Race Week
Toughman 70.3 in Show Low, AZ was the race I’ve been working towards this spring and summer. Goals for this race were to PR from last year’s time of 5:37 and to be able to run off of the bike. I had recently had my heart rate zones for the bike tested for the first time and felt that armed with this knowledge, I would hopefully keep myself under control on the bike and leave enough energy for a successful run.
Race Morning
Breakfast - Steel cut oatmeal, greek yogurt with honey, 1 scoop of vanilla protein powder in coconut water with a packet of orange Emergen-C, coffee, water.
Warm-Up - I do not follow my own advice about warming up. Didn’t warm up except for a few yards of swimming before the swim start.
RACE
Swim - 1500M (shortened course)
Goals: Time Goal: 33:00 / 1:43 pace (this goal was based on the original distance of 1.2 miles.)
Non time Goal: Build, stay focused, don’t coast
Results: Official time: 26:18; 1:45 pace
I built through the swim which was good, especially with no warm up and being at altitude. I feel like I swing too wide around the buoys and am having to direct myself back in closer. The last 200M or so of the swim was a new challenge. We got to swim through weeds that came all the way to the surface of the water. Fortunately, I had pre-swum the end of the course the day beforehand and knew what to expect.
The run to T1 was different also in that we hand to run up a long steep hill that was covered with a narrow green carpet. I was told I was the 4th female out of the water or the 2nd (2 different people had 2 different reports), so either way, I was feeling pretty good about where I was in the race.
Bike - 56 miles
Goals: Time Goal: 3:00, 18.67mph
Non-time Goal: HR: 144-154; Stay under control. Watch cadence and HR. Keep racing on the descents.
Nutrition: 2 scoops of Fixx and a Nuun in aerobottle and other bottle; Endurobites, 2 salt tabs, 3 Huma gels
Results: Official Time: 3:00 /18.67mph, Avg. HR 156
I had a hard time in the beginning (like the first 45 minutes) to get the HR down to anywhere in range. I figured this would be a hard goal. I was used to training in higher HRs before my test so getting it down was a challenge. Average HR didn’t end up being too far off so I don’t think this hurt me. What did hurt were my hip flexors. I don’t know if sitting in the car for 3 hours the day beforehand and insufficient stretching did them in or what but they were distracting me from what have otherwise been a pretty calm ride.
I was passed on the bike by my teammate Teri and a girl in a dark blue jersey. I was excited because now I knew who to hunt on the run.
Run-
Goals: Time Goal: 1:51 / 8:30 pace
Non-Time Goal: HR 155-165
Nutrition: Honey water, water on course
Results: Official Time: 2:06 / 9:38 pace; Avg. HR: 159
So, this part didn’t work out as hoped for. The run course was a little different than last year and added more trail so that was a surprise. The race was also 3 weeks later than last year so it was hotter. I had a side cramp the whole time. Those are my excuses. The tough part though is that I never felt like a runner. I had short bursts of energy but no flow. My legs were tight, I was hot. I’m having a hard time with the mental game if I don’t see my competition. I probably didn’t drink enough on the bike or mange my electrolytes sufficiently. The only consolation on my run time is that no females that day broke 2 hours on the run and I had the 3rd fastest female run time. It was a tough day for everyone.
My competitiveness was fortunately satisfied in the last mile of the race. I finally spotted dark blue jersey girl. I saw her after the out and back and before the big hill leading into the finish. I thought to myself, “Pass with authority, don’t look back, run as efficiently as you can, if she kicks, give it all you’ve got.” The last mile of the race was one of my best and it worked. I took 2nd place overall female by close to 2 minutes.
Overall Race Time Goal: 5:29
Overall Race Non-Time Goal: Build the swim, control on the bike, run like a runner.
Overall Race Time Results: 5:37
Overall Race Non-Time Results: Hit goals until I got to the run.
RX: Build bike fitness properly now that zones are identified
Manage fluid and electrolyte intake - Identify sweat rate?
Stretch and foam roll every day to fight tightness
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