Now for the epic as some like to call my tales…stop reading if you like….
The Journey begins as usual on Friday when Mom, Ruth and I make our way to the D.C. area. We opted to stay in Bethesda (MD) for the night – mostly because we couldn’t get a hotel room on Friday (thank goodness for that) as the 4.5 hour ride was done mostly in torrential rain (there were times when I felt we were on a boat instead of in a car). With three bikes (mine, Victoria’s and Hunter's) in tow, it was a painful drive. After dinner with friend and former colleague Doug (had to give him air time since he complains about these recaps) and Seth Price (a friend from my .com days – oh those Silicon Alley days were fun) we hit the sack.
Saturday was probably one of the most stressful pre-race days I have had to date. Why? Well, first the stupid Hilton in D.C. wouldn't let us check in until 3pm and then to add insult to injury didn't have a place to store bikes. Now why would they host a triathlon if they don't store bikes is beyond me. So I sat in the hotel bar (where I'd wind up eating every meal over the next 2 days) watching the bikes, tennis re-runs (since there was a rain-delay) and eating. Finally 3pm check in (four hours after getting to hotel) only to be told we had an 11am check out. Hm the race transition doesn't re-open to 10:30am earliest - only Hilton logic does the checkout make sense. Needless to say after enough bitching I got a wow - noon -- check out. Enough Hilton venting. Back to the report.
Side note: The Nations is the national race for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (also known as Team in Training (“TNT” ) for both triathlons and marathons). The TNT group was huge at 650+ participants who raised over $2.5M for the cause. While it was very cool that they had the spirit and raised a ton of cash, the Race looked like someone just threw up TNT purple everywhere (no offense to any TNT alumni); TNT foot prints, balloons, lots of cheering and chanting….
Saturday, after finally registering, Hunter and I head to the race start to rack our bikes - but before we could head out the door, my rear tire blows. I quickly change tubes and ride to the Race start for the mandatory bike check. Vic also finally arrives on a very-delayed Amtrak and she makes her way to transition to also check her bike. After a late (8pm) dinner, (hotel bar for meal #2), pop the ambien and hit the sack.
Sunday morning. I wake up at 4:15am and realize that we never received our wake-up call and my blackberry alarm never went off; guess all of the early morning training changed my internal body clock to wake up now around this time. Shower, coffee, banana, bagel/peanut butter and we're to the race via a nice shuttle bus. Check everything in transition only to find another rear flat tire - what the fk! I quickly ran Malibu (my bike for any new readers) to the repair tent and have a new tube installed - I didn't ask what happened but it was fixed so who cares!
While we all love pulling scams, somehow Vic managed he monster of all scams by getting us all into the first wave. This was great as we got to start at 7:00am instead of whenever our age groups were supposed to go off. Great until we realized that the first wave was also the Elite Wave. Last I checked, a sub-3 hour race doesn’t qualify as an elite…better be prepared to get passed…a lot…during the Race. We enter the swim pen, line up, jump in the Potomac. The horn sounds and were off!
The swim took us up-river for a tad less than a half-mile, two left turns and we head down-river to the exit. A nice .9 mile (or 1.5k) swim in a dark and murky river…but at least it’s a historic river! I knew something was off from the start. Yes I was trailing the real elites, but between the current, or the lack of other swimmers to spot off of, the swim was hard…harder than I am used to. Maybe it was the fact that I was in the back of the pack – I am usually in the mid of my age group – or the fact that I wore a full-sleeve wetsuit (because of the horror stories I heard about the Potomac) instead of my sleeveless one (the water was nice at around 71 degrees) – but I was struggling swimming in zigzags and not straight. Every time I corrected myself, I’d pop my head up to spot only to realize I was off kilter. Finally the swim exit comes into sight, I pop out, flip up goggles and check time. Ugh, swim time: 32:01 (8 mins slower than Philly - damn). The good part of being part of the elite wave is that our bike racks were close to the end of transition – or right by the bike in/out. The bad thing about this placement is that we had, what seemed to be a 1/4 mile run from the swim exit just to get there. Hunter gets to transition right after me and yells "Model." Wetsuit off, shoes, helmet sun glass on and I'm off on the bike, see you on the bike Hunter. I wonder where Vic is? Oh she'll definitely pass me on the bike.
The bike course was mostly flat with a few very small bumps, but one which called for us to mostly ride in the aero-position. The ride was cool taking us near some of D.C.’s monuments (but as I was racing and not sightseeing, I cannot recall which ones) out to Maryland and back. Yes the passing continued along the ride and I heard "on your left" or "left" way, way too often. Even Hunter got into the game when he passed me yelling see you on the run…oh yes you will. I knew to try and salvage my race, and get in near the anticipated 2:45 time, I had to get off the bike before the 2-hour mark. With that in mind, I hammered when I could, but remember what Rev and Coach Neil drilled in my head – “save some for the run.” So with some high - 90+ cadence (times I turn over the pedals) moments, I also eased back letting my legs rest. Every now and then I glanced down at my watch for a time and heart-rate check to make sure I did not red-line and I was close to target. Heading back (time on the bike 1:21:44) to T2 right around the 2 hour mark I jump off Malibu and jog to my rack only to find someone's bike laying on the ground in my spot, on my sneakers. Crap. I re-rack that bike, my bike, pull on sneakers, grab visor and jog out (back that 1/4 mile near the swim exit).
The first mile is pretty decent - running at a good pace and picking off fellow runners (passing them). The 2:45 goal isn't going to happen this race, but getting close to it is possible. I keep picking up speed, grabbing water and dumping it on my head and taking quick sips along the way. I wish I could remember the sites on the run, but was in a zone - trying hard not to lose momentum and to catch hunter. I keep running, making sure my cadence and speed are picking up and my heart rate maintains a below red-line level - for now. I pass mile 4 and say to myself 2.2 to go - check watch and right at 2:32 - good to go. Head down, I plow forward. Mile 5 I see hunter going towards the finish line - my target. I find another gear, increase speed and heart rate and go. Picking off a few more runners, but no Hunter yet. Finish line banner in sight, I try to sprint, but don't have it in me. Ugh.
Crossing the line at 2:49:30 (a 49:10 run – or sub 8-min), Mike, one of the NYC Tri & Nation's Tri announcers, calls my name, gives Accenture and the ParaTri's a plug and welcomes me home - then asks where Vic is - I point behind me and he says nice to leave her. A shrug, a high five to Hunter - who beat me by 19 seconds – I came close but didn’t catch him and the Nation's s in the books. Hunter and I head to athlete massage area to wait for Mom, Ruth, Vic and Cindy and Eric Andres (and their girls Ella and Maddie) -- Cindy, a friend and colleague came out to the race to watch me finish - thanks guys!
We pick up out stuff, ride to the hotel (a noon checkout which we made by a minute), eat a burger, drink my traditional bloody mary and we head back to NYC.
The Nation’s is a fun race. If I do it again, I won’t stay in the Hilton and will pay more attention to
the sights around me…oh and I won’t try and be a pseudo elite :)
Many of you know that for my 40th year, I challenged myself to do the marathon - in its 40th year. So while I have a few more mini races coming up, the next 7 (gulp) weeks will be all about running!
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