May- might have to look for a 10K in here.
June 7th - Blue Lake Sprint Triathlon
June 15th - Hagg Lake Olympic Distance Swim
June 27th - Pacific Crest Triathlon Olympic Distance Triathlon
July- Nothing planned yet…maybe gear up for a August possibility, I am the back up for a team for the Hood to Coast Relay…)
August 22-23 - Hood to Coast Relay (Each person runs several legs and each runner does anywhere from 16-26 miles total…unique event to train for) If this doesn't pan out that's ok…
September 21 - Half-Marathon Beat the Blerch in Washington
October - hmmmm. Maybe need to scout out something here.
Last Saturday, April 6th, I did the Beaver Freezer Duathlon on Oregon State University's campus in Corvallis.
The bike was a rolling start. Every five seconds two bikers walked with their bike across the timing pad then mounted up! It had rained overnight so I got good and muddy out there on the mildly hilly course. It was pretty fair as bike courses go, little climbs followed by exciting and rewarding downhills. The run was a one mile loop. I don't know if my body was recovering from the race effort on the bike, if it was changing from my tiny elf-like bike shoes, or just having one of those days, but it took forever for me to find my pace running.
I had a really tough and uncomfy run the day before the race, but sometimes that happens so I didn't come to the race with that negative experience on my mind.
I definitely fought every lap to loosen up. He first loop was an eleven minute mile, followed by a 10:30, and I finished the last lap with a 9 minute mile once my body loosened up! Struggling with the minimal shoes, maybe I need to have a less minimal shoe in my quiver of shoes to chose when I feeling like this...
So first multi-sport race of the year done! I am excited for all the good prep I work I did, and will reflect on things I want to do better my next race. A typical duathlon is a run-bike-run, this guy was just a bike-run, omitting the first leg of running. In addition to hosting the 12 mile bike and a 3 mile run, there was a triathlon that started out in pools! Within that division there were relay teams and different groupings for those who were riding mountain bikes for the bike portion of the triathlon. It was a super safe, well organized, well supported, and beginner friendly race. Perfect to get into the racing groove! Here are some tips and things I would recommend all folks to do before any race.
Just to review some things I feel I really did right:
- Made a list the day before and spread everything out to make use I had it all good to go!
- Prepped my body with a really good warm up, some trigger point release before the race
- After stretched and cooled down, changed into dry-dies.
- Gave it my all!
- Fueled up well!
- Wore my compression socks on way home
- Got there waaaaay early, sometimes I am rolling up to the race late or right on time! Never a good feeling!
For next time:
- Bring both pairs of compression socks and wear them during and after the race.
- Ice bath after, maybe for a couple days after the race
- Hydrate more
- Maybe schedule acupuncture for 48 hours after
- Look into wider bike shoes (my bike shoes an elfin, and my running shoes minimalist and wide in the toe box, so the transition as mentioned above was brutal!)
I really felt that race effort the rest of the week! My calves were amazingly tight, and my body felt "puffer fish", just kinda inflamed so I did more yoga, did less running and picked up training a bit later in the week. My coach helped to create a doable week for me next week!
I managed to come in 5th overall, and 2nd in my age group. Yippee! I have been really struggling with my multisport identity as I am getting used to lower profile shoes and more training volume and some tiny lingering effects of my car accident. Stronger everyday!
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| 2nd in age group! |
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| I came in 5th, please note it was a really small field. I love the confidence boost! |
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