An Adventure "Race" Extravaganza!

So I finally did my first Adventure Race and it was as a member of a very unexpected team; the BV Divas! (BV stands for Buena Vista where the race was held). My friend Lori Stewart, who I know has an adventurous soul because we spent 2 weeks cruising around Italy together a few years ago, agreed to be my teammate when I had decide to do it but had no partner. We signed up for the 6 hour race which included trail running, mountain biking, kayaking on the Arkansas River and some orienteering.

I had such a blast! Lori was the greatest teammate! She was organized, excited and open to whatever challenges we might face. John, Ken, Paul and Heidi did a 4-man team so we had friends on the course with us which was really cool! Sarah, Kelly, Katie and Drake served as the best Crew we could have asked for and they made the day even more fun by allowing us to focus on getting through transitions and feeding our faces while they laid out all our gear for the next phase of the race. Every time we ran into a transition our gear was all spread out, organized and accessible. I fear I am seriously spoiled now and I doubt I will have the same luxury at my next adventure race.

The 6 hour race itself was well organized and very manageable. We started Friday night with a crash course in how to read a map with degrees. They only gave us coordinates and then we had to map where we thought the check points would be. Paul and Heidi were very helpful in making sure we were on task and weren’t going to end up in Leadville or Kansas. THANKS GUYS! Saturday morning was really relaxing and we did the traditional photo shoot, visited with other friends who were up there and generally hung out until we started the run. Of course we started running straight up hill for about 4 miles. This is of course my strength and Lori was awesome. We found a pace that was strong but manageable and we beat many teams to the 2^nd check point. This is where I had my first real “aha” moment about adventure races…follow your instincts and not other teams. The 2^nd CP was cleverly placed at a 4 way intersection so depending on how you read the coordinates there were options. I was amazed as people went all 4 directions. Fortunately Loir and I went the shortest way and did a great job of cruising down hill to the road in order to get to CP 3 and jump in the river! We did spend a little time chatting with a team of 4 young bucks who had come up with the same coordinates we did. It is never a bad thing to be lost in the woods with 4 young bucks…I’m just saying!

The water was by far the most challenging and fun portion of the race for me! My friend Sonja, an experienced backwoods trekker, advised us that we should have Lori in the front of the kayak and me in the back as I am presumably stronger. Hmmm. We need to revisit this theory of beer. Lori is a solid 6 feet tall, lean and strong. I am a solid 5’3” and equally strong but neither one of us has any kayaking experience. Once we got all dressed and Kelly and Sarah coached us into the water, strapped on our packs and pushed us out I immediately knew we had made a mistake. Imagine if you will a boat weighted in the front with plenty of rapids and very little control in the back…yes, we spun around, around and around. We worked really hard to stay straight but for all our efforts I got some really good pictures of Lori going backwards! I nearly wet my pants from laughter as we spun! I almost fell out once but got my foot stuck in Lori’s pack. My head was hanging out, my paddle banging along in the water. It was so funny and exhausting. We worked really hard and tried to coordinate our strokes and avoid any rocks but I was supposedly steering around rocks I couldn’t see so Lori was yelling out times but I couldn’t figure out which way the clock went! Needless to say we got through the miles and then had to drag our boat up the river bank (by far the most strenuous part of the event!). The mountain bike started out on a long ride on a dirt road which was a good way to shake off the water and get ready for some good mountain trail climbs. I apologize now if my “cycling shorts” offend anyone. I find that this particular model of shorts really helps me focus and other people really enjoy the view as well. Like I have said before, it is all about having fun! I learned something really cool about Buena Vista, Colorado…a large percentage of it is based in sand. OMG! Once we left the highway on our mountain bikes we started to climb up jeep roads that were primarily sand. This makes for hard climbing and maneuvering. Lori was a freakin rock star on this portion of the race! She climbed so strong and we both got off our bikes when a “technical” section made us nervous. Admittedly the “technical” sections I am referring to would not even be noticed by experienced mountain bikers but we were all about not getting hurt and finishing the race. I saw no need for “practicing” my lame mountain bike skills. In fact, I had the lamest crash going too slow down a hill. Once I let other folks pass us by Lori came down to me and I was baffled because it appeared that my front cables had completely stretch over the front of my handle bars. I swear it took 5 minutes of staring at it until Lori suggested that I simply turn my handle bars all the way around…who knew you could do that with a mountain bike! Brilliant! I thought I had totally messed up Paula’s mountain bike! Phew!

The last part of the mountain bike ride was down a jeep road at a good clip and then down a single track that required a couple of jumps off the bike. It was so beautiful and just about the perfect day! As we came down to the bridge that crossed the river to the finish we could see Sarah and Kelly on the other side of the river cheering us on! What a blast! We road across the bridge together and finished so strong! We finished the 6 hour race in 5+ hours! Rock on!

I do have to share a story about meeting up with our other team during the mountain bike portion of the race. J During an adventure race racers are required to use an orienteering punch at each check point. That is how the race organizers know you completed the entire course. When we got out of the water we had to map our last 2 coordinates. Paul was nice enough to check me as they left our little transition area so I felt confident we were on course the whole time! Well thank goodness Lori didn’t like to bomb down sandy hills! As Lori was navigating her way down a particularly sandy portion of the course I was stretching at the bottom and thinking we should be seeing CP #5 very soon. In fact we had stopped to read our map ½ mile earlier to make sure we were still where we thought we needed to be. While I was stretching I happened to see CP#5 tucked up inside this old gnarly tree on the other side of the dried up creek. I went over, punched our book and off we went. A short time later we ran into John riding the opposite way; apparently they had missed CP#5. In fact plenty of people had missed it as I suspect they blew down that hill and up the other side in order to have some momentum to climb. Well, if you blew up it there is no way you would have seen the flag. We yelled to John as we went past him that it was back a mile+. Then we saw Ken who was waiting for John to go find the CP. Then we ran into Paul who was farther up the trail and also waiting. It of course made us giggle as “the boys” were the great map readers. Plus Heidi, who actually had the map, was nowhere to be found. Then the challenge to find the last CP began. There were a bunch of us riding around trying to find it and we had all marked it on our maps differently. Again, thanks to Paul, Lori and I decided to go with what we had mapped out and turned around and headed down a different trail. How we managed to be the first ones to find CP#6 and the last ones out of there baffles me but Lori and I are still pretty cocky about how amazing our map reading skills served us!

If you are interested in trying an adventure race I would highly recommend this event. It was challenging yet doable. The weather was stunning, the landscape beautiful and the event was a blast! The best part was really afterwards when the beer started to flow and the stories were told! We all have our own version of that day but since this is my blog you are getting my version! J Lori and I finished as the first 2-woman team! Very impressive for our first attempt! (Need I mention that there were only 2 teams? NAH!)

Once again I experience an event that I love and could easily become addicted to…good thing I don’t have time in my schedule this year!

Kansas 70.3 – a great entrée to the long course triathlon!

I followed the “yellow brick road” last Sunday for about 5 hours and 13 minutes. I raced the Kansas 70.3 in Lawrence, Kansas. In the week leading up to the race I started regretting signing up for the race at all; work has been really challenging and I have no love for the weather and hills of Kansas. The last time I raced in Kansas, like many of us, it was the year after they canceled nationals and I never got settled into the event the 2nd year. All I remember from the national’s course was rolling hills I could never get comfortable on and a run that wore me out before I started. Thankfully it is 3 years later and I am a much stronger, smarter and happier triathlete…but I was still dreading the 70.3.
I am always happy when we have a large group from our team and this race was no exception. We had at least 10 athletes compete and plenty of great fans from neighboring states. The logistics started out complicated but we all knew what we needed and everything went smoothly. Many thanks to Tony and Michele for letting us turn their FJ into a mobile locker room!
Race day started out cool, cloudy and misty. I had a headache, felt nauseous and was a general mess prior to the start. The race is cool because it has 2 transition areas so you have to be very organized and focused before the race so that you have all the right equipment at the right transition. I handled that no problem…the only hiccup in my prerace was the smashed Accel Gel and crushed sunglasses in my tribag. The Accel Gel exploded all over my wetsuit and left it sticky inside and out so I was hoping it would make me slicker through the water…didn’t help. I finally settled into my “race head” when MnM and I went for a run to shake out our legs. I started to settle down and chill out. After the race was over I realized just how stressed I was before the race. I haven’t been that worked up about a race in quite a while. I’m not sure if it was because of the distance, the competition or the unspoken pressure I put on myself to have a good result or if it was just all the other stress in my life. Regardless, I don’t need to do that again!
Now that I am in the “elite” age group (by that I mean 45+) I get to start early. I was in the first age group wave with all the men 50+. Let me tell you, I do not enjoy going into the water with all those guys. They are big, strong, directionally challenged and mean! I had the same guy punch me in the face twice and then swear at me! Geesh! After the first 700 meters of combative swimming I moved out to my right just so I could actually swim. This made the swim longer and my time longer but at least I could move through the water. I spent the first 15 minutes trying not to drown!
With the longer course and the looming clouds I took my time in T1 and put on socks before sprinting up the hill. The coaching session I had with Steve about a month ago was the best I have had in a long time as he taught me how to move around on my seat depending on the climb and he taught me when and why to stand. What a huge difference that made in my ride! I felt the rhythm the entire ride. Even when we were faced with a long steep hill I was able to roll up it and cruise to the next one. My only concern was how hard should I work so that I had something left for the run. I was dreading the run (more mental destruction) as I got closer to T2.
I managed to convince myself that the run was going to hurt too much. What a dope. My original goal was to run faster than I did at SuperFrog (1:51) because the run at SuperFrog was harder but the ride was much easier so I thought I could run a little faster. As I cruised into T2 I was having a really stupid conversation with myself about “how slow could I start out and still cover the distance?” I should know myself better than that by now…I always cover the distance! The key was not to start out too fast so that I would have something for the 2nd loop. The first loop was a struggle but that was because the sun came out and was burning through my uncapped head and my head would not let up! I even considered what it would be like to trip myself and call it a day! Unbelievable! The 2nd loop started out OK, then I felt a huge lull between miles 8 and 10…I was day dreaming, thinking about the pain and wondering how I could get this over with faster. Then, like my body seems to enjoy, at mile 10 I found a new energy and strength. It’s as if my body realizes it is in for the long haul and realigns itself…the pain disappears, I feel lighter in my steps and I am able to cruise. It is very strange and I am convinced that I would have completely escaped the lull had I not been doing mental acrobatics.
As I ran toward the finish line I came up on my old friend Ted, from Premier Multisport, and we ran down the yellow brick road together. I felt really good when I was done! I was glad it was over and I knew I had more left physically but that I was done mentally. This is definitely a great distance for me. If I continue to train at this level I think I will really be able to make serious strides and have success. It was so much fun to see teammates Sonja, Michelle, Steve and Tony qualify for Worlds. For a brief moment in time I thought I might qualify but my age group only took 1 slot and since I finished 4th in my age group (out of 40+) I did not get a slot. Honestly I was relieved as I am not having great success in sales right now and the thought of spending more money was daunting but if I had been offered the slot I would have taken it…maybe another year. I have plenty of time to get stronger at this distance.
The 8+ hour ride home with Barry and Michele was the toughest part of the trip. Not because of the company but because we struggled with cramped muscles and tremendous hunger! Fortunately the ride was uneventful and the perfect end to a perfect weekend. I will take 4th place in my age group in my first 70.3 and learn from it and see how I do at the next one!

Bike Racing 101 – BAR…who knew!

The last Saturday in May I spent at my first official bike road race in Hugo, Colorado. Hugo is southeast of Denver in the plains. It is a tiny welcoming town that has a store that touted it had been serving cold beer to Hugo for 32 years! Booya! About 5 years ago I entered into a 4-day bike race and got spanked at all 4 events. And what a blast it was! 4 years later I am being coached by a former pro-cyclist who has seen it all and has decided that a bike road race would be a “good experience” for Michelle, Sonja and me. Of course we were all ready to try something new so we signed up as Category 4 racers. There are 5 categories in bike racing and “Cat 4” is the highest level a person can register for without having acquired points to get there. So Cat 4 racers are seemingly a wide range of cyclist; strong cyclist with no race experience, strong racers with limited strength and lots of attitude, strategic racers and everything in between.

Steve spent some time with Michelle and me the day before the race so he could share his experience and try to set some expectations for us. Speaking for myself..I was clueless. In a former life I had a husband who race Cat 3 & 4 but I only watched and had no idea what it would really be like to ride in a tight group. I also don’t think that all my years of watching the Tour De France really qualifies me as a solid bike racer so I was really excited to hear what Steve had to say. I was actually a little disappointed at first because as Steve spoke I felt as though I was being discounted from the event. You know, I am the old lady who travels and doesn’t have what it takes to hold on…of course this is what I was HEARING NOT what was bring said. Steve was very fairly trying to set our expectations on NOT getting dropped and remaining strong through the race. Needless to say I started the race the next day with a bit more determination than I might have had because I realized had discounted myself and I needed to prove to myself that all my hard work and training is paying off.

Michelle and I also had a chance to practice some bike skills in the grass with Steve. This was really fun as we learned to hold our line, push someone off and hold our bikes if we were hit from behind. We both had a wicked aversion to running into each other’s back wheels. I suppose this is good however it made me laugh because I was busting on MF for not hitting me and then when it was my turn I had an equally hard time. It was really fun!

Race day came and we were blessed with a coach, crew and bike maintenance team; Steve, Troy and Annabelle. Plus Sarah Mussard rode up with us and Nicole Horst was there racing with the Damas. Hugo is way out on the rolling plains of Colorado and the only real shade comes from 18 wheelers as they blow by you on the highway. It is hot, dusty, windy and rolling…just the way we like it! Steve and Troy helped us put on numbers, assembled our bikes and generally treated us like princesses as we were getting ready. It was an experience I haven’t had in a while and Steve better not let me get used to it. I realized after Steve asked me a couple times if I was nervous that he was nervous enough for all of us. We had kidded the night before about not embarrassing him or Practical Coaching and although it was all in good fun there was something to be said for making a good showing. We all wore our new PC kits and we looked pretty sharp and not like triathletes. Apparently there is some disdain for triathletes among “real” bike racers and I only have one thing to say to that…wanna go for a run after the race? J

While we were edging our way up to the start line for the race we were surrounded by women who clearly had all the gear and attitude necessary to race Cat 4. A woman came up next to my bike and asked me if I had raced yet this season. I told her “No, this is my first race…ever”. Wow, what a reaction that caused. After the look up and down she explained to me that she was “2^nd in BAR and her friend was “1^st in BAR”. My race rules had not yet begun so I took the bait…what is BAR? Well, it is the Best All Round Results this season. Then she explained that she was #1 in the state for Time Trialing so I had to ask…why are you Cat 4? Oops, apparently that offended her. She explained to me as she pushed up in front of me that you don’t get points for time trialing. Who knew! I can assure you that both Sonja and I were incredibly impressed with our introduction to BAR.

The race itself was a fantastic experience. I was amazed at all the banter, yakking and politking of the women in the race. Steve told us it was all about posturing and attitude and wow was he right! The race was 78 miles that covered a huge rectangle. The head wind was consistent to the point that I got used to riding with it. When Steve asked me if I was nervous before the race I found there was only one thing that made me anxious…if I actually managed to stay with the group I was concerned that the “feed zone” could be very hazardous since I had never ridden in s tight group before. As it turned out it was crazier than any of us expected because the Pro Men that started behind us caught us just as we all entered the feed zone. Sheer chaos ensued and all I could see was Steve yelling “go with the boys go with the boys!” So I started pedaling like crazy. As I was hammering I only saw a couple women ahead of me including Michelle…she heard the same instructions I had. Then we both got reprimanded for “making a move” in the feed zone. We thought we had done something wrong when in fact we had broken an unstated expectation but no rule. There is nothing saying we couldn’t have kept right on going but we didn’t know so we both settled in and soon enough the group was back with us. I kept thinking we would shake the back of the pack but the front group was so interesting and many of the women in the middle were so squirrely! Many of the women were solid riders and I learned to stay close to them…many were freakin squirrely and I tried to stay away from them as I never felt comfortable riding behind them and I know it made it hard to ride behind me. All the jawing quieted down for about 20 miles but after the 2^nd feed zone some gals really started jabbering again. Yelling at each other about not pulling, not pulling off, slowing down the group. Women in the middle of the pack were yelling at the women in front to speed up. I thought that was classic…if you want them to speed up then go up there and pull! Geesh!

I only had 2 assignments from Steve…don’t get dropped and keep my mouth shut. He knows me well enough to know that this is a setting where I could really join in the jawing going on. But I didn’t. Outside from an unsightly belch, a quick conversation with both Michelle and Sonja and a chat with one of the Cat 2’s that was riding with us, I never reacted or responded to anything that was thrown at me or near me. Those of you who know me can appreciate how challenging this was at times but I channeled all that BS into my legs and just kept pedaling. After the 2^nd feed zone Steve and Troy drove past us again and yelled to me that the 3 of us should start to alternate up front. Very cool. We all tried different tactics to pull, pull away and jump but none were successful. For my part I was never sure how hard to go out because I felt really strong and felt like I could pull away but I didn’t know what I really had left and I didn’t want to get shelled by the group. Sonja and I made a couple string efforts and MF nearly had the lead for good but our efforts to slow the lead pack failed and we caught her with about 5k to go. The last 5K was a freakin game and sprint and I loved it! My legs just came alive and I hammered to the finish. I was shocked how much I had left in my legs! The three of us finished in the top group in 3:35. 78 miles in 3:35. That is HOT!

The highlights were being with my friends and watching all of us thrive on the energy we generate as a team. We worked like a well oiled machine before, during and after the race. Steve guided us and we took the reins and rode like the wind! I loved being in the pack and seeing Sonja make a move or Michelle jump and then it was my turn to roll to the front and pull. I learned how important recovery in the middle of the pack is. I knew this was an option but only in Hugo did I learn what it means to recover and still keep moving. I learned that I am stronger than I thought and that I LOVE BIKE RACING!

Rage in the Sage 2009

It may be hard to guess what the name of this race indicates until you actually arrive at Lake Mead in Boulder City, Nevada. There is NOTHING out there but hot, dry desert, rocks, sand, hills and wind…plenty of wind! Oh and of course…sage. Sadly at this time of year the sage is neither pretty nor inviting…it is seemingly dead and dry like everything else around it. Having said all that, this part of the country really does have its own beauty if you have an open mind. The rock formations, amazing colors and brilliant blue sky definitely help make it more appealing to the occasional tourist.

Last Saturday there were 13 (plus families and friends!) of us from our group in Colorado who ventured down to Las Vegas for this crazy race. There was a caravan of people who drove, trailered our bikes and their kids the 12+ hours in order to get to the race. Then there were a few of us who had to fly because we had to get home before Sunday night. Tyler tried to convince me that the real fun would be had on the drive home but I had gotten off a plane on Thursday and left again on Friday and had to get back on a plane to New Jersey on Monday…no driving for me thank you very much.

The day before the race was pretty standard for me with one exception…relaxing by the pool at the Tropicana on the strip in Las Vegas! Yeah baby! Now that is the way to put your feet up the day before a race. Admittedly, the fruity drink with the umbrella was missing but not for long! John, Nicole and I had decided to stay on the strip to enjoy the people watching, pool lounging and easy access to the airport. We had to leave pretty early for the race on Saturday morning but honestly we are always awake early before a race anyway so it worked out really well.

I want to give a huge SHOUT OUT of THANKS to Tyler Walton for not only transporting GoGo (my Giant bike) but for providing the care and attention she is accustomed to from me when we travel. He covered her with a blanket, kept her safe and secure and packed her back up after the race because I managed to miss him at the trailer. The convenience and ease that afforded me was priceless and I am very grateful for his “Tylerish” class and humor. I owe you one!
So the race…that was interesting. My coach had indicated in my plan that my intention for the race was to stay focused, let the race come to me and ease into it. Hmmm. I would say that I did not have perfect execution but I can identify where I failed and I can fix it so that is the best outcome for the day! The bad part about the race was the swim. 12 months ago this wouldn’t have surprised me or anyone who knows me but even I was surprised at how hard the swim was…1500 meters felt like 150000 meters. Yes it was windy and yes I am swimming fast enough to actually be around other people that make it harder but the real problem was my siting! Half way through the race I was struck by a huge epiphany. Now this is not the best time for an epiphany but I guess I can’t complain because I think with a little work with my coach I can fix it. A little history; 2 years ago at nationals I was swimming in a crystal clear lake, the only waves being created by other swimmers and I managed to swim myself way off course. I actually had to stop, turn around and go back to a buoy. This was devastating to my race and my spirit that day and it showed in my results. Since then I have had shoulder surgery, been working on my swim and really focusing on my stroke. I have NOT been focusing on my open water swim and boy did I feel that on Saturday. You know how a dog that is not a “water dog” swims around with his head forced up out of the water and splashes around like a spaz? Yep, that was me. I swam the first 700 meters or more with my head up and out of the water in order to be sure I didn’t “get lost” and miss a buoy! OMG! This killed my time and more importantly it zaps my energy much faster. It takes a huge amount of effort to swim that inefficiently! UGH!!!! OK, lesson learned. Keep my head down and trust that the buoy is out there and getting closer! Geesh!

The ride is an out and back course of rolling, hot hills. The kind of hills that are just long enough that it is hard to find a rhythm. I was surprised at how sore my hips were as I cruised along in my aerobars. I am still not sure why they were sore and it worried me for the run but I spun along as strong as I could trying to stay relaxed and upbeat. I came off the bike feeling pretty good although it was starting to get hot and I hoped I had sucked down enough water on the ride.

The run is 75% on sandy rocky jeep trail and it is basically up for 3 miles and then down for 3 miles. It is a hard run course but one that suits my strengths. My coach tells me I am a bulldog and others have said I am a billy goat because I am a strong runner and like to run up hills. It’s a good thing! The run was by far the best I felt all day. Now that is a great feeling for sure! I was tired but dug in and kept a steady pace. I wasn’t trying to run fast but steady and strong and I was pleased that I felt so good with 2 miles left to go. With less than a mile to go I saw a woman ahead of me who I had been chasing since I stumbled out of the water. I didn’t know who she was or what her age but I decided it would be good for me to see if I could keep or even push my pace to catch her. As we came down the last hill I wasn’t feeling that confident and the “old Beth” started to try to talk me out of the looming (and very short-lived you big baby!) pain of the chase. A few short years ago I would have talked myself right out of chasing her down…not anymore! As we made the last turn we were together and we both picked it up and started to lay it down and I was thinking “holy crap I can’t hold this to the finish” but I dropped my body down a bit and dug in and then she dropped off and I kept going…what a very cool outcome. It felt good to me to stay focused enough and finish the race to the end.

Everyone on the team had an awesome day! We had 6 teammates complete the ½ ironman! Sonja won 1st for the overall women! Yahoo! Tony, Steve, Doreen and Keith all placed in their age groups and Tyler and Sandy had great 1st ½ experiences! The Olympic was conquered by Andrea, Michele, Michelle, and me while Anne Walton jockeyed 3 kids and managed to kick butt in the Sprint distance! Our group amazes me at how hard we work, how hard we play and the terrific outcomes we all achieve! Once again I was proud to be a Practical Coaching athlete. Congrats to all and many thanks for your cheers on the course and at the finish line.

When all was said and done, I was thrilled John decided to fly down to cheer us on, thrilled to be staying at the Tropicana where the fruity drink did appear after the race and pleased that my efforts race morning afforded me a 2nd place AG finish. Placing is nice but running a sub-8 run in April in the hot sun and figuring out one of my swim demons are equally as important to me.
When you hear from me next I might be reporting on an adventure race or I might be reporting on 2 months without a race and just some kick butt workouts! Time to train!!!

The Super Frog ½ Ironman Triathlon is an especially challenging race because it is an ocean swim and a sand run all on the beautiful shores of Coronado Island in San Diego California. Although I have done my share of “endurance” events I had not yet done a ½ Ironman distance triathlon; not for the lack of wanting but more due to time and timing. I haven’t made the time to train and I have been focused on accomplishing my original goal of qualifying for Team USA at the Olympic distance. This winter afforded me a healthy body and a ticket to Australia for Team USA in September 09 so my path is now clear…let’s take a shot at the longer distance tris and see how I do. SuperFrog was the first step on this path.
I have to admit that this is one of the few times I went into a race with the mindset that it really was a “training day!” There was no doubt in my mind that the ocean swim and the deep sand coupled with my innate fear of sharks and my moody calf that this would be a relaxing “training day”.
Before I disclose “my” race let me share the race details. You can’t beat San Diego for any race. Regardless of the event, Coronado Island in San Diego is the perfect setting. It is sunny, warm, breezy and relaxing; perfect race weather. Packet pickup was in a local hotel out on the island; it was well organized, the people were very friendly and there was no mystery to the process. The expo itself was pretty small with just a couple vendors but that comes from someone who loves the Boston Marathon Expo experience so I shouldn’t really be the judge. The weird thing about packet pick up was the huge number of men compared to women. No, I am not complaining, but I did start to worry as the ratio of men to women was really skewed. I wondered what all the local tri club women knew that I didn’t know. Seriously, there were very few women and the ones that I did see were clearly bad asses. Gulp…this is just a training day, this is just a training day…
Race morning transition was well marked, well lit and full of energy. There were dozens of volunteers all over the course, the water and gel volunteers all said Yes mame and Yes Sir and they had plenty of everthing on the course. After the race they ran out of veggie chili before I got there but there was plenty of post race food. The finish was well organized and there was tons of water everywhere. I was really impressed with the entire event.
John and I had the luxury of staying with his sister Margy and her family in Santee Ca. We were about 30 minutes from the race start. Plus Andrea Watkins was at the race and stayed with us. Andrea is always so calm, helpful and easy to get along with so it was awesome to have a friend around who knows “the pre-race ropes”! We enjoyed staying with Margy as she opened her home and heart to us…I am still overwhelmed by her generosity. Plus Margy’s husband, Steve and daughter Sarah gave up their beds and weekend to help us out.
Pre-race dinner was really “Beth Style”. We had monster tuna sandwiches with pretzels and water. Not very exciting but very filing the night before a race and the perfect combo of carbs and protein.
Race morning came early and cloudy. Initially I was really disappointed that the sun was fogged in and the wind was cool. I actually slept the best I think I have ever slept the night before a race. I think I had really adapted to the “training day” idea. It felt great to wake up well rested and ready to go. My tummy was a bit moody but cleared itself shortly after Andrea’s awesome scrambled eggs! We headed down to the race site at 4:45 Am in order to get good transition positions. Yes, even though it is a training day I am physically and emotionally incapable of relinquishing a potentially perfect transition position. We got there well before most people and even though it was pitch dark you could hear the ocean slamming into the beach. My anxiety began to rise. I relaxed a bit when John and I went for a warm up run and met Jason Finch. He was at the race to do the run leg of a fast relay. It is always fun to run into friends at races!
The swim was a 2 loop rectangle out in the ocean. Two buoys about 200 yards apart so we had to get past the breakers, get around the 2 buoys, body surf in and then do it again. Oh my. All the women were in the 2nd wave behind the elites and then the rest of the crowd was behind us. It was really hard for me to get into and out of the water. I think I only swam about 600 yards! The rest of the time I was getting kicked around by the waves. The hardest part was coming in. I got rolled around like I was in a washing machine. Not fun but pretty funny! I came out of the water rattled but ready to ride! Since they put all the women out together I honestly thought GoGo, my Giant bike, would be all alone just waiting for me. I was shocked to see other bikes on the rack. Apparently I wasn’t the last woman out of the water! Yahoo! I approached the ride with the idea that I would be steady and strong but no red-lining. I achieved my goal.
The ride was 4 loops (56 miles) on the island and there was a head wind from every direction. Good thing we train for that in Colorado! I stayed steady and focused on the ride and felt very relaxed when I hit the run. There was a bit of a smack down with another woman who believed that I was drafting. She got so frustrated that I was just steady behind her that she hammered away from me at about mile 10. Big mistake. Coming into the last 5 miles there she was and she was dragging. I let her roll into transition ahead of me because my feet were numb and I was worried that I was going to be a bumbling idiot when I got off my bike. I was cold the entire ride but I was grateful that the sun stayed behind the clouds because it would have been a much tougher race had it gotten hot. As we started out on the sand for the run Andrea was there and she yelled “that girl is in your age group…go get her.” OK, I know it was a training day but I need to train my head too. I need to train my head to compete and not to back down…so I decided I would see if I could catch her and then keep up with her. I caught up slowly and by mile 2 she was 50 yards in front of me. At that point I knew I could not only stay with her but I could take her. The only question was would she chase me and would I then have to “race” the next 10 miles. Ugh! All this was going through my head as I eased past her. Never looked up, never slowed down and never saw her again. It was a very cool and rare experience for me.
The run was just silly. 13.1 miles with 7 on sandy beach, 1 on sandy single track and then some trail and old asphalt. It made me laugh because it would be a hard ½ marathon without the swim and the bike! I stayed relaxed, focused on my form and enjoyed the sound of the waves as they crashed onto the beach. The run was 2 loops and I was concerned that I would be really tired by the 2nd loop. My feet were really sore and the camber of the beach was starting to wear on my knee…but I have this weird knack for digging deeper the longer the race. When I turned the cone for the 2nd loop I knew I had more to give. I knew I could keep up my pace and finish strong. There were no negative thoughts or worries…just concentration and desire to be done! And my nutrition was sound. Mainly gels and special drinks but I never felt depleted or tired. Very cool!
Steve wanted me to stay focused during the whole race and I can say for the first time I did. OK, I did try to encourage a couple of the young Navy Seals as I ran past them close to the end. I felt badly because they were being lapped by a girl 20 years older…Booya!
It was fun to be on the same course and see John on his new TT bike! It looks hot and he rode great! Margy and Steve stayed at the race the entire time and John and I were both so grateful to have fans at the finish! Andrea was working with the NormaTec crew so John and I both jumped into “legs” to let the healing begin! My feet were killing me.
The surprising outcome of this training day is that I won my age group and more importantly I was the 4th woman overall. For my first ½ ironman I was able to finish in 5:16 and have a really strong race. My swim time was much faster (not fast) than I imagined 35 minutes; my bike was exactly what I wanted 2:56 and I was shocked at my run, 1:51, but I felt great and just kept picking up my feet. I was really pleased with my splits and the fact that I was able to hold my paces. What an awesome feeling. This bodes well for my efforts to move into longer distances, right coach?
I loved this race because it was small and relaxed and very challenging. I think it would be great for a group in 2010. Everything is a loop so we would see all our friends throughout the race and plus it is in southern California in March! That has to be good!

2+ Years!

Since John hasn't been able to share the last couple of adventures with me I decided sharing my most amazing adventure is important; John and I have been together for more than 2 years! Yes, I realize this is a miracle for me...not married and not divorced yet! Quite an accomplishment. We have been through quite a lot together in 2 short years; my shoulder surgery, a multitude of races around the country, the passing of John's dad, my father's knee surgery, John's type B "get there when I want to" approach to life versus my type A "I have to be there early and give everyone else a ride" approach, John's late night projects and my early morning start to the day, his dog and my cats, my wine and he's beer, meeting my family in Homer, spending time with his family on Sunday's, he can fix anything and I can only work the internet, taking care of his mom, finding time to visit my family and on and on...
There were days when I thought we would never survive primarily because I can't slow down and he can't speed up...but fortunately I am learning to chillax and he has learned to step it up when necessary. It certainly isn't always easy but he has brought so much balance to my life. He asks me hard questions and always tries to help me solve my challenges. He is able to smile at me and laugh at me and after my initial "are you laughing at me" defense mechanism shuts down I am able to laugh at myself too. John is the most honest, genuinely kind and thoughtful man I have ever met. He has no ego and no agenda except to enjoy life and take care of the important people in his life. He is patient; funny and potentially the best hugger around...ask any of the women!
I am very grateful he has the patience to put up with my annoying type A, can't slow down, and can’t focus on one thing at a time life style. I am grateful he is still by my side and we are looking ahead at all the great adventures we have coming...Australia 2009, cutting trees in Winter Park, adventure races and most importantly relaxing, playing guitar and enjoying good food and wine!
I don't tell him enough how important he is to me so if he ever reads this blog he will know what you now know. He means the world to me!

Canyonlands 1/2 Marathon 09

March 21st was the Canyonlands 1/2 Marathon. It is one of the most beautiful races in the country because the course winds down through the Colorado River canyon into Moab, Utah. I have been going to this race for the last 4 years and every year it is different and more fun! This year I was really disappointed that Paula couldn't run the 1/2 with me and that Noell couldn't go at all but Paula is still nursing a sore back and Noell started a new job so I had to be happy that they both made good decisions! But I do wish they were with us! We also started this year thinking it would be a "girl's weekend" but Priscilla and Barry are staples for this race and the rest of the boys that showed up for the party certainly added great color to the evening! I did miss John and we all missed Scott and Samuel too! But we still managed to have a great time! :)

My race was intended to be a training day with a decent amount of mileage. I think Andrea said it best "a 1/2 marathon with a 1/2 marathon warm up"...almost. I ran up the river canyon to the start of the race. Keith N caught up with me and we ran the last 5 miles together and we really struggled to slow down enough so that we wouldn't end up standing around too much...we still had to wait almost 20 minutes for the start of the race. But the early morning run was peaceful and it was fun getting to know Keith better. He is a bad ass runner and he proved it at the end of the 1/2. I on the other hand had a harder time "laying it down" when it came time to turn up the speed. I ran into Dottie at about mile 3 or 4 and I thought it would be good for me to run easy with her for a while but then at mile 8 when I realized I needed to turn it up I didn't have much left. I honestly felt like running too slow had hurt my legs more than moving at a faster pace. This is not to say that Dottie was running slow, just slower than I am accustomed to running. So when I tried to turn the pace up to a sub-8 I had nothing. Nothing. I was so mad. My legs were sore and tired and wouldn't move. I had the lungs and energy for it but nothing happened when I hit the gas. I can only guess that the training I did the week prior wore my legs out just enough so that when I mile 19 my legs were pooped. The good news is that I know I had the lungs and heart rate for it had I been able to move. It was a great day and although my overall time was disappointing I am really pleased that I ran 24 miles 2 days ago and I feel tired but really strong. I am pretty sure this endurance thing will really suit me once I start to fill in the days with more long work.

The rest of the gang had great races too! Priscilla and Paula both had strong 5 miles and Barry and Keith kicked it on the 1/2.

I can't decide if the best part of the weekend was the retail therapy, the party we had or running 24 miles relatively pain free...once I show you my new shoes you tell me! Paula...what do you think?