Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Oliver race report-a close encounter with Mother Nature for 5:03:17 hours!


After a wet and cold spring, we finally got a chance to test our skills in hot weather: a thermal raise of at least 10 degrees Celcius would welcome us in Oliver on June 5, 2011.

As worried as I was since I had had no training WHATSOEVER in hot weather, I decided to embrace and consider it as a great training opportunity for Ironman Canada this summer. Easier said than done.

Race morning was clear and cool. As the sun rose up, I knew it would be a scorcher (according to my experience this season, it qualified as a scorcher). Got in transition early, set up my towel -and all the good stuff -and headed out to the lake to warm up/de-stress. My husband provided the much needed support to calm me down and help me focus positively. Warm-up was the perfect remedy to focus: believe it or not, I was freezing before race start. The guys left at and at , we (the ladies) were off.

Swim (2.0km or more: 30:38 (slower than expected)) 5th split
 I could see 2 girls pulling away after 300 meters: in hindsight, I should have stuck with them. Along the first stretch, I passed a lot of green caps, the first turn was smoother than expected, so was the second for that matter. The home stretch (400m-ISH) was the most hectic one as green capers were picking up the pace and the pack was denser. Exited in 5th place and made eye-contact with my stripper who did a wonderful job of peeling off my wetsuit. In not time, I was off running for 700m and ready to rock the bike. I saw my teammate Danny on the way to T1-we would cross path twice later during the race as he passed me within 3 minutes on the bike and I caught him up on the run!

*Lesson learnt: stick with the pack for extra 100-200m…no swimming alone.

T1 (-ok-ish-4th out of transition) 4th split
I passed the 4th girl in T1 and was waiting for her to pass me as soon as we got rolling: to my surprise, I never saw her again. Simple is good in T1. More Bodyglide in my socks would have been a bonus.
*Lesson learnt: tape second tube on bike rather then struggling to put it in my back pocket-lost a good 10-15 seconds there.

Bike (-A-goal achieved 7th after bike) 24th split
Solid and steady could sum up the bike. I want to the time to congratulate my stomach and intestinal system to have withstood Lara Bars and gels in weather less than favourable for food consumption. The wattage did not reach the level I expected, or hoping for (168 watts as opposed to 175); however, the overall time was more than welcome. “Less than gracious” could describe my dismount: note to self, make sure to know which right turn is the home turn.

*Lesson learnt: start taking salt tabs on the bike.
*Lesson learnt: Know the dismount area to the dot, I have not been to circus school-yet.

T2 (-slow, had to stretch due to cramping in hamstring 7th after T2) 14th split
Due to lack of salt tabs in my system, my legs cramped when I was putting on my runners. Consequently, my T2 time was less than stellar but it gives me the tool to nail it at IMC, salt tabs: the earlier the better.

Run (1:41:20: -slower than expected, good considering first run in 30 celcius-5th after run, 5th OA) 7th run split
Running in a natural over was new for me. As soon as I climbed the hill besides the finish line, I knew I had to make a deal with myself: stick to plan A and hope for the best or dial down the speed and guarantee a finish. I picked the latter. As soon as I reached the aid station around the corner, I sponged myself and tucked 2 under my shoulder straps and chugged down water. I ran holding sponges in my hand. Auto nuking was on. I passed Klaus and mumbled to keep it steady, which were the last words I uttered until the 20k mark. I passed Danny, who amazingly could still talk in this heat. I also crossed path with Esther, Leigh, Keith (NSA) and Jon (PRM) who could all shout: thanks for the props all of you, it kept getting hotter and I almost forgot to gel 15 minutes in. Sponges, water and flat coke became my survival strategy at all aid stations. Salt tabs every 30 minutes lessened the level of cramping. I would like to remind all racers that the stretch to the turn around in the woods (and back) felt like 45 degrees to me and I could feel the top of my head roasting. I finally clued in that water on my head and running through all sprinklers was the another way to minimize overheating.
I would say the first lap was the hardest mentally as the distance for the second loop was already posted and it seemed so far away. Ran into Grant at the turn around close to the finish line; I stopped to stretch as my robotic running was less than fluid. Fortunately, it went and I monitored efforts closely to avoid total wreckage. Thanks for the props Grant. With 2 km to go, I picked up the pace. That stretch felt like it would never end. I got dropped by the girl I had passed at the 18 km mark. Never again. From now on: GO big of go home (or to the hospital if you went huge). I crossed the line at (revised I guess).
*Lesson learnt: run with a full white hat in hot weather so the top head does not cook
*Lesson learnt: run with ice in my hands, not sponges-will cool even more.
*Lesson learnt: when asked by a volunteer “how you are doing” and you got a girl on your toes, say “great”, do not answer “hanging there” as you get the target on your back.

My total time was far from my objective but I had crossed that line. WOOOOOOT!!! I got 2 finisher’s medals (very hard race I guess), grabbed water and I went for a soak and float in the lake where my toes started cramping one after the other. I did not care. I had finished and cramp fest could rage away, I did not care anymore: all I had to do is float. We stayed for the awards (I ranked 3rd in my AG-Yippee) and finally got a celebratory drink once we got home at Congrats to Dana, Heather, Esther, Klaus, Danny, Leigh, Grant, Jason, Darryl, Paul and Paul for an epic day.
Hard, hot and hotter could sum up the day.
Stronger, better, faster defines where I’m at.

Thanks to Eric, Outback Events, coach Lara, the Right Shoe peeps, PRM peeps, Keith from NSA, Speed Theory peeps (Fast Doug) and to all the volunteers and the one that ran to give me the coke when there was no coke to be found. You all made it cooler on a scorcher.