Unfinished Business - Cycle to the Sun Race Recap

An auspicious start!

It's taken me a few days, ahem, awhile, to wind down from all the excitement of this race.  With as crazy as my schedule has been since the beginning of June, I feel like I passed through the month in some kind of surreal haze.

I trained hard for this race since the first part of March.  Then, before I knew it, it was the last week, then it was the last workout, then it was Race Day!  As much as I felt ready for the climb, I did miss a few workouts, including one key day when Vanessa and I were supposed to do the entire route.  With that in the back of my mind, I approached race day in much the same way I approach a dentist appointment: I try not to think about it too much until it's time to go.

That's not to say that I wasn't excited or looking forward to it - I was.  The smartest thing I did was take the day off before the race - I had the day to settle down, relax, then get ramped up again when my coach, Michelle, and her family arrived.  She had decided to come over a do the race, and so did Nalani and Kurt, two of her friends/athletes from Oahu.  Michelle's husband Scott turned out to be race sherpa/cheering section extraordinaire along with her charming daughter, Moana, who was a kick in the pants!

After a good pre-race dinner, Michelle and I had a chance to talk (actually, we chatted A LOT about SBR-training-rehab-nutrition-paleo-goatcheese-tequila-coffee-wine-food-cycling-climbingthatbigfreakinhill-etc. all throughout the weekend...I was so excited to have another athlete around I probably wore the woman out!).  Anyway, she gave me some great advice - she told me that I was more than physically capable of doing this race, gave me some race pointers, then told me the most important thing of all.  That my mind would play tricks on me at some point and not to let it - that was the difference between F (finishing) and DNF (did not finish).  I did not realize how important that piece of advice was until later.

Kind of like getting your corsage pinned on at prom. LOL.

We parked a couple miles away from the start to avoid the crowds and so we could get a little bit of a warm up.  We lucked out on the weather - light breeze, clear skies, perhaps a sprinkle or two of rain, but that was all we expected.

There were 175 riders gathered at the start, ready to go, and we didn't wait long before we were OFF!

Michelle leading us to the start.

The first 5 minutes kind of threw me off a little bit.  I could not get my left foot clipped in - I fumbled and fumbled and it kept slipping.  It just would not engage.  I smacked my foot against the pedal in frustration and heard a tinkling noise - I think I had a rock in my cleat - then finally my shoe clipped in.  I had a few minutes of panic wondering if I had a broken pedal or cleat and how the hell was I going to climb this mountain with one shoe off?  Thankfully, everything worked out and I set into the business of starting the climb.

Not clipped in yet!

When I first signed up for this race, I would joke with my family that it was "only 36 miles."  But that 36 miles is. no. joke.

My plan was to pace myself early.  I was content to let others pass me and be closer to the back of the pack in the beginning.  I hoped to finish in 5:30 and needed some energy in reserve.  It was hard enough to keep my HR down with all the excitement, much less jump on it too early in the game.  I wanted to get to the start of Crater Road in under two hours, then 1:30 to the ranger station and 1:30 to the summit.

I managed to get to Crater Road in 1:48, so I felt pretty good with the time.  Nutrition and hydration seemed to be spot on as well.  There are a couple of fun little downhill breaks in the first section before Crater Road, but that's pretty much it.  Crater Road is where the serious climbing begins and this turned out to be the hardest part of the race for me.

This section starts in the last residential section on the mountain.  The climbs are steep, and once you pass the zipline area, you are in wide open range area.  By this time, the riders are pretty much strung out along the entire race route, sometimes in smaller packs, but mostly you are on your own while you pass (or get passed by) an occasional rider.  The switchbacks are relentless.  It's a real mind game because you can clearly see up the side of the mountain, and even see the summit, but you are still hours away from reaching the top.  You think you are making good progress, then you look up and see what appears to be 1,000 more switchbacks to go, with riders in their colorful jerseys along every stretch.  Kind of like the zig-zag of tiny lights on a cartoon Christmas tree.  After a while, I just stopped looking anywhere but the road ahead/under me.  You just keep pushing.

About half-way up this section I started to feel kind of sick.  I was still doing well with hydration and nutrition (I had 4 Amrita Bars, 2 Justin's packets and a banana with me).  I had one bottle of coconut water and one bottle of plain water.  Usually around a couple of hours in the coconut water tastes wonderful.  Today I couldn't get it down.  I could still eat, though, so I tried to eat a little more and drink more plain water.  That seemed to get me over the hump.  (Special thanks to Jeffrey from South Maui Bicycles for having water on his truck at this point - I would have been one bottle down and I needed all the water I could carry).

Finally, this section was done and I was at the aid station before the ranger station.  This is where our special cheering section was waiting!  Scott and Moana and my mother-in-law were there - Scott with extra nutrition, my jacket and snacks.  I was so happy to see them because I knew Michelle and Nalani were way ahead (if not already finished by then) and they waited for us - it was awesome.  It felt good to stop for a minute, but I didn't want to stop for long.  It was getting colder and looked like rain, so I pulled on my leg warmers and pulled up my arm warmers, and had my jacket tied around my waist for later in case it rained.  And it did, not long after that, and I was thankful AGAIN for having it (and for Scott - so we didn't have to haul all the extra gear with us up the initial climbs).

I knew once I hit the ranger station I had about an hour and a half to go, but the climbs start to flatten out a bit here and you get a little bit of a break - but not much.

About half way from the ranger station to the summit I was completely alone.  At this point my head started to really play games with me, and I started to get a little frustrated because this was about the time the finishers were starting to come down the hill.  In their cars.  I stopped thinking about it and just got down to business so I could finish.  I was grouchy.  At this point I was wishing I had brought an espresso Hammer gel - could have really used a little push right now.  Thankfully I was starting to feel better so I stopped at one point and ate my banana - DAMN!  That was the best tasting banana I've ever had in my life!  I think what I really needed at this point - now at about 8,500 ft. - was a good hit of sugar.  And a funny thing...right where I was stopped on this tiny little turnout of road, I looked down and there was a shiny penny.  I took that as a sign that everything was going to be just fine.  I just needed to finish.

It's the last 1,500 ft - you see the observatory and you see the summit and you think you are almost there, but you are not even close.  So while I was deep in self conversation at this point and talking myself through this last section, I hear someone coming up behind me, breathing hard.  "Kurt, is that you?" I call out.  Then I hear, in a booming voice with a Spanish accent, "NO, IT'S BORRACIO!!"  It was hilarious and I almost laughed out loud - it was kind of like a cartoon voice with trumpets blaring right along.  DUN DUN DUNNNNNNN!!!!!

And Borracio (I'm guessing at the spelling here!) starts to talk.  OMG, this is hard.  Are we almost there?  Have you ever done this before?  Gone all the way to the top?  OMG I'm DYING.  This is SO HARD.  My legs are killing me.  Etc.  Etc.  At first I was pissed.  I was having a hard enough time myself, I didn't need to listen to someone else's agony too.  But then we started chatting. Supporting each other, talking each other along.

My finish line photo!

It was great.  We were going to make it.  Borracio became an angel, helping me get to the top and finish this race.  His chatter helped me take my mind off anything but just getting to the top.

Soon, we were rounding the bend to the lower parking lot.  You feel like you are done at this point - you made it - time to celebrate, right?  Bwaahahahahaha.... not so fast.  The rangers wave you to the right because you have to go. to. the. summit.  And guess what?  It's like some cruel joke they save for last - this incredible, steep climb that curves around so you never see the end.  It just keeps curving and curving and curving around like some insane circular staircase.  About half way up I had to stop.  I had "a moment."  And unbeknownst to me, Michelle, Nalani, Scott, Moana and my mother-in-law were in the observation area (which is enclosed and out of the weather) watching my little melodrama unfold.  But I gathered myself, got back on my bike, and pushed the last few hundred yards to the the TOP!  AND I WAS DONE!!!

Kurt was just a few seconds behind me, then that was it.  I think Kurt and I were the last two "official" finishers - the cut-off was 6 hours 30 minutes.

Kurt and me - RELIEF!!

I am happy I finished.  This race is billed as one of the toughest road races in the world, so I feel a little badass for finishing.  Are there a few things I would have done differently?  Yes.  I don't think I had my nutrition really dialed in.  I think if I ate more early on I would not have had the mental battles I had later in the ride.  I also think that if I had more time to train I could shave a decent amount of minutes off my time.  It would be VERY beneficial to do some serious strength training in the gym in conjunction with the bike time.

Will I do it again?  I don't know.  My goal time was 5:30 and I finished about 6:19.  There is room for improvement.  Then again, this may just end up being a bucket list "one and done" and I'd be OK with that too.

Special thanks to Michelle and Simmons Endurance Coaching for putting together a training plan that got me to the top; to Kurt and Nalani (and Michelle) for making it a team effort and so much fun; to my riding buddy and partner in crime, Vanessa, for sticking it out through all the training sessions up the hill (and doing those mind-numbing hill repeats!) and being a kick-ass rider; to Jeffrey for being my own personal support crew and race course mechanic - at least I felt like you were there only for me!; to Scott and Moana for providing first-class sherpa support and cheerleading section; South Maui Bicycles for keeping my bike in stellar shape; and my husband and family for putting up with long weekend training rides, keeping me fed, and being my #1 fans.  LOVE YOU GUYS!!

Maui Stage Race Recap

Since I'm not doing very much any running these days, I'm spending a lot of time on my bike training for Cycle to the Sun.  I've always enjoyed competing in running and triathlon events, so I thought I should sign up for the Maui Stage Race.  My stepbrother is a very talented bike racer in Southern California, and even though I am nowhere near that level of rider, I still thought this event would be a good experience even though I had no clue what was involved.

Sunrise on Day 1 - we lucked out with perfect conditions!

The two-day race consisted of a time trial and criterium on Saturday, followed by a road race on Sunday.  With a Century and several other events under my belt, along with the more intense training I've been doing the last two months, I went into this event feeling pretty confident in my abilities and fitness level.  I didn't place any real expectations on myself because I had no experience with the TT or crit, I just went in with a positive attitude, ready to ride.

Time Trial
This was pretty cool.  I knew the course well because I frequently ride the Central Maui area, but I never did any practice runs of the specific loop leading up to the race.  The riders lined up and went off in one-minute increments.  I chatted with Jeffrey from South Maui Bicycles just before we lined up, and (showing my total and complete inexperience here!) asked him if it was OK to pass the other riders.  I knew you couldn't draft, but wasn't sure about passing - he told me the idea was to pass as many riders as you could and not let anyone pass you.  OK - good goal!


I went out strong and kept pressure on the pedals.  It's amazing the distance a rider can make with a one minute lead - I didn't see the rider who was just before me at all - I only passed one of the juniors at about the half-way point.  I would periodically check behind me but I never saw any riders approaching, so I felt pretty good and kept pushing just a little bit harder - not getting complacent and my coach warned me not to do.  I wore my Garmin but never looked at it the entire time - just tried to stay focused on how I was feeling and pushing the pedals.  Then BAM - not long after the third turn, the rider behind me passed me.  I picked up the pace and tried to keep her in my sights, but she had an extra gear I did not have at that point.  And right at that area of the course the climb began and I started losing speed.  That's when I got passed two more times. As hard as I tried to keep up with them, the continued to pull away.

There was about 10 minutes left to go and that's when I remembered what my coach said, "The last 10 minutes should REALLY HURT."  So I dug down, tried to rally, and then pushed as hard as I could after the fourth and final turn for the last stretch to the finish line and finished in 47:09.  I was really hoping to come in between 42-45 minutes, but I really lost my speed after the third turn.

Not long after I got home, I got an email with the results (amazing to get it so quickly!).  I told my husband I got 8th place - then giggled and said, "Well, 8th out of 8."  Even though I was in last place I was still OK with it because the overall times were fairly close together.  My optimism was still in check.  I ate breakfast, had a brief nap, then had lunch.  Before long it was time to head back down for the criterium.

Criterium
Again, first time.  Ever.  This was a closed-course race on about a 1/4 mile loop.  The start/finish line was at a fairly level point, then the course gently sloped downhill to the first turn and continued mostly flat into the second turn where you hit a slight incline to the third turn, then into a light headwind along the flat to the finish.

The women, children and men 60+ lined up at the start.  I picked an inside spot in the second row, thinking that I would be able to get up near the front (a key position, I was told).  A Cat 1 racer was going to be our "pace man" and get things rolling.  The idea was that no one would "attack" in the first 10 minutes, simply build some momentum and get the riders settled in.

My starting-line philosophy did not work.  After the first lap I ended up in the rear 3rd of the pack with about 3 riders behind me. I mistakenly assumed that people would ride toward the inside of the course, but really they rode the outside then cut into the corners (you could have a serious accident if you came up on the inside and got squeezed out!).  If you weren't tight to the group and able to keep up after the second turn into the uphill, you were really screwed when you hit the head wind.

Into the 2nd and 3rd laps, I realized exactly what my coach said: being at the rear of the pack you were at the mercy of the braking of the front riders into the turns. I felt fine handling myself in the turns and could have gone a lot faster, but I spent the next couple of laps trying to move up the line and the other riders were having none of it. I also realized that this was the "first 10 minutes" and I already felt like I was maxing out/redlining - it was a huge effort to catch up/keep up and each lap left me further and further behind.

I think I was into the 6th or 7th lap that I decided to DNF. I felt like I was burning the candle at both ends and it was either finish this and have nothing left for the road race, which is the event I was most looking forward to.

I realized that I am not a sprinter/racer in this sense. These riders are really amazing! And one of the really cool things about bowing out was that I got to watch Kimberly (who has the same coach as I do) really kick some ass! She looked like a pro out there - she was working with this 17 yr old phenom - Tyler - and they dominated the race - and this was her first crit.  Amazing.

Road Race
This was a familiar course for me.  I ride it frequently in training - it's my own back yard.  I knew it was a tough course, though, with some good climbing in the beginning and at the end.  Despite the lasting sting of the DNF from the day before, I again felt pretty confident with this stage of the race.

I was cool (57f), clear and beautiful in the morning, with no wind.  It was a seeded start, so everyone lined up appropriately.

We were off...then before we made the turn to Kekaulike and the start of the climb the pack was gone and there were just a few of us stragglers at the back. I ended up leading our little pack up the climb, then the men passed me on the downhill, but they had their weight to help them go. HOWEVER - HOLY SHI*T - I can't believe I hit almost 40mph going down the hill at one point! I LOVE THE DOWNHILLS! I was clear, dry and virtually no cars, which was wonderful.

We made the turn and hit the rolling climbs and that's when I really started to eat and drink more - the road is wide and straight so its a bit easier to do. I wasn't too hot or too cold or to hungry, but I just didn't have any legs! Pretty soon I was by myself and that's when a lot of self-talking began.

You have to pass the finish line on the way out to the winery which is kind of demoralizing, because then I got to see exactly how many people had already finished, but I kept on going and again enjoyed the descent into Ulupalakua. I turned around at the winery, and that's when I realized that there was only one other person behind me. I just kept on going and pushing the pedals, then pretty soon he caught me and passed me, but was never too far ahead.

One insight I had was that it did seem a little bit easier/shorter the climb out of Ulupalakua than the last two times I've done it, so I think that was a good sign.  At one point I thought of this BLOG POST I read last week and kicked myself up a notch because what I was doing wasn't even close to what Andrew went through in his race.

The last 10-15' the motorcycle was following me which quite frankly totally sucks.  But I kept my composure and actually said thank you and blew a kiss at him after I crossed the finish line (which I hope he didn't find weird or offensive!), which they promptly tore down shortly after got there.

The post-race party was great - they had a guy with a portable pizza oven from Outrigger Pizza, a beautiful salad, lots of beer (of which I didn't partake because I was so tired I probably would have passed out - AND it was 9:30 in the morning, after all), water and massage, which was wonderful.  I've never been able to get a post-race massage at any event, and these women were truly magical!  I actually felt pretty light on my feet as I headed home.

In Retrospect
After talking to my coach, family and friends, I realized that I was an orange in a basket of apples and unfairly comparing myself to this group of very dedicated riders.  I knew it too, deep down inside, but I'm usually solid front of MOP in running and triathlon.  I've NEVER been last and I've never had a DNF in any athletic event and neither one of those things feel very good.  I'm a solid believer that good training will pay off in good racing - and it will in cycling, but just in a different way and perhaps after some more time in the saddle.

That's not to say that I've never had a bad race, or that every race turns out exactly the way I planned or expected, because I have and they don't.  But I certainly plan to make sure that I lessen the odds of it ever happening again!

I want to say a special thank you to a few people who were at the right place at the right time and helped me stay motivated and positive throughout the weekend:

• Dana - thanks for being there after the crit and allowing me to vent a little bit!  I very much enjoyed our conversation and would like to do it again some time.  I can't wait to hear how Honolulu goes for you...good luck!
• Debbie - it was such a surprise to see you at the finish line of the road race, and I have to say you were instrumental in preventing me from having a total meltdown by keeping me busy with conversation.  I hope you have a great time on your upcoming ride in the Alps!
• Jeffrey - Thanks for rooting me along the way - and for your support after the road race.  As tough as it was I had a great time overall and you helped me keep some things in their proper perspective.

And to my coach - who is amazing - and who I never thought had ever come in last in a race. 

Amrita Bar Review

Thanks to the world that is Twitter, I have discovered a lot of new things.  One of the most important to my current training and racing nutrition, though, is the amazing Amrita endurance bar.

 


I can't remember who started it, but someone tweeted about Amrita (perhaps @ZenTriathlon?), who was then followed by @CaratunkGirl, then @Tristachelete...all raving about how wonderful they were and what chaos ensued when they ran out.  Always in search of a REAL FOOD fueling option, I decided to check them out (the bars, not the athletes!).

As a Paleo endurance athlete, I've always been on the lookout for a convenience food for training and racing that was made from real food.  More recently I've concentrated on becoming more fat-adapted and gave up commercial sports drinks, bars and gels (virtually all of which are NOT Paleo) in favor of coconut oil, almond butter, some fruit, coconut water and salt stick caps.  I still needed something with a little more carbs to sprinkle throughout long rides and training sessions, and Amrita Bars fit the bill!

I LOVE the fact that these bars are dairy, gluten and soy free.  I also LOVE that they are Plant-Based Nutrition (a nod to ultra-endurance athlete and vegan Rich Roll for making me more aware of the benefits of a plant-based diet) and suitable for vegan or raw athletes as well.  The protein comes from raw sprouted brown rice protein and there is a tiny bit of agave in there, but in some Paleo/Primal camps these can be acceptable.  And really, if that's the worst thing in these bars, what's there to worry about?

I originally ordered a small package of Pineapple Chia, Mango Coconut, and the Chocolate Maca Recovery bars.  At first I thought the taste of the pineapple chia was a bit odd, but it has come to be one of my favorites.  The mango coconut is divine.  My coach is getting on me about fueling enough during longer rides, so I will usually break up two bars (one of each flavor for variety) and put the pieces in a ziploc in my bento box to grab easily (I am not coordinated enough to open a packaged bar mid-ride...seriously).  They are satisfying and sit well on my stomach.  Back them up with a little coconut water and you have a great nutrition option!

Last weekend, I went to grab a bar for a ride and they were all gone.  Now I know what the fuss is about.  They very quickly became my go-to fuel, and I about had a fit when I ran out.  So I ordered 36 this time - 12 each of the Cranberry Raisin, Apple Cinnamon, and my new fave, Pineapple Chia.  Mango coconut will make it back into the rotation next time.  Amrita offers a sample pack as well - so if you are on the fence or don't know what flavor to get, start with the sampler and go from there.

A couple of words on their customer service - freaking amazing.  Orders are processed at lightning speed, and they ship via Priority Mail which means I will get my order in Hawaii in just a few days (THANK YOU FOR THAT AMRITA- shipping to Hawaii is almost always a nightmare or ridiculously expensive - I really appreciate that you use USPS Priority).

Now...cost.  Yes, these are a little bit more expensive than your average endurance bar or fuel, but it is worth every penny.  It's REAL FOOD, folks, and REALLY GOOD.  Since I'm not buying other sports drinks or gels I feel like the cost evens out.  And you want to put quality food in your body - not something you cannot pronounce or makes you feel like crap.

Get some and see for yourself!  AMRITA HEALTH FOODS

Amrita Health Foods did not supply any products or request this review.  I am just a very happy customer and want to help them get the word out.

Cycle to the Sun...

...and other new developments!




So what does any self-respecting triathlete do when she gets shut out of the two 70.3's she wanted to race in 2013?  Signs up for one of the toughest road bike races out there!  I'm so excited!

So excited, in fact, that I even got myself a coach. Although I've had reasonable success coaching myself through three triathlons and countless running races, cycling is still a relatively new sport to me.  And over the last few years it has always been in the back of my mind that I could probably do a LOT better if I had someone who really knew what they were doing taking charge of my training.

For CTS, there was no other option in my mind.  Training for a standard road race or triathlon to finish is fairly straight forward.  If you have some reasonable knowledge of endurance sports, are fairly self-motivated and can follow directions, there are thousands of "canned" plans that will take you through your races.  In triathlon training, I'd pick a plan then basically follow the "hours" recommended for each discipline.  I didn't really do (OK, I did zero) interval training, outside of swim sessions with my masters group.  I just S/B/R'd and hoped for the best.

Where it gets dicey is when you are going to be climbing straight up a mountain for several hours with a 10,000ft+ elevation gain.   And I knew I couldn't do it alone.  So far I think having a coach is AWESOME, and here's why it's working for me:

• It eliminates a lot of trial and error - I have a relatively short training window (the ride is June 29) so I need to maximize my training time and do the sessions that are going to get me up that hill (and I really know very little about the mechanics of a cycling training program).
• It's HUGE to have my workouts planned for me - I don't have to think about it...just do it.
• Although I've used a Garmin for a couple of years now, it was really for amusement purposes only and to get a guideline on time, distance and heart rate.  Now it provides useful information for my coach and guidelines for me to consider during workouts.

The big thing, though, is that it made me realize, almost from the beginning, that I never pushed myself hard enough in workouts before.  She is making me work HARD (and sometimes I swear during interval sessions), but I get off my bike every time with a sense of accomplishment.  I'm feeling stronger and stronger all the time.

I have two goals for this race right now:

• The "A" goal - finish in around 5 hours.
• The "B" goal - not to finish last.

I'll share more of my thoughts on having a coach in future posts, including why I picked mine.  If you want to get to know her, check out Simmons Endurance Coaching.

More soon!

Na Holo Wahine 5K Race Report

                The Na Holo Wahine is one of the only 5Ks I regularly run, since I generally prefer 10K and ½ marathon distances for a stand-alone race.  I never ran track in school, outside of mandatory PE, and my recollections of running the 100-yard dash are vague.  Let’s just say I’m an endurance junkie, in it for the long haul, and sprinting (aka speed) has never really been my thing.  Until recently.

                When I began running in my 30’s, I never incorporated speedwork into any of my training.  I didn’t know anyone else who ran, did all of my training by myself, and learned what I could from reading Runner’s World and Hal Higdon’s Marathon Training Guide.  They all recommended speedwork and track sessions, but the track intimidated me and I felt like the workout descriptions were written in Greek.  Besides, like many new runners, I figured I didn’t need to work on speed since I was in it to enjoy running and finish each distance on my feet…not win.  I had simple time goals – mostly wanting to finish with what I thought was a “respectable time.”  I didn’t want to be a 10-hour marathoner.

                Fast forward 10 years and that mindset was OK until I start racing, and reading the results, and comparing my rank to those in my age group.  The more I trained, the faster I got (albeit slowly) and I was inching closer to the FOP (front-of-pack) runners.  Suddenly, it wasn’t enough to just “finish respectably.”  I wanted to WIN!

         I still hadn’t actually incorporated any track workouts or serious speedwork into my training outside of the occasional interval session.  I just followed the mantra of one regular BT forum poster who advocates “run lots...mostly slow…sometimes fast."  Well, it's paying off!

        Race start wasn't until 8:00 a.m., so I didn't have to get up early.  I had half a smoothie and a cup of coffee for breakfast.  Didn't see any reason to pop a gel prior to the race, but did take along my new Nathan Quickshot to carry HEED with me on the course.  I also made a new playlist since I was going to run with music this race.

        I thought about riding my bike for about an hour prior to the race as a warm-up.  I've been doing a lot of bike/run bricks and my legs have been responding well, but I thought it might rain and that was an extra factor I just didn't want to deal with.  My plan was to do a little light running drills instead, but I ran into a friend of mine and we started chatting to catch up, then all of a sudden it was time to race!

        I fumbled with my iPhone trying to get it set up to play, but I have a very awkward carrier for it and can't access any of the settings once it started playing (note to self: get a new armband!).  No wonder I don't usually run with music!

        I moved up to the front of the pack to avoid the bobbing and weaving - I wanted a quick start - and we were off!  The first stretch of the race is a gradual downhill for about a 1/2 mile, so it was easy to stretch out and get ahead.  I just kept my eye on the leaders and tried not to get too far behind.  I planned to open up and run this race as fast as I could sustain.  At about the 1/2 way point on an up-hill stretch I realized how freakin' hard it is to run a 5K!  My exact thought was, "I am NO SPRINTER. No wonder I am an endurance runner!"  But I kept at it.  I never really lost sight of the leaders and only one woman passed me the entire race.  Toward the end I heard footsteps closing in behind me, but that just spurred me on to the finish.  I was determined not to be caught.

        My first surprise was at the finish line - the top 15-20 (I'm not sure the exact number) got ti leaf leis - at #13 I was thrilled.  Something so simple yet so meaningful - I've never been in the front before.  I already felt like a winner.  Then they started announcing the age group winners and I came in 3rd in the 40-44 AG!!  WHOO HOO!!  It was my first ever podium finish!!

        I was in good company, too.  Several of the women who are part of a triathlon training group I just joined also placed in their respective divisions.  We are all racing in the upcoming South Maui Triathlon in June and I hope we can create the same picture in the winners circle there as well.  It was a great day - beautiful weather, new friends, and great finishes.  I can't wait until next year!

        I looked at my results for the past four races:

• 2008:  35:28  53/83 overall
• 2010:  31:21  35/76 overall
• 2011:  29:23  35/104 overall
• 2012:  26:07  13/72 overal, 3rd place 40-44 (AG results not available)

I'm going to shoot for sub-25 my next 5K or next year, whichever comes first!

Valley-to-the-Sea Race Report AND Lessons Learned

John, Sherri, Yolanda and me, pre-race.

Recent training has been sporadic at best.  Each week I start off with good intentions, then work, drama, life, etc. all conspire to prevent me from making a workout.  

I didn't run any appreciable mileage for the 3 1/2 weeks prior to the Valley-to-the-Sea race.  I knew going in that it would be difficult and, despite my irrational hopes, that I would probably not make my PR goal of a sub-2 hour 1/2.  I tried to tell myself that I had enough run fitness to make it work.  

Lesson #1 - You will lose fitness if you do not run the appropriate mileage before a race.

Still, I was optimistic.  I felt good on race day, had my pre-race smoothie, drank my coffee and water.  It was cool (chilly even, for Maui!) at the race start and there was cloud cover the entire race, which helped keep temperatures in check.

Lesson #2 - Don't mess around with the hydration/nutrition systems you KNOW work for you.

I didn't wear my Nathan water carrier this race.  The course was mostly downhill/flat.  I wanted to run it fast (see previous PR goal) and didn't want the extra weight.  I decided that water at the aid stations and 3 gels would be enough.  But I'm used to carrying my own HEED and having it whenever I want.  I was thirsty and the aid stations were too far apart (not really, but that's how I felt).  

I started off fast (for me) but you can see why - steep descent at the beginning.  I figured if I kept up a good pace at the start it would see me through at the finish.


Lesson #3 - Negative split, negative split, negative split!  Don't go out too fast.

Would I have been better off to slow it down at the start?  Probably.  I should have kept it more at 9:00 mm.  Mile 5 was a long, gradual uphill, which really dropped my speed and where my attitude started to go bad.  Miles 6-9 were downhill again and when I really started talking to myself and giving myself a pep talk, and you can see it in my average pace, which was back on track.

Split	Time	Distance	Avg Pace
Summary	2:11:55.2	13.08	10:05
1	8:22.0	1.08	7:43
2	8:02.4	0.98	8:11
3	9:09.0	1.02	8:59
4	10:03.5	1.01	9:55
5	10:23.8	1.00	10:25
6	9:40.1	0.99	9:45
7	10:29.5	1.11	9:29
8	8:27.2	0.90	9:24
9	9:14.5	0.98	9:25
10	12:43.5	1.07	11:57
11	9:50.4	0.94	10:31
12	12:02.3	1.00	12:04
13	13:27.1	1.01	13:20

For the record, my actual finish time was 2:10:34 - I forgot to press STOP on the Garmin.  AGAIN.  #74 out of 107. 

At Mile 10, where the ground leveled off once again, the wheels started to come off.  I was done.  I'd had my last gel at about Mile 8 and thought it would carry me through, but I really started to lose it.  At one point I just wanted to sit on the curb and cry like a baby.  I don't know what got into me?!  Yolanda and Sherri passed me at this point and I told them I was fading.  They were encouraging and that kept me going for awhile.  I really tried to HTFU.  My legs were starting to cramp, but I kept up a slow jog until the end.

Here we are at the finish. I am so proud of Yolanda - it was her first 1/2 and she did great!  I was just glad it was over, which makes me sad because I love to race and this one was on a beautiful course, on a great day, and had great volunteers and was run exceptionally well (thanks Rudy!).  Which leads me to:

Lesson #4:  You can't fake a 1/2 marathon.

My quads hated me for three solid days.  I. Seriously. Could. Not. Walk. 

My new Brooks PureFlow shoes, however, were AWESOME!  I still had a couple of blisters, but they were minor.  I will have to tape my feet in a couple of places, I think, to eliminate them, but my feet were not sore and neither were my calves. 

Lesson #5:  Some things DO work, even on a bad day.

Loved my Brooks shoes, Injinji socks ROCK, and even though I missed wearing my water carrier, I liked wearing my Zoot tri top for the race (the back pockets are awesome!).

VIRR Turkey Trot Race Report - 16 miler

Sometimes it's best if you don't know the race course in advance...

For most races, I haunt the website, review the race course and decide on a plan of action well before race day.  I like to run portions (if not all) of the course prior to race day so that I have a strategy and can be mentally prepared for the tough spots.  I like to look at the previous year's race results, check times for my AG, and think about where I might end up in the standings.  I'm sure a lot of athletes do this.  At least the Type-A athletes do, even if they know they aren't going to place in the top (that would be me, chaser of the FOPs (Front-of-Pack'rs).

This race was going to be a little different.  It was my first time entering.  It was a fun run.  It was FREE.  It fit fabulously into my training schedule and took the place of my long run for the week.  IT WAS FREE!

The course map was not posted until a couple of days before the race.  I've run races with VIRR from Rice Park (the start), so I assumed it would probably be an out-and-back to Grandma's, with two loops to get to the 16 miles (they also had an 8.4 and a 2.6 mile run that day).  When I finally glanced at the posted course map, I did not zoom in, and I assumed it would be down Kula Highway, then back up Lower Kula Road.  OK...different, but extremely do-able.  Then I got the surprise.

A group of us were standing around at check-in and I overheard someone say, "It's the same course as last year."  So I told him this was my first time and asked "what, really, is the course?"  Turns out the "down Kula Highway" part was right, but then we turned right at the high school and ran UP AND AROUND Kekaulike Hwy.  Oh, s%@t!  This is an approximate 2,000 ft elevation gain.  It is an uphill run from about Mile 7 to about Mile 13.  (FYI - I chickened out and didn't sign up for a 10K in May of this year because it was primarily THIS section of the course - billed as a "one hill" race.  Ha Ha!  The entire race is that one hill.)

But the race was FREE.  And my training was going well.  And I completely rescheduled my training plan for the long run on Thanksgiving.  And I was there.  What the hell?  It would be fun, right?

Pre-Race
Standard pre-race smoothie at 4:30 a.m.  Race started at 7:00. FYI - I've pretty much decided that the 2-hour window is too short.  It leaves me feeling a bit sloshy.  Next time I will get up earlier and drink the smoothie prepared the night before, then go back to bed for a little more snooze.  It works!


Warm Up/Race Prep
Ha ha!  It was 53 freaking degrees at the race start!  That is downright COLD for us Maui folks.  I kept my sweatshirt on, did a little light jogging to stay warm.

After hearing about the real race course, I added 10 minutes to my "guessed" time.  Those who come closest to their guess can win a prize (no watches, garmins allowed).  I originally planned to go for 3:00, but added 10 minutes for the serious climbing.  (I was going to wear my Garmin as this was supposed to be a training run for me and I wanted to watch pace, heart rate, etc., but one of the long-time runners cajoled me into leaving it in the truck.)

We also found out at check-in that there were no "official" aid stations on the course, but that someone was going to leave water at about Mile 6 and Mile 12.  Although I had my Nathan carrier with my bottle of Heed and two Hammer gels, I decided to grab an extra water bottle from my truck just in case there was no water.

Off came the sweatshirt, but I wore my new YMX Yellowman long-sleeve dragon shirt underneath (more about that in a later post).


Race
There were 24 of us in the 16-mile group.  The ultra-runners (one only clad in black running shorts and shoes) took off and never looked back.  I ended up with a group of about 4-5 runners at the tail end of the pack, but I was OK with that.  This was supposed to be a long training run, not a race, and I was perfectly content to let everyone else take off.  I figured this would be a good way to practice pacing and see if the rumors were true: that I would eventually pass some of the runners who took off too fast and paid for it at the end.

The first 6 miles were mostly on a gradual downgrade, a pleasant way to warm up.  Several of us chatted as we ran along.  I felt good and even though I felt I could pick up the pace, I tried to stay slow.  This is where I sort of missed my Garmin, but I realized it was probably very good for me to run by feel for a change.  Mentally I felt good because I wasn't DFL in the pack, which is a driver for me, for better or for worse.

We made the turn at the high school and started the climb.  There was no water at the first "drop" but I was OK - I popped my first gel as planned and finished the bottle I was carrying.  We began the ascent, and this is where some runners started dropping off in pace.  I was still feeling good and elated that I felt so strong...in the tougher sections I reminded myself that it was OK to walk portions.  My pace slowed and I walked what I thought was quite a bit, but I still felt good and strong and ran as often as I could.  I enjoyed the beauty of the day, the fact that I was out running sixteen miles (which still amazes me - it was the longest distance I have ever run in my life!), and kept a positive mindset.  I even stopped to take a couple of pics:

A friend of mine says I look like I was hitchhiking in this photo!

I thought I knew the stretch of highway fairly well as I've driven it many times, and I got excited when I saw the houses just before Kula Lodge because I thought I was near the top.  I wasn't and it was still quite a ways to the Haleakala Crater turn-off where the second water drop was.  When I got there I was glad so see there were still plenty of bottles because I'd burned up my HEED on the climb.  I took a quick break, took my second gel and topped off my water bottle so I wouldn't have to carry another, and took off.

After this stop my legs protested a bit.  There was still a bit of climbing left to do and I got back to it.  This is when I noticed that I was getting a blister under the base of my big toe (at the top of the ball of my foot).  I stopped to adjust my sock, which was bunching a little in that area, and took off.  Side Note:  I noticed that I am getting more blisters as my runs get longer. I thought my feet would toughen and callus up, but they aren't.  For this race I wrapped my 4th toes with bandaids to avoid the nasty blisters I got in the Harbor-to-Harbor, and really rubbed my feet up with Body Glide.  I wore socks with my Mizunos.  Mostly a winning combination.  I still have several long runs to test shoe/sock/no-sock combinations before race day.

I caught a few more runners in this last climbing section, then the glorious downhill began!!

About Mile 12-13 my quads started getting cranky with me, but I told myself the same thing I told myself at Mile 10 in the 1/2 marathon: as long as the pain doesn't get any worse, I am fine.  I can run with this.  I can deal with this.  I still felt strong, and if I hadn't had the blister really yelling at me at this point, I could have even picked up the pace a little bit.

Soon I saw the intersection at the highway and made my turn for the home stretch.  As I came up the last little hill before the finish, I saw my family on the sidelines cheering me on.  It was awesome!  I left them all, still sleeping, that morning (I had told them the night before that I would finish at around 10:00 IF they wanted to meet me at the finish line).  It was great!

I finished in 2:59:58!  If I wouldn't have added that last 10 minutes, I would have only been 2 seconds off my time and would have probably won a prize.  I can't believe how consistent my pace is, even without the Garmin to check.  And that was despite that crazy incline!

My uncle said he couldn't believe I wasn't even breathing hard at the end and I looked as if I barely broke a sweat. 

I am very pleased with this race and the results. It did wonders for my self confidence - I know I can tackle just about anything with good, consistent training.

Can't wait to see what happens next year!

Marathon Monday - Week 9 of 18

"I'm at the half-way mark!" I realized, as I typed the title for today's post.  So far, so good.

I missed posting last Monday because I was on vacation, here, at home.  My mom came to visit from California and we had a great time together.  I stuck with my run training (minus one 3-miler), but swimming, biking and blogging all kind of fell by the wayside.  It was a good mental break for me. Today, though, it's back to our regularly scheduled programming.

I ran a fun race on Saturday - the 20th anniversary of the Maui Harbor-to-Harbor race.  It clocked in at a little over 10 miles (10.55 according to my Garmin) and I was thrilled with my average pace of 9:28!  Running more is paying off!  I felt good the entire race and incorporated some new mental tricks to keep me going in the later miles: keeping focused, staying positive and checking in on my body and how it was performing.  Run tall.  Hold your core. Smile. There was no swearing involved, unlike Xterra.

With a little more than a mile to go, a younger woman passed me.  Usually this is not a big deal, because people pass me a lot, but for some reason I could not let this one go.   I remembered something I read recently, that if someone passes you near the end of the race, do not let them get too far ahead.  Her pace wasn't much faster than mine at the time, so I hung on around 25 yards back.  We got inside that last mile and I knew if I didn't pick up the pace she would think she had it in the bag.  I remembered how Mirinda Carfrae tried to chase down Chrissie Wellington in Kona.  We hit a slight downhill and I lengthened my stride a bit, gradually catching up, then I dug down deep and pushed enough to get past her.  I figured she would push it and pass me again, but I stayed strong and finished just ahead of her.  She came up to me at the water station after the race and congratulated me on the finish, which was really nice of her to do.  I thanked her and told her I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to catch her and told her she set a good pace.

I went into the race with the intention of racing strong and trying to sustain a 9:30 pace.  It was a hard effort, but it also reassured me that I can run faster than I think!

The race was an exchange for my long run for that weekend, scheduled for 10 miles.  I know I'm supposed to get my long runs in slower, and I won't be doing any more "racing" throughout my marathon training, but this was a really good check-in for me and a great confidence booster.

I promise to take it slow at the Turkey Trot next week!