Almost a year ago to the day I was in the operating room having screws put in to repair my broken wrist. This past sunday I finished my second half ironman (well almost half as the swim was cancelled). Considering the winter we had this winter (read lots of indoor training), I am happy with the results -- especially for an early season race in extremely windy conditions. Nola, for me, was a great gauge for the rest of the 2011season.
The prep
When my friend Victoria Brumfield first mentioned doing Nola this past fall, it was something far in the future...I first had to get through foot surgery, the Miami Half Marathon, winterand more importantly try to lose the weight gained in the off-season. I knew I could do the distance - see Timberman 70.3 race report -- but in an effort to constantly improve, wanted to do better. To "prep" for Nola, I needed some benchmarks...The Miami Half Marathon was an eye-opener (wasn't as prepared as needed to be), and thanks to Coach Ben Lloyd, I knew that I had to improve my power on the bike...through training and yes losing weight. Needless to say I had a task ahead of me.
I made the decision to self coach this season -owing a lot to Coach Neil Cook who created an amazing foundation for me to build off of. Self coaching is extremely hard as the only onto motivate you is you. You need to think hard about what areas you are week, develop a training schedule that achieves results and focus. They say time passes quickly, but it seems to come up even faster when there is a race involved. Thank to my friend Rob Gibbons, I focused training in my "zone 2" (a/k/a aerobic zone) - to not only build endurance but also to lose weight. Rob helped me keep a slower pace running, helped to keep me motivated when I jumped on the trainer for hours, but also helped me to mentally prepare myself with constant encouragement.
Near the end of my training I also had the opportunity to enroll in a class to become USA Triathlon certified coach (I passed the multiple choice and the short answer sections and am waiting to hear if I passed the training plan section). The session was a real eye opener for me providing even more knowledge about how to race - the mental and physical side - and how to fuel my body for lasting results.
Race travel/prep days.
Upon victoria's recommendation I decided to ship Malibu (my bike) via UPS to Nola to avoid airline costs (don't get why gold clubs fly free, but bikes don't). Tracking Malibu's journey down to Nola took my mind off of thinking about the race. The posse also decided to make the trip, so along with my mother and Ruth (their first 70.3), Vic and I were joined by her boyfriend Micha Ophir, Linsey Skalamera and Allie Ott. We left NYC on Thursday late and after a quick trip to Wendy's so Vic could get a "softee" (inside joke), we made it to the hotel and crashed.
The days leading up to the race, for me, are all about making sure I am mentally prepared for the race. Yes this means making sure Malibu is in working condition, and that my legs are moving (runing the last 2.5 miles of the course and visualizing myself crossing the finish line helped), that I am registered, that Malibu is checked into transition, and basically relaxed. Micha and Linsey decided to do a relay while we were waiting on line to register...that's ballsy!
I wanted to explore Nola as I heard it's a fun town and indeed it is interesting (sad the same of the roofs o homes in the pooer areas are still gone after Katrina). Being sober (I went on the wagon a month prior to the race) and wanting to stay off my feet as much as possible isn't condusive to being a tourist. After the winter we had in NYC (can we say snow!), wearing shorts was a nice thing...I just did not expect the winds to be as strong as they were (more on that in a bit).
Sunday morning, we all met at 4:30am to head over to the race...Vic was all excited as she heard that the swim was cancelled (unlike me, she hates the swim and loves the bike - for good reason - she's good!) because of the winds. The race organizers could not get the rescue/safety boats into the water and therefore didn't think it was safe to put swimmers there (logical). So instead of being able to warm up during the 1.2 mile swim, we were all headed straight to the 56 miles bike and then the 13.1 mile run. Time to adjust my game plan.
Around 7:30am, the race organizers call the pros to the starting line to kick off the race. While they go out 30-seconds apart, the age groupers will start 2x2 after the pros in swim wave order (I was in the 5th swim wave). We all take our bikes and line up and walk to the start line...8:00am my turn to start. Jump on Malibu and I'm off.
The Bike...
The first few moments I clip in (no running mount on this start) and start to pedal. Looking down at the Garmin, my heart rate (HR) is under control and I'm going at ~ 19 MPH - a good start. I heard from others who raced this course but it could be windy so I was prepared for a bit of breeze (so I'll go even slower on the bike!). Over the first overpass (Nola's version of a "hill") when I start to feel the winds...coming right at me....bike speed drops from 20MPH to 15...then to 13...as I pedal stronger and my HR increases (gotta calm down or I won't make it). I easy up on the pedals, get into an easier gear and try and deal with these winds.
The course is an out/back taking us along the lake, on a freeway, into the swamp areas (yes there were cops with shot guns looking for gators...). It is flat (well we do have a two-three meter elevation gain in some areas (mostly overpasses) which means very little coasting and a lot of pedalling during the bike. The bike is not my strongest of the three legs (or for this race two legs), so am pretty ok when I get passed, which happened a lot. I did pass a few others (always ooking down at their calf to see if they were in my age group - I didn't want to be the last one off the bike afterall) along the way (ok mostly women who started ahead of me, but a pass is still a pass). When the wind is not coming at me, I'm going at an average of 21 MPH...but when the wind hits I drop down to 13 PMH...Because I am pedalling non-stop and now pedalling against the wind, I am using more energy to propell myself foward. Crazy, but I am careful to keep my HR around 158-160 BPM (my zone 2) so I don't blow up.
Fully prepared to be on the bike for a good 3+ hours, I constantly check my HR, my time, and my speed. Vic, who started about 15 mins after me, zooms by me at around mile 20...see you later. Along the way fellow riders shout encouragement (my name is on the bib, but more important I have a big "NYC" on my ass thanks to my Asphalt Green Tri Club gear (hearing anything - even NYC - is great when you're pedalling for hours. At one point I pass my friend Susan Katz - the only feamle physically challenged athlete in the race (and default winner - I'll take that) knowing that the minute she's off the bike and on the run, I'll get passed by her. As I approach the end of the bike, it's time to mentally prepare myself for a half marathon (13.1 mile) run. I see mom and Ruth shout my name as I get off the bike, and walk into transiiton...3:10...not bad, but damn did that hurt!
Off with bike shoes, on with the sneakers, visor (CAF of course), a quick drink of water and I am off on the run - giving mom and Ruth another high five...see you in 13.1 miles at the finish line. The first few steps are tough - I am more shuffling than running at this point. Like the ride, the run portion is flat taking us through Nola's largest park, (majority of the run) and into the French Quarter for the finish. My HR is higher than I want it to be, so I easy back and let it droop down.
The wind has died down, and now it's just hot. Not wanting a repeat performance like I had during the Chicago Marathon, I am constantly making sure to hydrate and to walk thorugh every water station. I talk to fellow runners as I pass them (I am a stronger running than biker so pass many of the people who passed me on the bike now)...as long as I keep moving forward it's a good thing. Mile 1-4 were mentally challemging, but I keep remembering how far I have come since my last 70.3 when I had to walk 75% of the half-marathon. As Rob likes to say, get into the dark place and remember that as much pain as you are in, others are in more pain.
Miles 5-8 are a breeze...I am sticking to my game plan...walking through the water stations, talking to other, checking my HR, acknowledging "the go NYC" shouts as I press on. Somewhere along the way I see a guy who is obviously in a darker place than I am in...I ask if he's ok as I pass (his muscles are cramping). I dig into my race belt and hand him a salt tablet...and remember to take one myself...he thanks me over and over -- see NYers are nice!
Miles 9-12 are a bit of a blur. At this point we're out of the park and heading into the French Quarter...I remember mile 12 and thinking to myself while I am going slower than my typical half-marathon pace, I am ahead of where I was at Timberman and I am passing people. During the corner I cna see the finish line ahead...Almost done.
Finding another gear, I tell my legs to move...down to 1/2 mile...1/4 mile...I see the chute ahead....hear Linsey, Allie, mom and Ruth call my name, hear Dave the announcer welcome me "home" (and congratulate me) and I am done. Wow what a relief....but a blast! The hard work paid off...I shaved 20 mins off my bike and 15 of my run from Timberman...I healed a broken wrist, recovered from foot surgery, managed to stay on the wagon for a month, dropped 12 pounds, and completed my second half-ironman (70.3)
