Boulder 70.3 Race Report

This is my Journey into the World of Ironman. It's my journal/documentation of the ups and downs of what it takes to be an age-group athlete training for an Ironman triathlon. This is more of a way for me to remember what I am doing over the course of the training season, as any Ironman Athlete can tell you, sometimes the days can blur into one training day of swim, bike, run after another. So, while some may not find this at all interesting, those that wonder...could I do an Ironman? Do I have what it takes to do an Ironman? I give you a peek into my journey and days to complete my next Ironman.  Forgive any misspelled words/awkward sounding sentences. I'm pretty happy just to get them down on paper. Consider it a test of your mental skills to figure out what I'm saying. Hope you enjoy reading my journey.

Current Training Totals:   (updated as of 6-25-16)

Swim        108,272 yds             44:58 hr/min

Bike          938.62  Miles         78:23 hr/min

Run          360.32  Miles         76:44 hr/min

Other/                                      27:30 hr/min

Strength

Overall  Training Time:         227:35 hr/min

Officially have my second 70.3 in the books. Boulder 70.3 Half Ironman is Complete!!! This is always one of my favorite races since I started doing Ironman's. Mainly because I really just want to move to Boulder, CO and live. I now have two people who are more then willing to let me  be their roommates, but of I still probably have a few more travel years to go to get some stuff paid off and travel to all the places I wanted to while doing this travel job.  

I'm currently sitting here in some amazing recovery boots from my friends and from BASE, and reflecting back on race day.  My legs feel pretty darn good right about now. I cannot complain.  

So race week started with me working on Sunday. And I completed a transfer on Sunday with a patient that aggravated my SI joint and my Piriformis Muscle on my right side.  I was unable to do my workout Sunday after work, which was a 2 hour run. I was actually looking forward to it, as I was going to be running in some 90 plus degree weather. This was going to get me prepped for a hot race that is always Boulder. But I hobbled home, and rotated between lying flat on my back, to stomach to standing and not being able to get comfortable for more than 15 mins at a time.  Then on Monday, my doc was nice enough to give me a shot, which helped some, but I still was in a bunch of pain. Tuesdays, a couple of my PT friends took pity on me and did an adjustment of my SI, and then some strategic PT stretching on my piriformis muscle.  I then went out and bought a trigger point ball for the long 13 hour drive to Boulder on Wednesday.  I went home and finished my packing, since again, training was only going to aggravate it.  So I was in bed and asleep early so I could to be up and ready to drive.  

I spent 8 plus hours on the trigger point ball as I drove to Boulder on Wednesday. It was a rather painful experience, but by the time I got there, I was feeling bit better.   I rolled into Boulder by 11 pm. And was greeting to an amazing night time view from my friends place I was staying at and a welcome glass of wine.  I got the dogs out and taken care of for the night, and collapsed onto a super comfortable bed for the night. 

Woke to an amazing daytime view of where I am staying for the week. And got settled into my room with the dogs. 

                                      

On Thursday, I headed down to check in for the Race,  got a few items from the store, hung out for a bit at the BASE Booth and then headed into town and got a few things at Target and Whole Foods.  Then headed back to the rental to relax, and maybe take a nap.  Spent the evening with my friends and enjoying the view and night.  

Friday, I got up and got my stuff ready to go for race day.  I headed over to the race site, got in a 30 min bike ride for training. and luckily nothing hurt, I felt good with my leg.  Dropped off my bike at the transition, and then stopped again at the BASE Booth and then headed back to the rental.  I opted to not get in the water, mainly due to the fact that the Res was closed the day before due to high e.coli levels.  Knowing how my body doesn't like this, I opted to not let any opportunity for me to get sick happen before the race.   Once back at the place I was staying, I got ready and helped prep for a BASE Team Dinner with the food.  I then relaxed, enjoyed the night, made new friends, and hung out with old friends.  I was in bed early and ready for my race. I felt ready, I felt good.  

RACE DAY!!!

Woke Up Early and got ready for the day.  I headed down to the race site with Susie. The day was going to be a hot one. Weather forecasted for mid 90s, and winds 11 mph, with possible storms in afternoon.  

Got my stuff ready to go in transition and then headed over to the swim start to wait for my wave to start around 8:15 AM.  I found some of my teammates and then relaxed and hung out with Susie until it was time to walk down and get in my wave.  I found Adrianne and Laura and talked with them for a bit until we got closer to the start. And then soon I was walking under the arch and getting into the water. it was a nice 71 degrees in temp.  Adrianne and I gave each other a good luck and got ready to wade out into the water to the start. I took a couple deep breaths and was surprisingly calm. I was not as nervous as I am for other races, maybe because I've done this race enough to know what to expect. And then the countdown began and we were off!!

I was actually happy with this swim, I normally have to stop at every buoy in the beginning due to some small panic attack feelings and catch my breath and then focus on the next buoy, but this time, I was able to get to the buoy, and then keep going on to the next one.  I was able to stay calm. My goggles got hit twice where I had to stop and re-adjust,but then I was able to focus and keep going. I made the first turn feeling good. I then started getting more people hitting me on the back half. I found myself swimming more to the outside away from the buoy's and was better.  As I rounded to the last turn and headed back in, I was swimming and sighted a buoy, but as I started to do this, I noticed a girl on the left of me that looked like she was swimming diagonally into me and was going to hit me, as I went to swim right to avoid her, I noticed a guy coming at me from that side. So I simply just stopped, and I looked up just in time to see these two swim into each other.  they stopped looked up, were probably confused that I Was just treading water there. And then I just swam between them and started to go again.  I would have gotten hit by them at the same time if I had kept going.    

So, I felt like I was swimming strong, and I was thinking I would be having a good swim time, but I knew I was swimming off to the side.   So I wasn't quite sure what would happen. I could see the arch getting closer and I was happy to be getting done, and then before I knew it, I was standing up and heading out of the water.   I ended up with a Swim time of 46:58.  Not my best, but not my worst.  And I apparently really wanted to get around the gal in this photo. I don't even remember this! 

T1 

I headed into Transition and ran to my bike, I got my wetsuit off and my bike stuff on. I was over in a far corner and when I looked for the porta-potty to pee, I couldn't find any inside of the transition. SO thinking one was near the exit, I headed that way with my bike. But then I never found one, and before I knew it, I was on the bike and on the way out. 

BIKE

The bike course was changed, so this year, you had an out an back on Diagonal Highway before you did a loop. I got out on the bike, and felt fast.  I felt comfortable with my speed, but I felt fast. But the only down side, was that I needed to pee.  And about 5 miles in, I remembered that I wasn't going to get to an aid station until 18 miles. So I spent the first 18 miles upright on my bike, as I could not get into aero with my bladder so full. I contemplated peeing on the bike, but I just couldn't relax enough to do it. Ironically, my first 10 miles was my fastest with a 19 mph speed. I don't know that I've ever averaged that during a race, or a ride.   There were a lot of bike crashes, and I saw a lot of people on the side of the road with tires flat. I sent up a silent prayer of thanks for my gator skins on my tires, and I kept pedaling. I saw at least four ambulances on the out and back section here. There were multiple crashes on bikes.  When I got to the aid station, I used the porta-potty and was able to then get down in aero and get going. I refueled with my water and was staying pretty consistent with my nutrition for getting my salt every 5 miles and then following with some of my clif bars for nutrition. I was drinking my water to stay hydrated.  The wind was a nice with the heat, while it felt like it slowed me down with some of the spots, I still felt good. Then I hit the hill on Nelson. A long slow grid to the top with a false flat type of ride.  Here I went into a kind of twilight zone. I felt like every minute felt like 5 or 10. I felt like it took me and hour to get up this section when it really took less. 

 I was starting to feel hot by this time, as I was very happy to hit the aid station and load up on ice for my drinks, and down my front and back side. Then I was off and on down the road.  I felt pretty strong on the back side as well, I was trying to keep things evenly paced, yet focused so I didn't  blow myself up. The Middle section I was at a steady 18 mph. Again, pretty happy with this. 

For some reason on the last 1/3 of the race, I was slower than I thought I would be I averaged 14 mph for the last 23 miles. I do realize that the ride back in is a gradual uphill/false flat. The aid station I loaded up again on ice, and used the restroom.  I think for some reason I had it in my head that I was going to be more of a downhill ride back to the Res.  I had it in my head I was doing well enough to have a new time, but in the end I averaged my second best time. Still a good time.  I had a few back spasms on the ride back in, but nothing near what I normally have had in the past, and before I knew it, I was heading back into transition.  

Bike :   3:21: 11

T2

I got off my bike and started to walk. A guy hit my bike with his back tire, and my bike tipped over and I had a hard time straightening it up. Then it did it again, only this time, I did it myself.....  I managed to right it, and then had to hold onto it with both hands.   I took off my shoes because it was hard to walk in them, but then regretted  it because the ground was hot. I got over to my bike area and luckily was now on grass. I racked my bike, changed out my bike gear for my run gear, put on sunscreen as I could feel my back getting hot, and then headed out to start my run.  

RUN

I started out slow. I started out as comfortable as I could, I tried to keep the time slow in the beginning.   

The first lap was actually pretty good, I tried to pace myself, overtime I looked down I was at a 11:20 ish pace, but because I walked up several of the hills, with a 30/30 run/walk plan, I averaged lower in my overall time. But I felt strong the first lap. I felt like I picked a good pace to keep and not stop. I mainly focused on getting Cold Coke and salt at every aid station since I couldn't take in solid foods.  And I made it around the first lap, longer then I wanted, but I was mainly focused on not bonking the last few miles like I always seem to do.  

Lap two started with feeling a little bit more tired, but it was doable. I got the first 3 miles in with a similar pace as the first. but then the last three, I started to fade. But I didn't get the usual lightheadedness and dizziness I usually got, so I had put in enough nutrition in my system.  So I was not getting that kind of fading that I have always seemed to have. It was more of a hard to breath kind of thing.  But I kept pushing on. I was four mies from the finish, and I really wanted to stay strong and not fade.   I managed to be running with most everyone around me was walking. I was running slowly, but I was running. And as I got to about a mile and a half, I started to get a side stitch in my left. It was sharp and severe. It kinda of Felt more like a spasm. And I would stop and try to breath it out, but it just wouldn't go away. So I was forced to walk, but then would force myself to run, then it would be severe enough where I had to walk, then I'd breath it out. then it would be severe again. So I did this for the last mile and a half. By the time I go to the last aid station, I was in vomit mode.  I tried to run, and cue spasm.  So when I got thru the last aid station, I ran. I didn't let myself stop. And then I was on the grass, running around the transition, I could hear the announcer. I heard the cheers. I kept going. I finally was running down the finish, which was on the grass and down hill. I think I was more focused on not vomiting and making a fool of myself, and also of not tripping on the unsteady ground.  And then, finally, I was running under the arch, threw up my arms for a photo, and ran through.  

As soon as I crossed,  I almost immediately felt like I was going to throw up, right in the timing chip collection bucket.  Then out of no where, I couldn't breath.  My vocal cord dysfunction reared it's ugly head. I could not catch my breath, I felt like I was going to vomit. someone put the medal around my neck, and gave me my finisher hat, blissfully that was dipped in ice water, so it was really cold, and I put it on my head.  Then I was asked if I was ok, which I could only nod my head. and then I walked out of the finish area, and kinda fell down on the grass and laid there for about 15 min attempted to catch my breath and trying to remember my breathing techniques for my VCD.   I forgot to get my finisher picture. I was that out of it. After about 15 min???  I managed to hobble over to my bike in transition, gather my stuff and then walk it back and found the BASE Booth with Ocky and Matt, and I just sat and tried to breath, It took a good 45 minutes, before I could get it under control. and even then, if I got emotional, it came back at least twice. I got a chance to see Adrianne, and Laura, and Susie and then got my stuff to the car, and we headed back to the house, and took  long shower, semi hot, as I had a really bad burn on my shoulders, even with 4 applications of sunblock. And I relaxed the rest of the night. I was a bit disappointed with my time. I  actually thought I was doing better. But it is what it is. It was a really hot day, on a hot course and I didn't give up. I kept pushing, I was more of a slow but steady athlete this time around.   I just keep reminding myself this is training for IMMT in August. 

OFFICALL TIMES:

Swim:           46:58

Bike           3:21: 11

Run            2:53:47

____________________

 Overall     7:17:03

While I was a bit disappointed in my overall time, I have to accept that it was a hot day, and that I didn't have the same issues that I normally have on a hot day. i didn't get dizzy or lightheaded the last four mile of the run. SO, while I am bummed with my times, I also learned some good information for what to work on for my next race coming up in 3 1/2 weeks at Vineman 70.3. I'll be at another hot race, so I  have more opportunity to practice and learn what I need to for my end goal. Ironman Mont-TreBlandt in Canada in August.  That's really what it's all about. 

I am feeling pretty deflated right now in my training. I feel like I have no power on the bike, and no energy overall. I feel like I'm just getting slower.  I did a training ride with IMMT on the Kicker, and man did it get me freaked out and pretty depressed that I'm not going to make it on the bike with the hills.  I had some good conversations with friends this past weekend, and part of it I think is that I'm doing everything.....alone.  I have been doing this for 7 years now, and honestly almost all of my training has been alone.  I realized this weekend that I really enjoyed spending time with my friends/triathletes and having someone to talk to in person, and just hang with.  It's of course been a wild year with traveling for my job, and having some pretty highs, and lows.  I gave myself a pretty aggressive schedule with 3 70.3's and a full 140.6.  I for see a need for a change when I finish my IM in August. Either a location change for training, or a break.  But Right know, I will focus on what I need to do for my current training. I think that has been what makes it hard too. I can really only focus on one week at a time. It seems impossible to even think further ahead then that with everything.  

I normally ALWAYS  have some motivational quote at the end of my blog.  I'm not feeling it so much this time. Maybe, you could help me and post one that would help me with this current funk.  That would be greatly appreciated, more then you could ever know!!!