Loveland Lake to Lake Olympic Triathlon (Loveland) 2004

Loveland Lake to Lake Olympic Triathlon, Loveland, CO

Date: June 26, 2004

Total Race Time: 4:07:16

Splits
Swim: 0:35:57
T1: 0:02:43
Bike: 2:06:51 - MPH 13.9
T2: 0:01:51
Run: 1:19:53 - Mile Pace 0:12:53

Time: 4:07:16

Loveland Lake to Lake 2004 by Carla L. Thompson (Post Race Report)

Saturday June 26, 2004 - 6:45am Race Start

Seven days prior to race day... the tension and anxiety began to mount... I became restless at night... One might think that I had never done an Olympic Triathlon before when actually, I had done this very race just last year! The difference between then and now was when I went to practice the new Bike Course, I ended up walking part of the hills leading into Horsetooth Reservoir, which is a the steep uphill grade at mile 13 of a 29.5 mile course. So, in spite of my training efforts, I didn't feel ready. In addition to my regular Triathlon Practice on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, I had been Swimming with Inverness Masters in the mornings, and doing long runs on the weekends. I had worked up to a 13 mile long run just before Memorial Day weekend... but when it came to the Cycling leg... well, I weigh at least 20lbs heavier than I did last year this time, and it really takes it's toll when it comes to hill climbing. Professional racers squabble over ounces... and here I'm carrying 20lbs more weight this year.

Well, Friday before the race, our Triathlon Team gathered at the Race Hotel... We shared rooms with our fellow triathlon team members... some roommates knew each other, some didn't. We did packet pick up separately, and all met for a "Carb Load" dinner at Johnny Carino's. After dinner, the whole group managed to squeeze into two cars to drive the bike course one last time before the race.

I rode in the car with Coach Ellen. She used short wave radio so that both cars could hear her take on how to approach the hills, what gears to ride in and when, and what cadence to keep! "Stay in your aero bars!" she said as we drove the flat yet slightly rolling section. "Cadence should be at least 90 RPM's!" I'm lucky if my cadence is in the 60's, but I hope to work cadence over the Winter.

When I rode this very course before, I found myself walking the hilly section and all I kept thinking was, "I don't want to walk in a race!" But during the drive... it all seemed doable somehow... I mean, it would still pose it's challenges, but this time I was more confident that I could do it. -- I'm not sure if it was the calming voice of my coach, or being in a car with the rest of the team and not out trying to do a solo ride, navigating a new course, during one of the hottest days of the year while dealing with other emotionally draining thoughts that I had that day.... but for some reason it now seemed possible for me to get through the cycling leg of the Loveland Lake to Lake Olympic Distance Triathlon!

So, we headed back to the room to super-hydrate and prepare our bikes, clothes, and nutrition for the big race the next day! I could barely sleep. The hotel bed was foreign to me and I didn't know my roommate very well. I felt awkward at best. I had forgotten my towel for my transition area... but I was able to stop at the local Shop Ko to purchase one before they closed. My bags were packed... GU Belt set and ready to go... bike number in place. I just wanted to make it through the night in hopes of escaping the intense nervousness that seemed ever present that evening.

Finally it was time to rise... the "Wake up call" came a few minutes after my roommates back up alarm went off. So, in those few moments, we lost faith in the Hotel's Wake up System... it was renewed as soon as the phone rang. -- Our transition from sleeping to fully dressed and partially awake took minutes... it was as if we were transitioning in a race. I pulled on my full body triathlon suit and heart rate monitor, I was ready to go! I ate a dry raisin bagel on the way to Race Start. I wanted it to digest before the swim. So we gathered our belongings and headed over to Loveland Lake where the event would begin!

I was starting to feel better... the nerves were subsiding. I racked my bike, laid out my transition area, and lined up for my body marking. I searched for others wearing the same color swim cap... I raced in the Athena division, which is a "Weight Class" division for women over 170lbs. After squeezing into my wetsuit... I ventured over for a pre-race Swim. The water was ICE Cold... it was barely 65 degrees... so I got in and got acclimated to the water temperature and tested my goggles for a good seal!

The first wave went off! I think I was in Wave 3. I was slightly nervous at this point... trying to stay focused and calm... trying to remember things like "starting my stop watch"... and just trusting that I could complete this race.

3.... 2.... 1.... The start of my wave went off. There were so many flailing arms and legs... I hadn't practiced the "Group Start" so I felt a bit intimidated feeling so many bodies next to me... hands, arms, and feet touching me with every stroke. I knew from past experience that it would thin out, so I headed for the first buoy and hoped for a great swim!

I felt strong in the water this year... the early morning Masters Swimming certainly paid off. I felt comfortable with my open water sighting which is VERY DIFFERENT from swimming laps in the pool and my stroke was strong for the entire 900M swim! I think there was a slight current in the water that morning because I found myself slightly off course when I raised my head to site for the next buoy... I felt like I had to keep compensating for the wind... but I managed to track a pretty straight line and I exited the water with a personal best time for that race of: 00:35:57... 00:03:42 better than last year!! :) ::: Beaming:::

I ran with all my might to the Bike Transition area. My transition times were very long last year and I wanted to show improvement. It seemed like a quarter mile run from the lake to the Transition area... so my Swim Finish includes a partial run in the elapsed time. :) I found my bike, which is sometimes quite the challenge... peeled off my wetsuit, and headed out for the bike leg. "I can do it" I thought to myself "... just pace yourself... " Inside I was a little nervous. I didn't know what that hill would look like that day... I knew I did it the year before, and I had hoped that I could somehow repeat my performance this year.

I rode at a moderate speed for myself. I tried to focus on good form... occasionally visiting my aero bars and keeping my cadence up. Round and Round my legs went... I used the flats to eat the raisin bagel which I placed on my aero bars! I had Cytomax to drink... and planned to get water at the aids station. Before I knew it, I was in Horsetooth... and the hill was upon me. I was in my big ring and had hoped to hold it for as long as I could. My legs were burning, and I knew that the bend was actually a false summit and that I would have a little more to climb after the turn. But at that point, I had past the section that I walked on my practice run, so I didn't badger myself too much for gearing down to make it up the rest of the grade.

The hill climb into Horsetooth was the hardest section... and that was now behind me. I still had about ten miles to go, but in terms of knowing that the hardest was behind me... I had done that. So, it was "Spin and Grin" until I got back to Loveland High School! I secretly wanted to do my bike leg under two hours, but I went over by six minutes. So, I finished my 29.5mile bike in 02:06:51. After talking to several other triathletes, they all mentioned that their bike leg was slower this year too... so I didn't feel so bad. The bike course did change... and although I can't remember the course from last year, I was comforted by the consistant comment that many of the elite riders noticed an increase in their bike times in comparrison to last year. So my bike speed on that course was 13.9 MPH... slighly slower than my usual 15 MPH average.

I was happy to see the High School as I turned into the parking lot and followed the directions from the race volunteers to the bike finish! Two legs down and one to go! I racked my bike, kicked off my cycling shoes and into my running shoes!! I strapped on my GU belt and race bib and was off for the final 10K!!

I felt really good considering I hadn't done any BRICK workouts this season. BRICK workouts are when you train your legs to transition from Biking to Running. My first mile was sub 11 minutes... which for me, is excellent! I slowed down significantly after that first mile... just paceing out at about 12 minutes per mile. I usually run a 13 min mile pace on my long runs... so I was very pleased with my pace. The race course was 6.2 miles... and I remember feeling strong through mile 4... then I started to tire... and I had to rely on my old marathon training to stay true to my pace and finish up the race!

This is where the body gets tired and the mind has to focus on the task at hand. This is when those long runs give you the confidence to know that you CAN finish...and it's just a matter of being patient. So, one foot strike at a time... you listen to your heart beat. You live from mile marker to mile marker. Just one more mile left. -- You know the finish line is close, but you're about 12 minutes out. "You're almost there" I always tell myself... just a few more minutes. The heat was intense... and I had eaten all of my GU... "Just finish up"... I thought to myself.

I could hear my Coach and other Tri Team Members calling my name! They had already finished and were waiting for me! My stride widened and pace quickened. I didn't want to start my sprint too soon... but I could see the finish about 100M away... so I stretched out for a final finish of Four Hours, Seven Minutes, and Sixteen hundreds of a second! :) I was glad to finish... glad to see my team mates, and glad to know that I can still complete an Olympic Distance Triathlon!!! My run pace was 12:53 min/miles.

All in all it was a good race! I was proud of my swim... pleased with my bike, content with my run and very happy with my transitions. I look forward to next year when I train more for speed and hope to approach this race with more confidence, style, and grace!

Big Fun in the Sun!! SWIM, BIKE, RUN!!!!!