Redman 70.3 Race Report

One look at the soil and it's clear where the race and the state of Oklahoma got their names (Okla means red, homa mean man in one of the local Native American languages). I didn't have any expectations for this race other than I wanted the swim to go smoothly and I wanted to have fun. And I was hoping for a PR on the bike legs since it's flat, and really I was hoping for an overall PR too. Ok, there were expectations. Let's be honest - I don't think I can actually enter a race with no expectations, unless there is beer or costumes involved.



In the days leading up to the race, MO caught some nasty GI bug and was vomiting with a fever at 4am on Thursday. Friday morning on the drive down, he was finally able to eat something. Not exactly a good way to taper.





Luckily, MO was feeling well enough to race. It was an interesting race... MO and I took our friendship to a whole new level. Not only did I apply Body Glide (photo above) and help pull his wetsuit into place (photo below), but John was there photographing the whole giggling mess.





Thankfully, the water was calm and it was perfect condition. Ironically, the environmental conditions were probably the best I've ever swam in and it was the most physical contact in a race I've experienced. There seemed to be a lot of first-timers, thrashing and splashing and freaking out in general. Until the realized it was shallow enough, all they had to to was stand up.





I came out of the water in 39:47, a full 6 min faster than NOLA and my fastest swim to date. I averaged 1:53/100yd. MO was out in about 35 min.





The bike was gently rolling with not-so-gentle pavement. I thought it was a slightly more difficult course than NOLA, but I took about 1 min off my time. 2:45:36 for an average of 20.3 mph. At this point, I knew I could PR but I also knew my stomach was already a little off and it was going to be hot on the run.

It was a 2 loop run course, and totally flat. I saw MO's friend Eric 3 times on the course but kept missing MO. My run was going downhill and I was getting hot and I started to worry that MO might be holed up in a porta potty somewhere along the course, given his recent GI illness. I finally saw him on the last leg (Actually he saw me) and he looked good! At least he looked much better than I felt!

MO had a great day, setting a 12 or 13 min PR. Considering he was barely able to eat in the few days before, that was awesome!

I had to stop and take walk breaks at miles 6, 9, and 12 but I was still doing much better than NOLA. I barely looked at my Garmin, other than to check mileage so I really had no idea what the time was when I was coming down the chute. My official time was 5:41:13, an 18 min PR and good enough for 3rd place in my AG! My first long-distance podium! Too bad the awards were on Sunday or I would have stayed for the presentation.

I can honestly say when I finished, I had nothing left. I sat in the finisher tent for several minutes and when John and I walked to get my finishers t-shirt, I started getting dizzy. At least I know I laid it all out on the course. The last 2 miles of the run, all I was thinking about was how good it would feel to sit in the lake. So I sat, enjoying my new PR and the cool water.

Schooled

I got completely schooled at the pool on Friday by a woman in her 50s. And I was totally fine with it. I enjoy seeing older women at the pool or gym and while it is humbling, I do enjoy seeing them totally kick ass. Hopefully I'll be one of those ass kickers when I'm silver-topped spitfire.

Usually, I hate tapering. It drives me crazy and makes me feel bloated. But for once, I'm actually looking forward to this taper. Rest, food, stretching, and sleep sound great. This morning was my last run before the race. I've been riding a lot and my quads are praying for a few days off. I was going to swim tonight, but when I realized my legs were tired walking down the stairs, I thought an afternoon off was a good idea.

I haven't really set any goals for this race other than I want to have fun. Of course, I'd love to PR and I think I'm capable if I have a good day. But as anyone who races can tell you, a bad day can throw a monkey wrench into any race. So I'm going into this race without any expectations.

Time to Taper

Less than 2 weeks now. This week, I did a 57 mile ride on Saturday and then ran 10 miles on Sunday and even went to a yoga class. The taper has begun and for once I'm looking forward to it. I've been tired and sore and I'm looking forward to some extra rest. I'm a little worried about the swim, but that's nothing new. Otherwise, I'm looking forward to a fun weekend.

And my Felt now has a name. Anyone who's known me for a while knows that for some reason, going all the way back to high school, Hispanic men seem to have a thing for me. I can't explain it, but I get cat calls and honks on a regular basis. So, I decided to name my bike Mamasita. That way the next time some guy in a low-rider yells "Hey! Mamasita!" out his truck window, I can pretend he's yelling at my bike and not at me.

It's a Girl!

Born: Sept 2, 2010
Weight: 17 lb
Name: Well, it's too early for that but I have a few ideas.
I would like to officially welcome the newest set of wheels to the family! She's a 2010 Felt ZW6 frame with 2011 ZW5 components (carbon fiber, full 105 group set). The saddle is a demo Fizik saddle from the bike shop. It's a little pricey, but I'm pretty close to ordering one. On her inaugural ride yesterday, the saddle got more comfortable the longer we rode. That never happens! I'm going to ride it the rest of the week before I decide.

I have to give a huge thanks to Cycle City up in Parkville, MO. Those guys were awesome! When they couldn't get the 2011 ZW5 in before November, they offered to take the new 105s off the only 2011 they had and put it on the 2010 frame, which was my size. And for once, I had a positive customer service experience with a bike shop. My only complaint - I wish they were closer. Thanks Joe!

Peer Pressure

I am such a sucker when it comes to peer pressure! I swore it would be long time before I wanted to do another 50 mile trail race after the beating Heartland handed me. But I signed up for the Rocky Raccoon 50 and then regretted it immediately.

I have 4 other friends running it and KM is coming down to crew so it seemed like a good idea. Then I ran 11 miles this weekend and it totally kicked my butt. Clearly, I've been riding more than running and I'm a little worried about my running base. Forget Rocky for a minute, I'm worried about Redman. I'll be disappointed in myself if I survive the swim, have a good bike and then burn up 3 miles into the run. We'll have to wait and see for Redman.

Rocky will be fun, at least as much fun as running 50 miles can be. Sometimes I wonder about the decisions I make. When it comes to racing, I just can't say no. The good thing is my friends all seem excited about it and their enthusiasm is contagious.