Tempe Marquee Olympic Triathlon 2014 Race Report by Erik Svans

"Ground Zero":  If there's one phrase I could use to define what Marquee Olympic Triathlon was for me, that is it.  I wish I could say I had big aspirations for this day; but I knew it was going to be a gut check and a reality bites race.  After taking a year completely off, I knew re-engaging into training was going to be challenging.  When you're training every day, eating clean, resting sufficiently, and psychologically ready to take on a competitive training program, the stars will align and you become a lean mean fighting machine through your dedication and focus that YOU control.  But then there's life and the wrenches that it throws at you---but not all wrenches are bad!   Since my last race (IMAZ 2012), life has been full of change...good change.  New place to call home on two fronts (work: left a flailing partnership, and home: moved into a new house two weeks prior to Marquee).  With these changes, training has been more of a "I've got a free hour today, what am I gonna do?" kind of setup.

Most days though, there hasn't been much time for training.  As Marquee approached and our move occurring 2 weeks prior to race day, I decided to switch my approach from getting into training mode to using Marquee as a benchmark--to simply see what would happen if I raced on almost no training (well, at least no focused training at all).  No track workouts, no intervals on the bike,  and just 2 swims in the week prior to the race---I was truly at zero going in.  Not training, not eating clean, not resting enough, and psychologically too busy with other life events to focus on a training program and its outcome.

The great thing about our local races here put on by Lifetime is that they are predictable from sign up to awards---we don't need to think about the logistics because they are identical from race to race.  That took a lot of concern off my mind going into the race---I know the course, the transition, the competition, and of course the sea of Orange that is ONE Multisport is a welcoming sight.  I've raced this almost exact course 6 times now, so I knew I would at least be able to pull some good comparisons...



My race plan was very simple:  find my threshold and sit on it all race long.  That really has never changed, and it has always been self limiting for me.  Its gotten to a point that I can fairly accurately predict my pacing based on my training results---I knew I wasn't going to be anywhere near my "norms," but now i was going to learn my "baselines."

Swim:  I started front right as I almost always do, which allows me to see the rest of my wave as I primarily breathe to my left as we gas it off the line.  There was only 79 octane in the tank on this day, and I watched 3-4 guys in my wave sail off ahead...podium fairy tales went out the window as the swim usually set me up for a "catch me if you can" type of race strategy that has worked well for me in the past.  The swim was uneventful, and I got the first important gut check:  3m35s off my swim PR for this course, getting out of the water in 25:47 (PR is 22:06).  Gulp...

T1:  Getting shucked from my wetsuit was a perfect example of how not to get out of  a wetsuit, but I made up for it with a helmet buckle and flying mount and nothing more.  I came close to my 47 second PR for T1 with a respectable 49sec...like the seconds mattered on this day ;-)

Bike: "It is what it is."  I went old school, no HR or power---just me and my bike.  I settled into that threshold, and two laps later got gut check number two:  21.39mph average (because of the longer bike, the only relevant data is the mph).  Previous best in 24mph...seemed about right.  I could really feel how a lack of layered training affected my ability to suffer.  I had no depth,  just

T2: shoes left on pedals, helmet off while running, slide into shoes, grab glasses and bib number, and away I went.... 43 seconds.

Run:  I decided I wanted to let Carlos Mendoza pass me, not once, but twice on this day---he passed me on the bike, I passed him back in T2, and he flew by me on the run...its always great to see Carlos, hahaha.  Anyways, I shuffled along at ~7:10/mi pace with a guy from Tribe, and other than seeing Jenny and the kids at Mile 6, the run was something not to be proud of:  44:54 time versus a PR of 39:19.

Overall: Ground Zero sucks!  Some solid training is in the works, and a clear path on all other fronts will be here very soon!  Onwards and upwards!

Erik

Tempe Marquee Olympic Triathlon 2014 Race Report byJenni Marshall

MARQUEE INT’L DISTANCE APRIL 13, 2014 RACE REPORT - Jenni Marshall

Race Week

I went into this race very concerned about what my performance would be.  First, I had been professionally coached for the year leading up to Ironman AZ 2013 and now I was back on my own.  Second, I feared I had not done enough since Ironman to warrant a decent performance (do we ever feel we’ve done enough?).  Finally, I did the Splash and Dash the Thursday night before this race as a warm-up and test for Sunday.  My run was horrible and did not bode well for Sunday’s race. 

In order to “right the ship” for Sunday, I slept in Friday and Saturday mornings.  Our Friday noon Endurance Hour of Power at Power in Motion was a great foam rolling and stretching session.  My only workout before Sunday’s race was a 30 minute bike ride followed by a 10 minute run on Saturday morning. 

Saturday night I had my favorite pre-race meal of homemade basil sauce on grilled shrimp and gluten free pasta with green beans.  

Race Morning

Breakfast - Steel Cut Oats made in the slow cooker, 1 scoop of vanilla protein powder in coconut water with a packet of orange Emergen-C, coffee, water

Warm-Up - Ran down to where the turn buoys to see where they are in relation to the shore.  15 minutes before race I sucked down a MamaChia packet.

RACE

Swim - 

Goals: Time Goal: 25:00 / 1:40 pace (based on Splash and Dash); 

Non time Goal: Stay strong and controlled, don’t get overly excited, no thrashing.  Power comes from the core, drive from hips, high elbows.  

Results: Official time: 26:55; 1:48 pace (included running to transition and my Garmin had 1620m not 1500m); Wore sleeveless wetsuit.  Had clear water the whole time.  Was hoping for a faster time given I was swimming by myself.  Need to work on trusting my body to keep up with good technique and power.  Still think I thrash too much because I'm excited and feel like I'm "racing" more if I'm moving quickly instead of with purpose.  Work on this at Bartlett.

Bike - 

Goals:  Time Goal: 1:24, 20mph 

Non-time Goal: HR: 165-175;Stay upright (I crashed in this race last year), relax quads and upper body, trust yourself in the turns, think about power from the core, stay aero as much as reasonable

Nutrition: 2 scoops of Fixx and a Nuun tab in aerobottle; 1 Endurobite - half eaten at halfway point, other half a few miles out from transition

Results:  Official Time: 1:24:10 (19.96mph, jeesh wanted the 20.0 at least); Hit goal time, yes!  Had 20.3mph avg speed (based on my Garmin) at halfway point and held on for the remainder.  Was trying to negative split but that didn't happen.  HR stayed lower than I intended so need to work on getting it up and holding.  Tried to be patient with myself, stay strong and relax upper body.  Accepted the fact that I'm slow around the turns and told myself to just hit it hard on the straight parts.  Course got a little crowded in spots which slowed me down where I would otherwise be going faster.  Stayed in aero position quite a lot for me.  Felt happy and was having fun.  

Run-

Goals:  Time Goal: 47:00 / 7:35 pace 

Non-Time Goal: HR 168-178; Control breathing in the beginning - 3 breath count, don’t start too fast, hold back, drink.  Lift knees, drive feet down, use arms to give legs a break.

Nutrition: Flask with honey water and salt combo; water on the course; had some Coke too

Results:  Official Time: 44:33 / 7:11 pace; Holy shit, where did this come from and how do I bottle it for my next race?  Fastest 10K ever and :30 per mile faster than any 10K in a triathlon.  

I felt good and was happy I only had 6.2 miles to go instead of 26.2 like the last tri I did in Tempe.  I came firing out of transition like I usually do but made an effort to settle myself down a little and stay in control.  I kept looking at my watch to see when my average pace would drop to something around 7:30 but it didn't.  I ran the last mile sub 7!  Average HR didn't get up into the range I had set as my goal so I obviously have more to give.  Think getting back into track workouts will get my strength and confidence up in order to push a higher heart rate.  Very excited about this run!  Ironically, it was the same pace that I ran in my dismal 5K during the Splash and Dash on Thursday.

Overall Race Time Goal: 2:38:30  

Overall Race Non-Time Goal:  Relax, have fun, don’t waste energy getting tense.

Overall Race Time Results:  2:38:35

Overall Race Non-Time Results:  I had a lot of fun in this race.  In T2 as I was getting on my running shoes I said aloud to myself, “This is so much fun!”  It was great seeing so many One friends out on the course.   Thanks to everyOne for their support and to Lifetime for a fun race!

Tempe Marquee Olympic Triathlon 2014 Race Report by Sue Meno

Marquee Olympic Race Report (to race or not to race this was the question!!) Sue Meno

First race of the season and as a "44" year old!  I was actually registered to race Leadman and was fairly ready for the distance, but the weekend before the race I was having really brutal lower back pain laying me flat on my back!  PT found my hip, pelvis and SI Joint.... all out of whack, I had it treated Monday and Wednesday.  I wasn't sure if I would be racing at all certainly not Leadman if anything it would be the Olympic.  I did very little in fact was off for 2 consecutive days then did a little swim, little bike and Thursday a little run not my normal race week!  On Saturday morning I decided I would give it a go and just race knowing I'm not in top form.

Race morning I followed normal routine:  Zone bar and a piece of PB&J toast with coffee then sipped water.  Set up bike and transition then went for a short run warm up with a few strides just to spike my hr a few times.  Before leaving transition I took 2 endurolytes knowing it was going to be a warm day with a later race start.  20 mins prior to swim I topped off with about 1/2 a gel as my stomach was not real calm!  Chatted with team mate Jennie waiting to get in the water then jumped in.  Great wave of girls we were all laughing waiting for our send off.  

Swim was fairly uneventful.  I have never really found a great pace for this distance my time was ok for my fitness level.  Things always get crowded toward the turn around buoy as we start to catch up to the waves in front of us!  It would be nice to be an earlier wave and have that wonderful clean water one day!!

T1 went fine at least I wasn't shooting blood out of my shin like SOMA last fall!  Off on the bike.  Things were fine on the bike typical Tempe course crowded and the winds picked up....  I guess I didn't read about the course as I was intending to race Leadman, so I was quite surprised when I finished the first loop and my Garmin was at 14 miles!  HHHMMMM this was going to be a longer bike than I anticipated no big deal.  I had a gel in case I wanted it, about 240 calories in my bottle, endurolytes, advil(yes I take this on the bike) and water with 2 electrolyte fizz tabs.  The Olympic race I don't need alot of calories and go strictly by what my body wants, no gel today.  I took in about 3/4 of my water (20 ounces), about 3/4 of my calorie bottle, 2 endurolytes and 1 advil.

T2 not my fastest to date as one shoe wasn't wanting to slide on quite right!  But off I went with some nerves not knowing how my back was going to respond.  I had an ok run for me, I was very conservative primarily out of fear and not wanting to walk away with my back flared up.  I took strictly water on the course thats all I wanted, could have really used one more aide station out there on the far end of the lake.  I did grab some coke at the last aide station because it sounded good, but it was hot ick!  As I started the last stretch of the run I could see a girl up ahead and thought she must be younger?  I always tell myself if you can see someone you better catch them and pass because if you don't and she ends up being in your division you will kick yourself in the butt(my theory if I can see you I can catch you)!  I surged ahead and was gaining fast when I saw 42 on her leg and was shocked,  then I recognized the kit and found it was my friend Nancy from the East Coast who was doing a relay!!!  I passed by with a quick hello and headed to the finish!

Good day I won the division and shared the podium with my Elite Teammate Jennie, we went 1&2!!  So much orange out on the course makes for a fun day full of cheers, smiles and encouragement!  Thank You ONE MULTISPORT and all our sponsors:  Endurance Rehab(my scraping friends!), Foosia Asia Fresh, Complete Skin Care Body Restoration, Destination Kona, Fuel to the Finish, Scottsdale Health Magazine, Power In Motion....  Another great race put on by Lifetime!