That’s what Tom Petty said, and it certainly applies to the Nations Tri on September 13th. After a fantastic race last year that saw me finish 10th overall in my first attempt at the international distance, I definitely had my sights set on moving up. Racing in a big city event, in my adopted hometown…it was the race I wanted most to do well in. So much so, that it provided the majority of my motivation. (Especially during my frigid, rain-soaked, singlespeed rides to work in DC all through January. All I could think at those moments was: No one racing here in 9 months is doing this.
With a run that had nowhere to go but up, more months in the pool and an amount of bike mileage that would have shocked the pre-2005 me, I was more than prepared for the race. And that was exactly the problem: I was more than prepared. Despite a very good season leading up to Nations, that one race had become such a focus that it was tough to keep perspective. Every creak in my bike was cause to strip it down to look for the problem. (Which actually ended up being a very good thing as it led to me discovering a severely cracked steerer tube on my TT bike.) I considered everything I ate. I worried that I wasn’t resting enough, or that I was resting too much. In short, I became a bit of a headcase, which is actually very unlike me when it comes to racing. Even in the hardest races I’m usually having a great time. Ride as fast as you want without having to worry about stop signs?! What could be better?
But this time I was racing as an elite in a race where I really wanted to do well. And I knew that I could. Unfortunately, my body and mind couldn’t quite connect and somehow it sucked all the fun out of it. It’s amazing how detrimental this can be. It’s the difference between riding on top of your gears and laboring to turn the cranks, between letting your body glide forward in the run and feeling like every footstep is carrying you shorter and shorter distances.
Of course, even the biggest case of nerves can’t completely destroy a year’s worth of work and when we hit the waters of the Potomac two decades (!) of competitive swimming took over. A few of the normal fast guys took off at the front and I settled in to a good pace that I felt would keep me close enough to the lead without letting totally frying myself 15 minutes into a two hour race.
I ended up exiting the water in 5th with a time of 20:19. Not too bad for going the whole way without a draft. Plus the long run up to the shore made the time a little longer than it would probably have been at another race. Actually, that was a bit of a running theme at Nations. For some reason they opened the floodgates of registration this year and allowed a whopping 6,000 people into the race! This made for the largest transition area I’ve ever seen and added well over a minute to my transition times from last year.
I was excited to hit the bike though still apprehensive about it. Finding that cracked fork had left me feeling like I was riding a piece of fine china, not a bike that was meant to be pushed hard. Even though it was all in my head, it was tough to feel my usual comfort in what’s become my strongest leg, but I gave it my best shot. I passed one guy straight away and knew I was sitting in fourth. Not too shabby with 25 miles of riding ahead of us. Last year I’d come out of nowhere to have the fastest bike leg in the race by over a minute as the only person to break an hour on the 40K course. I certainly had no reason to doubt my ability to best that time this year.
As we headed out into Rockville park I caught a glimpse of one thru three at the first turnaround. I knew at least one of them and felt sure I would catch him soon. The other two, though, were looking mighty strong. Sure enough, 10 miles in I made a pass and was sitting in third on the road. I assumed that I was putting distance on the guys behind me as well and hoped I could gain enough ground to keep away from them on the run… So, imagine my surprise when I heard the telltale whump, whump, whump of a disc coming up beside me. I was getting passed.
Now, keeping in mind that I usually start in an age group wave behind any pros that happen to be racing, I think I may have been passed by three
people in an entire year of racing. One was Rick Fesler, the other two passed me at Eagleman using a rather ‘unethical’ riding configuration. (In fairness, a week later, Josh Beck would pass me at Savageman, but only because he ‘spotted’ me a little time on the swim to keep things fair ;) ) So, it was more than a little disconcerting to be passed by three dudes in quick succession, especially when I recognized one as someone that I’d easily outsplit at the Philly tri.
Of course, with our abilities being relatively similar and the course being quite flat, I was very cognizant of drafting. I’ve never done it and wasn’t going to start now. I was pleased to see a course marshal staying close by, but either way the option of sucking a wheel simply isn’t part of my MO. But I also wasn’t going to sit back and let three guys ride away. After all, if you’re in it to win it and you’re a better cyclist than runner, you’d better be prepared to make some moves on the bike.
And so for the next 12 miles there were more than a few surges. I’d pass one or two guys on the uphills only to have them take back the ground when we headed down. The constant accelerations put a lot more strain on me than last year when I never had to worry about be passed, only about how to get around the masses of people ahead of me safely. I did find it very strange that my surges never seemed to put enough distance between me and the guy with whom I was trading spots. This mystery was solved when I checked the results later and saw that he had indeed been hit with one of the few drafting penalties given out that day. Of all that didn’t go according to plan during the race, this is only part that actually irked me after a good night’s sleep. The idea that I was burning matches to accelerate for a pass after dropping back the full required length while my competitor was simply sitting in my draft before making a pass of his own has only reinforced my desire to wear one of Mike and Kara’s awesome ‘Drafters Suck’ t-shirts. If you want one, make sure you hit their website, drafterssuck.com, and let them know! Finished in 1:00:40, about a minute slower than last year, but objectively not a bad time. And we all know how easy it is to be objective in the heat of a race…
Hit the run still in 5th or 6th (I can’t recall which) and was soon out onto a course that was much more straightforward (but also more boring) than last year’s. I had been almost excited (if one can actually be excited to run…which I’m not sure is mentally possible) to get to the run because I knew I’d made great ‘strides’ improving over the last year. Since I fell from third to tenth in 2008 on this section by clocking nearly 48:00 minutes, I was ready to really improve my standings with what I hoped would be my first sub-40 10K. It took about half a mile to realize that was going to be tougher than I thought. I was immediately beset by cramps, something that has actually never happened to me in a race of any distance. Whether it was caused by overextending on the bike or something else, I’m not sure, but I passed through the first mile in 6:45, far slower than I usually start out and it felt like I was putting in way more effort.
As the road stretched ahead the cramps worked out and I was again visited by my friend and ‘super fan’ Diz. He was there to cheer me along the run course last year as well and had intended on racing himself in 2009. Unfortunately an injury kept him out, but his moral support on the course was very welcome! My splits eventually started to come down a bit and I was soon holding under 6:30s, but it was tough out there, with the biggest challenge being the mental realization that I was not going to hit my goal.
A few shallow but cruel hills later and I was on the homestretch with nothing left. I even let a guy pass me in the final straight as my legs simply had no speed to answer with. Of course, even feeling that badly, I finished the run in 41:09, only a few seconds slower than my best. Frustrating as it made me realize that a sub-40 would have been easily within my grasp had I been feeling better.
In the end I finished in 15th overall and was 9th in the elite wave. Ironically, had I raced an age-grouper I would have won the 30-34 race, but if you want to win big you’ve got to put it out there and not going elite would have been a bit of sandbag after my race last year. However, despite coming home empty-handed, I probably took away more form this race than any other in terms of lessons learned…
One, there’s a lot to be said for relaxing and enjoying the training as well as the racing. I seem to get in better shape when training is fun. I’m no pro, so when it’s not fun, time for a break. Mike H has been very instrumental in helping me believe my fitness will not up and abandon me. I’ve been a bit stubborn to come around, but eating pie and drinking beer leading up to a fantastic race at Savageman has really shown me that accumulated fitness is far more important. (Though I think I’ve maxed out resting on my swimming laurels and have been in the pool more recently!)
Two, I believe it’s important to race for the win, no matter who’s at the starting line, but that doesn’t mean failing to get the victory is the result of a bad race. Any other day my time at DC would have been a very good one, especially considering the looooong run through transition.
Three, like fitness, a proper diet is important, but much more so in the long term. For Eagleman, I did manage to race a few pounds lighter than I would normally be, but I felt fine getting down there. For Nations, I was about the same weight, but it came off a little quicker and I would have been better served eating more a few weeks out. Even on a course like Savageman I felt better with 3 extra pounds than I did at Nations. (Well, except on that damn fire trail…) All part of the learning curve there. I’m a paranoid eater having spent the better part of year losing almost 60 pounds from my post-swimming ‘fat’ days. Of course, a lot you didn’t know me back then, but I don’t want to ever go back there.
Four, it’s OK to be a little selfish leading up to a big race. Eat what you like the day before and when friends make offers, it’s OK to take them up on them. I HATE imposing on others, but my friends Meaghan and Kevin are always my DC ‘homestay’ and letting them take care of me a little bit definitely helped to relax me...well, as much as possible. For once, I should have not worried so much about asking for stuff. 360 days out of the year, you should always be the consummate houseguest, but when someone wants to help you achieve something, it’s OK to let them…and it gives you a reason to return the favor. (Like when Kevin mans up to race Savageman in 2010!) Same with my dad who was more than happy to drive me to race site hours before dawn. I can’t believe he’s still getting up to see me race after over 20 years of swim meets. If I ever have kids (which is looking doubtful due to Speedos and bike saddles) I REALLY hope they are into a nice afternoon sport…
Five, just because one race is your goal, doesn’t mean it’s going to be your best. Using Nations Tri as motivation was great, it always kept me going when maybe I didn’t want to do that extra hill repeat or swim set. But sometimes a goal race isn’t your best race. (So says the guy who chased the Georgetown backstroke recod for years only to break it in a post-meet time trial!) I think there’s a lot to be said for racing a lot and racing locally, as you never know when you’re going to have that perfect day and it may come when you’re least expecting it.
Six, always enjoy the experience. It was cool to have a two-digit number, start in the first wave and have the end bike rack. In big races I don’t often get to race in the front and it was a very different experience. Harder in some ways, easier in others, but certainly not one I will forget. I doubt I’ll look back on this race and have too many fond memories of the actual event, but I spent the weekend with friends and got to ride my bike as fast as I wanted (or could.) Racing is really a great excuse for acting like a little kid.
So, maybe not as upbeat a report as normal, but it helps to examine the good and the bad. Maybe someone else will get something from this and come back with their own good performance as a result. I hope so. Only one more report from PA to come since I’m moving home to NJ in November. I will miss the hills, I will miss the lakes and mostly I will miss all of you. Ever since finding YBR, I’ve felt like the little bee girl in the Blind Lemon ‘No Rain’ video when she finds a whole group of weirdos who are just like her… So, thanks.
