So the race is done but I didn't leave Ottawa with the finishing time I wanted. I sat down before the trip and planned out my race for the opening 10k, T1, the 40k bike, T2, and the final 5k run. In doing this I had a pacing plan, nutrition plan, Wattage plan, final run plan, and a back up plan if things went wrong. So here is the official recap/report on how it all went down.
The opening 10k goal time was 41-42 minutes. I know I can run sub 40 but I was intentionally holding back to keep the legs feeling good and hammer on the bike. 1k in I was running sub 6 and hanging towards the back of the run pack (not a great sign unless everyone is WAY to amped up). But either way I was holding my plan. I backed off and worked on settling in to MY race. I slowly started coming up on groups and would sit on the back to use the wind block to recover (11mph headwinds/crosswinds). After the first loop I was at 20:11 and needed to back off more if I was going to have the race I wanted. I continued to work my plan and made my way up through a few more bodies and went into T1 at 41:35! Right on goal. I practiced T1 4-100 times the day before and a few times race morning. T1 goal 1 minute. Actual: 49 seconds.
Starting the 40k bike I felt awesome, pumped to be on the bike (still my favorite event) but also that my plan A was all in order. 11mph headwinds and a bit of a climb out to the crit section of the course kept my wattage a bit higher than I wanted but I knew I would settle into my 230-240 range. I immediately started picking off guys, 1st a Japanese, then a few Canadians and South Africans. Coming out of the crit section I was still feeling good and everything looked good every time I would check my power. I continued into the headwind keeping my cadence high (97RPM) which is a little high for me for the duration of the bike. The 1st loop I did in just under 35 minutes and the 2nd loop I planned on getting after it a little more since I was still behind and calculating out my time I was going to be slow getting off the bike. My goal was 1:02-1:04. On the 2nd loop at the far turn around I took my 2nd gel of the race and when I went to wash it down I had no fluid left. That meant 10-15 minutes of no hydration and the sticky, gooey taste in my mouth. I finished the 2nd loop in 33 minutes and some change giving me a final time on the bike in 1:08:48. I passed a good amount of racers during the bike, some in my wave and some in the wave ahead and the best part was no one passed me! Off the mark but at that point I just pressed on and needed to find whatever I had left on the 5k. T2 however was again quick and easy. I allotted 1 minute each time and this time 44 seconds. Silver lining!!
The 5k goal time was 21-22 minutes. I knew coming off the bike seeing I was 4-6 minutes off my goal I wasn't going to do as well as I planned but still had work to do. I tried to get my rhythm in the opening 1k but needed to stop to wash the gel down that I took on the bike. 1 quick drink and I was off. I settled into what would be my pace for the middle part of the run around 2k in and held that until the final 1k. Again no one to pass me but I wasn't able to pick up the pace enough to close the distance on the guy a about 2 minutes up on me. The course was good in terms of seeing people, there were 2 out and backs and this allowed you to see how the other guys were looking. Me, I always smiled and gave a nod hoping I would find one of them at the point of cracking. Didn't work! I tried to pick up the pace around 2.5k and that was the 1st time I have ever actually puked in my mouth. Spit out whatever came up and backed off again. Kristen and I talked before the race that if I didn't puke I didn't go hard enough. Well that was a good indicator that I was on the limit. (We sometimes are very scientific like that) After getting another drink to wash out my mouth I was coming through the final 1k+-. I decided that I had enough in my legs and body to push the final bit so I turned it up again not really caring if I puked so long as I didn't shit myself (amazing how my mind works during a race). Puked up a little more this time and spit it out but kept the pace higher. Grabbed the flag of my country and crossed the line with some mild cramping in the quads and my left calf.
So after a few bottles of water, gatorade and more water I started to feel a little better. My final time was 2:14... good enough for 21st in my age group and 166 overall. Nothing great, not what I planned, but I now have an idea of what I need to do next year in Spain.
I was going to hang up my duathlon racing and complete an IM but after this I have decided that I don't care about IM as much as I do love duathlon and duathlon racing. It's a different kind of hurt. It's the hurt 99% of people don't like. As Dave S and I have said; when you finish a race and can't figure out if you have to go puke or take a shit, you didn't go hard enough. I like to call that twisted gut.
I love that feeling.
So next for me is the Canadian. Kristen and I decided that I'm going for the 113km du instead of the 226km. I need my speed back. We took a chance on trying to balance training for worlds (intensity) and a full (volume) and we both feel that the volume was higher than the intensity causing my less than perfect form at worlds. The good thing that I took from this is I am now very motivated to have the race I want this October in AZ. at nationals.
So 2 races remain...
1. The Canadian 8/31/13
2. Duathlon Nationals 10/26/13
Then I will take 1 month off of all training and enjoy the smaller things, ie... my honey do list!
