2014 Season Recap

2014 Season Recap:

 

Was a season of not necessarily getting faster, but continuing to race consistently and sharpen the mental toughness. The biggest thing I learned in 2014 was that an open mind is a powerful thing. If you give yourself a chance, often you’ll surprise yourself.

 

So, here is what I was up to in 2014: 

 

Early season racing included the Shamrock Shuffle 10k and the Crazylegs 8K. I tried to find my running legs and get some speed back despite a very cold and snowy winter and not a lot of track work.

 

 I ran the WISCONSIN HALF MARATHON in Kenosha in May. I ran slightly slower than my half marathon time last year, but on an out and back course leading the womens race was really cool and even came with a motorcycle at the end. Best thing? This box of cheese that I won. Oh, and the cheese head crown. 1:26:16, First Female.

 

Then I went back to the AMERICAN TRIPLE T. 2013 was the year of random errors and issues keeping me just far enough away from the top spot that I couldn’t wait to come back and try again… even though triple t is crazy hard. It was SO SO COLD this year and the courses changed slightly, but my mission was be tough all weekend and don’t walk at all during the run. In the end, I snagged 2^nd place by 23 seconds. Yes, 3 days… 4 races… 140+ miles… 23 seconds. So, being OCD about not walking at all paid off. In retrospect, the break to refill my own water bottles on the bike probably could have been better planned...

 

 

so so cold. getting ready to bike back up the hill to the lodge... 

 

LEONS was a warm year with a different run course. Rather than seeing people on the out and back you were on a big loop. I had pretty much the same gap on the girl in first the whole time and didn’t have much pep in the run to catch up to her. 2:17:49, 2nd Female.

Leons awards

 

I raced PLEASANT PRAIRIE. It was super foggy and the race was delayed what felt like forever. I swam super far off course and for the first time ever would stop and see most people ahead of me stopped, treading water, trying to figure out how we get back to the beach. Stellar. My high point was when I kayak waved frantically and pointed me in the direction to my right, which was where the buoy I should have been heading towards was. 2:09:43, 4th Female.

VisionQuest representing at Pleasant Prairie!

 

Then I had what seems like my annual melt down prior to RACINE. Everything felt slow and awful. I was certain I was on a downward spiral that I wouldn’t get out off. I’m clearly not overly dramatic at all with my training…. But, I was talked into having an open mind and giving myself a shot at Racine (BIG thanks to the brains behind the operation – Scott Iott of Training Bible). And I ended up with a decent day at Racine – just slightly slower than last year, first AG and a big reminder to have an open mind and give yourself a shot. 4:44:54, 1st F25-29.

 

 

So, with this new found motivation I was ready for some more triathloning. I was also enjoying being unemployed for a month while I transitioned between jobs and moved up to Madison. There was a camping weekend and then the TBC Iroman Wisconsin camp and then I was going to start work! And, then I went trail running in devils lake and sprained my ankle. Walking hurt for a while, my ankle still doesn’t quite seem like it’s the same size… and I was off running for like 2 weeks. The big rides during the IMWI camp where still there and we tried to get the most out of bike fitness before I was back in the working world. But, that scrapped any August tri plans and put running on the back burner for a bit. It came around and I was back at it before too long.

Fat ankle and banged up knee. #notwinning.

The stretch from September to November was tough. There were lots of friends wedding activities to train through, cold weather and less and less people to train with. It was wonderful that Amanda had decided to do IMAZ and continued to be a training buddy during those months and that I found a good running club at work to keep me motivated during some mid week long runs.

 

IRONMAN ARIZONA has a great end of the season. It was awesome having a good IL / WI representation down there and so many people had great races. TBC cleaned up in the M35-39 category, Amanda claimed the overall amateur female slot and DOMINATED with a sub 10 hour Ironman. I will continue to cling to her wheel during long training rides with the hope that I’ll get some of that bike speed! I rocked a new Smashfest Queen tri kit and enjoyed soaking up some of that energy in Arizona. Lots of love for smashfest at that race!! 10:09:51, 1st F25-29, 5th Female (amateur)

IRONMAN ARIZONA!

 

Serious thanks to everyone this season. Training buddies in Wisconsin and IL (Amanda for dragging me around on the bike many times this summer, Trey and Eric for runs back in the burbs and a few bike rides around Madison and other running buddies :)). Scott Iott and Training Bible for the coaching and putting up with my crazy and working around a busy summer of friends weddings and a move and new job. Jason for tolerating my schedule and how tired and hungry it makes me all the time.  

 

 

IROMAN ARIZONA

hmm the return to blogging :) I'll wrap up the season soon too, mostly so I can remember what sort of triathlon musings I got into this year. But, Arizona deserves a blog. So, here it is!

My pre-race call with my coach had the words “slow down the least” written under the run. That was the only thing I wrote down. Solid plan, right? For the first time, I clearly thought about that on the back half of the run and made that and staying strong my goal. That along with "stay in the moment, be tough" were the things I thought about a lot on race day.

To back up a little, Ironman Arizona was freaking hard to train for. An Ironman in November when you live in IL/WI should probably never seem like a good idea. But, alas, I was a woman possessed last year after an Ironman full of mechanicals and I wanted another shot with a late season Ironman. I hope I remember how much I hated during long rides in layer after layer and long runs in the dark if I think this is a good idea again J But, once it was time for the race, it was AWESOME to escape to perfect 75 degree weather in beautiful Tempe for 4 days.

Leading up to the race I felt unmotivated and less organized than I usually do before races. I felt like I wasn’t giving the race the attention that it needed, but as a result I was staying much calmer than I did last year before Wisconsin. Besides annoyance when I realized I couldn’t do the practice swim because I forgot my chip and it was 30 min before they were closing the course this was a relatively good thing for me mentally. The day before the race, I had a minor spaz attacked and bought a new tire and had the bike shop at the expo change it. The guy changed it while he was checking other people out… so quickly and perhaps not with his full attention. I had déjà vu to last year when I changed the front tire a few weeks before the race and then that was the tire that flatted twice during the race. But did my best to keep those thoughts out of my head.

I didn’t quite follow my plan for race morning and that left me a little more stressed than I probably needed to be when stuff started to go south in transition. But, I ended up getting to transition around 5:50… then had to walk all the way around and it was so crowded. I got to my bike… pumped the front tire, moved to the back and when I hit 110 it blew. SH%T. People around me pointed me a few different directions, people said it’s fine you have lots of time… while I’m sure thanking the bike gods that their tires are perfectly inflated. One lady said “you know it’s good luck if that happens.” All I thought was, at least it’s before the race, maybe that means I’ll luck out DURING the race. Finally got there and the guy changed it pretty quick. With like 10 mins before transition closed. Plenty of time… J

SWIM! I'm somewhere in that middle chunk away from people to draft off… 

Found Amanda before the start so we got I the water together, swam over to the start and lined up together. That was nice to have someone there to chat with a little before it got started. Ideally I would have at least attempted to stick on Amanda’s feet. She probably would have still been too fast, but it was a stretch goal. We were right behind a kayak when we started and she went right and I went left, so lost her right away. The start wasn’t too bad. I actually had awhile where I felt like there was a line along the buoys and a line further right and I was just randomly in the middle with not too many people. Felt like I just kind of settled in, and swam in no mans land… that’s my spot.

 

On to the bike! Did a slow mount, but whatever… and got going. Thought I settled into goal watts pretty well going out on the first lap. Took the corners a little slow, which I apologized to any guys that happened to get stuck behind me during those. Oops. I kind of thought that first way out was one of the worst as far as passing people and clumps… it was harder to pass people because they would be going just a LITTLE slower than I wanted to be going, but not way slower. The way back down the hill was awesome though… so I decided that it was worth the wind / slowness going up for the way back down. That wore off by the 3rd lap though. Power was low on the third lap, less time in aero going up that hill… and more verbal exploitatives. Seriously, holy wind.

  

Always the awkward wave and not
good running form. Always.

Felt a little rough starting the run, but didn’t let that get to my head. Tried to think that I was just going to focus on lap one and pretend it was a transition run. I knew there was another girl in a smashfest kit that had left transition right before me and another girl that wasn’t too far up, so made those my first things to focus on. When I got to the aid station right after you cross the bridge they told me two more were up ahead (they were THE BEST aid station). Was still feeling okay at that point so had two more people to focus on and just tried to keep the miles consistent. Tried to stay tough because I was starting to feel it after that. Goal was get to half way and then I knew I would have to break it up… thought I could do 5 miles, but that was kind of too much… so did a mile at a time. So, one mile at a time and tried my best to suck it up. Mile 16ish where random person said “I don’t know what your name is, but you look really skinny!” … probably not really true and also very unrelated to the race, but it made me happy. Jason finally gave me some update on how I was doing when I told him I was on the “struggle bus” and said I was way ahead and to just be patient. Which I hoped meant the timex girl who I had a decent lead on was the second place girl my AG. Right at 3:30 – so happy about the run. Think I gave it everything I had and that I stayed tough – so I couldn’t have asked for more I don’t think. I walked some aid stations, but really just went I was drinking a perform or coke and did a good job of picking it up again right away, which I’m happy with. My fav aid station gave me a shout out when I ran through the last time called me “our runner” and told me I was awesome which REALLY picked me up and was awesome… so the last 2 miles were mission “be tough and finish”.

F25-29 Podium

I am so happy with how the race went. There were definitely areas to improve… but I think how I executed the race was pretty much right on my plan. Goals were met for the race. My ideals times were swim 1-1:05, bike 5:30 or under, run 3:30 or under… and I was right there. To have won the AG by more than an hour is insane, but really cool. 

And now KONA is on the calendar. Crazy… both exciting and intimidating. Another year of Ironman for this girl. Time for a nice break and time to re-motivate for another year of training J Excited to experience the world championships see how I can do on a really tough, really hot course. Hello heat training :/

With superstar first place female, Amanda. ALOHA :)

Soooo first… a fat and happy offseason J