NJ State Olympic Triathlon - Race Report

"Dust off the cob webs, hope you are sober enough to race and accept the large piece of humble pie!"

This is the best way for me to start off my first ever race report report I could think of.  This was essentially the thought that ran through my mind Saturday night and Sunday morning.  I am not a newbie to triathlons, but it has been just over 2 years since I competed in a triathlon.  Apparently spectating, reading numerous articles on the latest tri technology and training methods does not replace actually participating, as my body found out.  I am sure that spending a week in Wine Country (Sonoma, CA) drinking/eating and flying in Saturday morning was not the best way to prepare for Sunday, but it was not the culprit for my performance and bodies reaction.  I needed to prepare and train in all 3 disciplines much more than I had in the weeks leading in, so I need to only look in the mirror if I am not pleased with the outcome.
Race Morning:
     - Woke 4:30 (ugh that time change hurt!)
     - Nutrition:  This was not very scientific for me.  I essentially asked Maureen what she was doing and tried to basically mimic, so everything leading up to the start was liquids. (Coffee, Gatorade Endurance, Gu Brew Roctane and Carbo Pro).

Swim (29:05): This was my lightest trained discipline leading into the race, so my strategy was stay relaxed, make sure I maintain consistent breathing and if I come in under 30 minutes that would be OK.  Mission accomplished as I was never winded during the swim and finished under 30 minutes.

T1 (2:53):  Stomach cramps started kicking in after finishing the swim, but I think my slow trot into T1 was offset by utilizing Caitlin's transitions lessons.  My transition spot was very simple and clean with only the things needed for bike (helmet, socks and shades).  I had my shoes already clicked onto my pedals with rubber band,s as we were shown by Caitlin.  This helped a lot because my slow trot was much quicker than those running in their bike shoes.

Bike (57:53. 23.3 mph): Legs were not responding very well.  They just burned and hurt almost immediately. The language in my head became very loud, angry and would not be appropriate to put into written words.  Let's just leave as I was not happy with myself, body and my head was expressing it bluntly.  Got passed by 2 riders in 1st lap early. Towards the end of the first lap I started finding my rhythm, cadence and that noise in my head became more positive.  2nd loop.. Passing a lot of people, feeling good, than WHOOSH!!! I look up and watch Derek hammer past me.  He gives me his unique "thumbs-up" as he buzzed bye.  It was great to see a fellow Devil blasting the field and passing some many riders.  The normal reaction after he passed  a rider was they looked at their wheels (nope your wheels aren't flat), then check their computer (as their mind tries to do the math) and finally watching them shake their head (realizing that catching him was an impossibility). My good feeling took a bit of hit after getting the Derek fly-bye, but I started getting back into my own rhythm again.  I did wonder how I swam faster than Derek, but I'll let him explain. Moments later........ "On your left" I hear from a very soft FEMALE voice.  Oh Sh$t, I'm getting chicked! Sure enough, seconds later I get passed.  Finished the 2nd loop and prepared to dismount.  I tried my newly learned method of getting out of your shoes while riding towards T2.  This worked well when I practiced it, but after finishing the ride my legs were tired and started cramping as I was attempting to work my feet out.  After a bit of working I got them out, but I bailed on the running dismount as I was cramping and was not confident in my legs actually supporting my body dismounting in motion.  The thought of falling like a drunk and launching my bike into the spectators flashed through me head, so I decide to come to a complete stop and take my time dismounting.

T2 (1:14):  running shoes on. Started to leave with belt and visor in hand.  Good transition

Run (48:29):  This was not pretty.  As I left T2 the cramps in my right abdomen began to hit hard.  My original goal and plan was to run as hard as I could and try to hang on.  My idea of running hard is to push my body into anaerobic zone (heavy breathing, legs burning, etc...).  The sharp cramp pains however prevented me from taking my normal stride and I needed to modify it into a sort of quick shuffle.  I walked the water stations taking in fluids and pouring several cups over my body and hoped this would help the cramping.  Unfortunately it did not and continued through all 10K.  Again, that voice in my head became loud and angry, but this time the only salvation was the finish line.  "Every step makes the finish line closer and the quicker I can move my feet the sooner the pain stops".
Finish (2:19.33)

Parting thoughts:  Sunday turned out to be the best day for me.  I made promises to myself during the race, similar to a drunk leaning over a toilet does about never drinking again.  However my promises to myself were to get going with training, have fun and no excuses because you reap what you sow.
Brian - the Other Cullen

My First Triathlon

Before the NJ State Olympic distance Triathlon I had never competed in a swim, bike, or triathlon race.  I also sort of fell of the wagon with training and my last ride was about 1 month before the race.  When I ride my bike, I fall a lot (like almost every time I stop) and I'm scared of cars, so I just sort of found excuses to not go out for rides. I might have gone into this race, not fully realizing what I was about to step into.   I've run competitively for 18 years, I've run a marathon....how difficult could this be?   I found out the answer about 400 meters into my 1500 swim.  I felt like I couldn't breathe, and I was gasping for air with every stroke.  Even though I was working really hard, I felt like I was falling behind.  There were people all around me, feet in my face, and I didn't know where to go.  I felt like I had already gone SO FAR and I was only 400 meters in!!  I wanted to quit...but I don't quit.  I rationed with myself to ease up, relax, and to focus on your stroke.  I did that, and then I started to realize I was beginning to pass people, and I was no longer being passed, and I felt good.  I found my rythmn and I was ok. 

Swim:  28:31

When I got out of the water, still breathing so heavily, I couldn't believe I wasn't done with the race and that I still had to bike and run!  I was so tired from the swim, my breathing was heavy as I ran back to the transition area, but at least I was out of the water.  When I got to my rack, which was assigned according to age group, I realized that almost everyone else's bikes were still there.  That was good.  It meant my swim went well.   I got to my bike and ran back out.

T1: 2:31

 It took me a bit to mount my bike because I am slightly challenged with getting on and off my bike.  I need to practice that.   As I began my ride, the negative thoughts began to creep back in my mind.  "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"  I couldn't believe I was going to have to ride two 11 mile loops.  I was barely off the first road, and I felt so tired and thirsty.  I tried to grab my water bottle, but with every attempt, I felt like I was losing my balance was going to fall.  I wasn't going to be able to drink during the ride without falling, so I decided to wait.  So thirsty.  Just after I was thinking about how terrible it was, my teammate Caitlin rode by and had some encouraging words and said Good Job.  That helped.  Yeah, this is fun, this is a race, you have a team, you did a good job on the swim, RACE!  My mind got back in it and I started to pass people.  I kept having to remind myself not to relax too much.  I feel like on the bike, it can be tempting to just cruise.  It reminds me of the longer distance running races when you need to keep reminding yourself to run fast and not relax too much.  Then along came Maureen on her 2nd loop and she reminded me to pedal like I run.  That was really helpful!  I have fast turnover and I can use that.  Once I finished the first bike loop, I was excited and I think I really picked up the pace for my 2nd loop knowing that I was almost there.  One thing I could really work on with the bike is the turns.  I am really bad at the turns, I slow down and brake and am scared I am going to fall, probably because of my balance issue, and I sincerely apologize to anyone who was unlucky enough to be behind me on any turns.   As I came down the last straightaway for the bike I was SO EXCITED, until I remembered that I was going to have to stop.  The last couple times I ended my ride, I fell, clipped in, and it really hurts.   As I approached the dismount area, with a look of fear on my face, I said "I am going to fall.  I always fall!"  Great, now I had an audience, and everyone could watch me fall.....but miraculously I didn't fall.  That was a small victory for me. 

Bike: 1:04:19 (21 mph)

Now it was time to go to transition for the run!  My favorite part.  BUT I WAS SO THIRSTY, since I still hadn't had anything to drink since about an hour before the race.  When I arrived at transition, I decided to use some of my time to hydrate.  I probably spent a lot of extra time drinking my gatorade.  I really need to learn to grab my water bottle while moving on the bike.

T2:  1:38

 I started to run.  Wow, it really hurt.  I am a runner.  This is supposed to be the fun part.  I felt like I was shuffling along and jogging.  I was getting chills and goosebumps, which are the first signs of heat exhaustion.  I felt like I couldn't take a deep breathe.  I've never been as good at racing in the heat, but I know that if I am struggling I can ease up my pace and make it through.  I had brief thoughts of giving up, just as I did in both the beginning of the swim and bike, but I felt like I had a good swim and bike.  I can't give up on my best event!  Even if I eased up, I knew it would still be faster than most of the other competitors.  Despite feeling like I was going to die, I kept passing people, and nobody passed me.  At the first water stop, I thought water might help, but when I tried to chug while running I starting choking on it.  As the chills and goosebumps grew worse, I knew I needed fluids.  At the following water stops, I stopped running and drank.  The only other time I can remember feeling this bad in a race is when I ran in the women's pro start of the 2004 NYC Marathon, went out way too fast and died the last 10 miles.  I went into that race unprepared, undertrained, and ignorant to what I was about to put my body through.   Similar to today!  This 10k run felt like the last 6 miles of a poorly paced marathon.  PAIN!  But I was passing people!  I usually pick it up the second half of a 10k, but that wasn't going to happen.  This wasn't the usual 10k race.  Normally, I have a kick ass kick the last 1/2 mile, but that wasn't happening today either.  With 200 meters to go, I knew I could finally give it my all, and I sprinted it in.  I have never been so proud of myself for finishing a race. 

Run: 40:10  (6:29 pace)- I felt slow, but I must have been running a lot faster than I realized.  Miraculously, I somehow ran the fastest female time of the the day!

Total Time: 2:17:09 and 3rd in my age group.

Afterthoughts:  As of 8PM after the race, I am shuffling around like an 80 year old woman.  Muscles I didn't know I even had are sore.  My knee hurts, my body aches, I have at least 7 blisters on my feet (why did I think not wearing socks was a brilliant idea?).  I can't wait to do it again.