BSLT Race Report

Well, this isn't going to be the most pleasant post I've ever written. I had high hopes coming into this race...my training was spot on, and i was mentally and physically more ready for this race than I had ever been before. But I came down with the flu (or something) a few days prior to race day, so that just threw things off. But life, and the race, goes on!

So to keep this post at a decent length, I'm just going to skip to the race recap:

The swim: I actually had a great swim. The wave I was in was probably the smallest of any race I'd ever been in, so I didn't experience the lovely "washing machine" effect of most swim starts. I just got into a great rythmn and kept it up. Turned in a solid 30:...something. I'll check and fix this later :P

The bike: The BSLT bike course is pretty flat, with 8 big hills, and the wind was tough as usual. I was surprised to see how many people I was passing, 'cause the guys started before the girls in the race, and usually most of them just increase their lead on the bike. But the hill training I've done must have paid off! I felt great, just flew along and kept up a solid pace (for me). My tri training has been more run focused lately, so the 18.6 pace I averaged was no more than I deserved. I really need to work on my weaknesses more. But my legs felt golden coming into the run, so that was nice :)

The run: Oh, the run. This is where everything fell apart. Usually, the run is MY event. I make up places, catch my competition and have a blast doing it. But not today. I think that I wasn't totally recovered from the flu, 'cause even though my legs had a great run in them, my insides didn't. I was (seriously!) freezing cold, and couldn't quit shaking. I also felt really dizzy and nauseous, and couldn't keep even water down. After throwing up at the first few aid stations I just quit trying to drink. I'd never felt this way before, and I was both mad and scared at the same time. But I knew that if I walked, or slowed down too much, I couldn't live with myself, so I just kept pushing on. My run time was a horrendous 1:52, which is more than pathetic. After the 1:23 13.1 I ran in training last week, I was expecting something more like a 1:30 or 1:35 split. But I did my best with what I had, and I rest in the knowledge that I couldn't have done anything more, anything better or faster.

It's really frustrating, 'cause I KNOW I had a win in me today. I was leading after my two weaker events, leading going into the run, which is more than my strength, it's the event I didn't think I could ever lose! Boy was I proven wrong. After the ultras this season I thought that nothing could bother me in the run...but I hadn't yet experienced sickness and stomach distress. Until you've experienced this yourself, people, don't discount the damage it can do! It was awful..

But the good news!!! - I finally achieved my goal of blacking out after finishing. I'd always wanted to push myself so hard that I just collapsed, and I finally did it! They kept me in the med tent for over an hour, 'cause apparently my temp was 101, and I couldn't stop shaking and dry heaving. But after a ton of IV, I started to feel better. (That IV was awful, by the way...they had to poke me 5 times before they could get into my veins, uggh NEVER again!).

And now I'm not sore at all. I'm really week and still feel pretty awful in general, but zero muscle soreness :(. The run was just to slow to do much damage to my legs. But that means that I'll be fresh for my birthday workout Friday! I'm so stoked about 22 mile repeats, 'cause I'll get that good ol' screaming ache in my legs after that workout, for sure :D

Well, that about covers everything. I'm not too stoked about this race, if you couldn't tell, 'cause even though I placed 3rd, that is NOT 1st. I had a win in me today, my legs were more than ready, but some things you just can't control. I'm going to take a few easy days, trash myself Friday, then start the training block for Ironman Louisville. I really really want to qualify for Kona there, even though I don't have any idea how I'm going to fit that into my schedule in the fall (grad school, IM Louisville, IM Arizona, and the NYC marathon). What am I thinking?! At least I'm considering Kona for 2011...

This race proved to me that triathlon means more to me than I thought it did. After the Rocky Raccoon 100 mile race in February, I'm going to focus on triathlon through the next two years. I am going to come back and SMASH this race. I will not take a break from tri (to focus on ultrarunning) until I have raced Kona, raced a sub-11 ironman, and a sub-5 half-iron. So there ya go! The times won't be hard to make, at all, but I want that done by next year. I'm not going to look further than that right now.

So a big CONGRATULATIONS to everyone who raced BSLT this weekend, it was a killer race and everyone did great! I can't wait to be back next year and have my revenge :D

This past weekend

I know, I know, it's been forever since I last posted. What can I say, I've just been so lazy! Swim, bike, run, EAT, sleep, what a wonderful life ;)

For now.

'Cause I'm getting a job (probably at Lifetime Fitness) after the BSLT triathlon in June, and my Spanish class is picking up speed. But I like being busy, so it's all good.

But anyway, this weekend was so great!!! I finally got to meet Kiplimo, and he is incredible. I refuse to act like a typical gushy lovesick girl, so that's all I'm going to say. See facebook if you're curious :)

I got to hang out with him and his awesome friends, and meet his sweet Aunt Grace. I love them! Can't wait to head back to Flower Mound again. I'll actually be there in July for a wedding, which happens to be on my birthday (the 2nd). For those of you who have been keeping up with me on facebook, you know that my birthday this year means a crazy tough track workout - 22 x 1 mile, at the track. One repeat for each year that I have been alive. Assuming that I am still alive at the end of the workout, of course. I'm going to do the workout in Flower Mound, which means that I will have an elite Kenyan runner to pace me ;) Yes, Kip, you are going to do them with me. You said you wanted to get back to racing track, right? Consider this your welcome back workout. Nasty and evil, just like track workouts should be. Ahh, the sweet scent of sweat, the ache of side stiches, the furious pumping of an overstrained heart, and the agony of cramping hamstrings and trashed quads, nothing better! I should probably bring flat shoes instead of heels for the wedding, no?

But anyway, that was my weekend. This next week is pretty normal for me. With the exception of the Spanish exam...tomorrow? oops, I should probably start studying. I'll write more soon, 'cause I'll have a lot to cover - BSLT, a super cool trip to Colorado, and GREAT friends :) I am so blessed!