While training on longer bricks, we found some odd weather in San Diego with Santa Ana hot winds and I found myself with another crazy lymph node infection which starts with ear pain, teeth pain, cheek pain, jaw pain, neck pain, temple pain...I'm dying pain...It's a mental nightmare to keep going.
Motrin 800mg every 6 hours and Amoxicillin 4x a day and finally about 10 days, it was mostly gone. Then shoulder blade pain came the entire week of taper leading up to the race and more pain meds, heating pad, deep tissue massage ensued. All this time I watched the weather in Tempe continue to climb with heat.
Finally, it was race day and the high was going to be even worse than expected at 90 degrees. I tried to prepare with a mini ice chest for transition which held a neckerchief with cooling beads for the bike and a cooling towel for the run. Also I had a sponge and ice cold water bottle for the run.
It was surprising to set up next to Marcus. I'm used to being with my wave/AG but we were racked by bib#. This would mean I would have no idea how I did in my swim because bikes would be everywhere when I arrived in T1.
The course layout was similar to IMAZ which is why I chose this race, but the bike course was crazy different with 45 turns including 12 Uturns within 56 miles. The swim in the lake was 70 degrees and no salt. It was odd to have COED first timers in my wave. I had a my goggles knocked off twice in the swim but I just adjusted and kept going. I think I lost satellite under the bridges but my Garmin said I swam 1.37 miles instead of 1.2. My pace was a little slower than I expected but part of the extra time was that I swam to the left of the stairs because they were open and the far right stairs were backed up for swim exit. Then when I arrived, I was told I couldn't exit there! no markings at all and I yelled in disbelief and the volunteer helped pull me up eventually so I could move on. It was also FUN to experience STRIPPERS!!! So glad I remembered to prepare my wetsuit sleeve and pulled it over my watch for that. woohoo I was out of my wetsuit in about 3 seconds flat!
It was a little run to T1 which made my swim time even longer but I got my bike stuff together quickly, grabbed a GU and ice cold neckerchief for the ride and took off. I held 18mph the first lap and felt good - so I thought. I was cool and was prepared for 15 turns per lap but the Uturns surprised me because they were so tight, it scared me to almost unclip. I didn't though and tried not to surge to pickup speed too fast but I know I did - I wondered how much I would pay for stop/starts. I heard Jim Vance telling me to not surge...you will deplete your glycogen..I couldn't help it, I was trying to give my all on my bike... the course is relatively flat and I wanted a PR on the bike. Lap 2 was a little more windy - felt more difficult for sure. I was more confident on the turns but this time one guy crossed the line on a turn and nearly caused a head-on collision with me and a few other riders! Yikes, brakes on, surge repeat. By the 3rd lap, the wind was stronger, I could feel I was fatiguing and on the last little hill at mile 50, I stood up (NOTE: you know better!!! don't ever do that AGAIN!!)and my left thigh cramped and spasmed...I couldn't pedal with my left leg without tremors and spasms for 6 miles. I yelled at myself for surging and there was no reason to stand on that hill. I know better. I can pass people on a hill in my seat. So I paid dearly for that mistake and dropped my speed considerably. All the extra effort up front was a waste...damn you! listen to the coaches!
When I hopped off the bike at T2, my thigh was shaking and I was limping with a trot. I ignored it. I switched to the cooling towel, grabbed 2 salt pills for the heat, a little PBJ and icy disposable water bottle. I ran out of T2 prepared for a dry sauna. I ate about half the sandwich and slowly drank the ice water over the next 2 miles. My goal was to only walk through the aid stations. I felt pretty comfortable with the cooling towel but my thigh didn't relax for 2 miles. I drank the Gatorade at each station, poured ice water over my head, and poured ice into my shirt and towel. I still just could not pick up my pace and the slower I ran, the more negative talk crept into my mind. My thighs were just empty. All this planning for heat and no thought about a flat bike course? No coasting/no recovery time for the thighs...bike pacing is critical for this course. Mental training is the most difficult for me. I thought about Jeff Galloway and he said the hotter the weather the slower you will run so adjust your goal. I tried to accept the slow pace as out of my control but I knew it was the bike surging that got me. The first run lap wasn't too bad but by mile 10, I was seeing stars. I had stopped 2x before aid stations already but I knew I would be ok if I added some calories. I had a GU at mile 6 but had only a couple orange slices with all the Gatorade. I decided to eat a piece of banana and cola and instantly felt better.
I was able to round the corner of the lake and finally see the bridge and knew the finish line was approaching soon. It was wonderful to see Marcus waiting for me at the bridge to run with me to the finish line so we could get a picture together. I finished in 6:45 and was 15 minutes past my goal time (all due to bike surging, not run heat!) and 13th place of 26, but I learned some lessons during this race about pace and I was not prepared to ride hard for 3 hours without a break. I ride hills a lot so it is hard up but recovery down. There was no recovery time on this course and I need to work harder on intervals in the wind on fiesta island to be stronger for IMAZ. I have decided I really need a power meter so I know my limits on the bike so I have something for the run. The bike segment is my best discipline but it ruins my run which is already slow. This needs to change for IMAZ. I don't want to cramp at mile 50 with 62 miles left on the bike and face 26.2 miles of a death march to the finish line...nope this must improve.
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