also the day designated for run gear and bike drop-off.

Thursday

HS and I left Stockton Thursday morning and got to Windsor about 1pm. The check-in process was well organized and went fairly quickly. When you exit the building, they funnel you into the IRONMAN store so you can start spending any money you may have left from this endeavor.

Number 909...no relation to Zipp ;-)

The store was twice as busy as registration, so we just continued on through and out into the IRONMAN village. The village had the standard triathlon type vendor type displays and there was plenty to see. Rudy had a great sale but didn't have my size in the color I wanted. I got some free dog food samples and checked out a TREK Speed Concept that was on display (HS told me I could buy ANY bike I wanted). Since it was warm, I made my way to the shade and sat down to wait until the gym opened for the athlete briefing.

The meeting was well attended, and although I had seen some race info claiming that the meeting was mandatory, nobody was stamping hands or anything like that. Most of the info was the same as last year without the video. They went over certain details of the course and how the transitions were going to work. Everything was fairly straightforward but I was a little worried about the penalty cards and subsequent time-outs.

Post check-in lunch at KC's American Kitchen in Windsor...Coach K said
I could have a glass of wine to relax (PS: Great food too!)

Relaxing after a stressful afternoon at registration and a huge
glass of chardonnay

Friday

I thought that dropping off running gear was anxiety inducing. Dropping off my bike and bike gear was way worse! As you bring your bike into T1, an IRONMAN official takes a picture of it and then directs you how to place your bike on the rack. I walked down my designated row until I came to my race number and placed my bike facing the river as instructed. At least I wouldn't have to put up with some last minute athlete squeezing in and moving people's gear around like last year ;-)

First pre-race bike drop off

PS: I'm sporting my Barb's Race shirt...this race needs to be resurrected!

Smile for the camera, Beast.

After racking my bike, I walked to drop off my bike gear bag. I found my row and walked to where my race number would be. My OCD tendencies kicked in so I opened the bag and made my 10th or 11th gear check that day...two shoes, one helmet, glasses in their case (attached to the inside of my helmet so they didn't get stepped on inadvertently), and last but not least, one Clif Bar. It didn't seem like enough for 112 miles and I reminded myself that I would have more food to add to the bike in the morning.

NOTE: Some athletes had bottles on their bikes with hydration in them at drop off! Gross!! I can only imagine the petri dish of crap they will have growing after sitting in the hot summer sun for an afternoon! Yuck!

Ok bike gear...don't go anywhere

Race Day Morning

I woke before my alarm and started getting ready.

Step 1 - Get dressed. I pulled out my Pearl Izumi tri kit. I am so proud to be able to wear this and to be part of the Pearl Izumi Tri Champions team. On top of that, I had trained in this outfit, I had raced in this outfit, I love this outfit and I knew it was going to get me though the day without any problems.

Pre-race selfie

Step 2 - Put on Tri Tats. The instructions on the back of the tri tats were so small that I had a hard time reading them. Other than how to put them on, there was nothing telling me where to put them, so I guessed. I put my age on my left leg and my race numbers on my upper arms. There was a third set of race numbers that I had no idea what to do with, so I slipped them back in the envelope.

Step 3 - Eat breakfast. I started a pot of coffee and put a couple of pieces of sour dough bread in the toaster. Last year, eggs on toast was my go-to race day breakfast, but I have gotten quite lazy this year and have found avocado on toast to be an acceptable substitute that requires very little cooking.

Step 4 - Double check. Here I go again...time to check and double check. I opened my morning gear bag and spotted my timing chip. Oops! That should be on my ankle.  I strapped it on my left leg and checked the fit. It felt much better than some I have worn in previous races (Ones that feel like they are falling off the entire swim!) Ok, back to the inventory...wetsuit, swim cap with number, goggles, extra pair of goggles just in case, Gatorade for the bike, Honey Stinger waffles, coconut strips, Skittles, Sport Legs. Check. Check. Check

Step 5 - Finish up. My final step was putting my hair in a pony tail, applying plenty of sunscreen to all exposed areas (including my part because I would be wearing a visor on the run), coating the back of my neck and hairline with copious amounts of Glide so my wetsuit would not rub me raw, and putting on my flip flops. That was it. Time to walk out the door. I hesitated and contemplated bringing a pair of socks for the ride. Nope...most of my training was without socks, I don't need them today.

HS and I got in the truck and drove to the river a little after 5am. When we arrived in Guerneville about 10 minutes later, the town was crawling with athletes in the early morning darkness. Parking was difficult to find, so I asked HS to let me out so I could head to T1. I would have gone nuts if I had to sit in the truck any longer. I grabbed my gear bag and the bike pump and started my solitary walk.

Pre-swim warmup!

Happy to see a familiar face :-)

Swim

In 2015, the Vineman swim was two loops and was seeded according to age group. This year, the swim was one loop and the athletes were required to self seed based on estimated finish time. I was prepared to give up some time on the swim due to the number of athletes in the water. I estimated that there would be twice as many swimmers. In my mind, this meant twice as many people hitting and kicking me. I prefer to hang back and let the people that want to fight their way through the water go ahead.

A sea of green and pink caps. Where's Waldo?

Last year my swim time was 1:14. I seeded myself in the 1:10 to 1:20 group and stayed towards the back. There were a lot of big guys in that group and I wanted them in front of me. The race started at 6:45am, but I don't think I actually entered the water until about 7:05am. The timing mat was at the edge of the river and once an athlete crossed the mat, their official time would start. I had to wade out a few yards until the water was deep enough to swim.  This year, after I pressed start on my Garmin, I locked the keys so I wouldn't have to worry about anything getting screwed up!

Once I got going, I quickly figured out that a lot of the men folk in the water were a little more optimistic about how fast they were going to swim. I would spend a few minutes slapping big feet in front of me and then move past them. Oddly enough, even though this event was much bigger than last year, I had less people hitting and kicking me in the swim. Once I moved past a group of slower swimmers, there would be a nice open space and then a few minutes later, I would come across another group.

The swim seemed magical. I don't know that it is about swimming in that river, but it is one of my favorite places to swim. As I swam past the original turn, things began to feel effortless. I was sure I was swimming slower than normal, but I didn't care. The river was beautiful as it made a slight bend to the right. Eventually the water curved left and I knew I was coming to the turn. I could not believe that I was almost half way finished and I still felt great.

As I neared the turn buoy, I swam towards the outside to avoid the swimmers trying to save seconds by taking the inside. It wasn't worth it because it seemed like once a swimmer got around 2/3 of the buoy they would stand up and block the other swimmers. I continued on with the process of moving past a group and then into an open space. When things got too shallow to swim I would do porpoise/dolphin (it's much quicker than walking) being careful not to dive too deep and bottom out.

At one point I found myself trying to negotiate a path around two male swimmers. Every time I tried to move left or right, they seemed to read my mind and block my path. Eventually, I decided to try and "blast" through the middle. It worked. Unfortunately, it also caused my right foot to twinge and set off a pre-cramp panic inside my head. No! No! No! Please don't cramp. I forced myself to relax and I stopped any kind of movement with that foot. Thankfully, the potential cramp passed and I was able to get back to the job of swimming.

At one shallow point, in between my porpoise/dolphin move, I heard a male swimmer ask someone if that was the second bridge up ahead (meaning the second bridge we passed after the start). I stood up and walked a bit while I stared at the bridge. That is the second bridge. I'm almost done. Woo hoo!

I couldn't believe it. I dove in and started swimming again. Minutes later, I mashed my hand into someone's really soft rear end. Oops, sorry! I thought I had accidentally molested a female swimmer, but as I moved to the right, I caught a glimpse of a green cap. My only thought was "Dude! You need to firm up those cheeks!"

It was a short distance from the second bridge to the first. As I passed the first bridge, I looked up to sight and saw the swim exit. I was amazed that the swim was over already. As soon as things were shallow enough, I stood up and made my way to the bank taking a moment to unlock the keys on my Garmin and press the [Lap] button. My watch read 1:09:18. No freakin' way! I had planned to swim about a 1:20:00. I was certain I would add time to last year, not take time off. I was pumped and I ran all the way to the changing tent!

Total game face!

Feeling great and running to my gear bag!

T1

An IRONMAN event is big time. Everyone gets treated like a pro.  As I ran out of the river, I grabbed my swim to bike bag and ran up the bank to the wetsuit strippers. There were plenty of volunteers (Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!). I unzipped my wetsuit, pulled it down around my hips, flopped on the ground, and put my legs up. My suit was off in seconds. I stood up, took my wetsuit, thanked the volunteer and headed for the changing tent.

Here's a pic of the inside of the changing tent (taken at bike drop off). It was muggy
and dark on race morning.

The tent was a little on the dark side and the ground was pretty muddy...probably from all of the wet swimmers changing. I found an open chair and sat down and started going through my bag. I didn't have much...bike shoes, helmet, glasses, and a Clif Bar. A volunteer came over to me and asked what she could do. I asked if there was a way I could clean off my feet and she handed me a wipe. As I cleaned the bottoms of my feet and put my shoes on, the volunteer packed up my stuff and handed me my bag.

I dropped the bag off on my way out of the tent and went to find my bike.

Look for the green tape.

I made a mental note on bike drop off that my row was the only one that had green tape on the carpet. Thankfully it was still there on race day.  It screamed "Tracy, turn left here!"

Beast! I'm coming for you!!!

Bike

I walked up the short steep hill leaving the river and mounted my bike. I was almost to the main road when I remembered to advance my Garmin to the bike section of the race. I pressed the button and looked down at my watch...there was the cyclist icon. Success! Things are going so much better than last year!

I love this pic...it really makes me look like I'm going fast!

Out on River Rd. there were hundreds of riders, It was hard to keep the proper spacing and I worried about a course marshall driving by and giving everyone a penalty. I did what I could to maintain a legal distance.

Briefly bunched up...I was in the middle of a pass ;-)

My first loop was fairly uneventful. I rode at my desired pace. I ate on time and executed flawless hydration top-offs at each aid station. I couldn't ask for more. On the first climb up Chalk Hill, I ate a GU in an effort to replenish the glycogen in my fatiguing muscles. 

I love my bike!

There was a lady who had "MONICA" on the back of her kit. We traded spots back and forth throughout the first loop. She was in the 40-44 age group, so I really didn't care if she passed me. At the end of the first loop, I saw her pull over and grab her special needs bag. I was feeling a little un-special because I couldn't think of anything I needed in my bag and I really didn't want to stop.

Hey guys! Guess what? I'm done with my first loop!
The best part of any race is seeing your family and friends!!

On my second loop I was finally passed by my first course marshall. Thankfully, I was well behind the group in front of me that seemed to have mistakenly thought they were in the Tour de France. The marshall's motorcycle pulled up next to them and lingered for a while. I think he was busy handing out penalties.

So focused, but loving it!

The rest of the second loop went as planned, except for one small mistake. At one aid station I decide to unload some trash in my bag. I reached down, grabbed what I thought was only a bunch of Honey Stinger wrappers and tossed them. Unfortunately, I tossed my second Chalk Hill GU as well! Bummer. Luckily I still had some Skittles left over to substitute.

The rest of the ride went as well as could be expected. However, the wind really started to pick up on the second loop and it reminded me of my windy interval rides from Stockton to Thornton.

T2

T2 was out in the field of Windsor High School, or maybe it was part of Keiser Park, either way, it seemed barren and dry. I was happy to finally get off my bike.

T2 bag drop off on Friday afternoon (there was a rose at the end
of my row)

I handed my bike to a volunteer and thanked them. They asked if I needed anything off the bike and I replied "No."  Quite frankly, I didn't want to look at my bike for a while. I grabbed my run gear bag (right where I left it) and headed towards the tent.

The T2 changing tent was noticeably more empty than the T1 changing tent. I plopped in a chair and dropped my bag. Two volunteers rushed over to help me. I started pulling stuff out of my bag and taking off my bike gear. This time I opted for socks and as I changed, I asked if a volunteer could fill up my hand held bottle with water. As she hurried off to take care of my hydration, another volunteer asked if I would like some sunscreen. I said "Yes" and she started coating my shoulders.

I asked if she could get the back of my neck too. She obliged. However, as soon as the sunscreen hit my neck I could feel it burning and I knew I was either burned from the sun or raw from my wetsuit. Too late now...gotta keep moving. I thanked the volunteers. They stuffed my bike gear into the bag and I headed out of the tent.

Run

While the first two disciplines went as planned, the third and toughest for me, the run, was a disappointment. On most of my training runs I carried a water bottle. I decided that this year I would carry one during the race so I could cut down on the amount of time I spent at the aid stations. Another thing that I did on my training runs was start off with some C4. I did this partly to wake up for my 4am L-O-N-G runs, but also for a boost of energy. I decided that I would put ½ a serving into my water bottle so I would get a boost for the start of the run.

Karen snapped this pic of me headed out on the run!

I made my way out through the park and on to the road. My first couple of miles were around my goal pace, but then again, there was a monster downhill to start the run, so I’m sure that helped. I sipped on my C4 and plodded along. There was a lot more sun on this course compared to last year’s route and I missed the shade of the trees. I decided to take two Endurolytes to be on the safe side because I didn’t want a repeat of the Auburn Triathlon.  While I didn’t have to grab something to drink at the aid stations, I did get ice to put down my top and I helped myself to ½ a banana and some potato chips.

Around mile 10, I started to experience some stomach discomfort. I had an ulcer in my late 20’s or early 30’s and all I can say is that the pain that struck me felt like that. My stomach was knotted up and I felt a sharp, burning pain. Part of me wanted to stop and puke, part of me didn’t want to go there (even though if I did, I could tell everyone that I definitely left it all on the course).

I started adding water to my bottle at the aid stations and chewing on some of the ice I had been collecting. Nothing seemed to work. My slow run became a definite run/walk. I cajoled myself into running on down hills, but even then, the pain was making it difficult. On my second loop, I saw a runner bent over on the side of the road. In my head I pleaded with her not to puke. If she started, I was going to be joining her. I turned my head so I wouldn’t see her vomit and shuffled past.

Loops

Speaking of loops, let me touch on that briefly. As most of you know, I’m not opposed to loops. I find running in a loop oddly comforting. The loops on this course were not comforting and I found them to be quite annoying. Even if I didn’t have to run up the monster hill three times, I still would not like these loops. I saw a post on Facebook by Karyn Hoffman (a tremendous triathlete and runner) and she referred to part of the loop as “the maze”. This was a perfect description.

Worst loops ever!

At the end of each loop, you had to run around the perimeter of a parking lot in the park, back out on the street, back into the park, around the backside and then past the fork in the road reminding you that you needed to head back out on the course, back through the park, out on the street and around the parking lot. It was nice that you got to see lots of cheering fans (thank you Karen Messersmith for being there to cheer for me since my crew was out having DINNER! LOL), but the well wishes weren’t enough to make running through this park multiple times worth it.

I don't blame you guys...I wouldn't want to wait for me either! LOL

The Run Continued

In a quick post-race email, Coach K commented;

“From the outside looking in it looked like your day went according to plan with the exception of miles 13ish through 22?” 

He could not have been more right. While my distress started earlier than that, it may not have been reflected accurately in my times until later in the race.  At mile 11 I stopped to pee. I had been debating whether or not to try and go on the run, but decided against it given the amount of distance I still had to cover. I’m glad I stopped, because I really had to go and at that point I didn’t care if I screwed up my pace or not.

Ugh!

Back out on the course, I continued my run/walk. I was miserable and started questioning whether or not I even wanted the finisher’s medal. I was in so much pain that at one point I even considered going over to the ambulance at the side of the road and asking to be taken back to the finish. Ultimately, I knew I wanted the medal and I wanted to hear my name when I crossed the finish line. At that point, I started questioning my sanity. Really, Tracy? You’re going to put yourself through all of this suffering just for a medal and five little words? Really?

At the end of my second loop, I thought I would never see the top of the monster hill (This hill is so much more fun descending it on a bike!) It was a long miserable walk. Every once I a while I would muster up enough oomph to run for a few yards, but that was the best I could do. I even started walking downhill! I tried smiling when I saw the course photographers, but I’m not sure if they captured a forced smile or a grimace.

Yeah, that's a grimace :-/

Thankfully, at the start of the third loop, the temps started to cool. My stomach was still my biggest concern and I wondered if I was doing any kind of damage to myself. I had been avoiding food since my stomach problem started but I knew I had to get some sort of energy in me in order to finish the last loop. I decided to try eating another ½ of a banana at the first aid station and  then started taking sips of Coke at the following stations (Note: for the cost of this event, you think you would get real Coke and not something labeled “cola”…but I digress…).

Towards the end of an endurance race, being able to perform simple math becomes an issue for me. Throughout the run, I kept trying to figure out whether or not I was going to be able to PR (yes, even with all the pain, that was still in the back of my mind). At certain points, I would calculate that it was impossible. At other points, my calculations would look like I still had a chance. It wasn’t until the final turn with approximately 4 miles to go that my calculations pointed towards a PR by a very slim margin. I didn’t have much time to dilly dawdle.

One of the things I practiced this season was telling myself that a little discomfort was not the end of the world and that I wouldn’t die just because my legs were tired. I refocused and started to run. I kept telling myself to keep moving forward…just keep moving forward. My average pace for the last four miles was 10:48, 10:50, 11:10 (going up the monster hill one last time), 10:28 (almost there), and 9:49 (headed down the finish chute). The seven miles preceding the last 4.2 averaged around 12:30 per mile. Divine intervention is the only thing that I know that could have picked up my pace because it definitely wasn’t half a banana and some fake coke!

The last .2 miles, as I headed towards the finish line, were awesome. The chute was lined with fans. Children climbed the fence and stuck out their hands for a high-five. I made sure I left no outstretched hand untouched.

Free high-fives!

There was a male runner ahead of me. I kept some distance between us because I wanted to make sure that the announcer had plenty of time to get my name out (that’s what I came here for, right? LOL). I rounded the last corner and smiled when I saw the finish line. This was it! As I crossed the line I raised my arms and then immediately started looking for HS. He had to be there somewhere. I heard the announcer say “Tracy, you-are-an-IRONMAN!” and then heard a voice in the crowd calling “Tray!” I looked to the right and there was HS with James and Jessica. I was so relieved to see them.

The clock does not reflect my actual start time ;-)

I walked over to HS and let out an audible sob (listen for it in the video) and he placed my finisher’s medal around my neck. I can’t watch the video he took without shedding a tear. It was a momentous occasion for me and I couldn’t have done it without him!

This video made the entire race worth it!!! Thank you, honey!!!

Post Race

I stopped and posed for some pics with the IRONMAN screen behind me. Looking at the pictures now, you would never know the amount of pain I had endured to get to there…I was all smiles.  It was if the finish line had some sort of magical powers that could momentarily transport you to the happiest place on earth.

What suffering? I don't remember suffering!

A volunteer gave me my finisher’s shirt and asked if I was OK. I said I was fine, just a little emotional. She remarked that it was perfectly normal. I walked towards the exit and the volunteer ran up to me and told me that I dropped my hat. I looked at the hat and explained that my hat was still on my head. “No, she said, this is your new finisher’s hat!” I laughed, thanked her and made my way to HS.

As we walked to collect my bike and gear, HS proudly told me that he had bought me an IRONMAN outfit. He said he thought he got the right size but I could exchange it if I needed something different. All of a sudden the magic of the finish line vanished and I was back to being tired and in pain. “I don’t want anything IRONMAN!” were the embarrassingly ungrateful words out of my mouth. Here is a man that has put up with all my training hours, hung out for over half a day waiting for me to finish, and was thoughtful enough to buy me a GIFT and that is what I said. Ugh…God forgive me…I felt horrible.

We picked up my gear bags and bike. Beast was a hot mess. Gatorade had practically shellacked my aerobars. The top bag was open revealing a colorful mess of Skittles and coconut strips. I pushed the bike and HS carried the bags. The volunteer at the gate double checked to make sure we had the right stuff and we headed to the truck. Thankfully, HS had paid for parking so we didn’t have to go too far. I checked out the new IRONMAN cycling outfit he picked out and had to admit it was pretty cute (black and pink…how could it not be?).

On the drive back to the cabin, HS patiently listened to all of my war stories. We had about a 20-30 minute drive and I noticed that my stomach was still really hurting. Perhaps eating some real food would help? I asked if we could get pizza and he said we could get whatever I wanted. We pulled up to a pizza place in Guerneville but the “Pizza by the Slice” sign and the toothless woman out front made me reconsider eating there. I then suggested stopping by the taqueria I saw headed towards Monte Rio.

We parked across the street from the taqueria and I tucked my finisher’s medal in the center console as if it were made of precious metal and likely to be stolen (Hey! It’s precious metal to me!) Once we got inside the restaurant, I wanted to double over in pain. At that point, I didn’t even know if I was going to be able to eat. HS ordered a carnitas dinner and I opted for a bean, rice and cheese burrito. Thankfully, the food was ready within minutes and we were back on the road.

Precious "medal"

The first thing I did when we got back to the cabin was to take a bath. While I soaked, HS brought me a glass of wine. I took a couple of sips and my stomach was racked with pain. At that point, I didn’t even know if I was going to be able to eat. I got out of the tub, put on my pj's, and sat down to try and get some food in myself. I managed to eat about half the burrito, but it took some effort. I wrapped up the rest and put it in the fridge for later.  

Around 10:30pm HS said he thought we should go to bed. I laid down for about five minutes but was still so amped up that I could not sleep. On top of that, my stomach hurt so bad that rest was nearly impossible. That is when the mass evacuation started. I got out of bed and HS asked where I was going. “I have to go to the bathroom!” I replied as I hurried across the cabin. The rest of the night was like that…lay on the couch, get up and rush to the bathroom, lay back down, doze off briefly, get up and rush to the bathroom. I was lucky if I got 3 hours of sleep that night.

The next morning hunger and pain waged war inside me. I wanted to eat, but when I tried, the pain came back even worse. I managed to get a few more bites of cold burrito in me with a little diet 7-up, but that was the best I could do.  We packed up and decided to head home early. My stomach was still knotted up when we hit Stockton, but I forced down a turkey and avocado sandwich when I got home and managed a two hour nap before we had to pick up the dogs.

Something to consider from the cover of the cabin instructions ;-)

After we got home late Sunday morning, the pain was still lingering. Eating remained an effort and I was jealous when I saw the picture that Karyn posted of her and Scott’s post-race breakfast. I would have killed to have an appetite! Regardless of all of this suffering, I am glad I went through with it. I can’t explain why hearing those words were so important to me, but they were. The sense of accomplishment has made it all worth it.

What’s Next

Throughout this training season, HS and I have discussed what’s in store next. I’m not ruling out additional 140.6 mile races, I’m just taking a year or so off from that distance. I want to take some time doing races that bring joy back into the sport (although I have to admit, the feeling at an IRONMAN finish line is quite intoxicating). IRONMAN training is tough, not only for me, but for HS and I have to consider his feelings as well as my own.

Next year, I am going back to shorter distances with maybe a 70.3 thrown in for good measure ;-)

Pressing Pause

Sorry, Coach, I pressed “pause” this weekend. I really didn’t intend to, but it’s what ended up happening. It started with me changing up my schedule to accommodate a massage that HS and I had scheduled for Sunday afternoon. I decided that I would do my long ride on Friday, my long run on Saturday and then on Sunday, I could sleep in a bit and still have plenty of time to get my swim in before church. Well, by the time Sunday rolled around, I was dead tired and decided not to swim.

Actually, I don’t think I was too tired to swim, but my attitude sucked. Probably due to the fact that I haven't been sleeping well. The dream I had in between alarms sort of sums up how I was feeling.

I was going to go swim and as I was driving to the pool, a car blocked the road. Actually, it really wasn't a road, it was more like the covered driveway area at Home Depot off of March Lane where you can drive up and load your vehicle. There was a small white truck parked across the driveway. As I stood there trying to figure out a way around the truck, more and more athletes that wanted to swim appeared behind me. Finally a frustrated police officer (or maybe it was a Home Depot employee) gave the go-ahead to rush the truck and push it out of the way. 

We attacked the truck and shoved it out of the way and then rushed to a small apartment building. The lucky people had an apartment there, other people knew people who were staying there. Everyone that could get in to the building did. I thought I was going to get in, but the apartment I was headed to was full of people I didn't know. I stood in the parking lot wondering what to do. 

It then dawned on me that I didn't need to go inside to change because I already had my suit on and I had my swim gear. At that point, I thought to myself "It's not worth it" and turned around and left.

Yikes! I hope this dream doesn't represent my sub-conscience feelings about Vineman...that I don't think it's worth it. I've come too far and put in too much time to feel so "meh" about this race.

Last year I was writing about "Super Girl"

Balancing Act

The funny thing is, physically I feel so much better than I did last year at this time. Other than a little fatigue in my legs, most days I feel great! Of course I equate this to not training hard enough. I notice Facebook posts about training sessions from other people…people that rode more miles than me or ran longer distances at faster paces. Self-doubt creeps in.

Seriously, I worry that because I can walk in the morning like a human and not Frankenstein; that I don’t have to warn the massage therapist to stay away from my Achilles tendons because they are sore to the touch; or that I currently have all 10 toe nails that I am not doing enough. I should be thrilled that I feel as good as I do. I really don't have time to do anymore than I'm doing!!! (Hmmm, on second thought, I don't think I'm doing enough LOL)

My mental condition is a different story. While my improved physical condition makes it much easier to smile throughout my training, I look around at the chaos in my home (not that I’m a neat freak) and think, I need to get this back under control when this is over. I’ve got weeds in the flower beds, a dirty car, dogs that need a trimming, laundry piled up in the spare bedroom, and a dining room that looks like a bike shop. And this is after my attempt to keep my life more balanced this year. Honestly, I really feel way more balanced in terms of HS, work, and life than I did the year before (I'm sure HS wouldn't necessarily agree...he's about had his fill of this crazy training lifestyle). Hang in there, Honey, it's almost over!!!

This balancing act is not always easy with my 9/80 work schedule. 9/80 means I work eight 9 hour days and one 8 hour day every two weeks with every other Friday off. This “off” Friday is usually when I try and catch up on house work and laundry. I even started swimming at the gym so I could get my swim workout done immediately after work instead of driving to and from Lodi. Since Wednesdays are my double workout days (swim and then a run) they became crockpot days so dinner would be ready as soon as I was finished. And while HS didn’t need to wait for me to eat, he always did and I am grateful for that. 

Saving Grace

One thing that snapped me out of my funk was having breakfast with my BFF and her hubby. It had been a while since the four of us had gotten together and there was a lot to catch up on. When the topic of Vineman came up, my BFF asked when I thought I was going to finish…meaning what time of day. I said I wasn’t sure because I didn’t know what the start time was. She remarked that since this was an official IRONMAN race, she was going to make a day trip to be there at the finish line to hear those words I have dreamed of for the last few years “Tracy Pengilly…You..are…an…IRONMAN!” She gets it! I had forgotten.

Because of her, I remembered why I’m doing this. Of course, when I think of all the time, training and expense, it seems like an awful lot just to hear 6 words…especially after I’ve already done this distance. I can’t explain it. All I know is that is what I want (and to improve my time from last year ha ha) and for the next 3 weeks, I am going to stay focused on this goal...housework be damned and maybe cooking too! LOL

Tri for Real #2 - Race Report

Pre-Pre-Race 

It's in pink because this part is really only for the ladies ;-)

The weeks between the World's Toughest Half and the Tri for Real #2 have been difficult for me.
I no longer know what to expect from my body. About a week before The World’s Toughest Half, my favorite aunt dropped by for her monthly visit. It was the last thing I wanted, but I was thankful that it was before the race and not during. Unfortunately, she decided that it was going to be an extended visit and stuck around for the race and many days after…something she has never done before.

This month her expected arrival date came and went. She didn’t even drop by to say “Hi”! Hmmm…she’s never done this before either. At this point I don't even care...as long as she's not here on race day I'm happy.

On top of that issue, I have been plagued by insomnia (actually, based on what I've been reading, the lack of a monthly visit and the insomnia are related). Anyway, there was a two week period where I would wake up around 1 A.M. or 2 A. M. every night and toss and turn the rest of the night lucky to eek out a few more minutes of sleep. I felt exhausted during the day and found it hard to focus at work. Then there were nights that I would wake up drenched in sweat and other nights that I felt like I was freezing to death (maybe because I turned the air on a little too low to avoid the night sweats LOL).

About a week before the Tri for Real #2, I started sleeping through the night. In fact, I started sleeping a little too much. I would fall asleep lounging by the pool, I would fall asleep on the couch after dinner, and then somehow sleep through the night. My Garmin showed me sleeping all night on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Maybe my lack of sleep had finally caught up with me. Unfortunately, Thursday night was restless and it continued that way right up until race day.

Pre-Race

My alarm went off around 4 A.M. on Sunday morning. Hot Stuff questioned why I was getting up so early. I explained that the race started at 7 A.M. He thought that was earlier than usual so I got on the TBF Racing website and found that the race didn't start until 8 A.M. I would have sworn that the website said 7 A.M. the day before (Dani thought she saw 7 A.M. too) but at that point I was just happy to have another hour to try and sleep. I figured that I had roughly 4-5 hours of sleep the night before and could use any extra zzz's I could get.

When my alarm went off an hour later, I got up and fixed coffee and a plate of eggs on toast. While the water for the coffee was heating up, I checked my bike one last time and made sure I had everything I needed in my tri bag. I wish I was more enthusiastic about this race, but I just wasn't feeling it. Maybe it was the lack of sleep or the fact that I may have had a little too much wine the day before (not a good move), but I was not in the mood. Actually, I think it was the lingering doubts from the World's Toughest Half that had me questioning my fitness and my racing ability.

Warm-Up

After checking in at the registration desk, I found James and racked my bike next to his. Actually, I had started setting up next to a tree (thinking shade) before seeing James' bike. The lady next to me had stuff spread everywhere, including a chair in front of her bike and potentially my transition exit path. I was happy to move over by James because at least I knew he had some transition etiquette and wouldn't spread his stuff out in front of mine.

Look who I found!

Not sure what we are discussing

I got my stuff set up and then slipped on my running shoes (Pearl Izumi Women's E:MOTION TRI N1 v2). Coach K had noted a warmup on my calendar for the race... run 1 mile, ride 20 minutes. Typically I just use my swim as a warmup LOL. Since I know that Coach K checks my Garmin data periodically, I made sure I started my watch for the run.

When I got back from my run I found Coach K racking his bike next to mine. Crap! Now I'm going to be all stressed out because he's here. What if I have another sucky race? I walked over and said good morning. He said he saw all the pink (pink towel, pink cycling shoes, pink helmet, etc) and figured it was my bike. What can I say? :-)

I changed shoes and headed out for a 20 minute spin. When I got back, Coach K said something about being tired from training and giving myself time to warmup during the ride or something like that...you think I would pay better attention but my mind was elsewhere. All I could think about was just getting through the race without embarrassing myself. Hey, at least he was giving me an excuse :-)

Swim

Last year I did the Tri for Real #1 in my full sleeve wetsuit. It was way, way too warm for sleeves and I regretted that decision. This year I switched back to my sleeveless. My main goal for the swim was to not be slower than last year. I also wanted to try going out a little quicker than I am comfortable with..just to get ahead of the pack.

The quick start seemed to work as planned and I found myself in a comfortable zone in terms of not having too many people touching or bumping me. After I made the first turn, I eased up because I was worried about setting off the cramp in my left foot that has plagued me for the last couple of weeks. For the most part, I was happy with the swim. I managed to beat last year's time but it wasn't a PR. I think I did a little too much breast stroke...in fact, I don't know why I did any breast stroke at all other than I was taking things just a bit too easy.

Still my favorite part of the swim

T1

I walked into transition. I wanted a moment to get settle down and get ready for the ride.  Once I was at my bike, I made quick work of stripping off my wetsuit and getting on my cycling gear. While changing, I contemplated the ride. I just wanted to have a good ride. My biggest fear that I would be significantly slower than last year. 

Leaving T1

Bike

I love the bike course at Rancho Seco. It's a rolling out and back that just begs to be hammered. Maybe that's not the best plan of attack, but it's what I always find myself doing. The only part that slows you down is the speed bumps leaving the park and coming back. This year I made an attempt to bunny hop the bumps. Most of the time I failed, but I did manage to practically clear one of the bumps...almost LOL. It felt like a victory to me.

Highway 104 seemed rougher than in the past. I'm not sure if there was a fresh chip seal on it or not, but it was not smooth. About halfway out, I closed in on a pickup pulling a small trailer full of goats. The driver did not want to go around the riders in front of his truck. As the pickup crested a hill, he basically came to a stop until the riders could get rolling again. I had no choice but to slow to a crawl hoping that he would make his move on the descent. It took him a while, but he finally got rolling  only to slow down again when he came up on more riders :-/

On the way out, I was trying to figure out which direction the wind was blowing. It sort of felt like a cross wind, but I wasn't too sure. On the way back, however, it definitely felt like a head wind. I put my head down and pedaled. One thing that concerned me was the freshly cut weeds on the side of the road. It looked like they had been mowed within the last day or so because clippings were all over the road. My first thought was "goat heads" so I did my best not to ride through the mess.

T2

When I rolled back in to transition, HS told me that I was the first female in off the bike! I was thrilled!! He then pointed out that some lady just rolled in behind me. I hurried up and changed and headed out on the run course.

I need to learn how to do this...

...it's so much cooler than dismounting this way!

Run

The run at Rancho Seco is tough...especially when it's hot. There are rolling hills, gravel roads, a paved road section and single track trail...oh, and there's not much shade. I never expect much from my run...especially after riding like a fool without a thought about pace.

Headed out on the run

As I turned off the grass on to the gravel road, the lady that rode into transition after me caught me and ran past me. She had a 54 on her leg. Runner...Just let her go...She's not in your age group...There will be others passing you.

As we neared the first aid station at mile one, I watched as she ran through it without taking anything to drink. I called out for ice and electrolytes. The ice went in my top and the electrolytes sort of made it in my mouth. I slowed to a walk to keep from spilling any more of my drink, tossed the cup, and then took off running again.

The lady with the 54 continued to move away from me. I comforted myself with my performance on the bike and reminded myself to stick to my plan which was basically keep moving forward. As we neared the second aid station, I would swear that she skipped this one too. Not me. More ice and water please. Ice down the top, water in my mouth and over my head. It was hot out, and I wanted to keep from overheating. As I ran the third mile, I dug some ice out of my top. I put a few cubes in my mouth and held a couple of pieces in each hand as I ran.

The paved section of the run is a relatively short out-and-back that gives you the chance to see who is behind you.  I was certain that as soon as I made the turn there would be a female runner right on my heels. I was surprised that I almost had to run all the way back to the gravel road before crossing another woman. I looked forward to see where 54 was...she didn't appear to be as far ahead as I remember.

As I ran through the single track section, I looked out to the lake and thought about how good it would feel to jump in and swim. I quickly re-focused my thoughts to running. The trail twists and turns and then spits you back out at the second aid station. This time, 54 got something to drink. I called out for another round of ice and water...slowing to a walk for just a bit.

As I made my way along the trail, I was certain that the 4 mile marker was missing. There was just no way I had not reached 4 miles yet. Unfortunately, I messed up the multi-sport tracking on my Garmin (pushing "stop" instead of "lap") so I couldn't rely on my Garmin giving me a correct distance.  My thoughts on distance were interrupted by the realization that 54 was now only about 25 yards in front of me.

I stuck to my pace and kept moving forward as planned. However, as I did this, I kept getting closer to 54. I wasn't sure what to do. Honestly, I don't really pass many people on the run, let alone the lead female runner.  Eventually, I made the decision to go around her. I figured this would spur her on and that she would pass me within seconds. Seconds passed and she didn't run by me...I kept moving forward.

Eventually the course takes you back past the first aid station. I called out for ice and electrolytes and waited to hear 54's voice so I could try and figure out how much further she was behind me. I couldn't really tell, but I figured that even if she ran past me now, I still had a good chance of winning my age group...something I have never done on this course. I was happy with that.

One of the male runners headed out on the course told me he thought I was in front. I was buoyed by the thought that I might actually get first overall and it quieted the voices in my head that were telling me to ease up a bit. Around mile 6 I heard footsteps...small, quick, light footsteps so I knew it wasn't a man. A female runner...the one I had seen back on the paved section ran past me. Bummer. The good news was that she had a 41 on her leg. All I needed to do was finish the last .2 miles and I would finally win my age group.

Finished!

Post Race

This was the first time that I can honestly say that I have "trained through" a race. Previous races have always had some kind of taper...no matter how small. This one did not. Coach K did give me Friday off as a rest day...the first complete day off since the day after the World's Toughest Half  almost 6 weeks ago and I was grateful for it. Saturday, however, was just another training day.

I had deep concerns about doing the Tri for Real #2 in the middle of Vineman training. I was worried that if I had a poor performance it could mentally shake me and crush what was left of my confidence after the WTH. While I didn't have a PR, I came away from the race feeling great and ready for my IRONMAN race.

My favorite thing to see at a race (besides the finish line) is HS waiting for me at the finish. I think he was as thrilled about my finish as I was. He told me I did great and gave me a kiss. I went and grabbed something to drink and walked back to where he was waiting...with Coach K. Ugh...I know what this means.

Me and Coach K

Besides the warmup noted on my training calendar, Coach K had also prescribed a 4 mile run immediately after the race. I had secretly hoped he meant back at home after I had a chance to rest, but no, he meant right away. With him standing there talking to HS, there was no way to get around it. He asked me if I took in any calories after my finish. I hadn't. It's too hard to eat after a race...especially when it's hot out. I grabbed a Gatorade bottle as a compromise and started weaving my way around Rancho Seco park.

Scott doesn't seem to have a problem eating after a race

I made a couple of meandering circles through the campground...checking back with HS to see where they were in the awards process. There was no way I was going to miss this. I wanted my podium pick standing above #1 in my Pearl Izumi team kit. After about 2-1/2 miles, they were starting on the female awards and I was developing a raw spot on one of my heels due to the sand and sweat so I called it quits and pressed "stop" on my Garmin.

#triathlon #endureandenjoy #centralvalleytriathlonclub #pearlizumi #tbfracing #triforreal #USAT #hookit