Race #2 of the Season: USAT Sprint Nationals

So. I learned back in ... October, maybe? ... that I apparently qualified for USAT Sprint Nationals (and Olympic Nationals, which there was no way in hell I was signing up for that) thanks to my performance at Brineman. Which given that was not my fastest Brineman, I'm guessing it's solely because Brineman was a state championship race.

Therefore, in 19 years of racing triathlon, I finally qualified for something. And with deferring Roth ... why not?

Drove out to Milwaukee and got there Thursday. The reason for getting there so early was in theory to do some open water swim thing on Friday ... but I realized that was paid and that there were times to get in the water for course familiarization that were free, so I did that instead on Saturday. Alas.

Did get registration out of the way Thursday afternoon though.

Thought the hotel was a lot closer than the mile away it ended up being. 

But there were a lot of us triathletes there.

Went back down Friday to get my bike double-checked by Quintana Roo (first race on the new ride!) and then Saturday to do the course swim and then later to check the bike in for the next day.

Enjoy transition, Andarna. 

Went to the Brewers game after check-in which might not have been the best idea, but meh. It also meant that I wasn't doing pre-race breakfast for dinner for the first time in a very long time. Which was purposeful given that I highly, highly doubt I'll be able to do it for Roth next summer.

Race Day

Up early, like always. B found a 24 hour diner right near the hotel so he found us some breakfast which I ate once we found a parking spot near the race site. I realized too late that maybe it would have been smart to prepay for on-site parking, but thankfully street parking in Milwaukee is free on Sundays (... I miss when that was still the case in Denver ...) so we ended up maybe a block, block and a half from transition. Which wasn't bad.

I went and set up my transition zone, taking my bag with me when I left since bags weren't allowed in transition. Having B there (and the car close) was nice since I could just give it to him instead of waiting for the (very long) line at bag check post-race.

 
All set up.

And then it was just waiting ... since I had to be out of transition by 6:30 and I didn't go off until the second to last wave ... at freaking 9am.

I watched and cheered on the other racers, did my pre-race business, ate a protein bar, tried to stay calm, the usual. Two of B's cousins also came to cheer (one from around Madison and the other from Chicago - we also did the baseball game with them), so we met up with them.

EVENTUALLY, it was finally time for me to race.

The Swim:

Those are my blue and magenta tri suit sleeves. Photo courtesy B's cousin Peter.

I'm just above the 4 adjusting my goggles. Photo courtesy B's cousin Peter.

There I go with my awkward swim stroke.

The swim ... was. Felt better than the practice swim I did the day before, but ... I can tell my swim just wasn't what it was in 2019 or even what it had held on to be in 2022. Definitely something that needs to change over the winter. Which just means swimming. A lot.

Time: 20:30 (65th division, 651st gender, 1393rd overall)

T1:

It was a decently long run to transition, but I found my stuff relatively easily. And yes, it was partially because my bike was fairly alone on the racks. It is.

Time: 3:53

The Bike:

Starting the bike. Photo courtesy husband.

I'm on the far right. Husband is far left. Photo courtesy B's cousin Peter.

The bike started off okay. I was able to pick off a few people which felt nice.

About four-ish? maybe? miles in, there was a decent hill and I realized very quickly that I have zero climbing legs anymore. Zero. A few of those people I passed? Yeah, they passed me back.

Same thing happened on the other decent hill (we got to ride part of a highway which, ngl, was pretty dang cool). 

I felt like I was riding pretty well, all things considered (shit training), and I think part of the reason why is the new ride. She really is just faster. Ate a few maple candies and hydrated with my Skratch as I do.

Time: 42:32 (43rd, 391st, 1059th)

T2:

... I am not sharing it with you, but Peter did get a fairly funny photo of me running through transition dealing with all my crap. Still, tried to make it as efficient as possible. Which included me putting the aquaphor on the back of my neck for my wetsuit chafing that I DIDN'T do in T1.

Time: 3:51

The Run:

... I wasn't sure how the run would go. How well I'd be able to run at all. My running has been ... okay, not great. Fairly mediocre if I'm honest with myself, but hey.

I managed. I ate a maple candy or two. And I did my best. Even though it was pretty humid (thankfully the clouds hung around all race to keep it from getting that hot).

B found me by the time I entered the park where the eventual finish line was, though the cousins disappeared by that point, having to have needed to get home for work the next day.

Oh hey. Photo courtesy husband.

There was an out-and-back section that seriously was the longest EVER, but one of the other women out there was high-fiving everyone who ran past and her energy was so outstanding. And necessary.

And although the clouds looked ominous and the rain was threatening ... I finished before the storm came.

Time: 33:44 (72nd, 620th, 1383rd)

Overall Stats:
Time: 1:44:28
67/76 division (F40-44)
578/758 gender
1314/1600 overall
70/76 Team USA rank*

If we talk about my goal for this race - finish above 75% (have 25% of the field below me) at sprint nats - I failed at it. Except within my own gender, which ... kinda. And I know it's my own damn fault, regarding my shit training ... but it still kinda hurts. As it honestly should.

I did get word I automatically qualified for next year (apparently attending nationals qualifies you automatically for the next year), but I am still very undecided if I want to go. It's a month post-Roth and logistically I probably could, but ... eh. We'll see. As of right this second though ... I'm not sure. And I don't really like that this in theory means that I have now officially qualified in perpetuity because really, have I?

But regardless, glad I went, if only for the experience.

And the very Wisconsin cheese medal. 

 

 

 

*to be perfectly honest, I have no idea what the Team USA rank is or what it means. And I'm okay with that.

July Round Up

Some good, some bad for July ...

Swimming: 5000m (3.11 mi)
Cycling: 60.69 mi
Running: 23.24 mi
Lifting: seven sessions (2:10)
Other: three sessions hockey (3:13), 31 walks (13:54), six sessions yoga (2:07)

... despite not doing much for like two weeks thanks to traveling, I did manage more swimming (by a tiny bit but still) and more cycling. Running ... continues to be a struggle. Mostly because it's hot and I have issues waking up early these days and sometimes it sucks getting in all your runs at like 8p. Truthfully, I'm happy Roth is in early July because it means that most of my running (hopefully) won't be when it's 98 degrees outside.

Lifting is getting marginally better - I started a program (where the yoga is coming from too) so it's helping with that. I think these days I need the consistency of a program as opposed to me just doing whatever. Which is unfortunate, but we adapt with life.

Hockey is still just the summer skate, but it ended up being three weeks thanks to how the month was laid out. And that foot bruise? Yeah, it still might be there. And I've gained more bruises. Go me.

Walking continues. Even if it means I coat myself in bug spray almost every time. 

August brings a race - sprint nationals - but afterward, I need to focus on some other stuff, so tri training will be taking a tiny step backward until after Germany (probably just one swim/bike a week just to keep it rolling, but running will also most likely fall off for the Germany trip just to make my life easier) due to life. But after that? Base building, baby. 

June Round Up

Was June actually an improvement?!?!?

Swimming: 4800m (2.98 mi)
Cycling: 57.66 mi
Running: 25.19 mi
Lifting: six sessions (2:20)
Other: two sessions hockey (2:06), one session erg/rowing machine (:10), thirty walks (15:10)

If you go by the now yearly totals, about a third of my swimming and cycling totals came from this month. And about a quarter of my running miles. Which is good! It's an improvement! It's still probably nowhere where I need to be (should be), but we are taking the wins.

Lifting ... continues to be a struggle. I have a plan I'll be starting mid-July which will take me through early September, so crossing our fingers there (it'll also include some yoga which I also probably desperately need). 

Hockey is low right now, but we knew that - it's all the summer skate. It might end up being even less in July thanks to a blocked shot in the last skate that, as of this writing, was just over two weeks ago and my foot is still fucking bruised.

The daily walks continue well.

Also: Roth is this upcoming weekend and I'm so glad I gave myself another year. But also also: I'm scared shitless. Which is probably a good thing.

Just over another month to sprint nats ... 

May Round Up

... maybe a few positive things from May? Maybe?

Swimming: 2000m (1.24 mi)
Cycling: 32.39 mi
Running: 20.07 mi
Lifting: three sessions (1:09)
Other: four sessions hockey (4:06), thirty walks (15:38)

So. I actually swam twice which yes, is an improvement. Baby steps? Same thing with three whole bike rides (but I'm making sure I hit double digits each time. And they're all on my pretty new bike).

Running ... goes. I can't decide whether it's going well or not. We'll see. I do, however, apparently not know how to run in the mornings anymore and almost all of my runs are after 5p. But they get done.

Lifting was fucking abysmal. I don't know what it is with me and strength training right now but it needs to fucking change.

Hockey is in the season where it is fading (but not disappearing entirely) so I hope to add some other "others" soon. Like hiking. And I missed my first daily walk since February (which means I've missed two this year). 

In short, I am super super glad I deferred Roth to next year, but I am getting glimpses of hope. They're tiny, but they are indeed there. 

April Round Up

April ... was worse than March. Somehow.

Swimming: 800m (.5 mi)
Cycling: 15.07 mi
Running: 11.86 mi
Lifting: seven sessions (3:14)
Other: two sessions hockey (2:05), 30 walks (18:21)

I can't survive on this one swim a month situation and I know this. Same with the two rides. Though, on the bike front: I finally got my new tri bike fit to me so as soon as I get some bottle cages for it (or transfer one over from the old bike), I will hopefully be getting in some good miles on her.

Running ... was a disaster.

Even though I had fewer strength sessions I actually lifted a whole whopping two minutes more ... which I can't decide is a good thing, a bad thing, or just is.

I knew hockey season was coming to an end this month so that number is as expected. I'm currently happily enjoying a break off the ice until the annual Muddy Puck tournament as well as the summer skate I signed up for starts up (though I'm missing the first one of those due to other plans).

And the walks continue.

Honestly, this month was trash. Sure, there was a lot of travel in the first half which would normally be fine, but I also had so many late nights with early wakeups and my sleep went to absolute shit. 

Basically, I got into a sleep and nutrition hole early and never quite dug myself out of it. I'm still digging myself out of it. Hopefully I can do so soon because things have to change and soon.

March Round Up

... the name of the game currently is "we are glad we deferred Roth."

Swimming: 800m (.5 mi)
Cycling: 21 mi
Running: 19.54 mi
Lifting: ten sessions (3:12)
Other: ten sessions hockey (10:06), 31 walks (20:48)

(I should also throw in a caveat (if I haven't already) that Beginner Triathlete, the log that I had been using for years, died back in ... December? I think? ... so now all of my math is by hand. So some of that time might be wrong. Maybe.)

My one lonely swim I got in at the end of the month, which better late than never?

Cycling and running were both very meh and I am grateful my du went as well as it did, tbh. New bike has yet to be built and fit (and I had to shift my fitting appointment when I realized I double-booked myself on the day and the only time they had was two weeks later), but it's not like I don't have other bikes to ride in the meantime.

Lifting REALLY needs to get better. Hockey season is winding down to a close (which is good for tri stuff), but I've also signed up for a higher level women's summer league, so it'll keep me on ice. 

The only GOOD thing about this month has been my walking. I am trying like hell to walk at least a mile every day and except for one travel day in February, I've kept with it. It also means I'm trying like hell for minimum 10k steps a day. It's not easy, but I am fighting.

The main thing now poking at the back of my brain is sprint nats, so let's see if I can fight, shall we?

Race #1 of the Season: Icebreaker Sprint Duathlon

... did I hope to train better for this this year? Yes. Did I? Clearly not.

Did it still go surprisingly well? Apparently.

So I actually got my new tri bike in like four days before the race, but I still need to fit it to me (and build it officially), so I decided this race would be my last one on Sweet Cheeks. 

It's been a wonderful 13 years, bike.

Like always, there were very few of us racing the duathlon - four total. Unlike usual, it was warm. It's been stupidly warm here all winter and I didn't even bother with arm warmers, much less the jacket I needed last year.

The Bike:

I recognized the older guy racing; he also recognized me. As per usual, he went off quickly while I did my best to settle in, knowing that I probably haven't climbed significant hills on my bike since I raced this race the year prior. 

And yeah, the uphills sucked just as much, though I was able to power through.

Going out on loop two. Look! No layers!

First loop was nice and quiet; second dealt with people coming on from the triathlon. I ate a few maple candies on the second loop, dealt with people who don't know how to properly share space on a race course, the usual.

I had no idea if my time was good or bad or whatever; I just rode.

Time: 45:33

T:

Quicker than the year prior due to not needing to peel myself out of layers, which was nice, but still not fast.

Time: 1:50

The Run:

... so I apparently don't remember how to race (or, more accurately, use my Garmin), because I realized like a half mile in (maybe?) that I was still technically in the bike screen for my multisport. So I fiddled around with that on one of the big hills (I've learned my mistakes - I walk them and don't try to run them anymore). Eventually, I figured it out and got back on track.

However, not having figured it out until decently into the run means I have no idea if the course is still technically short. I'm guessing yes since they changed the location of the finish line slightly ... which also shortened the very end somewhat.

Still, I was able to run ... okay, not great once I didn't have to deal with the dumb hills anymore. I also did eat a few more maple candies. 

Time: 33:40

Overall Stats:

Time: 1:21:03.81

1/2 gender

2/4 overall

That 1 of 2 clearly means another default podium for meeeeee.

However, in looking at my stats from the previous years ... this was somehow my fastest year of the three. Run was a minute faster year one (transition was quicker too), but my mishap on the bike course kept it longer. So even though it was due to user error that year, it's kind of nice knowing that Sweet Cheeks's last race ended up being my fastest bike of the three.

I love this little local race and even though there's rarely anyone racing the du, I hope they continue to keep the option. Especially when I learned that a lot of people end up walking the (pool) swim.