Harvest Moon Long Triathlon (70.3)

Jaclyn writes:

Before I was ever thinking about having a baby, I remember working as a personal trainer for many women that came to me with one concern, baby weight.  After having a baby, up to five years prior, their weight had ballooned out of control and they had finally taken the time to reign in their health.  While this pattern is the product of many social issues revolving around pregnancy, I was determined to avoid this struggle.  Keeping weight off and staying healthy, are far easier.  This is partly what fueled my desire to complete a long distance triathlon this year.  I knew that having concrete fitness goals would maintain my motivation to regain fitness.  While I wouldn't recommend the same goal for all women, a 5k would not be out of the question.

Approaching the race, I was nervous about my level of training.  I trained hard and consistently all summer, but could not find the time for distance work once school and cross country began.  Though this only impacted a couple of weeks, I think the first of those weeks made a crucial difference.  I began waking up around 4:30 a.m. to fit in an early run or swim.  My run after school was limited to cross country distances.   So, I only found the time for longer distance workouts on the weekends.  Additionally, a couple of mid-length rides followed by runs would have helped.

 I began the race with the same disbelief of running the Pikes Peak Marathon.  A little voice inside of me was convinced that I would not be doing this today.  Somehow, we were all gathered here, ready to dive into ridiculously cold waters, but it was really just a dream.  The dream feeling seemed to wear off as my numb feet kicked my way past the first buoy.  Reality and panic definitely set in as a kayak notified me that I was headed away from the group.  Yeah, I'm not a fabulous swimmer.  The swim was out and back (1.2 miles total), like an isosceles triangle.  Once I hit the turn-a-round, I finally had visibility, since I no longer had a glaring sun in my eyes.  Even with tinted goggles, it was tough. 

As I hit the shore, I began to experience the worst transition, ever.  I think I was near hypothermic, and definitely delirious.  My transition time was terrible (4:13) as I struggled to change myself with shaking hands.  My first few bike miles were tough, lacking equilibrium, but soon I was having a great ride.  I was able to pass a lot of riders for the first 40 miles, redemption for a 47:08 swim.  I also kept myself really hydrated, maintaining a Gatorade on my frame and a water bottle in my jersey.  I traded out my water bottle at each of the three stations along the course.  I used Cliff bar Shot Blocks to manage my glucose levels.  I also ate an Odwalla bar along the way, which I had unwrapped, broken into bits and stuffed in an open bag in my jersey.  The bike course was not as tough as my 50 mile training rides at the Air Force Academy.  Nonetheless, it seemed endless at mile 40 and running 13.1 seemed impossible at mile 50.  For this reason, I think I needed a few more training ride and run days.  Around mile 51, my front derailleur stopped shifting into the largest cog.  This might have been a blessing, as I allowed myself to coast some downhills, but I also wasn't able to keep pushing.  I finished my ride with a time of 2:57:28.

My next transition was smooth, and with a bathroom stop, I began my half-marathon.  Again, I found myself passing a lot of athletes.  I had estimated that my pace would average around 9 minute miles.  I was looking and feeling better than most.  At the start of the run, I had intermittent cramping in my abdominal and quadriceps muscles.  I allowed myself to walk at each aid station (placed every mile), to keep the cramping manageable.  By mile 5, my quads were in completely cramped, but I still felt strong.  The course was rolling hills around the reservoir (out and back).  At mile 11, with my bearings, I was able to boost my stride to the finish (2:00:51).

The race advertises a "slip and slide" finish.  I was a little intimidated that I would be forced to get on the ground, then struggle my way up to cross the finish line.  I was wrong and grateful that the "slip and slide" was after the finish and looked like a giant "bounce house".  I was doubtful about using it, but did not want to look like a party pooper.  Surprisingly, it helped me to instantly recover.  Every race needs a "slip and slide"; I think the PPRR Fall Series needs to get on that.

I finished in 5:52:06, 8th in my age group and 38th overall female.  My goal was to finish before 6 hours, so I'm pretty happy with my time.  I'd still like to improve my swim, but I think that will just take time.  I've only been swimming since January.  The volume of necessary training, for this event, was absurd.  So, I don't anticipate doing another any time soon, nor do I have plans to compete in a full Ironman.  Instead, I plan to stick with the Olympic distance and improve my performance.

Muddy Buddy: Boulder, CO

Duane and I decided to "take it easy" this month, and instead of running a half marathon, we completed our first Muddy Buddy.  Our experience is filled with mixed emotions...and I think we (mostly Duane) are anticipating doing it again to enter the "competitive division". 

Aspen getting ready on race morning.

Notice the Hawaiian lays on my bike.  I would highly recommend decorating your bike and planning a drop place in the transition area.  For example, we always dropped our bike in the front right corner of the transition space.  This makes it really easy to find!

 The race was a blast.  I like the mountain bike and running combo with some simple obstacles in between.  The total course is somewhere around six miles.  One team member runs while the other bikes, and you trade at each obstacle.  The start was a "fun" run through some hip deep water.  Bikers (I started the bike) had to carry through.  Runners started a minute after the bikers on the same course.  Overall, the bike and run course was easy, though surprisingly hot.  I normally don't hydrate during a six mile race, but felt the need to during this event. 

After the finish line!

Some muddy love for Aspen!

The obstacles were disappointingly easy.  The first was a six foot rock climbing wall with a rope net to descend on the opposite side.  The second was a blown up obstacle, where participants climbed through and over stuff (picture a bounce house with walls and holes).  This was followed by a series of hurdles, a rope net climb and slide (my favorite), and a single rope climb before the mud pit finish.  I got caught up and lost a couple of minutes at the rope net and slide, because everyone waited for each person to ascend the ropes.  Though I thought this was ridiculous, I didn't want to be too aggressive.  When my age group competitors came in and charged it, I finally did, too.  (You are released in age group waves).  Luckily, I'm pretty fast on a bike and we finished first in our age group...and in the top few overall.

Mud pit image during the kids race.

 The race is a little pricey....$150 per team.  But we did it to compete in something light hearted, fun....and ending with beer and food.  This was the major disappointment.  I wasn't allowed in the beer tent with Aspen, and I really only wanted somewhere to relax as a family.  We decided to get food, instead, but there was one tiny food tent and a massive line.  We finally ended up feeding Aspen and taking off.  In my opinion, it wasn't worth the money....and was pretty family unfriendly.  We probably won't do it next year, but Duane's competitive streak wants to give it another go.  I guess we'll see what happens.

Aspen enjoying some food...once we finally found a place to sit!

Rocky Mountain State Games (sprint triathon)

I'm happy I competed in a shorter distance triathlon, but this isn't a race that I would recommend and I will not compete in this tri again. While the race was cheaper and closer than most tris, I felt that it was poorly organized and lacked essential communication during the event. I wasn't a huge fan of the course, either.

Most of the volunteers seemed pretty unfamiliar with triathlon events. Throughout the race, I was unsure of whether or not I was on the right track. The swim was good. Most people i've talked to about this race are nervous about swimming Prospect Lake. It was brown and cloudy, but the temperature was comfortable and I didn't seem to have any issues (skin, etc) afterwards.

The bike event was a little irritating. You begin in a loop course, which I didn't think was communicated...so I felt like I had started in the wrong place. After awhile, it is evident that you will be circling a three + mile course four times. No signs indicated this during the event. Some of the turns were tight, and it wasn't easy to get a good, strong pace.

The run looped the lake twice. However, that wasn't communicated, either. After I crossed the finishing mat once, I was approached to turn in my timing chip. I didn't wear my Garmin, so I didn't know that I should keep going. Everything worked out in the end, but it was irritating.

Overall, i'm still swimming really slowly. I feel much more comfortable in open water after taking some swim classes, but I just need to learn how to pace myself.

Hungry Duck Half Marathon (Brighton, Michigan)

All Duane has to say is, "Michigan ain't flat, there some damn good rolling hills out there."  Also, that he was 1:15 slower than his PR.  That being said, Hungry Duck was a fun, low key race.  It felt low key for Colorado standards with about 150 participants in the half marathon.  The event also had a 5k, which was larger.  The "low key" part was difficult for coming from out of town.  The website didn't give a starting address, so we felt a little confused up until we had an opportunity to drive out there.  We weren't even sure where the race start was when we arrived at the porta-potties, until a few minutes from the start. 

The course was a lollipop loop with one short "out and back" along the lollipop stick.  Starting in downtown Brighton, the race moved throughout residential areas and looped around a small lake.  We were both surprised with the number of hills.  I would say the majority of the hills were during the lollipop stick.  Though, there were still a few during the loop.  The stick was about 4.5 miles going in, the loop was about 4.5, and the stick was about 4.1 on the return (the "out and back" piece was not repeated.)  Duane and I both felt the course wasn't well marked.  As long as you could keep someone within sight, the course was clear.  However, I often felt that the two guys in front of me could do anything and I would follow.  For being a road race, I felt, at times, that I was running trail.  Michigan roads have tons of cracks and potholes.  They are also sprinkled with a plethora of roadkill.  It was a redneck Thanksgiving.  The race was really well staffed with water stations.  I think gatorade was also available.  I actually ran with a small Camelback, so I didn't use any of them. 

I wasn't sure how to anticipate my time at 900ish feet above sea level with more humidity than Colorado.  The temperature and humidity were actually pretty reasonable, though.  I started at a comfortable pace, slightly faster than 6 minute miles.  This would not normally be a comfortable pace for me, so I knew the altitude was working in my favor.  I ran the first four miles as the first female, which is something I have never experienced.  It was rather thrilling to be starting in the top 20 runners.  At the three mile point, the first place finisher approached.  We fought for the place for about a mile, but she was stronger and clearly more versed at running in the top of the pack.  I guess I could use more fartleks in my training.  I ran solid for the remainder of the race and was passed at 12.55 miles by the 2nd place finisher.  That was a bummer, but I am happy to have raced strong and finished first in my age group with a new PR of 1:38:46, which qualifies me for the first wave of the Pikes Peak Ascent.  Though, I still claim I'll never run the Ascent, again.

The race boasted a few "new additions", including a gender specific technical shirt and food at the finish.  The gender specific shirt was a nice bonus, and is becoming the new standard in events.  I'm a big fan of this fact.  The food at the end was mostly fruit and cookies.  In Colorado, when you claim there is food at the end, you eat a meal.  I wasn't really looking for a meal, myself, but I thought this was kind've lame.  Our age group award was a really bright orange baseball cap.  I would totally wear it if it was actually a running cap...but these are all minor, silly details. 

We had a fun race.  I really enjoyed going back to Michigan to run.  I didn't grow up as a runner, and had never actually competed in a Michigan race.  Finishing a Michigan race was really the heart of my goal on race day.  My new PR and finishing at the top were icing on the cake. 

Lake to Lake Triathlon (Olympic Distance)

Jaclyn writes:

After having Aspen, I decided to complete one sprint triathlon this summer.  As a non-swimmer, I figured the swim on a sprint, about 750 m, was the most practical goal.  I soon found that I was able to accomplish longer distances and decided, instead, to compete in one Olympic distance and one half ironman distance triathlon.  (I just added a sprint to the end of the month, too...but only because it is local).  People had told me that competing in a triathlon was simple.  You just need a bike and could basically ride anything.  Huh...that's all...a bike.

Triathlon competitors either don't have children or get paid more than I do.  (They certainly aren't thinking about how and when to nurse the baby before the event.)  With my $40 road bike purchase, I felt I was spending left and right.  Entry fees are steep (and so they should be...it is quite an event), bike maintenance can get costly, and then there are the extras, like tri-suits, wetsuits, goggles, race belts, hotel stays, etc.  I was able to get a lot of great race gear through craigslist.  But, I hadn't anticipated the extras.

One of the greatest challenges with competing was doing it with a baby in tow.  I'm lucky to have such great support from Duane, who really felt like my manager in this challenge, packing all of my gear into the car and somehow finding balance with the oodles of baby gear that came along as well.  The race was two hours from the house, so we stayed in a hotel.  This adds more challenge to the event.  Aspen sleeps rather poorly in hotel rooms, which translates into me sleeping poorly.  However, she did surprisingly well through everything, even waking up at 4 a.m.  She stayed up all morning during the race, and joined Duane in cheering me on at different points of the course.

Up until the race, I admitted that riding would be my weakest event.  Swimming, however, was the poorest.  Though, as someone who couldn't swim 2 consecutive laps in December, I think I did pretty well swimming 1500 meters in a lake.  It took me somewhere around 38 minutes to complete the swim.  This was slower than what I was anticipating.  I don't breathe on both sides so I can only see to the right of me.  I ended up swimming out further than I was suppose to at a lot of points through the course.  I've decided to take some swimming classes at the Y to finally learn how to breathe on both sides.  Then, at least I'll be able to see what is going on around me.

My ride was shockingly strong.  I finished around 1:39.  I passed a lot of riders (who paid much more for their bike than I did for mine) and was able to redeem myself in this leg.  The 30 mile course was mostly rolling hills, uphill on the first half and downhill on the second.  There were a handful of flats in the crowd and an ugly collision.  I think I've decided to sign up for some bike maintenance classes to gain more confidence changing a flat.

My run was really strong, and assured me that my training had been pretty solid.  I wasn't much slower than normal with an average pace of 7:42 and total time of 47:47.  It was an out and back course.  The terrain was flat with road and sidewalk, following the circumference of the lake.  Though, you can only see the lake for a short time.  During this leg, I did have some chest and quad cramping, but gatorade seemed to help.  Accounting for the wave start, my finish time was 3:10ish.

Overall, I enjoyed the experience.  I'm really grateful to have added two awesome sports, swimming and biking, to my regular workout schedule.  I can't see myself doing a lot of these races.  Mainly, they are expensive and are challenging with a baby.  I added the Rocky Mountain State Games sprint for July 30th, but only because it is in Colorado Springs and might help me with transitioning and the open swim before the September 11 half distance.  This was not the most difficult thing I have ever done...that award goes to the Pikes Peak Marathon...which is trumped (in many ways) by natural childbirth.

Fear the Deer Half-Marathon

Jaclyn writes:

If I could only race in one race next year, it would be Fear the Deer.  When I saw the previous year pics online, I thought the colors had to have been Photoshopped.  About 0.5 miles into the race, I discovered that they weren't.  This stretch of trail was amazingly green and lush with fresh wildflower growth.  At times, I forgot where I was...Section 16, Palmer Park, Barr Trail, Intemann Trail?  The terrain and the views were so amazing, that I found myself lost in the art of running. 

The race was small.  With a 90 person cap, only about 50 actually ran.  This was a bonus, as the 13.1 miles (which my Garmin calculated at closer to 12.6) were all trail and all single track (except for the 200 yard parking lot start).  The run followed various trails in Deer Creek Canyon.  The first four miles climbed, followed by rolling hills, more climbing, rolling hills, and a switchback downhill finish.  There was one aid station about 2 miles into the race, that runners passed again at 8 miles.  Immediately following that aid station was the steepest part of the uphill climb, which runners completed twice. 

I had a strong finish at 2:07:40 something, as the third overall female.  Duane finished fourth overall and also had a great race.  The after-party had tons of giveaways and food from Garbanzos. 

Our next races are the Lake to Lake Triathlon (for me) and the Hellacious Trail Run (for Duane).

Greenland Trail Race (25K)

Jaclyn writes:

Overall, we weren't too impressed with the Greenland race.  The whole double loop thing wasn't too exciting, and I feel bad for the people that ran the 50K, making it a quadruple loop!  I am happy to have discovered this new trail.  About 8 miles in length, it has about five mellow uphill miles followed by three slightly downhill miles.  I would love to return to the trail for some non-technical mountain biking.  I'll probably never take the time to drive up there for a run, though.  Not when we have such an amazing trail system within Colorado Springs, that is simply more interesting.

The only thing I didn't like about the race was how the "turn about" was arranged.  It was about 200 yards from the finish line (which I was not aware of while racing).  After my first loop, I had assumed this was the finish, as well.  This resulted in a fabulously strong finish about 200 yards before the real finish line, which was out of sight.  I probably lost 20 seconds, which doesn't matter.  But I was disappointed about getting my body going again.

I finished 7th in my age group with a time of 2:15:12.  I was the 10th female, overall.  That fact makes me tempted to run one of those all women races.  My age group place was disappointing, but the age group was a 10 year span.  Duane finished 3rd in his age group, 10th overall, with a time of 1:53:42.  He had a pretty solid race.  He tried to hold his own against the first female, but she ended up smoking him and setting a course record for women. 

In the end, we've decided that we would not race in the Greenland Trail Race again.  I'd recommend trying it out, though.  We're excited to be gearing up for Fear the Dear on June 4th.  It should be intense; and since only 90 people are running, it should prove to be thrilling...as in...I hope I don't get lost.