Green River Rampage Olympic Tri
Race Recap
Pre-Race
Woke up, breakfast, coffee, left.
Half way to the race start I realized I had forgotten my helmet! Crap. As soon as we pulled up I saw a nice looking couple and ask them if they had an extra…. Turns out at that moment my Life Savor, Stephan, was deciding between regular or Aero helmet – I made his decision easy :)
Checked in and transition set up
**Side note, LOVE this race company. Super organized with everything. You have assigned spots, with a nice name tag, and underneath your name it reads the reason you ‘Tri’. Mine said to 'Build The Machine'
Warmed up:
15 minute run with 4, 30 sec. strides
15 minute bike with accelerations
Drove upstream to race start – Made friends with the couple that lent me the helmet who were super nice. Learned he had completed several Ironman’s with great times. You have about a ¾ mile walk through corn fields to get to the start. This walk really calmed my nerves. At the start, I jumped in for a quick 5 min. warm-up swim. The water was SO hot… think 73-75 so I decided to go without the wetsuit.
Swim
1.10 Mile
20:36
--Took a ½ gel pre race--Started in the 2nd row
We didn’t have to tread water because the water level was so low everyone was standing. Start was like any other swim start: head kicking, smacks, until each of us could get into our groove. Felt pretty great the whole time. I focused on quick arm turnover and keeping my legs straight and high up in the water. For all but 1 section, this was a straight shot swim, so spotting was not an issue. Throughout the swim I saw several people just walking because the water was so low. I am not counting this is a swim PR because there was a current. It seemed like I was not in the water for more than 5 minutes before I saw the red swim exit signs. I should have been pushing harder throughout the swim because my breathing was just 'normal' when I got out.
T1
1:29
First ever transition that went so smooth – I did everything in the order I had mentally practiced. Shoes (No socks)> Garmin > Race belt > Helmet > Glasses > GO
Bike PR 25 Miles
1:10:43
21.2mph
Teresa had told me to make sure I stay in race mode and that is what I did on the bike. I was most happy with my performance on the bike. I never stopped pushing. Course was relatively flat with 2 main climbs. Can I tell you how good it feels to pass men with their gorgeous bikes, and super fancy helmets, and loud tires? :) Having the fast men and this one super fast girl really pushed my inner competitor on the course.
-I had been working on passing this one man; once I finally did I took a wrong turn and went about .25 off course. Whoops!
-I need to practice turning around cones. There were 2 cones on this course to turn around and I about fell over on both of them
-Stayed in aero 95% of the time
-2.5 Gels: 1 at start, 1 30 minutes in, and ½ a gel at 1 hour
-1 Bottle with Poweraid Zero and 3 scoops of IP Perform throughout the ride
**Could have used ½ another bottle of just water
T2
2:15
Smooth transition as well. Bike stuff off, grabbed visor and 1 gel.
Run PR :)
46:52
7:48pace (7:44, 7:47, 7:50, 7:43, 7:53, 7:44)
I was a little disappointed with this run. I wanted to sub 45 – the 90 degree heat killed me. My legs never felt super heavy from the bike I just felt like I was sweating to death. The run was cross country style 2-loop which I have never ran on a course of that type before. I thought I was going to like running on the grass but I was not a fan. I wore my Brooks Pure Connect which I love on the pavement but the uneven terrain and wet ground was not meant for these shoes. About ½ way through the run, a blister started on the bottom of my foot from the water and mud getting into my shoe. Each aid station I took 2 cups of water, drank 1 and 1 went over my head. Took in 1 gel, 1/2 at the beginning and 1/2 at mile 4.
A buff 51 years young woman took first female with 2:12. I hope I am like her at that age. Top male, BJ Christensen (1:54) is a freaking rock-star. My dad and I ran into him at the gas station after the race... such a down to earth, nice guy. Since my opinion matters to him, I think he should turn pro. :)
My Results:
2:57:37 > Lake Powell Oly October 2011
2:21:57 > 36 min PR!:)
1/10 Age Group
4/73 Female
18/161 Overall
....Lake Stevens 13 days!
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