Kinetic 1/2 IM Race Report

Just 2 weeks after the first tri of the season (Rumpus in Bumpass Sprint) I was headed back to Lake Anna for the Kinetic 1/2 (70.3 distance race).  I love this race and was happy to be back after missing it in 2015 due to IMTX.    We were once again grateful for the generosity of our friends to let us stay at there Lake House and make race weekend that much more comfortably.  When we headed down mid-day on Friday it was a torrential downpour.  Amazingly, as we rolled into Lake Anna State Park in the early afternoon the sun came out and the pavement started drying.  We jumped in the comfortably cool, wetsuit legal water for a short swim before heading out on the bike to freshen up the legs.

Who am I kidding, I'd head to Lake Anna every weekend if I could.  This was our 3rd weekend in a row down there.  The previous weekend we were there for a big training weekend, getting in 99.5 miles on the bike followed by a hard run and a long run the next morning on the Kinetic 1/2 course.  Seems every year I do Kinetic,  I am blessed with a huge weekend just before race day.  Kinetic has never been an A race for me so I like the big training leading up to race day.  Racing slightly tired and fatigued really helps you appreciate those races you get to taper for ;)

Friday evening was pretty low key, the way I like to keep the night before a race.  A simple dinner followed by all the fun pre-race stuff - stickers on helmet/bike, putting race wheels on, organizing nutrition, etc.  Just as I thought I was done and happy to have my race wheels on without much trouble (or brake rubbage) Scott decided to check my brakes.  Unfortunately, we discovered that my rear brake wasn't releasing all the way.  Since 3 people in our crew all work at bike shops we looked at it and decided the best course of action was to ride it as is and use the rear brake as minimally as possible along with the idea that the road vibration would help disengage the rear brake if I do use it.

Snapple Teammates at the Finish!

RACE DAY
Saturday morning was gorgeous, a little cool but the sun was rising as everyone set up transition and
prepared for what was likely their first long course race of 2016.

THE SWIM - 38:06 (4th AG)
This was an in-water start about chest deep.  At the sound of the horn I went hard but tried to get into my own rhythm as quickly as possible.  I could tell the lead group was pulling away within the first couple hundred meters.  I kept my head down and tried to keep working hard.  I was able to find feet and stay on them for a a few hundred meters before losing them and was on and off other sets of feet for the remainder of the swim.  The course this year was a basic rectangle as opposed to the trapezoidal shape of the past.  As we made the final turn for the long straight away back toward the beach teh sun was directly in our eyes.  It was almost impossible to see the beach, let alone any of the signting buoys.  This led to following other caps - not the best technique when trying to swim a straight line.  I felt strong during this swim, but know that I should have and am capable of swimming a couple of minutes faster.

T1 - 2:30
I ran into T1 almost positive my bike was in the row 2nd from Bike Out.  I ran to the 2nd row from the fence and stood there in disbelief!  No bike, did someone really take my bike.  It would have been super helpful to have the ends of the rows numbered or lettered.  I quickly realized that I had run rows past my bike got my wetsuit off, helmet and shoes on and I was off.  I almost had to push some slow men out of the way on my way to the dismount line.

THE BIKE 2:34:31(1st AG)
Oh boy, so eventful and uneventful all at the same time!  Shortly into the bike course while still in the state park I heard a bottle fly out and hit the ground.  I looked over my right shoulder and saw a yellow tinted deer park bottle hit the ground.  I couldn't believe it but I figured I had just launched a bottle of Osmo.  My rear cages have never launched a bottle, not even on super bumpy crap, let alone just riding relatively easily out of the park.  No worries as there were multiple aid stations along the course, I knew I could get the hydration I would need on course.  I was able to stick to my race plan and execute a pretty great ride.  The temps started out nice and cool but definitely started heating up towards the end of the 56 miles.  Around mile 45, as I am feeling a bit comfortable pushing just a touch harder and finishing this ride up, I was passing some dude (he likely started 8-12 minutes before me) and as I was passing him he sped up just enough to stay even with me, I push a touch more, he pushed more, I glared at him, he stayed there, I glared again and he finally says 'your front wheel is in front go ahead'.  Wow, thanks dude I'm only 8-12 minutes ahead of you now and have obviously been moving faster than you this entire race.  Note to guys - as a woman passes you encourage her and let her go, don't yo-yo with her, don't jump on her wheel and for goodness sake don't try to prevent the pass.  He never let me get too far away as we passed a couple of my Snapple teammates and headed back into the park toward T2.  First attempt at a flying dismount on Rinster...and I realized getting my leg over the top tube was a bit tricker than on MR and decided to just hop off the bike once slowing.  My feet were already out of the shoes, but I guess I need to practice the flying dismount on the new bike to quicken things up just a bit.

T2 - :52 (1st AG)
In and out as quickly as possible as I knew there was at least 1 female ahead of me and 2 not far behind me.

THE RUN - 1:46:07 - (1st AG)
I was looking forward to seeing what I could do on this run course.  I came out of transition just a

Loop #1, first time up the hill!

minute or so ahead of my teammate Heather and she was only a minute ahead of our teammate Paige (#snappledomination). My previous best on this hilly course was a 1:52 and my previous best in a 1/2 IM being a 1:42.  I was able to keep my cadence up and get my legs turning over pretty soon into the run.  I started the run with a throw-away bottle of Osmo to help top off hydration.  I was so thankful for this as the day started warming up!  I settled into a comfortable pace and ticking off the first few miles.  I only ever saw the first place female heading back toward me but I was told I was in 3rd.  Shortly after the 3 mile marker my Snapple teammate, Paige, caught up to me and after exchanging a few words she was off to try and track down #2.  Once I was about 6 miles in I tried to pick up the effort level just a bit, but I was sort of stuck in the moderately fast cruise pace.  I was trying to just bring the HR up one beat at a time but it seems like anytime I'd start to bring it up it would go right back to where we had been.  Was this an indication of slightly over biking or the fatigue of the previous week catching up with me.  I pushed the uphills and used the downhills, trashing my quads by the final few miles.  I put everything I had into the last couple miles and was happy to finish with a course PR and come in as the 4th OA female with some tough competition on the heels of a tough training week.

POST RACE
Overall this was a great early season test and let's me know where we are at on some things - like swim, bike, run but also other important things (nutrition, transition, etc).  It was a great day with so many friends and DC athletes racing, there was always somebody to cheer for on the run course.  Still plenty of room improvement in all areas, but good to see that I am headed in the right direction.

Snapple and DC Tri Crew with Hardware!

Thank you most of all goes out to Fuel Your Passion Coaching, The Wodiska's for hosting us, and Adam and my family.  Thank you to my sponsors DC Tri Club, Snapple Triathlon, Team, District Taco, Xterra Wetsuits, Rudy Project Helmets, Louis Garneau, Pierce Footwear by Seven Dynamics, and Rose Physical Therapy Group for helping this season get off to an awesome start.  Thank you to all the DC Tri and Snapple athletes racing and cheering at Kinetic, it was great to be pushed and challenged by my teammates and friends on the course!  Looking forward to a challenging and fun day in just 2 weeks at Syracuse 70.3 and a taper that comes with it!

Post Race treatment from Rose PT!

Be fearless in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire.