Solid race effort in the blazing heat of Jordanelle State Park. It has been three months since my last race and much has changed. The biggest changes have not come in the form of training or improvement, but lifestyle adjustments. My three months old baby girl has caused a small rift in our sleeping habits and it has taken its toll on my body. Chase spends a bulk of his time trying to teach me that will improvement come with smart training and even smarter recovery. It has been a tough process to change my behavior from thinking that results come with more and more and more effort and work. Smarter work is the key. We made adjustments when a hint of overtraining made an appearance about a month and a half ago.
Besides me forgetting my helmet and having to call my father to bring it to me, everything went very well today. The taper week had me feeling like a changed beast. I positioned myself at the front of the swim pack and didn't look back. Being in the front helps me swim the type of race I want to swim rather than being stuck in the back at a pace that someone else sets. The water was nasty and super low. It was a 4:00 minute / .5 mile run from the water to the transition area because of the low water level in Jordanelle. Progressed to the bike for a 8 mile 2% grade climb and then and 5 miles 1% grade downhill ride back. I pushed it hard - almost too hard. My legs where jacked by the end and I had my doubts that I would be able to hold a 7:00 pace on the run. I held on for about 1 mile and then felt my heart climb into the 180 range. I pulled back a bit and settled into a 7:30-8:00 pace - finishing the run in 24:00 minutes.
Improvements came with a strong / fast swim and improved times in the transition area. I raced without socks and cut about 1:30 off my transition time. Better pacing on the run, but I didn't feel like the race unraveled in any way. I learned to be better prepared with my gear and not waste precious mental energy on something that should have been taken care of the night before.
9th overall
2nd age group (30-34)
1:22:55 total time (7:27 minute behind the winner who was a 17 year old)
13:15 minute swim
+ a 4:00 minute run from the water to transition
29:07 bike (19MPH - 5th overall)
24:14 run (7:49 pace)
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