So far, June has been an exciting month. Ten days on the road and two races: Escape from Alcatraz and Clear Lake 101.
More important than racing … my coach and dear friend Andy is recovering from a serious bike accident. Fortunately, he is going to be OK, but it’s going to be a long recovery process. Knowing Andy, he will tackle recovery with the same passion he has for triathlon and coaching and will bounce back more quickly than expected. Please send him some positive, healing thoughts as he works through his rehabilitation and healing.
Alcatraz is an amazing, one of a kind race; one that I’ve been looking forward to since racing there last year. The race was good to me this year - I raced faster and place higher (6 th) than the previous year. To make the day even better, I had several friends there to cheer me on. Hearing friends yell at me along the course, and having friends to celebrate post-race with, makes the whole race experience so much more fun.
Alcatraz used to seem like a big, scary race but after having raced there last year, I was better prepared and knew what to expect. The cold-water swim through the SF bay no longer seemed daunting; the hills on the bike were not as terrifying as I thought they would be; and I’ve come to love the run course, even the dreaded sand ladder isn’t intimidating anymore. I now have a strategy for it … walk it (and try to make it look like a run for all the cameras that are there to catch a glimpse of the suffering)!
After Alcatraz, I had a couple days of fun - shopping around and eating in San Francisco with friends. Come Tuesday morning though, it was time to put Alcatraz behind me and focus on next weekend’s race – Clear Lake. This would be the longest race of my life, so I figured I needed to have the laziest week of my life leading up to it, in order to store up as much energy as possible.
Clear Lake 101 … 1.86m swim, 80.6m bike, 18.6m run = 101 miles! I was confident that I had enough endurance training in for this race, the main challenge would be to stay mentally strong throughout the day and not let my mind get in the way of finishing the race.
The day before the race, I got some good advice that helped settle my nerves – mainly to stay within yourself, and respect the long distance. It’s going to be a long day, so don’t “race” on the bike, save some legs for the run. On the bike, I felt pretty good; stayed relaxed for the most part, and didn’t push too hard. There was an out and back section on the bike course where I could see the other women in the race, and it was hard seeing them creep ahead and put time on me. I wanted to push hard and keep up with their pace, but I knew if I wanted to finish the run, I just couldn’t do that. Throughout the bike, that 18m run was right there in the front of my mind, taunting me.
The run course was the toughest run course that I have EVER done. Not just because it was 18 miles, but also because it was hill after steep hill after hill. At least it wasn’t too hot out – that was one good thing. It took some serious positive self-talk and focus to slog through the run, and somehow I managed to hold it together and made it across the finish line.
I’ll be honest, it was a stinkin’ long race! It was a tough day out there, but I certainly learned a lot and pushed myself in ways that I have not done in a long time. Now, several days after the race, I am able to bring myself to say, “I am glad I did it.” Could I say that at the finish line? Unfortunately, no.
Back at home this week; I have been taking my recovery time very seriously! Enjoying some down time and fewer workouts scheduled, getting caught up on “life” and other non-triathlon related items. Next week starts the big 4-week push for France! I’m feeling recovered and focused, ready to do everything just right (nutrition, training, taking care of my whole self) for 4 weeks. After racing in France on July 15th, it will be time for a mid-season break. I’m looking forward to touring around France, taking in all the sights and enjoying the food and wine there with Dave.
