#808

33 days and counting to IMAZ!  I'm excited, ready, and terrified all at once! I'm considering the advantages of letting myself be an emotional wreck for a day or so just to get it out of my system.

All of those stepping-to-the-ledge feelings got jacked up a notch today when they posted our bib numbers.  I am #808. Getting my number makes it even more real. 808.  It puts me on the map, so to speak. I'm officially racing with an official number. It's all official now!

Of course a number can't be just a number, it has to have meaning.  808:   Is it significant in some way? What does it say about me and my chances of success? Could it bring me luck? A quick Google search turned up some possible answers.

The Urban Dictionary defines 808 this way:

1. The penal code for disturbing the peace. Refers to the sound of bass from stereos. 2. An 808 refers to a drum machine called a Roland TR-808. 3. Sometimes a reference to Hawaii. 808 is Hawaii's area code.   In fact, 808 became Hawaii's area code shortly after its statehood in 1959. So it's a number with staying power.Maybe that means I will have the endurance needed to go the distance.... nice thought.    Or...I'll be as steady as an 808 drumbeat, cranking up the intensity enough to be cited for disturbing the peace! Oh yes.    Or perhaps meaning can be found in the Pace Suburban Bus Route 808, which runs from Crystal Lake to Harvard.  Harvard makes me think of being smart, so maybe it means I will race smart. Then again, it's a bus route, so maybe I'll be making a lot of stops. =S  On the other hand, the bus could represent the journey and slow and steady progress to one's destination, in this case, the finish line. :) I'll go with that one. Of course, the most obvious 808 in the triathlon world is the Zipp 808 wheel. Zipp describes it this way:  "Ridden by Jordan Rapp to a win at Ironman Canada 2009, the 808 clincher excels whenever the situation calls for an all-around wheelset with a heavy dose of aero attitude"   Maybe I'll be riding aero with a heavy dose of attitude. Now that's what I'm talkin' about!

Waterman's Half Ironman

My last race before IMAZ and I PR'd it by 35 minutes--yay!


Goal:     8 hours
Actual:  7:52:50

Don't try anything new on race day. How many times have I heard that?! And yet I had all kinds of new stuff going on at Waterman's:  a new bike fit, new aero bars,  new saddle, new cycling shoes, different nutrition options, and a new (smaller) bento box. Nothing like living on the edge for 70.3, right?  But this was more of a training race for me and, it turns out, everything worked, with the exception of the new saddle.

Pre-Race

I was pretty laid back about this race. Shocking, I know. My only bit of concern was for the bike portion, as I have a history of cutting it close on the cut off times. But after that epic 110 mile ride and the long rides before that, 56 seemed like a walk in the park.

Swim
Goal:     Beat my PR of  47:19
Actual:  46:16

I really enjoyed the swim. The water was about 65 degrees but didn't feel that cold to me. Since I was in such a small swim wave I decided to start in the middle of the pack and see how long I could keep up with everyone. For a few moments it seemed like I was being pulled along with the others. But that didn't last too long as all the fasties pulled out ahead and everyone else spread out. It was a two loop course with a lot of grass in some sections, but before I knew it I was at the boat ramp and running for transition.


Bike
Goal:     Make the cut off
Actual:  Made it with just a few minutes to spare. =S

It's all about the bike these days. I'm pretty sure my success at IMAZ will depend on the bike portion of the race. So I took time off last week to fix all those nagging new tri bike issues I needed to fix. This was the last race opportunity I would have to tweak everything.

Turns out I loved the new aerobars but hated the new saddle. I kept having to adjust my position and couldn't stay aero as much as I wanted. Throw in some hills and I finished about a minute slower than the bike at Musselman. Ugh.  Plus, my quads were trashed by the last 10 miles or so. Melissa says it's a matter of getting used to hills on the tri bike....but I was missing my road bike, for sure.

I cruised into transition under the wire. Whew! That was waaay too close. Good thing IMAZ isn't hilly!

Run

Goal:      Whatever it takes to make it to the finish line before the 8 hour cutoff
Actual:    2:52:50, made the cutoff with about 7 minutes to spare :)

OMG I love to run!  I was so happy to finally be in my total comfort zone. I walked up the bigger hills and ran the rest of the way. I hadn't even thought it possible that I could finish in under 8 hours. I thought maybe 8:15 or so would be more realistic. I just wanted to beat my 8:28 time from Musselmania.And given that the weather was so much nicer--about 20 degrees cooler--I felt pretty good about it, but not sub-8 hours good.

On the final loop I started doing the math and realized that I could actually make it in 8 hours-- even if I slowed to a 15 minute pace! Debbie The World Traveler Chamberlin wasn't too far behind me and I kept looking back, happy to see another Zr still out there with me. Tracey was also there, keeping up a nice steady pace. We exchanged high fives on the out-and-back and I couldn't help but think about how far we've both come and what a year it's been. And our biggest challenge is still to come!

Finish Line!

Given my questionable math skills, I still couldn't let myself believe I would finish in under 8 hours until I had the finish line in sight. The final mile went through the park campground and then over this little wooden bridge. Coming over the bridge I saw a couple of Zs waiting and clapping. One of them whistled to the rest of the Zs to let them know someone was coming. One last hill and a few high fives later I was across the finish line with about 7 minutes to spare!

Up next:  The Big Show! 

110 In The Bank

Goal:  8 hours
Actual:  7:40ish

This was a windy, chilly ride all the way out to St. Michaels and Tilghman Island....just one long out and back, not much to look at. My new tri bike did pretty well....but it does have issues. Take, for instance, the lack of room for a bento box. It means I have to put all of my GUs, salt tabs, Cliff Bars, cell phone, keys, etc., etc. in my back  jersey pocket. It's much easier to have it all right there in front of me on the top tube, but my top tube is too short and the cable thingees are in the way so there's no room =S  Oh the hassles of being a short triathlete! I'm determined to figure something out this week!

Anyway, back to the ride...It started and ended well, but there was one long stretch that threw me into WTF mode:
I'm only going 12 mph in this wind right now. WTF?
The top keeps popping off my aero bar water bottle. WTF?
I can't open this pack of GU chomps. WTF? 

And so on...

But the ride ended on a high note. I spent the last 40 miles or so with Debbie, a world traveler and adventurer who told me stories about hiking alone in Nepal, getting charged by a Rhino on Safari, and getting held up at gunpoint right outside her condo in DC! (Here we are striking a pose with Tracey after the 100 miler.) We chatted and laughed and tried to divert our attention away from the task at hand. It made the wind and distance all the more bearable. :) Before we knew it we were turning into the Target parking lot and heading back to our cars.

Our post-ride treat was Chick Fil-A --my fav fast food place! It was on the other side of the parking lot so I jogged over to see how well my legs would work after 110 miles. Not bad at all...  but then again, that wasn't 26.2.

Dear Wise Inner Critic...

You're right and you can say I told you so, but please don't gloat. Welcome to Mitigation Week, where all of those things you're nagging me about get taken care of. Yes indeedy, I've made two different to-do lists, a chart, and a spreadsheet and I'm even taking a day off work to get my act together. We know that I'm not a spreadsheet person but whatever it takes to get organized, right? And of course, I'll do whatever it takes to shut you up....hahaha

Check back with me at the end of the week and I'm sure you will be disappointed that you can't find something to nag me about.

Dear Sally...

It's me again, Your Wise Inner Critic, wondering what the hell you're doing. I'm giving you one week to get your act together.  Let's review your current status: 


You still don't know how everything works on your new tri bike.  Seriously, you couldn't remember how to put the water bottle on the aero bars on Sunday. How pathetic is that? And you still don't  know everything about how your new bike computer works. But perhaps most pathetic of all, you still haven't figured out how your new watch works. How many years have you worn a watch? Through 8 marathons and more than a couple dozen triathlons? And all you can do is run the chrono? That's right, I'm calling you out.

I'm calling you out because you aren't sleeping enough or eating right and I don't care how much you've cut back, you are still a Diet Coke addict.
I'm calling you out because you haven't nailed down your nutrition plan for IMAZ. Hello?
I'm calling you out because you aren't consistently getting in your weekday runs. WTF?
I'm calling you out because it just now occurred to you that you might have to wear a long sleeve wetsuit at IMAZ and therefore need to practice in one. Duh.
I'm calling you out because you haven't practiced your tire changing skills on your new bike. What are you waiting for? Please.

You have a 110 mile ride on Saturday and an 18 mile run on Sunday...and it just goes up from there. IMAZ is 50-something days away.  At what point were you going to take the time to figure all of this out? All of these ancillary details need to be taken care of --stat. It's not enough to swim, bike, and run. You won't be an Ironman unless you nail the other stuff too. Get your act together or I will slap you around and make you do the Savageman bike course as your penalty ride.

Not For The Logistically Challenged

Oh the logistics of tri training. Sunday was one of those days that required lots of "what am I going to wear and where am I going to change clothes" thinking. It was a day that required advance mapping out of how to get from Point A to Points B, C, D, E, and F.  It was an easy training day but a logistical nightmare for the organizationally challenged, such that I am.

What are you supposed to do when your day requires 5 different outfits and no time to head home and change inbetween? Hit the McDonalds, of course!  

 
8AM   20 mile bike ride, then to McDonalds for a Diet Coke and to change clothes. (CLOTHING CHANGE #1)
11AM  Nutrition clinic, then to McDonalds to use the restroom (no clothes changing this time---and yes, I resisted the Diet Coke).
12:30PM  Off to Bonzai to pick up a long sleeve wetsuit rental---had to try it on to make sure it fit. (CLOTHING CHANGE #2)
1:15PM  Drove to Haymarket for a quarry swim, but not without a quick stop at McDonalds to change into my swimming attire. (CLOTHING CHANGE #3)
2:30 to 4:30PM    Quarry swim. Then I decided to shake things up and change into my next outfit at the Sheetz..... next to the McDonalds. (CLOTHING CHANGE #4)
5:30PM   Women's-specific tri clinic, with my hair still wet from the swim (yes, I packed a blow dryer...and no, the Sheetz didn't have an outlet).

My Sunday activities lasted 12 hours and required 5 different outfits. I drove about 130 miles. My car is a rolling storage closet.

But really, I'm not complaining. I wonder what on earth I would do with my time if I weren't a triathlete. Too much time on your hands? Take up triathlon and you'll stay busy. And if you have a lot of money to blow, this is the sport for you.

Savageman Oly!

I love everything about Savageman -- the venue, the scenery, the volunteers, how well organized it is, the very cool swag we get every year....Oh I could go on and on and on. When I first did this race 4 years ago, I was too scared to do the whole thing by myself. So Tracey swam, Priscilla biked, and I ran. Our team name was "Keep The Finish Line Up."  As back-of-the-packers, we were always wondering if they'd be breaking down the finish line by the time we finally rolled up; hence, the name. 

Savageman has become a tradition for us and a way to gauge our progress over the years. It's the one race the three of us always do together every year. And my, we have come a long way. Speedy Janet is part of our team now too!

So here's how this year's Savageman 2011 went for me:

Pre-Race

I was surprised by how laid back I was about Savageman this time around. I felt none of the usual pre-race jitters and low key dread that have accompanied every Savageman I've done. I'm guessing it's because of all the IM training; it makes even Savageman seem doable! Just 23 miles on the bike? Really? And a 6.2 run?  Cakewalk. The swim was the closest I came to being nervous, only because I had announced to my swim coach that I would be trying to set a new swim PR....so the pressure was on.

 

Swim
Goal:     Beat my 38.31 PR
Actual:  33:36

It was chilly and windy and I did not want to get in the water!  But getting in for a warm up swim is always part of the plan, so Janet, Priscilla, Jacquie and I decided to HTFU and get in. We were the first crazy people in the water, actually. The air temp was in the 40's but the water was a balmy 64 degrees, so it felt warm by comparison. Then we had to get out and wait about 15 minutes before our swim wave started and it was windy---that's when I really got cold. But eventually we were back in the water, the horn went off, and off we went.

The thing that really stood out about this swim was that I actually was swimming around other people. Usually everyone pulls ahead and I'm all by my lonesome, bracing for the next wave to swim over me. So it was a different experience. I tried to "draft" off other swimmers but wasn't really sure what it was supposed to feel like - LOL. I also kept asking myself:   What would the swim coaches be telling me at this moment? Alexis would probably remind me about high elbows, Mark would probably say something about watching my hand entry into the water and Jim would probably tell me to drop my hand first on the pull. So I kept telling myself all of those things and before I knew it I was swimming around "Thomas the Turtle" and heading back toward the big Swan boat.

When I made the final turn toward the beach, I glanced at my watch and couldn't believe what I saw!  I was thinking perhaps I wasn't seeing the numbers right without my glasses on....but indeed, I managed to PR the swim by 5 minutes. Yippeee!  Regardless of how the rest of the race went, I would be happy.

Bike

Goal:     Beat last year's time of 1:56:27

Actual:  1:50:20

I kept thinking, after that hilly 100 miler in Gainesville last weekend, how bad can a mere 23 hilly miles really be?! And the hills really weren't as bad as I remember from last year. However, it was colder and really windy this time. There were moments when the crosswinds were so strong, I thought I was going over. 

Here are the deets on the hills:

 Hill                Location        Length     Aver. Grade     Max Grade
George              9.2                .9                 5%                   8%
Spear               13.1               .5                 7%                   7%
Bumblebee       14.9             1.2                 7%                 11%
Foy                  16.4             0.6                 8%                 14%


George and Spear were no big deal. Bumblebee just seemed to go on forever. We had a headwind going up, which just added to the difficulty. Coach Alexis was in a devil costume waving a pitchfork at me, and yelling something like "Is this windy enough for you? Can I get you more wind?"  And I yelled back "Only if it's a tailwind!" And I just imagined a tailwind pushing me up that hill. Other Zs were there blowing horns, ringing cowbells, and cheering us to the top. It was great.

Foy was the most savage of the Savage hills. Coach Ed, Matt, and other Zs were there cheering us on. They kept telling me to drive my knees up, so that's what I tried to do. Several people ahead of me gave up and started walking their bikes up. But I had made it up this hill last year and I wasn't going to walk it this time. 


Finally at the top, there was a sign that read:  "Course architect:  Kyle Yost. 202-236 ...."   LMAO at that point and from there it was pretty much downhill all the way back to the park.


Run
Goal:    Beat last year's time of 1:28:00
Actual:  1:16:43


Yay! Back in my total comfort zone. It's hilly, but I love this run. You get to see a lot of Zs out on the course, plus it's shady and the fire tower trail provides some variety and an extra challenge. Once I hit mile 3 I started looking at my watch and trying to figure out my total time. Could I actually come in under 4 hours at Savageman?! It seemed almost unthinkable before the race;  last year I did it in 4:14.  I still had the fire tower hill ahead of me and knew I would slow down, but I decided to give myself permission to slow down on the way up the hill as long as I made up for it the rest of the way back to the park. No walking on any other hills on the way back!


Making the final turn back to the park I saw Priscilla heading toward the fire tower trail and looking strong. I yelled at the guys manning the water stop "That's my friend P! You need to cheer her on!"  And they were like, "Hey P! Go P! You need special cheers!"   Did I mention how awesome the volunteers are?!

Finish Line!
Goal:    Under 4 hours would be a nice surprise
Actual:  3:52.01

Really, Sally? You couldn't push it and come in at 3:51:59?! That's what I thought when I saw my official time. Then I thought I should just be happy making it in under 4 hours and leave it at that. Plus, they actually had Diet Coke on ice at the finish line! What's not to love about Savageman? I can't wait to go back next year and crush my times. ;P

Another Savageman in the bank...bring on Waterman's Half!