Be Tough

Just about everyone in my triathlon group is heading to my old stomping grounds of Grand Rapids, in West Michigan for the Grand Rapids Triathlon on June 8, 2014. It’s also the home for this year’s long course USAT National Championships, so it’ll be a fun time for them and I wish I could be there. I would be competing along with them but months ago I was asked to officiate a wedding for a family in the church I used to serve on June 7. It’s helpful for me to pick up weddings in addition to my counseling work as it’s extra income for me to supplement my expensive triathlon habit. Ha! So needless to say I had to find another half iron distance triathlon to attempt this spring as the Grand Rapids Tri was out. There was no way I could make the race after doing a wedding late on June 7.

Enter the Toughman Indiana Half. This race was recommended to me by my buddy Tim, who completed it last year after a challenging finish at Rev 3 Knoxville left him with hypothermia! He finished the Toughman and suggested I try entering that race. It was a week earlier than I had planned to race and on a Saturday…..PERFECT. I like Saturday races...gives me a chance to recooperate and then still be halfway human on Monday morning at work.

I checked out the website and ran it past my coach. The race was only 2 hours away and a small field of only 500 entrants. Still PERFECT. Looking at the elevation charts for the bike and the run, it looked and seemed pretty flat. Of course what I failed to realize is that the listed elevation was only for ONE loop of the bike and run….in reality I’d need to bike TWO loops on the bike course and run TWO loops on the run course. Always double check race maps and elevation charts. Lesson learned.

I showed up in Richmond well ahead of schedule as is my preference. Hearing the dude behind me who drove in from NY to do this race, “yeah I drove that bike course, it’s hilly!” Internally, I have a slight elevation in my blood pressure. I thought this was supposed to be a flat course? Ugh. I picked up my race bib and headed to the hotel. After checking in I decided to calm down a bit before I headed over to the race start to check things out.

Got to the Middlefork Resevoir and it reminded me much of the times I’ve raced the Ironman 70.3 in Muncie, Indiana. Just a triangle path, one loop. I got right in and was proud of myself for this….I”m usually not super keen on pre-swims, but I pushed it. The water felt good and I felt strong. Everything else looked good for transition. Close parking. Still not so bad.

Went back to the hotel room and ate dinner, settled in until my buddy Andy showed up later that night. Andy is pretty much an elite athlete and he’s the kind of guy who can pack in an hour before leaving, get into town late and still place 2nd overall the next day during the race. Crazy dude. We chatted a bit and went to bed and the alarm was set for 4:30am. Yep, that’s right.

I didn’t sleep the best but awoke not feeling too shabby. Andy is like me….we need extra time to wake up, eat and drink our crappy hotel room coffee before jumping in the car and racing to the start. After getting our stuff together we made our way over to transition and parked. I really liked being able to park so close and this was again due to the small field size. I hear they want to double it next year and I hope that’s not the case. It’s perfect.

Standing in line for the swim…chatting it up with Grace, athlete #2

I got my wetsuit on and decided to go longsleeve. Ultimately I could have gone short, but I always error on the side of being cold. They let us in the water one by one, with a few seconds in between. Loved this. Reduced the washing machine effect slightly. Unfortunately the first half mile of the swim was directly east into the rising sun and I was blinded. I thought my cheaper tinted goggles would work, but no dice. I need something better, especially knowing IMAZ starts facing east too.  I passed people on the swim and felt pretty good. I exited the water and ran towards my bike.

No wetsuit strippers in this race. Damn. I love wetsuit strippers….they make life so much easier! I somehow got out of my monkey suit and got my shoes on and my borrowed aero helmet (thanks Chris!) and off I was on the bike. It’ll become important later that I forgot to put on sunscreen but we’ll get to that.

Trying to run out of T1

Heading on out!

This was my first race on my new triathlon bike, Killer the Kestrel. She’s so cool. I felt so fast and I loved it. After my pre-race swim the day before I had driven the bike course a bit so I knew a little bit what to expect. There were a lot of sharp turns on this course and it was hilly, mostly rolling hills. The wind was coming in from the east which made riding in that direction challenging. After going out for one loop and coming back in, I had to drop to the small chain-ring and spin up a long steep hill to make the turnaround for the second loop. Little did I know I’d be having to RUN up that hill twice later on.

Coming in on the bike for the second loop

The bike wasn’t all that bad except for the winds and my rear hydration cage. I could tell it was coming loose and I had to stop once to tighten it. I know that lost me a few minutes and I’ll check beforehand to make sure it’s tight next time. I came in on the bike just slightly over 3 hours. My goal had been under 3 hours, but it was close.

Transition to the run. I knew my first few miles would feel challenging and yep, it did. Jello legs. And it was getting pretty hot by now and my sun was already getting red. I thankfully did remember to put on sunscreen before running but by that point my fair skin was pretty much cooked. I started out at a good clip, about a 8 min/mile pace. Knowing I couldn’t hold this for the entire half marathon, I kept trying to slow which worked initially and then my legs kept feeling like lead. I’m not sure how much of this was physical or mental. I recognized in myself during this race that when I start to feel physical pain, I start thinking, “I can’t do this, I have to walk.” That’s definitely not where I want to be during this portion of the race and I’ll need to work on that.

Beginning of the run….holding a good pace so far :)

The run was hot and hilly. I welcomed the parts with shade. Thankfully the aid stations started to hand out ice and I shoved that stuff into every crevice I could. These are the times I wish triathlons allowed music….when my mind wanders it usually always comes back to the pain. It’s going to take some work to shift that, but I need to work on it. I have to get out of that space in my head and into something else.

The first loop came around to that long hill that I remembered biking up previously. When I was biking up it before I saw some of the leaders WALKING up the hill which is obviously intimidating. If THEY are walking, will I be CRAWLING? Hmmm…..

I pushed myself up the hill until I didn’t recognize my heart rate in an appropriate zone anymore. Then did a little bit of a run/walk until I hit the top. Then I coasted to the water stop and thankfully shoved another cup of ice in my bra. At this point I started running with/ahead/behind another female racer who by body mark on the back of her calf was probably 50 years old. She was fierce…..never walked except through the water stops. I had to stay with her.

We made the turn for the second loop. I was committed to finishing now. It was getting hotter and my mind was continually going back to the pain, heat and growing sunburn I knew I had. Stay with the 50 year old….don’t let her out of your sight. Once we got halfway through the second loop and into the shade it was flatter and I calmed down a bit. Then the turn for the mega uphill was right around the corner.

Popsicles at the next water stop? Score! Then the uphill began. I knew by this time Andy had finished and was probably on the road back to Columbus. Fast little jerk. Just kidding. Kinda :)

I pushed up the second hill with Ms. 50 Year Old Lady right in front of me but not too far ahead. She amazed me. She never slowed or stopped, not even to run/walk. I kept trying to keep up with her and it was a challenge. (Plus she had this super short cute haircut, which, in that heat made me want to shave my head and look as badass as she looked.) I walked for a short bit at the top (probably 30 seconds) and she got a bit ahead of me. I caught up with her at the aid station on the way into the finish and I was literally praying for the finish line to be moved up a little bit. I could hear the announcer and it was getting close.

Heading into the finish….really, REALLY ready to be done. And get some aloe vera on my skin!

Ms. 50 Year Old Amaze-Balls Lady finished ahead of me by seconds. She was amazing. I crossed the finish line and heard “Amy Hampton, you are a Toughman!” Nice little finish line...kind of an interesting attempt to jump on the “you are an Ironman” bandwagon. Got a really nice medal and a nice finisher shirt. Come to find out I’d place second in my age group. Seemed kind of odd to place since it wasn’t a PR for me, but it is what it is and I was pleased.

I finished in a little over 5:54. My PR is 5:52 and I know most of that extra 2 minutes was lost on the run. But I finished and kicked off my 2014 triathlon year. I was grateful for a smaller race field and a new experience. I found Ms. 50 Year Old Lady and told her how impressed I was. I found the finisher times and realized that Andy had indeed won 2nd in his age group and I stuck around to receive his award (a nice plaque) and mine (little sparkly medal). I'm not complaining….I’ll take it :)

I'm actually trying to get my camera ready for someone to take a picture….geez…my seldom chance on the podium and I'm on my phone??? Sheesh!

Got my stuff out of transition and came home. There was the typical post-race regrets I usually have….could I have pushed myself harder? Did I really leave it all out there on the course? Did I wimp out too quickly? Did something happen in the preceding week leading up to the race that caused my finish? Blah, blah, blah. Those thoughts came and went, a little bit quicker than they usually do. Instead I focused on having a good race, injury free and placing in my age group. That rarely happens so I soaked it up. I had an improved swim (by a little bit) and a good race on my newer bike. My run was a struggle but I didn’t quit and I kept on my nutrition plan. There are a lot of things that went well in this race and I chose to focus on those positives.

Done! Bling! :)

My coach last fall after a challenging half ironman at Cedar Point told me that’s what makes us successful in staying in this sport long term. It’s not always about the time….an athlete who loves the sport of triathlon will be able to look at each race and pick out not only what can be improved upon but also what went well. I used to just focus on the finish time and see that as the ONLY determinant of success. If this year I can learn that there’s more to racing than time, then I’ll count that as growth.

It was a rough month for me personally and this was my first triathlon of the season. Lots to improve on and lots to celebrate. I do love this sport and want to stay in for the long haul. Guess I better start to recognize both sides of the coin. Be Tough. Be Brave.