Rachel's CDA 2015 Race Report
One day I’ll learn to write shorter race reports… today is not that day.
Preface:
I signed up for IM CDA last summer to get myself out of a pity party I was having after pulling my registration from IMCHOO for a string of injuries. I’d always wanted to go to that part of the country, and, well, it was the only race available to sign up for at the time. Training was boosted by both the JVC and BRP camps as well as my own camp weekend, but day-to-day training wasn’t great. Important to note given the conditions, we’ve had a really cool spring in Chicago. Like most of my rides and runs have been in the 60s, a couple times getting into the 70s.
Lead up:
I flew into Spokane on Wednesday evening and met up with my mom and we drove to Coeur d’Alene. We stayed at a great rental house just a 7 minute walk from all the action. They definitely jack the prices WAY up but it was nice to have more of a house to relax in and be able to cook our own food.
Thursday morning I did my first OWS of the season. Yes, you read that correctly. I had a Crohn’s flare up a few weeks ago and had to go on hefty doses of immunosuppressants. My doctor and I made a deal that I could train (if I listened to my body and all that) as long as I did not go in Lake Michigan. That first swim did not feel good. My stroke felt off, I felt anxious, wetsuit felt weird, all that normal first OWS of the season stuff. Shake it off, move on.
Thursday I went through registration, athlete briefing, met up with my cousin who came in from Seattle, picked up my bike from TBT, and went to the team dinner. Amazing cinnamon pork. And amazing teammates! I had originally planned on biking some of the course on Thursday but decided instead to stay out of the heat as much as possible to not tax my body any more.
Friday morning I did a 16 mile ride to check out everything was working ok with my bike. Then we went out and drove the bike course. I did another OWS that felt better than the first, but still not great. Spent a lot of time on Friday putting all my gear together with lots of checklists.
Saturday morning was pancake time, and lots of them! My cousin said he could really get behind the eating part of an Ironman, but could do without the swimming, biking, and running. Bike and gear checkin went really smoothly with no line. We caught a movie Saturday afternoon, and then I had a bowl of chicken and rice soup with all that sodium on Sunday night. I went to bed by 9:30 and fell asleep pretty quickly.
Race Morning:
Race morning I was up at 3:15. Bowl of applesauce, banana, and whey protein, and packed a bottle of perform to sip as I went. I walked down to the race site and worked off a checklist to get the final details sorted out. My family met up with me right after the EN picture, and then I was off to get in line for the rolling swim start. At the athlete meeting they had mentioned a glasses table (blind as a bat) at the swim exit but I couldn’t find it. It was getting crowded and I was starting to stress (funny how those little things can be so stressful race morning). None of the volunteers I asked knew about it, so I ran over to transition and asked to just put my glasses in my bag. I then went over to the beach and lined up towards the back of the 1:15-1:30 sign, with those around me expecting at 1:25. I was thinking 1:30 on a good day, more depending on how poorly I swam in a straight line. I tend to be an overachiever with swim distances in race.
Swim: 1:25:46
Water temperature was 73 degrees. I wore a sleeveless wetsuit with a ton of skin protectant cream I steal from work slathered on my neck. I wore my arm coolers on the swim as well so I wouldn’t have to fiddle with them in T1 or on the bike when I was wet. I wore my goggles under my cap to protect them from being kicked off.
I was in the water about 8 minutes after the first AGers, and the start was the gentlest I’ve had. For the first ~400 yds, I was breathing very hard and feeling very short of breath. I focused on my stroke and breathing and eventually settled into a rhythm. There was the usual congestion around turns, but overall very little contact. My stroke felt much better than it had in my practice OWS on Thursday and Friday. I barely sighted, relying on those around me to keep me in line. I started to get some rubbing on my upper arms from the arm coolers but was able to roll them down a smidge and fix the problem. I came out of the water in 40:36 which shocked me, far exceeding my expectations.
Second lap saw me getting a bit off course, probably because the field had spread out a bit more and less people to corral me. I’d notice I was swimming all alone, sight, and correct course. Definitely something to work on! One of my biggest challenges in swims is just maintaining focus as I just get bored. I think longer OWS in training will help train the mental focus. I had to pee on the last leg of the swim but could not pee while swimming. Really need to work on my multi-tasking. After feeling like it went on forever, I finally got out in 45:10. My second lap was significantly slower than my first, which matches what I’ve found in RRs. More swimming should help the endurance going forward, but really thrilled with my swim time! My family almost missed me as I told them the best case scenario was 1:30. Strangely, my upper body didn’t feel tired like they normally do during swim workouts. That makes me think my pull was very weak!
T1: 7:55
I felt a bit disoriented coming out of the water and trying to run on uneven sand, but not too bad. A volunteer had started to unzip me as I was coming out of the water, and the wetsuit strippers had the sucker off like the pros they are. Grabbed my bag and went into the change tent. It was pretty crowded and I didn’t have a volunteer at first. I was assertive and pulled one over who wasn’t already helping someone else and had her help me get stuff out of /into my bag. I changed into a bike jersey to have extra sun protection and an extra place to put a bottle. Socks and shoes on, helmet on, and I was off. Off to the porta-potty that is- damn not being able to pee and swim! After I grabbed my bike I realized the water bottle I had in my back pocket was still sealed. I had a volunteer open it for me, but that was a silly mistake.
I can definitely take off a lot of time in T1. I really wasn’t going for speed here given the conditions, as I wanted to make sure I had what I needed to be as comfortable as possible. Transition times are definitely something I will pay more attention to though going forward.
Bike: 7:11:06
This was my first long course race on a tri bike (Cervelo P2) as I’d done IMWI on a road bike with clip on aerobars. I was riding a 23 in front and 25 in back, both Conti GP4000s-IIs. On a “don’t do this (but it worked out ok)” note, I was wearing new shoes that I’d only ridden in twice before, never longer than 2 hrs. In my defense, my old shoes were black with no ventilation, bought for $80 when I first started this game about 6 yrs ago. I think unfamiliar shoes might have been the better choice!
When I first got to my bike and my Garmin picked up HR, it was reading in the high 160s. First priority was slowing that sucker down. As I did the admin miles through town, I was really just riding along like I was going to the grocery store. I was even singing in my head, and possibly out loud at times. I was glued to my HR reading, willing it to come down. My goal was to ride around 140 bpm, based on looking back at HR for my long rides. My other priority at first was to fuel. I ate a 250 cal bar and went to town drinking Perform. I had a bottle on the downtube and a BTA bottle. The first time I went to cool myself with water I realized I could not actually put the bottle back in my back pocket while riding, as the bottle was flung across the road. Another silly “should’ve known that” issue. Oh well, cooling is a priority, I’ll stop for a second if I have to.
The first little loop was great- beautiful scenery along the lake, riding as easy as possible, good spirits. It took about 45 min for my heart rate to settle around 145, and I couldn’t seem to get it lower. I think I can attribute that 5 extra beats to more rolling terrain that on my normal rides and the heat. The first out and back on 95 also went well. I agree with everything Rich said about the hills- they are just that, nothing crazy. I did sit up more than stay aero on them just to keep the HR in check. I really enjoyed the course- the pavement was smooth, nothing technical, felt good. I did get a little scared on some of the descent just because I don’t have much experience descending on my tri bike in good ol Chicago, so I ended up coming out of the bars to feel more stable but stayed really low, which my triceps definitely felt! I was aiming to drink 2 bottles of Gatorade an hour, and I think I was close though it was hard to keep perfect track of due to exchanging bottles that weren’t all the way empty. I kept my arm coolers and back wet with water, which was somewhat manageable on the first lap. My execution on that first lap was great- easy up the hills, keep pressure on the downs, though I don’t have power to check.
The second lap on 95 is a totally different story. It was hot. Air temps of 103-105 depending on the source, and I’ve heard the pavement was in the upper 140s. The descents felt like you had a hair dryer blowing on you while you were in a sauna. The long ascents had no air flow to help cool you. Arm coolers would be dry in minutes. I backed off the effort, though my HR stayed the same, guessing due to the heat. Focused on the fluids as much as I could, but the Gatorade would be hot in minutes which was not very fun. The course turned into a very somber place. People walking bikes, sitting or lying on the side of the road. No one seemed to have any energy. Everyone was stopping at the aid stations, don’t think I saw anyone just cruise through, as everyone was trying to fill up. One aid station was out of ice and I got their last bottle of water at one point (and while I’m slow I definitely wasn’t last!!). Volunteers were amazing- going out to get more ice and getting water from other stations, non-stop positive attitudes and they were melting too! I could see trucks full of bikes leaving the course.
I went to the darkest place I’ve ever been to in this sport. I wanted to quit so many times. I was hoping for a mechanical that would end the day for me. I’m not proud to admit it, but man, it was not good. I took some gu’s as I know low sugar can cause negative thoughts, but I think the ungodly heat was just to blame. I figured I could just finish the bike, and hoped the run was being shortened. Or I was certain I’d be walking the whole thing. My execution dropped with my mood. I was coasting down the hills, stopping frequently to wet myself down. Not a happy camper. And then when it was just a few miles to go, I was caught behind the SLOWEST rider on the no pass zone. I tried to take advantage of it to stretch out the calves and hip flexors but it was just more annoyance as I wanted to be off the bike and out of the heat so badly at that point.
In hindsight, I still think I executed the bike pretty well given the extreme conditions, but please educate me if not the case. The one big exception is that I needed to be more prepared to deal with the dark place. I think now I’ll have that secret weapon- I can always look back on this race and see that I overcame it!
T2: 5:22
T2 wasn’t pretty- low spirits and lots of people just sitting there with defeated looks on their faces. I tried to move as quickly as I could. At that point I was thinking I’d start with some running and see what happened, expecting to maybe run a couple miles and then walk. I coated my feet with Vaseline which went on really easy as it was hot. I changed into a tshirt and shorts and grabbed my go bag with a hat, gu, Base salt, racebelt/number, and most importantly, the bag itself that would be my ice bag.
Run: 5:01:05
My first focus was just to get to the first aid station to pee and get ice. Surprisingly given the bike, I still had to focus on slowing myself down. My HR wasn’t picking up on my watch so I’m not sure where that was at at first. I got to the station and filled my bag with ice, only to find that putting that in my hat didn’t work- hat was too small to hold ice and stay on my head. Lesson learned. The remainder of the run was spent holding the ice bag and swapping between hands, refilling at every aid station.
As I got my legs under me after the first mile, I started to feel pretty good. There was a much more positive vibe out there than on the bike, and the community was great. With the out and back course I was seeing lots of fast folks running, which motivated me. I didn’t feel the heat nearly as badly as I did on the bike, in fact, I’m not sure I even noticed it at that point, though I’m sure my body did.
At every opportunity, I got wet. I pretty much stayed wet the entire run, which was key. I walked all aid stations and took Gatorade, which progressed from ice cold, to reasonably cold, to room temp, to air temp, to well, it isn’t boiling as the race went on. Some aid stations seemed to keep their ice supply the whole time, others ran out. The bag of ice was so great, so thank you all for that idea!
When the first hill came, I walked. That was my plan given the heat and my experience with my HR skyrocketing on hills (hill training is on the to do list!). I spent that hill fiddling with my watch to get HR to read, which it finally did. I was happy to see it was staying in the upper 140s, way lower than I thought it would be.
So that is how it went, I ran at between a 9:40 and 10:10 pace when I was running, and with slowing to walk the aid stations and uphills, my overall pace came in at 11:29. HR stayed between 145 and 155, no more than 10 bpm higher than the bike. I focused on cooling myself and that worked wonderfully. Never would I have thought heat would be a much bigger issue on the bike than the run, but it was. I got some boosts from EN folks along the way, even got to run with the legendary Jenn Edwards (who was a loop ahead of me) for a bit.
I hit a bit of a dark place at the end of the first lap. I bargained that I could just get through the first lap, then walk the rest or do a 3:1 run walk or something. But then after special needs where I got some salty crackers and ginger candy, I got a second wind. From there on out, I think I just kept feeling stronger, and that line didn’t come. There were only a few times that weren’t an aid station or hill that I walked, and only for 20 steps and I was running again. I held out on coke until mile 20, and then it was glorious, especially when icy. Walking was definitely a constant temptation, but for the most part I didn’t give in. One of my main motivators towards the end was that I knew my east coast people were going to bed soon and I wanted them to be able to see me finish. After all those meaningful one-things I’d prepared, that is really what kept me running!
After the miles seeming to pass pretty quickly, the last half mile felt like forever. Running down Sherman was great. I temporarily forgot the hell of the bike and was thrilled. In conditions hotter than hell, I was finishing, and I was finishing running!
Post-Race:
The aftermath is very bloodshot eyes, chaffing like I’ve never had before, some toenails on their way out, and legs that don’t work very well after long periods of standing. I should note that this is the first time I’ve never had GI distress either during or after a race. I’m sold on the applesauce breakfast!
I definitely exceeded my expectations given the weather. Final time was 30 minutes slower than IMWI in 2013, and I’m likely in similar shape. Being able to overcome the conditions was a big confidence boost. I don’t think I’ll fret the weather any more after surviving this! I also overcame the darkest place I’ve ever been in during a race on the bike course. It is a reminder that those places are temporary, and if you just keep going, it gets a whole lot better. I was also really worried about executing a bike purely by HR as I’d trained with power, but it all worked out. I think this showed me the power of HR and I will definitely pay more attention to it going forward.
I think this race is a huge advertisement for execution and how much EN helps in that regard. I know that many of the DNF-ers or folks walking the entire run trained far more than me, sacrificed much more time with family/friends and work, and were most likely fitter than me. Fitness is no match for 100+ degree temps, but the smarts that EN gave me let me put together a race that I finished and am proud of. Big thanks to all!
So now I’m enjoying a few days in Glacier National Park with the family before back to the crazy life in Chicago. Up next is Racine 70.3, USAT AG Nationals, and then IMWI! While my training may have had many holes in it leading up to IMCDA, I can definitely say I have a good base going into IMWI. The 10 minute PR on my swim is a huge motivator to keep swimming, and I’m thinking I can take several more minutes off for CDA. The bike is a weakness of mine, so I’m going to work really hard to be as consistent as I can in getting in those workouts. I now have a pretty realistic view of how training fits in my life, and got a good reminder of how much I love this sport, even when I’m cursing on the bike course.
Comments
it was great how you brought in your mental state at each part and how you toughed out a very tough day! I did Louisville a few years back which was ridiculously hot and i put some ice in my hat at every aid station and just put the hat on my head... bag is a good idea, just get some ice to work and keep fighting!
congrats! No pitty party after that one!
Rachel, I really enjoyed reading your Race Report. Great to see you didn't give up and seemed to get stronger after the hot bike ride. I'm doing USAT AG's in Sept too. I hope to meet you there.
Rachel! So very well done Chica! It was a pleasure to get to know you and your posse if only a tiny bit. You were positive, determined and SMART every time I saw you before, during and after the race. FWIW: I too felt the second loop of the bike was a major mental six-pack test - you are certainly not alone in those sentiments. One gal actually had it up to 113 on her gadget. Great great job out there and enjoy Glacier and your adventures en route East!
I love this report. Those dark times can't be good. Smart smart racer you are! Thank you for sharing.
Every race that I have been in has something epically hard about it - that is why they call it Ironman. This one sounds grueling... but you managed your way through it.
I think you are right - next time something gets hard, the memory of this one will make it easier to stay out of the dark.
Hats off to you!
Rachel, great race report. Congrats on a day you will never forget as long as you live, a story you will be re-telling folks into your 90s. And thank you for volunteering to do the race and allowing me to enjoy it from the air conditioned comfort of my couch. Everything about the day sounded just brutal, which in many ways should make the sense of accomplishment that much greater. But, still . . . JVC, BRP, CdA and Moo - what the heck is wrong with you? Some sort of pain gluttony disorder? Seriously, next year I want to see you do IMFL, IMAZ and the Marshmallowman 70.3.
OH and I so agree about the ice bag. For future, after I fill it will ice, I get all extra air out, and shove it down my sports bra (I could use any help in that department anyways.)
Look forward to watching you build to MOO. EB
with some of your questions in regards to nutrition on a hot day I would say you adjusted your plan perfectly and then executed very well. Being in a dark place on the bike is probably the worst our sport has to offer in my opinion. Way to keep pushing to get back to T2.
awesome job. Rest up and get ready for the next one.
Great Job!!!
I can sympathize with the pitty party, I have been having it for 2 years after a string of bad luck (sky diving accident, car wreck and a medical snafu).....
I am sure you will kill your next race, keep up the good work!!!
glad you brought it home.
congrats on surviving our day.
have a good rest.
have a great rest of the season.
"People walking bikes, sitting or lying on the side of the road. No one seemed to have any energy. Everyone was stopping at the aid stations... I could see trucks full of bikes leaving the course. I went to the darkest place I’ve ever been to in this sport. I wanted to quit so many times."
But you DIDN'T. I am so impressed with everyone on EN who attempted and completed this race. What you learned about just continuing to progress, as well as all the practical lessons such as staying wet at all times on the run, have given you a quantum leap upward in your triathlon career.
BTW, if it's cool enough to swim with a full sleeve wetsuit in Lake Monona at Madison, you may well be tickling 1:20.