 |
| View from the hotel room of the swim start area! |
This year I took another stab at the IM 70.3 Lake Las Vegas (world champs). It got me pretty good last year and I wanted to take another shot at it. Well, honestly after I got my butt kicked in Kansas this year I thought “if I can’t figure out the freaking heat, then I don’t even want to do Vegas”. Nice attitude... I know :) In the end, the desire to redeem myself and also prove that I can put up a decent bike split on a tough hilly course was still there… and when Racine went pretty well, I knew I wanted the spot.
I had goals for the different sections and a race plan (more than I can say about last year)… and have a faster bike and fancy wheels (so, certainly that would help me with the Vegas hills). I still love you trek 1.2!!
 |
| Relaxing / Watching the start while waiting for our waves |
This year I stayed at the Ravella – AMAZING!! The room overlooked the lake and we could see transition. It ended up being perfect race morning. Getting bikes setup and then watching the start from the room while we waited until our waves went off. Pre-race viewing with Ken-ichi and Chris (they were the last wave, 2 after me).
So, how did it go? 2/3rds were good (swim and bike) and the run was a disaster. Those 2 were better than last year. But, overall, not awesome and slower than last year… so, maybe 3rd time’s a charm (or at least I am hoping so…)
 |
| Yeahhh exiting with people in my wave |
SWIM goal: try to swim with other people… resist the urge to swim in no mans land.
I started wayyy to the left in the front. I thought I would swim to the right and try to stick with people. SUCCESS. Big group going into the buoys and we thinned out after. I was with a fellow left veering swimmer and had to go around her at one point because I could tell we were going too far left. I came out of the water with a decent amount of people in my AG which was reassuring. I ended up swimming a few minutes faster than last year and was happy with the effort. 31:08, 14th F25-29.
BIKE goal: dear god, bike faster than you did last year. No giving up and checking out. Sub 3 hours (between 2:50 and 3:00).
Also mildly successful! I got passed by a few people on the bike and fell off a little at the end, but overall I was happy with the effort and how it turned out. Maybe it was calories or just heat, but the end was TOUGH. I SO wanted to be done biking. And, haven’t been that happy or kind of mentally drained coming into T2 in… well, maybe ever… I do remember enjoying the bike in Lake Mead National Park (a nice change from last year). It is gorgeous and such a cool place to bike (even if it’s hot as hell and full of long hills…).2:55:something, 16th F25-20
 |
| Clearly wishing I was moving as fast as this fine fellow... I should remember that aero helmets lose their effectiveness when I turn my head sideways... |
RUN goal: steady pace, be tough.
This did not happen. Coming into the race I think I under-estimated the run. I didn’t remember it being that bad (even though I wasn’t especially fast last year). I was hurting from the get-go. 1 mile at goal pace and then just fell apart. I felt like my legs were about to cramp for most of the run (and, then did cramp a few times). There was lots of walking… more than necessary and not a lot of mental toughness here. I tried to make myself run from aid station to aid station, but didn’t even succeed at that. I drank a lot to try to help with cramping and would have to stop to settle my stomach or simple because the part of me that wanted to give up would win. Yet another personal worst on the run (what happened to me?? I swear, the run was my best in many a triathlon last year… ). 2:17:58 (ouch), 29th F29-29.
Lessons learned?
 |
| Pretty view at the awards dinner. Chris Gilbert is a machine (4th M18-24!) |
I still need work on race nutrition. And, I didn’t follow the plan exactly and skimped on the amount of salt tabs I was planning. This was apparently a mistake. General life nutrition and the days leading up to a big race are something I would like to get better also… and something that would hopefully only help me in races.
I haven’t conquered the whole HTFU goal quite yet. Getting myself to push through tough runs and figuring out the tricks or mental games to keep going when it hurts or I’m fighting cramps. Being able to disconnect myself from the entire race (or what’s left) and take things mile by mile… or aid station to aid station… is a mental game that I still suck at.
The vegas run course is just as hard as the bike (especially when it is 100+ degrees with some humidity). Hopefully I can return in the coming years and give it another shot. I’ll respect all 3 legs and try to be mentally prepared for all of them!
