Kansas City Olympic Distance Triathlon 2016

Joe and I before I put on my rubber suit

My first official outside triathlon of the year was a new one for me.  Since my favorite early season triathlon moved from May to July and I had the brilliant idea to sign up for a June 1/2 Ironman and I needed a new early season race to work the kinks out so I decided to try out the Kansas City Tri.  As I noted in my prerace blog the day of was cold! I had my hubby with me and he decided to race with me.  He did a duathlon (run, bike, run).  My race started at 7:30 am and with an air temp around 45 degrees and water temp around 62 degrees it was a bit brisk.

I am number 375 with my game face on.

I did all the things I knew to do... wet suit - check, quick plunge before my turn to start - check, high fives at the lake's edge before the horn.  And yet diving into the lake for my best leg of the triathlon, I still had a complete melt down.  The cold knocked the wind out of me and left me gasping for air the first 100 yards.  I even had a couple of seconds where I considered calling it quits, but then my big girl voice chewed my butt and told me to pull it together and stroke and breathe and stroke and breathe.

The course was a big rectangle where you swim into the sun to the first two buoys.  I really wish race officials got that the orange buoys are IMPOSSIBLE to see going into the sun.  We had two long legs into the sun on our two lap course and between laps we actually ran up on the beach and over a mat then back into the water. Needless to say I struggled to find my rhythm but got through the swim in 5th place in my heat at around 29 minutes.  I scooted up the hill to transition, toweled off, put on some sleeves, and then was on my way to the bike leg.

The bike was mostly on a controlled course along the lake.  It was two laps with three out and backs, a few rolling hills and one long hill.  I found my bike legs a couple of miles into the ride at the first out and back and then rolled into the second out and back which had two nice hills down and then at the bottom (yes the bottom, braking) we turned around and rode back up the two rolling hills.  I remember looking at my odometer and cursing because I was only at mile 5.5 and the "big" hill wasn't until mile nine, so I kept pedaling.

I had opted for sleeves while I was riding because it was chilly when I started out but found I was actually getting warm after the first leg since the sun was shinning down on us (and the hills likely helped.)  The big hill was about a half mile long but not super steep (no twister hill) but fortunately the turn around was at the top of this one and then back to the second loop.  I'm am pretty sure I lost some ground in my age group on the bike.  Even so I felt like the bike went well enough with a final time of 1:36 and an average of 15.4 mph.

While all this was going on Joe's heat started.  He did his short run, one lap of the bike course, and then a 5k run while was out on the bike.  Here is a picture of him finishing the duathlon.  I think it is really great that he decided to race with me. Joe has done a couple of duathlons but this is the first time we have competed at the same time.  I watched for him on the course but with all the out and backs and the run being a loop I did not see him.

Meanwhile I started the run course.  The first mile was on the road in the park and then the next two miles were on crushed gravel trails (Ames folks think Ames middle school track).  Not my favorite surface type, but it went through a lovely prairie with birds singing, flowers and people kayaking lakeside faster than I was running.  Even so I felt like my pace through the first two miles was solid.  I took on water at the water stops and finished the first loop at the finish line and then kept on going into the next loop. By then temperatures were climbing with the sun shinning and I was really working the positive thoughts, enjoying the signs (favorite on the bike was ride like you stole it) focusing on my smile (hard to mentally crash when you are smiling) and kept putting one foot in front of the other along the trail.  Also, towards the end of the first loop another Pearl Izumi ladies tri champion blew by me.  She was doing the sprint and we gave each other a shout out as she left me in her dust.

Unfortunately by the time I got to the second loop of the run the first water stop was out of Gatorade and apparently they had started putting fizzy tablets into the water.  I generally don't take on anything except water in races now after having issues last year on my longer races so once I realized I had fizzy water in my cup I started to worry a bit, and sure enough my GI track started to rumble.  When I got to the last water stop they only had Gatorade so I took on nothing.  By then I was getting warm and with my MS that is never a good thing.  Fortunately there were spots of shade and the occasional cloud (plus I has taken off my sleeves before the run) so managed not to overheat, but I certainly would have appreciated some water to wear and water to drink by mile five.  I kept going with the knowledge of cool bottled water awaiting me.  I finished strong and met Joe at the finish line.  It wasn't my fastest or slowest Olympic race time (final time 3:16) and on a new course 19th out of 30 in my age group is just fine with me. 

All in all the race course was challenging enough, the volunteers were great and there was a lot of fan support until the last two miles.  The KC Triathlon is definitely one I would do again.  I let them know in the post race survey that water and food are more important than two race shirts, a pint glass and a medal.  The banana at the end didn't quite hit the spot so we heading back for showers and a burger before driving back to Ames.

A huge thank you to my hubby who made the trip a lot of fun with museums, baseball, BBQ and triathlon YAY! And thank you to my folks who watched the kids and ran soccer shuttle while we were gone.  Also a shout out to my sponsor this year, Pearl Izumi and these great kits we get to wear as they are super comfortable.  To the right I am sporting my PI tri champ shirt... taking the ass out of ambassador.  I had a lot of fun and as always am grateful for any day that I can be out enjoying some exercise and nature at the same time.

Endure and Enjoy!

Thank you to Kansas City Triathlon - Ultramax Sports and their photographer for most of these photos!

Last comment.. .I am still looking for support for the MS Society and my bike MS team.  We ride June 25th the weekend after my next race.

A Birthday to Remember

Today I had the most memorable birthday in a long while.  Needless to say my day did not workout quite as planned.  I am reminded I have a lot of incredible people in my life who stepped up to meet my needs.  

Yesterday I got a call from a vendor that will be an important participant for a research project we are doing at work.  They asked if I might be available to come down to Des Moines for a 7am meeting before other meetings got rolling as part of our AASHTO Mid-Year.  I said sure despite it being my birthday and having a backlog at work because one does not turn down an opportunity just because it seems at first glance a bit inconvenient.

So in a steady rain I headed south at 6:15 this morning and was grateful it was not a heavy rain when I got out to the freeway.  As I exited the freeway to head into downtown Des Moines (the rain had mostly stopped by then) I got quite a surprise when another driver ran a red light and Tboned my car.  The impact spun me around into oncoming traffic and deployed my side airbags (right onto my head).  Once I realized what happened and figured out what the voice was that was asking if I was ok (my OnStar savior checking to make sure I was ok and alerting 911 for me) I realized I couldn't see anything with airbags everywhere.

A huge shout out to the Urbandale Fire squad, Des Moines police department and the Crow Tow team for be quick and efficient in making sure we were all ok and safe today.

I called Joe and while sobbing assured both him, and the dispatcher who had taken the place of the OnStar voice, that I was pretty sure I was ok.  By then the fire department had arrived and we realized I could open my car door and that I was trapped inside by my airbags.  They made quick work of that so I could get out of the car.  My drivers side is pretty smashed up and the rear axel is bent and the insurance company seems to think it may be totaled.  For those of you who know the history of my car there is some sadness and likely some joy because this Saturn Vue has been a real lemon for us.  I am grateful to have a car that ran and got us where we needed to go but it was constantly breaking and very frustrating since this started as soon as we drove it off the lot new.  So quite possibly this will be a blessing in disguise.

The woman who hit me I think was more shaken up then I was and I made sure to give her a couple of hugs before the wrecker hauled both of our vehicles away.  I had the "pleasure" of being delivered to my meeting via the back seat of a Des Moines police car and was grateful to have reached my destination.  Yes I went to the meeting I had scheduled and we made some great progress but by the end despite a gift of Aleve I was starting to feel pretty rough.  Through the good graces of my colleague I received a ride back to Ames while talking to insurance companies all the way back.

Once I got there I set my intern to work, and my bestie Adri gave me a ride to the clinic so I could make sure I didn't have anything broken or things to worry about.  After an hour with a very thorough doctor I was given the green light to carry on with my day and Adri brought me home and I was reminded again of the wonderful kindness of my friends.  Joe made sure I was settled and was off to shuttle a little boy back from home.  I got to spend time building a tin can cable car with my boy and then taking him to his first official piano lesson.

Joe and Abby arrived home with yummy chocolate and beautiful flowers.  We had a great meal and did an ice cream run.  My brother called to make sure I was fully functioning (I welcome the concern from him and Joe but really, I'm doing fine.) Then I got to read all of the wonderful birthday wishes from friends and family from around the country and I was reminded again how blessed I am.  I really am doing ok despite being a bit battered and bruised and I am ever so grateful to have another year of wonderful memories even if the path taken is not always what I expected.  Wish you all a wonderful day!

Ready to Tri!

Triathlon season is among us.  I did my first race of the season the first week of January.  It was an indoor triathlon and got the season started.  I have just about figured out the rest of the of my schedule but more about that later.

 

Leading up to my first official triathlon of the year I admit I've been cramming a bit.  I caught a bad cold that my MS kept me from kicking in January into February.  Then I had a couple of good weeks of training and then threw my back out and was on super low impact activities for almost three weeks (even swimming was painful).  I finally got myself back in business again and had a bit of a panic in mid April when I looked at my original training plan and was way off.  Once I realized the plan was designed before I dropped two runs from my list of races I regrouped and my coach confirmed I was right where I needed to be although I needed to get some focused bike rides in and a start adding runs.

I did manage to put in one or two rides each week after that but had more than one lack luster run.  I threw in a few challenges like a 4.5 mile trail run through the beautiful bluffs and forest north of Decorah.  Add a 25 mile bike ride in 20 mph gusts and we call that a hill workout.  Whew!  Love the challenges of spring in Iowa.  Anyway I was feeling like finishing my first race of the year was going to be no problem, and then I saw the weather forcast for the weekend.  Race start temp of 45 degrees and water temps in the low 60s if I was lucky.

Now I had done several races in the fall and had some colder water temps so had an idea of what to expect, but it left me wondering how many layers I was going to need.  Joe and I did a Goodwill run in Kansas City and found some potentially "disposable" sweats in case we needed to have some layers right before the swim start to keep from hypothermia.  I also wasn't sure what I would need for layers during the bike and run so I was throwing all sorts of things in my gear back at the last minute.  As a result I forgot to bring my sandals and breakfast stuff.

With a plan in hand I had some time to think about what the rest of my season should look like.  I am supposed to do four races as part of the Women's Pearl Izumi Tri Champion team.  I front loaded my schedule with my big races, the KC Olympic Triathlon and a new half Ironman called Milkman in Madison Wisconsin on Father's Day weekend.  I'm also hoping to race Bluff Creek which is a long time favorite of mine (Twister Hill) at the end of July as well as the ISU Cyman Tri in September.  In August I am taking a break from training to go backpacking in Isle Royal with my cousin so it is shaping up to look like a great summer.

In between racing I plan to help coach the youth tri clinic over a series of Saturday in a neighboring town with my tri club, and volunteer at three triathlons as well.  I also plan to do one or two family 5k runs just for fun as well as ride the 50 mile MS bike ride with my dad again the weekend after my half Ironman race.  I am ever grateful to be able to keep up my activities and have been fortunate my body has cooperated so far.  Looking forward to a great summer of sport, which even includes at least three Major League Baseball games.  Stay tuned for my official KC Triathlon race report.