Gearing up for National Championships

Finish Line for Saturday

Collegiate National Championships are less than 48 hours away.  I've spent this week recovering from the 2 races last weekend, staying fresh and sharp, and fixing technique errors.  Thanks to some awesome friends that spent time in the lake, pool, analyzing running technique and setting up some new tri shoes and cleats for me I'm feeling ready to race on Saturday.   The main reason I race Belews Lake last Saturday was for the pure experience of getting that 1st triathlon of the season under the belt.  Figuring out race day - from breakfast to transition set up to on the course nutrition I felt I needed to go through it for real before Collegiate Nationals.  I'm glad I experienced a bad swim, not optimal nutrition, and race day pace all before the race on Saturday.  Here's a look at how I spent my recovery/prep week.

The Run - I did about 1/2 of the distance of my normal running workouts.  I hit my best mile splits during my speed workout this week and my best splits during my hill workout.  I swaped out my pink Kinvara's for a new pair of white and purple.  I had been in denial because I love the pink shoes so much, but they were done-zo major.  I'm feeling confident in my running.  The course in Tuscaloosa will test athlete's early on with a large hill within the first 2 miles.  I will drive the course tomorrow and see how the hill measures up and if I should change my race plan accordingly.

The Bike - With 2 race day efforts last weekend I wanted to take it easy on the bike.  Last Saturday my legs felt tired when I got on the bike and I did not want that feeling this Saturday.  I did one trainer session thanks to stormy and rainy Georgia weather on Wednesday and did an easy 10 miles on the Silver Comet on Thursday to test out the new shoe and cleat set up.  I incorporated a few pickups to get the legs moving hard and a few superspins.  I'm ready for a moving dismount on Saturday but I don't think I'm quite ready for a flying mount yet but it's coming.  Thanks to a 2 loop bike course in Tuscaloosa it will be convenient to drive the bike course as well tomorrow.  I'll scout any major hills, turns, downhills, narrow roads, etc.  This race course will be COMPLETELY closed to traffic - this should allow for a lot of passing and jockeying for position on the bike without worrying about cars coming up behind you.

The Swim - I think I made more gains in the swim this week than I have in the 3 months.  On Monday my friend Mary (post collegiate swimmer)  spent time with me in the pool correcting my body positioning and technique.  I had never really had proper positioning and technique explained to me.  We went through drills to reinforce certain aspects and I tried out fins and paddles for the first time.  Pretty awesome.  On Tuesday, PTS Coach, Jeff, spent time with me in the lake working on sighting, turning, and technique.  Just being in the open water and having to sight and make it around turn bouys helped me get some confidence back in the swim.  On Wednesday I went to the pool and a set I like to do every week - the improvements in times on the different intervals were unreal.  Don't plow through the water - duh.  I knew I was fit enough to swim better - I just didn't know how.  Now I know how and if maintaining how and improving how means 2 pool sessions per day I'll start putting in 2 pool sessions per day - at least until work starts up.  I felt myself rotating, propelling from the core, and being long in the water.  All this and my times improved and I was not even winded at the end of my intervals.  Perhaps one of the best things that came from all the work in the pool was being told "You are a strong enough swimmer that you should be starting at the front of the pack.  Get in their and go after it."  After all this is ten percent luck, twenty percent skill, fifteen percent concentrated power of will, five percent pleasure, fifty percent pain...

Collegiate National Championships will be my first experience racing against a field primarily consisting of people in or almost in my age group.  The best athletes who are <28y.o. and current full time students are eligible to race.  There is a large team competition, which unfortunately GWU does not have a team in since the Tri Club just started this semester.  There will also be a mixed team relay on Saturday afternoon after both the Women's and Men's race.  This is a large event put on by USAT and since I haven't been to AG National Championships yet I am looking forward to my first USAT Championship race, the experience, competition, and camaraderie that comes along with it.  Some of the best young triathlete's will be racing here.  Current pro's who have previously raced here include Caitlin Snow and Kaitlin Shiver.  More details tomorrow on the race expo and how to follow along with the race on Saturday.

http://www.usatriathlon.org/events/usat/2012/04/collegiate-national-championship.aspx

SWIM SMART.  BIKE STRONG.  RUN STEADY.

I don't stop when I'm tired, I stop when I'm done.

When all the weak is gone, all that's left is STRONG.

PTS Cartersville Duathlon Race Recap

After a long but easy drive home Saturday afternoon I began preparations for my 2nd multisport race of the season - the Cartersville Duathlon on Sunday morning.  This race was put on my PTS Sports part of the PT Solutions family (where I just completed my final internship for PT school).  I was excited for the race and excited to put in another race day effort on the bike and run to get even more prepared for Coll Nat Championships on 4/21.  All my coworkers were on the course directing traffic and athletes as well as working the various tents around transition.

PRE RACE - SUNDAY AM

I already had my packet for this race thanks to the midweek pick up opportunity.  I ate a quick breakfast of champions - Special K Red Berries with banana and almond milk, loaded up my bike into the back of my car, and set out to Cartersville.  I had only been to the park once previously so I had a bit of trouble following my directions but luckily some fellow racers/patients flew by me as I pulled off to look at the map and I just followed them the rest of the way.  I arrived around 6:15 for a 7:30 am start/7:15 transition closing.  I had plenty of time to set up transition, get my timing chip, warm up, and visit with some friends that were also racing.  Mostly I met these friends because they were patients of mine at one point during the internship - yeah I had an awesome internship.  Some of my fellow PTS group workout buddies were there gearing up for their first race ever and first race of the season!

RUN 1 - 5k - 23:38
I started out a bit too fast, I hit the first mile at 7:03.  I would have like to keep a 7:20-7:25 pace the entire way but no such luck.  Just around mile one my legs started feeling a bit tired and lethargic from Saturday's activities.  I repeated some of my mantra's in my head to get myself through miles 2 and 3.

T1 - 0:57
Not a bad transition at all. Simple to go from running to biking - now to translate this from swim to bike.  Should be able to have quick transitions as long as I'm not removing my wetsuit.  I'm torn about wearing a wetsuit for collegiate championships this weekend basically for the transition time.  Friday's practice swim should help me decide.

BIKE - 17 miles - 49:53 (20.5mph)
A bit slower than I am capable of.  My legs felt great as I started out on the bike though.  I moved the extra magnet on the race wheels up to the front wheel and had my bike computer for this ride.  I passed people for the majority of the ride while getting passed by a few men (men what in the world you started the race 3 minutes before the women).  I didn't get passed by any women on the ride and caught quite a few.  I was in hot pursuit of another 25 year old but never caught her on the bike.  She had passed me on the run which put her ahead by 45 seconds followed by the same bike time - well done - it pushed me to bike hard the entire way.  I must say 17 miles went by way to quickly.  I'm used to hours on the bike - 49 minutes is child's play now.  I'm eager and ready to get back to some outdoor interval training at Hains Point with DC Tri Club.  With the focus on the longer rides my speed has dropped a bit.  I know it's still early in the season and I am well past where I was at this time last year.

T2 - 0:46
A well executed T2.  Must transfer this to triathlon.  Same transition bike-run.  No reason not to be able to duplicate a speedy transition time during T2 on Saturday.

RUN 2 - 5k - 25:18
Not so proud of this one.  Would have liked to see this actually be faster than the first.  My legs were tired. I took a gel about 1/2 way through the run for an extra little boost.  I felt as though I was heel striking and my form was breaking down.  I was in hot pursuit of women on the run but only caught up to men. I need to get back to the basics, focus on form, and feel the run.  I was very excited to see the finish line.

FINISH: 1:40:31 (2nd AG 25-29)

Welcome to a new age group, a more competitive age group in terms of ability and # of racers.  Nice to place in just my 2nd multisport race in this age group.

POST RACE
Hung out with some awesome people and recoverd with great food from Henry's Louisiana Grill and Muscle Milk.  So nice to see a bunch of familiar faces before, during, and after the race.  I must say PTS puts on an extremely well run race.  If I were staying in Georgia I would sign up for their tri's and/or I come back to GA I will definitely race with them.  From packet pick up to race break down everything was extremely organized and efficient.  A huge thanks to PT Solutions and PTS Sports for allowing me the opportunity to race and cap off a great internship!

Belews Lake International Race Recap

I didn't think this race all the way through when I signed up.  I just knew I wanted to get some good open water racing experience in at least once this season before collegiate national championships.  I left Friday afternoon right after finishing my internship on the long drive to Greensboro, NC.  I am not positively sure spending 6 hours in the car 12 hours before your race starts is not a good plan, but I had to do what I had to do.  I treated my self to dinner at Olive Garden when I was about 30 minutes from my hotel.  Though the Garden was packed I sat myself at the bar and got served immediately.  I continued onto my hotel (affordable thanks to USAT discount) satisfied with my meal but feeling stiff car legs and beginning to have doubts about this idea.

SATURDAY AM PRE-RACE

I woke up at 5:00 had Red Berries with banana and almond milk before reloading up the car and heading out to the race site in Stokesdale, NC.  Once at the site I went through packet pick-up, chip pick-up, and TA set up before taking a few minutes to look over the maps of the race course.  I had been so busy completing my internship and all the paperwork to go with it during the week leading up to the race that I didn't have a chance to look over the course before hand.  A triangle swim, a two loop bike, and a Lollipop 2 loop run.  Interesting.  Elevation - I had no clue.  The air temperature was cold about 50* most of the morning so I spent a good amount of time just trying to stay warm.

THE SWIM - 33:40
With the unusual style of an open water time trial start I had to wait 33:40 into the race before I started the swim.  This means I stood in my wetsuit, barefoot, and cold for about 35 minutes.  I chose not to do a swim warm-up as I would have had to get out of the water at 7:50 and stand around soaking wet for 44 minutes.  The water temperature was 66* - warmer than the air which felt nice when first getting in but once into the swim it began to feel cold.  I started next to another lady - as 2 athletes began every 10 seconds.  I did not like the time trial start approach.  I felt like I was swimming by myself the entire time, well I kind of was. I did not have a pack to try and keep up with.  Just me and the open water.  My sighting for the first 800 m was good.  I stayed tight to the bouy's and wasted no time or energy going off course.  The last 700m is a different story.  The bouy's were not in a direct line to the finish so it was in one's best interest to sight the finish and swim a straight line to the finish rather than hug the bouy's.  I caught myself swimming off course 2x - basically perpendicular to the course.  This could be a reason for the dismal time but I know that I need to push myself in the water.  I have the fitness, I need to be comfortable with a strong effort and get my time down to 27ish mintues.  Nothing great but enough not to keep me off the podium as most races.  Had I hit even 29 minutes in this swim I would have podiumed.    Interesting that my swim took 33:40 and I started 33:40 into the race - I hope there wasn't a timing mishap.

T1 - 2:30
I chose to wear my wetsuit in this swim.  The westuit came off easily for the most part, except my right ankle. I had to sit down to get the darn thing off the right ankle - it had gotten all folded over itself as I was trying to pull it off apparently.  This was the first time I ever had to sit down.  Other than that transition went smoothly. No wetsuit and I could probably know 1:00 off this transition time.

THE BIKE - 27 miles - 1:20:41
Just a bit longer than your standard Olympic distance course.  I did not know what to expect with the bike course as I had no time to drive the course.  Well mounting the bike was on an incline and the course started with a steep short climb.  You then continued to climb a long and steady ascent for the first 5-7 miles.  I didn't like this either - it felt so slow and it was hard to get the legs going.  After getting the legs spinning I finally found my rhythm around mile 10.  The back side of the loop was some rolling hills but on back, gritty, rough pavement.  The time trial start and the two loop bike made it really hard to judge where you were in relation to the competition.  I chose not to put my magnet on my race wheel and try racing without knowing my pace. Never again.  I like to know.  On loop one during a speedy section a man passed me on the left and just as he let me know he was passing there was a pothole in front of me.  I couldn't go around the pothole thanks to the passer and going off road didn't sound great either so I took the pothole like a champ and said some silent prayers that everything stayed in working order.  During the 2nd loop I chose to participate in the water bottle hand off for some pre IM practice.  It went smoothly and I put a little more water in my aerobottle.  I only rode with 1/2 a bottle of Gu Brew in my X-wing and water in my aerobottle to decrease necessary weight.  This was my best event of the day.  Considering the course and all the other factors I am proud of the bike.

T2 - 1:25
T2 went smooth for the most part.  The bike racks that were used were midget sized and even my midget bike would not fit under the bar so re-racking was a little difficult.

THE RUN - 10k - 52:29
Considering the less than optimal lead up to this race and the course this time wasn't bad.  5th in my AG which surprised because I felt like I was sucking it up.  The course was very hilly, painfully hilly.  Long steady climbs, steep climbs, and an odd setup which mentally was not cool.  Each time you passed the turn around point you had to collect a little rubber bracelet.  No one ever really checked that you had received 2 of the bracelets - people could have easily cheated.  One a nice course and in an A race this time needs to be below 47:00, but I am fully confident that it will be.  The aid stations were stocked with water and heed at about every mile.  Knowing what mile you were on was not easy there were signs every where stating mile 2, 3, 4, 5 and some weird mile sign with duct tape on it at some point between mile 2 and 3.  That one through me off because I thought I was at mile 3 when I passed it, but then later I passed another mile 3 sign.  Who knows.  At least the last 1/2 mile was all down hill into the finishing chute.  That felt good.

FINISH TIME: 2:50:43

POST RACE THOUGHTS

My initial thought was "wow, that was absolutely horrible".  I took some time to look over everything and all in all it wasn't that bad.  The swim needs to be better, the bike was good, and the run is fine for now.  There were no steller run times - I'd say all about 4-5 minutes slower the optimal due to the course.  I missed the podium by less than 4 minutes in my first race the more competitive 25-29 age group.  I am going to work on my swimming every day this week leading up to Collegiate National Championships and at least get comfortable pushing myself and "racing" the 1500m swim instead of just swimming comfortably.  I compared my time to my Luray Intl time from last year and saw that I bested that time by about 4 minutes on a similar style and distance course (and I took 1st at Luray).  Though Luray's run was not as harsh.  I stuck around for awards and ate some recovery food before subjecting myself to a 5 hour drive.  I am looking forward to Collegiate National Championships.  It will be a good experience with great competition and an awesome course to see what I can do on.

 Triathlon Saturday.  Duathlon Sunday.  Marathon Monday.  I'm not partaking in the marathon but other than that what a weekend to kick off multisport season.

Did you have any races this weekend?  How did they go?