La Isla de Cozumel

Here I am 10 days after my first Ironman. It already seems like it was months ago and yet not really. The excitement is there when I think about it or talk to someone about my experience. And what an experience it was!!!

Sunday morning I woke up at 4:00 am. The first thing I did was open the curtain to see if it was windy. Not a hint of wind was present! The ocean was calm as the moon reflected off  it. I knew right then it was going to be a good day!

I made my tea and oatmeal with a little protein powder and attempted to begin eating. My stomach was full of butterflies and there was not much room for food, but I got my oatmeal down. As I was eating I put on my bathing suit and gathered everything I would need before the race began….bike water bottles-check; pre-race nutrition- check; swim skin-check…..I had everything I needed and before I new it Janet and I were headed downstairs to our cab.

When we arrived at  Chankanaab Park it was just beginning to get light. You could FEEL the excitement all around!  I enter through the athletes entrance where they checked your bracelet, remarked your body, then took a photo of you.  From there I walked past the “PROS” area.  They had special bike racks with their names on them.  Next it was off to be rejoined with Betty (my beautiful Orbea Ordu).

I got to Betty and proceeded to put all the water bottles on her.  After doing that, I was pretty much done with her and she was ready.  I walked back out of the Transition area (T1) and found Janet.  We walked over to the bathrooms, and I got into my speed suit. I then meandered over to a waterfall and relaxed and breathed in some of the wonderful negative ions!  I began to relax while all around me the excitement was popping!!

I looked at my watch and realized it was time for me to head over to the swim start and drop off my clothes.  I took one more deep breath and headed out onto the dock with all the other athletes to await the start of the PROS.  The pros got off….then it was our turn.

We all slowly made our way to the end of the docks and got ourselves into the water.  1600 athletes making their way down two docks took awhile.  Once I got into the water under the pier I began to tread water to wait for the start.   I looked over to my right and I saw two guys standing on something that was under the water….I made my way over to them and they helped me stand on this piece of dock.  Yeah!  I found the best place to wait for the start!  I didn’t have to expend energy treading water and could just relax until the gun went off…..

And THEN- the Gun Went OFF…..and WE were OFF!!!!  I was beginning the adventure of my first IRONMAN!!!!!

THE SWIM 

The Swim

I made my way out from under the dock and joined the masses.  I was swimming somewhere in the front 1/3 of the pack.  For me this was the perfect place to be.  Once we got to the first buoy I was able to find plenty of room to swim.  I had heard stories that in an IM swim you will just be swamped by people.  I’m happy to say that was not my experience. 

The swim was amazing.  The first bit going north was into the current.  It didn’t feel too tough to me.  The whole time you’re looking down on the ocean floor.  Visibility is 100% and the water is warm, buoyant and spectacular.  As we rounded the first buoy it got to be a bit of a cluster “f” with everyone swimming on top of each other.  I looked down and spotted a diver underneath us.  I had not realized how deep the water was!  The diver look small compared to how far down I thought the ocean floor was…..

After we rounded the first two buoys we were headed back south with the current.  This was sooo much fun!  Swimming in salt water, with the current, looking at incredible sea life!!!  I couldn’t believe how lucky I was to be out there!

The swim eventually came to an end and as I climbed up the stairs to the dock I checked my watch and it read  1:08!!  I thought WTF???  1 hour 8 minutes….that can’t be!???  As I ran down the dock toward my bike gear and the changing tents I was asking spectators what time it was because I couldn’t believe I had just swam 2.4 miles in 1:08….But I did!!!!!

I took a moment to rinse the salt water off in the showers they had for us.  I then made my way down the isle were my Bike Gear bag was and headed for the Women’s Changing Tent was. 

Now this is where it gets incredible!  I went into the tent, was handed an open bottle of water and found a corner.  I said “podria tener ayuda?” and with in seconds there was a volunteer helping me get all my gear out of my bag and helping me get undressed and dressed into my race outfit.  She then proceeded to open my shoes, pull out my food and then began slathering me with sunscreen!  I have never experienced anything like that… and I tell you I could sure get use to it  :). 

I then ran out of the tent and headed toward Betty.  I was reunited with Betty within one minute, I pulled her off the rack and we were headed out of Transition 1 and on our way to 112 miles of bike riding!

THE BIKE

The Bike- East Side of the Island

I crossed the mats out of T1 and jumped on Betty.  I began the ride with crowds lining the road cheering us on.  Once I made my way out onto the main road around the island it became quiet. No one was around….except for all the athletes who came screaming by me.  This is one area I feel I have developed well as an athlete with the help from my coach.  I am able to “race within myself”.  I no longer feel the need to speed up because everyone is passing me.  I have learned from my past races that I will usually end up passing many of these people later on, after they’ve burned themselves out and I am still going strong.  And this is exactly what happened on this 3 lap bike course.  I quess I probably passed a minimum of 30 people on the last lap.

About 30 minutes into the ride another athlete came riding by with his heart rate monitoring beeping.  shortly after that I looked down at my bike computer and realized it had frozen.  A few minutes after that it simply went blank.  So here is the cool thing.  I didn’t even panic!  I immediately said to myself  “you have ridden 5 centuries, self -supported on Betty- You know exactly what you need to feel like!  You know what your cadence feels like, you know what your speed feels like, you know what your pace feels like.  You don’t need your computer.”  And with that I was freed from my computer!  How cool is that!  To completely trust your ability and your self……

To continue….the bike course was fantastic!  The course starts heading south to the tip of the island and then east for a bit and then……I was riding on the east side of the island headed north!  This for me was my most favorite part of the bike ride!  I was literary yards away from the ocean.  The water was so blue and clear, the surf was enchanting, and the beaches were inviting! 

Now many people who rode this course would probably disagree with me about riding on the east side.  Yes there was wind, and as the day got longer the wind got stronger.  But the view was absolutely breathtaking every time I got to the east side.  I was in awe of the beauty.  I took the time to look to my right and be grateful for the beauty I was able to witness! 

I also believe the reason I was able to enjoy the east side so much was the wind did not bother me.  I never felt like I was struggling while riding in the wind.  I stayed in my aerobars the whole time (except when there were small hills then I would stand).  I also know that the 5 centuries I rode on my own were in a very windy valley and this absolutely helped me!  I was not fazed one bit by the wind on the course (see previous blog entry).

Eventually we came to the end of the road on the east side and headed west.  This was the easiest section to ride as there was no wind. This also signaled I was headed into town and into the hundreds of people who lined the streets to cheer us on!  As I rode through the crowds I noticed most athletes kept their heads down and kept quiet.  Well not ME!!  I was screamin, and a hollerin and a hootin- right back at the spectators!  And as I did this, they would in turn scream and cheer even harder!  Many women would yell “Hagalo por las mujeres!” “Do it for the women!”  and the crowd would chant over and over “Si se puede” “You can do it!”  I found I had to watch my pace as I rode through town because the energy of the crowds would get me so charged up!  I would have this surge of excitement and if I wasn’t mindful would find myself pedalling harder than I should…..

And that ’s how the bike went for 3 laps!  Fantastic Beautiful FUN!  I couldn’t believe it when I rolled back into town on my last lap.  I felt strong and not one bit spent.  The ride for me had been easy and so enjoyable.  My last lap on the east side I thanked the Island for the beauty I was able to witness that day…and was slightly sad I would not be passing by there on a 4th lap….

Oh one more thing I forgot to mention….my rear brake was engaged for at least the second lap if not the first also!  I had the bike mechanic at the expo check  Betty to make sure she shifted correctly.  As I was talking to some friends he said the back brake was loose and was going to tighten it.  Well he tightened it too much and on the 2nd lap when I went to stand on some of the small hills I notice the wheel was rubbing. When I stopped for my Special Foods Bag I checked it out and sure enough…..my brake was fully engaged on the tire…So I opened the brake up the whole way and continued on!

So here’s another cool thing about doing an Ironman….they actually have people to “catch” your bike when you arrive at Transition 2 (T2)!  I rode up to the dismount and here was this guy ready to grab my bike and hold it as I got off and then take Betty and bring her somewhere until the end!  How cool is that!

Next it was down a row of Run Gear Bags to pick mine up, then into the women’s changing tent again!  First thing when I entered I was given a bottle of water and then someone came right over to me and assisted me.  She began opening my bag and taking everything out and handing it to me…and as I took things off she put them back into the bag.  It was remarkable the support and kindness the volunteers showed!

THE RUN

The Run and Finish

I got my run gear on…and off I went!  As I got out of the tent and began to run I was amazed how I did not feel tired!  I remember a clear thought of “I’m not stiff!???  I am running fine….I’m not running like a clod…I feel like I’m running on fresh legs!!!”  This completely surprised me! 

I rounded the corner and got onto the main street where the marathon would take place.  Immediately I was greeted with cheers and words of encouragement.  I broke out in the biggest smile I’ve ever had.  I smiled sooooo much on the marathon that my jaws were actually sore the next day.  What I remember about the marathon was that I could look into the eyes of the spectator and see that they were really glad we were there!  They really wanted each of us to do well and to finish!

The run was 3 laps of 8.7 miles.  As I began the run I wasn’t thinking of the fact that I was going to run a marathon, but that I had to run 3 laps of 9 miles…..and that I can run 9 miles no matter what.  I believe having this philosophy about the run took some of the pressure off….I only had to run 3 laps of 9 miles.  Easy!

I loved the marathon!  By the time I got to mile 4 I was really hungry and spotted some Ritz Crackers at the aide station.  I grabbed a couple as I ran by…took a bit…and turned right around and grabbed about 10 more crackers and a bottle of water.  I walked until I finished all the crackers…tossed the water and continued to run for 22.6 miles!  That was the only walking break I took during the whole marathon! 

The run for me felt somewhat easy…I didn’t struggle at all.  The aide stations where every 1km.  Every time I passed one I would grab a water, take a sip, pour some water on each of my legs, pour some over my head, and then take another sip.  I repeated this at every aide station.  I feel this may have helped in my staying hydrated and cool.  Plus it felt great on my legs every time!

I ended up negative splitting the run.  I got faster on each lap.  I was able to enjoy the company of fellow athletes and would chat with someone for awhile….then I would run ahead or they would.  Every time I came back into town I was greeted by the crowd…..Cheering me on!  One spectator told me that I was smiling every time he saw me and couldn’t understand how I could be.  The reason I could be smiling all the time was because I was enjoying myself soooooo much!  That sounds like an oxymoron….how could someone actually enjoy doing an Ironman….I can’t speak for anyone else except that I know I sure Did!

As daylight turned into dusk turned into night, I continued to run enjoying the whole experience and soaking it all in.  Eventually I reached the 20 then the 23 mile markers.  When I reached the 23 mile marker I realized that my race was almost over.  I was just getting back into sight of the town. At that point I threw my arms open and lifted my head to the starry sky and hugged the universe.  I hugged the day, I hugged the other athletes, I hugged every spectator, I hugged Cozumel and I hugged the World.  I was filled with so much joy at that moment that it just welled up from my feet to my head.  I was overcome with love and joy at the same time.

I also realized that my first Ironman was almost over.  I thought about what a friend had told me….”You will only have one First Ironman……soak it up and enjoy it….it will be over before you know it”.  Boy was she right.  At this point I actually slowed down. I didn’t want the day to be over.  As I ran back through town I took in ever spectator that cheered my on, and soon I was at the 26 mile marker….knowing the end of my day was only 2/10th of a mile away. 

As I ran back into town I had passed many athletes who were walking….and as I rounded the final corner and into the finish chute I was completely overwhelmed with the fact that I was finishing my first Ironman!  As I was running down the chute I noticed someone in pink coming up on my right and I thought….”Oh HELL NO!  You ain’t going to pass me 30 feet from the finish!” and with that I SPRINTED to the finish! 

I crossed the finish line with my arms raised and the biggest smile I could ever imagine!  I heard the announcer say “Doreen DeRoss…..YOU ARE AN IRONMAN!!!!”   To hear those words yelled over the speaker was amazing!  I was an IRONMAN!  I had done it!  I had swam 2.4 miles; I had biked 112 miles; I had run 26.2 miles!!!!!  I was a freakin IRONMAN!!!!!

I am an IRONMAN!

I can not explain what it feels like to cross the finish line of an Ironman your first time.  I knew I could do it….but I didn’t know how much I would enjoy doing it!  I absolutely loved the experience of racing an IRONMAN!  The feeling of doing something this big and having such a good time in the process was a bonus!

As soon as I crossed the finish line a  finishers medal was put over my head along with a shell necklace.  Then two volunteers came up to me to check and make sure I was ok.  I was feeling fine! I had just finished an IRONMAN and I was feeling FINE!  Janet found me right away and I drank some Gatorade and walked around a bit.  All I could think was ” I just did a friggin Ironman!” 

We hung out for awhile; I scarfed 4 pieces of pizza, got my finisher’s t-shirt and towel…..talk to some other athletes….and SMILED a lot!

When I was ready to leave we went and retrieved my run and bike gear bags and then we retrieved Betty!  Dear ol Betty- I was sooo happy to see her again.  She had treated me so good on the ride.  Once we had all my gear we headed back to the hotel for a shower and then an ice bath.

Sleep was scarce that night, but I didn’t mind a bit….I had just done a friggin IRONMAN!!!! 

The whole experience of doing my first Ironman was  intimidating, daunting, and at times was downright overwhelming  in the months leading up to it…..but once the gun goes off and it’s  time to start swimming- there is NOTHING in my lifetime that I have ever experienced that can match racing in an IRONMAN.  Especially, Cozumel Style 

My Finishers Medal

This past Sunday I raced in the Wild On Windsor Olympic Triathlon.  I hadn’t raced in what felt like months and I must admit that my motivation level has been pretty dang low.  I’ve been challenged with going back and forth to California-via car- and not knowing what state I’m in at times…I’m working…no wait…I’m driving back to Ca….you get the picture.

 My friend Janet P (she did Kona last year) drove me up as I was planning on riding my bike home following the race with another woman (she changed her mind).  I ended up bailing on the ride home as I didn’t feel comfortable riding alone on a route I didn’t know….opted for a hour trainer ride instead- but wait back to WOW.

I showed up at in Windsor at 6:30 just a transition was opening.  I grabbed a spot in my row and went about getting my packet and body marked.  I got my stuff laid out on my towel and next thing I knew it was time to get my wetsuit on. 

I had so much fun that morning…Janet was there, my friend Laura was racing, as well as Don and my friend Todd was one of the kayakers….it was nice to see so many people I knew….

Back to standing on the beach in my wetsuit….You know- no matter how many times I stand at the beach looking out at the swim- it ALWAYS seems so bloody long!!!  I think- “how the heck can I swim that far??” Seriously- I think that every time….so my wave is up- I get in the water- the announcer counts down and “GO” …I’m off swimming with the masses.

The swim went great…I got a good groove from the beginning and never had anyone swimming over the top of me.  I rounded the last bouy and headed toward transition.  I got to my bike and looked around and realized about I came out of the water before about 80% of the rest of the women I started with. “Good start” I thought to myself…I’m ahead of a few…

I jump on my bike and start pedaling at a comfortable pace…I took in some nutrition and just kept spinning until mile 15 or so…then I picked up the pace for the last 10 miles….Somewhere around this time I started thinking about the run.  I first stopped myself and focused on the moment then I decided to go ahead and think about the run.  What came to my mind was “strong and confident”.  That’s what I decided my run would be.

I finished the bike without anyone in my age group passing me.  I wasn’t sure but I figured I might be in the top 3 or 4 in my AG.  Next was the run…I put on my shoes and started off on the run.  I felt great right off the bat. Usually I’m stiff and pretty awkward for the first mile or so, but not today!

I ran the 2 loop run at a comfortable pace. I had decided to pick up the pace around the last 2 miles. The course was flat and circumnavigated Windsor Lake.

Doesn’t it just suckwhen you pass the finish shute on a loop course? What satanic person ever thought of that??? I have to admit that the thought did cross my mind that no one would know if I did both loops… But I would know so I ran right by the finish.

Up to this point no one in my age group had passed me.  I began to pick up the pace a bit but kept it somewhat comfortable….I was down to the last mile and thought I should maybe pick it up a bit……and it was about this point that I heard someone coming up behind me….I got ready to jump on if it was a female in my age group….and Low and Behold- it was!  She had a nice big 51 on her calf.  “CRAP” I thought!   I jumped on her but could not stay on her for the full half mile………….

I came running down the shut just 12 seconds—that’s right—–12 seconds behind her!  Darn!  I missed 3rd place by a BLOODY 12 seconds!

So- this race got me thinking.  Up to this point in my triathloning career I have just gone out there and raced.  I’ve never had a time goal or a place goal, or any goal but to have fun and finish…..

Basically I have NEVER- Gone For Blood!   If I had felt more of that “thirst for blood” kind of mentality I would have run harder in the last 2 miles of the race.  I am sure I would have.  I was a bit lax….I would have probably not been passed by that woman and would have finished in 3rd.  I have lacked that “thirst for blood” so far in my racing and this race has me wondering what my potential could be if I began to have a bit more of that “going for blood”……

This was a good race for me and it was good to get beaten by 12 seconds.  I know I could have pushed myself harded and I had gotten a bit lax on the run….Something to work on as there always is in life…..

One year later….in my second season of triathlons, I was headed to Loveland to race in Lake 2 Lake Olympic Distance Triathlon.  Last year this was my second triathlon after doing Napa Valley Sprint Tri w/my jr high school friend Janet V.  After that first race I decided I liked this sport and wanted to keep going.  Janet decided one was enough and focused on becoming a life coach. 

The past 2 weekends leading up to Loveland L2L, I have ridden a 100 mile bike fest; raced a 1/2 ironman the following weekend, and then found myself tackling L2L Olympic Tri….My question was- How would I stand up to this????

I also realized that so far in my tri career I have raced 1 sprint, then 1 olympic (L2L), and then 4 Long Courses (1/2 ironmans).  I had not raced in an event shorter than a 1/2 ironman since L2L last year. I was overjoyed with the idea of racing a shorter distance….Like pretty much 1/2 the distance as I have been racing which would mean half the time!  It was nice to be racing locally as my last 3 races I have had to travel to. This just means packing much less and not worrying about logistics so much.  It’s amazing how much preparation goes into racing out of state! 

After a drive to Loveland following work on Friday- Sandy and I went straight to packet pickup and ran into Andrea, Laura, and Gary.  We all went out to a spaghetti dinner (not so great) and headed to our rooms to get  things ready for an early morning.

I like getting to an event right when transition opens.  I like getting a “good” spot to set up- and I like not feeling rushed and to be able to take my time…and there are no long lines for the porta potties yet 

So I racked my bike and set up in the first row…As the row began to fill I noticed that everyone was female.  There was not one man who set up in the row were I was.  I made a comment about this and my fella triathletes thought it was nice (& odd) too. 

After setting up my gear I put on my running shoes and headed out for a 2o min warm up run.  I ran through the Benson Sculpture Park.  This is an amazing park w/sculptures throughout.which I enjoyed.  I felt good, nothing hurt, and when I finished I still had about 30 mins to get in my wet suit and head to the water.

Benson Sculpture Park

I headed back to transition and began getting into my wetsuit.  Sandy was next to me and I could see the other PCers   throughout transition.  I once again did the squirm into my wetsuit, but this time I pulled to hard on my upper leg and got a tear at the seam….I almost started to freak out but decided the worst that would happen is cold water would get in- and once I started swimming it wouldn’t matter…

Wetsuit Time

Off I headed down to the water.  I was pleasantly surprised to see all the PCers together getting ready.  It was fun to take a group picture and get in the water together for a warm-up.  I loved starting that way……But then the waves of swimmers ahead of me started to go…so I focused and centered and made my way to the swim start.

Group Hug Pre Race

My instructions from coach Andrea for this race was to use the swim as a warm-up; ride the first part of the bike course mellow and hammer the second part; use the first part of the run as a recovery from the bike and hammer the last half of the run…..

So that’s what I did.  This swim was the hardest swim I’ve done so far.  I don’t know why….but I never got my groove.  It felt hard the whole way…I did start more towards the front so had lots of people swimming around and over me for the majority of the swim….but out of the water I made it and up the big hill and across the grass to transition.

I got to my bike and made a pretty quick transition and was out the parking lot in no time.  Once again as I started the bike-many people came panting by me in the first few miles.  I always wonder about that….I can never remember who they are but chances are I pass them later on.

My legs felt like “blah”-noodles for the first 8 miles or so.  They did not have much in them.  Then around mile 10 I started to feel the strength in them again.  I felt like they had some juice…so by the time I was halfway through the bike I began to pick up the speed and hammered the hills.  I love downhills and there is this great section right before you get to the “flats”…. It was here I really put the hammer down and began the business of picking off people.  Not sure how many I passed but it was a few…men and women included.  I felt good and like I was flying….standing for the rollers and spinning like a fiend on the downhills and flats! And it’s like that I rolled back to transition and onto the run.

The run.  I was shocked!  For the first time ever- I began the run feeling great!  I didn’t feel stiff or like I needed to warm up.  I felt like I had good form right from the get-go.  I loved feeling good right away on the run.  (maybe I’ll be able to feel that again someday  :)  I did spend the first part of the run at a moderate pace not pushing myself-per my coach.  

Around mile 2 I did begin a game of cat & mouse w/someone in my age group.  I passed her and then she passed me.  I knew I was stronger than her and that she was running too fast to stay ahead of me…so I hung off her left shoulder for a good 5 minutes until she began to slow down…and then I took off and passed her.  Never saw her again.

At the turn around point on the run I began to pick up my speed.  I kept my breathing just under anaerobic and held that for the last 3 miles of the run.  I felt strong and my form felt solid.  My legs began to get fatigued in the last half mile of the run…but I kept pushing.  The last part of the run kinda pisses me off as you pass right by the finish but have to keeping winding your way through the park….It’s like “I’m there! Fooled you-no you’re not”

It was at this last winding part that I spotted a woman I thought was in my age group.  I dug down and picked up my speed in the attempts of passing her before the finish.  Down, down, down, I dug and my little legs didn’t see to listen!  I reeled her in, but not as well as I had hoped to!  I came in 10 seconds behind her  :(  Darn……But I pushed it-that ’s for sure…felt like I was going to puke when I crossed the finish line.

So all in all- I took 10 minutes off my time from last year…but the best part was I took 8 of those minutes off my run!!!!  You see, running is my most challenging event in this sport.  I use to have one of the slowest times in my age group…but w/this race- my run time was FASTER then the two women who placed ahead of me!  How cool is that!!!!

After the race we all hung out, ate great food, stayed for the awards (Sonja, Barry, Steve, Holley, Laurie, Beth all placed!) and then went to ColdStones for ice cream on the way home.  I feel so blessed to be training w/such great coaches and to be surrounded by such great athletes!  Plus we all have a blast together….and if we’re not having fun…then something is wrong. 

Getting Our ColdStone Fix

So here’s to a few weeks of no races or events until July 11th when I head to Minneapolis for Lifetime Fitness Triathlon with the PC gang….just many days of training.

Ironman 70.3 Kansas

Woke up Sunday morning at 3:50am while my two roomies slept a bit longer.  I like to take my time, have some tea and get ready.  I looked out the window and thought ”darn!  No thunderstorms.  Looks like I’ll have to race.” 

We headed to the race site at Clinton State Park.  We had dropped off our bikes the day before at T1 (Transition area 1) which was where we would come out of the water.  Once we navigated the line to get into the parking area it was off for a 10 min walk to T2 to drop off our run stuff  then 5 more minutes to T1 and the swim start. 

By the time I got into T1 I had about 20 minutes before my swim start time.  No time to lallygag.  It was straight to the business of setting up my bike w/nutrition and water and laying out my cycling gear.  I slithered and tugged my way into my wetsuit and headed to the launch where we would begin our 1.2 mile swim.  When I stood there looking out at the buoys I thought- “Dang that’s so far! ” But I let that thought go pretty quickly…..

The waves ahead of me started then it was our turn.  Men 50+ & Women 45+.  In all I heard there were about 150 of us.  The gun went off and there we went…sort of.  I was in about the middle of the pack on the outside, but because it was a boat ramp you had to wait until the people ahead of you started swimming. I finally made it into the water and began to swim, only to get hit and my feet slapped a couple of times. But not to worry- that’s to be expected and I just kept swimming.

As I was swimming I had the thought of the swim just being my warm up for the bike.  I had never approached the swim that way and it took some of the pressure off.  I absolutely love the swim.  It’s the only time you are totally alone and in your own world in a race.  I love the sound of my breathing and the feel of the water as it smoothly moves past me.  Not that I move smoothly through it…but the water just always feels smooth to me.

The swim felt great.  As I rounded the last buoy and was headed back to shore I jumped on some guy in a Ironman wetsuit and drafted him for a while.  I had never done that before.  I could tell when I was in his draft as it took less effort to swim….It was kinda cool.  This whole drafting things is new to me, as I’ve learned to use it in the two century bike rides I just did.  

 Anyway- I got out of the water, looked at my watch to see what my time was, and realized I had not pressed the right button so it hadn’t started.  I got out of the water having NO idea how long it had taken me to swim! As far as I knew I might have been in the water 1 hr. I guessed my time to be 40 minutes as that’s a bit longer than my usual time…..So it was into transition and out of my wetsuit and onto the biking.

I got on my bike and took my time warming up.  The weather was overcast and in the 60’s.  One thing I do is begin to eat as soon as possible on the bike.  So I drank some PowerBar Endurance, had a few sips of CarboPro gel and settled into my bike.

The course was beautiful with perfect roads.  The landscape was green and we passed farms and lakes.  I still was of the mindset of  “this is just a training day”.  I felt like I was just out for a cruise. 

I had been worried about the bike course as many people said it was hard due to lots of hills.  Well after riding Elephant Rock the Sunday before, which is brutally hilly, this course seemed pretty easy.  I was very pleased.  No major events happened on the bike.  I just stayed relaxed and my mind was calm.  Many of the women who had hammered by me in the beginning I caught up with and passed in the last 15 miles or so…..I just pedaled along on my old road bike w/aero bars on it and before I new it I was back at T2 getting ready to run!

It’s is always so hard to start the run.  I felt very stiff after coming off the bike and wondered how I could ever run 13.1 miles…..but then I began to warm up.  The course was 4 laps around a campground.  I decided I would go easy on the first half and then begin to pick it up on the second half.  That seemed to serve me well. 

Ironman puts on amazing races!  The aide stations were the bomb!  They even had these wet cold sponges you could shove in your shirt and cool yourself down.  There was all kinds of people handing water, Gatorade, gels, pretzels…it was awesome!  Every time I passed through a station I grabbed 2 sponges, then two waters (one to drink and one to pour over me).  This seemed to keep me nice and cool for it was hot and humid by the time of the run.

Since we were running a loop I was able to see all my fellow PCers out on the course.  Not that we did much to acknowledge each other but just to know we were out there lifted my spirits and my pace. 

The first mile marker I saw was the 5 mile.  I looked at my watch and thought “No way.  They must have the course marked wrong.”  I seriously believed for the whole run that it must be missed marked.  My time was significantly faster than it had ever been in a half marathon!  I felt strong the whole run…and again, women around my age group who blew pass me in the beginning I began to reel in around mile 10…and here I was starting to pick up the pace!!!  It feels so good to be getting stronger on my run, and to not struggle 12 miles into the run.

Speaking of 12 miles.  That’s when I got this woman into my sights a decided I would pass her before the finish.  She was maybe about 3 or so minutes ahead of me.  I started to pick up the pace and my plan was to catch up to her by 12.5 miles or so.  I did catch up to her and hung off her left shoulder for a minute and then decided to make the pass.  As I passed her and settled back in she came up on my left shoulder.  I could hear her breathing kinda hard and noticed that my breath was still calm…so with that I decided to just kick it into gear and ended up dropping her.  I felt effortless as I picked up the speed and motored the last 2/10s of a mile.  It was pure bliss! 

And as I rounded the corner toward the chute and the finish line…there where all my PCers rooting me which gave me an even bigger burst of speed!  I flew down the chute, passing one more woman and crossed the finished line with a big left in the tank….

The best part about crossing the finish, besides being done, was that Chrissie Wellington was there greeting people.  She is an amazing human being first and an amazing athlete second!  I then went back to my gang and we all ate and enjoyed the other racers crossing the finish line. 

Chrissie Wellington and Us

Overall- I had a great race.  I PRed taking 20′ off my previous best time, enjoyed every part of the race, and this is all despite myself and not wanting to race at all due to my previous few days…..

After some food and festivities it was back in Keith’s Dodge Ram Truck for the 9 hour ride back to Denver.  The weather cooperated and we were all texted each other for updates on our progress home. 

The Ironman 70.3 Kansas is a great race that I highly recommend.  The course is fast and fun.  I forgot to mention that out of the 11 of us PCers who raced 5 qualified to go to Ironman 70.3 World Championships.  I feel blessed to be coached by such gifted coaches and to be surrounded by equally gifted athletes! Practical Coaching Rules!

PCers Recon Ride

Checking in with your coach is not always a good idea on a Saturday morning. Or maybe it is?

There I was driving up to Boulder to get a 3 hr ride in followed by an 1 hr. I had just left my house and phoned up my coach Andrea who asked if I would be up for riding Elephant Rock Century on the next day followed by a 13.5 mile run—”Sure” I said, “I was wanting to ride E-Rock”. So I ended up turning around, swinging by the house, grabing my wetsuit and headed to Andrea’s and then we were off to the gravel pond for a 30′ swim followed by an hour run….
Well that’s how I ended up in Castle Rock at 5:30 in the morning getting ready to ride 100 miles w/some of the PC CREW.

So off we all went for 6 hours of fun and riding. The weather started off sunny, cool and no wind all of us riding together-cruising along and warming up. I had heard that this was a somewhat difficult ride and at first it’s not too bad….Long rollers and views of Pikes Peak.

We rode as a group for the first 50 miles, hitting the aide stations for water, food and porta-poties (aurg). The food was a bit on the skimmpy side and not to spectacular. I was glad I brought my own food for the ride and did not have to depend on their food.

About mile 50 is when we split up and those fast ones took off….I ended up riding w/Chirsty who I hadn’t seen in all winter. We had a splendid time…..it was about mile 50 when the wind picked up. It was brutal…this is the same storm system that created 5 tornados in Denver Metro that day!!! It was windy no matter which way you where riding…A head wind became a side wind and only once became a tail wind.

I spent a great portion of the ride catching up to draft lines and falling in with them to help with the wind. Any time I saw a man over 6 feet I was right on them. They make the best wind breaks and drafting was fun!

The ride ended with even stronger winds and the skies were getting black…I was glad to be 10 miles away from the finish with Christy pulling a MEAN pace line- that girl rocks! She kicked my butt at the end there! But hang on I did and we rolled underneath the finish together…looking for friends and food!

And that 13.5 mile run…didn’t happen due to the weather- but I did jump on the treadmill when I got home for 1 hour…And the good news is I felt pretty darn good running. It wasn’t that bad at all! All in all a great day of fun and training!

Beautiful Buena Vista Colorado. The place where I just rode my first Century Ride (100 miles). Buena Vista is one of my favorite places in Colorado- so much so that I would consider living there….So what a great place for my first Century!

I drove down to BV w/my good friend TJ. She wasn’t riding in the Bike Fest but wanted to get away- and as my others had bagged at the last minute it was great to have her come along. We stayed in this great old hotel and got to bed at a descent time.

Saturday morning came and I was up at 5:30. I have never done a Bike Festival before- I’ve only raced triathlons- so the idea of there not being an official start time was strange. It seems at a Bike Festival you start whenever you want to. I decided a 7:30 start would be a good time for me…

I got up-had my instant oatmeal-tried to figure out what to wear (it was windy, cool and overcast)-decided w/TJ’s help on the clothing- and then went outside. As I brought my bike out, I met a woman from Gunnison who was waiting on her friends. They were about an hour away from being ready so the two of us decided to start our ride together.

We rode for about 45 mins then she decided to ride faster than I was ready to….I soon caught up with two other women who seemed to be riding at a pace I was comfortable with. I told them I was riding alone and asked if I could join them. They graciously agreed to let me tag along. And thus began the 6 hour journey w/ Heather and Michelle!

We had a ball- talking and getting to know each other. Both are rock climbers so we had fun stories to talk about. We hit the first aid station- fueled and watered up- then hit the road for a good 2 hour pedal…..

So this next two hours was the section where we began our serious climbing. We cycled up to Turgoise Lake- rode around the back side and then began the serious climb! The ride around the lake was beautiful and I enjoyed it as it was mostly flat…little did I know what lay ahead ;0

And so began the climb…this is were we seperated to go at our own pace w/Heather taking the lead. I had no idea how long the climb would be and welcomed the top! The climb was HARD and took a lot of effort. It seemed to go on and on and on….and just kept getting steeper! Not sure if that’s true, but it seemed like it to me!

But finally I made it to the top and there I met Pam who needed some food and I gladly shared a PopTart with her. This was just what she needed-and so began the downhill section w/Pam! That’s the fun thing about a Festival as opposed to a race. You get to meet people and talk to them…not just race by them.

After the downhill section-we arrived in Leadville for a fabulous Lunch! I regrouped with Heather and Michelle and we ate lunch together. The best part of lunch for me was the really yummy, stong coffee that one of the local cafe’s made! I soooo enjoyed that w/my turkey burrito!

Following lunch we were faced w/ a climb out of Leadville that took us onto a bike path which circumnavigated the town. This was brutal after cooling down…But after a bit my legs warmed up again and the climb didn’t seem so bad….I must say- I was psyched when we got through w/ those 10 miles of climbing.

The rest of the ride was pretty much downhill. We stopped for fuel about mile 70 and then it was literally the horse to the barn type action. We just pedaled back to Buena Vista in a pace line….Heather wanted to be in front, blocking the wind, the whole way, so Michelle and I obliged her! It was just fun, fun, fun!!!

One thing I discovered in riding my first century-Is it’s a heck of a lot easier than running 30 miles!! I wasn’t even sore when I got done! I couldn’t believe it! There was not stiffining up- or sore anything! And I definatly felt that I could have run when I got off the bike- Not a marathon mind you…but it’s nice to know that this early in my training I would feel good running following 100 miles of biking…..
Whodathunk!

All I can say- is a Bike Festival is a great adventure! The people are great, the atmosphere is awesome, and the time just flies by! I have to give a special shout out to Michelle and Heather- they were very kind to let me ride with them…and being w/ them is part of what made this such a great experience!!!!!

Well I did it! I ran a 50K- that’s a whole 30.97 miles to be exact, and I lived to tell about it!

Drove down to the race at 6:00am and got there with an hour to spare. The weather was clear, in the 50’s with a fairly strong wind….As all of us racers waited in line for the portapotties we were discussing how we hoped the wind would stop-but that we were glad it wasn’t raining..
The course was an 8 mile loop which I would be running 4 times. There were 2 aide station w/water and nutrition.

8:00 rolled around and we all gathered at the start. I was w/my coach Andrea, and friends Becky and Laura. Laura and Becky were running the 25K and Andrea and I were doing the 50K. Laura, Becky and I started the first 4 miles together until the first aid station…At that point they took off and Andrea and I began our journey together!

The goal for this run was to use it as a training run- I was to run the first 3 laps as a “warm-up” for the final (4th) lap. I must say that I had a ball! I had such a good time on this run-especially since I was with Andrea the whole time. We worked together on the hills and on the flats-helping each other with the “load” of 31 miles of trail running.

The day and laps seemed to pass by. We ran through each steep/challenging section saying- “only two/one/no more times through here.” We would stop at the “4 mile” aide station to refill our water bottles, and carry on our way up the next section of hill. Then we’d hit the top and say “it’s all down hill from here now”. The day just kinda went like that- marking off the steep sections w/the downhills…..Lap by Lap by Lap……

And then there was the final lap. Andrea and I both were feeling strong and kicked butt the last 8 miles. We cut around 15 mins off our previous lap times! We ROCKED it! It was a glorious feeling to finish a 31 mile run. Something I had never done before! That’s what I like about this Ironman training. I am discovering new strengths in myself that I didn’t know I had…both physically and mentally!

So, we finished the run off strong- walked around for a while-ate a little bit of food-and then got in our cars and headed home. The day was perfect and doing this with Andrea was the highlight! Being with her on this journey was such a gift! Thank you Andrea!!!

I’m back from Las Vegas and my first race of the season.

I was so nervous the days leading up to it.  I had seen a list of people who were registered and now that I have “aged up” into the 50-54 age group- there were not many of us racing over 50…..so my fear was- that I would be the last one out on the course!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I really had this vision of being one of the last ones still racing after 7 hrs of being out there…….So that was the build up/nervousness leading up to the race on Saturday morning.

The night before the race was spent repacking my race gear- getting nutrition organized and making sure I had everything set for an early morning wake up call.

4:00 AM arrived and we downed some instant oatmeal-hydrated and were at the race site by 5:15.  I found a place on to rack my bike and started laying out all my stuff.  It’s always kinda fun to be surrounded by a bunch of women as we racked by our race numbers and all women in the Long Course were together.

The Long Course was a mass start (meaning everybody at once) at 6:10. The water temp was 59 degrees…I opted not to get myself wet until the gun went off.  So into the frigid waters I dove and started a-swimmin….and a-swimmin…and a-swimmin for 1.2 miles worth of water.  My swim went GREAT!  I felt comfortable and settled into a good rhythm after a bit.

There were some waves as it was windy out, but I didn’t really notice it except for once…..As I came around the last buoy toward shore I kept the exit in sight and tried to remember not to speed up too much…..I hit the sand and attempted to run toward transition, it took me a few seconds to get my landlegs back…

In transition I got to my bike- stepped out of my wetsuit-threw on my shoes and loaded my nutrtion into the back of my shirt….I grabbed my bike off the rack and ran up the hill to the exit…..I jumped on my bike and started the slow pedal up the hill and out of transition to the main road that went north around Lake Mead.

The BIKE Course was HILLY and long! (6800 ft of elevation gain).  This was my first time racing with my new Orbea w/race wheels and it rocked!  I was so comfortable on my bike, it was awesome.  The bike just seemed to go on and on at first…my legs settled in and I just worked the gears over the hills……my time was the fasted I’ve ever had on a 56 mile course!  And it’s just the beginning of the season-yeah!  I made sure I ate enough on the bike and consumed probably about 8oo calories in the 3+hrs I was out there…..and then next came the run!!!!

I cruised into transition, racked my bike, put on my running shoes and headed out on the run course….Now this was no easy run course….as we gained some serious altitude in the first 3 miles (2000+ ft elevation gain).  I started out very slow…by the first mile my watch read 13:30…people were passing me-but I didn’t care.  I knew I needed to start slow so I wouldn’t blow up later on during the run.  A few women in my age group passed me-and I just let them……

The run was awesome once I got up onto the old railroad road.  It was beautiful-soft dirt that passed through 5 tunnels.  The run went out almost to Hoover Dam and then turned around.  There were aide stations every mile and as I ran through each station I grabbed 2 waters- 1 to pore over my head and the other to drink.  The temps were close to 80 degrees by this time-not too hot but the water felt good.

After the turn around point on the run I started really getting into a groove.  I felt as if my feet were on springs and that I was effortlessly moving forward.  I began to pass people by mile 7 and by mile 8 passed the first woman over 50…..and then shortly after I passed the other woman in my age group and calmly ran by her-  I was feeling super STRONG!!!!!!

I then hit the downhill and didn’t lay it all out yet until the last mile.  At that point I tried to pass as many people as I possibly could.  There was one man in front of me that I kept trying to pass- but never quite caught him…..

Once I hit the water front again and was on the last stretch toward the finish I gave it my all and crossed the finish line feeling strong!  My finish time was 6:33:22! A personal record and enough to win FIRST in my age group!  I couldn’t believe it!   I felt so good and strong.  It was awesome!

Rage Finish Line

So all the training I did this past winter has paid off!  I have to give a Big Huge THANK YOU to my coach Andrea.  She is an amazing coach and friend who has laid out my training program so well-that I was able to PR in my first race of the season and also place first in my age group!  Wow-miracles do happen!

One other thing I forgot to mention- there were 14 other PCers at Rage who were racing also.  In the Long Course 4 of us placed in our age groups w/Sonja placing first overall!  Everyone else were racing the olympic and sprint distances.  Pretty good results from a bunch of people from Denver…

I must say-I had my best race to date!  I felt strong and confident!  I could have gone on for longer (which is great since I will have to double the distance in November) and I had fun!  My next Long Course isn’t until June- but I will have a 30 mile Run and a 100 mile Bike  Event in May….

If you want to check out fotos click on this to see some….and keep following the adventures! 

It’s funny how many people ask you- How’d ya do? And when I got asked that I had to think about it…..my first response is- “I finished”. It’s been hard to feel good about my race- as I ended up walking a lot in the last 4 miles. Doing that leaves me feeling like I did not race well…..My coach always talks about executing a good race. So did I? Probably not.

I started the race going out too fast. Even though I was toward the back- it was still too fast. Beginning with 3 miles of serious downhill made it hard for me to hold back a bit more. I felt absolutely fantastic until around mile 18. At that point I just hit a wall-slump-whatever you want to call it- but I never really made it back.

Also, at mile 18 I ate 1/2 an espresso gu- I think that effected me too as it did not sit well with me at all.

But there is still that nagging feeling when someone asks me how I did- I don’t feel like I did “well”. I feel like I finished…..but I did not finish strong. Interesting how just finishing a marathon is not good enough….I actually want to do another one soon to take what I’ve learned from this one and try again….

So what did I learn- start out slow- pace myself better- be careful not to overfuel (NO MORE Choc Gu’s!!!)- and don’t walk no matter what! It’s absolutely almost impossible to run continous again after walking……..Good races/not so good races- I actually am blessed that I am able to do this at all, and am grateful I have my health and wellbeing….