70.3 World Championships

• On: 11/15/2009 16:14:04

I had been looking forward to the 70.3 World Championships since last year – last fall when I decided I wanted to race in Clearwater, Florida.  Previously, I did not want to race there due to the drafting problems, but last year’s times seemed much more fair than before, so I thought, YES!  And, it is a flat bike course and somewhat flat (ok, except the Causeway 4x!) – right up my alley, so my goal for 2009 was to race Clearwater .  My focus in 2009 was 70.3s.  I did four of them.  I did Oceanside in April and then Eagleman in June and Great Illini in September and the World Championships in mid-November.  It was definitely a very long season for me and probably a month too long, in retrospect.  But, regardless, I was excited to head to Florida and race against some super fast girls. 

Getting to Clearwater the weeks leading up to the race were not easy, but I came out with flying colors and arrived in Clearwater (after a cancelled flight AND a credit card that was rejected and that Dollar Rent a Car would not accept – hence no car for a bit…) with bells on.  I had 2 athletes there:  Angela Kidd and Roz from Hawaii.  And, Jen Cutro, who lives out in the Tampa area.  And, of course, I knew there would be some blogger friends down there that I was excited to see again.  On Friday AM a small group of us met on the beach for a quick dip. The water looked aggressive, but of course, I was salivating at the thought of the aggressive swim.  Later the race organizers moved the swim to the Harbor Side of the bay due to the strong rip currents.  And, changed the race to a TT start.  Anyway, I was happy to go down to the beach and meet up with Mary Eggers, Angela, Beth S, Chad and Jen H, Kim S, Chris and Elizabeth!  Fun times!   Nice to also meet Adrienne S too out there in my hotel !

Here is Mary E, Angela, myself and Elizabeth:

I have to say that Elizabeth and Chris did a good job on entertaining Miss Daisy. And, Elizabeth had PLENTY of people to see and things to do and I was always hanging out with them.  We shopped together and ate dinner together Thursday and Friday nights!  Chris and I had some very nice heart to heart talks. Chris and I like to eat and we EAT.  Elizabeth, in all her 110 lbs glory cannot keep up and I think Chris was having fun going out for pancakes and eggs with me (post race) and having someone to eat with!  HA!  We even went to SUSHI together on Saturday night and Erich (who Elizabeth works with) joined us as well…It was probably a good idea I got out of my hotel room that evening.  I was laying in my hotel room for about 1 hour watching “Girls Next Store” about the Playboy Playmates and wanting to really talk to Jerome on the phone, but he was at IKEA with the kids!  So, thanks to Elizabeth and Chris for letting me tag along A LOT and cheering for us all (Elizabeth) on race day!  They are becoming PROS at traveling with me!

Ok, onto the race. I am not going to drone on and on about the race like I typically do.  First, let me say this, THANKS to everyone for their support and for their nice words about my race.  And, I do have respect for the World Championships, but never in my worst dreams did I ever think I would be 16^th with a time of 4.40.  And, I will NOT sugar coat things….It was not that great.  I really felt fine. Actually I was tapered well for the race, but did not feel good on the run at all.  Kinda felt bonky while for the last 3 miles of the run getting a cramp in my stomach (which means the food and gels were not being absorbed).  So,  hard to believe that after my 29:xx swim and 2.19 bike that I had NO idea where I was.  With all the packs on the bike and a TT start on the swim – I had no idea.  Elizabeth did tell me I was 3^rd out of the water after it appeared on www.ironman.com but she could not figure out the bike splits –they were not coming up.  I figured I was in the top 10 at this point but I could not tell – too many packs of 40-50 riders that everyone was in the middle of things…So, I did not care for that at all…but that was out of my control, so no big deal.  And, quite frankly, if I had the run I can have, then I would have been much closer up there, so either put out or shut up, eh?

It was weird out there.  I FOR SOME REASON felt awesome and light out there (except for the last few miles of the run) but I had no fire in my belly.  And, I noticed it first on the swim…but when I swam a 29, I was like, “Ok…” I thought I would go faster, but you never know how the swims are….and that was really the day.  Physically I was ready and even mentally I was focused and plugged in…but I couldn’t do it on the last bit of the run.  And, that clearly is sodium and nutrition.  Weird b/c I never change my nutrition and I ate and drank EXACTLY what I do in every race…but, I am serious when I say I had to really REALLY talk to myself to keep things together in the last 10k.  It was mind over matter.  And, this was the World Championships, so there is NO room for error.  You start to slow down even by 10” per mile and you are screwed.  Everyone is so close.  So, it came down to a survival.  I really could NOT wait to be done.  Crossing that finish line signified the end of a tough day for me (on the run) and the end of a very long season.  That was so damn motivating.  And, I do think about my athletes – and how I HOUND on them every day NEVER TO quit…no matter what – because that DNF stings much longer than a slower race time than you want.

And, while some of you that read this are thinking, “BUT JEN, you went 4.40!”  Yes, that is true.  And, I realize that…but also, it is a matter of perspective.  Clearwater is a PR course.  4.40 is not my PR…and I have never raced Clearwater before.  So, while that is a fast time, it is not fast on the Clearwater course – hence the placing.  But, you know what?  I did what I could out there.  I had NOTHING left. So much so that when I crossed the finish line I laid down for 30 minutes and did NOT move.

After I gathered my stuff, talked to some friends, we headed back to the hotel to drop off Elizabeth and Erich – and Chris and I went to get some EGGS and pancakes – the only thing that sounded ½ way decent to us.  Of course we couldn’t eat half of anything – I was still nauseous and we were both too sunburn and too tired to eat what we wanted to!  So, we headed back to the hotel for some showers and packing up the bike (ICK).

I called Jerome.  I really needed to talk to him.  I was having a moment and needed him to talk me out of that moment.  I always say that if you have a bad race you get 24 hours to sulk and then you move ON.  It is only a race.  So, I was having some time.  I was so very sad.  I was sad because of all the work and the result was NOT what I wanted – in my worst case scenario, this was NOT even a thought… I did not like that race. I did not like my results (run) and I had worked so hard on my run because I knew that Clearwater would reward the fastest runners.  And, it is so frustrating when the work is in the body but you cannot do it.  I hate not being in control of my body!  It so rarely happens to me, but this year I had it at both Oceanside & Clearwater.  But, when I called Jerome, he was on Bluetooth, so that the kids were on and could hear me – Jerome knew I was crying – but the kids have NO clue (nor do they need to know).  And, instead I was talking to the kids about their overnighter with grandma and papa and their cousins and soccer games….and Morgan made me a ring, etc….in their own little way they really made me feel better.  Jerome called me back later and night and I had a chance to sort things through my head by then, but Jerome knows.  He has been here.   He knew what to say.

Here is the ring that Morgan made for me when I was gone (with my mom!):

I flew out on Sunday early in the morning.  The kids and Jerome picked me up and we immediately went to Le Peep (nice breakfast place) for good breakfast food, which is always high on my list and we came home and the kids and Jerome decorated my office to surprise me – they were SO excited to show me.  Loved it!

Here are some flowers, plants, fun treats, wine and a note from Jerome that says, "Welcome to the off season.....xoxo"

Here are a few things I know FOR SURE:

I will not be back in Clearwater for that race.  Unless they change the venue.

I raced A LOT this year and was burnt out a bit towards the end.

I am so glad I do not have to wash my hands and worry about getting sick every second.

I can sleep in!

I can eat chocolate and M&Ms and junk!

This off season will be a longer one for me than usual.

I am unsure I want to do Triathlons next year.  Yes, I am that fried.

I need a non-triathlon vacation.  NO triathlon talk.  Thank goodness we are heading to Tucson on Sunday for a week.  NO triathlons, no work.

Four ½ IMs in one year is A LOT – nevermind 3 of the 4 were SUPER competitive 70.3s.  Even while winning 2 of them….I wanted Clearwater BADLY.

The thought of my BIKE OR SWIMMING (yes, I said it) makes me want to vomit.  I will not bike or swim until 12/1 at the earliest…I don’t think I will bike after that either. 

I am going to sit on my ass and work and shop this coming week.  And, eat whatever I want.

I cannot believe I signed up for IM Roth next July. I told Jerome that I may not do it.  But, NO major decisions for 2 weeks is my rule – so NOTHING will be decided until after 12/1.

I have a lot to catch up on with the kids, house, old friends and stuff…so that is what I need to do!

I LOVE Christmas.

I am going to have a glass of wine.  Or a few.

I don’t have to plan when to workout, how to fit in a workout, set the alarm….yay!

I know I have to have some DEEP rest here.  It is a fine line isn’t it? When you end the season you worry about losing it all!  I have that feeling too – but I must.  The first few days will be hard (but not that hard since I am so sore!) but I think once I get over that initial hump, it is a slippery slope and I can REST with the best of them!  I have to get out of shape.  Let my body AND MIND heal up properly.  And, I will.

I would be remiss if I did NOT say congrats to everyone who had a great day out there!  Beth S, Julie H, Cathy Y, Roz, Angela K, Chris W, Erich, Mary E, Steven B, Josh, Chad H & Adrienne S!  And healing wishes to Kim S!  Awesome job!

And, I need to say thanks….thanks to Coach Dave, Spencer Smith (thanks for the race day cheerleading too!), Karyn Austin,  Jerome, my Pilates class, my blogger friends, my Facebook friends and my athletes who keep things fun and remind me that this is a HOBBY (well the racing not the coaching, ha!).   And, to my sponsors for all their unwavering support!  And, always to my neighbors and family who help me in so many ways -- but always with the kids!!  Thank you!

And, now the proper way to start the off season:  A 1 lb bag of M&Ms, bad TV, the laptop and no plans for the week …well, except work and being mom.  But otherwise, a blank slate.  DREAMY!

I even started to cut recipes out of my magazine on the flight home.  Uh oh.