tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58719767540802663882024-03-13T14:51:15.036-04:00Girl on the Road Less TravelledIn November 2011, I didn't know how to run. But after living up to a dare to finish one 10k race, I knew I wanted to do more. I did a Spartan Race, a beginner triathlon, two half marathons...and loved every minute of them. Nowadays, I figure there are no limits to what I'm capable of. Come along on my journey as I explore the road less travelled, test my own limits, and maybe even inspire others to do the same.Janahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01164472001808495441noreply@blogger.comBlogger84125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5871976754080266388.post-6464232150971818822019-02-06T19:46:00.002-05:002019-02-06T19:55:01.289-05:00Ironman Mont Tremblant Race Report: The PreludeLast August, I took on Ironman Mont Tremblant.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NhcEHh--2Fk/XFtxvweJucI/AAAAAAAABgI/lvIPTI7i9OoQEc-PM3FKKYmyEpR6tF8hACLcBGAs/s1600/subaru_ironman_monttremblantqc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="524" data-original-width="700" height="239" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NhcEHh--2Fk/XFtxvweJucI/AAAAAAAABgI/lvIPTI7i9OoQEc-PM3FKKYmyEpR6tF8hACLcBGAs/s320/subaru_ironman_monttremblantqc.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I know. I know. It’s now almost six months later (February 2019) and
I’m just sitting down to write my race report. Gad, I barely remember the race,
but here I am planning to go back and relive the excitement of swimming 2.4 miles
(in the fog), biking 112 miles (with hills), and running 26.2 miles (without a
back spasm!). </div>
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But hey, life happens. I’ve been really busy the last six
months. I worked a lot – and then there was the fact I went to the Ironman
World Championships in Kona back in October. I will take going to Kona (no, I
didn’t race! I was there supporting my friend Fliss who got in through the
Legacy Program) any day over having written this race report any earlier than now.
Sorry. Hawaii will win every time. <span style="margin: 0px;"> </span><br />
<span style="margin: 0px;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="margin: 0px;"><i>Fliss Rocking her Finisher's Medal</i></span></div>
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<span style="margin: 0px;">Oh wait, technically I did race. I just didn't do the big dance. I did do the Ho'ala 2.4 mile swim race the week before the Ironman World Championships, and the Path 5k run...and the (In)Famous Kona Underpants Run. If you'd asked me if I'd do an underpants run in my lifetime, I would have sworn that the answer would be, "No!" but this is one instance where my friends convinced me to jump off the (thankfully metaphorical) bridge.</span><br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Pt6atWJ5ZNM/XFtznxmrfNI/AAAAAAAABgc/7VNJpdRzFgscoZ-8YUNPXpzveNvZEk-6ACLcBGAs/s1600/upr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Pt6atWJ5ZNM/XFtznxmrfNI/AAAAAAAABgc/7VNJpdRzFgscoZ-8YUNPXpzveNvZEk-6ACLcBGAs/s320/upr.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="margin: 0px;"><i>Kona Underpants Run 2018</i></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Spoiler alert: I did do Ironman Mont Tremblant faster than Ironman Arizona…but I wasn’t actually -fast- by any stretch of the
imagination. I was more than 3 hours slower than the woman who won my age group. If I ever race in Kona, it will be when I'm 90 and the only woman in my age group!</i></div>
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Now, if you want to read a very detailed Ironman Race Report
– I suggest going back to read what I wrote about Ironman Arizona. That six-part
series (<a href="http://girlontheroadlesstravelled.blogspot.com/2016/01/ironman-arizona-race-report-prelude.html" target="_blank">Prelude</a>, <a href="http://girlontheroadlesstravelled.blogspot.com/2016/01/ironman-arizona-race-report-chapter-1.html" target="_blank">Don't Drown</a>, <a href="http://girlontheroadlesstravelled.blogspot.com/2016/02/ironman-arizona-race-report-chapter-2.html" target="_blank">Don't Crash</a>, <a href="http://girlontheroadlesstravelled.blogspot.com/2016/02/ironman-arizona-race-report-chapter-3.html" target="_blank">Don't Trip</a>, <a href="http://girlontheroadlesstravelled.blogspot.com/2016/02/ironman-arizona-race-report-chapter-4.html" target="_blank">The Aftermath</a>, and <a href="http://girlontheroadlesstravelled.blogspot.com/2016/02/ironman-arizona-race-report-epilogue.html" target="_blank">The Epilogue</a>) was something special. I highly doubt I am going to get even close to
the detail and length of that report here. But hey, that was my first Ironman. It
should get the best coverage. <span style="margin: 0px;"> </span></div>
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But I am still going to cover a bunch of things in this report.
Feel free to skip ahead (well, you can do that once I've actually written all the segments) if you get bored. I won’t
be offended. Promise.</div>
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Now, on with the show!</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Prelude</b></div>
After finishing Ironman Arizona with a back spasm (with a
time of 13:59:16), I knew I was going to do another. I had a crazy experience
in Arizona, but despite the pouring rain and having to walk 25km of the
marathon, I had a great time. That race (along with all that came before)
taught me that anything really is possible - that a former overweight klutz who
was entirely unathletic could, with the proper training and an awesome coach, complete
on of the most challenging endurance races out here.<br />
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<i>Ironman Arizona - 2015</i></div>
Originally, I was going to take a year off and do a second Ironman
in 2017. But then I accidentally qualified for the Olympic Distance ITU World
Championships in Rotterdam in 2017, so I did that instead. Yes, I qualified
because there were more slots for the race than people in my age group….but that’s
besides the point. I went to Rotterdam and had a great time if a crazy race
(you can read all about my fun running in bike shoes <a href="http://girlontheroadlesstravelled.blogspot.com/2018/01/itu-world-triathlon-championships-when.html" target="_blank">here</a>). <span style="margin: 0px;"> </span><br />
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<span style="margin: 0px;"><i>2017 ITU Worlds in Rotterdam</i></span></div>
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After Rotterdam, I decided that 2018 would be a good year to
do another Ironman. I debated what race I wanted to do. I scoured course
profiles and looked at the costs associated with doing another US-based
Ironman. Sadly, the Canadian dollar has not been great – so whatever race I
thought about doing, it was going to cost an arm and a leg.<br />
<br />
I initially liked
the idea of doing Ironman North Carolina (I had spectated for a friend who did
it 2016) but that was no longer a full distance race. I nixed Maryland because it
has had several years of bad weather. Florida was out because I was afraid of
the ocean and didn’t want to get stung by jellyfish.</div>
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The race I kept coming back to was actually Ironman Mont
Tremblant. I raced the Mont Tremblant 70.3 in 2016 and truly loved the course,
the community, and the fact the people in Mont Tremblant loved triathletes.
They really go out of their way to support the race.<br />
<br /></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LBE7E0FcGwY/XFt4hEfnrhI/AAAAAAAABhI/pxFul6AsFjEp3XbKY55VvLlFLeyEAWKPACLcBGAs/s1600/13653462_10154048669671743_8536204029324695000_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LBE7E0FcGwY/XFt4hEfnrhI/AAAAAAAABhI/pxFul6AsFjEp3XbKY55VvLlFLeyEAWKPACLcBGAs/s320/13653462_10154048669671743_8536204029324695000_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>Mont Tremblant 70.3 - June 2016</i></div>
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<br />
My biggest fear with doing the Mont Tremblant full Ironman was the course. It’s not
easy. The bike course is quite challenging for someone who isn’t a strong
biker. <span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>I was worried I would have a
tough time doing the bike course twice (you do the 70.3 course twice) and being
able to run a marathon after.</div>
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<i>Aside: To be completely honest, I also once swore that I'd never do an Ironman with the word "Mont" in the title. Famous last words.</i><br />
<i><br /></i></div>
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I was also worried about the weather. I don’t do well in the
humidity – and mid-summer racing can be very hit-or-miss for me because of my
asthma. If I got a terrible day humidity wise, I could be in for a lot of
trouble.<br />
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<br />
So what was the deciding factor? Well, there were two.</div>
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First, my coach reminded me that I picked Arizona because it
was going to be hot and dry. What I got was cold and wet. He told me I shouldn’t
pick a race because of weather. He made a very good point.</div>
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Second, I realized that Ironman Mont Tremblant would fall on
the weekend of my 40<sup>th</sup> birthday (My birthday would be on Friday the
17th, followed by the race on Sunday the 19th). And given that Ironman was
also turning 40 in 2018, why not treat the race like a giant birthday party
with 2,500 of my closest friends?</div>
Ironman birthday party. I couldn’t think of anything better!<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ShFPVdUlkUA/XFt51WiFU0I/AAAAAAAABho/uknhz-5mcyQWtnj1PUMjvsNzp5CzAI6YwCLcBGAs/s1600/40yearspage%252520logo%2525201.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="177" data-original-width="230" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ShFPVdUlkUA/XFt51WiFU0I/AAAAAAAABho/uknhz-5mcyQWtnj1PUMjvsNzp5CzAI6YwCLcBGAs/s1600/40yearspage%252520logo%2525201.png" /></a></div>
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<i>40 Years of Me!</i></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">13 weeks: What was I
thinking?</b></div>
For Ironman Arizona, I started training in May. I ran a PB
half marathon and then, with the weather nicer, began riding outside as of the
TTC Collingwood camp.<br />
<br />
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“Great!” I thought, signing up for the Glass City Marathon
on April 22, 2018. I could train hard for a BQ attempt and then go into Ironman
training for Ironman Mont Tremblant. No problem.</div>
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Of course, I didn’t think about the fact that mid-August is 3
months sooner than mid-November. Not at all. I simply put all my effort into
running, and tried to swim and bike at least once a week (I think my longest ride
prior to mid-May -excluding my week at Triathlon Camp- was 1h20).</div>
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<br /></div>
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In fact, I didn’t start thinking about training required for
IMMT until after I’d screwed up at Glass City (I ate too late the night before
and had stomach issues that forced me to DNF) and signed up for my back-up race,
the Toronto Marathon, two weeks later. </div>
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<br /></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Aside: The Toronto
Marathon was also not good because my quads decided they hadn’t recovered from
my DNF 2 weeks earlier). Ah well. At least I tried. Since my stomach was fine,
I was able to treat the race as a training run for Mont Tremblant.</i><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
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<i>Toronto Marathon: Let's call it a training run</i></div>
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Around that time, I had a bit of a panic attack. If I’d screwed
up a race I trained for 6 months for – how on earth was I going to complete an
Ironman in….9, 10, 11, 12…13 weeks! Yikes! </div>
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<i>Aside: Next time I decide
to do two big races in the same year, maybe I should spread them out a bit
better. </i></div>
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My awesome coach <a href="https://www.loaringpersonalcoaching.com/coach-mark-linseman.html" target="_blank">Mark Linseman</a> of <a href="http://www.loaringpersonalcoaching.com/" target="_blank">Loaring Personal Coaching</a>
never worried as far as I could tell. At least he always came across as entirely
confident I would be fine. Which is good, since I pretty much asked myself why
on earth I’d signed up for IMMT every single day from about May 15<sup>th</sup>
until Race Day. </div>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Training: The Bike
(Because really, it was my -only- priority)</b><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
So, I had 13 weeks to train for a race I considered to be
insanely challenging with some crazy hills. So what did I do? I found every opportunity
I could to bike, and every opportunity I could to bike on hilly courses.<br />
<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Collingwood Camp (May 18-21)</i></b><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></b>
I started my training with the TTC Collingwood Camp. It’s
always a fun weekend with some crazy hills. I planned to ride 40km, 90km, 90km,
and maybe 40m.<br />
<br />
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<i>Collingwood TTC Camp!</i></div>
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What really happened:</div>
Friday: I rode the 40km ride on Friday, ran into a person
who made an unexpected quick stop, and went down hard. Thankfully I wasn’t hurt
– just a bit battered.<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
Saturday: I rode 108km very slowly – in the rain and wind. I
had some leg issues because of my fall the previous day, but managed to finish
the ride. I realized just how slow I was – which made think I was probably
going to die during IMMT – particularly if there was any kind of inclement
weather.</div>
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Sunday: The weather was cold and windy and I was sore. Then
one of the girls I was with had pedal issues and couldn’t ride properly. I
decided to ride back with her because no one with bike trouble should ever ride
alone (while this was the right thing to do, I admit I wasn’t the slightest bit
upset about cutting my ride short). Ended up doing about 35km. </div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rKI9HLxYk94/XFt7ivg4piI/AAAAAAAABiI/bQAXZhv_mf4uPhtqdiCAodro1dhY1pxYgCLcBGAs/s1600/32981061_10155752054111743_8463536264279228416_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rKI9HLxYk94/XFt7ivg4piI/AAAAAAAABiI/bQAXZhv_mf4uPhtqdiCAodro1dhY1pxYgCLcBGAs/s320/32981061_10155752054111743_8463536264279228416_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>Moe and I - Collingwood TTC Camp</i></div>
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I did get a nice 25km run in with a different friend on
Monday. Because what I needed was more running, right? So funny. </div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Essex Weekend (May 26-28)</i></b></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
The next weekend I was in Essex, so I got 2 rides on quieter
roads (60km, 90km). On the flat, I was much better. I realized maybe I wasn’t
in as bad of shape as I’d thought.</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Limitless Fitness Mont Tremblant Camp</i></b></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
I signed up for the Limitless Fitness Camp thinking it would
be really great to get in some training on the actual course so I could
-remember- how hard it was – but also so I could remember that it was
completely doable. The weekend was great. </div>
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Swimming: We swam three times – once in a pool then twice in
open water. </div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
Biking: I rode up Duplessis 3x – once on Friday and twice on
Saturday. Yes, it was hard, but I survived. The Saturday right was particularly
helpful since I rode 133km – including two times up Duplessis in a row. That, I
figured, was harder than doing it twice with a more moderate 50km break in the
middle. That’s what I told myself anyways. </div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
Running: My run off the bike on Saturday was terrible. But then on Sunday I ran most of one loop of the course and felt good. Phew!</div>
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<i>Limitless Fitness Mont Tremblant Camp</i></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></b>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Stratford Weekend (June 8-10)</i></b></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
Why no, I wasn’t home a lot for the first 6 weeks of
training for IMMT – because why would I want some consistent training,
right?<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>But I did get my 140km long ride
done, plus another 20km the next day. Being in Stratford also gave me a chance
to ride with my Dad both days (On Saturday, I rode 20km with him, then another
122 on my own). I actually found an awesome and quiet road by accident – which made
for some solid (and safe) riding!</div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">TBN TNTO Ride Weekend (Toronto – Niagara Falls – Toronto) (June 16-17) </i></b></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
I followed Stratford up with a 2-day ride with the Toronto
Bicycling Network – where we rode from Toronto to Niagara Falls (154km) on one
day – and then back (115km) the next day. The first day was excellent…the
second day was scorching hot and slow, but solid. This weekend made me feel a
bit more confident about Mont Tremblant since the two days combined gave me
270km. While unnecessary for Ironman Training, it was a big deal from the
mental training side of things. At least to me! </div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The rest of my long rides (aka: my friend Shannon rocks)</i></b></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
From June 22<sup>nd</sup> onwards, I did many of my long
rides with my friend Shannon. I have to say, I couldn’t have done this without
her. Shannon was both incredibly organized and phenomenal at finding all the
hills that could be found within about 2 hours of Toronto. Despite being a
better biker, Shannon was also incredibly patient and supportive. All the rides
I did with her were hard – but so much fun! Thanks Shannon!<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6vyQU8uFxDk/XFt9sO1wrCI/AAAAAAAABi8/q2FtD4uOZOMgQ7YdSLi0qUBhCqQeEhaigCLcBGAs/s1600/37025578_10155202426036706_3311061357310246912_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6vyQU8uFxDk/XFt9sO1wrCI/AAAAAAAABi8/q2FtD4uOZOMgQ7YdSLi0qUBhCqQeEhaigCLcBGAs/s320/37025578_10155202426036706_3311061357310246912_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Shannon and I on one of our training rides!</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
Oftentimes, we also did brick runs off of our bikes (one
time, we even did a swim/bike/run brick) – making for some long but incredibly
productive training sessions. Honestly, I think these were the main reason I
did so much better than expected in Tremblant.</div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
For those that are curious…my long ride/run bricks included: </div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 48px; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-family: "symbol"; margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt "Times New Roman"; margin: 0px;">
</span></span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">June 22,
2018</b>: 122km bike (663m of climbing)/8km run </div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 48px; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-family: "symbol"; margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt "Times New Roman"; margin: 0px;">
</span></span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">June 29,
2018: No big ride.</b> Friday (18km), Sat (75km), Sunday (60km including a 14km
TT)</div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 48px; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-family: "symbol"; margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt "Times New Roman"; margin: 0px;">
</span></span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">July 7,
2018</b>: 163km (1,340m of climbing)/10km run</div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 48px; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-family: "symbol"; margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt "Times New Roman"; margin: 0px;">
</span></span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">July 13,
2018</b>: 2200m swim/151km run (1,087m of climbing)/10km run</div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 48px; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-family: "symbol"; margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt "Times New Roman"; margin: 0px;">
</span></span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">July 17,
2018</b>: 180km ride in Essex – no climbing. This was mid-week since I was
doing the Toronto Triathlon Festival on the Sunday.</div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 48px; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-family: "symbol"; margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt "Times New Roman"; margin: 0px;">
</span></span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">July 27,
2018</b>: 152km bike (1,664 m of climbing)/20km run. </div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 48px; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-family: "symbol"; margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt "Times New Roman"; margin: 0px;">
</span></span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">August 3,
2018:</b> A triple brick riding on the trainer and running outside: 90 min
bike/8.5km run/90min bike/10k run/90 min bike/10km run – descending both the
bikes and the runs.</div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px 48px; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-family: "symbol"; margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt "Times New Roman"; margin: 0px;">
</span></span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">August
11, 2018 (Taper Week):</b> 1500m swim/2 hour (50km) bike/1 hour (10.6km) run.</div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
In the end, I only did 11 rides over 100km. To me, that
seems low – but the reality is my coach didn’t have me waste any time. He focused
on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">quality over quantity</i> for those 13
weeks. And it made a difference.</div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
Of my long rides, 8 were brick workouts – with four brick
runs over 10km, including one 20km brick and one brick that was actually three
descending one-hour bricks. I also had one brick that included a 2200m swim
first. </div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Verdict: I can’t
regret my run focus over the winter – much as I probably should have been on my
bike more pre-May. But with the time I had, I trained exactly the way I needed
to in order to succeed. I also tested my nutrition plan several times –
perfecting my plan for race day. In the end, the execution speaks for itself. </i><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-j0GETYuLg3M/XFt73yc6Q4I/AAAAAAAABiU/ByM5gqq_xcMZuZfT4FFSMc9r_AFG7oxAwCEwYBhgL/s1600/36728184_10155189857661706_2484940259238871040_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-j0GETYuLg3M/XFt73yc6Q4I/AAAAAAAABiU/ByM5gqq_xcMZuZfT4FFSMc9r_AFG7oxAwCEwYBhgL/s320/36728184_10155189857661706_2484940259238871040_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Group ride with Shannon, Lori, and Andy</i></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Swimming</b></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
Okay, I will be honest. I didn’t swim much in advance of Ironman
Mont Tremblant. I swam something like 228km the year I did IMAZ. In 2018, I swam
123km. That being said, I got a bunch of quality swims in – including three big
open water swims (4.5km, 4km, 3.8km) and a handful of swims between 2.5-3.2km. <span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>I mostly swam twice a week – at least in the
last 8 weeks before the race. I won’t comment on my consistency before that. One swim with my friend Brenda at Professor's Lake was particularly awesome!<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-U7BJUQYVEtk/XFt-ppUbAaI/AAAAAAAABjI/GdMgh8CNdO4Aa-opHxWESDRXltuzymi3gCLcBGAs/s1600/38474983_10155910816526743_4800246176622313472_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-U7BJUQYVEtk/XFt-ppUbAaI/AAAAAAAABjI/GdMgh8CNdO4Aa-opHxWESDRXltuzymi3gCLcBGAs/s320/38474983_10155910816526743_4800246176622313472_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px; text-align: center;">
<i>When I don't have to swim at Cherry Beach (Professor's Lake Swim)</i></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Spoiler: Despite not
swimming as much, I still swam faster at IMMT than at IMAZ. Don’t ask me how!</i></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Running</b></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
Given I spent six months training for a marathon before
going into Ironman training, the last twelve weeks didn’t include a major run focus.
Many of my runs were off the bike (see above regarding the 20km brick) and my
longest run (30km) was actually the day I did the triple bike/run brick workout.
My biggest standalone run was 24.6km. </div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
If I had to describe my IM run plan, it would simply be: prepping
to run better off the bike.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wnMu1TyKO88/XFt_EhpwVHI/AAAAAAAABjQ/LxbF-P-ndcQOnvpCP_Q9POWefGCkyBtwwCLcBGAs/s1600/39047716_10155923552391743_5129939196387000320_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wnMu1TyKO88/XFt_EhpwVHI/AAAAAAAABjQ/LxbF-P-ndcQOnvpCP_Q9POWefGCkyBtwwCLcBGAs/s320/39047716_10155923552391743_5129939196387000320_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>After my third brick run of the day - last big training session</i></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Racing</b></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
I only did one race in the lead up to Ironman Mont Tremblant
– mostly because with the short training cycle, I simply didn’t have any spare
time. The race I did do was my favourite local race: The Toronto Triathlon
Festival.</div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
I’ll be honest, the race was awful. The swim was fine, but it
poured rain on the bike – making it scarier than even IMAZ was. At times I was
hit by waves of water coming from over the median. I was scared out of my mind.
Slowest bike ever because my only goal was not to die (I succeeded). But hey, I
did follow the terrible bike with my best run ever in an Olympic distance tri –
so it wasn’t all bad!<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-chTcbhh1Fr0/XFt_p2debVI/AAAAAAAABjo/3qHnEjsnqzc-AAXoRUJWCfjmpeIQK1GqgCLcBGAs/s1600/37711327_10155883595431743_78010083702734848_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-chTcbhh1Fr0/XFt_p2debVI/AAAAAAAABjo/3qHnEjsnqzc-AAXoRUJWCfjmpeIQK1GqgCLcBGAs/s320/37711327_10155883595431743_78010083702734848_n.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>TTF 2018: So very, very wet</i></div>
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<b><br /></b>
<b>Conclusion to The Prelude</b></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
Okay. At 2,500 words, I guess I am done for installment #1.
Maybe this race report (which I haven’t even gotten to yet) will be as long as
the one for IMAZ. One day I will learn to be brief. Today is apparently not
that day.</div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
More on Race Week and Race Day in the next installment!</div>
Janahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01164472001808495441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5871976754080266388.post-76789700035857696722018-01-31T17:56:00.002-05:002018-01-31T21:57:02.142-05:00ITU World Triathlon Championships: When finishing really is winning<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iLyax1-yXEo/WnH89ahD1DI/AAAAAAAABUQ/tCK-ytCGsi4mp9IEk2dqHubraWxwfbK0gCLcBGAs/s1600/21765471_10155183591411743_2163402819133587392_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iLyax1-yXEo/WnH89ahD1DI/AAAAAAAABUQ/tCK-ytCGsi4mp9IEk2dqHubraWxwfbK0gCLcBGAs/s320/21765471_10155183591411743_2163402819133587392_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Rotterdam ITU World Championships...found the Canadian Flag!</i></span></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
Looking back now, it is hard to remember the whirlwind that
was the ITU World Triathlon Championships in Rotterdam. Partly that’s because I
spent 10 days travelling in advance of the race with my niece (we visited
London, Edinburgh and Amsterdam), and another 10 days afterwards going on a
cruise in Italy and Greece with some friends who came out to watch the race.
The week I spent in Rotterdam even included a dear friend from France visiting
for a couple of days. It was definitely an Epic European Adventure.</div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
But this post isn’t about the whole trip. It’s about how I
had the opportunity to represent Canada on the world stage – and how, even when
the race through me a curveball, I kept on smiling.</div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
I always tell people, my three big goals in a triathlon are
“Finish, finish smiling, and don’t crash on my bike.” That day in Rotterdam, I achieved every one of those goals. I couldn't have been happier.</div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
To get to the chase, I finished dead last in my age group in 3:48:29, but my time isn't what mattered that day. What mattered was that I crossed the finish line.</div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
Sometimes, finishing really is winning. </div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
Now - here's the full story.</div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Qualifying by
Accident: Don’t mind if I do</b></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
In the summer of 2016, I heard about a new triathlon in
Ottawa. I thought it would be a great excuse to go back to my favourite city in
Canada (I went to school at Carleton), so decided to go up for the weekend. </div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
I rented a bike for the race (I don’t drive and I couldn’t
take my bike to Ottawa on the train) – so you can tell I wasn’t taking myself
too seriously. I knew it was the national championships, but really – I’m not
fast compared to fast people, so I was just out for a good time.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CqriTEkvms8/WnH91CrqC5I/AAAAAAAABUY/LI5DJqp-oQwNA0fC2Eh7yobzdXAW_LJmACLcBGAs/s1600/13719633_10154409552091204_3276967908579001728_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1446" data-original-width="1600" height="289" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CqriTEkvms8/WnH91CrqC5I/AAAAAAAABUY/LI5DJqp-oQwNA0fC2Eh7yobzdXAW_LJmACLcBGAs/s320/13719633_10154409552091204_3276967908579001728_o.jpg" width="320" /></a>L<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Having a good time in Ottawa</i></span></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
The race itself was great. I wasn’t upset about the
cancelled swim (despite it being my best sport) because Dow’s Lake is kind of
disgusting and weed-filled (I hate weeds more than anything). The bike I rented
was a lot better than my own bike (it was full carbon, including the wheelset)
– and I had a magnificent (for me) bike split. It is still my fastest average
bike speed ever for a race of any distance. The two runs (the race was
turned into a modified duathlon) were decent, but not great. My overall time
was solid for me, but I still came in 7/8 or 7/9 (I can't remember exactly). But there were 10 world championship
slots per age group for the Olympic Distance race so I qualified. </div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
So, when I say I qualified by accident, that’s what I mean.
It wasn’t because I didn’t legitimately qualify (I technically did) – but
because there were more slots than people in my age group. And I
didn’t go to Ottawa expecting to qualify (When I did nationals in Toronto, I think
I finished 20/37 or something). It just happened by accident.</div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
Regardless of how I qualified, there was no way I was going
to skip the opportunity to represent Canada at the World Championships. I mean,
really. I learned how to ride a bike in 2012 – borrowing a mountain bike to do
my first try-a-tri. How awesome that just 5 years a few months later, I’d be at
ITU Worlds? Way too awesome a chance to pass up.</div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Prelude: Did
someone call for crazy weather?</b></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
Outside of Ironman Arizona, most of the races I’ve done
have been quite small - so I wasn’t at all prepared for just how -big- the ITU
Worlds in Rotterdam were going to be. I mean, they put up special signposts for
the race.<br />
<br /></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ByywAtYVZlE/WnH-aCTfvvI/AAAAAAAABUg/XEWiQgK45rk5Qc5dV7Z8aRNaOTDxpMscgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_20170916_180015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ByywAtYVZlE/WnH-aCTfvvI/AAAAAAAABUg/XEWiQgK45rk5Qc5dV7Z8aRNaOTDxpMscgCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_20170916_180015.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>At Rotterdam Centraal Station!</i></span></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
And there was advertising all over the city.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GjqLXowLgrk/WnH-qlYK8tI/AAAAAAAABUk/EU7iB-SBKP84FRQRYMv1vWZh7y8msGXUgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_20170916_173129.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GjqLXowLgrk/WnH-qlYK8tI/AAAAAAAABUk/EU7iB-SBKP84FRQRYMv1vWZh7y8msGXUgCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_20170916_173129.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Going down into the subway</i></span></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
I was overwhelmed by the whole production of it. I had no
idea what I was in for – and it was incredible.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LS4QYNXaBQo/WnH_JstYB1I/AAAAAAAABUo/PiauSR5od7YKTdKlvKJNyZLaqq3FjMSIwCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_20170916_143302.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LS4QYNXaBQo/WnH_JstYB1I/AAAAAAAABUo/PiauSR5od7YKTdKlvKJNyZLaqq3FjMSIwCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_20170916_143302.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>They put up street signs! </i></span></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
Now, I have to admit - the week leading up to the race was
a blur of incredibly bad weather and nerves - from the day Team Canada was
going to do a practice ride and there were wind warnings of 100-125km/h (I
decided to give that ride a miss), to the day we did a course recon ride and
ended up getting blasted by a spell of torrential rain and wind. Even the
practice swim was difficult - so choppy I was just happy that swimming is by far
my best sport.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KhM4ZfNpu6Y/WnJJXmhRd1I/AAAAAAAABW0/826WpOh6EUw3pLAOMrudSY8NRyr--lFZQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_20170913_173751.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KhM4ZfNpu6Y/WnJJXmhRd1I/AAAAAAAABW0/826WpOh6EUw3pLAOMrudSY8NRyr--lFZQCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_20170913_173751.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">The weather changed every five minutes. But mostly, it rained. A lot.</span></i></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
The organizers even had to cancel the Parade of Nations
because it was pouring outside. Team Canada worked hard to make do despite the
random weather…thankfully our pre-opening ceremonies get together was
inside…but trying to get a team shot proved to be a bit challenging. At least
you can see me (and my Moose-cot Digby). There were 300+ Canadians in
Rotterdam. Talk about awesome! </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-z5v-nMYxRrk/WnH_hx7CJXI/AAAAAAAABUw/UKLhd59cSpkzPWZnIXd_1vx8RSCqTB2PACLcBGAs/s1600/21742814_818105758348900_5114244961767650498_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="382" data-original-width="600" height="203" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-z5v-nMYxRrk/WnH_hx7CJXI/AAAAAAAABUw/UKLhd59cSpkzPWZnIXd_1vx8RSCqTB2PACLcBGAs/s320/21742814_818105758348900_5114244961767650498_n.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i></i></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Team Canada!</i></span></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
We got a second picture at the Opening Ceremonies - although the lighting still wasn't very good, unfortunately (and not everyone was there). You can still see Digby and I though!<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Vxi2Prau8tQ/WnH_6zmepDI/AAAAAAAABU4/nv--ARo1wdAdjYYy4_5EKkfhv0YJzKncQCLcBGAs/s1600/21740976_10154648307246036_6332454712392427131_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="942" data-original-width="1600" height="188" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Vxi2Prau8tQ/WnH_6zmepDI/AAAAAAAABU4/nv--ARo1wdAdjYYy4_5EKkfhv0YJzKncQCLcBGAs/s320/21740976_10154648307246036_6332454712392427131_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Team Canada at the Opening Ceremonies!</span></i></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">A perfect day for a
race</b></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
After the craziness that was race week, you can imagine how
nervous I was about the weather for race day. Thankfully, race day turned out
to be the most magnificent day of the entire week (the only nice day to be
perfectly honest). Relatively sunny, light wind, beautiful temperature. Really,
it couldn’t have been better.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0WqWuG9t6wk/WnI7yDTqeoI/AAAAAAAABVM/0daPTKR92Oc3lMQ9a1RnMYeNlAO5d6BmACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_20170917_073818.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0WqWuG9t6wk/WnI7yDTqeoI/AAAAAAAABVM/0daPTKR92Oc3lMQ9a1RnMYeNlAO5d6BmACLcBGAs/s320/IMG_20170917_073818.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Race morning - cool, but calm.</span></i></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
So…after a really long prelude (in which I skipped over a
million awesome things…sorry)….on to the race! </div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The swim</i></b></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
Got to the swim start with plenty of time to spare. I was
pretty chilly, even with my wetsuit on, but otherwise I felt good. I dumped a
bottle of water down my wetsuit before the start in order to stave off the cold
water (but in the end, I didn’t find it that cold).<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P3B_UzkQmwM/WnI8G4DDW1I/AAAAAAAABVQ/sH-COgfu8m0gfQy1wcQFGZgi4aJJG7k8QCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_20170917_082019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P3B_UzkQmwM/WnI8G4DDW1I/AAAAAAAABVQ/sH-COgfu8m0gfQy1wcQFGZgi4aJJG7k8QCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_20170917_082019.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Waiting for the swim start.</span></i></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
As different age groups walked onto the dock, they were
calling out names. Truth be told, if they said mine, I didn’t hear it!</div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
We started in the water, with one hand touching the dock. I
am not the most observant person in the world, so I didn’t realize this until a
race official walked by and told me to do so. Oops.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6po09tMqqRg/WnI9RQZl5_I/AAAAAAAABVc/nH4PxjuL-3YH63aK-swIjXXYmuT9mqKrQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_3683.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6po09tMqqRg/WnI9RQZl5_I/AAAAAAAABVc/nH4PxjuL-3YH63aK-swIjXXYmuT9mqKrQCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_3683.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>I'm in the black wetsuit with the orange cap.</i></span></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
The start was a bit crazy, but surprisingly well spread
out. I learned pretty quickly that there is a big difference between being a
good swimmer and a great swimmer though. In local races, I am considered a good
swimmer in my age group….in Rotterdam…ha. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Not so much. But I did fine and came
out in a decent time (just under 28 minutes). I felt good, had no trouble sighting, and felt calm and relaxed. </span><br />
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BAcEdJ40w-U/WnI-KQo20SI/AAAAAAAABVs/ZHS7aISf2t0LNT2g9g4-dUfRLoOz3zYfwCLcBGAs/s1600/2_m-100786601-DIGITAL_HIGHRES-2213_002547-11916690.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1062" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BAcEdJ40w-U/WnI-KQo20SI/AAAAAAAABVs/ZHS7aISf2t0LNT2g9g4-dUfRLoOz3zYfwCLcBGAs/s320/2_m-100786601-DIGITAL_HIGHRES-2213_002547-11916690.JPG" width="212" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Feeling good coming out of the swim!</span></i></div>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Transition 1</i></b><br />
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
The run from the Swim Exit to Transition 1 was close to a
kilometer long. My coach had told me to be cautious with this, so I took it at
a nice, but measured jog the entire way. Smiled at my friends as I ran by them. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uSBl_kQ1_ok/WnI_buqfkDI/AAAAAAAABV0/odcGEHxuQ24GArj1WNeCrG5LVq1ZotQ4ACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_3684.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uSBl_kQ1_ok/WnI_buqfkDI/AAAAAAAABV0/odcGEHxuQ24GArj1WNeCrG5LVq1ZotQ4ACLcBGAs/s320/IMG_3684.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Smiling as I approach my friends.</i></span></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
My spot in transition was fantastic,
so it was easy to find my bike in the myriad of bikes that were in the
transition area. It was muddy, but otherwise good. </div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Bike</i></b></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Aside: I decided to
rent a bike for Rotterdam. After my incredible experience with bike rental, I
thought it would be just as good in Rotterdam. Alas, the carbon/ultegra bike I
was supposed to rent got stolen before I got there, so I ended up with an
aluminum road bike that wasn’t nearly as good. But I figured it would at least
be serviceable. Little did I know.</i></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
The bike out of transition was fun with lots of people
cheering. That was probably the most fun of the entire bike ride to be honest.
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ucO41CoZjRA/WnJAdniwVxI/AAAAAAAABV4/lJRx0_1swVEeUU9N8RrLilmmilh_xnwjQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_3687.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ucO41CoZjRA/WnJAdniwVxI/AAAAAAAABV4/lJRx0_1swVEeUU9N8RrLilmmilh_xnwjQCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_3687.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Coming out of T1. Got to love cobblestone.</i></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
The Rotterdam bike course was kind of insane with something like 42 turns on
each of 2 laps. Thankfully, very few of these were outright U-turns which are
my nemesis when it comes to biking.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZMGU8eUjVcw/WnJBrQGjU5I/AAAAAAAABV8/GWI9LW5XqB0OIJqjg9vkz26GYFg4I52PwCLcBGAs/s1600/10_m-100786601-DIGITAL_HIGHRES-2213_033249-11916698.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZMGU8eUjVcw/WnJBrQGjU5I/AAAAAAAABV8/GWI9LW5XqB0OIJqjg9vkz26GYFg4I52PwCLcBGAs/s320/10_m-100786601-DIGITAL_HIGHRES-2213_033249-11916698.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Early in the bike...my tire looks fine here.</span></i></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
I was excited when I made it through the entire first loop
without having a stop/go turn. That was a really big deal for me. I wasn’t
going super fast given all the turns, but I was doing much better than I
expected. The temperature warmed up, so I felt pretty good on the bike and the
winds were pretty light.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5He-WMR4gwA/WnJCK4zHFbI/AAAAAAAABWE/OGAAC61R1u8AkH-tNbAu_c-3FxkxdA-NQCLcBGAs/s1600/18_m-100786601-DIGITAL_HIGHRES-2213_050559-11916706.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1070" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5He-WMR4gwA/WnJCK4zHFbI/AAAAAAAABWE/OGAAC61R1u8AkH-tNbAu_c-3FxkxdA-NQCLcBGAs/s320/18_m-100786601-DIGITAL_HIGHRES-2213_050559-11916706.JPG" width="214" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Before the end of the first loop. My tire already looks flat...I didn't notice.</span></i></div>
<br />
Passing the halfway mark, I was feeling good, although something started to feel off. I wobbled badly on a few turns, but I thought it was the terrible
road surfaces. Then I hit a left turn on cobblestone with a slight
decline. My tire seemed to have no traction and slipped out from under me.<br />
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
I had one moment of panic thinking I was going to fall. I
honestly have no idea how I managed to stay upright. But somehow whatever I did
with my handlebars kept me from falling and I was able to emergency break and
finish standing up, if shaking from the after-effects of thinking I was going
to fall. That’s when I noticed my tire was dead flat.</div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Aside: I’m not sure
exactly what happened. From the pictures, it looks like my tire was going flat
earlier in the race….probably as early as 2/3 through the first loop – which is
probably when my handling started to feel really odd. But by the time I hit
this turn, the tire was dead as a doornail. I’ve never had a flat while riding,
so I had no idea what I was feeling. </i></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
I didn’t panic at that point. I was just incredibly
relieved that I didn’t actually crash. </div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
While I couldn’t find a cost effective flat kit anywhere in
Rotterdam (and this rental didn’t come with one like my one in Ottawa had), I
had bought a can of emergency repair foam so figured I’d be okay. Friends had
used the foam and said it would get me through the race.</div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
This is where I learned that NOTHING NEW ON RACE DAY also
goes for equipment used to change flats. I failed dismally with the foam…and
had no other options on me.</div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Aside: I later realized
I had a good-sized gash in my actual tire – so it was more than my tube that
was the problem…so I probably couldn’t have fixed it either way…but still, that
doesn’t actually negate the importance of the NOTHING NEW ON RACE DAY rule.</i></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
After failing with the foam, I realized I was in a spot of
trouble. I had nothing else to try to fix my flat, there was no bike support,
and people were racing by so quickly it wasn’t like I could ask anyone for a
spare tube (I still didn’t realize my tire was the actual issue). </div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
I am pretty sure I must have looked around aimlessly for a
bit at that point. It would have been really convenient for an extra wheel to
fall out of the sky at that point. Alas, it didn’t happen. After a minute or
two, I realized that if I was wanted to finish, it was going to have to be on
my own two feet. </div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
So I ran. </div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
In bike shoes. In my aero helmet. Pushing my bike. I ran. </div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
And, oddly enough, I smiled. Because once I started
running, I knew I’d keep going – unless or until someone made me get off the
course.</div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
No one did. </div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
I had numerous volunteers ask me if I was okay. I had
several ask if they could drive me back to the start. I even had one very
distressed volunteer ask me if I knew just how far it was back into the City
Centre. </div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
I always answered with a smile, “Yes, I’m good.” – “No, I
will get there, but thank you.” – “A long way, but I will get there.” </div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
The only instruction I got was to keep right and be safe –
particularly on one very narrow stretch. Of course, I did so. I didn’t want to
get anyone else into trouble. I just wanted to finish.</div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
The hardest part was running up and down a big bridge
because my shoes were slippery and the road was narrow. But I did surprisingly
well and was able to hug the side of the bridge to stay out of people’s way. </div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
After the big bridge (and 5.5-6km of running), a lifesaving
Canadian woman stopped to see if she could help me. She actually gave me her
entire flat kit – since I had nothing at that point to work with. Honestly, I
was never so appreciative in my life. I made sure to find out who she was
afterwards and thanked her profusely. </div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
So I stopped to change my tire. Again. I know how to change
a tire, so this process went pretty well. Except when taking the tube off, I
found the gash in the tire wall. Don’t ask how I missed this earlier. It wasn’t
huge, but for being in a tire, it was pretty big. It was also right on the main
part of the tire where it would be ‘impacted’ when riding.</div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
I honestly had no idea what to do about it. So I simply
changed the tire, and hoped for the best.</div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
Ha. That didn’t work.</div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Aside: A broken tire
isn’t fixed by the same stuff you’d use to fix a tube. In talking to my coach
afterwards, I was told there really wasn’t anything I could’ve done at that
point.</i></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
So there I was, still a good 7km from Transition – having
lost another 20 minutes or so trying to fix my unfixable tire.</div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
At that point, I decided to do something a little
foolhardy. And a little dangerous. Something I would -never- recommend and can
hardly believe I did in hindsight. I decided to ride the mostly flat tire/rim.
I figured it was a rental bike – and I had to be able to go faster than I could
running at least. </div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Aside: To be fair, I
was pretty speedy running in bike shoes. My average was about 6 min/km for
those 5.5-6km – which is my ‘normal’ easy run pace so you can tell I was trying
to book it…but I knew I still had to run a 10k if I ever made it back into
transition.</i></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
Thankfully, the worst of the technical bits of the course
were over. I figured I could just roll easy and stop if I needed to. I was
afraid, but I was also really worried about my time – and if I’d even be able
to continue if I made it to transition. I had no idea if there was a cut-off. I
just knew running would take me a good 45-min to an hour, whereas on the bike,
I could hopefully cut that time in half at least.</div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
So I did it. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9LAablFQPHU/WnJDM4nGbuI/AAAAAAAABWM/66R0qUoLg0AxOFqWSLoi26-E8XyCYOdcgCLcBGAs/s1600/22_m-100786601-DIGITAL_HIGHRES-2213_053472-11916710.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1070" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9LAablFQPHU/WnJDM4nGbuI/AAAAAAAABWM/66R0qUoLg0AxOFqWSLoi26-E8XyCYOdcgCLcBGAs/s320/22_m-100786601-DIGITAL_HIGHRES-2213_053472-11916710.JPG" width="214" /></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i></i></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Second loop...riding with a flat. Like my old tube? I didn't want to be caught littering.</i></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>I was so very ready to be done here. I was trying to smile, but I just didn't want to lose control.</i></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i></i></span></div>
<br />
And low and behold, I didn’t die.<br />
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
I have never felt so happy to see
transition in my life. I was grinning like a mad fiend I am sure. When I saw my
friends Chris, Greg and Karina on the road leading into T2, I shouted, “Have I
got a story for you.”</div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
I feel bad for making them wait so long
for me – particularly since they knew how worried I was about all the turns on
the course. But I am sure they were relieved to see me alive, well, and
apparently unscathed. </div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Aside:
There are -no- pictures of me running with my bike that I know of. The reality
is I did it in a really random part of the course (KM 27-33) where there were
no photographers. All I have is my Garmin and some nice blisters to show for
it. Oh well. Just trust me when I said I was smiling the whole time. I know
that I don’t need pictures for my own memory. I will never forget the
experience, particularly how hot I got running with my helmet on and how much I
wished I had some water with me. Since I didn’t have my own bike with my
speedfill, I didn’t bother carrying a bottle because I can’t grab one easily
while biking. I figured I’d just drink in T1 and T2 which is pretty standard
for me. Needless to say, that plan meant I was not very well prepared for an
extra 6km of running while on the bike though. Oops. </i></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Transition 2</i></b></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
In transition, I was very happy to get
rid of my bike, not to mention my bike shoes. Putting on my running shoes was a
joy because they felt so light. I downed some water from my waiting bottle (and
poured the rest over my head), grabbed a couple of gels (I was definitely
hungry at this point)…and headed out onto the run.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GYFETMxEywQ/WnJFEr49F6I/AAAAAAAABWY/7-egzzNLFSImc2Ii10HPL5hryf2S_R70gCLcBGAs/s1600/26_m-100786601-DIGITAL_HIGHRES-2213_061444-11916714.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1065" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GYFETMxEywQ/WnJFEr49F6I/AAAAAAAABWY/7-egzzNLFSImc2Ii10HPL5hryf2S_R70gCLcBGAs/s320/26_m-100786601-DIGITAL_HIGHRES-2213_061444-11916714.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Just out of T2 and entering the park, you can see I'm in the process of having a GU.</i></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Run</i></b></div>
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There isn’t much I can say about the run
– other than it felt so much easier than the 6k I’d already run during the
race. The run course was primarily in a park, which meant there was lots of
shade (unlike on the bike course) – and I actually found it to be the most
pleasant part of the race. Quite possibly that’s because once I hit the run I
knew I would finish the race. Similar to at Ironman Arizona when I got off the
bike after riding for hours in the pouring rain – the sudden sense of relief associated
with simply knowing I was going to finish was magical.<br />
<br /></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Starting the second loop of the run.</span></i></div>
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At that point in the day, it was mostly
people a bunch of age groups older than me on the course, so I spent a nice
amount of my time passing people (although a few people came speeding by me
too…let’s not pretend). My run wasn’t particularly fast, but it was
surprisingly solid. And, while I might not have been able to go as fast as I’d
planned, I can promise you that I enjoyed every single moment of that run. Of knowing
I was going to finish.<br />
<br /></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Either starting the second lap, or coming in for the finish. </span></i></div>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Finish</i></b><br />
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As I came down the main street to the
finish, I was crying a bit and smiling at the same time. I tried to soak in the feeling of people cheering – knowing I earned that
moment more than maybe any other race in my life.</div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Crossing the finish line.</span></i></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
I crossed the finish line in 3:48:29. I
came in dead last in my age group by 35 minutes (I didn’t quite come in dead last
in the entire Olympic distance race, but was pretty close).</div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
But my time didn’t matter. On that day –
dead last felt like I’d won. Why? Because crossing that finish line taught me a
significant lesson about who I am and what I will do when things go wrong.</div>
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Given the option, I won’t give up.</div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
Given the ability, I will keep moving
forward.</div>
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Given the opportunity, I will finish what
I started.</div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
That day in Rotterdam, I finished. I
finished smiling. I didn’t crash on my bike. As a bonus, I had the chance to
represent my country on the world stage and, my finish time aside, I think I
did it pretty well.<br />
<br /></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hNDiYvb3YiU/WnJIBiV31aI/AAAAAAAABWo/WoZNdHRg8IgXaVCLv9uiIgsY7V4IWOzyACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_20170917_133906.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hNDiYvb3YiU/WnJIBiV31aI/AAAAAAAABWo/WoZNdHRg8IgXaVCLv9uiIgsY7V4IWOzyACLcBGAs/s320/IMG_20170917_133906.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">No doubt I earned this medal.</span></i></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Special
Thanks</b></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
Big thanks to my Coach Mark Linseman of
Loaring Personal Coaching who has been essential in helping me keep moving
forward – growing, learning, and getting faster each and every day. And to
everyone in LPC for always being willing to give me encouragement, support and
advice – particularly my fellow athletes who were in Rotterdam. </div>
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</div>
<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">TeamLPC in Rotterdam!</span></i></div>
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In particular...two of my favourite LPC ladies - Helen and
Josette. You ladies rock! </div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YnmtjJyCDFs/WnJIWOnnRbI/AAAAAAAABWs/TsfUiv378QwqcMW7Jx2XbgLAqY-0Y6JZQCLcBGAs/s1600/21752979_10155177388776743_4847394313529940117_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YnmtjJyCDFs/WnJIWOnnRbI/AAAAAAAABWs/TsfUiv378QwqcMW7Jx2XbgLAqY-0Y6JZQCLcBGAs/s320/21752979_10155177388776743_4847394313529940117_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Before one of the practice rides.</span></i></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
Also to my parents, brothers, and their
families for always supporting me and for believing I can do anything I set my
mind to.<br />
<br />
And to the friends who came all the way
from Canada to watch me race. They were a big reason it didn’t even occur to me
not to keep going. They crossed an ocean to watch me race….and darn it, I wasn’t
going to let them down.</div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;">
Thank you all.</div>
Janahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01164472001808495441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5871976754080266388.post-73213212345368102182017-03-16T13:34:00.001-04:002017-03-29T09:19:10.486-04:00LPC Florida Triathlon Camp - Day 6 - Mega Run at the Orange Grove TrailIf you're ever near Orlando or Clermont and want to do a long run, the best place ever is the Orange Grove Trail - a spectacular 16km loop (10 miles). It's incredibly quiet and running on the dirt/clay road - while challenging - is a lovely experience. You get to see the orange groves that give the trail its name, but also some cows, lots of grassland, and even some water (not sure I'd go so far to call this a lake). <br />
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<em>The Orange Grove Trail - definitely a road less travelled.</em></div>
<br />
Each year at the LPC Florida Triathlon Camp I've run this route. Some years I've run a bit more (up to 21km if I recall correctly). <br />
<br />
This year, Coach Mark asked me if I'd be up to the challenge of doing 2 loops of the trail as part of my current marathon training cycle. That's to say, 2 loops after a long week of training, including the 95km Sugarloaf ride the day before.<br />
<br />
My answer was something along the lines of, "Heck yes!"<br />
<br />
I woke up on Friday morning a bit unsure of whether I'd bitten off more than I could chew. But I figured I'd get it done. My goal was to simply negative split the run. I didn't really have any time goals.<br />
<br />
Because of construction, we ended up leaving a bit early - meaning that I started my run at close to the same time everyone else did. Well, technically I got about a 15 minute head start I think, since it took about 38 minutes before the speedy fast folks started to pass me. <br />
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<em>Ready for a big run!</em> </div>
<br />
In my head, I split the run into 2 x 2 8km segments. This works because the 8km point is a traditional rest stop with a support vehicle (where you can re-fill water, etc.), while the loop ends back where you begin.<br />
<br />
I took the first 8km segment quite easy because it was misty and humid and I didn't want to get into any breathing trouble. I stuck just under 6min pace per kilometre. About 7km in, Coach Mark caught up to me with some of the faster folks. He ran with me for a few minutes and suggested I try to take the next 8km segment a bit harder. By that point, I figured I was in good shape to be able to do so.<br />
<br />
I didn't stop at 8km because I was carrying a Nathan Handheld bottle so I was good for water. <br />
<br />
The second 8km segment was excellent - probably the best segment of the entire run, which is nice given the 'back half' is where all the hills were. I was very happy with my pace through there - still on the easy side, but faster than the first segment at about 5:30-5:45 per km.<br />
<br />
As I came through the starting point, I also decided not to stop (bad idea in hindsight), although I did wave to the folks who had finished the first loop and got some motivational support as I headed out for loop #2.<br />
<br />
The third 8k section started off pretty well. The mist was long gone, however, and the heat was ratcheting up considerably. I didn't realize it, but I started to fall off my pace from segment #2. Part of this was the fact I wasn't drinking enough water. A few km into the section, I realized I was running out and I didn't know if I'd see anyone to refill it. I knew my second loop was somewhat of an outlier in terms of folks running, so I wasn't sure if I'd see a support vehicle. So I started to really conserve my water. As the heat started to wear me down, I even walked for a minute around one very sandy corner because I was worried I'd trip in the dirt. <br />
<br />
Thankfully, as I was getting close to the 8km mark, Coach James drove by to check up on me. I admit, he was a lifesaver. I chugged some water, refilled my handheld, and dumped a bottle over my head to cool off. Coach James also gave me a head's up that Coach Mark was running from the opposite direction and would meet me at the 8km point to run the rest of my run with me. <br />
<br />
Sure enough, as I got to 8km, Coach Mark was there to meet me. I admit, having my coach there to run the last 8km with me made a big difference in terms of how it went. It was very hot by this point, so my speed plummeted. I don't think I talked all that much - particularly toward the end, but Coach Mark was positive and helpful the entire time. <br />
<br />
At one point he gave me some form advice going up a hill. Basically it had to do with lifting my foot up when going up a hill rather than forward so I didn't shuffle (something more apparent after running for 28km I think). So for the rest of the run, each time I went up a hill, I thought "up, up, up" - and it made a big difference. It seemed to help both how my legs felt and my ability to get up the hill.<br />
<br />
If Coach Mark hadn't been there, I might have stopped a few times to cool down - but with him there, I couldn't do it. I did take a 30 second walk break (again at a particularly sandy spot), but otherwise I just kept going.<br />
<br />
As we reached the end, I realized that we were going to be a tad short...so I did a (not very quick) out and back to get the last 500m or so in. Coach Mark did the same thing although he stopped to open the van door for my friend Karen first (sign of a good coach - he thought of everyone else first). Karen was kind enough to wait for us after she finished her loop of the run.<br />
<br />
After a very brief cool down, we got into the car and went to check on Paula. She was happy with her mega-run and was more than ready to call it a day given the crazy heat. With all of us done, Coach Mark insisted on stopping back at the start for a group picture. <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<em>Hail the conquering heroes.</em></div>
<br />
I was incredibly happy to get this run done, especially given the rest of the training week at camp. This was also my longest training run of this marathon cycle by 5km, giving me a nice boost. Other than the heat, I think I was in pretty good shape - which was nice since when I was doing mega-runs for Hamilton I had a very tough time. I hope this bodes well for a better race experience in April. We'll see! <br />
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<em>Huge thanks to Coach Mark for helping me get 32k done!</em> </div>
<br />
On our way back to camp, we stopped off and grabbed some food (and a few balloons for the party that evening). I think we got back to the resort at a perfect time because I didn't really have time to sit down before it was time for the last bike ride at camp. While my coach had listed it as 'optional' in my TrainingPeaks, I knew I wanted to do it if I could. But I know if I'd had time to sit down, I might not have gotten back up.<br />
<br />
At the beginning of the ride, we went to the fountain at the resort for a group picture. We had an amazing group at camp this year. The Orange Shirt is for <a href="http://www.bptriathlon.ca/" target="_blank">Balance Point Triathlon Club</a> - an awesome group in London run by the fabulous Coach Gabbi Whitlock. If you're in London, check them out. This is the second year Coach Gabbi has come to the LPC Camp - and she's been great. Several times she told me to quite downplaying my accomplishments. And that reminded me to tell other people the same thing.<br />
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<em>LPC Florida Triathlon Camp 2017</em></div>
<br />
After the picture, we separated into different groups as usual. I took the fairly short option because I wasn't sure how long I'd last. But like I said, I didn't want to miss it. The Friday ride (new last year after they moved the Allen's Challenge Ride to Tuesday) is wonderful. We ride out to an empty sub-division where you can do intervals on a completely empty square loop. Even tired, I didn't want to miss this ride. It's too nice.<br />
<br />
After an easy ride out, we did a few laps of the sub-division. While I didn't have much tempo in me, I did manage 2 laps at a pretty good clip (31.5km) given how much I ran that morning. That was it for me though. Man, I was tired. Happy and smiling as always of course though. <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<em>Great gang at the Friday afternoon ride!</em> </div>
<br />
After the ride, I dropped my bike off at the main camp house for its trip back to Guelph, then headed back to House of Lido where I had another relaxing dip in the hot tub (and some time in the normal pool). It was a great way to relax after a great training day.<br />
<br />
A shower and packing was all I had left to do before it was time for the end of camp party at the LPC Camp House. Was happily surprised to get my Allen's Challenge T-shirt when I got to the party. One of the camper's moms waited for over an hour to get our shirts for us on Tuesday and brought them with her to the party. It was a very kind and thoughtful gesture. See, even the LPC extended family is awesome.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<em>Allen's Challenge Winners - Ben, John (#3 and time record holder), and myself.</em></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em></em> </div>
At the party, we had some great pizza (okay, anything would have probably tasted great after running so much - but it was good), and then a celebratory toast to celebrate LPC's 10th birthday.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<em>Head Coach James Loaring toasting to 10 years of LPC.</em></div>
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<br />
I am really impressed by what Coach James has accomplished over the past 10 years. I am very grateful to him and to my own Coach Mark for always being incredibly supportive to athletes of every age, shape, size and ability. They've created something amazing in the collegial and friendly atmosphere that is teamLPC and the LPC Triathlon Club. From the people who win races to the people who are just in it for fun and to see what they can do - everyone feels welcome. <br />
<br />
Having my brother Anthony insist I go to the LPC Florida Triathlon Camp back in 2013 was probably the best triathlon related thing that has ever happened to me. It gave me the momentum to dream big and go for it.<br />
<br />
Here's to many more awesome years LPC! See you at camp next year for #6. Janahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01164472001808495441noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5871976754080266388.post-81590851275376639702017-03-13T11:11:00.004-04:002017-03-13T11:12:44.431-04:00LPC Florida Triathlon Camp - Day 5: 2 reps of Sugarloaf! Day 5 of the LPC Florida Triathlon Camp started similar to our first camp day - with a run and swim at River Island within Orange Lake Resort.<br />
<br />
Similar to the first day, Coach Mark had me skip the run - this time to hopefully help keep my legs ready for a 32km mega-run to finish off the camp. So while everyone else went for a run...I decided to lounge about enjoying the atmosphere for once in my life. LOL. It really is a lovely resort! Can't imagine what it must be like just to come to a place like this for vacation. <br />
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<em>Enjoying the view!</em></div>
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Once everyone was back from their run, Coach Alex led us through a dynamic warm-up - which I most definitely needed in advance of the swim.<br />
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The swim itself was more technical than the one on Sunday - focused less on distance and more on body position (particularly sculling) and drafting. I appreciated this since I was a bit tired from the Wednesday bike workout and knew I had another 2 big days ahead. <br />
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The Lazy River itself continues to be spectacular to swim in - something that never gets old! Today, we even had some neighbours join in the fun.<br />
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<em>Company in the Lazy River</em></div>
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After the swim, I got a Starbucks to go because I needed more coffee in advance of the Sugarloaf ride. Also had some lunch. Earlier in the week, I made a great little rice dish with mixed onions, carrots, beans and broccoli. I've been eating it all week - and have been pleasantly surprised how tasty and filling it has been without causing issues for my training. I plan to make it far more often!<br />
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Hitched a ride out to the starting point of the Sugarloaf ride - an Irish Pub. Of course, the pub also makes an excellent end point. It's a well chosen venue, that's for sure.<br />
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Decided to ride with the B- group (we had a crazy variety of skill levels at this camp so the coaches broke us up into more than the typical 3 groups we've had in past years). <br />
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<em>Re-grouping at a corner</em></div>
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Riding with B- was a good choice for me since I didn't want to go too hard on the ride - although we had a few faster folks who had to wait a bit at times. Thankfully they didn't seem to mind.<br />
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<em>Nice pic of Rob Buren on his hand-cycle! </em></div>
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This ride included a surprising number of incidents of people making wrong turns because they got too far ahead (or in my case, a bit behind) - although nothing like in past years. Coach Mark managed to find us each time before we ranged too far afield thank goodness. I suspect he rode well over the planned 95km trying to keep us all together. <br />
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<em>Coach Mark</em></div>
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All in all though, it was a gorgeous day for a ride. Early on, I had a tough time keeping my power in check (my big goal for the ride since I was doing a mega-run the next day). I ended up having to push a fair bit of power on some of the easier climbs when I thought it should have been easier. I've been doing pretty decently with my biking this year so couldn't understand why I was having a tougher time than in the past.<br />
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Coach Mark figured out the issue not long before we reached Sugarloaf. He noticed my cassette was small (I don't know the right term...but basically, I didn't have any easy gears making climbing much more difficult). Apparently when I switched my PowerTap wheel to an 11 speed cassette to work with my new bike, I didn't get a very good cassette type for climbing. Needless to say, I am going to have to get a better one before Collingwood. If this ride was hard with the current cassette...doing Collingwood with it would be nuts.<br />
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Regardless of my cassette type, I made it up to the top of Sugarloaf. In my Training Peaks, Coach Mark had suggested I do 2 reps of the hill - including going -down- (something that made me nervous given the hill is quite steep). He's made this suggestion in the past but I've never actually done it. This time, when I got to the top, I confirmed I had enough time to do a second rep - so I turned around and rode right down.<br />
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The descent wasn't as bad as I was expecting (although I took it at a snail's pace compared to what anyone else might do). Apparently Coach Mark watched to make sure I made it down safely - a fact I appreciated. <br />
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There were some men working on the side of the road about half-way up the hill. As I crawled up the road the second time, I'm pretty sure they thought I was nuts. We did exchange smiles though. I didn't have any breath in me to say anything though. It was hard!<br />
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Made it to the top just in time to get into the group picture (which I'll post when someone hopefully passes it on to me). Then I had time to quickly down a few cups of water because the house at the top of the climb kindly keeps a cooler of water by their mailbox for cyclists. I've never met these people - but they have my eternal gratitude.<br />
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I didn't even have time for a selfie at the top before we rolled out (well, I probably did but I didn't think of it). This is what comes of working harder than you have before. Ah well. I can just post a picture from a previous year and pretend it is current....LOL! <br />
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<em>At the top of Sugarloaf in 2014 or 2015.</em></div>
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<em>Same shirt but a different bike this year!</em></div>
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I rode most of the last half of the ride with my friend Paula - going fairly easy and enjoying the scenery. We stopped at a convenience store where I got a longer break than at the top of Sugarloaf, which I appreciated because my back was feeling tight. I took the time to drink a Dr. Pepper (which tastes amazing) and also to lay down on the ground to get my back in order. Really, that was all it took for my back to re-align or something because I was fine after I stood back up. So funny.<br />
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<em>Rest Stop</em></div>
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Coach Gabbi's husband Ken was at the rest stop, which came in very handy when a 20-something woman with 2 young kids asked Coach Mark for help. Apparently she'd taken the car to the store to get something - except her mother had the keys back at the school down the road. It was one of those cars with auto start...so she didn't notice this until she stopped and then couldn't turn the car back on How awkward! <br />
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Thankfully Camp LPC came the rescue with Ken chauffeuring the girl and the kids down the road to get the keys. Nice to have the right people in the right place to help someone out. It might have been more complicated without a car to help - so big cheers to Ken!<br />
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We made it back to the Irish Pub in good time to get our bikes loaded in the trailer and meet other groups for a nice cold beer! <br />
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<em>Kirstie Kniaziew, </em><em>Coach James, and Rob Buren</em></div>
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I admit, the beer tasted great! I stuck to French fries at the pub along with my beer - then ate a regular dinner when I got back to my camp house.<br />
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<em>A well earned reward!</em></div>
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After getting back to the camp house, we learned that the maintenance folks had managed to get our hot tub working at some point that day. I admit, it was both a wonderful surprise and an utter joy. I took plenty of time to soak in the tub (which started out lukewarm but heated up while I sat in it). I think it made a huge difference in terms of recovery for my legs! <br />
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<em>Blissfully enjoying the hot tub!</em></div>
Janahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01164472001808495441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5871976754080266388.post-83761653810891059912017-03-12T17:40:00.003-04:002017-03-12T17:40:58.375-04:00LPC Florida Triathlon Camp - Day 4 - Lake Louisa Brick WorkoutI'm way behind posting my daily updates...no doubt because I was so busy at camp I finally ran out of time to keep up my blog. But I'm home now - and able to spend some quality time thinking back to a great week. <br />
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On Day 4 of camp, we went out to Lake Louisa State Park for an interval brick workout. Coach Mark had put 5 reps of the brick in my schedule, (Warm-up, 3 hard sets, cool-down) which I figured was a bit much for the time, but I was willing to give it a go.<br />
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There was a lot of traffic en route to the park due to construction, so we got there a bit late. Since the truck with the bikes was still stuck in traffic, Coach James suggested a warm-up run. I ended up doing 1 mile relatively easy - finishing just in time to see the truck arrive.<br />
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<em>Nothing like having transition racks for a brick workout!</em></div>
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Once everyone was set up, we had a warm-up rep of the 11k bike and 1 mile run course. I ended up doing a second run warm-up since I'd already done the first one. But I figured it would all work out in the end (which it did since I didn't quite have enough time for a full cool-down rep of both bike/run).<br />
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For the main set, I wasn't sure how well I was going to do. My stomach was still very iffy after the Allen's Challenge the day before, but I figured I would do my best and see what happened. We all lined up together to simulate T1 - although the folks doing a 'draft legal' brick went first.<br />
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<em>Before the start of the first rep</em></div>
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Turned out the first rep of the brick was pretty good. I averaged 31km/h on the bike, and then around 4:50 per km for the run. That was by far my best loop. While I thought the other two bike reps were closer...they weren't really. Both of those clocked in at 29km/h.<br />
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On the run, I faded a lot on the second loop as the heat started ratcheting up and I started to get hungry (I only had 1 slice of toast for breakfast - which wasn't enough to fuel a hard workout, but all my stomach could handle at the time). My pace on that loop fell back to the same pace as the warm-up. But while I was taking a short recovery break, Coach Mark said something about how once your mind stops pushing, you fade (I can't remember his exact words...but I took it to mean: mind over matter). That gave me a bit of spark to push into the third rep. While the bike was the same as the second rep, the run did get a bit faster, landing somewhere in the middle of Lap 1 and Lap 2 in terms of pace. I took the speeding up as a good sign.<br />
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<em>I look awkward, but at least am smiling!</em></div>
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When I finished the run, Coach Mark said I still had time to do a cool-down loop on the bike, so I did. This was actually my favourite bike loop of the day since it seemed like I was the only one out on the road. It was like I had the entire park to myself since I didn't see any other bikes or cars. I simply enjoyed the ride and looking at the scenery since I wasn't trying to keep to a specific pace. It felt wonderful: a great way to end a hard workout.<br />
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Of course, by the time I got back, the truck was pretty much loaded and everyone else was ready to go for the swim. I had just enough time to pass my bike off to some of the camp coaches (who kindly took my bike off my hands and got it loaded) and pull on my wetsuit - and it was time to swim. <br />
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Thankfully the swim was pretty short since I was well and truly starving (okay, not really - but I was hungry). The water was lovely. We did a couple of warmup loops, some hard/easy reps, beach starts, and exits. I was pretty tired from the 5 reps of the bike/run (even if I had to count my last run-rep as the extra run warmup loop) so not really sure how hard my efforts really got. But I thought it was pretty good all told. Wetsuit performed beautifully and fits much better than my old one.<br />
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<em>Running start...</em></div>
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After the swim, there was a bit of time for pictures - including one of all the women at Camp in order to celebrate International Women's Day. What a wonderful group of strong, inspiring and motivating women! <br />
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<em>Awesome ladies at CampLPC</em></div>
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Later that night, I headed out to Disney Springs with Paula, Karen, Coach Mark and Coach Alex. Paula exchanged some running shorts at one store and then we took Coach Mark out for pizza for his birthday. <br />
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<em>Happy birthday Coach Mark!</em></div>
Janahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01164472001808495441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5871976754080266388.post-47088679923085526212017-03-08T21:32:00.001-05:002017-03-08T21:32:41.437-05:00LPC Florida Triathlon Camp - Day 3: Allen's Challenge (and a bike ride)I admit, I was somewhat dreading Day 3 of this year's LPC Florida Triathlon Camp because of a promise I'd made last year to do the Allen's Challenge for my 5 year Campiversary. <br />
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The Allen's Chain of Lakes Challenge (aka the Allen's Challenge) involves eating a ridiculous amount of ice cream in under 15 minutes. Specifically:<br />
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<em>The Allen's Challenge</em></div>
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The thing is - the stop for the challenge is after a 43km bike ride to get to Allen's Creamery in Windemere....and before a 43km bike ride back to the resort. </div>
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I've watched a fair number of guys take on the challenge over the past 4 years - but only one woman has done it at the LPC camp. So the odds were not in my favour. But I promised that I'd do it....and I did.</div>
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The actual day began with a hands on tire changing clinic, although I admit I skipped the actual tire changing part since I've done it before and didn't want to jinx my tires (lol). It was a very useful clinic though. Everyone should know how to change a tire.</div>
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Once everyone was ready to go, we split into something like 5 groups for the ride to Allen's. We have an incredible diversity of riders this year - so 5 groups made it more sensible pace wise. I rode to Allen's with the B- group (we had 3 "B" groups) - enjoying a beautiful and relatively easy ride out to Allen's. It was a spectacular day for a ride so I was glad not to worry too much about pace.</div>
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At Allen's, I admit, my stomach was queasy before I even got my ice cream. That morning, Head Coach James Loaring had asked if he could sponsor me in the Allen's Challenge to celebrate my 5 years at camp - which I thought was extremely kind - and totally unexpected. So I was under a lot of pressure to get the job done.</div>
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He also got an ice cream sunday....we compared them. </div>
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<em>Guess which one is mine?</em></div>
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I admit, I tried to be very strategic in my ice cream choices. Originally, I thought to soak vanilla ice cream in 6 servings of hot chocolate fudge, but a previous Allen's Challenger warned me the fudge would freeze and be hard to deal with if I wasn't fast - which I knew I wouldn't be.</div>
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So when I got there, I studied the ice cream selections and decided to go for simplicity by picking the ice cream that had the least amount of dairy in it since dairy really hates me before running. Thant ended up being Orange Sherbet which basically tastes like an orange creamsicle. Technically I could've had the Lemon Ice, but I couldn't think of anything even remotely palatable as a topping for it. So Orange Sherbet it was.</div>
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After confirming I could have 6x the same topping rather than 6 different toppings, I also went for simplicity with rainbow sprinkles. I don't like having bits in my ice cream and I figured the sprinkles were small enough not to need chewing. </div>
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On top of that went a pile of whipped cream and some cherries.</div>
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<em>The biggest bowl of ice cream I will ever have! </em></div>
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Looking at my bowl of ice cream, I admit I had no idea how I was going to eat it all. It was hilariously large.</div>
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When no other woman stepped up to compete, my friend Paula kindly volunteered to keep me company in the challenge. You know an awesome friend when! </div>
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With the timer set, it was time to dig in. The first minute or two went pretty smoothly, but then I realized how much ice cream was actually in the bowl. Coach Mark mentioned that he got a bit worried about whether I could do it at that point - since my expression was a bit 'What on earth am I doing?"</div>
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But then Paula said something funny, and I made a joke about how delicious the ice cream was and hammed it up a little for the quite large and cheering audience of LPC campers, the person video taping, and Coach Mark who took a picture and posted it on Twitter.</div>
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<em><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Does it look like I'm eating a bowl of melted cheese?</span></em></div>
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That's when the tide turned I think. From that point, I focused simply on eating the ice cream and trying to have fun while doing it. I realized that my triathlon goal of "Finish and Finish Smiling" would work well for this as well. I was happily surprised that because of my simple choices, the ice cream actually tasted good and never got gross. Mostly, it was just 10 times more that I would normally eat.</div>
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Around the 12 minute mark, I was pretty sure I had it - since I was nearing completion. The key was not think about what I was actually doing. To be honest, the quick eating likely was helped by my recent beer mile experience - particularly since I didn't actually like the beer I ended up drinking. Eating the ice cream was much easier in some ways.</div>
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I completed the challenge in 13min and 30 seconds, well under the 15 minute time limit - and setting a new LPC Camp record for women (the men's record is something like 10 minutes and a bit faster...I have no idea how that's possible, even if I watched it happen last year).</div>
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After I finished, Paula decided she'd had plenty of ice cream and didn't need to have any more. I owe her big time for making the attempt because I couldn't have done it without her.</div>
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After we were done, 2 guys went head to head, with one trying to Do the Double and finish 2x the Allen's Challenge worth of ice cream. While he finished the first bowl very quickly, he lost a bit of steam on the second. All power to him for trying though. Just watching him work on that second bowl was amazing. Now that's dedication. The other guy went for the normal challenge - also finishing it in a great time. Glad I didn't have to compete with either since they've have been done well before I was!</div>
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Right after the challenge, I wasn't feeling too bad, just very full. Knowing the real challenge was riding back - I refused the offered ride back to the resort and simply decided to ride with the easiest of the easy bike groups for the ride back.</div>
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The ride back wasn't actually that bad. The pace was nice and easy, making it simple to focus simply on getting fresh air and not thinking too much about my stomach. I burped a lot - but that was almost funny after a while.</div>
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Made it home in time to basically fall into bed. I skipped my run, slept, did some work...and really only got out of bed to make a small sandwich at 9pm. Honestly, I was more hungover from eating that giant bowl of ice cream than I've ever been in my life.</div>
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All in all, it was a fun day. I'm glad I can say I did it - although I really want my free t-shirt. I'm hoping the manager actually did show up with the shirts (for some reason, they don't keep any at the store), since one of the awesome family members of one of the other campers offered to wait for them to show up. No idea if they actually did - but I really want my memento of this very important day in my life that is never going to be repeated, so fingers crossed!</div>
Janahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01164472001808495441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5871976754080266388.post-57481710103513171722017-03-06T21:36:00.001-05:002017-03-06T21:36:20.382-05:00LPC Florida Triathlon Camp - Day 2: Faulty memories
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Today was the day we went to the National Training Centre in Clearmont Florida for a track workout, a swim workout, and a few panels. I always look forward to this part of camp - because it is fun and usually incredibly motivating. Today definitely lived up to those hopes. </span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">On the Track</span></strong><br />
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<em><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">National Training Centre - Track</span></em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">We started the day with a warm-up on the cross country course - probably the only day of the year I run trails officially....although I guess that isn't quite true anymore since I've done a few easier trail runs with RunTOBeer. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">I found it quite humid, so I took my inhaler well before the workout, but was still feeling a bit heavy legged and lung-ed (which isn't a word but basically means I could feel my breathing was not the best). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">The dynamic stretches were terrific - running though As, Bs, Cs, Karaoke, ballerinas, penguins, this one where you hop and open up your hips forward, side and front again taught by Coach Gabbi, and another one involving skipping and arm swings.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Then....we had the main workout: Sets of 3x400 descending. My watch isn't great at proper pacing for short workouts, so I just guessed based on times I ran at Monarch Park.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">But here's the thing....when
you think about 400m times based on the times you were running on a 367m track (which I completely forgot about at the time)...you're going to go way too hard.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">And low and behold, my first
three reps were 1:44, 1:42, 1:41. All of these times seemed in line with my
previous results from what I recalled, so I was happy....but I was also really gasping for air. I assumed it was my asthma, so just tried to grin and bear it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Then I did the second set. This set was much slower (1:55,
1:49, and 1:47). I decided to stop after that rather than do a 3rd set, knowing
I was cooked. I felt like I'd dropped time like no tomorrow, so I was obviously really having a bad day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">And this is where it gets funny. When I actually
looked at my actual paces in hindsight, the second 3 reps were right where they should
have been in the first place given the goals (~10k pace, 5k pace, a bit
faster). The first set ended up being much faster because I forgot that the times in my
head had been for a slightly shorter distance. I honestly just went too hard
accidentally and couldn't sustain it. Sure my asthma issues didn't help - but I honestly can't blame my inability to do more reps on it entirely. Not when I realize my early three reps were much faster than I'd planned.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Lesson
learned though: For short stuff....even a few seconds different can make or
break your ability to keep going. If I'd paced both reps like I did the second,
I probably would've been fine for more reps. I admit, it was a bizarre mistake
to make - but at least I actually had 6 nice 400s, rather than just the 3 I
thought were good and the 3 I thought were terrible! :)</span></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Rob Buren - Definitely Rocking his Chair</span></em></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">In the Pool</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">After some Honey Stinger Chews and a short rest, I actually felt a lot better. On the pool deck, Coach Gabby walked us through some mobility exercises, and then we split into 3 groups for some swim work.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>The NTC has an amazing pool!</em> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Our group started with Coach James for a good main set. The core of this was descending 50s (yards, not meters). This went extremely well for me - with my pace much faster than I would've guessed. We then had Coach Alex and Coach Gabbi each work with us on different drills (hip lead roll, fingertips, fists, sculling, one arm). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">At one point, Coach Mark came by to pull us out of the water to do the swim video - which I did. He always does a good job of making sure I'm extra tired in these videos...I'm almost afraid to watch! </span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Special Guest Speaker - Rob Buren</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">After the swim, we were treated to subs for lunch and an amazing guest speaker - someone I've thought was inspiring since the day I met him at camp a couple of years ago: paratriathlete Rob Buren. I actually</span><a href="http://girlontheroadlesstravelled.blogspot.com/2016/07/i-first-met-rob-buren-atthe-lpc-florida.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> interviewed Rob for my blog</span></a><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> last summer when he was about to race his Kona Qualifying race. </span></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Guest Speaker Rob Buren of Rock the Chair</span></em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Rob's talk was amazing. I knew part of his story from when I interviewed him for my blog - and from talks we've had at camp, but hearing him talk through his life, the accident and how he earned his way to Kona was incredible nonetheless. I learned a lot more about him than I'd known before - like his joy racing motorcycles and how his friends helped set him up so he could ride after becoming paraplegic. If anyone is an example of 'Anything is Possible' - Rob is it. His blog </span><a href="http://www.rockthechair.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Rock the Chair</span></a><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> is a great name - because Rob does that every singe day. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">If you ever need a motivational speaker - Rob is a great one. He's great guy, honest and funny, and really has an amazing story. I think everyone could do with conversation with Rob, particularly if you wonder if you can do something. The answer is Yes, You Can.</span></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Perfect words from the end of Rob's presentation</span></em></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Coaches Panel</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">We wrapped up at the National Training Centre with a coaches panel with all the camp coaches. It was a great time with lots of questions asked. The one I put forward I figured we could all learn from - was what has been their biggest training mistake. The most prevalent answer was one we probably all fail at times: Going too hard on the easy days. The trick is to go easy on the easy days and hard on the hard days - so you don't get stuck in what I think one coach called 'Tempo Hell.' Coach Gabbi also mentioned remembering to have fun and not beating yourself up if you miss a workout. The reality is most of us are in triathlon to have fun - and we all have lives. Balance is critical.</span></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">All the camp coaches - except Coach James who moderated</span></em></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">The Afternoon: bike drills now with more glass</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">After a brief grocery store run, lunch and a bit of time working on actual work, I headed down to the bike skills session. Normally this involves a lot of riding in cul-de-sacs at low speeds working on cornering and, yes, some U-turns.</span></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Coach James giving an intro to the beginner bike handling group</span></em></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Coach Alex ready to roll</span></em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">But this year, there seemed to be a whole lot of glass lying around, so after a few loops of the resort and a few minutes of cornering, Coach James decided to take us out for a ride instead and work on paceline riding. </span></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Brief stint of cornering practice before finding all the glass</span></em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Given all the glass lying around (and we had to wonder if someone had dumped glass intentionally since the glass was sprinkled very oddly everywhere around the resort without any signs of anything being broken), it was definitely the right choice. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">We went out to a very quite sub-division near a school, working on paceline drills for much of the way - picking up the speed of the transition over time to make it a rolling paceline. By the end, I think we were really getting it down. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Not a bad bike selfie!</em> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Champagne Toast for Paula's Birthday</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Back at the house, a few of us worked on a jigsaw puzzle Paula had brought, and had dinner. While debating Allen's Challenge tactics (you'll hear more about that insanity tomorrow no doubt), Paula pulled out a small bottle of Champagne to share. It was her birthday yesterday and the coaches got her a small box of 4 very cute bottles. So we had a little toast to Paula - although the picture didn't turn out all that well unfortunately - it's a bit blurry. Thankfully we have 3 more bottles - so we can keep trying! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">All in all, it was a great Day 2 of camp. The weather was particularly great - and the forecast is good for the rest of the week. Fingers crossed!</span></div>
Janahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01164472001808495441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5871976754080266388.post-35047846982319711932017-03-05T21:53:00.002-05:002017-03-06T20:29:24.199-05:00LPC Florida Triathlon Camp - Starting off on the right foot (Days 0 and 1)Hard to believe it's been 5 years since I first came to the LPC Florida Triathlon camp. Well, technically it's only been 4 years and a week, since my first camp was in March 2013. Every year, I've done a daily blog of my experience - and I am so glad I did because it really shows how much I've improved over the different years. <br />
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Looking back, there was the very <a href="http://girlontheroadlesstravelled.blogspot.com/2013_03_01_archive.html" target="_blank">first camp</a> (I am posting the links to the March archive for each year, so start at the bottom and read up to get the posts in order) where I was completely out of my league but had a blast anyways (and didn't die!). I'd never been on a bike with clipless pedals, fell numerous times (going 0km/h) and pretty much needed a personal coach on the bike because I probably would've died otherwise. <br />
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In my <a href="http://girlontheroadlesstravelled.blogspot.com/2014_03_01_archive.html" target="_blank">second year</a>, I wasn't quite a hazard on wheels (but I was still by far the worst rider) but I think I broke my bike distance record 3 times over the course of the week (crazy, right?). <br />
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In my <a href="http://girlontheroadlesstravelled.blogspot.com/2015_03_01_archive.html" target="_blank">third year</a>, my bike group got lost what seemed like every day...but that led to my having a massive day to end the camp with a 19km run AND a 90km bike. I almost did the equivalent of an Ironman over 2 days when you include the swim workout. This was also the year I 'graduated' from the C group to the B group for biking - which was an amazing feat for me. I was (and am) still a terrible bike handler...but I was getting faster.<br />
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Then <a href="http://girlontheroadlesstravelled.blogspot.com/2016_03_01_archive.html" target="_blank">last year</a>, we had what turned out to be an absolutely perfect week of training. It was probably my favourite year of camp -ever- (no doubt this year will be even better). I was a much better rider, was solidly in the B group on the bike and actually enjoyed all the rides immensely (the previous years were mostly me just being terrified and hoping not to die). <br />
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And so, I've made it safely to my fifth year camp-iversary. And I still love coming to camp and sharing the love of all things triathlon with friends old and new. I wonder if anyone really cares about these blog posts given you really just need to read through any of the previous years to find out how awesome this camp is - and why you should come. But I personally want the record of what I do because these blogs show my incredible progress while coming to camp- and I expect to continue that progress many years to come (fingers crossed and knock on wood) because there is always something new to learn! It's nice to have this record to look back on!<br />
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<strong>Pre-Camp: Long run and short bike - with a new accomplishment</strong><br />
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Today was Day 1 of camp. Although this year, I had a pre-camp workout day because Coach Mark gave me the option of doing my long ride in Florida or in Toronto before I left. Glad I picked Florida because work was insane and it got really cold the day I would've run. Here, I woke up bright and early Saturday and was out the door for my 20k run by 8am (which is pretty much a miracle for me). The run itself was absolutely magnificent. I wandered around the resort, found some nice out and backs and just had a very smooth, even and nicely paced run...all without having breakfast! <br />
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<em>Post-run: relaxing in the sun</em></div>
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<em>Thank</em> <em>goodness I found these nuts. I was starving when I finished my run</em></div>
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In fact, I felt so good after the bike and chatting with Coach Mark, that I ended up doing the afternoon 'unofficial' group ride. I was a bit at a loss when I showed up to find the people biking were mostly the crazy fast guys. I was debating not riding after all, but Coach James and <a href="http://girlontheroadlesstravelled.blogspot.com/2015/09/hurdle-project-part-2-interview-with.html" target="_blank">Coach Jack</a> (who I interviewed for my blog back in 2015) confirmed the first 25km loop was going to be their easy pace and I'd probably be fine. Sure enough, the guys were wonderful and I had no problems riding at the back of the pace line (enjoying a very nice draft!) for 25km. <br />
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When we got back, the guys headed out to get more distance at speeds I can only dream of. I decided to take a little bit of time getting to know my new bike (this was just my second ride outside - and my first non 'just for fun' ride on it). I worked on my left U-turns (and failed dismally). But then for some reason, I decided to work on grabbing my water bottle from my bike cage...and much to my shock, I was able to get the bottle out and put it back in - without falling over, veering wildly or dying (priorities!). And then I did it again and a few more times! <br />
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<em>After the bike</em><br />
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That's a huge accomplishment for me - and one I honestly didn't think I'd ever figure out. Sure, I was only riding like 5km/h at the time, but I will have to practice it again going faster when I don't have anyone near me (otherwise I'd be too nervous).<br />
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Saturday night, I made a rice with veggies dish for the potluck (on Sunday) and for my main meal for the week. It was a bit of a mess, but the final result turned out much better than I expected. Then I went to bed because I was exhausted.<br />
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<strong>Day 1: No Run, but a swim, exercises and a bike</strong><br />
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This morning, we headed over to River Island - a wonderful 350m pool at Orange Lake Resort (apparently the largest resort in the world - or so I heard today). I love the lazy river and today was no exception. <br />
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Technically, the day started with a short run, but Coach Mark told me to skip that given I'd just run 20km the day before. I ended up walking with one of the other campers and taking some pictures instead.<br />
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When everyone got back from the short run, Coach Alex led us through a dynamic stretching routine which included a number of great exercises. Some new ones, and a few great variations on ones I did know with much better mobility focused exercises for the shoulders and hip flexors. It was great.<br />
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<em>Exercises with Coach Alex</em></div>
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We then jumped into the Lazy River and did a couple of loops warm-up. Just finished my second loop in time to join the A swim group (made up mostly of people way faster than me, but thankfully a few my speed) for some practice turns in one section of the river. We worked with Coach Gabby first, then switched over to work with Coach James for some dolphin dives and drafting practice which was a lot of fun. Challenging, but fun. <br />
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Spent a little bit of time in the hot tub before getting a coffee at Starbucks and sitting out in the sun for a bit.<br />
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<em>Coffee time!</em> </div>
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We came back from the swim and ate lunch. Had plenty of time to relax for a bit before it was time to meet up for the short bike ride. After Coach James chatted a bit about the ride, we split into three groups. Coach Mark ran our B group through a safety checklist and then we left pretty soon thereafter.<br />
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<em>Pre-bike discussion and demos</em></div>
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<em>Coach Mark and Coach Alex highlight how to draft</em></div>
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The bike ride was so different from yesterday despite being the same loop. It was insanely windy at times and got a bit challenging toward the end because of it. But this kind of ride is why I come to camp....I could really see my progress. While I was a bit nervous about the wind, I was also convinced it didn't matter and I'd be fine. I just tucked my head down as much as you can on a road bike and did my best. I got back to the camp house feeling pretty awesome, I must admit. I was tired, but I felt great about how I'd handled myself in the wind. <br />
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After the ride (and a shower), I sat down intending to do a bit of work on an article, but my brain was a bit fried. Decided to let it wait until tomorrow or Tuesday. It's not due until mid-week (and it's short), so I felt okay procrastinating about it. I am writing this blog instead of doing work - because apparently writing a blog isn't actual work. At least, not to me.<br />
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Tonight, we had our giant all Camp potluck at the LPC Camp House. My rice dish seemed to go over well, with only one spoonful left of a giant bowl of it at the end. Glad I kept a second giant bowl for myself so I can eat it all week. <br />
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<em>Coach James talking about the camp at the potluck</em></div>
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<em>Avid listeners to Coach James</em></div>
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At the potluck, Coach Mark gave me some hints on running a Beer Mile - mostly about the fact you can get 355ml cans. On the Thursday before camp started, I ran a Beer Mile. I admit, I had a heck of a time finding bottles - and the one I did find tasted like revolting grapefruit. Oops. Next time I need to be more prepared!<br />
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Now, I'm back in the Hose of Lido (the house I'm staying at this year) writing this blog. Need to stop soon because it'll be an early morning tomorrow to get out to the National Training Centre in Clearmont! Janahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01164472001808495441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5871976754080266388.post-84841716750437904792017-03-04T21:49:00.003-05:002017-03-04T21:49:37.444-05:00The Long Overdue Hamilton Road 2 Hope PostHere I am at the LPC Florida Triathlon Camp (my fifth year year). I want to write about today (Day 0) - but I realized that I really needed to say something about 2016 first - about my race at the Hamilton Road 2 Hope Marathon.<br />
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To be honest, it's been hard putting Hamilton (and 2016 as a whole) into words because it was a tough year training wise.<br />
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You see, I worked really hard all year - particularly leading up to Road 2 Hope. My goal at that race was to try for a BQ (a Boston Qualifier) time of under 3:40. I trained a lot. I did one run that was 38 km long. The problem was - most of the training was terrible. Heading into the race I wasn't feeling all that positive because practically every run I had was a mess. <br />
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At the time, I thought it was the weather. It was incredibly hot and humid last summer - especially humid. I went through 2 inhalers just trying not to die (that's an exaggeration, I promise) over the summer. My pace work was terrible.<br />
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But I still felt like I should be able to do a good race - even if I didn't have a BQ race. For once in my race career, race day was perfect for a run. It was mild, cool - and the course was downhill. I felt generally good, I had plenty of proven food (in this case, Maple Syrup Gels). I thought I was set up for a good day.<br />
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And then I couldn't run. Well, I ran, but it was like running through peanut butter. I managed a whole 10k before I fell apart. On the whopper of a downhill, I couldn't get my pace under 6 min kilometers. I faded even further as the race went on. By the end of the downhill, I realized I was really off - and so stopped looking at my watch. My only goal fell back to my simple standard which saves me when things go wrong: finish and finish smiling. I just wanted to run and enjoy what I could do - even if the day wasn't what I wanted.<br />
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I finished the race in something like 4:14 and change. To put this in perspective, I only ran 1 minute faster than I ran my very first marathon, which I ran with a stomach bug and only eating 2 shot blocks. <br />
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To say I was disappointed is putting it a bit mildly. I am sure a few people realized how I felt about the race, but mostly, I just felt utterly discouraged. I had no idea what was wrong. I swore off doing another marathon anytime soon.<br />
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It was my coach who figured it out. He suggested iron deficiency. Being far more observant of my training results, he was the one who noticed it wasn't -just- my run. He said it was my bike too - that workouts that should be relatively easy I was having issues with - and then, of course, the runs were abysmal. <br />
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So at the end of November, I started taking double doses of an iron supplement. I've been taking them religiously now for 4 months, but truth be told, I started to really notice a difference about a month after I started them. It's like I was wired compared to how I had felt. <br />
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Honestly, I didn't know how badly I felt until I started to feel good. <br />
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All of a sudden, I could do harder workouts. At Christmas, I unofficially broke my 5k PB on a treadmill because I felt good and was curious if I could. In January, I started harder bike workouts again - and could do them. I started speed work - and I could do them.<br />
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Don't get me wrong - I still have terrible workouts, particularly when I'm having girl troubles or am exhausted from work. But I no longer feel like my workouts for months have been relentlessly bad. When I have a bad workout - within a few days, I have a great one. It's far closer to what life should be like in my mind.<br />
<br />
And so - writing about 2016 hasn't been a priority. It's hard to talk when things aren't going perfectly. It's much easier when you can write energetically about how awesome life is. <br />
<br />
But hey, this isn't meant to be a lamentation post - just a retrospective. Truth be told, I learned a lot this year - and I did do some awesome stuff despite the training challenges.<br />
<br />
One of those awesome things was backhandedly qualifying for the World Triathlon Championships (Olympic Distance) in Rotterdam next year at a race where there were more slots than people in my age group. I came in 7/8th - and they gave out 10 slots.<br />
<br />
At that qualifying race (Ottawa Triathlon)...I had the best bike of my life by going 2km/h faster than I've ever done before in an Olympic Distance race -- on a rented carbon road bike. Sure, I didn't have great pre and post bike runs (it was turned into a duathlon because water quality tests hadn't been received yet), but I didn't care. My bike time made that race my big winner of 2016...and also led me to find my most important race for 2017 - because now I get to go compete in Rotterdam for Team Canada. How cool is that?<br />
<br />
Yes, I may not have qualified for Boston - but I did qualify for something pretty cool...and it means I am going to be going to Europe in September because the race is a great excuse to do a bunch of travelling.<br />
<br />
So while Hamilton was a mess, I can't really be too disappointed in the last year. It turned out to be a good one - just for different reasons than I was planning on.<br />
<br />
And this year - I feel like a new person. I feel like all the hope that got a bit strangled last year is now back and raring to go.<br />
<br />
Yet, I've also decided not to worry too much about this year. I want to have more fun - and simply see where I'm at after last year's tough year. I want to start fresh and see what happens. <br />
<br />
And given I feel a lot better, I've also backed off swearing off marathons for a bit and signed up for the Martian Marathon (on Earth Day of all days...kind of hilarious) on April 22nd. I'm not really trying to BQ this time around - mostly because in 6 months, I'll get an extra 5 minutes on my BQ time. Instead, I'm just hoping to see where I'm at - and to hopefully get a PB at the distance (mine is 3:50:19 from Mississauga in 2014). Oh yes, and regardless of whatever else - I still want to finish and finish smiling.<br />
<br />
That's probably not all I can say about 2016....but it's probably enough for you to get a sense of how it went. Oh, except for one of the best parts of the year - courtesy of my friend Karen.. I got to fly out to North Carolina to watch Karen finish Ironman North Carolina. Watching her at that race, and chasing her around to cheer for her for the last 21km of the run - I had so much fun: probably the most I had that entire year. <br />
<br />
I left there remembering something a summer of heartbreaking training made very difficult.<br />
<br />
I love to run. <br />
<br />
Even when my speed isn't as fast as I want. <br />
<br />
Even when it's humid. <br />
<br />
Even when I feel like I'm running though peanut butter.<br />
<br />
I love to run.<br />
<br />
That day in Hamilton, I could have stopped. But I remembered that run in North Carolina - and I channeled that sense of joy into my race. I knew if I wasn't hurt, I could finish and finish smiling. So I focused on the love of running and forgot about my speed. <br />
<br />
That's the big lesson I learned this year: do what you do because you love it. You can strive to get better. You can strive to hit goals (and I will BQ eventually!). But really, if you don't love what you do, why do it?Janahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01164472001808495441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5871976754080266388.post-50469979839785562632016-11-10T12:33:00.001-05:002016-11-10T12:40:33.943-05:00Remember: It's all about you<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I started writing this post back in August. The words still resonate, even if I can't remember why I didn't post it back then (probably because I had more to say - but now I don't remember). So I'm sharing the half-completed blog post anyways...because it really is a good message.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"></span><br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ltGgOnhzX_0/WCSwtataVQI/AAAAAAAABL4/MmeEggfDTOYb4Y_KyAF8jS8YUrPRTEroQCLcB/s1600/459686.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="194" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ltGgOnhzX_0/WCSwtataVQI/AAAAAAAABL4/MmeEggfDTOYb4Y_KyAF8jS8YUrPRTEroQCLcB/s320/459686.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If there is one problem in triathlon, it's that it is easy to take other people's comments, training and race results too seriously. I've seen this way of thinking steal some of my friends' love of the sport over the past few months - and find it terribly sad. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";">Not that this way of thinking is limited to triathlon. As a fiction writer, I've seen the same thing over and over again. Someone sells a book, or wins and award, and other people find it hard not to be jealous or afraid it negates their own work and opportunities. Again, this is terribly sad.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";">Why?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";">Because any goal you choose to tackle - whether it be a triathlon, a marathon, writing a book, or anything in between - should be all about you.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";">I know some people who take triathlon very seriously. They have goals and are focused on achieving them. They hate missing a workout because it might impact their training. Some of these folks take loss very hard, thinking that any performance less than what they believe they are capable of is a failure.</span><br />
<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qvam1ngaUwc/V7yKrmyKfKI/AAAAAAAABLU/kQarr3i4AjUBFJDp2mv9YI_GTPW0s7YhgCLcB/s1600/5fa06dbfa1e90168adcfffc2f625665c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qvam1ngaUwc/V7yKrmyKfKI/AAAAAAAABLU/kQarr3i4AjUBFJDp2mv9YI_GTPW0s7YhgCLcB/s1600/5fa06dbfa1e90168adcfffc2f625665c.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: "arial";">I also know people who take triathlon less seriously - apologies, less seriously isn't really the right expression. They set goals, but are less worried about metrics and placings; instead, they're happy to compete, have fun, stay in shape, or simply enjoy a day of swim, bike and run. Maybe they do it so they don't have to feel guilty about drinking a beer (or wine). It's carb loading after all.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"></span><br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZvYqrSB9ick/WCStwdN3GEI/AAAAAAAABLw/f3WPNcV7iqkk87WCcmzL2Gpab2FY2ZAJwCLcB/s1600/run-for-wine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZvYqrSB9ick/WCStwdN3GEI/AAAAAAAABLw/f3WPNcV7iqkk87WCcmzL2Gpab2FY2ZAJwCLcB/s320/run-for-wine.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";">Interestingly, I know speedy people in the second group, and not-as-speedy folks in the first group. There's nothing to say what group you belong to. There's also no right or wrong group to be in. There's just what is right for you at any given moment. Sometimes you might be in the first group and some days you might be in the second. It's all good! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";">Mind you, most people probably fit somewhere in between. I know I do. I take training seriously and I set big goals (although this year, they are focused mostly on running). But I also want to have fun doing it. I don't consider any race a failure if I've finished it smiling. Because my top goal always is to Be Awesome Today. When I think about where I am now, I can't help also remembering where I started. Which was at 0. </span><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5Wl8fXkstbo/WCSvOAJm8II/AAAAAAAABL0/Y_adD1eh0MYxl22bcY2SdzNJaKip4LWWwCLcB/s1600/696b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5Wl8fXkstbo/WCSvOAJm8II/AAAAAAAABL0/Y_adD1eh0MYxl22bcY2SdzNJaKip4LWWwCLcB/s320/696b.jpg" width="315" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";">So if you feel pressured into going faster, or going longer, or doing something beyond what you really want to do....remember that what other people do or want to do, or think you should do doesn't matter. All that matters is finding what is right for you.</span>Janahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01164472001808495441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5871976754080266388.post-21292274504690938742016-07-08T16:36:00.002-04:002016-07-08T17:00:11.989-04:00Interview with Kona Qualifier Rob Buren of Rock the Chair<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I first met Rob Buren at
the </span><a href="http://www.floridatricamp.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">LPC Florida Triathlon Camp</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> back in 2015 – and then saw him again at camp this
year, where I learned more about his incredible journey and quest to qualify
for Kona. I asked him if I could interview him for this blog – and he was more
than happy to participate. Of course, you can find out more about Rob’s journey
on his own awesome blog: </span><a href="http://www.rockthechair.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rock The Chair</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The amazing thing about profiling Rob is that
he answered my interview questions on his way to competing in the Texas Buffalo
Springs 70.3 race – one of only three Kona qualifying races for handcyclists.
In Texas, Rob came in second in his division, earning his chance to be
one of just four handcyclists to compete on the Big Island (and here I thought competing
for Age Group Kona slots was difficult!). Can’t wait to cheer him on come
October! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, without further ado –
here is my pre-race interview with Rob! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif";"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p><em>Robert Buren</em></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tell me a bit about
yourself – have you always been into sport?<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I’ve always been active,
but I wouldn’t really have considered myself an athlete until I started
training for my first half Ironman in 2012. I grew up on a bicycle and loved
anything with two wheels. As a young kid in my big brother’s shadow, as soon as
he let me ride his minibike I was hooked on motors and going fast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In my teens I had a few junkie dirtbikes,
when I turned 17 I got my first street motorcycle, and once I started working I
took up Amateur motorcycle racing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
2008 my wife, Sabrina and I trained for and completed our first half-marathon.
That same summer I purchased a carbon bike and loved it. The plan was to look
into triathlon in 2009.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately,
two weeks after my half-marathon, I broke my back in a mountain biking
accident.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fortunately, someone in
rehab learned that I wanted to do triathlon and connected me with Chris Bourne,
one of the pioneers of paratri.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Knowing
it was possible, I set out on my journey to become a paratriathlete. Just weeks
after breaking my back I was on a borrowed handcycle doing laps around the
hospital. Over the next year I learned how to push the racing chair and swim
without the use of my legs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I went from
completing one event to the next, and in September of 2012 I did my first
triathlon, the Wasaga Olympic distance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I was hooked. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What has been your biggest
accomplishment – in life and/or in sport so far?<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My biggest life
accomplishment is a work in progress… trying to stay positive and productive
since breaking my back in October of 2008. It’s a daily decision to make the
best of what ability I still have, and live life to the fullest. Some days are
better than others (like everyone), but overall, I’m surrounded by an
incredible wife, kids, family and friends that keep me motivated and positive.
I’m lucky that way.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In terms of sport,
completing the Full Louisville Ironman in 2013 has to be my biggest
accomplishment. No other Canadian paraplegic had finished this distance, and in
the beginning I wasn’t 100% I could either.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>On August 25th 2013, both Sabrina and I completed the race and proved to
ourselves that we can achieve big athletic (and mental) goals. This is a
special accomplishment that means a great deal to us. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">7 or 8 years ago, you had a
major spinal cord injury. What was (or is) the most challenging part of dealing
with this kind of injury?<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I often tell people “not
walking is the easy part of being paraplegic”. It’s the stuff that people don’t
see, and few paraplegics will talk about, that are hard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Neuropathic pain, loss of bathroom and sexual
function are my big ones. In terms of accessibility, there are few places that
I can’t go, or things I can’t do, the challenge is finding the energy, patience
and resources to want to venture into inaccessible or inhospitable territory. I
know that Canada is a good place to have an injury like this, but there are
still many places that are not wheelchair accessible. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What prompted you to sign
up for your first Ironman? What did it mean to you to cross that finish line? <o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A few able-bodied friends
had completed the Full IM, and I was in awe of the accomplishment. I hate the
idea of being left behind, and I love a challenge, so this seemed like a pretty
good one to tackle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Over a few years I
proved to myself that I could do each discipline on its own, but wasn’t sure if
my arms would agree to do them all in one day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Crossing the finish line was a little emotional for me. Putting so much
effort into a goal like that, when it happens it’s pretty special.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Having my daughters there was icing on the
cake.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What’s the most difficult
part of triathlon training and/or racing for you? Why? <o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The hardest part of
triathlon training for me is the solitude. It’s lonely.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This year I’ve found someone to swim with,
which has been great.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For every two
lengths I do, she does three. We push each other and it’s great knowing that
she’ll be at the pool waiting for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>For the bike though, I’m slower than most able-bodied cyclists so unless
they’ve got a recovery ride to do, the speed difference makes it hard to find a
cycling partner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When it comes to
running, I’m averaging 18 km/h in training, so I’m faster than able-bodied
runners.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also, I do most of my training
during the weekdays, so unless you’re retired or self-employed, it’s not likely
that my friends are available to join me.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You’ve now set your sights
on Kona. Why? What do you see as your biggest challenge toward accomplishing this
incredible goal?<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After I completed the full
in Louisville, I found myself in a bit of pickle. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I know I can do it now, but do I want to train to just do it faster?</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kona is Ironman, and the thought of racing
with the world’s best is big enough to motivate me to go for it and to suck up
all the shit (good and bad) that comes with it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Qualifying is the biggest challenge right now. There are only 4 or 5
male handcycle slots every year. There are only 3 races at which to qualify for
one of these spots.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Australia Half IM in
Cairns had one, Luxembourg, the week later had two, and I’m currently flying to
the middle of Texas to complete for the last male slot. If no women
handcyclists race, there will be 2 slots for men.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>9 handcyclists have signed up, so it’s going
to be an interesting race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Last year I
raced in Luxembourg and came 4th out of 7.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’m hoping to do better on Sunday.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Aside:
And he did it! Read Rob’s riveting account of the race and </span><a href="http://www.rockthechair.com/blog/2016/6/28/race-recap-buffalo-springs-lake-703" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">qualifying for Kona here.</span></a></span></i></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How has working with Coach
Mark Linseman changed your approach to training (if at all)?<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Coach Mark has been great.
He’s invested time in going back and looking at the training and races I’ve
completed the past few years to figure out what we can do differently to
improve.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My last coach was all about going
out hard and trying to hang on. With Mark, we’re striving to keep the
enthusiasm in check at the beginning of each discipline so that I can increase
effort throughout. I’m responding better to this approach and my results are
improving, so I would recommend Mark to anyone looking to improve.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><o:p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>Rob and Coach Mark</em></span></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If someone reading this
blog is interested in any form of paratriathlon, but doesn’t know how to get
started – what advice would you give them?<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Call me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s a lot to know and if I can accelerate
that process for anyone, I’d be happy to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It might mean that I’ll have someone to train with too.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Aside:
Rob’s an awesome person – not at all intimidating. Take him up on his offer! <o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you’ve learned one thing
over your journey the past eight years, what would it be?<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you commit to a goal,
tell people what you’re seeking to do, and then show the world that you’re
working your ass off to achieve that goal, the world will respond to help you.
I’ve benefitted so much from family, friends and even strangers helping me to
achieve all the things I’ve accomplished since my accident. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I know you do a fair bit of
public speaking, so probably get a lot of questions. What's the one question
you wish more people would ask you? (And what's your answer?).<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It’s
less that I wish people would ask me a specific question, but rather I hope
that people will ask themselves, “what motivates me and how can I make the most
of any abilities I have?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When people
tell me “oh I couldn’t do that because I have bad knees”, I can’t help but
think “so what, find a way…. Go for a swim… do something”.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Just re-reading this interview with Rob makes me inspired for my next adventure. He's proof positive that whatever happens in life, you can do whatever you set your mind to. So get out there and do it! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif";"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Big thanks to Rob for taking time out to chat right before his big (and awesome) race! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif";"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To follow Rob to Kona and whatever crazy goals he sets after that...bookmark his blog </span><a href="http://www.rockthechair.com/"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">www.rockthechair.com</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You can also follow him on </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/robert.buren.1" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Facebook</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> and on </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/wheelsburen/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Instagram.</span></a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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Janahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01164472001808495441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5871976754080266388.post-90762411337396877432016-04-13T17:59:00.000-04:002016-04-13T19:20:00.007-04:00I feel the need...the need for speed<span style="font-family: "calibri";">2015 involved a lot of long-distance training. When you plan to swim 2.4
miles, bike 112 miles, and run a marathon…all in one day – you need endurance
like there is no tomorrow. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">What you don’t need, at least if you’re a normal person like me, is
speed. After I ran the Mississauga Half Marathon last May (where I got an
awesome PB despite not getting much speed work since I had calf troubles all
winter), the vast majority of my training revolved around getting time in –
mostly in the saddle since I had a lot of bike fitness to build to get to being
able to ride 180km comfortably, but also with running.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I knew I wouldn’t be running the marathon in IMAZ like I would run a
standalone marathon – so really, all that mattered was prepping for the
distance. Given how IMAZ turned out (I had to walk 25km of the marathon after
my back seized up), that training approach was the right one. Slow and steady
wins (or at least completes!) the IM race. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Enter 2016. I knew coming into 2016 that my next big goal would be far
more challenging than anything I’ve taken on yet. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Aside: Wait a second…that’s not
true. Just deciding to ask for help to get fit was a much harder decision, as
was the decision to sign up for my first 10k back in 2012 when I hadn’t run
around the block. In both of those cases I had no clue if I could succeed – so
those were much harder challenges when I think about it. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Okay. Let’s say instead, that I
knew my next big goal would be the most challenging fitness thing I’ve taken on
since finishing my first race. I think that’s true. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Why is that? Well, because I am suddenly setting my sights on goals
that aren’t simply: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Finish and Finish
Smiling</i> - or in Triathlon-events: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Finish.
Finish Smiling. Don’t Crash on my Bike.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">After finishing Ironman, I knew I’d done all the distances I wanted to
do. While I fully plan to do more Ironman races and more marathons, you likely
won’t see me signing up for anything longer. I don’t generally have any desire
to do an Ultra Marathon, nor do I want to do Ultraman or any other Ultra
Triathlon. I will leave those kinds of awesome feats to some of my inspiring friends.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Nope. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew my next goal would
be all about speed….about getting faster at all the traditional distances –
both in running and triathlon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The movie Top Gun said it best: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<o:p><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></o:p><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uEJtzh-WK50/Vw6_qAXBznI/AAAAAAAABKY/M2VqcO5A4wUMLMh7nhzUQvpyUIEP44a6wCLcB/s1600/need-for-speed-300x300.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uEJtzh-WK50/Vw6_qAXBznI/AAAAAAAABKY/M2VqcO5A4wUMLMh7nhzUQvpyUIEP44a6wCLcB/s1600/need-for-speed-300x300.png" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">But what does speed mean exactly when it comes down to my goals? Sure,
I want to get faster – but what kind of goal can I set to help with that? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Well, back when I ran my first half marathon in 2012 (about 4 months
after my first race ever), my brother said to me, “Hey, if you could just
double your time, you could qualify for Boston.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Boston. The word means a lot more to me now than it did back then. Back
then, I only knew it as probably the most famous marathon in the world. The one
people had to qualify to race. I didn’t know what the qualifying times were,
when it was held, or anything else either. I assumed it was way, way out of my
league as some random girl who found fitness in her 30s.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">But my brother’s comment had me thinking pretty much from that day
forward: Could I really qualify for the <a href="http://www.baa.org/races/boston-marathon.aspx" target="_blank">Boston Marathon</a>? How hard could it be to run the
same speed for twice the distance?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Aside: Hard. Very hard.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I hadn’t even tried to run a marathon yet, but I already had the goal percolating
in my mind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I’ve run two marathons since then. The first, in September 2015, I ran
in 4:15 – slower than my longest training run that year, because I’d been sick.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The second, in May 2014, I ran in 3:50. That was the marathon that confirmed
to me that I could qualify if I worked hard. I was under BQ pace until almost 30k,
before fading dramatically over the closing miles. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Enter 2016. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">After recovering from IMAZ, I spoke to my coach <a href="http://www.loaringpersonalcoaching.com/coach-mark-linseman.html" target="_blank">Mark Linseman</a> about my
goals for 2016. Originally, I’d thought to run 2 marathons: one in the spring
and one in the fall. But then I was smart. I decided to ask him what I should
do – given my goal to qualify for Boston. I asked him simply because this wasn’t
simply about doing something…this was about doing something WELL. I wanted to
put myself in the best position to qualify…and I knew he’d be a better judge of
just what that would take.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Coach Mark suggested I train to run a fast half marathon in the spring,
and then build into a BQ race in the fall. He noted that in order to race in
Boston, I couldn’t just hit my BQ time of 3:40:00; I had to beat it. These
days, it’s hard to tell what the actual race cut-off time will be, but it is
guaranteed to at least be a couple of minutes. He suggested a fall marathon
would let me target a finish time of 3:35 – giving me some buffer to make sure
that if I qualify, I could actually register for and run the Boston Marathon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">So, for the past 3 months, I’ve been training to run a speedy race at
the <a href="http://www.torontomarathon.com/" target="_blank">Toronto Goodlife Half Marathon</a> on May 1, 2016. My goal there is to run a
1:40, cutting 5 minutes off my current PB (1:45:19). When Coach Mark suggested
that goal, I admit that I thought he was a bit nuts. That’s a really fast time
(at least to me). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">But over the past few months, Coach Mark has had me do some progressively
more challenging training sessions – both at steady (4:55km pace) and tempo
(4:35km pace) paces. When I started, those paces terrified me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">My first tempo workout, the first week of January, was a mess. What was
supposed to be 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 @ tempo pace…turned into 7x2min @ tempo pace. I
couldn’t even go longer than 2 minutes at 4:35 pace without overheating on a
treadmill. Yikes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Aside: Yes, it’s been winter –
I’ve done all my hard workouts on a treadmill or at Monarch Park, which has an
indoor track.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Since then, while I have generally gotten my distance at pace in, I
have yet to actually nail a tempo workout. Not a single one! But I have upped
my tempo time to 40 minutes within one session (i.e. I was supposed to do
4x10min – I did 2x10, 3x5, 2x2, and 1) – which is a pretty big improvement.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I’ve had a bit more success with my steady pace workouts. My first one
back in January included 10, 8, and 6 minutes of pace work. Since then, I’ve
actually hit some of my targets (much to my surprise!). Although not my most
recent one; I was supposed to do 45 min steady, 30 min steady, and 10 min
tempo….Instead, I did 30 minutes, 15 minutes, and then 3x10 minutes at steady
pace – with no tempo. But that means I still did 75 minutes at steady pace
(which happens to be below my goal BQ pace) – which is an insane improvement
over the 24 minutes I did back in January.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">And through it all, I’ve also been doing track workouts with the
Toronto Triathlon Club. Those ones have been far more hit and miss thanks to my
asthma not liking Monarch Park all that much (and sometimes missing sessions
when I’ve had to move my long run from a weekend). But even there, I was able
to do 20x400m between 4:10 and 4:15 pace (on good rest) recently.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">The Prep Race: MEC 15km<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">This brings me to this past weekend. I signed up for the MEC 15k race
thinking it would be a wonderful practice run heading into the Toronto Goodlife
Marathon. After several years of doing the Yonge St. 10k this weekend (which
got cancelled this year), I figured the weather would be pretty nice – and very
similar to race day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Alas, I was wrong. While the temperature for Toronto said it was around
-1C, feels like -8C, it seemed much colder on the waterfront (it often is). I
got to the race and was already cold. And yet, after warming up for a couple of
km in my windbreaker, I decided that wearing it would be a bad plan. I’d rather
run cold than get a bit too warm. So I ran in light running pants, a tank top,
and a very light long-sleeved shirt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I don’t know if I made the right choice…but I don’t think I made the
wrong one. If that makes any sense. I think running with the windbreaker would
have caused issues…but so did not running in something warmer. C’est la Vie.
You can only do what you can do.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">It was a small race, so it was easy to line up a few rows from the
front. I figured given my pace goals, I didn’t want to be too far back. When
the gun went off (or blowhorn, or whatever it was), I took off. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Needless to say, I promptly went too fast. I was cold, what can I say.
What I was supposed to do was go steady for a couple of km and then speed up….what
I did was go tempo and slow down to goal pace. Ooops.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Within 3k, my upper body got warm. This is really normal for me. I tend
to get hot very quickly when I run. So I rolled up the sleeves of my shirt,
basically running with bare arms. No big deal, I figured. It seemed warmer than
I was expecting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Aside: Famous last words.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">For a while, I was doing great. I felt good. My legs were moving
nicely. The sun was out – and the sun felt nice – I figured I was doing okay. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">First 5km: 4:39, 4:45, 4:45, 4:41, 4:46. There was a long downhill in
there. Nothing crazy, but it was down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Some guy cut me off (not intentionally) from getting a cup of water
near the turnaround…so I figured I’d wait for the next water station. I was
thirsty, but it wasn’t too bad. I’m just in the habit of drinking water when I
race. Usually I carry a hand-held, but I decided it was too cold today, so I’d
make do with on-course water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Good
choice, bad execution.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">On the way back from the first loop (the course was a 5km out and back
on the Martin Goodman Trail, followed by a 2.5km out and back), it seemed like
there was a bit of wind. I am not sure if there really was, but it felt colder.
My pace dropped a bit. Part of that was because I was going uphill for a bit. Part
of it was because we caught the 5km runners and I had to weave around some of them.
I didn’t actually think any of this was a big deal. I still felt okay. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I got a cup of water around 7km, but it was really cold…so I only had a
tiny sip. Brr! That was enough water for me! I started sipping a gel (Caramel
Macchiato flavoured) around 7km, finishing it around 9km. When I hit the
turnaround (which was about 5 feet from the finish line…how mean!), I was
starting to feel a bit cold.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Second 5km: 4:47, 4:47, 4:50, 4:47, 4:52.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">As I turned to start the mini-loop, I pulled down my sleeves for a bit.
The sun had gone behind a bank of clouds, so it got a few degrees colder.
Sadly, ,my sleeves were sweaty…which means they were damp. As a result, I didn’t
get any warmer, I just got colder, so I rolled them up again (figuring cold and
dry was better than cold and damp). But there was only 5km left. I could do it.
I also know that this 5km was flat. Not even a little up/down. I was looking
forward to that part.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">This is when I started feeling a chill in my quads. For some reason,
when I start getting cold while running, that’s where it happens. My poor quads
felt bitterly cold and it was like they stopped working. My pace seemed to fall
off a lot. I felt like I was slogging.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I focused on a girl in front of me – thinking if I could keep her
within sight, I was still doing well. I’d followed her from the beginning – her
pretty much always just far enough ahead that I couldn’t catch up. But she was
a good pacer. When she pulled away, I tried to speed up. I kept doing this the
whole race.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">About 2km out from the finish, I started coughing. The cold had finally
hit my lungs. My asthma was doing okay, but my lungs were burning. This wasn’t
pleasant. But I just kept going. I was almost there. For the last 5km, I went
as fast as my cold legs would carry me while continuing to cough. I also rolled
my sleeves back down again. I was so very cold.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I ran across the finish line so very, very happy to be done. I also
felt like I was going to puke, but I didn’t. Phew. But honestly, I felt awful.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Last 5k: 4:51, 4:56, 4:50, 4:55, 4:46<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I very quickly put on all the
extra clothing I’d brought with me. I was still cold. But I waited a few
minutes to cheer on my friend Michelle who was right behind me…before I headed
out. I think it took me a hot shower, a heated blanket, and most of the day to
feel warm again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">All in all, my time was very good. 1:12:04 according to my watch – a 5
min PB over the only other 15k race I did - back in 2014 – the Midsummer Night’s
Run 15k. Officially, I finished in 1:12:06 I found out later). I finished 6<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>
out of all the women (Okay, there were only 35 or so women) and 44/182 overall.
Pace wise, I went 4:48 per km. I had been aiming for 4:45 (well, for 13km since
I was supposed to start of easier than I did).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Given the weather, I was really happy with that. If it is ever 5 degrees
warmer in 3 weeks, maybe a 1:40 really is doable. We will see! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Speed-work works<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">When I think about everything together, it’s kind of amazing how much
I’ve improved in just 3 months of focused speed work thanks to Coach Mark's help. As long as I don’t get
hurt, I’m well on my way toward getting into the shape I need to be in to run a
BQ in the fall. Of course, anything can happen on race day (as I well know from my “Oh it
will be hot and dry” expectations for IMAZ)…so we’ll see.</span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">But in the meantime, I’ll continue to have a lot of fun. I have to
admit: Running fast is fun…even when I think I'm going to die.</span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Funny how that works. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
</div>
Janahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01164472001808495441noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5871976754080266388.post-11645730260648690942016-03-20T21:22:00.000-04:002016-03-21T07:56:21.703-04:00LPC Florida Tri Camp - Last Day: Orange Grove Run and a Ride with Power<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The last day of the LPC Florida Triathlon Camp is always my favourite
day. That’s because we get to run the utterly spectacular Orange Grove Trail.
This 16km (10 mile) loop is red clay/dirt – and includes some beautiful views –
including, often, several orange groves. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">In past years, this run has started right at sunrise, but with the time
change moving to the weekend after camp, the sunrise was too early – so the
coaches decided to start the run a bit later. That was fine with me – it meant
I got a little extra sleep, and also had time to eat an English muffin with
some peanut butter in advance of the run. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Unlike previous years when I ate too much at the Irish Pub, this year,
I was feeling pretty decent stomach wise before the Orange Grove run. Alas, the
temperature was already climbing when we met up at the start of the trail – and
the humidity wasn’t much better. I did use my inhaler, but I admit, I was
uncertain how this run was going to go. I was also testing numerous things on
this run – including my Mizuno Catalysts (first long run in them) and my new
LPC running singlet. I was hoping that both would turn out to be good
purchases. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Before we started, we had a group picture – I think we were all raring
to go! </span></div>
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</div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em>At the start of the Orange Grove Trail</em></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I put my handheld water bottle in the support van. In hindsight, this
was the absolute wrong move. But you’ll hear more about that as I go along.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">My goal from Coach Mark for this run was to do the first 8k easy, then
6 steady and 2 tempo. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. (In other words…this didn’t really
happen).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The first 8km were beautiful, but incredibly difficult for me. My
asthma was really kicking me in the butt, so I had to run incredibly easy for
most of this time – which didn’t feel at all easy. I was sweating but none of
it was evaporating, which meant I got incredibly hot. I wasn’t particularly
thirsty, but I found myself wishing I had water with me to try and cool down.
Even running slow, I didn’t feel very good. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I admit, I was utterly over the moon when I saw Coach James at the
half-way point. I picked up my water bottle and took a few moments to catch my
breath. As I leaned against the car, he asked how I was…my response was
‘terrible!’ Given I normally come up with something positive to say about most
situations, you can tell I was feeling the heat/humidity pretty badly. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">My only saving grace that first 8km was that I hadn’t had any foods I
can’t eat before I run – so I avoided a full-on asthma attack (I generally only
have those when I mix eating the wrong foods - like dairy, citrus and a few other things - before I<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>exercise). I wasn’t breathing particularly
well that first half, but as long as I ran slow, I was okay. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">While I was stopped, I took an extra dose of my inhaler. Between that
and pouring water on myself, I was feeling much better just a minute or two
later. I knew I wasn’t going to be able to hit my steady pace (~4:55 pace),
much less my tempo pace (~4:35), but I tried to up my effort heading into the
second half.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I could tell almost right away that I was feeling better. My first km
after stopping was significantly faster than all of my other kilometers so far.
Every couple of minutes, I made sure to take a small sip of water and to pour a
few drops on my head. It was like magic, I tell you. The difference in
hindsight was astounding. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I caught up with Coach Mark fairly soon after (he’d been within sight
for much of the first half of the run - running with one of the other campers).
I mentioned as I was passing by that there was no way I’d be hitting my goals
for the run. He said to just aim for a negative split given the weather. With
the second half more hilly (making it harder) – a negative split made for a
more realistic goal in the heat, while still being challenging. I agreed that’s
what I’d do.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">And I did. While I lost my data for this run (and the other stuff from
Thurs/Friday at camp), I remember that I was well under my first 8km pace for
most of the second half of the run. Especially near the beginning. I wasn’t at goal tempo pace by
a long shot, but I was in the 5:15-5:30 pace for all but 1km of this – except the
last km or two, which I’ll mention later.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Going up and down the hills was spectacular, although footing is always
a bit challenging in the dirt. I think this time last year was the last time I
ran on dirt (besides a couple of runs on a dirt track) – so I’m not good at it.
Always worried I’m going to mis-step. I kept my habit of sipping water
regularly and dumping it on my head. It made a massive difference. It was like
I was on a completely different run from the first 8km.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">With about 2 or 3 km to go, Coach Mark caught up with me and ran with
me. He couldn’t have picked a better time (it may have been intentional – I didn’t
ask!). Either way, as we ran side by side, I was able to pick up the pace for
the last couple of km, which is what I was supposed to do. I don’t know that I
would’ve had the oomph to do it if my coach wasn’t right next to me! When I
looked afterwards, I managed to get under 5min pace for both of those – if barely.
I think it was 4:59 and 4:51 for the last 2…but I will take it in that weather!
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Crossed the ‘finish’ line feeling toasted, but did manage to squeeze
out a 200m cool down to get my mileage right to 10 (or 16km). Had fun waiting
for everyone else – and also took a picture of another group that was running
who asked me too. Yes, it was a busy trail that day!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Verdict for the shoes was a tentative ‘good’ – although I need to test
them on normal pavement. They did feel much better than the Inspires, with more
support than the Sayonaras though – so I am very hopeful they’ll work for the
Toronto Goodlife Half in May and the Tremblant 70.3 in June. We’ll see.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The LPC run singlet was wonderful as well – fit was perfect. The only
issue is the water really soaked into the back of the shirt rather than
evaporating – but that could’ve just been the highish humidity. Either way, I
expect to be running in it more often as the weather gets nicer – so I can give
it more trials. At first test though – it worked – and I didn’t get any
chaffing. Mind you, I did use a bit of body glide just to be sure. Better safe
than sorry! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">After the run, my wonderful friends from Missouri were heading out
since they had a long drive ahead of them. It was very sad to see them leave –
but it was so wonderful having them here for the week. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’d post a great picture of all of us – but those
pics are on my dead phone – so I will have to wait and see what I can do to get
them off of there! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">After cheering on Coach James’ Dad who made it the full 16km (he's an amazing
inspiration, that’s for sure), the rest of our house headed back to the resort
for a bite to eat and to get ready for the last bike. Although only a couple of
us actually did the bike, since the others wanted to pack and get sorted for
their trip home. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The afternoon ride was spectacular. Despite being tired, I was really
looking forward to testing out my borrowed PowerTap wheel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I even rode a lap around the resort
before the ride just to make sure the wheel wasn’t going to fall off – and to see
if the power was syncing with my watch. It was! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">We started the ride with a visit to the fountain at the entrance to
Emerald Island Resort. I got there a bit early, but that worked well since
there was a family there taking pictures –<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>two from California and 2 from Asia (I can’t remember which country – I think
it might have been Hong Kong). After chatting with them, I learned that one guy
had a sister from Guelph – where Coach James is from. What a small world. After
taking a ton of pictures for them, they took a few for me (also on my dead
phone) – and were off before the rest of our group got there for a group photo.
Perfect timing! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em>A group picture before our final camp ride!</em> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Following the photo, we biked out to an empty subdivision about 15km
away from the resort. Well, technically, we biked past it first to get a
picture at the Disney World entrance. That was fun. It is also one of the few
pictures I have from that day right on hand, since I emailed it to someone!
Lucky me! </span></div>
<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QtInHl-JU5A/Vu9Kgx6DtxI/AAAAAAAABKE/VUKanxKYi5UIcKYaBkQp9lU8ytDUfQQsw/s1600/IMG_20160311_125516.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QtInHl-JU5A/Vu9Kgx6DtxI/AAAAAAAABKE/VUKanxKYi5UIcKYaBkQp9lU8ytDUfQQsw/s320/IMG_20160311_125516.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em>Small but mighty Group B on the final Camp 2016 Ride</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">After the picture, we biked back to the subdivision. As I was starting to say above...this sub-division is awesome. It’s a 1.5km loop – which was pretty much
completely empty of all traffic. This made it incredibly easy to ride fast.
Wanting to test out my new power meter, I did exactly that. I ended up doing 7
laps…1 easy, 1 hard, 1 easy, 1 hard, 2 easy, and then 1 extra to find one of
our riders who was waiting at a different corner than the rest of us. I was
actually excited to do another loop because I was having so much fun. I
honestly think this was the most fun I had all week. Or maybe not – but it was
close. I just loved, loved, loved it. Given how tired I was, it was kind of amazing. Goes to show how much having a new piece of technology can do to get you excited and energized! Hilarious, right?</span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Power wise – I can’t remember anything but the two hard loops. For the
first, I averaged around 214 watts (~35.7km/h), while for the second I was a
bit lower (around 210 watts, 35.2km/h). Those could be off given I'm not sure as to the accuracy of this power meter compared to the one I did my FTP on - so take the numbers with a grain of salt. Although the speed is accurate - which is crazy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">What you need to know is that I’ve never done those speeds on a flat outside –
EVER – except going down a hill or long false flat (think riding down the Beeline in the rain during IMAZ)….which is amazing all by itself. Goes to show how much I was wanting to test the power meter since I didn't worry about going too fast for comfort (the lack of cars helped immensely though - had there been cars, I wouldn't have been so fast). Also, we’re talking these speeds for around 2 minutes – so not very long by any stretch at all. But
still – it was fun! </span><br />
</div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I very quickly learned that power will keep you honest.
If you’re coasting…you can see it (I went down to 66 watts around corners)…I certainly did, so rode harder. Not sure how
that will work to keep from going too hard at times – but for this one day, it
was so much fun just to do some testing. I loved it. Also, I never would’ve
even tried to ride hard without a good excuse! When I texted my friend Paula after, I think she was overjoyed to hear how much fun I'd had! Can't wait to do more riding with this wheel when the nice weather comes! </span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">After doing the fun loops, we headed back to Emerald Island – where we
had plenty of time before getting ready for the final night dinner. I admit, I
was pretty tired, so it was nice to get some downtime! I went with 3 of my
fellow housemates to happy hour at the Tiki Bar at the resort clubhouse and
tried the Florida Lager. It was actually quite nice. After a few drinks there,
we had time to get back to the house and pick up our leftovers before heading
to the main camp house for the final potluck. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">In previous years, we’ve gone out for dinner – but I liked this option
so much more. It was much more relaxed and I got to talk to everyone. Mind you,
I was utterly exhausted, so I headed out a bit early. I was dead to the world
by 10pm that’s for sure.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">On the bizarre side, I was woken suddenly at 11 or 11:30pm when all of
our fire alarms started buzzing. They’re hard-wired so if one goes off – they all
do. I was so sound asleep, I spent 15 minutes thinking it was a truck backing
up outside before I realized it wasn’t. Out in the hallway, my other housemates
were trying to figure out what was happening since there was no fire. We
finally figured out that one of the alarms had a dead battery…but then we had
to fiddle with half of them before we got the stupid things to shut off. Gak.
These wired alarms are great if there is a fire…but for a low battery, it was
overkill to the n-th degree. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I ended up reading for 30 minutes after that since I was wired (pun
intended), and then got back to sleep thankfully! I was then up early enough
to have a cup of coffee and to say goodbye to several of my housemates before
it was time to head to the airport and back home. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">All in all, it was an incredible week. I learned a lot, saw many
friends, made many more – and had a blast training with everyone. Big thanks to
everyone at LPC for putting on such an incredible week. I think this was my favourite camp yet! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I’m already looking forward
to 2017 for another week of awesome adventures and training – okay, and to
finally do the Allen’s Challenge with as part of my 5 year camper-versary
celebrations – assuming my friend Paula really is willing to do it too. Ha. It’ll
be nuts. Can’t wait! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
Janahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01164472001808495441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5871976754080266388.post-38316864416769289182016-03-20T11:23:00.001-04:002016-03-20T11:24:59.818-04:00LPC Florida Tri Camp - Day 5: Starbucks, Swimming and Sugar(loaf)<span style="font-family: "calibri";">After a week of working, I am getting back on track with my blogs from
last week’s LPC Florida Triathlon Camp….Sorry for the hiatus! On the plus side, since I felt guilty for not updating soon enough - I wrote a lot. Just what you wanted, right?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">On the sad side, my phone broke...so I don't have many pictures until I can figure out how to get them off my phone. I do have a few, but not many. Sorry! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">In all seriousness, the fifth day of camp started off at River Island over at the Orange
Lake Resort. According to the schedule, we had a 20 minute run to start the day
– but Coach Mark told me not to do the run (because I’d done some good running
in the brick workout on Wednesday – and then had a long run on tap for Friday)
so my run turned into a walk to Starbucks for a coffee. Can’t argue with that
option! I finished my coffee just in time to join the group for a mobility
session before the swim – led by Coach Liz. This was a nice way to start the
day.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Following the exercises, we jumped into the Lazy River. I really do
love this pool. One day, I need to see it when it’s full up with people and
inner tubes. Bet it’s an entirely different place. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today’s swim was fantastic. We did some
warm-up, and then did some practice turning in one particular section of the
river. I only managed to scrape myself against the wall once. That’s pretty
good for me. I was following someone and didn’t notice the wall was so close.
Where are the lines when you need them?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em>Part of the Lazy River at Orange Grove Resort (Photo Jenny Clark)</em></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">We also did some work on sculling – which is a skill I am much better
at after a fair bit of practice this past year. I still prefer mid-sculling,
but even with front-sculling, I’m not too bad. We then did some more drafting
practice. This time I was partnered with a friend who is a stronger swimmer
than I am. But it worked beautifully since I was able to draft off her quite
well. This rarely happens for me, so I was quite happy for the opportunity. At
times, I had other people on my feet somewhat by accident, and another time
someone snuck in behind her, so I drafted off her hip. That was great practice
too – and I actually found it easier than drafting off the feet.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">All in all, this swim was a great success. I felt really good coming
out of it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Back at the house, we had time for a quick bite to eat before heading
off to the Irish Pub – where we gather for the ride to Sugarloaf. On the plus
side, when we finish the ride, there happens to be an Irish Pub to toast the
triumph. Isn’t that fortunate?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">It was starting to get warm (i.e. hot) on the way to Sugarloaf. I was
riding with the B Group again – the group doing the 95km loop. Everything
started out pretty well. Other than one road that is a bit busy to get away
from the Irish Pub, it’s a wonderful route. We spend a bunch of time on paved
bike paths which is awesome, followed by rolling country roads to get to Sugarloaf
Mountain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">About 40 km or so into the ride, I had to stop abruptly in the middle
of a hill when a friend came from behind while starting up. This caught me by
surprise and I had to stop. No worries. I was able to put my foot down so had
no mishaps. The challenge was getting back going again since I wasn’t in the
right gear. It took me a good couple of minutes to finally get my bike going
again. I was able to catch up with Paula and we road together for a bit as we
slowly caught back up to the rest of the group.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Little did I know, that was an out and back section – so I could’ve
just sat and waited for everyone to come back to me. Ha. As if. As I was riding
back, one of the guys in our group had a flat. He was fine when I passed him,
but apparently broke a tube so Paula stopped to give him hers. Back at the
original corner where I’d managed not to fall, we waited for him to catch up.
When he did…he flatted again. Seriously, how much bad luck can one person have.
But I think that was the last one for the day. Better on a training day than in
a race though. And at least it was a nice day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Thank goodness I had my Speedfil bottle since I drank a ton of water
over that section of the ride. As we approached Sugarloaf, I admit I was
looking forward to the water up at the top of the hill. I made it up Sugarloaf –
it felt harder than previous years, but in reality it wasn't really. I just
think I went a bit harder than in the past.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">At the top, C Group caught up to us, so we waited and got a picture of
all of us in front of the house. The nice people who live there keep coolers of
water by their front gate for riders to use – so I refilled my water bottle and
drank about 10 little cups worth of water. Yes, I was hot. I finally remembered
to bring some cash, so left a donation in their donation box for the Wounded
Warrior Project.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Apparently they’d just
sent about $2k in donations in according to their sign. Glad to see cyclists
being so generous. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em>Top of Sugarloaf - B and C Groups</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">With half the ride to go, I was pretty tired. Thankfully I convinced
Paula to stay with B group because the two of us rode much of the rest of the
way fairly close together, while the rest of B group was a little ahead
(although they waited for us at different points). We weren’t too far behind – but it felt like it
at times. C’est la vie. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The funniest thing that happened on the way back was
the fact the store kept getting farther away. Honestly, I could’ve sworn we
reached the store within 10km of Sugarloaf last year…but this time, we didn’t
reach there until around the 75km mark. So funny. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Apparently the store was never where I thought it was. Mind you, it
wasn’t wear Coach Nissim said it was either since at one point he said it was
about 5km away…and it was more like 25km. I tell you, the store kept moving on
us! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">But we made it to the store around the time I ran out of water – so I
filled up my bottle again, and also drank a Coke. I admit, it was delicious and
much needed. I think the Coke gave me some extra energy, since I didn’t have
any issues with riding that last 15-20km. I actually started feeling good
again. Maybe I needed to eat more – although I thought I’d been pretty good with
my nutrition. While training for Ironman, I really got pretty good at it. But
maybe it the heat, I needed a bit more than I was taking in.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">We got back to the Irish Pub where I was able to stow my bike in the
trailer, and then change out my shoes. Inside, I was more than happy to have a
beer (aptly named ‘Fat Tire’) and some French fries. Sadly, their patio was
under construction, so we couldn’t sit outside.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">All in all, I’d say this was a challenging ride – moreso than I was
expecting – but nothing I couldn’t handle. After riding 180km with 100kmin the
rain at IMAZ, riding 95km with hills, even in the heat and a bit heavy legged
I wasn't worried. After riding much longer distances, this never felt like it was going to kill me. I knew it wasn't that long relatively, so I'd reach the end eventually. So hilarious how your perception of distance changes following an Ironman. Don't get me wrong though. I would not have wanted to ride another 5km on this particular day! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I think my overall pace was a tad better than last year
(although we rode a different course – since last year we did 87km including
Sugarloaf twice), but since I lost my data from the last 2 days of camp, I will
never know for sure. I do recall I did this ride in ~4:13 of riding time,
compared to ~3:58 riding time for 87km the year before – which suggests a very
slightly faster pace. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><o:p>This was also my longest ride ever at a CampLPC - 95km compared to last year's 87km Sugarloaf ride! Awesomesauce. </o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I learned afterwards it actually hit 90F or so on the ride, so that’s a
good reason I was hot. But who cares. It was such a fantastic day and I wouldn’t
change it. I find this ride is constantly challenging – partly because as you
get better – you work harder. Can’t wait to do it again next year! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">That night, one of my Missouri friends offered to lend me her PowerTap
wheel – which is a back wheel that has a power meter as part of it. I’ve never
actually used a power meter on the road; my only experience with one has been
doing my FTP test last year and then this year. After making sure she really
was serious, I gratefully accepted. It will give her a great excuse to come
visit me in Toronto, so she can get the wheel back. Well, if I don’t hide it of
course. She swore I was going to love training with power. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">It took me a bit to get the wheel on, but everything seemed to work
just fine once it was set up (although I will take it to a bike shop when I get
home, just to make sure everything is well aligned – and to get a new chain
since mine is getting worn). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I said I’d test it out the next day during the bike – and would report
back to her on the results. Alas, she was leaving after the run – so wouldn’t
be there for my inaugural power ride!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Still – big thanks to my awesome friend (you know who you are!). I
still can’t believe she’s lending this wheel to me. That really goes above and
beyond. I owe her big time! But if I get faster this summer – it’s going to be
her fault! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
Janahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01164472001808495441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5871976754080266388.post-3150981914173079882016-03-13T15:16:00.004-04:002016-03-13T15:24:48.764-04:00LPC Florida Tri Camp - Day 4: Brick at Lake Louisa State Park<span style="font-family: "calibri";">One of the best parts of the LPC Florida Triathlon Camp is the brick
workout over at Lake Louisa State Park. Okay, there are a lot of best parts to
the camp experience, but Lake Louisa is one of the few places where the riding
is almost completely traffic free. Doing the brick workout there also allows
everyone to go at their pace, so everyone gets the workout they want that day. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><o:p>As a reference, this was also where the ITU race was on Saturday - so this was my second time here this week. I was excited for the training opportunity.</o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em>Lake Louisa State Park</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">In the same parking lot where some of the ITU stuff had been set up, the coaches set up a real transition area (complete with a bike
rack) which makes practicing transitions very real. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em>LPC Transition Zone</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">We started with a warm-up loop for both the bike and the run. The bike
was an 11km loop around the park complete with some turns and some nice long
but not too crazy hard hills. The run was 1 mile (or less for people who didn’t
want to run as much) – and <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a slight
uphill out and downhill back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">My legs were a bit tired from the ride the
day before to Allen’s, and my asthma was giving me a little grief because of a
bit of humidity in the air, but I was feeling good overall. I was just conscientious of
keeping everything as a real warm-up, unlike last year when I went too hard
right off the bat. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">So I simply went out of my way to enjoy that first loop and not worry about speed. Not that my watch was giving me distance properly (still!), so speed didn't matter. Whatever speed it said I was going - it was far less than actual. So the whole time focused on effort. I am sure Coach Mark doesn't mind that. It's good practice.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">After the warm-up, we went through transition practice - running up to our
bikes, changing into bike gear, mounting, riding a brief circle, dismounting,
racking our bikes, changing to run shoes, and then running out. This was fun. I
actually did a pretty good job with this – much to my surprise. I must be
getting better at transitions – not that you’d know it from my snail pace
transitions at IMAZ. I think the whole thing took me 2:06 – which is great for
me. Of course, we didn’t have to peel our wetsuits off either – so that would
have added a lot more time no doubt.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em> Lap 1 - You can see why I need to sunscreen my lower back!</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The main set for me was 3 loops of the 11k bike/1 mile run. Coach Mark
had me try and descend 1-3 – and build over the course of the set. During each
set, we practiced transitions – which I really liked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The first set went pretty well, and I descended the second loop just a
bit. About mid-way through the second set the wind really started to pick up.
By the third loop, I was a bit nervous with the shifting wind – and had a bit
of nervousness going downhill. At one point I even felt my bike blow sideways a
bit on a fast descent (for me anyways), but I managed to keep control. I’m
definitely getting better at bike handling when something unexpected happens,
that’s for sure.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">After my last bike rep (which I think was marginally the fastest), I had a slightly slower
final run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My legs were too tired to
push as hard as I wanted. But I was at least in the same zone as the first two runs, so that’s
not too bad. All of the reps were above my target steady and tempo paces
mind (i.e. around 5:00-5:05 per km, rather than around 4:55 and 4:35). This was
a bit frustrating, but I also was erring a bit on the side of caution early on
hoping to descend…so I can’t really complain! I am glad I had good bike sets at
least, and that the runs were passable.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">After a quick break to eat, we changed into our wetsuits and had a
short open water swim in the tea-coloured Lake Louisa. The colour has something
to do with the trees along the shore, but the outcome is that the water is very
dark and somewhat eerie. You can't see anything.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span> </div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jsvKutfIdd8/VuW3j_o4quI/AAAAAAAABI4/41oupH7lFvACeOmCy-Kn0wR268hIABSvw/s1600/IMG_20160305_132203%2B%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jsvKutfIdd8/VuW3j_o4quI/AAAAAAAABI4/41oupH7lFvACeOmCy-Kn0wR268hIABSvw/s320/IMG_20160305_132203%2B%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em>I've never seen an alligator - thank goodness!</em> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Oddly, I don’t mind the dark water at all because, unless all I can see is sand, I don’t want to know what’s in the water with me. I hate weeds more than
anything – kind of odd I know, but that’s me for you. It’s not that I don’t
swim fine above weeds – I just really hate looking at them because often I get
this sense they’re reaching out like arms and I want to avoid touching them. My
triathlete friends find this funny. </span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em>Coach James giving instructions (Photo: Brad Reiter)</em></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The open water swim was awesome - probably because I love swimming in open water so much more than in a pool. I ended up swimming at the back
of the second group – and finally got a ton of excellent drafting practice. It
seems like every round I had someone’s feet, which was awesome. I did very well
sighting, even with people in front of me. I’m glad for that since I’m sure
that’s the main reason I could stay with people. I didn’t wander off the short
course at all. </span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7DcPXtip89s/VuW475jlDqI/AAAAAAAABJE/9ppmpKs8ZlUpYKEwB4lLc_pBW8PnyR1Tg/s1600/swim%2B4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><em><img border="0" height="229" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7DcPXtip89s/VuW475jlDqI/AAAAAAAABJE/9ppmpKs8ZlUpYKEwB4lLc_pBW8PnyR1Tg/s320/swim%2B4.png" width="320" /></em></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em>And we're off! (Photo: Brad Reiter)</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">After the swim, we had a wonderful stretching session with Coach Liz
Campbell. Between the yoga and the swim, my legs felt so much better than they
did right after the bike. I was almost recovered or so it seemed to me. Not
like I tested it.</span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Mwu-VMkLOiQ/VuW78PbPSAI/AAAAAAAABJU/UJ02oDo4l5ITw-qIkdxFF9rLLxvcVAL3A/s1600/yoga2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Mwu-VMkLOiQ/VuW78PbPSAI/AAAAAAAABJU/UJ02oDo4l5ITw-qIkdxFF9rLLxvcVAL3A/s320/yoga2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em>About to start yoga</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">That was it for the training part of Wednesday. It was an incredibly productive morning that's for sure. The afternoon: not so much. I think most of us relaxed for a few hours. In the later afternoon, my housemates and I went to the outlet mall
(thanks to Coach Nissim for the ride) and had fun shopping. After a less than stellar
experience in the Sketchers store, I did find a nice pair of run shorts at Nike. Thankfully I didn’t see anything at Pearl Izumi that really
called my name. I feel pretty good for only spending $20 – between the shorts
and a pretzel to eat while waiting for others to finish looking around! </span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">After a fight with traffic (Lesson: Go earlier in the day!), I got home
and had some dinner before heading off to bed. At least I think that’s what I
did. I don’t really remember now. Most of the evenings are a bit sketchy since
I was so tired! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">All in all, it was an amazing day! </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
Janahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01164472001808495441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5871976754080266388.post-54962259668784583262016-03-10T06:15:00.002-05:002016-03-10T06:17:36.243-05:00LPC Florida Tri Camp - Day 3 - Beautiful Day for the Allen's Challenge<span style="font-family: "calibri";">It was yet another beautiful day in Florida today, making this the
third one this week. Glad it was so nice because this was the second longest
ride of the camp – an 86km ride out to Allen’s Creamery in Windermere. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">For the past 3 years, this ride has always been on the last day of camp
after the 86km ride, but after some feedback, the coaches changed it up to make
it a different day. By having it earlier in the week, it gives people more
recovery time – plus makes it easier for people to attend a final night dinner without being exhausted. Personally, I loved this change. It made for a great day of riding! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">We all collected at the main LPC camp house for a maintenance workshop before the ride –
focused mostly on tire changing and being prepared for a flat. This clinic
never gets old – as each time you can learn something new. And with many new
campers, it’s always good to make sure people are prepared. Following the
clinic from Coach Ryan Power, we got ready to ride.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><o:p><em>Tire changing clinic with Coach Ryan Power</em></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I rode with the B group again, which was the right choice. For the most
part, I had no issues with the pace– not that I’d know any different since my
watch refused to give me the right distance or speed. So annoying! I’m now
going to try a reset to see if that helps.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The ride out seemed so much faster than previous years – probably because
Coach Mark and Coach Nissim got us there with no problems. This is actually a
huge deal for me since every year until now I’ve ended up in a group that got
lost…last year by a lot! Pretty soon we were in Windermere riding through all the
nice houses on our way to Allens. We did ride on one road I didn’t like much,
but we weren’t on it for long and I am a much better rider so it wasn't a big deal, thank goodness. Most of the ride was beautiful
riding with lots of opportunities to practice riding in a paceline. </span><br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RZwvJJ7SutI/VuFWFLQ4qHI/AAAAAAAABIA/xemYT9FnWe4/s1600/IMG_20160308_122312.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RZwvJJ7SutI/VuFWFLQ4qHI/AAAAAAAABIA/xemYT9FnWe4/s320/IMG_20160308_122312.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><o:p><em>Allen's Creamery in Windemere</em></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">At Allen’s, 4 people took on the Allen’s Challenge – including a
showdown between Coach Mark and John Pulford – as John took the record last
year in about 4:50 – for eating 11 scoops of ice cream and 6 toppings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Coach Mark had been the previous record
holder. The bowls of ice cream are gigantic, so watching the challenge is quite
a highlight of the week – and today was no less than spectacular. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zq1OO4fozkM/VuFWzopsjdI/AAAAAAAABII/Gx4eZ_AdfF4/s1600/IMG_20160308_121759.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zq1OO4fozkM/VuFWzopsjdI/AAAAAAAABII/Gx4eZ_AdfF4/s320/IMG_20160308_121759.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em>John and Coach Mark Take on the Allen's Challenge!</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">All 4 competitors actually finished the challenge (you get 15 minutes
to eat it all) and won their free t-shirts. But John Pulford won again –
breaking his own record with a time of 3:16 (don’t ask me how – even though I
watched it!), while Coach Mark also beat the last record in a time of about 3:45-3:50
(I can’t remember exactly). Crazy! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">My friend Paula said she’d compete with me
next year as part of my camp 5 year anniversary. We’ll see if that happens or
if we both chicken out! I feel like doing a beer mile in -15 degrees and half a
foot of snow last week was about as foolish as I get. That much ice cream is a
bit insane.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">After the challenge, we headed back home – Coach Mark looking none the
worse for wear after his ice cream battle. The ride back was a bit more
challenging because of the wind, plus a few frontrunners in our group decided
to up the pace a bit (no idea by how much since my watch wasn’t working
properly). I managed to stay right up front with them for a large chunk of the
ride back, but I eventually got tired. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">When we were about 15km from home, Coach Mark went off with the fast
people, while the rest of our B group took a more leisurely pace home. I
probably could have stayed with the B-1 group, but glad I didn’t because I
wanted to save my energy for tomorrow (technically today since that’s when I’m
writing), when we have a brick workout at Lake Louisa State Park.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">It was pretty hot when we got back to the LPC camp house, but I still
had a 3km brick run on my plan – or one loop of the Emerald Island Resort. I
quickly changed into my shoes – which I’d left in the garage, although I rued
the fact I didn’t have my hat with me. Ah well, it was 3km, so I figured I’d be
done quickly enough that it wouldn’t be a big deal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The run was actually better than I thought – although still pretty
easy. My friend Flora (a super-fast girl who won the A1A marathon in February)
passed me at one point like I was standing still. Absolutely amazing. To be
honest, I enjoy watching great runners and cyclists (tomorrow's report will have a similar story about Lionel Saunders) – you can just see the
focus and determination in their eyes. And Flora looked incredibly strong. As
did Jack and many of the fast guys who also passed me at some point in the
loop. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I managed to ride 250m back to my camp house after the run, where I
proceeded to spend the remainder of the afternoon sitting in a deck chair on
the back patio. Ahhhh, that felt good.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">In the evening, a bunch of us went out for dinner at Orange Lake (and a
few went for a hard swim – glad that wasn’t on –my- plan) – and celebrated
Coach Mark’s birthday. I finally got around to giving him the small gift I
brought back from Ironman Arizona and the Epic Road Trip…a mug and a crab
magnet that reminded me of my first year of being at Camp when Coach Mark had
Crab at Joe’s Crab Shack. I still have the picture of the silly bib with a
hand-drawn crab that he wore, even though he wasn’t my coach at the time – it was
just funny! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">After dinner, we headed back home where I finished the Day 2 Blog and
posted it! I’m definitely a bit behind this week, but I’m trying not to fall
too far behind! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
Janahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01164472001808495441noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5871976754080266388.post-3142552810426921962016-03-08T18:02:00.001-05:002016-03-08T20:57:09.773-05:00LPC Florida Tri Camp - Day 2: National Training Centre! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Today was an awesome day at Camp LPC. We went to the National Training
Centre in Clearmont, Florida for an awesome morning of training and seminars –
and then did a great skills ride!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The morning started out at the track – a beautiful outdoor 400m track.
Well, technically, it started on the cross-country course since I took the
option of doing my warm-up there. I almost never run on trails so I had to run
pretty slowly, but who cares since it was the warm-up. It was fun to weave a
few hills on grass! I think the last time I did that was last year, but it
seemed like the trail was better groomed this time!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">When we got to the actual track, we split into 2 groups. I joined the
fast group mostly because I know all the running drills and figured why not. My
coach didn’t have my running hard today, but I figured I could always modify my
pace as needed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">We started off with running drills – none of which I had any issues
with (A, B, C, Karaoke) and then some pick-ups. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The main set was sets of 3x400s – descend 1-3. Since Coach Mark didn’t
have a lot of running on my plan, I stuck to 2 rounds. I figured since he had
10x30seconds of intervals (which wasn’t an option so I didn’t even think to do
that)…that was about the same as 4 harder reps (i.e. reps 2 and 3 of each set).
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-f2YOHdUSJVk/Vt-AkCwFAuI/AAAAAAAABHc/DzLF8XLS9kU/s1600/12829169_10154015766866204_5276705586624097498_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-f2YOHdUSJVk/Vt-AkCwFAuI/AAAAAAAABHc/DzLF8XLS9kU/s320/12829169_10154015766866204_5276705586624097498_o.jpg" width="256" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em>Beautiful NTC Track</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Despite starting a bit too fast, I managed to descend both times. I
really had to focus on my pace since there was a big temptation to go as fast
as the other people in my group (not that I could). But I thought I did great.
I just kept the faster guys in sight and tried not to lose too much ground. It
worked well and I felt okay at the end.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">After the awesome track workout, we headed up to the main building for
our swim session. The NTC has a beautiful outdoor pool which was a pleasure to
swim in. Similar to last year, we rotated time with several coaches to get
different drills to work on, plus a main set. Each lane then got pulled out to
do the swim analysis video at some point during the workout.</span><br />
</div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em>Photo thanks to Coach James! Swim drills</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The drills were all great. Coach Alex had us doing drills focused on
leading with the hip, Coach Gabby had us doing sighting drills, Coach Jo did
the main set – although I missed most of that because of the video.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All in all, it was an awesome session. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Coach Mark did the video this year. I admit, it will be interesting to
see the result since I’d just spent so much time doing drills and was a little
off. Just hope I have improved my hand/foot entry since I’ve been working on it
since my last video in December. Kind of nice to have a new video so soon to
see if I’ve improved! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em>Coach Mark doing swim videos</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">After the swim, we had a bit of time to get showered and changed before
the seminars. In a weird coincidence, I had someone in the change room ask if I
was in the Toronto Triathlon Club (because I had a TTC water bottle). Sure
enough, when I turned around, it was my friend Claire who happened to be in
Florida. How awesome is that?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I also stopped in to the NTC store and got a really nice feeling Couer
bike jersey. Another camper got one as well, so it worked out well (it was buy
one get one free) – so we just split the cost. That was nice given the value of
the Canadian dollar right now!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The first of the seminars was Coach Mark, who gave an excellent
nutrition talk. He gives one each year – but the information is incredibly
valuable and there always seems to be a new spin on things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Seeing as I can now eat on my bike (mostly),
it was interesting to go through what we should be eating for different races.
I didn’t quite manage the minimum 60 grams of Carbs an hour for Ironman – but I
came pretty close. That’s a big improvement over previous races when I had
barely anything.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oQJfTt1N6Wo/Vt9X241IpII/AAAAAAAABHM/5mZw340auP4/s1600/IMG_20160307_120139.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oQJfTt1N6Wo/Vt9X241IpII/AAAAAAAABHM/5mZw340auP4/s320/IMG_20160307_120139.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Coach Mark - Nutrition and hydration seminar</span></em></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">After Coach Mark, Lionel Sanders gave a great talk. Lionel’s had a
phenomenal rise in triathlon over the past few years and it was neat to hear
about his journey and the different stumbling blocks he’s had along the way. I
was really impressed with his current outlook about racing – which is just to
be the best he can be. It’s very much in line with my ‘Be Awesome Today’ motto.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Mmlr_KJuIWQ/Vt9WzllMTDI/AAAAAAAABG4/9BfW1Py6wN0/s1600/IMG_20160307_124853.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Mmlr_KJuIWQ/Vt9WzllMTDI/AAAAAAAABG4/9BfW1Py6wN0/s320/IMG_20160307_124853.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em>Lionel Sanders - Amazing triathlete</em></span></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></em> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Lunch was catered for the talk, which was great given the two workouts
in the morning. I think my veggie wrap and chips disappeared in minutes. On the
way out of the NTC, I also bought a chocolate banana smoothie….yummy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Back home, we had a little bit of time before the bike session at 4:30.
I can’t actually remember what I did which probably says I was a bit tired! But
I was good to go by the time the session came along – a ‘skills and drills’
focused session around the resort. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em>Skills and drills!</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">We did a lot of cornering practice going different directions, plus
some snail game riding – all of which I enjoy practicing (and I need it). I
find it funny that most people prefer going left, whereas I prefer going right.
Similarly, I had no issues at all with the right U-turns, but the left ones
continue to give me a lot of trouble. Coach Gabby chatted with me after the ‘official’
session and we did a few things to figure out what I’m doing wrong. We didn’t
really have a good spot to practice trying to fix it, so if we have time, she
said she’d give me some help at Lake Louisa State Park on Wednesday. I do
realize that a lot of it is mental at this point – so hopefully I will be able
to get it! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Back home, our House of Secrets crew all contributed tons of food to
dinner. Not long after that, I went to bed! Amazing how tiring all this
training is! But oh so much fun!!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Janahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01164472001808495441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5871976754080266388.post-89175444547559774992016-03-08T07:30:00.002-05:002016-03-08T20:44:15.209-05:00LPC Florida Tri Camp - Day 0-1: Fun Time in the Sun!<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Year 4 of attending the LPC Florida Triathlon Camp. Hard to believe it's been four years! Some days it seems like yesterday since my first time at camp.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I sometimes wonder if I should keep doing these daily updates since I've now done three years worth…but the truth is, I enjoy writing about
what I did each day – and every year is different, so I figure even when we do
similar things, my knowledge and awareness are different, which might make for
a fun read for people. So, I am doing this again.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">People starting out in triathlon who might be imagining their first
camp experience should look up my blogs from <a href="http://www.girlontheroadlesstravelled.blogspot.com/2013_03_01_archive.html" target="_blank">March 2013</a> (start at the bottom and work up)…and then read about my
progress year over year: <a href="http://www.girlontheroadlesstravelled.blogspot.com/2014_03_01_archive.html" target="_blank">March 2014</a> and <a href="http://www.girlontheroadlesstravelled.blogspot.com/2015_03_01_archive.html" target="_blank">March 2015</a>. I went from falling several times and being terrified all the time to being an ok rider who is still learning how to make left U-turns. One day! One day! But if I make all this progress, anyone can! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">This year, LPC offered the opportunity to come in Friday night, rather
than Saturday. I LOVED this option because it gave Saturday as an open day
before camp started on Sunday. Coach Mark picked me and two other campers from the airport, stopped at the grocery store so we could get a few things to tide us over, and then dropped us off at our camp houses. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I was happy to find myself back to the start of it all - in the House of Secrets. Funnily enough - with my friend Paula who was there my first year as well! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><strong>Saturday: T-1 Day</strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">With a bunch of people racing in the ITU race in
Clearmont on Saturday, I decided to spend Saturday watching the race, then I
could take it easy before starting camp on Sunday.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Watching the ITU race was a ton of fun. I got to see part of the women’s
race and then the men’s race. Everyone related to LPC <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>did incredibly well – and wow, it’s amazing
how fast they can go! They are rockstars! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em>The start of the Men's Race</em></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Apparently, I wasn't the only one taking pictures...but it was so bright, I couldn't see what I was getting in my pictures! </span><br />
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<em><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">ITU Men's Race</span></em></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Stayed to watch the medals ceremonies. Sarah Haskins - who was the guest speaker at camp last year - came in second for the women! I am hoping a fellow camper will give me a picture of the women's podium, since mine didn't turn out. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: x-small;"><em>Men's Podium - ITU Clearmont</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">After getting back to the resort, I picked up my bike and then did a
short 45min ride with several of my housemates. We just rode around the resort, but it
has ups and downs throughout so it made the ride interesting, while never being
particularly busy. Fantastic! Plus it was a chance to get our bearings (because I am still directionally challenged). The weather was amazing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The Missouri contingent arrived in the late afternoon - Paula, Karen and Jenny, and another woman from their tri club. Party time!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">That night, most of my house smushed into a big truck (8 of us) and
went out for Mexican to celebrate my friend Paula’s birthday (yes, the Paula
who came to cheer me on in Arizona along with my friend Karen). I admit to
eating far too many nacho chips (thankfully Jenny did too) along with a veggie
enchilada and another veggie thing I still don’t know how to explain.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">Happy Birthday Paula!</span></em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I was full to bursting, but I made it home and just hoped I wouldn’t
feel too awful in the morning for the start of camp. On the plus side, all the
food was tasty…so I can’t complain. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><strong>Sunday: a Swim, a Run and a Bike</strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I got up still feeling full from the day before, so I wasn’t sure how
the morning was going to go. I admit to visiting the bathroom several times…and
I did warn people early on that they didn’t want to run near me. Ooops. But
hey, at least I’m honest. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thanks Mexican food! Thankfully the over-full feeling didn't last very long and I was good to go pretty quickly! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The day itself dawned gloriously beautiful. Our first order of the day was a
short (20 min) shakeout run. In previous years, I always took this way too
fast. This year, I actually managed pretty good pacing, mostly because my
stomach hadn’t settled down yet. I ran by myself for the first 10 minutes, then
joined another camper from my house for the run back. I was actually faster on the way back
when I was talking I think (and because my housemate is very fast even going easy) – but all in all, it was much better pacing than any
other first run I’ve done here. I think I was well above 5 min km pace the
entire time. Go me! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">We got back to River Island at Orange Lake Resort….where we had a
wonderful yoga session to loosen everything up further. After all the
travelling, it felt great.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>Yoga/Exercise Time</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The swim was a bit different this year. I finished the warm-up and there wasn't really a separation of groups like I thought there'd be. Apparently a very small group (of way faster-than-me folks) broke off before I got there, so it was all the rest of us together. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The actual swim was amazing – in the 350m lazy river pool. When it comes to open water practice, this is such a perfect way to do it since there are no walls! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Today was
mostly easy swimming and then several laps of drafting practice. The first few
rounds, I was with a wonderful girl who probably wanted to shoot me since we
weren’t the same pace. When
she was drafting me, I kept getting away. Thankfully, we were able to change it
up after a couple of attempts – so hopefully she got better practice! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I ended up in a group with two guys at that point. To be honest, this
didn’t work any better for me, since the one guy was way too fast and got away
from me within about 2 min of starting each loop. In my effort to keep up, I
usually dropped the second guy trying to draft me – so I suspect all 3 of us
just ended up doing 2 laps on our own. Oh well! Our little group was just the
weird ‘too fast, but too slow’ group. Can’t do much about that. For me it was nothing new. In races I almost always have the same issue...not fast enough to draft the fast (much lest super-fast) swimmers - and generally ending up on my own in a 'dead' zone because I don't want to go slower than I am. So funny! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">After the main part of the swim, I did a couple of cool down loops, then headed off to join some of the other campers in the hot tub.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">After a lovely stint there, Coach James took half my house to
the grocery store and we got a pile of groceries. Back at the house I had some
lunch and watched my Missouri friends cook up a storm. That is so not me. I
bought a lot of nice, healthy easy to cook stuff that doesn’t require any prep time.
Got to love vacation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">In the afternoon, we had an easy bike ride from the resort. I loved,
loved, loved this. I’ve come so far from that very first ride I went on back in
2013. I’ve graduated solidly to the ‘B’ group – not being either the fastest or
the slowest in the bunch. I’m still the most useless bike handler (as evidenced
by my inability as of yet to make left U-turns with any kind of consistency…still...after 4 years of trying.
One day!). But hey, after making my couple of atrocious turns,
I could catch up no problem, so I can’t complain. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">For the ride we went out to a sub-division about 10km away…and then
practiced a rolling paceline. I admit we kind of got away with ourselves there,
really pushing it at times. But I had a ball. At one point a group passed us
and Coach Mark had me ride with that group while he took my place in the first
group I was in. Then later, it switched again as they passed us. Not sure whether he had me
change to push harder, or just too keep the numbers even – but whatever it was,
I had fun the whole ride. Originally we were only planning to do 2 loops, but
we ended up doing 3. That was awesome. I also felt pretty good about going
faster in a group. That's amazing for me. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">On the funny side, my watch kept giving me bizarre speeds –
like 18 km an hour when we were probably above 30 for large parts of the
circles around the sub-division. Despite doing the same ride, my watch says I
did 10km less than everyone else! Gah! I may have fixed the issue. We'll find out on the next ride! </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">After the ride, we had a bit of free time, so several of my housemates
and I went over to the main clubhouse for the resort for some hot tub time.
Yes, after swimming, biking and running – I went and got in more water! It
really was a beautiful afternoon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">We ended the first day with a camp pot-luck dinner, which was fabulous.
I ate way too much food and had lots of great conversations. Met a lot of the
new campers who I hadn’t actually spoken with earlier in the day. What a great
group! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Soon enough, it was time to head back to the camp house. I started
writing this blog, but my mind started to turn to mush, so I went to sleep. I
finished the last few paragraphs today (on Day 2)...although I'm posting on Day 3. Yikes! </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">And speaking of Day 2….<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Janahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01164472001808495441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5871976754080266388.post-84035804238918023422016-02-15T18:41:00.000-05:002016-02-15T18:46:00.084-05:00Ironman Arizona Race Report: Epilogue<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Three months. Today marks exactly three months since I swam 2.4 miles, biked 112
miles, and ran 26.2 miles to become an Ironman.<br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><img border="0" height="108" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vGN20XolQuk/VsJHer6HokI/AAAAAAAABD0/7-2mwHr-p9Y/s320/131107_blog_quote.jpg" width="320" /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span>Some days, it feels like yesterday. Some days it feels like 20 years
ago. But isn’t that always the case with racing – and so many other wonderful events
in a person’s life? You can never really remember every single moment. <o:p></o:p><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span><br />
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">You want to know the funny thing?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span><br />
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">It’s still hard for me to comprehend those distances. I remember the
first time I read about the Ironman, I couldn’t comprehend the miles involved. You’d
think that after finishing the race, I’d have a better grasp of just how far an
Ironman is. The truth is almost the opposite. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
Three months later, I can’t fathom that I was actually swimming, biking
and running for almost 14 hours.<o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
I remember a quick swim, a wet and rainy bike ride where I had the
courage to ride fast (for me) downhill in the rain, and a run that started out
beautifully and then had a few issues between kilometer 14 and the finish line.
</div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
Okay, I remember that my back hurt…a lot. To be honest, though, the
most difficult part of the day happened in the finisher’s chute…the steps
between stopping to savour the moment and crossing the actual finish. <o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
Wow. Those three steps were hard.<o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
But I remember smiling as I took each one of them.<o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
I remember my Dad catching me at the finish line. My mom telling me I
came in under 14 hours. My friends cheering me along the way and after I
finished. <o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
I remember checking my Blackberry and having 144 Facebook updates and
messages. That’s when I realized just how many people at home had followed my
Ironman Journey – who were pulling for me all through that amazing and
unexpected day. My mom. My brothers. Other family and friends. Those posts and
cheers made my day.<o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
Ironman Arizona. It’s still crazy to think that I did it. I really did
it. <o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
I have to give huge thanks to everyone who helped me on my journey –
who made my crossing the finish line possible:</div>
<ul>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">To my parents – for being with me every step of the way. While my Dad was there in person, my Mom was glued to her computer all day. I am not sure who had the harder job (or most stress) that day.</span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">To my coach – Mark Linseman of Loaring Personal Coaching. You are a rockstar. I don’t know quite how you did it, but you got me to the finish line. Your advice, words of wisdom, constant support and sheer patience with me mean a lot. I look forward to having your help as I take on my next big (if shorter!) goals! <o:p></o:p></span></span></li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">To my brothers and friends at home – for support, encouragement and keeping<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>everyone else in the know about where I was and how I was doing. For staying up crazy late to watch me cross the finish line – and to screen capture and video every drunken moment of it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">To my friends Paula and Karen – who came out to Arizona to cheer me on – and who were instrumental in helping my Dad navigate an Ironman Race Day. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">To my friend Barry and his penchant for having Tiger Balm around. Here is to your quick thinking (and quick running). You were a lifesaver. I attribute my 42 second sub-14 hour finish to you. I didn’t stop a single time after I saw you under the bridge. You are awesome.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">To the girls in the TTC who did IMAZ - the fact we all finished is amazing and says a lot about how awesome we all are. Thanks for the encouragement, support, group rides and everything else leading up to race day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So glad to share the race with you. Onwards and upwards!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">And of course, to all the awesome volunteers and other spectators – who braved cold and wet weather to help every racer out there. You deserve your weight in gold.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">An Ironman Can be Anyone<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I remember my Dad telling pretty much every person we met on the rest
of our Epic Road Trip that I was an Ironman. I blushed every time. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Heck, I think I blush whenever I hear my cell phone ring because my Dad
programmed the ringtone to be Mike Reilly saying, “Jana…come on, just a few
more steps. You are…..an Ironman.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I hear the words. I remember crossing the finish line. And yet, I still
have this odd sense of wonder at the whole thing. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I wonder if people look at me when they hear I’ve done an Ironman and think,
“Right, Sure you did.” I know I don’t look like an Ironman.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Then again, what does an Ironman look like? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">If I did it, I guess that an Ironman can look like me: an average 37
year old single girl. But an Ironman can also look like my ultra-fit cousin Bob
and my friends Hector, Kim, and LK – or someone with few extra pounds,
sometimes more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">An Ironman can look like someone in a wheelchair, a person with one leg
or no legs – someone who is blind, or deaf, or who has ALS.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">An Ironman can be a nun, a single parent, a grandparent, an octogenarian.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">An Ironman can be a former drug addict or alcoholic, a cancer survivor,
a heart transplant recipient. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Really, now that I think about it: An Ironman can be ANYONE.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">It can be me. Or you. Or you. (Yes, I mean YOU).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">But how does a normal person turn a dream into reality? After all, it's kind of a crazy goal.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_CC3GUPyK44/VsJfhnGREUI/AAAAAAAABE8/4Y9Z706uHKg/s1600/6d0a8119b2a5472f4a66f9745e8e1f6e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_CC3GUPyK44/VsJfhnGREUI/AAAAAAAABE8/4Y9Z706uHKg/s320/6d0a8119b2a5472f4a66f9745e8e1f6e.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">In my mind, becoming an Ironman takes 3 simple things. Well, simple in
theory…maybe not in execution.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Commitment</b></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">If there’s one thing you need more than anything else, it’s commitment.
Training for an Ironman is an incredible task – there’s no doubt about that. It’s
not a race to enter on a whim. You need to commit to what you want – and then
do everything it takes to get you there. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Depending on where you start and what
you want to achieve, this might mean months or years of dedication before you
toe the line – certainly it will take lots of time swimming, biking and running…not
to mention doing laundry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LmwzzY70H_M/VsJLH6o9cWI/AAAAAAAABEc/OBj1m5DWtKI/s1600/10341884_739880979425124_4862352598254113581_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LmwzzY70H_M/VsJLH6o9cWI/AAAAAAAABEc/OBj1m5DWtKI/s320/10341884_739880979425124_4862352598254113581_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Perseverance<o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Back in my second year of university, I joined the swim team when I was
a terrible swimmer (I saw a sign that said ‘Any skill level welcome’ and
believed it). At the end of the year, the team gave me the Perseverance Award.
I might have sucked as a swimmer, but they knew I was never going to give up. I
was going to finish what I started.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">If you’re going to take on an
Ironman, you’re going to need every bit of perseverance you can muster. Not
just on race day when you might have to deal with unexpected things (like a
back spasm), but throughout the long training cycle – through 6 or 7 hour bike
rides, 3 hour runs, and long swims. There will be good days and bad days…you
need to be able to thrive on the best days and get beyond the worst. When you doubt
yourself or when others doubt you, you need to look in the mirror and say: “Watch
me.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lvR-G_m3CBo/VsJLLiO7Y-I/AAAAAAAABEg/eOTTqjranHA/s1600/20140220-2100.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="219" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lvR-G_m3CBo/VsJLLiO7Y-I/AAAAAAAABEg/eOTTqjranHA/s320/20140220-2100.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Support<o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I mostly train alone, but I still have a huge support system. My
parents and brothers are behind me a hundred percent. So are my closest friends
– even the ones who think I’m nuts. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">As mentioned above, I have an awesome coach in Mark Linseman of Loaring
Personal Coaching – who has helped me for 2 years now. He figured out how to
get me to the start line confident I could do it. He patiently kept me
practicing until I could take my hands off my handlebars (it took 18 months).
He’s still trying to get me to ride aero (that might take 18 years). I also
have all the other coaches at LPC, who have helped me at triathlon clinics,
training days – and at the Florida Triathlon Camp. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">And, of course, I have my friends in the Toronto Triathlon Club – who I
train with when I can, who I raced with in Arizona, and who I rode with a lot
last summer (especially my friend Carole!). While you might train alone – you can’t
do it alone. Certainly you don’t have to. Join a club, join an online triathlon
group, go to a camp, hire a coach if you can. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Take support when you can get it – and be thankful for everyone who
helps you. Make sure you pay it forward in the future.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kop3qNAXsGU/VsJLUASC2jI/AAAAAAAABEo/kNohapBPoZs/s1600/10626612_627497157365180_5719062209584816717_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kop3qNAXsGU/VsJLUASC2jI/AAAAAAAABEo/kNohapBPoZs/s320/10626612_627497157365180_5719062209584816717_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></b> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Commitment. Perseverance.
Support. <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Oh, right - and a relentless belief that you can do it. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you don’t believe in yourself – then who
will?</span></div>
</span> </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-U69YRH2BFf0/VsJInuXiQSI/AAAAAAAABEA/ajp-t6EAlGc/s1600/1511197_640224079350300_308700415_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-U69YRH2BFf0/VsJInuXiQSI/AAAAAAAABEA/ajp-t6EAlGc/s320/1511197_640224079350300_308700415_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
Janahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01164472001808495441noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5871976754080266388.post-64433017543638215542016-02-15T18:39:00.001-05:002016-02-15T22:53:40.829-05:00Ironman Arizona Race Report: Chapter 4: The Aftermath<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Okay, this one will be short. I promise. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Crosses fingers behind back.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Mostly, I felt like my run report was so long, it was getting ridiculous
(did anyone actually make it to the end?), so I figured I’d deal with what
happened after I crossed the finish line in a separate post.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">So there I was….my Dad had caught me at the finish line. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">But that wasn’t all! My friends were there too. My friend LK (who
finished in an incredibly speedy time), Lifesaver Barry, and my dear friends
from Missouri – Paula and Karen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vdnnlZq3Mxs/VsJBhBmU0xI/AAAAAAAABCw/syoWICMuVqY/s1600/photo%2B2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><em><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vdnnlZq3Mxs/VsJBhBmU0xI/AAAAAAAABCw/syoWICMuVqY/s320/photo%2B2.JPG" width="239" /></em></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em>My awesome Missouri cheering section - Paula and Karen</em></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></em> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">In fact, now we have a similar picture from when Paula crossed the
finish line last year, and when I did it this year. When Karen comes to IMAZ to
get revenge, I am going to try my darnedest to be there for her too. Would love,
love, love to put a trilogy of pictures (even if they aren’t the best pictures
thanks to the darkness) on my wall. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fx7k5gNHlNI/VsJCHvR5CUI/AAAAAAAABC4/fp30noCQ2Lc/s1600/Paula%2Bfinish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fx7k5gNHlNI/VsJCHvR5CUI/AAAAAAAABC4/fp30noCQ2Lc/s320/Paula%2Bfinish.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em>Paula's finish in 2014</em></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">After saying hi and thanks to my friends, I let my Dad and the kind
(and incredibly tall) volunteer that was my ‘official’ catcher help me to the
photo section. The volunteer grabbed my finisher’s shirt and cap, and was more
than happy to hold my stuff while I got my picture taken, and then got one with
my Dad for good measure. Priceless. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ILo8RKR9wp0/VsJCoO0gXLI/AAAAAAAABC8/hKga_CEjf-E/s1600/1183_093509.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ILo8RKR9wp0/VsJCoO0gXLI/AAAAAAAABC8/hKga_CEjf-E/s320/1183_093509.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em>Almost standing up straight!</em> </span></div>
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</div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HFZGPDU2V9k/VsJCwN_eDNI/AAAAAAAABDA/BJBxMJUyJhI/s1600/1183_093511.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HFZGPDU2V9k/VsJCwN_eDNI/AAAAAAAABDA/BJBxMJUyJhI/s320/1183_093511.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em>Me and my Dad. He's still holding me up!</em></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em></em></span> </div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Thank you awesome volunteer! <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I made it through to the athletes’ recovery section of the finish,
where they had food tents set up. I caught up with a bunch of friends there,
probably because most of us finished within an hour or so of each other. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">On the somewhat funny side, not long after I finished, the clouds
opened up and rain came pouring down one more time. All I could do was feel for
the poor folks still out there on the course now getting another downpour.
Thankfully, it didn’t last forever.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IF3MDEXpsOw/VsJEMjlZcUI/AAAAAAAABDQ/NajtagbHdMY/s1600/12208480_10207049333567003_1287417549144565779_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IF3MDEXpsOw/VsJEMjlZcUI/AAAAAAAABDQ/NajtagbHdMY/s320/12208480_10207049333567003_1287417549144565779_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em>Some of the Toronto contingent - LK, Erin, Carole and I</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The rest of my friends who raced decided to wait for the midnight finishers…but I
couldn’t handle standing up for one more moment. While stopping had helped my
back a million percent, what I really wanted was my bottle of Advil back in the
hotel room. </span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">To put it in perspective, I didn’t even want a beer! I had been
dreaming of beer all day – and now I had no desire to have one.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">So, I bid all my friends goodnight, and my dad and I headed out. Paula
and Karen waited for me – and when I made a comment about needing to get my
bike and gear bags, I found out they’d already taken care of everything for me.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">These women are the most wonderful friends you could have. I can’t tell
you how much I appreciated them that night – and all through the race week. All
this because I met Paula at my first LPC Florida Triathlon Camp in 2013. I
still remember her taking a picture of my first tip-over in clipless pedals. I
still have that bloody knee picture! Can’t wait to ride with all my Missouri
friends at camp again in a few weeks.</span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Back at the hotel, I don’t remember much – except getting back to my
hotel room and seeing a handwritten sign my friend Paula had stuck up on the
hotel room door to welcome me back.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qGrNG_b3O1U/VsJhi1D7tOI/AAAAAAAABFQ/Fux-pOqAO0s/s1600/Sign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qGrNG_b3O1U/VsJhi1D7tOI/AAAAAAAABFQ/Fux-pOqAO0s/s320/Sign.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I think I teared up. Yes, I still have the sign. It's stuck to my wall by where I hang my medals (nothing fancy, just some nails in my wall).</span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I got into the room and savoured my very long hot shower. I can’t believe
how much dirt and mud I collected over the course of the day. Ick. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">When I got out, I took the two most highly-anticipated Advil of my
life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">The next day<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I’d like to say I had a good night sleep…but really, like that was
going to happen after being on my feet (and having a bunch of caffeinated Gus)
all day. But I did nod off for a few hours very intermittently. Every time I
moved, something ached.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">But would you believe when I woke up the next morning at 6am (so we
could get in line for Finisher’s Gear), my back didn’t hurt a bit? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Of course it didn’t. I was achy and sore pretty much everywhere BUT my
back. Really, it’s quite hilarious in hindsight. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">All in all, I actually felt a lot better than after running my first
marathon (and even my second). I ached in more places and I had to move in
stiff, aching steps, but my legs didn’t feel like jello or like they’d collapse
at any minute. I was pleased about that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">All of the Toronto gang made it to the lineup for the Finishers’ Gear –
probably because 6 of 8 of us were first time Ironman finishers. I think we all
looked pretty good, considering! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VWp-g5MoD0Q/VsJAudcFiqI/AAAAAAAABCk/mf5vhQH1B0I/s1600/photo%2B3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VWp-g5MoD0Q/VsJAudcFiqI/AAAAAAAABCk/mf5vhQH1B0I/s320/photo%2B3.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-family: "calibri";">You are an Ironman. And You. And You. And You. And You. And You.</span></em></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em>Also...I think it was warmer in Toronto that day than in Tempe.</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">After spending a fortune (no comment) in the store…my Dad and I stopped
at Denny’s where I ate my weight in food. </span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-r4OH1nO97nY/VsJF3RfIFaI/AAAAAAAABDg/GiJDxHgDFM0/s1600/12247834_10201113933366406_5056796434960461938_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-r4OH1nO97nY/VsJF3RfIFaI/AAAAAAAABDg/GiJDxHgDFM0/s320/12247834_10201113933366406_5056796434960461938_o.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em>I'll take that...and that, oh and some of that.</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I was incredibly tired looking, but at least I was sitting up straight! In fact, despite how I looked, I was feeling pretty awesome.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span> </div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gwr6SdlrtJo/VsJGHeJGazI/AAAAAAAABDk/wDdzJ-t5e48/s1600/10686686_10205767890897398_3155878082272707159_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gwr6SdlrtJo/VsJGHeJGazI/AAAAAAAABDk/wDdzJ-t5e48/s320/10686686_10205767890897398_3155878082272707159_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em>Okay, I just had to stick this one in here. Too perfect not to.</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">After heading back to the hotel, packing up, and saying goodbye to
Paula and Karen, my Dad and I headed off into the sunset…</span></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></o:p><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q83FDrGtyec/VsJADNQkPII/AAAAAAAABCc/cVXP_mq-83U/s1600/12247096_10201114536781491_4141612827088691015_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q83FDrGtyec/VsJADNQkPII/AAAAAAAABCc/cVXP_mq-83U/s320/12247096_10201114536781491_4141612827088691015_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em>A re-enactment of the gunfight at the O.K. Corral</em></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Or more accurately – we headed off to Tombstone! Because while my Ironman Arizona
journey was complete, there was still a lot more of the Epic Road Trip to go. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">There will be more on that in a future post. </span></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></o:p></div>
</div>
Janahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01164472001808495441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5871976754080266388.post-51165880887395282792016-02-14T16:33:00.002-05:002016-02-14T17:08:58.132-05:00Ironman Arizona Race Report - Chapter 3: Don't Trip<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Some people say, ‘Don’t drown. Don’t crash. Don’t walk’ as the
expression I’ve been quoting in my chapter titles during my Ironman Arizona
race report. That expression just makes me annoyed. As if walking is a
catastrophic (or deadly) failure. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">What baloney. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">That person who walks during a marathon is the same thing any other
person crossing the finish line is: a marathoner. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Walking is not something to be ashamed of. It’s not a failure. It’s
recognition that you are still moving forward. That you aren’t giving up. That
you’ve got this.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">You know what it takes to become an Ironman? It takes not giving up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">As I wobbled my way into T2, I was sopping wet. I wasn’t cold yet, but
I think that was mostly because I was too stiff to really have the temperature
sink in. All I knew was that only 26.2 miles (42.2km) separated me from the
finish line. That thought had me grinning (oh, wait – I’m usually grinning when
I race). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">But I knew I had conquered my biggest fear: the bike – in the pouring
rain, no less. I saw starting the run as being almost home free.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Crazy in hindsight. It is the
Ironman after all.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I have to give it to the organizers and volunteers at Ironman Arizona. When the weather
turned, they responded on a dime. I suspect I’m not the only one who expected
Arizona to be hot and dry that day. But as I approached the change tent, I could feel a
blast of warm air coming from it. They’d set up heaters inside the tent to warm
up racers. As I entered, a volunteer wrapped me in one of those tinfoil warming
blankets. It was like a moment of heaven. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The women’s change tent itself was a mess. It was wet, muddy, smelly
and packed with shivering women. Similar to my T1 experience, I decided to
change while standing up. There wasn’t really space to sit down – and I
couldn’t begrudge any of the women in chairs blocking the way to other chairs.
So many looked freezing cold. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Guess that’s one benefit of being
from Canada – it didn’t seem so bad to me. I was getting a bit chilled standing
in one spot, but overall I felt no worse than I’d expected to feel coming off
the bike after</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">180km.</i> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">So I dumped my run gear out on a table. I admit that changing was an
incredibly slow process. The ground was so mucky, I stood on my bike shoes to
try and keep my feet semi-dry (oh, the mud!).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Sadly, my T2 bag had been sitting outside in the pouring rain, so I
found a fair bit of my stuff was damp. Thankfully not sopping wet though. I
peeled off my bike clothes, slowly maneuvered my way into my tri-top, shorts,
socks and running shoes ….put on my visor, my race belt, and grabbed my
handheld water bottle. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I debated extra gear – arm warmers in particular – but I know that I get
warm very quickly when I run, so I decided to forgo my good gear since I didn’t
want to lose or throw good stuff away later.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">It didn’t occur to me until after
the race that I could’ve packed some throw-away sock-gloves like I would for a
standalone marathon. Maybe next time! <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">So I wrapped up in the tinfoil blanket, figuring I’d use that as an
extra layer until I warmed up – then I could throw it away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I got all my sodden bike gear back into the bag and handed it off to a
volunteer. I exchanged quick greetings with my friend Erin who was in the
change tent too, and then headed out of the tent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">It wasn’t raining! Whoohooo! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I stopped at a portapottie in transition (Ewwwwwww is all I can say
about that experience), and then headed out onto the run course. Swim and bike
down. Just a marathon to go! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">T2 Time: 14:28<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Yikes. I think I did my first
try-a-tri run faster than that transition!<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The tinfoil blanket drove me nuts running out of transition, but I
admit I was getting chilled by that point, so I tried to find a decent way to
wear it without it becoming a nuisance. Can’t say I ever found the best way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Just outside of T1, they’d opened Special Needs to runners just coming
out of transition. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">For people who don’t know much
about Ironman…Special Needs is something unique to Ironman (and maybe other
Iron Distance) races. You get a bag to put some extra stuff in – which you can
access mid-way through the bike, and then a different bag that you can access
mid-way through the run. You don’t need to stop (I didn’t on the bike), but you
have the option. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I don’t know if IMAZ does this normally (usually you’d get access to Special
Needs after 1 lap), but given the number of people who stopped (likely to put
on warmer clothing no one expected to need until the sun set), I think it was a
wise idea. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I didn’t stop at that point, thinking I’d prefer my clean -and
hopefully less than damp - socks on the next loop.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Not long out of transition, I ran into my friends Paula and Karen.
I think it was Paula caught me in my very trendy outfit. And here I was thinking there was no
photographic evidence.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><o:p><em>Thrilled to be on the run - Just a marathon to go! </em></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">About a kilometre into the run, I warmed up considerably. I shed the
tinfoil blanket and dumped it in the trash at the top of a landscaped hill. The
course doesn’t have much in the way of real hills, but the cosmetic ones count a
lot more after you swim 3.8km and ride 180km. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I enjoyed the run course when I did a loop of it in 2014 when
volunteering – and the same was true on race day. I like that the course winds
around the lake for large portions, always giving me things to look at. Plus,
this time I had other competitors running around me, so I never felt alone. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The first 5 or so km (maybe more or maybe less) went much better than I
was expecting along the paved lake path. When I saw my friend LK – on her way
to a spectacular finish something like 4 hours ahead of me – I couldn’t have
felt better.</span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">But then the course doubled back along a dirt trail that runs more
adjacent to the lake. I actually liked this path in 2014 when I ran it. But
this year, there was a big problem.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">You see….a dirt path turns to mud in the rain. When I turned onto the
path, all I could think was, “Oh, Shit.” (Apologies for swearing, but that is exactly
what I was thinking). The whole path had turned into a gross muddy swamp. I
picked my way through it, hoping not to trip. I came close on several
occasions. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">A few other competitors and I joked that we didn’t know we had signed
up for the Iron Mudder as we slogged through the mess. Thankfully sans
electroshocks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">We followed the muddy and puddle-y path almost all the way back to
transition, where we then made our way down to the opposite end of the lake. I
remember seeing a sign on a small piece of yellow Bristol board somewhere along
that stretch: “Smile, it makes the pain hurt less” – or something along those
lines. It made me smile, not that I was feeling pain at that point. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Insert maniacal laughter here.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Really, when it comes down to it, the first 10km of the marathon went
perfectly, even with the mud. My legs felt surprisingly good. My pace was
strong – hovering under 6min pace per kilometer. I was eating regularly and
sipping from my hand-held. </span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-X-PBsVajvrs/VsDEBKxiPMI/AAAAAAAABAw/sfrjN-L6RAA/s1600/1183_020637.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-X-PBsVajvrs/VsDEBKxiPMI/AAAAAAAABAw/sfrjN-L6RAA/s320/1183_020637.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em>I really did feel good the first 10-14k! </em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">But it’s the Ironman…and anything can happen on race day. And that day – for me –
it did.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Around 14km, my back suddenly spasmed. This took me completely by
surprise since I don’t have back issues. If anything, I expected my calves to
do something – not my back! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Immediately, my back knotted up and began to ache. I shortened my
stride and tried to massage it out. This happened not too long before Curry
Road (the one real hill on the course), so when I reached the hill, I made my
way carefully up the hill, mostly jogging very easy. At the top, I had to stop
for a minute. I tried bending backwards over the railing of a fence to
try and loosen up my back. This helped, but not much. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em>Still smiling (and running), but I was starting to hurt.</em></span></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></em> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">For the next 6 or 7km, I tried to jog as much as I could, stopping
intermittently to try and work the tension out of my back. My pace dropped considerably
– the only good thing was that I had some nice downhill where I could let
gravity take control. I tried to run as best I could downhill and then just did
what I could do on the flat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Crossing the bridge back, I started to walk a lot more. I noted the sun was
getting low in the sky...but at least it wasn’t raining. I wasn’t cold at
all. I couldn’t help but smile. </span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">My Dad was waiting for me at the turn to start the second loop. I was
so glad to see him! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span> </div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gRYvPC_-OIw/VsDhgJVPXSI/AAAAAAAABBQ/gKq7WzVEePw/s1600/photo%2B%252843%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gRYvPC_-OIw/VsDhgJVPXSI/AAAAAAAABBQ/gKq7WzVEePw/s320/photo%2B%252843%2529.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em>Dad: How do you feel? Me: If I felt any better, I'd be in Heaven!</em> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em>Sorry, inside joke. </em></span></div>
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</div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Despite my reassurances that I felt pretty good - just unable to run because my back was so tight - I am sure he was very worried about me (I don’t think
I looked that bad, but I’ll let you be the judge). He suggested a visit to the next
first aid tent – but I said that was unnecessary. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">To be honest, I was afraid
someone would suggest that I stop. Not that they would have, but how was I to
know. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">And I figured my back wasn’t that bad. By this point I’d figured out
what had happened. I am nervous bike rider. For the 100km or so I
rode in the pouring rain (especially going above 35km/h down the Beeline), I
was tense like there was no tomorrow. That crazy hours-long tension caught up
to me on the run and my back decided to make its displeasure known. I knew all
I needed was a couple of Advil to help release the tension and I’d (probably)
be as good as new. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Alas, I didn’t have any Advil
because I’d heard it was terrible to take during an endurance race. In
hindsight, I think I took the idea of no Advil a little too literally. Maybe if
you were taking it pre-emptively and all day long it would be really bad…but to
counteract a real issue, I think I would’ve been fine to take an Advil or two
at that point. I wasn’t going very fast by that point after all.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Thankfully though, my Dad was able to help my back a little. I am sure
we looked hilarious with him lifting me up backwards to try and get my back to
stretch out, but it worked well enough that I felt a lot better. <span style="font-family: "calibri";">I was able to jog away from my Dad with a smile - even if the jog was incredibly slow. </span></span></div>
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</div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KN6fIH7RUss/VsDF0KKY76I/AAAAAAAABBA/Tp6GS2BpRjw/s1600/12247930_10201112947341756_8789411852229043256_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KN6fIH7RUss/VsDF0KKY76I/AAAAAAAABBA/Tp6GS2BpRjw/s320/12247930_10201112947341756_8789411852229043256_o.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em>Despite my back, I was still laughing and having fun! </em></span></div>
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</div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I probably shouldn't admit that the minute I was outside of my Dad's sight, I slowed back to a walk...but realistically, everyone could probably tell that from my split times. But I didn't want my Dad to worry about me. Truth be told, mu</span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">ch as my back screeched every time I tried to run, I could walk pretty fast. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I passed by transition on the start of the second loop. This time, I
did stop at Special Needs, mostly so I could change into dry socks. Miracle of
Miracles, they actually were dry – unlike the damp pair in my T2 bag. I
slathered some more body glide on my feet to prevent blisters, put on the dry
socks, and decided not to take the throwaway jacket I’d also put in the bag
since I wasn’t cold at all. My tri-suit was doing me well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I got back into my jog a bit, walk a bit routine…stopping before the
mud-pit section to try and work my back out (yet again) on a friendly bit of
fence. Maybe even on a bench. I can’t quite remember. It’s a bit blurry when I
did what – although trust me, anything the right height to let me lean against
it got utilized. Benches, fences, funny square things I think were electrical
boxes. You name it – I kept hoping something would help! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Interestingly, I found the mud-pit section just a bit better on the
second time through. Because the rain had been done for a while, the mud
started to harden – which was better than slopping through the whole thing. I
walked this entire section though, finding the uneven and hardening ground quite
precarious and very jarring on my poor back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">As I headed past transition for the last time – and then toward the
bridge to get to the opposite side of the lake, I saw that “Smile, it makes the
pain hurt less” sign again. This time, I laughed right out loud. I also smiled
really big. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-har4eXoCLvg/VsDkTtR-ltI/AAAAAAAABBc/ZkTKb2IW8YU/s1600/831dde081ac8609ff280de8bf24df89f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-har4eXoCLvg/VsDkTtR-ltI/AAAAAAAABBc/ZkTKb2IW8YU/s1600/831dde081ac8609ff280de8bf24df89f.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em>Same sentiment - if a different poster</em></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></em> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">It’s true, smiling helps. It reminds you why you are there – to be
awesome, to push your limits, to see what you are capable of. You forget about
time and just enjoy the day for what it is: a celebration of all you’ve done to
get there. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">And for me, I’d been through unexpected race issues once before – and smiling
made that race one of the best days of my life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">During my first marathon in 2013,
which I ran with a stomach bug (I ate one Cliff Shot Block during the whole
marathon because my stomach was so unsettled), I quickly realized I wasn’t
going to come close to my goal time because I’d been sick. So I made a new
goal: Be caught smiling in every single race picture. I had people amazed that
I was grinning well beyond the 30km marker. That made my day. And crossing the
finish line was the best feeling ever, regardless of the time. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">You might recall my realization on the bike that I could walk the
entire marathon if I had to and still finish the race. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">At no time during the IMAZ
marathon, did I doubt I would finish. </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">At no point did I fear I’d run out of
time. To me, that made the marathon something to enjoy as much as I could. </span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Knowing I had no fear of missing the cut-off meant I could smile
through the pain, take time to thank the very kind (and cold) volunteers, to
cheer on the other racers…including several Toronto friends who passed me over
the last 15km. I was thrilled to see them doing so well. My biggest hope for
the day was for everyone I knew to finish and finish smiling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I can’t count the number of people who paused to ask me if I was okay during
the last 15km. I must have looked a lot worse than I felt.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em>Apparently that's because my back was so tight I was practically listing like a boat about to tip over. So glad I couldn't see myself.</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">It was honestly at least a dozen, including both racers and volunteers. My
friend Erin even paused to give me a couple of salt pills to see if they’d help
(sadly, they didn’t – but I appreciated the ability to try something!).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">What’s funny, is that while my back refused to let me run, my legs
actually felt good. As long as I didn’t run, the pain was manageable. It was
when I got it into my head to jog that my back made its displeasure known.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">At the bottom of the decent from Curry Road down to the lake, my friend
Barry (husband and incredible Sherpa to my friend LK) found me as I passed under
the bridge. I was in quite a bit of pain at that point after trying to jog down
the long descent. I vaguely recall a nice (and likely worried) volunteer asking
if I was okay. And that’s when I spotted Barry. He’d found some Tiger Balm and
jogged out to this (very remote) part of the course to find me, and to cheer me
and my friend Carole (apparently close behind) on. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He mentioned that I only had about 5km left. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">5km left of a 226 km (140.6 mile) journey. It was crazy to imagine how
far I’d gone – and how little I had left to go.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">With profuse thanks to Barry and the kind volunteer who hovered nearby
until I was underway again, I headed into the home stretch.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I decided shortly after seeing Barry that I wouldn’t try and run again
until I got to the Finisher’s Chute. I figured it wasn’t worth the rebound pain
when I stopped. I would just walk as quickly as I could. And so I did.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><o:p>I admit I found it challenging not to run. Running is my favourite of the three sports after all. I love, love, love it. But I knew if I tried to run any more, I might collapse before I finished. </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><o:p>And there was no way I wasn't finishing. </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><o:p>A couple of times during that last 5k, I looked at the ring my friend Karina gave me a few years ago. It says: Be Awesome Today. That phrase, my race mantra if you will, has been my motto for life for a couple of years now. </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><o:p>And as I am always willing to tell people: awesome isn't about speed, it's about attitude. </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GHfoIvRJR8c/VsDqE8GspeI/AAAAAAAABBs/99h5kPGSjkc/s1600/be%2Bawesome%2Btoday.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GHfoIvRJR8c/VsDqE8GspeI/AAAAAAAABBs/99h5kPGSjkc/s1600/be%2Bawesome%2Btoday.png" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><o:p><em>That day, I was...with every step forward. With every smile.</em> </o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Over the next 5km, I chatted with a number of other racers. We were quite an eclectic mix out there. Men, women, large, tiny, old, young. All we shared in common was a quest to reach the finish line and the utter determination that we would get there. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">There'd be no giving up today. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I talked with several racers over the last few miles, but three conversations really stick out for me.</span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">One woman came from behind looking very strong. She slowed down to check if I
was okay as she passed. When I smiled and said that yes I was great and only
had a few km to go, I think she was relieved. She wished me well and went on
her way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The second conversation made me realize why the first woman was
probably so relieved by my response. This one was with a younger girl (at least
I think she was younger than I was). I vaguely recall
she was wearing a pink top. I could tell she was getting a bit down…and quickly
learned that was because she was on her first loop. She was nervous that she
wasn’t going to make the cut off for the second.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">We were so very close. I looked at my watch. As far as I could tell, it was 20-30 minutes until 9pm - which was the cut-off to start the second
loop. I did the math in my head and figured she could do it. It was maybe 2 or 3 km back to transition, if that was where the cut-off was (I wasn't sure).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Either way, I put on my biggest smile, gave
her every bit of encouragement I had – and told her that she could do this – that she
could make it, but she couldn’t stop. She couldn't quit. It might be close, but she could make the
cut off if she just kept going. I told her to go.</span></div>
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</div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dMceRWrVqCA/VsDuQMtc85I/AAAAAAAABB8/rd6logiYZWM/s1600/10351252_10154815120570104_2480004002153257643_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dMceRWrVqCA/VsDuQMtc85I/AAAAAAAABB8/rd6logiYZWM/s320/10351252_10154815120570104_2480004002153257643_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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</div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I think my words helped. She picked up her pace. Before long, she disappeared into the darkness.</span><br />
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</div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I smiled. I have no idea if she made the cut off, but from the look she
gave when she went ahead of me, I bet she did. I really hope that she finished
- that she became an Ironman.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The last conversation I had was with an older gentleman. He was quite slender,
but looked strong. We walked together for at least a good kilometre, maybe two.
As we walked, we chatted about racing. He’d done several Ironman races
in the past. He offered me one piece of advice. He said that if there were other
people around me near the finish, I should let them go ahead. That I should
savour every moment of crossing the finish line – and to take the time to
ensure I had it to myself. He said the extra few seconds would be worth it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">As we got to within one km of the finish line, he went ahead, putting
on a great final kick. It wasn't long before he was out of sight.</span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">And then, I was alone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">It was dark. Quiet. Peaceful. </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">The only sounds were my footfalls: Left, right, repeat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">As I strode closer and closer to the finish line, there were no tears.
I’d shed those along with any worries I had about not finishing in the last kilometre
of the bike. </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">This was pure celebration. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">As I turned into the finishing chute, I realized I was still alone. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I started to run. </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">In my head, I ran smoothly. In hindsight, I looked well beyond drunk. </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">It didn’t matter. All I could hear was the roar of the crowd. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">A few steps from the finish, I stopped. Despite what friends and family
watching – live and at home – thought, I wasn’t hurting when I stopped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">No, I wanted to hold onto that moment forever. I paused to soak in the atmosphere,
so I would never forget the feeling. The booming music. The roaring crowd. Cowbells.
Noisemakers. People banging on the side of the finisher’s chute.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Mike Reilly – the Voice of Ironman - calling me in.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Come on, Jana…just a few
more steps…..”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">What’s the expression – an object in motion will stay in motion? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wish I’d thought of that before I stopped just
shy of the finish line. But I could see my Dad hovering just beyond the finish –
waiting for me to come through. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I took those three steps: by far the hardest ones I took all day. I
tried to raise my hands over my head. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-r3Z-i1Q53q4/VsDBqBFeNnI/AAAAAAAABAU/6K04_46Y1y4/s1600/1183_076900.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-r3Z-i1Q53q4/VsDBqBFeNnI/AAAAAAAABAU/6K04_46Y1y4/s320/1183_076900.jpg" width="211" /></a><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em>Basking in the moment. </em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">As I crossed the finish line, I heard the words I’d used to get me
through some incredibly long workouts: a six and a half hour trainer ride. A 34km
run. A five hour brick followed by a 16km run. Whenever I got tired or felt
like I couldn’t finish a workout, I imagined Mike Reilly saying those magic words
and I found the energy I needed to get it done. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">This time, those words were not in my imagination. They were real.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">“You are an Ironman”</span></div>
<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PxrwCqsouaY/VsDBQYrUFXI/AAAAAAAABAQ/zwXN7BEwduc/s1600/1183_069845.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PxrwCqsouaY/VsDBQYrUFXI/AAAAAAAABAQ/zwXN7BEwduc/s320/1183_069845.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em>A very drunk looking Ironman, but still an Ironman!</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I bet you thought I’d stop the chapter there, but I can’t leave it at
that. As I crossed the finish line, I stopped for the second time. There was no
way I was going to get moving again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">My Mom, watching on the live feed tells me I said, “Help me.” Maybe I
did, who knows. Certainly I needed help. </span></div>
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</div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">And in the next moment, there was my Dad, pushing his way through a
pile of volunteers to catch me before I could fall over.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Having my Dad catch me before I could fall. What more could a girl ask
for?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Thanks Dad. </span><br />
<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ytXxNLNDC10/VsDyYZARGnI/AAAAAAAABCM/tGMVvQtna_U/s1600/photo%2B%252842%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ytXxNLNDC10/VsDyYZARGnI/AAAAAAAABCM/tGMVvQtna_U/s320/photo%2B%252842%2529.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><strong>Final Run Time: 5:31:04 (59/120 AG, 332/765 Women, 1,493/2,676 Overall) </strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><strong>Ironman Arizona Finish Time: 13:59:16 </strong></span></div>
Janahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01164472001808495441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5871976754080266388.post-8166754860060020142016-02-08T17:48:00.004-05:002016-02-13T09:07:23.011-05:00Ironman Arizona Race Report - Chapter 2: Don't Crash<span style="font-family: "calibri";">As I headed into transition, a volunteer passed my T1 bag to me as I
went by (Thank you awesome volunteer!). From there, I was sheparded into the
women’s change tent. I admit, it was nice to know exactly where the change tent
was from volunteering in T2 last year – it meant I had one less thing to worry
about.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I finished around 1/3 through the pack of swimmers –
so during the peak of the swim-exit curve I think. That's probably why the transition
tent was a bit of a zoo with people blocking paths to all the chairs. Rather
than try and find a seat, I dumped my bag of gear on a table at the front of
the tent and changed while standing. This was incredibly awkward, but it also
meant I didn’t get comfortable in transition. If I’d sat down, maybe I would’ve
wanted to stay awhile! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Several volunteers asked me if I needed help, but I didn’t need
any. My simple plan was to methodically go through what I needed and take my
time so I didn’t forget anything. It was going to be a long ride after all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">For months I’d debated whether to do full changes in transition or to
just stick with my tri-suit. In hindsight, I am extremely glad I decided to do
full changes even if it took a lot of time. Given the day’s weather, putting on
dry clothes was nice – even if my run gear was not so dry by the time I got to
T2.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Got to love foreshadowing, right?<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">On the funny side, putting my dry sports bra on was a comedic challenge
I wasn’t expecting since I’ve never had issues before. One volunteer noted me
struggling and helped pull it down in back. What a lifesaver. (Thanks awesome
volunteer!). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I put on my LPC bike jersey and shorts, got my socks, shoes, gloves,
sunglasses and helmet on, and then started stuffing my wetsuit into my bag.
When I was done, one of the volunteers said not to worry about the bag and
shoed me out the tent flap. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I let the sunscreen volunteers put a bit on me – just in case the
clouds cleared up. After all, I had this happen to me at Barrelman in 2014. It
poured before the start and then got incredibly sunny on the bike. I was hoping
for something similar at IMAZ. </span></div>
<br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Insert maniacal laugher here.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Outside of the change tent, I quickly got my bearings and started
jogging toward my bike. I had a fantastic place in transition, practically in
front of the Bike Exit sign. Thank goodness for that because transition was
massive. I can understand how people can get lost in there. It only took me a
second to find my bike and to start my ‘extra’ watch. Then I just had a few
steps to get to the bike exit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><strong>T1 Time: 8:54</strong></span><o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">After seeing a crash right out of T1 last year, I was very careful
riding out of Tempe Beach Park. I figured the first 500m would be the most
difficult part of the ride and if I got out of there, I’d be good. And I was.
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em>The exit onto Rio Salado from Tempe Beach Park...I'm not in this pic. </em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Once I hit Rio Salado, I stretched my legs for a bit and got into a comfortable
groove. I was cheerful and full of energy. There were smiles.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><o:p><em>First Loop: Felt great!</em></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The ride out to the Beeline Highway went by pretty quick. As I made my
way up to the turnaround for the first time (it was a 3 loop course), I felt
very good despite a bit of a headwind. I was settled, confident and happy with
what I was doing. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">My big goal early on was not to push too hard – so I tried to
slow down when I found myself riding faster than my goal average. It wasn’t a
warm day, so I had to remind myself to drink regularly to get my CarboPro
calories – and to eat a honey stinger chew once in a while as well. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span> </div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em>Cactus giving the finger...foreshadowing of the weather to come?</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The miles after the turnaround on the Beeline were the best part of the
day. After spending 10 miles or so going uphill, I got to go downhill with the
wind at my back. Because the Beeline isn’t very steep (it’s basically a false
flat), I didn’t have to worry about the descent. I just held on a went as fast
as I could go with the same effort as I’d been riding all the way along. I felt
like I was flying. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I made it back to transition to start the second loop. Of course, I saw
Barry Richards and my friends Paula and Karen out there. So great to know
people – it really makes a difference! </span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I can’t remember exactly when it started to rain to be honest. I feel
like it was right around the beginning of the second loop. I could see the
clouds in the distance and they just kept on coming closer…grey, ominous and
not very friendly looking given I was on my bike. I hate riding in the rain.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I started to hear little plinks on my helmet. That’s when I realized it
was raining. Very quickly, those plinks got louder and louder, practically
reverberating in my ears. For a little while I thought I was hearing hail
given the sounds were so loud – but I’m pretty sure they were just rain drops.
Looking at the road, the water droplets were bouncing it was hitting so hard.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em>Of course, there were no photographers on the course at this point. I swear all the official pictures make it look like we had a beautiful day.</em></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Very quickly, the road became a wet mess. As I climbed the Beeline, I
was hoping the rain would hurry up and stop. No such luck. I kept drinking from
my Camelbak and got started into my honey stingers since the rain was filling
my bento box. Lucky for me, the honey stinger chews didn’t melt into goo with
the rain – they just became slippery. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">As I turned to head back down the Beeline, I had an interesting choice
to make…slow down or do what I did the first time – and just pedal as hard as
the wind would carry me. The wind was picking up now – but it was still a
tailwind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Despite being a bit terrified, I decided to go with it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">This is where riding in
the rain several times during my training really helped. First during a
drafting clinic and triathlon clinic, then while on various rides over the
summer - and finally when I did 80km as part of a cold, windy and very wet PwC
Epic Tour in September.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">With this experience going for me, I hunkered down over my handlebars
and held onto my brakes for dear life. I zoomed down the Beeline at a similar
speed to my first loop. I didn’t let go for anything. There was no eating, no
drinking…just focusing on what I could see in the few feet ahead of me – and trying
not to do anything that might surprise people coming behind. Interestingly, I
actually passed a few people (not many) – which I thought was awesome. I
smiled, laughed out loud a few times, and kept a running playlist of songs with
the word ‘rain’ going in my head. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I kept reminding myself that I was there doing an Ironman in the desert
and it was pouring rain. Blame it on me. I picked this race because it was
going to be dry. I should know better! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">On the way back into Tempe, I started to feel bad for the volunteers. The
weather was not what any of them expected either. I am sure they were much
colder than I was, given they weren’t moving! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I am pretty sure I saw Barry again on this loop – and, as I went around
the turn to start my second lap, there was my dad! My friend Paula actually got a picture of him in the Bike VIP tent - although when I saw him, he was outside braving the wet!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DykrVgiVk2E/VrkXL9zodFI/AAAAAAAAA_w/h_VEdbCxr_w/s1600/12265790_10208394341680223_6475760178247117591_o%2B%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DykrVgiVk2E/VrkXL9zodFI/AAAAAAAAA_w/h_VEdbCxr_w/s320/12265790_10208394341680223_6475760178247117591_o%2B%25281%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em>My Dad patiently waiting to catch sight of me</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I admit, seeing my Dad made my day
and got me revved up for my last loop. I</span><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> saw Karen and
Paula again on this lap as well I think. In fact, Paula got a picture of me.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PrDjlDsYF7I/VrkXGXv7oKI/AAAAAAAAA_s/16LL-AW7W3A/s1600/11693919_10208394330519944_327533631994851292_n%2B%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PrDjlDsYF7I/VrkXGXv7oKI/AAAAAAAAA_s/16LL-AW7W3A/s320/11693919_10208394330519944_327533631994851292_n%2B%25281%2529.jpg" width="281" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em>Proof it was raining - Thanks Paula!</em></span></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></em> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">On the way up the Beeline for the third time, the rain stopped for a
while. This gave me a nice (if short) reprieve – although the wind was picking
up, so I felt my pace dropping on the uphill to the turnaround. I figured that
was okay though since I’d still have the wind at my back on the way down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Around this time, I saw a lovely rainbow in the distance. That made me
smile and push a bit harder. I took it as a sign I was going to finish. Wish I could have taken a picture of it!</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Midway through the last loop was when I started to feel incredibly
stiff. It was a chore just to let go of my handlebars at various points. But I
peeled my fingers off regularly to stretch them out - and did my best to keep
fueled and hydrated.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">I am proud of how far I’ve
come with respect to eating and drinking on the bike. Less than 6 months
earlier, I still wasn’t able to take my hands off my handlebars. Here’s to my
coach’s diligence in keeping me practicing that skill until I finally, finally
had it.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">As I approached the turnaround for the last time, the rain started up
again. Yippee! As I turned around, I decided to do the same thing I’d done on
the second loop: I pushed as hard as I could down the hill and ignored everything
but the road in front of me. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
</div>
<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-j4uzYF3J94g/Vrkaa-FPq_I/AAAAAAAABAA/bOxNk6xMi8o/s1600/1183_031053.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-j4uzYF3J94g/Vrkaa-FPq_I/AAAAAAAABAA/bOxNk6xMi8o/s320/1183_031053.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em>Official pic from near the end of the bike.</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">At one point I passed a bike crash. Several people had already stopped
to help. I was given a wave so I kept going. As I glanced at the girl on the
ground from the corner of my eye, I felt badly since it was
pretty clear she wasn’t going to be finishing the race that day. I just hope
she was okay overall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Needless to say, I was a bit more cautious the last stretch. My hands
felt glued to my handlebars at this point and my elbows and forearms ached a
lot – no doubt from tension (what a weird thing to hurt during an Ironman,
right?). My legs felt pretty good oddly enough.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">A few kilometers from town, I approached the bridge over Tempe Town
Lake. I went to shift gears but my fingers weren’t moving very well. A second
later, I felt the tell-tale looseness that said I’d dropped my chain.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I quickly came to a stop, jumped off, quickly flipped the chain back
on, then got going again. The entire incident took maybe 30 seconds. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Aside: Getting my chain back on
was the only time I stopped during the entire IMAZ bike leg. To be honest, I
was so afraid that if I stopped in the rain, I’d have a problem getting started
again. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The last few km into transition were almost surreal. I teared up, knowing
that even if I suddenly had 3 flat tires, I could walk my bike to
transition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every km closer that I got,
I breathed a bit easier. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DAbaXlM0XFQ/VrkZnX1kHUI/AAAAAAAAA_4/JYQVSSb8J00/s1600/1183_025946.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DAbaXlM0XFQ/VrkZnX1kHUI/AAAAAAAAA_4/JYQVSSb8J00/s320/1183_025946.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em>Official picture...close to the end</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">As I approached transition, it must have been the cut-off time for
people starting the third loop of the bike. I had to watch as two different
people were stopped from proceeding by an official. Watching them made me
realize how lucky I was to have no real issues on that bike ride, despite the
rain. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Riding into Tempe Beach Park, I realized that I was going to do this.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">As I wobbled to a stop at the dismount line and handed my bike off to a
volunteer, I knew that I had enough time to walk every step of the marathon and
still finish before midnight. </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I knew – regardless of what happened on the run (and I certainly tested
that out as you will see in the next chapter) – that I was going to do this.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I was going to be an Ironman.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Final bike time: 6:48:05 (48/120
AG, 285/765 women, and 1484/2676 overall)<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
Janahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01164472001808495441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5871976754080266388.post-51327965507415886652016-01-30T15:06:00.004-05:002016-02-08T18:00:21.861-05:00Ironman Arizona Race Report - Chapter 1: Don't Drown<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I could
write an incredibly awesome blog about how I got to Ironman Arizona (aka – the Epic
Road Trip with my Dad) – but for now, I know people really want to read about my
race experience…so I might fill in details about the trip in a follow-up series
of blogs (likely sometime in the next millennium). <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">In other words….just pretend you know
everything that happened on my journey prior to race day. Like skipping over
the beginning of the book or movie and going straight to the climactic scene.
Not that I’d ever recommend doing that! </span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></i> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span id="goog_1115568832"></span><span id="goog_1115568833"></span><o:p></o:p></span></i><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-q8_WJxMtzLY/Vqz0Ki8jNSI/AAAAAAAAA9s/HVJndZ9rLYU/s1600/Bike%2Bramp%2BIMAZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-q8_WJxMtzLY/Vqz0Ki8jNSI/AAAAAAAAA9s/HVJndZ9rLYU/s320/Bike%2Bramp%2BIMAZ.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em>Bike ramp leading into Tempe Beach Park</em></span></b></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></b><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">The calm before the storm<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">My hotel
(Hampton Inn on Scottsdale Road) arranged to have breakfast available from 4:30am
for everyone on race day. I decided that rather than worry about getting to the
race site right when transition opened, I’d just eat my normal breakfast and
then get there when I got there. Having dropped my bags and bike off the day before,
there really wasn’t much for me to do to ‘prepare’ on race day other than to
check my tires and make sure my Speedfil was full. I didn’t want to be
wandering around in the cold for 2 hours before the race start.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">So I got up
around 4:30am, rolled out of bed and went downstairs with my Dad to get
breakfast. Needless to say, I stuck to my standard race day fare: A bagel with
peanut butter, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and a coffee (Nothing new
on race day!). To be honest, it was nice to have some time to sip my coffee,
eat and watch other people getting ready for the long day ahead. It was the
calm before the storm if you will. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Not that I
was particularly calm. I am pretty sure my hands were shaking as I slathered
peanut better on my bagel – but I was excited and confident about the day to
come. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">When we got
outside, it was chilly (Around 50F/10C) but dry. Thankfully, I knew how cold it
was going to be from watching three friends race last year, so I was dressed
well in warm-up pants, long sleeved shirt and jacket. We drove to the race site
and managed to get a great parking spot just across from Tempe Beach Park.
Thanks to my dad for scouting the lot out in advance. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">My dad took some
start-of-the-day pictures and then we were off to transition. I had all my swim
stuff with me, not to mention my special needs bags. I’d rechecked my bags the
night before so I knew I had everything I had planned to bring (e.g. a spare
pairs of goggles, bike pump, extra nutrition, etc.). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rEBB1j1NPyA/Vqz0sQHqzXI/AAAAAAAAA94/AeIAMk0wAso/s1600/12244664_10201111677990023_7339727754874314773_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rEBB1j1NPyA/Vqz0sQHqzXI/AAAAAAAAA94/AeIAMk0wAso/s320/12244664_10201111677990023_7339727754874314773_o.jpg" width="240" /></a><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em>Starting the day with a smile!</em></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">In fact, I
was pretty sure I was prepared for anything that might come my way. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Aside: You can’t see me, but I’m laughing
out loud as I write this. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">It was really
dark in transition, so I was glad I didn’t have much to do when I arrived
around 5:30am. Mostly, I just had to give my bike a once over. If you’re
wondering what I did….I:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Put water in my Speedfil – This was easy. I just
filled it from a 1.5L water bottle I brought with me. My Camelbak had my
Carbo-Pro mix in it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Check my bento box – I double checked that the
zipper was working and that everything was still there. It was full of 4 bags
of Honey Stinger Chews (already out of the package so I could eat them easily),
and a couple of gels I could take if I ever stopped (I can’t eat gels on the go
yet).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Put my spare Garmin on my handlebars – I came up
with this idea after dealing with not 1, but 2 half-ironman races where my
watch refused to work. Figured with a spare, I’d be covered even if my Garmin
920 decided to fail me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Pump my tires up – This was surprisingly hard to
do since the bikes were so tight on the rack. But luckily I was right by the
bike mechanic so I used their fence to rest my bike so I had more space. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Make sure I was in the right gear – This was
mostly a wild guess. I knew I’d be in a crowd leaving transition, so I went
with something easy, but enough to give me a little resistance so I’d get going
quickly. If I recall, it was toward the end of the lower ring – one shift
before I’d probably switch to the big ring. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">All in all,
this took me a maximum of 10 minutes. Not long at all. I gave my bike pump back
to my Dad – and then it was time to say goodbye. I got my Dad a VIP pass for
the day, so he headed off to find the VIP swim tent, while I got to look for
the portapotties! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The line for
the loo was pretty long, but I had plenty of time. After I made it through the
line and did my business, it was time to get my wetsuit on and drop off my
morning clothes bag (i.e. all the stuff I’d lugged with me to the race and that
I’d likely want to put on again when I crossed the finish line).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Wetsuit on, I
looked around and found a refreshment table with plenty of water. While it was
supposed to be for people to drink, I took one of the jugs and poured some of
it into my wetsuit. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">That may
sound weird, but my coach recommended once (before the Toronto Triathlon
Festival – in Lake Ontario) that when you have to swim in cold water, getting
wet before getting in the water makes the shock easier since you have time for
the water closest to your skin to warm up. I am sure I got some funny looks –
but trust me, it did help! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">From there,
I made my way to the swim entrance, where people were already starting to
gather. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Ironman Arizona: Swim<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">This was the first year that IMAZ had a rolling start. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I admit that the rolling start took a fair bit of my nerves about the
swim away since it would be a self-seeded start where you could pick when you
entered the water. In my mind, this was a lot better than a mass start with
2,500 of my closest friends – even though I’m a reasonably good swimmer. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I get this kind of start sucks for people who might be vying for a
Kona slot (since you don’t know when your competition will start and ‘first to
the finish’ may not actually win you the race), but for average racers, the
time trial start can make for an easier start to the day. And it did – at least
for me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">That’s not to say I didn’t contemplate where to start. As I wound my
way through the later seeded groups toward the front, it seemed that most of
the people were in the 1:15 and up sections. Now, I figured I could swim around
1:13-1:15 on a perfect day – but I also knew that people would likely be
seeding up (i.e. going a bit ahead of where they would actually swim) and I
didn’t want to have to swim over people if I could help it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Given the 1:10 and up area had a lot less people, I decided to seed
myself to the left of the 1:10 sign. I figured the time wasn’t completely
unreasonable if I found a good draft and swam a good line – and I’d probably
have more space to swim than if I started later. </span></div>
<br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">It was a perfect choice in
hindsight.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Before I seeded myself, I did a few stretches to warm up while looking out onto Tempe Town
Lake. The water was calm, only a flicker of lights bobbing on the water from
people in kayaks and boats. As I was standing there, I got caught by one of the
race photographers. I think that’s a first for me. I rarely get pictures from
before the swim unless they’re taken by friends and family.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-q0p3qpBSfe0/Vqz1YWox6UI/AAAAAAAAA-A/2R4PjlkQUx0/s1600/1183_030589.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-q0p3qpBSfe0/Vqz1YWox6UI/AAAAAAAAA-A/2R4PjlkQUx0/s320/1183_030589.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em>Waiting for the sunrise!</em></span></div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The sky lightened very quickly. It was much cloudier than I expected. But the clouds didn't look too bad and it wasn't windy, so I wasn't worried. On the positive side, I knew I wouldn't have to swim right into the glare of the sun. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Once it got brighter out, I vaguely recall they played the American
national anthem...People cheered, but it was like I was hearing it from a distance. It was almost surreal. I distinctly heard Mike Reilly say in the loudspeaker, “You
are going to be an Ironman today!” And I grinned.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Here's a fantastic picture of the transition area and people in the swim corral corridor. I think it's from the Ironman Arizona Facebook Page...but I really don't know. All I know is it is an astonishing view! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RKQVy4FXHP0/Vq0HIJgXW3I/AAAAAAAAA-Q/JbnjguFqO5w/s1600/11233416_10156224092025534_3541841861774660994_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RKQVy4FXHP0/Vq0HIJgXW3I/AAAAAAAAA-Q/JbnjguFqO5w/s320/11233416_10156224092025534_3541841861774660994_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em>Aerial view of the transition area - before the start</em></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">When the cannon (I think it was a cannon – I just know it was loud)
went off for the pro men’s race, I jumped. Then the pro women started. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I started my watch so I wouldn’t have to worry about it. I didn’t want
it failing me – and didn’t care about an extra minute or two on my time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What seemed like seconds later,
the gun went off for the Age Group Start.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Time of day: 6:50am. Ironman
Arizona had begun!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">We were funneled into the water very quickly. I found myself going
down the entry leftmost entry steps quickly by safely. My plan was to swim
left toward the buoy line, knowing the wall curved and not wanting to swim too
much extra.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"> <em>In hindsight, I swam too far left at first, but at least I had pretty clear water to swim in.</em></span></div>
<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-w68JI1EhSO0/Vq0YvIGmuqI/AAAAAAAAA_I/0udhuPPJTJY/s1600/12241459_10201112055399458_1265787072262823216_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-w68JI1EhSO0/Vq0YvIGmuqI/AAAAAAAAA_I/0udhuPPJTJY/s320/12241459_10201112055399458_1265787072262823216_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em>My Dad's view of the swim start! </em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I jumped in Tempe Town Lake, put my head down and started swimming. I had decided
the day before to get a few minutes into the swim before I took stock and decided if I needed to stop to adjust my goggles or anything. Thankfully, I didn't need to.</span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The swim itself was a million times easier than Barrelman in September. Despite
starting near the front (relatively…still far back from the really fast
swimmers), I didn’t get any hard knocks, nor did I have a girl trying to
clobber me intentionally.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I got into a nice rhythm pretty quickly. I felt strong. I
admit, mentally, I spent a lot of the first half wondering when I’d hit the
turn around, but think that was more nervous energy, excitement and needing to calm down. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had some decent drafting opportunities,
which I took – and also found plenty of people drafting off me.</span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">At different times during the swim, I realized that I wasn’t swimming
the best line. I was sighting well – but I don’t think I actually had a good
sense of what the fastest line was. I thought I knew it going in, but in the
water, it was tough to know if I was there or not. </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 123.6pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">This was especially true on the way back from the turnaround….I know I
swam much wider than I had to. But hey, if I ever do the race again, I have a
much better sense of where things are and what I should have sighted on the
trip down and then back up the course. Certainly on the way back, I should have
been sighting one spot on the bridge, rather than the buoys.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 123.6pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">But all in all, I felt great in the water. It was a perfect
temperature for a long swim. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the time
I closed in on the twin bridges right before the last turn to the finish, I
could sense I was finishing in a really good time. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The turn toward the stairs was one of the easiest parts of the day
because I’d scoped out the sight line the day before. I just put my head down
and swam directly to the stairs, sighting occasionally. I tried to shake my
legs out a bit as I went, which might have looked a bit funny if someone had an
underwater camera…but fortunately no one did.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">On the funny side, I didn’t see my dad as I came out of the water – and
later, he said that he didn’t see me (not surprising given what a zoo it was).
Yet, when I looked at one of the swim exit pictures he posted on Facebook as I
was writing this blog….I realized he actually caught me on camera right before
I went up the stairs! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s me in the
pink cap with the purple goggles! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U7Kwuy6-TLE/Vq0JknrTkAI/AAAAAAAAA-c/3hvO9UIsroM/s1600/12249768_10201112067119751_7735720710887032187_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U7Kwuy6-TLE/Vq0JknrTkAI/AAAAAAAAA-c/3hvO9UIsroM/s320/12249768_10201112067119751_7735720710887032187_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><o:p><em>Don't trip on the stairs. Don't trip on the stairs.</em></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I took my time going up the steps (a process I’d practiced the day
before) and had no issues. There were a million people yelling and cheering. It
was amazing. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">As I walked away from the swim exit I looked at my watch- which I somehow managed to pause
partway through the swim (surprise, surprise!). This moment was kindly caught for
posterity by the race photographers. I was smiling because even though my swim time wasn't completely captured, I saw it was only just after 8am. I was thrilled! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Qg5lTh7AdIs/Vq0Ku5vXS-I/AAAAAAAAA-o/c7W6hs3i6jQ/s1600/1183_024564.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Qg5lTh7AdIs/Vq0Ku5vXS-I/AAAAAAAAA-o/c7W6hs3i6jQ/s320/1183_024564.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><o:p><em>What time is it?</em></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><o:p><em></em></o:p></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><o:p>Here is a wider view of the swim exit - you can see me to the left still looking at my watch. I really like the view though since it gives you a great feel for the atmosphere of the swim exit.</o:p></span></div>
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</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fZNiWtEiq_g/Vq0K5vw7d-I/AAAAAAAAA-0/ZfSdMT-94_k/s1600/1183_095630.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fZNiWtEiq_g/Vq0K5vw7d-I/AAAAAAAAA-0/ZfSdMT-94_k/s320/1183_095630.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em>Swim exit - so exciting!</em></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I hit start, switched to
transition mode, then jogged quickly </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">out of the swim exit area, pulling down the top of
my wetsuit as I went. A few steps later, I was ushered into the wetsuit
stripping station. Before I knew it, I was lying on the ground, two volunteers peeled
off my wetsuit in about 2 seconds then helped me up and sent me on my way,
wetsuit in hand. It was awesome!</span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><strong>Lessons Learned on the Swim<o:p></o:p></strong></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 123.6pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Sighting on such a long course when the things around you are awkwardly shaped
(the edge of the lake curved)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>was harder
than I expected because I couldn’t see far enough down the course to really
tell if I was taking the quickest route (I could only see a buoy or two at a time. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t know that I could’ve done much
differently since we were only allowed to swim part of the course the day
before. Really, it was the experience of swimming the course that gave me the
knowledge that I could use to swim a better route next time. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 123.6pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">But hey – I was still more than happy with my swim time – especially the
fact that I felt good coming out of the water!</span><br />
<br />
<strong>Total Swim time: 1:16:45 (A lot less time than it took to write this blog)</strong><br />
<strong>Rank: 26/120 AG, 180/765 women, 865/2,676 overall</strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
<strong>Next up: The bike!</strong> </div>
Janahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01164472001808495441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5871976754080266388.post-46145782382557481482016-01-30T10:55:00.005-05:002016-01-30T10:55:58.728-05:00Ironman Arizona Race Report: The Prelude
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In the world of blog-posting, my Ironman Arizona Race Report is going to be Epic. In fact, I could probably write a book on the subject (and I have
debated it). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Of course, by the time I'm finished this blog post it might be the length of a book. Sorry in advance.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Now, like any book - the question is where do I begin?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>Once upon a time in a galaxy far, far away...</em></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Oh wait, that's been taken.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>It was a dark and stormy night...</em></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Um, nope, not really.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...</em></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">That's pushing it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>Once upon a time...</em></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em></em></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Sure, let's go with that.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>Once upon a time (also known as pre-February 2012)...</em></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">...the only</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> Ironman I knew of was Robert Downey Jr. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rGdz6x6r83I/VqzaP32hFwI/AAAAAAAAA9U/CdS37eydDDU/s1600/RDJ.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rGdz6x6r83I/VqzaP32hFwI/AAAAAAAAA9U/CdS37eydDDU/s1600/RDJ.png" /></a></div>
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<em>He is Ironman </em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">But then
one day, a couple of months after I started my journey toward becoming fit, I
read a book called, “<a href="https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/cant-swim-cant-ride-cant/9781848187436-item.html?ikwid=can%27t+swim+can%27t+ride+can%27t+run&ikwsec=Home&ikwidx=0" target="_blank">Can’t Swim, Can’t Bike, Can’t Run – From Common Man to Ironman</a>.” The funny thing is that I read this book by happenstance – when I
tripped over one stair on a cruise ship me and ended up on crutches the entire
trip. Because I couldn’t do much that week, I ended up taking this book out of
the ship’s library along with “Born to Run.” </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>In hindsight maybe reading that
book was fate. <o:p></o:p></em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">At the time, I read the book for what
it was: a hilarious take on the triathlon journey. I didn’t even know how to
ride a bike at the time – but I did wonder what it would take to do something
as crazy as swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles, and then run a marathon (26.2
miles). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I could barely wrap my head around those distances. I was still
terrified about the prospect of running my first race – a 10k run 3 months in
the future.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">And yet, looking back, I admit now that there was a tiny part of me –
even then – that wondered, ‘What if? </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Because really, if I could make the decision and commitment to become
fit – how much harder could it be to do an Ironman? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Insert maniacal laugher here<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Needless to say, after doing my first beginner triathlon (after
prompting from my brother) later that summer on a borrowed mountain bike, I realized
just how incredibly insane the guy in the book must have been to do a race
something like 100x longer. I couldn’t imagine doing it myself.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jCfHSv88RyA/USELr3q6_GI/AAAAAAAAALY/k-YB2ANWS-0/s1600/Bike%2B-%2BLoaring%2BTriathlon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jCfHSv88RyA/USELr3q6_GI/AAAAAAAAALY/k-YB2ANWS-0/s320/Bike%2B-%2BLoaring%2BTriathlon.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p><em>Loaring Beginner Triathlon - July 2012</em></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Yet, the seed of the idea was planted, buried in my back brain. And anyone
who knows me won’t be surprised that the seed grew.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Fast forward to September 2013<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">When I finished my first marathon in September 2013 after a summer of
doing sprint and Olympic distance triathlons (which I loved), the Ironman
cropped back up in my mind. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">By this point, I’d met plenty of people through the
Toronto Triathlon Club who had done Ironman races, but I didn't really imagine that I could do it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Until I finished the Run for Heroes Marathon. When I crossed that finish line smiling, I realized I could do far more than I'd ever thought possible.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2w8Difo1OEU/UkcUvJ_gIdI/AAAAAAAAAWg/yj_YL8P4eQM/s1600/Finish+-+good.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2w8Difo1OEU/UkcUvJ_gIdI/AAAAAAAAAWg/yj_YL8P4eQM/s320/Finish+-+good.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>World Alzheimer's Day Run for Heroes Marathon - Sept. 2013</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Shortly thereafter, I signed up for my first half ironman a year to the day after my first marathon. I thought that if I
could finish that, then maybe - just maybe – I could do an Ironman. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Over the next year, I read every book and blog I could find on the subject – which is
something I always do when I get interested in a topic. As part of my reading,
I read “<a href="https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/product/9780143122074-item.html?mkwid=sf4qE22rM_dc&pcrid=44154474422&pkw=&pmt=&s_campaign=goo-Shopping_Books&gclid=CLmhl8Lv0coCFQuSaQodoOcEjA" target="_blank">You are an Ironman</a>” -- a book about 6 people training to do Ironman
Arizona. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">From reading that book (and subsequently all the race blogs I could
find), I realized that Arizona had a lake swim, an untechnical bike course,
and a mostly flat run. Even better, it was in the desert so it would be hot and
dry during the day, but cool at night for the run.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">As a first race, I realized I couldn’t choose any better. Good for me
as a terrible biker…and good for my asthma because of the dry heat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Insert maniacal laughter here. Anyone
who knows what the race day turned out to be like will understand<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">A few months later, my friend Paula, who I’d met at the LPC Florida
Triathlon Camp, mentioned signing up for Ironman Arizona. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">“How awesome is that?” I thought. Now I had a good excuse to go down
and watch/volunteer for the race – even if I decided not to sign up that year
for 2015. I figured I’d eventually sign up, so either way it would be a great
trip. Plus I could see and cheer on a friend!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I spent the whole summer telling
people I wasn’t committing to signing up for IMAZ until after Barrelman. I don’t
know how many people believed me – but trust me, it was true. I was fully of
the mind that I didn’t want to sign up until I was confident (well, mostly)
that I could do it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Of course, then I finished Barrelman with a smile, feeling good and
like I could have kept going. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p><em>Niagara Falls Barrelman - Sept. 2014</em></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The rest was history. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">That November, I signed up for the longest race
of my life: a race I couldn’t even fathom just a couple of years earlier. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I was going to do an Ironman.</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oRwPGl2Fxws/Vgg1oLAbp1I/AAAAAAAAA8k/QW204LMealU/s1600/ironman-arizona-logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="123" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oRwPGl2Fxws/Vgg1oLAbp1I/AAAAAAAAA8k/QW204LMealU/s320/ironman-arizona-logo.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Janahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01164472001808495441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5871976754080266388.post-80343546092537183792015-09-27T14:31:00.002-04:002015-09-27T14:33:42.349-04:00Having a Barrel(man) of fun! Last year, the Niagara Falls <a href="http://www.niagarafallstriathlon.com/" target="_blank">Barrelman</a> was my A race. And despite some crazy winds, I had a blast doing it. There's just something amazing about running right by Niagara Falls - it's probably one of the nicest views you can have in a race.<br />
<br />
That's why, when I was thinking of races to do this summer in preparation for <a href="http://www.ironman.com/triathlon/events/americas/ironman/arizona.aspx" target="_blank">Ironman Arizona,</a> I decided that I should do Barrelman again. So very glad I did! <br />
<br />
<strong>Race Prep</strong><br />
<br />
I admit, my race prep was decidedly lacking going into Barrelman. I had been insane with work in the week leading up to the race, so I really didn't give a whole lot of thought to the event until the day I had to leave. Thankfully I already had a room booked and 2 friends (Hector and Kim) to share it and the drive with - my friend Hector who was doing the Swim - Bike, while Kim was an expert Sherpa.<br />
<br />
We got to Welland just in time to register and get to the race briefing - although we didn't have time to rack our bikes...which wasn't actually a bad thing given the weather was looking pretty iffy (we'd driven through some torrential rain on the way and it was incredibly windy still).<br />
<br />
We saw tons of TTC friends - and managed to grab a picture with everyone who was at the race briefing.<br />
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<br />
<br />
After a stop for dinner, we headed to the hotel in Niagara Falls and got ou race bags sorted. Since Barrelman is a point-to-point race, you put your morning clothes in a bag which gets delivered to the finish line, pack your wetsuit into a bag in T1 (which also gets delivered to the end), and your T2 stuff in a bag which gets delivered to your bike right in T2. It was an incredibly easy and smooth process...and great practice for IMAZ where there are similar gear bags for each stage of the race, even though the transition area is in the same spot.<br />
<br />
<strong>Race Morning</strong><br />
<br />
I have to love races that start late enough to grab a coffee and a bagel at Tim Hortons! After stopping for coffee, we headed to Welland. Getting out of the car, I realized what a beautiful day it was going to be. After the crazy weather of the day before - I couldn't have been happier.<br />
<br />
I got my bike racked in transition and then went to get body marked (and bumped into my friend Nicole who surprised all my friends on Daily Mile by volunteering!). Also saw a few other Daily Milers throughout the day...Emma, Sam, Irina, Zindine....it was a party!<br />
<br />
After getting all my stuff sorted, I managed to visit the washroom (a real one inside the Welland International Flatwater Centre) before heading down to the start to get my wetsuit on. Around this time I tried a new Maple Syrup/Ginger Gel from Endurance Tap which was absolutely delicious. That was my big score at the PwC Epic Tour the weekend before where I picked up a 6 pack to try out. <br />
<br />
I got in the water with plenty of time to do a good warm-up - which was a nice change from half of the races I've done. I was in the first wave after the pros, so I was able to stake out my spot on the start line pretty easily. <br />
<br />
<strong>The Swim</strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
My wave included all the men 35 and under, plus all the women 55 and under - or something close to that. That made for a lot of people. But I'd much rather be on the defence than the offense when it comes to swimming, so I lined up against the rightmost buoy line (it was a clockwise rectangle swim in the canal), right at the front of the wave. <br />
<br />
What I didn't know at the time was that I was in the absolute perfect spot to see the guidewires (yes, the rowing centre had guidewires in the water, which meant that I didn't need to look up and sight much at all).<br />
<br />
The wave started and it was pretty much a crazy washing machine - my most crazy swim start ever (beating out Barrelman last year). Here's a fantastic view from the race photographer (My Sports Shooter). And this is only 175 people. I kind of wonder what IMAZ would have been like with a 3,000 person mass start like I watched last year. But this year, they've moved to a rolling start...which, while less awesome to "see" will hopefully make for a bit less insanity in the water. You never know though! <br />
<br />
For reference, I started far right toward the buoy...no idea which person I an though. I am probably one of the first few people on the farthest side since this was still right at the beginning.<br />
<strong></strong><br />
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<strong></strong><br />
<br />
I spent a good 100m in the middle of the race fighting with this girl who kept wanting me to get out of her way (I was swimming right over the guidewires)....but she wasn't quite fast enough to get ahead of me, so she kept trying to hit me instead (intentionally). I got a fist to my lip at one point, and then another one to my head which knocked my goggles off. Thankfully I didn't lose them, but I did have to stop (in the middle of a crowd) to put them back on.<br />
<br />
But, as I said - I'd rather be on the defense, so despite being really, really annoyed by this girl's antics, I didn't let the incident bother me. I kept my line around the two far buoys and then got sandwiched again by a couple of guys (not at all intentionally) coming out of the turn to head back. Thankfully, I managed to get myself free and in front of them. <br />
<br />
I had clear sailing for much of the race after that - which was nice. <br />
<br />
Thinking about the race afterward, I have to say that one thing I was able to do really well during the swim was draft. I had people to swim near pretty for at least 3/4 of the race (oftentimes too near). Of course, I lost some of that time thanks to crazy girl, but it was still a good experience. Overall, I finished the swim a bit slower than last year, but still well within my goal time (between 35-38min). I was happy! <br />
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<strong>Swim time: 36:41 (6/21 AG)</strong></div>
<strong></strong><br />
<strong>T1</strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
I had a pretty good T1...decided not to take a nap like I did last year (when my transition was 5min long). I still took my time to make sure I was organized, but overall, it was a lot quicker - 2:52.<br />
<br />
A photographer actually caught me in T2, much to my surprise.<br />
<strong></strong><br />
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<strong></strong><br />
<strong>The bike</strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
I left T1 riding along the recreational canal (you can just see the Welland International Flatwater Centre in the background) to the street. I might not be fast, but I looked it in my new Rudy Project helmet! <br />
<strong></strong><br />
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<br />
Out on the bike course, I realized that my technology jinx struck again because my watch wouldn't come out of swim mode, no matter how many times I pressed the mode and lap buttons. The thing was frozen...which meant all it would give me was total time. Seriously...I swear Garmin hates me. This is the second Barrelman in a row where I had watch-fail.<br />
<br />
But, thanks to last year, I did have a backup plan. There were mile markers every 5k...and I knew 2min per km was 30km/h. So I was able to approximate my time at each of the mile markers to see if I was on track.<br />
<br />
Opposite to last year, I got a light tailwind the first half of the course, which meant I averaged around 30km/h for the first hour or so. The second half of the course I got more of a headwind, but nothing like the craziness of last year. It's funny....afterwards I heard people complaining about the wind. Personally, it didn't bother me in the slightest. I just kept thinking how much nicer it was than last year! <br />
<br />
I was able to eat and drink very well on the bike...even if my nose would run disgustingly every time I drank from my camelbak. Thank goodness for bike gloves - and finally being able to take my hands off my handlebars so I could wipe my nose without any problems. But still: yuck! <br />
<br />
Got to the mid-way mark and saw a photographer.<br />
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<strong></strong><br />
Kilometres 65-80 were the worst for me - not because I was feeling bad, but because the roads seemed to be a lot crappier than they were last year. I know I slowed down in that section, but I did my best. Thankfully the last 10km or so was back along the Niagara Parkway, leading into Niagara Falls....perfect way to end a bike ride, since I got up my speed again. <br />
<br />
Was very surprised to see my friend (and Limitless Coaching Coach) Eric D'Arcy with about 8km left to go. Eric had a bunch of his athletes racing so came out to spectate. I admit, seeing him gave me an added burst of energy! <br />
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I wasn't really sure what my bike time was when I pulled into transition, but I knew it was decently under my goal time of 3:15-3:18. Although the course was 3km shorter this year, so I wasn't sure how that would factor in. Turns out I was just a touch faster than my top end goal speed (28-28.5km/h) for the bike - with an average of 28.73 km/h. I was thrilled! That's almost 2.25km/h faster than I did last year! <br />
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Also - it makes me think that maybe, just maybe I'll be able to break 3 hours one of these days (or years) for a half ironman bike. What a crazy thought! <br />
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<strong>Bike time: 3:05:52 (10/21 AG - top half! Woohooo!)</strong><br />
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<strong>T2</strong><br />
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T2 was set up very similarly to last year, with a ton of volunteers making it easy to find my bike. One fabulous woman chatted with me as I was switching into my run gear - and offered to pack up all my bike stuff in the bag for me. Thanks awesome volunteer! :)<br />
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All this meant I had a decent T2 - again, taking a couple of minutes off compared to last year (2:53).<br />
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<strong>The Run</strong><br />
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The run is by far the best part of Barrelman. It's also why one of these years I want to do the Niagara Falls International Marathon or Half Marathon (not sure what the race distance is). It's just such a gorgeous city.<br />
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Just out of T2, I saw my friend Kim (saw a ton of people I knew over the course of the day - it was fantastic!). I managed to smile, although I was in the process of trying to beat my watch into submission with the hope I could get it to work for the run. Miraculously I did! <br />
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The route for the run was changed a bit this year...which seemed to both add more hills (which it didn't - but the course certainly felt hillier than last year)...and some stairs (a few going up and then an entire flight going down) which we had to do on both laps. I walked down the stairs both times because I have a propensity for tripping down stairs and didn't want to do that in a race. <br />
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Just like last year, I loved, loved, loved running by the falls. I was even very lucky that no cars were going by when I was running by the photographer - since he captured an incredible picture! <br />
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I actually felt pretty good on the run - better than last year - but I was actually a tad slower much to my surprise. Still had good pacing though. I was about 2min slower on the second lap, but that's mostly because I was a bit slower on the hills and the stairs I think - and I stopped a bit more at aid stations and made sure to test some coke (since I wanted to see how my stomach would react if I drank it at IMAZ). <br />
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Overall, this run was fantastic - and the aid station folks all the way along were amazing! <br />
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<strong>Run time: 1:58:44 (8/21 AG)</strong><br />
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<strong>The finish</strong><br />
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When I turned into the finisher's chute, I could see the clock and it read 5:47:xx - I was absolutely over the moon. Running toward the finish, I was practically flying I felt so good. All I had been hoping for was to break 6 hours, but I broke it by a ton. Even the 3km shorter bike course didn't account for all 26min I shaved off my time from last year.<br />
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<strong>Final thoughts</strong><br />
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Really big thanks to Multisport Canada for putting on such a fabulous race - and to the absolutely amazing crew of volunteers. You guys all went above and beyond my expectations. Thanks for a great day! <br />
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Also, as always, a big shout out to my Coach Mark Linseman. He's patience personified when it comes to my biking efforts - but it's thanks to him I'm getting better and better every single day when it comes to triathlon. You're awesome Coach! <br />
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Next stop? Ironman Arizona.<br />
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<br />Janahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01164472001808495441noreply@blogger.com4