Memphis in May

This weekend marked my first back-to-back racing attempt at Memphis in May.  This is the 4th race in the 5150 Triathlon series - professionals earn points at each race in the series to qualify for the championship race later in the season at Hyvee.  Memphis in May (MIM) is a well known race throughout the country, however this year Start2Finish Events moved the course to a new venue in Tunica, MS. 

This race is unique as participants are sent off in a time trial fashion (leaving one at a time, every few seconds) rather than a mass start (everyone participating leaves at the same time) or wave starts (people leave according to their race division or age group).  At MIM the age groupers begin their race at 7am, while the pros start at 10:30.  Or so we thought...

Thunderstorms cut our warm-ups short and landed us in the nearby tent for an hour while we waited to see if we'd be racing.  Race directors saw a break in the weather and quickly got us started.  No warm up- let's race!  (Truthfully, I'm just thankful the race directors made the decision to keep the race as a triathlon rather than eliminate the swim portion or cancelling the entire race, which were the 2 options we were told.  Changing the race to a duathlon seems to be a trend in the recent months for various reasons.  My opinions on the subject another time...)

The pros were sent off every 10 seconds; men and women mixed amongst each other.  This kind of start adds the element of the unknown- you have no clue what place you're in since everyone left at different times.  You have to wait until everyone is finished to compare times. 

The lake was perfect temperature and since the rain clouds blocked the sun, the buoys were easily spotted.  Great swim course!  No wetsuit this time, but my Aquaman speedsuit was perfect.  swim = 20.39  There is nothing else to be said about the bike course except that it is flat.  FLAAATTT.  Except for the series of reflector strips and paying attention to the stagger rule, this was the type of course you could just put your head down and push the pedals.  bike = 59:38  The run course was the same - flat - but long.  Racers wearing GPS watches measured the run at 6.68 miles, nearly .5 miles too long for my taste :)  run = 42.52

Total time = 2:04.55.  I ended up in 9th place (8th place beat me by a fraction of a second -grr!  Note to self: don't run around the mud puddles next time).  My past 3 races have been consistent in that I know how to focus my training over the next month.  I am enjoying this distance in racing- I've raced 4 tri's this season already, am improving each race, and it's not even June! 


8hr drive home after race.  Recovery
snacks in the car: almonds, cherry
craisins and chocolate milk.  MMM :)

Big thanks to Gayle Minard, my homestay in Memphis (who also happens to be a surgeon, nutrition specialist, IM triathlete, dog lover, and...and...and... I couldn't keep track of her resume.  Very interesting lady).  Was glad to see you made it through the thunderstorms and back pains-  whew!  It was great to meet you and I wish you the best of luck at IM Louisville this year! 


back to training - hope everyone has a fun, safe Memorial weekend! 
miss

Rev3 Knoxville

I had debated between 2 races this weekend (5150 New Orleans and Rev3 Knoxville)- I think I chose the right one.  New Orleans turned into a duathlon... 

6 of us headed down to Knoxville Friday afternoon from Wheelie Fun, rode part of the bike course, got some great food and went our separate ways to sleep.  The logistics with 6 people and 2 cars can throw some unforseen details into the mix, so I ended up staying with another family rather than my original homestay.  (Thank you Ramona for understanding...)  Sean and Stephanie graciously opened their home to 2 pros (Matt Mangen and myself) AND their parents (by the way, Sean's father Bob competed in Kona IM 4x between 1982 and 2006).  Great race Sunday Sean! 

I raced Rev3 Knoxville as an age grouper last year and loved it!  With all the new details thrown at me so far this year, it was good to have one familiarity.  The water temperature was 65 degrees so we were in wetsuits.  I got to wear my Aquaman Cell Gold for the first time and LOVED IT!!  Fit perfect, especially around the neck- no water leaking in and pooling in my lower back like other wetsuits I've tried.  Thank you Aquaman!  4 women broke away from the pack early.  I stayed with 2 other women, but they eventually dropped off pace and I was 5th into T1.  Swim time was 20:33 (3 1/2 min slower than last year...hmm...buoy shift?)

Onto the bike- the course was changed slightly from last year due to construction.  This weaved us a different way through town, added rollers up/down exit ramps, and unfortunately some confusion.  Several riders went off course at the start of the bike leg...I took a wrong turn at the end of the course and did a U-turn.  Otherwise I loved this course!  Hills to climb, sweeping descents, plenty of rollers to raise your HR.  Favorite part of the bike: at the turn-around Julie Dibens passes me.  Wha?  First thought: I took a wrong somewhere because she should not be behind me.  Second thought: sweet- I'm riding with Julie Dibens...for a little while.  Bike split: 1:05 (10 minutes faster than last year)  I left T2 in 5th position. 

The run course was relatively unchanged- just a few improvements.  The course is flat along a 4-lane road, up a roller, onto a bike path, reverse it, and then uphill for the last 1/2 mile to the finish line (ugh).  I felt sooo much better than 2 weeks ago.  I'm still gaining confidence on the run- learning how to push hard versus hold steady in long distance racing.  I have no doubt it'll come around- I learn quickly.  I was a minute faster than last year at 42:11.

I ended up 8th overall at 2:10.  Nine minutes faster than last year.  Not bad.






Actually, the majority of our group (and others I knew racing on Sunday) had a good race.  And if not, they learned some valuable lessons to take to the next race.  (At the very least, we had a great time traveling and entertaining amongst the 6 of us).  Big thanks to GU for the Peach Tea Chomps, Cherry Lime and Chocolate Mint energy gels during the race and 110% recovery for the ice and compression before/afterwards.  Nutrition and recovery are two KEY ELEMENTS to racing well :) 



We packed all of our gear and headed back north...



...of course after large amounts of food and ice cream :)



St Anthony's

I don’t know who showed up on Sunday to race at St Anthony’s, but next time let’s tell her to leave the sinus issues at home.  I had a friend ask me, “So are you motivated or devastated?”  Shoot… if one disappointment was all it took to break my spirit I’d have dropped out of college, stopped swimming, quit my job, and vowed to never date again.  In triathlon, it’s the “off” races we endure and the things that go wrong that make us stronger, motivate us to try harder, and teach us how to race smarter. 

St Anthony’s triathlon is an amazing race venue.  The race has been held for 28 years and this year hosted one of the largest and most competitive pro fields.  The level of organization for such a large race (including the expo, transition area, meetings, set-up, volunteers, etc.) was impressive.  The course is amazing- ocean swim; flat and technical bike; fast out-and-back run… I was ready and excited for St Anthony’s.  Too bad I didn’t get to race it.  Let’s just say I left my pro race debut quite differently than I had expected.  I’m not talking about the “eye opening experience” some people expected I’d have racing against some of the best pro triathletes in the world.  Neither am I talking about the “shock” other people thought I’d have attempting the switch from IM distance to Olympic distance racing.  I was prepared for those to creep in.  No, my first taste of pro racing was quite different than I’d expected. 

What I mean is I was ready to RACE.  Ready to hang on for dear life to swimmers around me, knowing there were some even further ahead.  Ready to push harder than ever on the bike just to stay amongst the other racers, knowing I wouldn’t be able to hang with some.  Ready to gut out my fastest 10k to date, knowing my run split would fall short in comparison to the “runners” in the sport. 

 

Instead, I was playing catch up to the middle swim pack after the long run into the water and having my goggles torn off.   Ironman mass starts were tame in comparison to the frenzy at buoy #1.  Next, let’s discuss the ½ mile run to T1 (since the swim was cut in half and location changed at 5am race morning).  T1 for age groupers= a transition from the swim to the bike.  T1 for pro racers= another opportunity to get ahead of the competition and one step closer to prize money.  Lesson learned.  My bike was relatively uneventful unfortunately.  I caught 3-4 women but didn’t have that extra gear to light things up and push harder.  As for the run, I was confused why my body was physically shutting down when mentally I was ready to go.  Legs were heavy and I was shuffling along at what felt like marathon pace.  Afterwards, I spoke with coaches discussing the race but was still quite confused.  I am the type of person who likes to figure out what went wrong so I can plan around it for the next race.  It wasn’t until later that night when I lost my voice and was congested that I figured it out.  I thought staying hydrated, off my feet, and napping would help what felt like the start of something.  Guess not.  The same thing had happened in 2009 at Kona- able to finish the race, but well below my expectations and abilities.  Oh well- it happens.  Just glad to know why things were out of sorts and ready to move on. 

There were plenty of great things about the weekend, so let’s focus on those. 

1.   I met with a new sponsor: 110% recovery gear.  They provide comfortable apparel that not only provides compression but has pockets to hold cold/warm packs for convenient and effective recovery.  Click on the link to the right to get to their website. 

2.  Got to experience racing at the professional level and loved it!!  This is exactly the motivation in racing I need to step my game up. 

3.  The condo I stayed at was above and beyond my expectations in terms of convenience and quality.  Extended family members from the Regal Boat company graciously let me stay there.  It turned out to be the “hub” of activity since it was mere yards away from the transition area.  Thank you again!

4.  First race wearing my Aquaman speedsuit- it fit great and had no hassles getting out of it in T1.

5.  New TriSports.com uniform shorts fit great!!  Thank you!

6.  Got to coin the term “Scoot n Sniff” (for better or worse).

7.  First time racing on my new Zipp disc wheel- love the sound of race wheels! 

8.  Met new people, enjoyed catching up with other racers I hadn’t seen yet this season, spent a great weekend in the sun.
9.  Learned that every detail of the sport counts at the professional level- transitions, nutrition, recovery, strength, motivation, etc.  Let's make them all count!
10. Met Paul Phillips of Competitive Image (http://www.competitiveimage.us/).  For an AMAZING video highlighting the pro race check out this link: https://www.facebook.com/#!/video/video.php?v=1980258587406&comments

miss

St Anthony's pre race

This week I’m somewhere in between “Holy crap- what have I got myself into” and… well, yeah… that’s basically where I am.  My mind is in a million places this past week between the everyday life details (spending time with family to celebrate Easter weekend, mowing my jungle lawn, drying out my basement, and staying busy at work) and getting ready for the race this weekend.  I’m ready to see where my winter training puts me at the start of the season- and ultimately how the results will guide my training.  I am starting the season in shape, motivated, and full of potential for improvement.  Great place to be!  So why am I nervous?  Here are my top 3 reasons:

1.       Participant list- wow

2.       First travel race of the season.

3.       Shorter races = more intense pain = different racing

I always get nervous at races, no matter what the level.  Who doesn’t?   Everyone looks so fit and fast!  I even get nervous at races when I’m cheering friends on.  This race just adds the element of the unknown in a couple areas.  I’m ready for my eyes to be opened, stomach to be filled with butterflies, and legs screaming.  2+ hours of “Go, go, go, go!  Push harder!  Wow she’s fast!  Hang on!  This hurts… a lot more than I thought”… and so on.  I can guess where my fitness level is, but have no clue how my mind will handle the race.  I’ve started a game with some friends: guess my finish time.  Prize for the person who guesses the closest maybe…J 

Clean slate, no expectations, be thankful for the opportunity and enjoy a couple days in warmer weather!  I just arrived here in St Petersburg last night, got my wake-up swim in, went to the grocery store, and am kicking back on the couch.  Will update with pictures and details throughout the weekend. 

Here is the view from my patio...transition area is right across the grass.  woo hoo

miss

Game On

Ohio has officially “signed on” and is posting results in the multisport world.  Running races have been going strong all winter long, bike TT’s and road races are becoming more frequent, and now triathlons/duathlons can be added to the list.  Beyond running races I finally get to post some results and remind my body what it means to race! 

Wednesday night I rode in the Blue Streak Time Trial (10 miles) at WPAFB, placing 2^nd female by 7 seconds.  Can’t let that happen again- game on!!  RESULTS  We had a great night- finally a break from the rain and cold!  Felt good to push the cranks and see where my fitness level is at the start of the season.  I’m happy for now, but feel there is room to improve! 

Saturday morning the weather was a bit different- rain as the main dish, with a side order of wind.  Miami University hosted a sprint triathlon through HFP Racing.  The swim is a 400m serpentine swim (you swim down in one lane, then move to the next lane and swim back, etc. until you have completed all 8 lanes totaling 400m).  Head outside to T1 and try putting on clothes when you’re wet and cold…not an easy task.  (My T1 time was 2-3x longer than the guys around me.)  After yelling to another racer I know that he was exiting the wrong direction, I jumped on the bike with shorts not quite on right (dang things don’t fit my body type).  Eh, not a stellar bike.  Jump off in T2 and throw my shoes on- time to see what the legs can do.  Turnover was quick, HR was high, and I found my groove in the last mile.  Dang sprint races.  Overall, it felt controlled but right where I assumed I’d be starting the season.  I finished 1^st female and 5^th OA.  RESULTS (btw: the OA winner is only 17 years old.  Watch out for this guy Nick Noone- you’ll be hearing his results in the future for sure.) 

Sunday morning I volunteered at a local race in Troy, OH.  It is the first of a series of canoe-bike-run races put on by Speedy-Feet.  They are so much fun!!  Unfortunately, the weather had other plans and the canoe portion was cancelled.  Windy day, lots of rain earlier this week, and a rushing river… not a safe combination.  Good call!  So, everyone did a duathlon.  I love watching and helping out with races- you get to heckle racers, see the other side of the sport, and enjoy the outdoors.

"Take-home" from the races:

1. Stay focused- can’t afford the mind wandering in short races. 

2. Push harder- if it doesn’t hurt, you aren’t going fast enough. 

3. Spend the next 2 weeks working on T1. 

4. Get used to a high HR- it’ll only last a little while, then you can relax. 

miss

Dang Bug

Two weeks ago I had a great week of training.  Last week I got sick.  Boooo!  Monday night I got my swim done, ate dinner, then tried to sleep with a churning stomach.  Didn't work...elevator came up.  So I took the day off work and spent the day sleeping.  Recovery was the unavoidable focus all week.  It's amazing how quickly your energy is zapped.

(This is my dog Haleakala...aka Holly.  She likes to sleep in my pillowcase.)

It's good to respect your body when it says "STOP" so training plans were abandoned.  Thankfully this was a quick stomach bug and I was able to get a couple easy workouts in at the end of the week.  Funny enough, the food that sat the best: GU Chomps.  I typically reserve sports nutrition for training/racing but I was lovin' me some Chomps last week!

It's easy to panic when you lose an important week of training, but just a decision to change your frame of mind and focus on the positive.  So, here are my "positives" for the week:

• My body is getting some much needed recovery
• I am all that more ready to dig deep this next month with training
• Taxes done and other mini-projects finished (amazing what you accomplish when you're not training)
• Bought new curtains

 (Whenever you're feeling down, put boots on a small dog.  It's hilarious!)

miss

Race Schedule 2011 (part one)

I would argue that a strong mental game is just as important as the physical talents we bring to the line.  This applies to anything in life really.  Don’t agree? 

·         How do you handle pain?

·         Can you hold it together when things go wrong? 

·         What motivates you to push harder?

·         Can you dig deep or do you stay comfortable?

·         Are you willing to put it on the line and risk the chance of failure?

·         What do you consider a success?

·         Do you stick to a plan?

·         What goes through your mind during a race?

These are just a few things going through my mind as the season quickly approaches.  I’ve been way out of my comfort zone mentally (and physically) the past 6 months.  I remember a sports psychologist in high school encouraging us to seek creative opportunities outside our comfort zones- we had fun with that challenge.  (For those of you who don’t know me well I am a creature of habit, I try to keep things under control, and I avoid drama whenever possible.) 

These past months have been all about change, stress, uncertainty, and decision making.  There are people voicing their opinions about training methods, what distance I should race, which races to sign up for, etc.  Let me just say it’s been interesting listening to the opinions and comments.   Everyone sharing their advice comes from a different perspective with different motives.   This mental stress is a heavy weight, and I assume it can only intensify once racing begins.  The tough part is recalibrating my mind to be patient and embrace the changes, knowing there is value in lessons learned.   

Race Schedule (tentative… things always change!)

April 17- Miami (Ohio) Sprint tri HFP (local race)
May 1- St Anthony's
May 15- either New Orleans 5150 or Knoxville Rev3
May 22- Memphis in May
June 19- Washinton DC 5150
June 26- Philadelphia Lifetime

We’ll see where we go after the first half of the season.  “But Missy, you do better at the long distance races."  Quite possibly, but the shorter distance is allowing me to race more often, focus on power and speed, and learn aspects of the sport I’ve never experienced.  "But Missy, this schedule is so different than what you're used to.  Shouldn't you stick to what you've done in the past?" Maybe.  Never know til you try!  Variety is the spice of life, right? 

miss