The Chicago Tri

I know I STILL need to post about St. Anthony's but here is my entry about the Chi Tri while it's fresh in my head.

I put my tri shorts on backwards at 3am. And didn't realize it until 40 minutes before my start at 9:32am. Luckily the rest of my day didn't follow that mindless track it was obviously on at 3 in the morning! I typically wouldn't post on what most (including myself) would consider a pretty amateur race, however, I feel I owe it some reflection because I tested myself mentally and physically the most I EVER have in a race. Let's go back to the taper weeks before. I got sick 2 weeks ago, and stayed home from work with some flu symptoms. It continued until about Thursday, and I was well enough to fit in my 17.5 mile marathon training run with some of the Element-ers that Saturday. True taper week: felt great, but then slightly sick again on Wednesday--a cold, the sniffles mostly, but not feeling 100%. Come Friday, I was feeling 100% finally, and made the conscious decision to, for the lack of better terms, go "balls out" on Sunday because I feel that I never have taken myself far enough, mentally or physically, in a race. I wasn't feeling not nearly as ready as I wished. I had to turn my focus over the past few months to my true "A" race--the marathon, and studying for my exit exam for my Masters has certainly taken up a lot of my time as well. I know deep down I could have trained harder and I had so much more gusto to pull out of myself, but either way, I knew that I wanted to give every ounce of my heart and strength on Sunday, and I did.

Saturday night I had some chicken for dinner---I am not a pasta gal before races, so I always stick to trusty game:). I was in bed by 10:00pm but could not sleep for the life of me. Every noise in my apartment that I typically hear every night kept me up, and my mind just kept running. I was thinking about the race, school, work, the marathon, my schedule this week--you name it, I thought about it. I finally fell asleep for 2 hours, however those 2 hours of sleep were filled with a couple nightmares and restlessness. The alarm went off at 3am, and I was out of bed and getting ready. I ate my breakfast--1.5 bagels with peanut butter, a banana, and some water. I put my race clothes on (yes...I did put my tri shorts on backwards at this point), packed up my stuff, and met some people at Belmont to ride down together.It was VERY cold in the morning, and I spent 4.5 hours mingling and amping myself up for the race. I ate breakfast again 2.5 hours before my start, consumed some Powerade, and sipped on water (which I should have been gulping--this would become clear in the run). I started the swim at 9:32am with my carrot Jess Katz, and fittingly took off to some Lady Gaga playing in the background :). I let the large crowd ahead of me take off and spread out before I started my stroke, but once I did, I was in the zone. I had the best swim of my life out there. I was lucky to hear Katy Otto screaming my name along the wall, and I put myself into the "you can do it" state of mind. When I swim, I completely lose track of time. This being said, when I saw the swim start, I thought it was the swim exit, and gunned it. I was swimming super fast, and my form felt amazing. I was passing people in my group and other wave starts. I heard myself say over and over "you are passing people and not being passed!" Then I looked up only to see the swim start...again. OOOPS! That being said, I continued swimming, but didn't stop my pace. Granted I had to stop a couple times because I was run over by the male group of green caps, and I had to readjust my pace, but all in all, I gave it ALL I had, and the open water...ppssshhh I win!

T1 was a little slow considering the run in is a quarter mile from the swim. I grabbed my bike, exited, and was on my way to a VERY windy and rough bike. The first loop went by fairly quickly, however going north was like being stuck in a wind tunnel that did not let up. Then going south, I felt like the wind shifted somewhat at certain points--I felt like Forrest Gump thinking about the rain that seemed to be blowing sideways and coming from every direction. The second loop was bruttle, and as I spotted some fresh blood splattered on the pavement, a reminder of what I was doing. There were times where I was giving my everythingwhen it felt nearly impossible, literally yelling at myself and screaming to keep going, and I was only going 10mph uphill. My right glute muscle started hurting pretty bad, and I tried to use some of the tips I learned from Stacee in the 2 computrainer classes I have taken in order to allow my left leg to do most of the work. Going back south, I found myselft cruising at 26 mph more than once, in which at this time I tried giving my legs a small break. My nutrition was timed out on the bike...every half hour take a tablyte, and every 45 minutes eat a gel. I was drinking water throughout the bike as well. I did everything accordingly, however, I am definitely investing in Infinit for the bike next season so I can get my electrolytes and carbs from just one bottle to make my life easier. Oh and also purchase a more efficient hydration system so I don't have to reach for my down tube anymore.

My T2 time was decent, but was in DIRE need of some body glide which I didn't end up finding upon searching other people's transitions (Yes, I was desperate). I chaffed my left underarm very badly on the swim, and was in A LOT of pain (and still am). I took off on the run, which started off good. I was running around an 8:35-40 pace to start which I was happy with, and Cristina Gomez joined me when I started to slow down due to an aching achilles. She stayed with me for about 10 minutes, but then I had to do what I HATE doing...I had to stop to stretch out my right leg and to walk off some of the pain. I walked for about a minute and started running again. It HURT. The real pain started around mile 2. I stopped to stretch my hamstrings and achilles up against a tree when I realized both of my quads had charley horses. No joke, I was one of "those" runners who was screaming on the side of the path while stretching. I stopped maybe around 8 times to stretch throughout the run, but mentally forced myself to keep running, and only stopped to stretch--I didn't want to walk. I stopped on a hill where I did a downward dog pose around mile 4.5, and completely lost it. I have never felt this much pain in my entire life in my legs. My right leg was completely numb since mile 2 (it felt as if it fell asleep--it was tingling and I couldn't feel my toes), and I started bawling and screaming while I was stretching. I sucked it up after about a minute of the most painful stretching and continued to run with tears running down my face--I was writhing in pain, but ripped everything I had out of me to finish the race. I talked to myelf at certain points, and kept telling myself to "man up" and to keep going. I did.

I finished the race, not with the time I wanted or the age group placement I would have liked (nor the smile on my face I usually have), but with the knowledge that I put my all into this race, and into fighting my pain and not giving up. Something with my nutrition went wrong somewhere--more water, more electrolytes (my face was COATED in salt after the race) were most likely needed. There are some people who have a bad race, and come up with every possible excuse as to why they did not finish how they wanted. I am not that person. If I know I did bad because I didn't put my all into it, or it just wasn't my day--so be it--I will say it. We cannot have them all. Today was not that day for me. I can honestly say this triathlon took my heart, my soul, my passion, and everything I have been doing for almost 2 years now. I was at its mercy, and would not have had it any other way.

So to those of you who have had days like mine--where cramps, or weather hinders your desired time or placement--always remember that you won the race against yourself, and that you can walk away knowing you gave it your all. In the end, that is all that matters.

Finishing time: 3:31

In the words of Mike: LFDT!