Archive for the ‘Racing’ Category

Kelly Gets 5th at Ironman Lake Placid!

It’s been a crazy busy month!  But all good things; lots of travel, training and a few races.  After RI 70.3, it was Ironman Lake Placid time; not for me but for Kelly this time!  We went out to Lake Placid a week early.  For Kelly it was to relax and for me it was to smash myself!  I got in a great week of training.  I rode the course on Thursday with some good hard efforts thrown in.  I’ve ridden this course sooooo many times and I love it.  To mix things up and challenge myself or shall I say smash myself even more, I rode the second loop backwards. This meant I got to go up the Keane descent at about 4 1/2 hours into my ride, fun stuff!!  Then Saturday, I rode the course again with fellow K-Swiss athletes; Heather Jackson and Hillary Biscay and our friend Allan.  Up until this year, when I suckered Kelly into racing LP , I did  most of my training alone, so I really enjoyed training with friends a having Heather smash me to bits!!  The run off was pathetic, and I am embarrassed that my coach had to witness that!  It was a slow slow run and I wanted to stop, but she told me to finish what I start and never quit.  Jeez, she is tough…no wonder she has 11 Ironman wins! 

Once the ride was done the rest of the night was all about Kelly!  We had the usual boring plain pasta dinner in our room and we were off to bed.  I felt like I was racing the Ironman.  I was so excited and so nervous.  I did not sleep a wink.  I went to Kelly’s room at 3:30am to have breakfast with her.  She told me she slept great!!!!

Kelly had a phenomenal day.  I am so proud of her.  She faced many challenges training for this race, 2 jobs, nutrition classes, a few injuries here and there, but she toughed it out and reached all of her goals.  Without a wetsuit, and with no one to draft off of, she swam 66 minutes, she biked 5:32, and ran a 3:15 and crossed the line under 10 hours in 5th place!!!  

She is recovered and back at it planning for a fall Ironman.  My Ironman build has come to an end and I am  in full on taper mode for Ironman Louisville in 10 days and counting!! I  had a great training cycle going into this race and I am really looking forward to race day!

Below are some photos Kellys training and an amazing week in Lake Placid!

FL 70.3 Race Report

I’m back home and recovering from a so-so day at the Florida 70.3 last weekend.  I decided 2 weeks ago that I would head out to Disney and give the race a go.  I’ve bee battling posterior tibialis tendinitis in my foot since Ironman New Zealand, so training has been a little rocky. I had to sit out on some of my favorite spring races, so I was excited to get out there and race.  

The swim, was not good, but I didn’t let it affect me negatively like I have in my last few races.  I just boarded my Parlee  and hit it hard.  I felt really strong and felt like I was moving pretty well.  I started to get a bit discouraged when I didn’t pass many women on the bike.  Then we hit the first of 3 out and backs and I saw why.  There were many pro women mixed in riding in small packs with the pro men.  It was really frustrating to see that at every out and back.  I just kept my head down and kept pushing.  I entered T2 in around 11th place-not good.  I was worried about how my foot would respond to the grassy uneven terrain of the run course.  I only had a mile to warm it up before we hit the grass.  It was sore, but it actually felt better than I thought it would, so I pushed on.  I ened up passing a few girls and another 2 in the last loop of the run.  I crossed the line in 6th place. 

Not great, poor swim, so so bike and pretty good run considering how much run training I’ve missed.  Overall a good training day.  It was good to get out there and race again and catch up with the guys from Zipp and K-Swiss.  It’s good to have races like this.  It’s a good kick in the butt and motivator to focus and train harder.  I really love racing the half distance.  It’s hard and long, but you still feel fast (hopefully!).  Depending on how my foot feels, I hope to get one more hit out at Mooseman 70.3 before my second Ironman of the year; Ironman France.  I am VERY excited about this race!  The course looks amazing, a great climbers race!

More Kona Photos

Ironman World Champs

Another World Championship is in the books. It was a tough day for me. I tried to put all the negativity out of my mind and only focus on positive thoughts throughout the week. I was happy to be in Kona racing one of my favorite Ironmans, happy that my family was here to share the experience and excited to be racing against the best triathletes in the world. But the truth is that I was breaking down and my fitness was declining. I trained very hard for Ironman Lake Placid only to wake up with a nasy stomach bug which knocked me out of the race. I feel like I peaked for LP and needed a longer recovery from the race and the training cycle. I wanted to go to Kona, so I held onto my fitness long enough to have a solid race in IMLOU and get my Kona slot. After IMLOU, I struggled with my training. First it was a calf strain, then it was a quad bruise when my chain broke while climbing, then it was the final blow when Istrained my hip flexor 2 weeks before the race. It was a tough day and it always is. Considering my injury and the predicted weather conditions, my quote of the day was this:

“Let me pray not to be sheltered from dangers, but the be fearless in facing them. Let me not beg for the stilling of my pain, but for the heart to conquer it.”

My goals were not accomplished, but I soldiered on crossed the finish line and in the end, that’s what Ironman is all about.

Thanks to everyone for all the support. Now, it’s vacation time! I’m looking forward to spending a few weeks getting healthy(my husband Brian has his work cut out!) a college reunion in Beantown and some quality holiday time with my family!

Celebrating the Finish (I made it two sips!)

Ironman Louisville Race Report

I was excited to race Ironman Louisville and excited to test my fitness out in Kona like conditions. Race temps over the past few years have been in the high 80s to low 90s, so I thought it would be a great preparation for Kona. As race week rolled in, so did a cold front and we were greeted with much cooler than normal race temps. It wasn’t exactly Kona like conditions, but it did make for a fast day.

My training has been going well and I was excited to race and see what the day would bring. The swim was a struggle as usual. Somewhere along the half way point, my arch started to cramp. I was really wishing we were wearing wetsuits at the point! Fortunately, it worked its way out and I didn’t even think about for the rest of the race. I entered T1 with a lot of catching up to do.

I started the bike with a huge deficit, but I did my best to keep my anger and emotions in check and focus on the next task at hand; a solid bike split. My plan was to bike more conservatively than I typically do with the hopes of nailing my nutrition and running a fast marathon. I was really impressed with the bike course. Within a few miles, we were out in the Kentucky countryside surrounded by green rolling hills and horse farms. I felt great on the bike from the start. My P3 paired with an 808 front and 1080 rear was the perfect set up for this course. The longer I biked, the better I felt. My stomach and legs both felt great. I knew I would have a good run. I entered T2 in 4^th place, only 6 minutes down on 3^rd .

The run course was flat and with a predicted high of 76 degrees, I knew it was going to be a fast day for everyone. I opted to run in my new K-Swiss racing flats. They are incredibly light and perfect for the flat fast course. My plan was to go out a little harder than I usually do. I wanted to just run by feel and if I felt good, I would go with it. My opening miles were 6:30s and I felt great so I just tried to run sub 7s for as long as I could. Around mile 7, I moved into 3^rd place. I was gaining on the top 2 women, but the time lost in the swim was insurmountable. I ran from mile 7 to the finish in no man’s land. I knew I was close to a run PR and the course record, so did my best to time trial it to the finish. I crossed the finish line in 3^rd place and accomplished all of my goals for the day, a top 3 finish, a Kona slot, a new run PR and a run course record!

My trip out to Louisville will be a memorable one. We had the BEST homestay host and made some new wonderful friends. My legs are recovering well and I am looking forward to my Kona preparation. Once my legs are ready, I will head out to Tucson for a heat training camp then off to Kona for the Ironman World Championships. I am fortunate to have the support of K-Swiss, Powerbar, Cervelo, Zipp, Trakkers, Blue Seventy, Fuel Belt, Katalyst Multisport, Ski Rack, Rocket 7 and Vasa, Thank you all for taking such good care of me and I look forward to seeing you on the Big Island!

Some Updates

Once again it has been a very long time since I blogged. After being harassed by all my friends for the past year, I finally broke down and joined FB, so that has been enough computer time for me!

After China, I stretched my recovery out to 2 weeks. Racing in such horrible conditions and then getting a stomach bug really took its toll on my body. Over the past 6 weeks, my training has gone really well and I was excited to test my fitness at Kansas 70.3. We arrived in Kansas on Friday and were fortunate enough to get set up with a GREAT homestay, Marc and Kim (thanks for making us feel so welcome!!). The race was just so so. I’ve been working really hard on my swimming since China. My 100Y pool times are about 5 seconds faster now, but I still swam slow! Open water swim season has finally began here in VT, so hopefully that will help. On the bike, it was just one of those days when you just cant get comfy. I switched my saddle the week before the race and felt like my position was off and I just couldnt generate much power. It was hard to be so far back, but I just kept telling myself that I would have a great run. Having a good run split was my main goal of the day. I have been struggling to run well off the bike, so I have been doing quite a bit more volume that I typically do; lots of hills and tempo, but very little speed work. I was a little worried about feeling fast off the bike. The week before the race, I went to the track and banged out mile reps in 5:30. It was good confidence builder to be able to do that without any speed work, so I thought I was ready for a sub 1:20 run at Kansas. I ended up running a 1:20 and finishing 6th place. 6h place was a little discouraging, but if you look at the start list, it’s not too shabby. I am feeling strong as I enter my final hard month of training before Ironman Lake Placid.

Yes, I am racing LP! I know I wrote a post at the begining of the year about making changes and trying some new races, but as July got closer and closer, I just couldn’t stay away!!! We all have that race that we think about when we are training hard, when we are hurting and when we are pushing hard day in and day out. For me it’s Ironman Lake Placid. 5 more weeks!!

A Record Breaking Day!

A friend of mine once told me racing Ironman is somewhat of a crap shoot. You train hard, you’re fit, mentally strong, you roll the dice, and sometimes get cat eyes. I definitely rolled cat eyes at Ironman China this past weekend. It was a day of records; record temps exceeding 113 degrees, 90% humidity, record drop out rates, and unfortunately a new record PW (personal worst) for me in the run!

The swim was in a river with a very strong current. My first lap went ok. It was a little brutal at the start due to the fact that we were in skinsuits and all the age groupers swimming all over us had full wetsuits on. However, once things thinned out, I was happy to have some company. My first lap went ok and I had a few age groupers to help sight off of. I was on pace for an hour, which is pretty good for me considering the strong current. On the way back to shore on loop 2, I took the turn way to wide and got swept off course by the current. I fought hard to get back on course but lost several minutes and once again exited the water with alot of work to do! My plan was to ride a little harder the first 30 miles to close the gap, then settle in. I am so happy to be riding a P3 again this year. The bike is really really fast and my position on it feels so powerful and efficient. Once I moved up to 4th place and was within striking distance to the top 3 girls, I toned it down and cruised into T2, trying to save my legs and energy for what I knew would be a war of attrition rather than a marathon running race. My muscles felt good coming off the bike, but once I hit the run course, it was as if I stepped into a sauna. The heat and humidity were oppressive and within a few minutes, I felt like my head was about to explode. My pace slowed to a shuffle, then a walk, then a nice little break at one of the aid stations where I contemplated quiting. I didn’t know how I was going to make it another 13 miles. I sat there drinking water and gatorade. I was cooked. I was done. My race was over. Then, I thought about last years Hawaii Ironman. When my hamstring cramped so badly, I quit and took the medical van to the finish line. The medical van is a horrible horrible place to be. They don’t just pick you up and take you straight to the medical tent. They sweep the course, picking up the carnage one by one. I sat there watching the race from a van window. The race that I trained so hard for. I watched the other athletes push there limits, walking shuffling along with indomitable will and focus. I didn’t come to China to watch the race from a van window. I couldn’t finish the Hawaii Ironman without risking a muscle tear, but I could finish Ironman China. So, I got up and continued my shuffle to the finish line. I crossed the finish line in 5thplace, completely exhausted, but with a little pride and self satisfaction in knowing that I just finished the hardest hottest Ironman in the world, EVER! Unless you were there, there is no way you can understand how hot it was. Let me tell you, I have raced well in 90 degree temps, 113 is a whole new world!

I owe a huge thank you to my K Swiss family who were the presenting sponsors of Ironman China and showed incredible support before during and after the race. I am still recovering from a nasty stomach bug I got my last day in China. I honestly don’t know what was harder the race or the flight home! With the exception of my stomach, my legs feel really good and I am eager to get back into some hard core training real soon. My original plan was to get a Kona slot early in the year and focus on 70.3’s throughout the summer and hit Kona training with fresher legs than in previous years. Sinced I failed to get my slot, I now have to re evaluate my race plans. There are many to choose from and some of my favorites on the circuit; IMCDA, IMLP and IM Canada. Kelly is still training hard core and very very fit for a great Ironman. There is still a possibility we will race an Ironman together this year. She was ready for IM China, but due to financial reasons decided to hold out and do some early season racing in the states. It has been a goal of ours for a few years to race an Ironman together. After training with her over the past few months, part of me would rather be out there on the sidelines supporting her like she has done for me over the years. We’re both getting antsy, so I know we have to make a decision soon. Well, I have plenty of time to think about things this week, because with this stomach bug, it doesnt look like I’ll be leaving the house anytime soon! I will keep you posted.

California 70.3 Race Report

After a long hard block of training, it’s always feels good to get out and race and test the fitness. It doesn’t feel so good when things don’t go as planned. My race last weekend was a dissapointing one. I was excited to get out and race my first triathlon of the year. My Ironman China build went really well. My run build up was short due to a little achillies tendinitis which I got from too many runs on the snow back home in Vermont. However over the past 4-6 weeks, it has gone really well and I was clipping off some pretty good tempo runs and long run paces. My biking has been strong as well and my pool times had gone down remarkably from where they were last year. So, I was excited and ready to get out there and RACE! Unfortunately, about 2 minutes into the swim, it felt more like a lonely training day. I really believed my faster pool times would translate into a faster swim leg. Unfortunately swimming is not like running or biking and hard work doesn’t always pay off!! argggg…..The dynamics of 70.3 racing has changed over the years. With more and more ITU girls stepping up to 70.3, and more pack riding, the swim is becoming more and more important, even in Ironman. So, I will not give up! I’ll keep swimming 5 times a week, keep up with the stretch cords, vasa and look forward to the start of open water swimming back home in VT!

Back to the race, on the bike I actually felt pretty and was surprised that I didn’t pass more women and rank a little higher in the bike split category. But just like the swim, I was all alone on the bike. Looking at the results you can see how beneficial it is to have other girls around you on the bike. Seems all the girls who swam 24 minutes biked within 2-3 seconds of each other. Onto the run still in no mans land! I ran steady holding 6:30s. I haven’t done much speed work, so I wasn’t sure if I would be able to hold a much faster pace than that. By mile 8, I still felt really good, so I picked it up a little and a little and a little more and ended up running the last 2 miles at 6 min pace crossing the line in 10th place.

Every time I race, I try to draw something positive out of the day. This one was a hard one, but it is a good sign for my upcoming Ironman that I felt strong throughout the day and ended up with a big negative split on the run. That is a good sign that I am strong, which Ironman is all about!!!!

I have one more week here in Tucson before I head out to China. This is the hardest part of being away from home and tapering. Feeling lazy and bored!!!!

Desert Classic Duathlon

The 2009 season is finally underway and I am happy to report I won my first race of the year! It has been a few years since I raced a duathlon, so when I heard about the Desert Classic Duathlon only 2 hours away from my winter training base, I had to hop in. I headed up to Scottsdale with John and Kelly and of course her kids. I told Kelly this is the last time she watches me race, next race she’s in! She agreed and said spectating is harder than racing (see photos!!).

The race was a total shock to the system, yet it felt really good to blow out the cob webs! The race started with a 3.5 mile trail run. I entered T1 just a few seconds behind the top 2 women and after a quick transition, I hit the 21 mile bike course in first place. Having done zero speed work, I knew I had to bike hard to hold onto the win. I entered T2 with about an 80 second lead and managed to keep that gap throughout the second run to take home the win. It’s always nice to win the first race of the year and definitely gets me excited for the upcoming race season!

Season Wrap Up

Once again, it’s been a while since I updated my site. I was so upset after my DNF in Kona, I just wanted to put the race behind me and move on. Kona was the typical Ironman Horror story. I had to take 3 weeks off from swimming before Kona becuase I had another flair up with my shoulder. I had a few decent swims race week but unfortunatley my layoff caused me to lose quite a bit of fitness and I came out of the water with another PW (personal worst!) seems to be the year for swim PWs, but I have some ideas for next year and I am believe it or not, very excited to start my swim focus. Anyway, back to the race. I felt great on the bike, and started moving up through the field. Unfortunately, at about the 2 hour mark, I went to take a salt tablet and they were gone! The wind blew them off my bike and I had to complete the bike without any salt tablets. I felt so good on the bike, so I wasn’t really that worried. I moved up through the field and entered T2 in 17th place and the 5th fastest bike split. This was the highest I have ever entered T2, so I was confident I could run about a 3:05-3:07 and finish in the top 10 . My legs felt great off the bike and I started running 6:50s. Unfortunately at mile 2, my stomach started to cramp badly and by mile 5, the porta potty stops started. I was so upset, because I was holding 7 min pace, but every time I stopped I would put in an 8:30 mile pace. I was having a hard time eating and drinking because of my stomach cramps and by mile 13, I was so dehydrated my right hamstring cramped badly. I chugged gatorade, stretched, tried to walk it off, but it just wouldn’t release. I hobbled to mile 15 where I eventually called it a day. It was a hard decision to make. I am a firm believer in, you finish what you start and you learn a great deal about yourself when you suffer badly in races. There are times to tough it out and there are times to throw in the towel. Last year I raced Kona with a stress fracture in my femur. I toughed it out, suffered a great deal and finished just to finish. I couldn’t do it this year. I didn’t want to risk tearing my hamstring and being out for an extended amount of time. I had to take 4 months off from training after Kona last year and I chose to put my health first.

After Kona, I decided I would do Ironman Arizona. I trained so hard for Kona. I felt so fit and I didn’t want to waist all that fitness. I didn’t want to end my season with a DNF. Unfortunately as soon as I got home from Hawaii, I came down with bronchitis and was forced to rest for 2 weeks. That left me with 2.5 weeks of training and a 10 day taper going into IMAZ. All I could do was have faith that the training I did all year, would still be in me. I ended up finishing 4th and top American in a very competitive international field. Considering the obstacles that I had to overcome with my shoulder and illness, I am happy with my race. I will post a race report this week. Below are a few photos of the day.