Last time I wrote, I talked about racing the Bridgeland Triathlon, how I took a mid-season break to figure out some things, and finally how I decided what distance I wanted to focus on. Well a few of you asked and I never really told, but I have fully decided to dedicate the next year to the Olympic distance. I LOVE the training, the pain, and the speed of the distance. I still love the half distance but I have a few things I need to accomplish before giving it my all. Plus, I am only 25, I can do an Ironman when im older ! With that being said to my Coach, my training actually changed ALOT in the second half of the season. Track sessions, strength sessions, more all-out efforts as compared to my longer distance training where I did alot of zone 2 this and zone 2 that. I joined in on some roadie rides, got dropped, hammered and destroyed. I pushed harder than I have ever pushed. This is what I love.
After about 5 or so weeks of training, I was beginning to get anxious and it was just in time for the Townelake Triathlon to test my new gains. It was adding up perfectly. I had never been so excited to race! I was first out of the water by almost 2.5 minutes (yes!) and for the first time ever, running to T1 didnt feel like it usually did. I jumped on my bike and started hammering. 6 miles in I heard a loud BLOW, and came to a stop. My lovely tubular race wheel was done for. I let out a couple not so nice words but then just decided it wasnt the end of the world and I could still go cheer for everyone else. The week after this race was full of the most painful and hard workouts of my training all year. (You know, since I didnt get to finish the race). *Side note, there has been alot of discussion about racing on tubular wheels-- yes I flatted (this wasnt just a flat, my whole tire gashed). and YES I will still be using tubular wheels :P
So here I was a few weeks later ready to race the Galveston 5150. An olympic distance race that is in
the 5150 series, which is one of the series I would like to focus on. I knew that I had a good chance to get some good points at this race and I was ready to fight. I was feeling confident. Mother nature had some other plans and the swim ended up getting canceled. Being the swimmer that I am (all the sudden) I knew that this would make my race more difficult but I wasnt going to quit. We lined up in TT style and the race director set us off every 30 seconds.
The Galveston course is basically an out and back. Always tailwind out and headwind back. Since we had our hurricane like winds this weekend I tried to mentally prepare for the fight back to transition. I got out on the course and it was kind of nice to have the wind at your back. Instead of that gasping for air while your heart rate gets settled feeling, it was more like weeee I am going 28 MPHhhhhhhh. 26 minutes later I was at the turn around. Holy crap! Here we go...back into the wind. It took me a full 40 minutes to get back, but I was actually surprised about how quick the miles seemed to be passing. Mentally preparing for the different aspects of a triathlon play a huge part in how you think during a race.
I had the quickest T2 and I was out to the run in 2nd with the 3rd place girl not far behind. Except we started in TT style, so she was actually closer to me than I thought. Shannon was long gone and all I could do was run and try to build some distance between me and 3rd. I realize now that there was something kind of holding me back. It was like I was afraid to push the pace and blow up. Once I made it to mile 3, I began talking to myself alot. "Alright you have got to go now" "How much do you want second place" "You ran track repeats faster than this, you know you can run faster". And thats when I did. All the sudden I picked up the pace. At every little u-turn I could tell I was gaining on her. I crossed the finish line and turn and waited. I was waiting for 1 min to pass so that I knew I had 2nd place. Zana came 1:04 later and I was elated. 4 seconds! I learned alot during that run. I learned I could push myself. I learned I am so mental-- I have to want it, or I am lazy. I learned that my track sessions the last couple weeks did not make me faster--they made me confident. I remembered the pain and the speed from the track during the race and it gave me the ability to push harder. That is success in itself.
Another activity that I have been fully engaged in lately is my coaching. OutRival Racing has brought to me some of the most dedicated, hard working, funny, loving, coolest athletes around. The Houston area tri scene is really one to be looked at. Everyone is so positive and supportive of each other, its hard not to be washed up in the tri-phobia. Last week I got to a do a clinic for the A&M Triathlon team. My friends, and my old teammates. The best thing about my job is being able to give.
On the drive home I couldnt help but think about how great of a "family" triathlon is. How, if it wasnt for them I would not even be a triathlete.
I have athletes training for Ironmans and they share with me their struggles day in and day out. They also share with me their accomplishments during a long ride or a simple text a day: "I got up and went to swim!". I have newer athletes who are competing in their first tris. They share with me their nervous smiles and elated finish line accomplishments. The improvements. The podiums. The love. They are success.
Next up: Dallas Toyota Open
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