Paging Dr. Leo Marvin - Devil's Challenge Race Report

photos: Ken and the boys ate breakfast by the lake. Me - go time! It started raining during my swim. I was in wave 10 of 12.

You can't control the weather. You can control how you respond to the weather and train to improve your performance in various weather conditions. This last weekend, during my last sprint tri of the season, it rained.

I'm happy to swim and run in the rain, it's fun. I'm working to enjoy riding in the rain. I've trained and raced in the rain, cold, heat and wind. The previous weekend it rained during my fourth tri. That bike course is flat with long straight stretches and I'm comfortable holding a strong pace in a straight line in the rain.

photos: This is me on my hotwheel and me on my two-wheeler next to the annoying next-door neighbor kid. These are the faces I'd like to make while riding my bike in any weather condition.

I'm working on the downhills. The Devil's Challenge Triathlon is known for its challenging bike course filled with climbs, descents and turns. Throw in rain, cars on course and gravel, and I'm using every mental trick I can to stay relaxed and in control.

Like Bob Wiley's fish Gil, it's easy for me to get all locked up inside. I had two moments of pure panic on the bike course, I recovered but chose to let go of my bike time and finish without the screaming wet downhill pace. I climbed each hill and felt stronger technically and physically on the uphills but my overall bike time was several minutes slower than the previous year because I let go of the free speed the downhills deliver. It's where I'm at. And, as a triathlete I see value in the big and little moments training and racing, not value based only on finish time.

Great things did happen:

- I had my fastest OWS (shore at 8:26, timing mat at 8:50) and caught up to the slower men from the wave in front of me.

- I had the fastest T1 and T2 of the Athena category (any woman over 145 pounds can register for Athena)!

- I cut over five minutes off my run time! I spend the least time running this year. I do strength and agility run work, but have focused instead on the swim and bike segments.

DCT 2009 swim: 9:57, T1: 2:58, bike: 1:10:37, T2: 1:49, run: 33:12. Overall: 1:58:30.

DCT 2010 swim: 8:50, T1: 2:20, bike: 1:14:41, T2: 1:20, run: 28:00. Overall: 1:55:09.


photos: my wave enters. Ken caught me moving in T1. Bike dismount line.

photos: The muddy path to transition. The timing mat for T2 (notice the huge mud puddle right before the mat.) Me early on the run course, I like the crazy look my foot has in the picture.


photos: I'm the second woman in this picture chasing the lady in front of me. I caught her right before the chute and Ken therefore missed me in the picture, you can see a silver of my bottom and my shoe right next to the right edge.


photos: Leaves are changing. Cute hay bales. A drizzly day.

Questions for You:
- What About Bob? is one of my favorite movies. What's your favorite line?

- What are your tips for cycling in the rain?

What About Bob? trailer
http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi971112729/

What About Bob? the dinner scene. I eat corn on the cob like this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvVKFCP5cCA

What About Bob? quotes
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0103241/quotes

Pardeeville Sprint Tri: Sparkle Skirt PR

I took my last penicillin pill Friday night and woke up Saturday morning ready to race! The Pardeeville Sprint Triathlon is the second of three sprint races in the Wisconsin Triathlon Series. Pardeeville is my favorite because the bike course is fast, with great roads and low traffic.

Unfortunately, my last time at Pardeeville (2008) didn't go well. I got an inner-ear infection that led to my first case of Vertigo in the days and weeks post race. And my younger sister Sue and I raced together knowing something was not right with her health. She was diagnosed with Crohn's disease months later. This year Sue's active playing soccer and chasing their kids around, but I hope to see her out on the tri race course again in the future.

This year, I was coming off an extended cough and cold. I'd lost ten days of training, my husband tested positive for Strep and two of our three kids were on antibiotics.

Even so I was excited to be back at Pardeeville! I'd give it my best, focus on technique cues and try to hold on to each second of each segment. I'd also debut my Team Sparkle skirt & my incredible GOTRIbal visor!

left: I think the guy is checking out my Sparkle skirt! I loved wearing it!

right: GOTRIbal is an organization created to empower and connect women through the journey of endurance sport. Three-time World Ironman Champion Chrissie Wellington is GOTRIbal's Chief Ambassador. Learn more about GOTRIbal and GOTRIbal Fest Oct. 15 in San Diego. I'm excited to attend GOTRIbal Fest this year!

It was a beautiful morning for racing, a little hot, but a glorious morning overall. I got in the lake to warmup and was surprised how good it felt! My wave was last. I'd be racing with the other Athenas and the 30-34 women. The morning went well, with a PR swim, PR bike and overall PR! I missed third place in my division by three seconds!

2008 times

swim: 8:52, T1: 6:46, bike: 2:02:04 (14.4mph), T2: 2:16, run: 42:29 overall: 2:02

2010 times

swim: 8:44 (PR), T1: 2:22, bike: 50:54 (PR) (17.7mph), T2: 1:16, run: 31:07, overall: 1:34:21 (PR).

I missed third place in Athena by three seconds! Looking at her results, I was:

- 1:14 faster on the swim

- 23 seconds faster T1

- 37 seconds slower bike

- 16 seconds faster T2

- 1:20 slower on the run

Questions for You:

- What's your favorite course to race and why?

- What's the closest amount of time you've missed placing by?

- If you could PR in one segment next race, what would you pick swim, bike or run?

photos by my husband

Lake Mills Sprint Tri 2010: 2nd Athena!

Last weekend I was happy to compete in my first sprint tri of the season. Yippee!!!

The Lake Mills Triathlon is a .25-mile swim, 16-mile bike and 3.2-mile run. It's the first of three local sprint triathlons included in the Wisconsin Triathlon Series. The weather was cool (low fifties) and fortunately the rain held.

This was the third time I've done Lake Mills (2005 mom of two, 2008 new mom of three). The bike segment was new, same distance (16 miles) but was a new route due to construction.

Results 2005, 2008, 2010:
2005: Swim: 14:22, T1: 3:16, Bike: 57:31 (15.65), T2: 1:11, Run: 35:17 (11:02/mile)

overall 1:51:35

2008: Swim: 12:18, T1: 2:55, Bike: 54:21 (17.6 ), T2: 1:02, Run: 35:39 (11:08/mile)

overall 1:46:12

2010: Swim: 11:21, T1: 1:45, Bike: 56:02 (17.1), T2: 1:03, Run: 30:48 (9:37/mile)

overall 1:40:57, 2nd place Athena Division! :-)

Race Day Notes & Thoughts:

prerace - : I left my sunglasses in the car. Ken went to get them while I juggled holding my youngest who was having a tantrum while my middle son had to pee. Not ideal pre-race bubble of calm!

prerace + : Someone pointed out a park bathroom with real toilets, so I skipped the super long port-a-potty line and traded up for a real bathroom trip pre-race.

Swim: The water was warm and choppy. The air was colder than the water, so I hung out in the lake after my warm-up. They combined the Clydesdales & Athenas in Wave 9. My mom noticed I picked a fine group of athletes to line up behind. (picture: me in pink goggles) I hit the beach around 10:30, though I didn't cross the timing mat until after 11 minutes. I was hoping to be under 10 minutes, but I had issues swimming straight on the way in... Ken was annoyed watching from shore & took this picture (above) to show how far off I was. That splash all by itself to the left side is me. I started off well, even with crazy arm (picture above), I managed to sight OK in the beginning of the swim.

T1: Great transition spot and I was happy to cut time over my T1s in 2005 and 2008.

Bike: I have zero bike pictures. Ken didn't recognize me each time I came through transition and with three kids along, he was busy. My sister saw me each time. Thanks Sue & family for coming! I heard your voice several times! The bike felt good. I was hoping to average closer to 18 mph, even though it was a new route, so I was a little bummed to get ~17mph.

T2: One second slower!!!

Run: I chased down another Athena during the second half of the run. I didn't know how many other Athenas were ahead of me, but I wanted to pass her. I wasn't sure if she'd have a big kick in the last 1.5 miles and push my pace, so when I passed I tried to give a little, "there's no way you'll pass me back" attitude. I didn't say anything or make any motions, but I imagined speaking those words in a loud voice as I ran by while using rock-solid form.

I did try to stay in the moment during the bike and run. I was thrilled to cut almost five minutes off my run time, especially good since I've focused the least on the run segment itself. Dustin Maher's bootcamp workouts + Jessi Stensland's MovementU both helped me improve, especially glute bridges, partner chariots, step-ups and rapid response. My swim coaches Katie & Nick are amazing. I love Thursday morning Fun Club.

After the race Ken commented on how my body type has changed. He said he was looking for a different shape on the bike and run segments and that's how he missed taking my picture.

See photos above: me with dark short hair & pink hat/top at Lake Mills 2008 and me in blue outfit at Lake Mills 2010. I was very happy to be racing BOTH years!

I was THRILLED to receive my first award. Last year I took third at Devil's Challenge in Athena, but I didn't know it, and left race site not knowing I'd won. This year at Lake Mills I took 2nd in Athena (At this event Athena Division means I weigh 145+ pounds. It's the athlete's choice to register as an Age-grouper or as an Athena).

When I walked up to get my plaque the announcer said, "Look at that smile, she is SO excited to win an award!" And I was! I was surprised how nonchalant or uncomfortable most other award winners were. Actually many of the athletes who won, win all summer long. Amazing athletes!!

But for me it was a good reminder to celebrate!

To smile and be happy, to enjoy this simple sport that brings me joy.

It's funny how something so basic can be the hardest part of my finish-line experience. I'd rather hit "stop" and review the ways I could save time or frown and wonder where I'd place if I registered as an agegrouper. JOY stealers!!!!

Be careful people. Protect your race-day experience! There is value there, no matter what, even with a DNF. (2x for me, another post.)

It reminds me of this clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEGSiX0JA-s

It's tradition in our family to bite the medal post-race. Most triathlons now give tech t's instead of medals, so I bit my award.

Photos by Ken, my hubby. Thanks!

Other tidbits:

- Someone lost their bike seat and rode 4 miles without it! Race support found it on the course.

- Someone crushed a small rabbit with their bike tire... ew.

- I dropped my water bottle by mistake, first time during an event.

Questions for You:

- When is your next race?

- What did you feel like winning an award?

- What's the first thing you think of post-finish?

Save Time in Transition

Recently I raced my first sprint triathlon of the summer. Last summer I was pregnant, so this was my first race back after having our third son. It was a perfect day for racing. Even better, I improved my time at this course. I was thrilled!

My friend Stephanie and I attended a race preview of this course a few weeks before race day. (That's us peeking over the shoulder of a Clydesdale athlete.)

Coach Cindi Bannick runs a series of race previews of the Wisconsin Triathlon Series events. At the clinic we:

• Swam, biked and ran parts of the course,
• Practiced our transitions (swim to bike, bike to run), and
• Talked about race day preparation.

Cindi suggested getting special laces for our shoes to save time in transition. I had seen these before, but hadn't tried them. I bought some after the clinic and now really enjoy them. There are many options out there including:
Yankz!

SpeedLaces

Easy Laces

What works for you?

Have a great workout!