Category: Race Review

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Capital Well Sunapee Triathlon Race Report 2020

I finally get to write a race report. Yeah!

The Sunapee Triathlon was a great day. I loved seeing all the tribikes on bike racks as I drove north to Newbury. It felt like race season was back on!

I arrived at Sunapee State Park way too early. I was worried about missing a shuttle but it ended up being walkable from the parking area to the transition. I didn’t have to use a shuttle at all since I was so early. I walked around the beach and decided to stretch and get ready early in transition. And I’m glad I did because as I was sitting next to my bike a high school friend, Kristin said hi. I couldn’t believe it. It seriously has been 30 years since we saw each other. Even with a mask I recognized her immediately. I loved hearing about what she has been doing since high school. She has done a bunch of ½ Ironman distance triathlons and was as excited as me to race. 

Our conversation was cut short as the time to leave transition arrived. I walked down to the beach and put on my wetsuit and waited for the swim lineup. 

There was time for a practice swim and that water was cold. It felt better after sitting in it and then time to go.

Athletes entered the water every five seconds.

The first 500 yards I felt so slow. I sighted okay and seemed to warm up after about 15 minutes. After the first turn buoy the water was choppy and I was extra cautious about breathing in with my mouth wide open – I’ve done that before and inhaled water – bad!

Finally I could see the exit and still felt slow. I need to work on my open water swimming technique for next year.

On to the bike! 

I feel like I pushed it the entire time. The uphills were tough and the downhill were scary fast. It was the first race for my Cervelo and it didn’t let me down.

It was cold, in the 40s for sure, but I wore my NorthFace windbreaker that has saved me on hikes in the 4,000 footers and one cold trail race at Jay Peak. 

I initially thought I’d have to wear tights over my tri shorts for the bike, but I opted out, and no extra hat under my helmet; and these were good choices because I felt pretty good. With the temperature in the 40s on the bike, the one casualty ended up being my feet. Once I was off the bike I realized that my feet were frozen. When I put my shoes on in transition I knew something didn’t feel quite right. 

I started running and it felt like there were rocks in my shoes. 

I knew that feeling too well from other triathlons so it just took time for my feet to warm up and then they were fine.

I felt good on the run. I had a good stride then I looked at my watch and I was running 10 minute miles -booo! 

But then at times I looked down and I was running 8:45 minute miles. It was a mix of hills and feeling good. I just looked my times on Strava and the last mile was 8:35 – hells ya! 

I miss racing so much despite hating the day before a race when I am nervous and race morning that seems to last longer than the race itself. Looking ahead I think 2021 is going to make up for the bust 2020 was for racing.

I haven’t raced an Olympic Distance Triathlon in years and this distance is so fun!
1.5km swim, 36km bike, 5.1 mile run. Just under three hours. Yes! 

Fun!

While I love going long, short is a great challenge to push it the entire time. Well, I didn’t push it on the swim but it was a good lesson that I really need work on swim speed. When you go long, swim training is more about being efficient since it’s a long day. On shorter distances you really need speed on all three. 

Now it’s time to focus on finishing 21 peaks in 7 weeks. I’ve mapped it all out and made plans for every weekend. The Finish the 4,000 footers in my 49th year plan will be the next post. 

Thanks Millennium Racing for a great race. I will see you next year!

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Houston Marathon 2020 Race Report

I got to escape the arctic tundra for four days this past weekend while racing (and I use that word loosely) the Houston Marathon.

Over the long weekend I talked to so many amazing endurance athletes. I was inspired and in awe of these people:

Shelly who finished her first 100 (Brazos) under her time goal.

Mark who ran his 25th Houston Marathon

Brian who ran his 21st Houston Marathon. 

Paul who ran his first marathon at 60. 

Brandon who is running marathons in every state.

The guy at the finish line who told me about his 100s and what was next.

The woman who said she usually does ultras but just loves the Houston Marathon. 

The marathon was so fun because Mark, Brian and I ran the first 20 miles together. We talked and laughed as the miles just flew by. The start was cold, colder than I dressed for but I rather be cold that hot. The course was as flat as a pancake and it was great to just run without any hills. We walked very little. 

Race morning

We saw our support team with the pink hair (Thanks Amy) and Shelly was there although I didn’t get to see her. 

We talked to a few people while running. I love being asked where I’m from. New Hampshire. HA. Some people look at me funny, I’m guessing they don’t really know where it is. (LOL)

Around mile 22 Brian started cramping and Mark walked/ran with him; I kept running. It hurt too much to walk and I felt pretty good so I kept running. I had it in my mind to finish at 4:30 but ended up at 4:43. 

Considering that most of November and December I couldn’t run three miles without hurting, I think it was an okay day. I still have some adductor pain but it’s so much less. 

There 74 days until my 100 mile race and I know exactly what I have to do to be successful. Today, Tuesday as I think back on the last few days I feel so lucky for the people in my life. The ones who inspire and listen to my rants; the ones who offer advice (that I may take, ha) and the ones who love me despite my craziness. 2020 is going to be a great year. First race of the year – done!

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Run the Witch Half Marathon Race Report

Kassandra arrived on Saturday from Tucson not only to visit me but to Run the Witch half marathon in Norwich, Vermont. We chose this race because it was a great way for her to see Vermont; a place I believe is so magical and beautiful, especially in the fall. I have always said that as soon as you drive over the Connecticut River from New Hampshire into Vermont it’s a different world. 

On Sunday as we drove in the misting rain, knowing that it was going to downpour at any moment, we were excited for the race and seeing a new place. 

The temperature hovered around 40 and once the race started we warmed up a bit; but not entirely. The course is hilly. The first mile was a warm up and then the hills came. Up and down, up and down, more rain, then the wind. 

Strava data

The first part of the half marathon course is paved and then we turned and ran on packed dirt; it was a nice change. The trees displayed their colors boldly and the scenery took our minds of the pain. 

We finished, got our medal, and changed out of our wet clothes as fast as we could. It was a good day to run and later appreciate the warmth of dry clothes.

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It was a Grand Adventure

I dropped from the Leadville 100 Trail Run at mile 38, at Twin Lakes. I really thought it was my day; that I would finish this race. I really wanted to experience the water crossings and Hope Pass and Winfield. But I just couldn’t do it. My legs and brain couldn’t do it. I wasn’t going to meet cut-offs and I stopped. 

The first section of the course was spectacular and I loved running at 4am. I met some cool people, particularly Ernie and Isaac who called me New Hampshire. Isaac talked to everyone and asked everyone where they were from. Every time I would see him, “Hey New Hampshire, how are you feeling”. He is still on the course as of this writing. Ernie dropped when I did.

That course was brutal; so many ups and downs. And then when it was flat road, which was a lot, it was hard to run because my legs were dead. I started slow, I never ran with full gait, so I felt like it was a good pace. But once I left Outward Bound my legs betrayed me. I tried to run, count to 100, and it worked for a bit but once I was through Mount Ebert aid station I knew I was done. I walked and then slowed even more once I knew I was done. My legs were dead. 

I tried to Jedi Mind Trick my brain with thoughts of seeing Hope Pass and using all my mantras but it was no use. 

Where I decided to call it a day. Then I snapped this picture.

I’m not sad or mad about the race. I feel badly that my pacers couldn’t run. I know Roger wanted to pace me and for that I feel terrible. I know Mark, Mary and Whitney would’ve been amazing. 

I just couldn’t imagine running at night feeling the way I was. I’m not sure I would’ve even made the cut offs. 

I know I have work to do. I like running for long distances but maybe 100 is too much or the Rocky Mountains are too much. I have to get leaner, stronger and I need to do more mountain running. 

Race 5 of 5 for the dream year is a bust. I told Mark yesterday as we drove back to the condo that it was a great adventure – this Leadville quest. It was fun to train and plan and execute despite the outcome. 

It turns out that 2019’s mantra is “It’s all about the adventure”. The adventures this year turned out to be a mixed bag. Some highs and lows for sure. I’m so thankful for my friends and family. It’s only August, so much can happen in the next few months. I’m determined that 2019 is going to be the best year ever for every aspect of my life. There is so much to try, to learn, to experience.  One of my favorite phrases to say after success and failure: What’s Next. Stay tuned for the next adventure. It’s going to be so good!

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Leadville Marathon race report, heart and lungs exploding

Friday

I had great flights all day Friday and arrived on time at the Denver Airport. Whitney and Kathleen picked me up and we headed west on I-70 to our lunch plan – Tommyknocker Brewery is my Colorado tradition coming into the mountain from the city, since 2010. 

Whitney walking into TommyKnockers

Once in Leadville we waited at our hotel for Mary to arrive and then headed to packet pick up. We walked through the expo and then into the packet pick up for our shirt and bib. I spotted the Leadman booth and knew that one day, one day, I would be registering at that booth. 

Weather was a concern for days leading up to race and Friday the weather forecast for Saturday was looking like cold temps and rain. Mary and I were panicking a bit because we both get so cold, so easily. 

Dinner was at Treeline and we met Bob and Vicky for the pre-race day meal. I met Bob and Vicky at the Blood Root Ultra in Vermont. We chatted a bit during that race and learned that we were both racing the marathon AND the 100 in Leadville.

Race Morning:

Pre Race pics

At the race start the weather was perfect : 39 degrees and sunny. The weather still showed clouds and rain in the forecast so we carried rain gear. 

I started with Bob, Mary and Whitney. Mary and Whitney were running the Heavy Half

Race Report:

The first three miles introduced me to Zombie brain – a phenomena that caused me to stare at the ground, rendered me speechless and my brain couldn’t function except to keep moving forward running/hiking. I didn’t even look at my heart rate. I just moved with the crowd. 

The climbs seemed endless and the scenery spectacular. I have to say I’m pretty used to the beautiful high mountain scenery after living in Grand County so many years but being so high up at 11,000 feet, seeing all the snow, it was strikingly beautiful. I walked so much it wasn’t a big deal to take out my phone and take photos. 

Leadman and Leadwoman racers wear a special race bib to identify themself. They get extra cheers from the runners since this is just one race in five that they compete in during the summer. If everything goes according to plan, I hope to enter the Leadwoman races series next year. But first, the 100 Run. 

Whitney and Bob saw the big black bear that ran across the trail and I missed it by a few minutes. Bob said that seeing the bear made it worth the registration price. 

At about mile 13 I felt a little dizzy and thought I should look at my heart rate – 180 at that moment. It scared me so I walked and tried to monitor it better. Then after the turn around point, my stomach started to hurt. Right in the middle, not the side, the middle. I hoped it was gas. Nope. 

I told Mary yesterday that I needed to have a tough race. I need to throw up and feel sick. I didn’t even think about GI issues. 

I’ve never had issues before. Never pooped or even needed to poop on a run, much less diarrhea.

NOTE: ultra runners talk about pooping all the time. It’s regular conversation for us, for the record. 

So there it is – pooping in the woods and then no more pain. 

I still have to figure how how to throw up and maybe pass out (okay, not pass out) on a trail run prior to the 100 just so I have the experience and can get used to it. I want to know that I can react to it and not just stop. 

Then, it was all about the downhill and finishing. I was surprised that I wanted to walk so much on the downhill. I thought it would be easy to run downhill but it was hard on my heart and lungs still. My legs were fine, really. Kind of cool. 

I caught up to Bob a few times during the race and we reconnected after my two stops in the woods at mile 20. We ended up running the last 5K together. The finish line and red carpet were absolutely amazing and I had to stop myself from getting choked up with emotion on finishing this race. After I finished George wandered into the area and we hugged. He drove down from Hot Sulphur just for a 30 minute visit. 

George at the finish line

Step 4 of 5 in Dream Year 2019 – done! 

I signed up for this race so I would know what my body would do at 10,000 after coming from sea level. My heart and lungs exploded from my chest for the first half of the run. I seemed to settle in and feel somewhat better after three hours. Running downhill was still hard on my heart and lungs. My legs held up, though and that is good – very good. I wasn’t sore during the run but post-race I just wanted to sit. 

I learned so much about myself and my body during this race and to be honest, I’m scared to death about the 100 mile race. I want to finish this 100 and cross that finish line more than anything in the world. I have a lot of training to do and need to spend more hours on my feet and get to the mountains for long mountain runs to get ready for the 100. 

Here’s what I learned and what I have to do:
• Write and follow a nutrition plan for 5 days leading up to race
• Do not drink electrolytes from an aid station unless I know what it is and I’ve tried it before
• Write and send to pacers and crew a detailed Project Plan for the 100
• No more bourbon days before a race (this seems like common sense but then again adventure)