Timberman Race Report - at least it wasn't Eagleman hot!
Long story short I have mixed feelings about the race. My time was what I expected based on my RRs at River Rd (but the ride was easier so my bike time should have, in theory, been better than anticipated), my overall rank in my AG is quite good IMHO (top third)... but I just had a bad day -
Swim: In a word: crappy. My wave was my AG and we were the last of 18 waves (starting at 8:20 - the race began at 7). These ladies were super aggressive. I'm a better than average swimmer so I followed EN protocol and positioned myself in front... I usually break away at the early end of the race after the super fish get ahead of me and I ease into the top of the middle of the pack but Sunday I couldn't break away from the mosh pit of arms and legs and mean women. I'm glad I put my goggles on under my cap! I couldn't relax; I couldn't get my form down, I was breathing every 2 strokes, never felt comfortable, tried side stroke to get my HR down (it wasn't a panic attack, but it was just not easy) but didn't have enough room, so I stopped and treaded water while talking to the jet ski guy so I could calm the F down and get my HR under control and try to let some of the commotion go by - I think the guy thought I was gonna quit right then and that I was lying when I told him I was a good swimmer....found an opening in the melee and got going again. I finally made the first turn into very rough water which made it hard to get air from either side. It was taking me off course so I had to put some power into things to stay true to my line... which worked and my sighting was on the mark. But it was always crowded, eventually not my wave of red cappers, but some of the waves ahead of me, too... I felt like I was in the water forever. I figured 40 minutes easy, probably longer. I was ticked... swimming is my best leg and I just crashed and burned... damn.
T1 - running to Transition we had wet suit strippers, super cool. IThis was my first stipper experience and 'm a huge fan! But I was disoriented and pissed off and had no idea why young boys were yelling directions at me or what they wanted me to do... eventually I made out "wet suit stripping" and the light bulb went off and I dropped (had already unzipped and started the peeling off process)... that was awesome but my hands were now covered in mud... so I get to my bike and was discombobulated. Didn't know what to do. Grabbed the water bottle off my bike and rinsed my hands... then put on my helmet, shades, bib belt and watch and wiped my feet and then tried to put on my socks and shoes and it just wasn't working. I scolded myself to calm down and I ended up sitting down to put my stuff on... needless to say this was far from smooth or fast.
Bike: 3 words: chilly, wet, hilly. At times the rain was hard. At times I was riding into a headwind. I was not having fun. I was not comfortable. My back hurt. My female parts hurt. I hoped for lightning so I'd have a reason to stop. I talked to myself a lot... trying to make it to mile 40 which seems to be a mental celebration point for me on my HIM distance rides (because then I know it's less than an hour to go)... I couldn't get the refrain of a song out of my head, I don't even know the name of it: "she wears short skirts. I wear t-shirts. She's cheer captain and I'm in the bleachers..." over and over and over again. I was going insane! My bad swim took me out of my box and my mood was poopy from that point on - hitting a low point on the bike around mile 20 when the rain was particularly hard (possibly hailing) and I was riding into the wind on what should have been an easy and fun stretch of flat road. Around mile 40 there were a few short super steep climbs then a descent that was sheer joy (Steve Ford had told me about it before the race)... I actually cheered out because it was fun... looking at my Garmin I clocked over 40mph... that was the only moment of happiness on the entire ride. Oh, I should point out that I had to go to the bathroom probably starting around mile 30 or so... I never saw a porta-potty. I know they were out there, but I was in such a tunnel I never noticed them. I would have given anything to be able to relax enough and pee on the bike. not that I wanted to pee on my bike, but I needed to pee on my bike... sigh... Eventually I finished my ride. I looked at my time running into transition and while I wasn't surprised by it based on my RRs I was not happy.
T2: I thought T1 was bad... I was a speed demon in T1 compared to T2. I was in a grumpy mood. I had bought compression socks at the expo knowing it was hilly and I might need them for the help (in hindsight I should have bought calf sleeves which I could have worn the whole race and not killed the time)... so, I sat down to put on my ridiculously loud compression socks and then went to the bathroom (which was at the exit) before leaving transition. I didn't care about my time, I had to go. I had to wait for one person to finish up, and then it was my turn... yay!
Run: Out of transition I walked so I could reset my watch, and grab my gel from my belt. I suspect that was clocked in my T2 time... running out of the shute I had my gel - no water, that was a mistake... my tummy had a few rumbles... but I got water at the next aid station. Overall, the run was good. My legs felt good, the temps were cool, it was sprinkling at times...perfect running weather! Lots of folks were walking or shuffling... I was keeping my set paces for the most part, a bit too fast, but not too bad... my Garmin rarely beeped at me which is amazing. I passed a girl in my AG who passed me on the bike and I will admit that thrilled the crap out of me... she didn't save anything for the run and was hurting. The only nice part about being in the last wave is everyone I passed I knew I had gained at least 5 minutes on... a sick sense of satisfaction. I only noted 3 women in my AG who passed me... so that was cool (but I didn't notice many in my AG that I passed... I'm sure I did, though). The run was super well supported. Lots of aid stations with lots of energy! It was a 2 loop out and back which I initially thought would really stink, but it was actually really nice. I saw a lot of tri club folks I knew, got to see Steve Ford, too. The turn around point was a cute little cul-de-sac and the neighborhood was all decked out with bubbles, and music and energy... I actually looked forward to going back! After mile 10 I started counting the folks I passed, well over 25... but that got old... I passed lots of folks... very unusual for me when running. Eventually I finished... was finally feeling better but I was ready to be done! I looked at my splits and I was a hair slower for the 3-7 than I should have been, but it wasn't bad at all considering the hills and my mental state... I gave what I could for the last 3 and it wasn't too much slower than my first 3, so all in all I'd say the run was a huge success!
I'm not entirely sure of my take away yet or how I feel... this race was a learning experience and exercise in mental toughness. Very mixed emotions. I will say that racing with HR stinks (I know, I know... I'm shopping power now for next year)... but honestly, I'm not sure if I could have done better on the bike bc of the weather (I was fairly conservative bc of the rain and wet roads not to mention my head was in a bad place). Sigh. But, I looked at my data and with only a few exceptions I stayed in mid to low Z3 which is where I should be racing that distance per the EN protocol... and my legs were good on the run and I was picking people off... most of whom started in waves ahead of me and were walking the hill at mile 12 (granted what I was doing wasn't exactly running... but it wasn't walking either)! So, despite being pissy, my bike execution plan worked and I saved something for the run.
Now for the stats:
S: 38:34 (38AG/960overall)
T1: 3:51
B: 3:21:17 (78/1775); avg 16.7mph
T2: 5:49 (don't forget, I put on compression socks and went to the bathroom...)
R: 2:06:24 (58/1261); avg 9:39mm
total: 6:15:55 (65th in my AG of one hundred ninety-something)
Top third in my AG is pretty cool... despite my crappy swim I was 38th which shocks me, I stopped and treaded water and had a conversation with a volunteer! And I must have done something right on the bike because I was 58th in my AG on the run - passing lots of folks along the way (those not in my AG had at least 5 minutes on me).
Hmm... focus on the good: I had a rough race, my head was not where it should have been, I struggled to stay in the box and I failed often... but I ended up in the top third of my AG. If I'm decent on a bad day... maybe I could be pretty good on a good day, right?
I'm mentally tired today. I wish I could have taken a real recovery day (not sitting in the car for 12 hours... oh, love the Zoot Compression Rx recovery tights by the way - that combined with stretching, sport legs, and S!Caps worked well and I feel remarkably good). Now it's time to recover right and get ready for IMFL!
Comments
Becky, congratulations on a great race! Despite feeling down, you still did well considering the conditions. Also, isn't this your first time at Timberman? It's not an easy course, and I personally am not a fan of the long stretch on 106 out to Loudon and back. I get bored to tears there.
Cheer up, you still have IMFL to look forward to.
Enjoy some recovery.
Dave
What Dave said about 106 to Loudon--can you say false flat to infinity? Messes with your head that section. Timberman is not easy by any means. Really not a PR course for most people. I think you did phenomenally well--esp considering the weather. It's fitness in the bank, additional foundation from which to build your IM fitness. Congratulations.
Great persistence, and solid performances on bike and run!
Biggest lesson I see here is: you need a very specific plan/strategy for the swim start at IM FL. It certainly won't be any easier! I bet the pissy mood in T1 and the bike was due to frustration on the swim. While I haven't been to that race for over 10 years, a general rule of thumb at IM races is there are two batches of people - those who start out hugging the buoy line, and those who line up as far to the outside as possible. Usually it's about 25% start on the buoy line and about 60% way over to the side. The best spot is just on the outside edge of those buoy line people. That's where I have always found the least contact at the start. You just gotta be prepared for the delayed effect of all those other folks gradually heading over towards you.
Second, the Box really means something in the swim. I find it imperative to be totally inward focused, and ignore all contact or close calls, just keep swimming at my effort level and cadence. Counting strokes really helps me. And sighting is pretty much just go the same direction everyone else going, don't try to go in your line if it's not the one the people around you are taking. Be willing to make the occasional position correction if the melee is getting too much - like moving two people over if you think those close to you are just too wild.
I used to try and go hard at the start of the swim, but now just start out at my race pace, and wait for the chaos to subside. Trying to out-swim it wastes mental and physical energy, no matter how fast you are.
I find it helps to remember the other folks don't care a whit about me. They are not out to get me, they are just trying to move themselves forward as fast as possible. Funny, I always thought that *in general*, the women in the swim were more obliging and less mindlessly aggressive than the men. Maybe when we're not there to civilize your wilder side?
You looked awesome on the run all smiles, Timberman is a hard course and you did well. I agree swim was awful and one of my friends says she has a goose egg from being slammed during the swim.
Great to see you out there.
@Paul - the only nice thing about the socks is they were dry... after the soaking on the bike that's the only reason I put them on (I had been debating during the ride)... and they were bright which helped my mood and seemed to amuse the crowd and my fellow runners, which also helped my mood.
@Al - thanks, I was definitely thinking the same thing about the swim in Florida. Gotta have a strategy! My first RR will actually be an iron-distance AV, so I'll have one mass start practice (granted, it's a small race -- but certainly bigger than any AG wave) which will help. I also need to get some more ocean and/or rough water practice. Last year FL was really rough and I have to be prepared for that. Thanks for your thoughts, the swim definitely put me into a funk for the rest of the race... and I will work on tightening up my box!
However, the other "Stay inside your box" lesson I think you need to learn here is that you can't let what happened in the last hour, 30 min, 10 min, get inside your head and put you in a place where you can't focus on doing what you gotta do "right now". When stuff likes that happens (and it will at IMFL- maybe on the swim, or in transition, or on the bike, you never know when or where- but it will happen) you gotta tell yourself to stay inside your box and ask yourself this question "is there anything I can do RIGHT NOW to fix that issue?" If the answer is no- you gotta just let it go and then get back to the work of staying inside the box and constantly asking yourself "what do I need to be doing RIGHT NOW". I can't tell you how many times I ask myself that question during races, it really saves my ass!
Great job with the race under what sounds like challenging conditions ('cause I know how much you LOVE to ride in the rain!). Your building your mental six pack and it's gonna serve you well at IMFL!!
I think you've caught the little things you want to do better next time (water after gel, etc.). And you probably have a way better idea of what a good day is going to look like in Florida.
Perhaps a morale oly in the near future? Worked for me!