Welland Half IM Race Report

This was my third half IM this season.  I almost was not going to do this race because I felt unprepared.  My training hasn't been going well and I was in the middle of changing coaches.  I decided to do this race as a training day.  Being a local race, I didn't do the normal pre-race things I do for big races.  I worked til Friday night so I came off work Saturday morning and had to do a short turnaround to race on Sunday morning.  We also had to drive 1:40min to get to the race site so it meant a very early morning.  I woke up at about 4:50am, ate breakfast, took a shower and got ready for my ride.  Race start time was 8:30am

Swim: 32:48: This swim was a full 2km as oppose to the usual 1.9km.  I just got into a rhythm once the swim started.  I started far out and clear of the group and had little contact during the swim.  I swam on my own for most of it.  I tried to hook onto feet to draft from but those feet died off and I was swimming on my own again.  I was pleased with the swim, I definitely got faster in the water this year and I am quite happy with that.

                                     

Out of the swim my friend Terri was out there to cheer me on!  What a fantastic job she did...she was awesome!  There was a long run to T1 which took me 2:13 and then I once again fumbled around in transition and took 1:31...I really have to work on this transition business!

Bike: 2:52:38: Once I was on the bike I just wanted to go steady but also wanted to break 3hrs.  The course was an out and back and pretty flat.  Going out on the bike I tried to stay 30-32km/hr and ate every 15min or so.  I quickly found the bike course to be boring.  I like the challenges of hills and winds, although it was a bit windy today, it was nothing like Hawaii.  I had to force myself to focus a few times to keep pushing the ride.  There was some drafting out there too which was a bit discouraging.  Another tough thing about a flat course is that you have to keep pedalling.  No rest breaks when descending, it was pedal, pedal, pedal!  And staying in aero for so long made my left shoulder very sore.  I at least managed to average 31.3km/hr on the bike.  I was trying out new shoes today as well and I think I like them!  They are the Shimano TR-70 and besides having a rock in my left shoe, they were pretty comfortable!

                                                                       
Run: 2:18:55: Ugh!  This run sucked!  I was very disappointed with the run!  My run was slower than the Hawaii 70.3 run and Hawaii was sooo much more harder of a run.  This run was fairly flat or so I thought.  But I think the humidity did me in.  I did not realize how humid it was out there but I did feel like an aid station every 2km was almost not enough.  I started the run feeling ok.  But probably around 6km I started to struggle and then it was a fight to keep going.  I was also trying out new running shoes which maybe I shouldn't have done.  I tried to run in the Zoots Ultra 2.0 and I am undecided about how I like them.  I did end up with 2 blue toenails after the run...both on the third toe of each foot.  I just wanted to stop at the side of the road and end my day.  But I fought with myself and tried to count to keep my mind focused rather than let negative thoughts in.

Finish: 5:49:10....a new PB for me by about 45sec!  I can for sure improve on this time with the run I had and I will be looking forward to Steelhead 70.3 to do this!  At least I will be more in race mode than for this race.  I am also quite sore now.  Special thanks to Terri and Shari for coming out and cheering me on!!!  You guys were fantastic and put a big smile on my face!  And thanks to the volunteers....even though you gave me a bottle of Infinite on the bike when I called for water....haha!  I wasn't too thrilled with that.  Great day but tough at the same time.  I did have fun though!

So the earth shook today!

I went out for a longish ride today with a friend and while we were out riding there was a 5.0 earthquake!!!  And I didn't feel a thing!  Ah well!  Kind of disappointed that I missed that since we are not due for another one for another 5-10 years...although it may also be a good thing I didn't get scared out of my pants! haha!  The ride was great today...we did about 110km and not too sure how long it took but it was probably about 4hrs.  We got rained on for a few minutes but it wasn't too bad!  Legs did feel it coming home but it was good!  I had some good training sessions the last couple of days.  I am now getting excited about racing in Welland this weekend!!! Yay!!!

In a bit of a training slump!

Last week was not the greatest training week ever.  It didn't help I worked everyday last week and I found it very difficult to wake up early enough after a night to go out and train before my next night shift.  I only logged about 7hrs of training...not ideal for IM.  Ah well!  New week and renewed motivation.  Today was a pretty good day with swim practice with the masters club after work this morning and then a speed run workout with Ming tonight!  I topped off the evening with a little treat - a chocolate vivano smoothie from Starbucks! :)  I got a race this coming weekend so I hope I can get back into it quickly! 

Some catching up...

So I have already done two races this season: Rev3 Knoxville Half IM and Hawaii 70.3.  Here is a quick recap on both races...

Rev3 Knoxville Half Ironman: 

I went into this race thinking I could go under 6hrs with no problem but I had a quick reality check!  haha!  The swim was great, it was in the Tennessee River and it went pretty smooth.  I finished the swim in just over 31min but crossed the timing mats in just over 32min.  Then it kind of went downhill.  The outside temperature was pretty cool and I froze running to T1.  Fumbled in transition and I was off on the bike.  The bike course took me by complete surprise!  It was all climbing with switchbacks the whole way.  Since I was cold my muscles took a loooong time to warm up and I couldn't get going.   I was also in my big ring the whole time thinking that the climb would be over when I turned the corner...nope!  It wasn't until about 40km into the bike that I felt like I could giv'er a bit and I did.  Finished the bike in 3:20 and change and was a bit disappointed by that.  The run was a lot of up and down as well but I pushed the whole way and ran my second best half IM run in 2:09 and change.  Total time was just over 6:08.  Not ecstatic with the result but I was ok with my first race of the season.

Hawaii 70.3 

It was soooo awesome to be racing in Hawaii on part of the IM course!  The swim was probably one of the roughest swims I've ever been in, including all Ironmans!  I was beaten up, goggles punched off, and dunked!  I just wanted the swim to be over, it was awful!  Finished the swim  in just over 34min.  Once again I fumbled in transition and then onto the bike.  I dropped my chain early in the ride switching from my small to big ring so I just stayed in my big ring for the rest of the ride because I didn't want to deal with dropping my chain again.  Apparently the guys thought I was "badass" for doing this!  haha!  The bike course took place on the second half and the more difficult part of the IM course.  What makes this course difficult are the brutal winds, sun, and heat.  The winds were coming from everywhere.  On the long climb out to Hawi we had to deal with strong head winds and some cross winds.  On the return trip, there were some nasty cross winds and I was just praying that I stayed on my bike.  It was white knuckles at times descending and catching some good gusts!  I completed the bike in about 3:18...again, not all that thrilled with the time but this was a hard ride.  The run took place on a golf course.  We ran on grass, some trails, and asphalt going up and down and making tight corners.  A difficult run course for sure with no shade and running in some lava fields!  I had nothing left in the tank at the end and clocked in at about 2:13.  I completed this race in 6:13 and a bit.  A tough course for sure but well organized and I had fun!

I can swim!

Went to swim practice tonight and surprised myself!  It was a good set tonight with a mix of 100s and 75s IMs and free.  I wasn't feeling all that great in the pool tonight and my legs felt a bit tired and sore from my tempo run last night.  I still sort of kept up with my lane mates who normally swim one lane up from me.  At the end of the workout was a timed 100 which I almost by-passed because of how I felt but I still did it.  It was an all out 100m but I know it wasn't my best b/c it was at the end of the night after a tough set.  I somehow still clocked in at 1:20!  1:20!  Really?!?!  I didn't think I was capable of swimming a 1:20!  Woohoo!!!!  50m pool short course.  Now imagine if I felt fresh!  This was enough proof that I have improved my swimming this past year.  I felt I was swimming faster and maintaining faster pace times....but this 100m result definitely made my night!  Now if only I can get my running up to par!

Welcome!

Well...I guess I am jumping into the world of blogging!  Why?  A good friend had suggested it to me as a way of maybe getting some sort of sponsorship.  To get myself more out there!  Although actually getting sponsors would probably be next to impossible for me; I thought it would be fun to blog my adventures.  So here I am!  Hope you enjoy my blog of my triathlon world!