High Cliff 1/2 Report: Beth's First DNF
I'm sooo glad to have that first on the books and out of the way.
So, the High Cliff 1/2. It started out being an "A" race. It was slowly downgraded to a "D" race. It did not go well, but I learned lots of stuff worth writing down -- so here it is.
The Good
1. I did get to test out the new bike, ride nearly the entire bike portion in aero position, and learn to love my aero helmet. Dash is fast. I haven't downloaded the powertap data yet, but the new bike, another outseason on the legs, and the tiara of aerodorkness, and the power meter have certainly made me a speedier cyclist. As a funny badge of "locked in aero," I have two tiny blisters on the parts of my fingers that were resting zenly the top of the powermeter mounted between aero bars. The neck? It is a bit sore, but worth it. I kept thinking about a recent thread on the forums on aero stuff, and how it buys about 1.5 mph. I kept thinking, "stayed tucked! 1.5 mph faster!".
2. I never had a good first race of the year. I should probably start booking a dumb, easy sprint at the beginning of each season to work out the kinks. And that is a very easy thing to do.
Stuff I Learned
1. Sometimes life gets in the way of racing. I knew this was going to be a big week, as I decided to race in the middle of my ten-year college reunion. Unpredictably, work was particularly demanding. And, I ended up with an unplanned houseguest, who ended up being way more high maintenance that I could have ever guessed. I keep thinking about something very wise Linda said about Ironman training -- that there can only be one diva in the house at a time. This week, I had three diva activities and two diva people. And that is way too many divas! Next race? Fewer divas. More boring hours of reading decorating and fashion magazines. Rest counts.
2. Nutrition also counts. As the girl who has no problem with blue mystery drink on a run course, I thought I had an ironclad stomach. Since I was staying in a college dorm room, with no refrigerator, I traded my usual banana, granola, milk, and naked juice breakfast for a banana, clif bar, and gatorade. BAD IDEA. I also ate fancy reunion dinner food instead of my usual pasta with lots of vegetables. I had an upset stomach right before the start of the swim. As a not great swimmer, I presumed this was nerves. Now, I know it was a nutrition error. Upset stomach never went away.
3. Vomiting and racing. I needed to do this only around the first buoy of the swim, but, um, couldn't figure out how to do it politely. So, I bailed on the swim, headed to the shore. Puked. Was happier. (Sister's advice -- that's what canoes are for.) Again, I thought this was swimming nerves and decided to do the bike and run. And then there was more vomiting around mile 15 of the bike. I started taking in as much nutriton and water as possible, but still had a seriously upset stomach.
4. When you start seeing things, it is probably time to be done racing. Around mile forty-five, I remember thinking "why did my sister put a tiny pink bunny sticker on my powermeter?". I noted it, and continued on holding holding watts and continued on with sloshy stomach riding. Then, after a few miles, and which point I was feeling particularly terrible, the bunny told me to stay tucked in aero and hold my watts, because that was the fastest way to be done with the bike. Smart bunny. Toasted rider. I did just that, made it to the dismount line of the bike and kinda melted. (No carbon fiber was scratched.) The nice medical tent doctors deduced what my nutrition error was, were impressed when I pulled out my extra stash of s-caps. They also thought I might be having an allergic reaction to something.
I sat under a tree, recovered for a while, cried a little while, called my sister, who made me laugh. Found Matt, Jim, Abagail, and Theresa, who reminded me this is part of the game. And then went back to campus, where I got to hang out with lots of excellent friends, and Moo Jo and I drowned our sorrows in Spotted Cow and mozzie sticks from the grill ladies and then went out to play with all my college friends and had a great time. I even got to experience something I missed in college -- a midnight trip to the infamous brat cart on College Avenue.
I have a quote from George Lois tacked to my desk at work about how you can't dwell on your mistakes, because they turn you into a coward.
So, yes, booking an Oly sometime soon for morale, shaking off this day as a bunch of lessons learned, and moving on.
Comments
Beth,
I'm very sorry your day went so bad but it sounds like you've discovered some useful things from your experience. I was also surprised by the waves and did not enjoy riding in the washing machine Saturday morning. I'm amazed you managed to finish the bike considering how you felt.
You'll do great next time. It's a sure thing.
DrD
Great report and wonderful perspective.
No crazy food before the RR at the IMWI!
Pretty good considering!!! Do you think you could've had food poisoning??
Hey Beth,
All part of making you stronger. Sorry to hear you didn't have the day you hoped for, but you'll live to race another day.
Dave
Oh nooooooooo. Hey, at least you didn't hallucinate the pink Adamo. I can't even imagine what her race advice would be.
But in all seriousness, I too DNF-ed in May for the first time ever. At the time it feels humiliating and awful and lame and I completely hear where you're coming from. Think of it as something everyone has to experience at one point, so now you've ante-ed in to the DNF pot and hopefully you won't have to experience that again!
Hard race, good lessons, helpful that you shared and saved others the pain of doing the same.
Mike
Love that George Lois quote. Not sure it's it's perfectly apt for the day you had. Nothing looks like "mistakes" to me. It seems to be a one-off, miserable, sick, inexplicable day. Soldier on, strong chica. It's not fun to DNF, but better than not having tried at all--that's what makes you truly awesome!
{{{{Hugs}}}
More importantly, you have learned a number of great lessons that will help you be even more prepared than ever for IMWI. Thanks for taking the time to share in detail all of the things that you learned with us.
Patrick
Back from the doctor's office -- I happened to have an appointment scheduled for today. Gina -- you were right. He thinks I had food poisoning, too. On top of that, an allergy diagnosis of "pretty bad." I think I was doomed.
And, yes, everyone. I do these things so you don't have to! (Or, so you have a partner is comiseration when you do.)
And I do look forward to biting the head off a marshmallow peep bunny. I do. I do.
Jo has warned me a real pink bunny sticker is going to appear on the powermeter in the near future, too.
You can't have predicted that you would have felt that way, but you knew what you needed to do when things weren't right. But you had the right mental tools with you to manage how you felt. Now you know that you have that part down.
Here's to recovery and the finish line on State Street!
wowie... what an ordeal! glad you're feeling better. At least your GPV is ironclad even if your stomach isn't!!
I'd have quit in the middle of the swim. I hope your display of fortitude doesn't creat any lingering woes as you recover.
@Jim - I was actually off the bike at least forty-five minutes before I saw you. There was the dazed, sitting under the tree part. All I have to say is there were a few awesome spectators who helped me out.
Sometimes you have to take a step back to jump higher. You did great at the May Madison camp and sounds like you were nice and aero on the bike here, stomach upset and hallucinations aside. Take the silver lining and forget the rest.
Good luck heading into the 12 week ramp!!