2013 Milton Man Olympic Race Report

I have a soft spot in my heart for Champ Racing's Milton Man Triathlon. You see back in 2010 it was my first triathlon! I signed up for the sprint and although I didn't know the first thing about triathlon or even own a decent bike yet I was hooked on the triathlon experience...The people. The excitement. The bikes. The challenge and The accomplishment! So every year when I return to do this race it reminds me why I fell in love with the sport of triathlon. I am able to see where I started and evaluate where I am now. I know I still have a long way to go to accomplish my goals, but I also feel like I've made some good progress and I am very happy and fortunate to be a part of the awesome Rev3 Team!

This was the first year that I opted for the longer race, which is an olympic distance. Having just raced at the Rev3 Triathlon Williamsburg olympic race two weeks prior, I felt I was well prepared to race again on a course that I know pretty well. Last year at the Milton Man sprint I took first in the 30-34 age group and was hoping to do well in the oly this time around.

Prerace:

My awesome cheerleaders with the cool sign they made me!

Often times my husband Steve is racing at the same time as me but for this race he had the day off and brought the kiddos to cheer for me. We got up at 4:30 and I got dressed in my Team Rev3 kit, grabbed some breakfast consisting on a whole grain english muffin with peanut butter and watermelon. We were out the door around 5:15 for the hour and 15 minute drive to Lake Milton. Once we got there the kids helped me take my bike and stuff to transition to get setup. They were good little helpers. I got setup and headed over to the ladies room where I stood in line for like 20 minutes to pee. Good thing I had plenty of time before my wave started!

I ran into my friends Teresa, Carlo and Chris who were all racing too and hung out with Steve and the Kids until it was time for my wave to start. I also had a couple minutes to down some Biotta beet juice. That stuff is amazing!

The Swim: (1500m)

It is normally a pretty easy swim for the sprint. This year they had us walk down a boat ramp and then jump in the water about 3-4 minutes before the start. The water was pretty warm, maybe low 70s. I had worn my sleeveless wetsuit and was comfortable wearing it for the swim. I warmed up and prepared for the swim, which was a double loop triangle. I started slow as I am still working on my swim confidence this year. It is slowly getting there. The water heading to the first buoy was choppier than I recalled from previous years. It ended up being a windy day so this is likely why. My first 750 was a bit slower and my arms were a little tired as I had done a swim the day before. To begin the second loop you head toward the finish and then cut back up to the first buoy. That was a little tough for me mentally but I soon settled into my second 750. It went okay. I wasn't really happy with my swim time of 37:12 but at least this was better than Williamsburg so it is forward progress. Admittedly I have not put enough time into the swim and this is something I must address.

T1:

T1 was 1:33. I downed a Powerbar energy blend and I got going fairly quick but unfortunately after I headed over the timing mat some folks were yelling for me to get over to the left as there were sprint bikers coming in. A guy coming in bumped into me and down I went. I was a little upset about my fall and my chain had popped so I had to fix that. I guess I lost at least a minute or two here before I was able to mount my bike.

The Bike: (24 miles)

Loving the Bike!

I was a little discombobulated starting out and feel like my first couple of miles were a little slower and shakier than I wanted. I had some pain in my left ankle/shin where I had fallen but it was nothing of too much concern so I just pushed through. The bike for the oly was 3 loops of an 8-mile route. My first 8 was around 25 minutes, my second loop was by far the best at 20 and my last one was around 24-25. I finished in 1:11:53 but again this is with my fall time. I think that my actual bike time would have been more like 1:09-1:10. The effort was decent but I had hoped to do better than a flat 20mph. I think the wind slowed me down a little in some sections. The Powerbar gels and drink kept me moving but the heat and humidity were getting to me too.


T2:

My T2 time was a little long at 1:27. Usually I am closer to 50-60 seconds.

The Run (6.2 miles):

On the run!

It took a little longer to get moving. Again maybe the heat as I was feeling a little tired and irritable starting out on the run. That along with female issues could definitely have been the cause. My speed increased after the first mile or two. The run was also a double loop of a 3.1 out and back. Hitting the turn around for the first loop I felt okay and I focused on getting through the loop. You run right by the finish so again this was tough mentally for me. It was a pick me up to have Steve, the kids and some friends cheering for me. I started the second loop and definitely felt stronger. I am sure I had a negative split, which was the case with me in Williamsburg as well. So at least that is good! My time of 52:28:6 was an average pace of 8:28 so not as speedy as I would have liked but again with the slower start I am not surprised.

The Finish:

New hardware for 2nd in 30-34AG

I wish I could say that my finish was as good as Williamsburg but it wasn't even close! I was tired and had allowed one woman to pass me with maybe 1/2 mile to go. I hate getting passed but I just didn't have the energy to go after her so she ended up being the10th female finisher. I finished in 2:44:35...good for 2nd in the 30-34 AG and 11th overall female.

It was a good race. I wish I hadn't fallen and that I was feeling a little energetic but I am happy that I was able to push through the tough times and improve on my time from Williamsburg.

Next up this month is a century ride and the Fairport Harbor sprint tri!

2013 Race Schedule...Finally

It's the beginning of March and I think I've finally nailed down my race schedule for the 2013 season. It was difficult this year for a few reasons. First, starting a new job limits the amount of travel I can do. Not that I'm complaining because I love my new job! Second, I signed up for the Cleveland Full marathon again and this kindof makes triathlon training extra hard since I need to log more run miles than anything else.

Why did I sign up to run a full marathon at the beginning of tri season you ask? I really want to do the full in support of my dear friend Jill who will be making her second attempt as a first time marathoner. Last year she was sidelined with a stress fracture and I was injured too with the whole stress reaction thing (not fun).

Second I am also very excited to be running the marathon as part of Girls With Soles' Team Lula. I am a fundraiser for Girls With Sole because I believe what Liz and the team do is amazing! Please be sure to check them out. And if you can spare a buck or two please help by clicking on the link below: http://www.imathlete.com/donate/PamelaMcGowan?z=1360700962967

Finally it's always difficult creating a race schedule until I see how my spring is shaping up. I have a tendency to be injured at this time of the year. I have taken a lot of steps to ensure that does not happen this season so I am cautiously optimistic that things will turn out as I am planning.

What's different about the schedule this year is that I am throwing some trail running into the mix. I really enjoy it - in fact I started the season off with a trail race, which was a blast! So as of now here is the schedule I hope to follow should the running and triathlon gods bestow their grace on me this season:

• February 10 - Dirty Love 10K - Willoughby Hills, OH 
• March 16 - St Malachi 5 miler - Cleveland, OH 
• April 20 - On My Own Two Feet 1/2 Marathon - Kent, OH
• May 5 - Rev3 Knoxville Olympic Tri - Knoxville, TN
• May 19 - Cleveland Marathon - Cleveland, OH
• June 23 - Rev3 Williamsburg Oly Tri - Willamsburg, VA
• July 7 - Milton Man Olympic Tri - Lake Milton, OH
• July 20 - Dog Days Century Ride -
• July 28 - Fairport Harbor Lighthouse Sprint Tri - Fairport Harbor, OH
• August 11 - The Perfect 10 Miler - Lyndhurt, OH
• September 8 - Rev3 Cedar Point 70.3 Tri - Sandusky, OH
• September 28 - Akron Marathon Relay - Akron, OH
• September 29 - Girls With Sole Believe & Achieve Trail 5 or 10K - Kirtland, OH
• October 13 -  Lake Health Full Marathon - Fairport Harbor, OH
• November 2 - For the Shirt Ultra (6 or 12 hr run TBD) - Warren, OH
• November 24 - Fall Classic Half Marathon - Strongsville, OH - maybe
• November 28 - Painesville Turkey Trot 5K, Painesville, OH
• December 15 - Santa Shuffle Half Marathon - Sandusky, OH - maybe

So there it is folks. As you can see I will be a busy girl this year! No 140.6 planned at the moment but a good amount of triathlons in there and some trail running too! Of course I am most excited about my Team Rev3 races! I'm hoping my legs hold up well in the fall and if they do I will run a fall marathon with the intent to run my first ultra marathon in December. No 100 miler or anything crazy like that but at least a 50K. Sounds like fun doesn't it?! Here we go 2013!!

Making a Come Back Again at Fairport Harbor Triathlon

Sunday I raced the Fairport Harbor sprint triathlon. What a great little race! A lot of local talent came out to race and/or work or spectate at the race. I had a blast and was just so thrilled to be able to race again given the ups and downs with my foot. With the ankle sprain a couple weeks ago and only running once before the race last week, I was not sure how the running portion of the race would go. Fortunately it went pretty well.

It was a fun day and my goal was to finish in my age group and top ten females in the race if possible. Reasonable goals given my strength on the bike and assuming my run would be par. The swim I would not count on to get me to where I need to be in the race. If anything it is usually to my detriment and I spend the entire race catching up and passing people.

Pre-race:

Because Fairport Harbor is so close (about 10 minutes away) we went up to ride the course and swim the course Saturday. We also picked up our packets with everything we needed for the race. I think this made Sunday a little easier/smoother. 

As of late I have been getting myself ready to race the night before. This race was no different. Hubby switched out my bike wheels to my race wheels and I cleaned up our bikes since they were a little dirty. We had our bikes and kits and all of our gear ready to go for Sunday morning. We were able to sleep in until almost 6AM, which was a real treat on a triathlon race day! 

Chillen with the hubby pre-race

We woke up, made some multi-grain waffles with peanut butter and nutella, packed up and headed out by 6:45 arriving at the race start around 7. It was pretty packed already. We grabbed our bikes and transition bags and headed to the transition area. Because this wasn't a USAT race, we were able to rack anywhere so the hubby and I racked next to each other a row or two back from the bike out/run out area. We were set up and ready by 7:30 and were able to talk with some of our friends.

The start:

The Kayak triathlons went first. Steve's wave was to start at 8:10 and mine would start at 8:15. We got in the water around 8 and it was cold. Brrr! Neither of us had brought our wetsuits since the swim was just 500 meters but I was wishing I had brought my sleeveless. It was difficult to warm up with the Kayakers and Lake Erie being so shallow in the Harbor so we just got wet and waited. They called for Steve's wave and they started. They called for my wave and I was off.

500M Swim:

Finishing the swim

In true sprint fashion, the start was a complete feeding frenzy. I lined up near the front right but had a difficult time with my stroking and breathing the first few minutes as people settled in. The swim is shallow enough that people can touch so some were walking or running versus swimming and that made it more difficult to get around some folks. After 3-4 minutes I found my breathe and as I rounded the buoy to swim back I was on the left just next to the swim lane markers. I felt much more relaxed swimming the 250 back. Finally I saw the people ahead walking/running out as the water got very shallow. I stood and started running while I took off my swim cap, googles, etc. My Ironman watch said my swim was about 10 minutes but it took me a good minute or two to run out of the water and the transition was long so likely another minute to get to my bike.

T1:

As I said it was a long transition running from the beach up through a parking lot then through a grassy lane into the transition area. I reached my bike and dried off a bit, put on my socks and cycling shoes, sunglasses and aero helmet and grabbed my bike. I was running it out and thinking again that it was a long transition running up the grassy part to reach the bike mounting area. I would estimate at least 2+ minutes in transition here.

12.4 mile Bike:

start of bike course just before the hill!

The bike course is pretty flat and easy. One negative is that there is a hill at the start! It's not very long but sometimes those short, steep ones are tough! I had set my bike into a low gear to make the climb easy. As I mounted and started to pick up speed I was yelling at some of the newbie riders who were not clipped in on racing bikes to get to the right so I could pass. Then I was off. I enjoyed the ride. Some parts more than others. I passed people the entire race. The female who ended up in 9th overall passed me on the bike the last 1/2 mile or so. I felt pretty decent since my average speed was around 20.5 mph for a split of 36. It wasn't my fastest ever effort but not bad considering the winds on the last few miles of the ride back in. On the bike I had fueled with the Powerbar Perform and also took in a chocolate PowerBar gel around the halfway mark.

T2:

T2 was pretty basic. Run the bike in, rack. Switch shoes to my Pearl Izumi Transitions, throw on my Rev3 visor and go! I was probably around a minute here.

5K Run:

The run started with the same hill as the bike so that was a bit challenging but nothing too crazy. I felt strong from the beginning. I passed people the whole race and was just passed by a couple of guys the last mile and one 15-year old female who was 10th Overall with maybe 1/2 mile to go. I liked the course being a loop versus and out and back. I felt it was easier. I was laughing, joking and smiling for the whole run. It was a good feeling. I did not wear my Garmin but based on my IM watch splits I estimate my run at around 24 minutes so likely a 7:45-7:50 pace.

The Finish:

Excited to finish!

I love finishes! Then again who doesn't? This was a fun finish but I was a little nervous since it finished uphill in the grass. I did not want to hurt my ankle AGAIN! I finished in 1:15:36, 11th overall female and 3rd in my age group. Really 2nd after looking at their results since the woman who took 2nd overall was in my age group too. I am pretty happy with the result given where I am with my injury, training, etc. As usual it was nice to have Steve cheering me on as well as some friends throughout the race and finish!

Post race:

Wrapping up awards before the winking lizard with friends

After the race we hung out for the awards then headed over to the Winking Lizard in Mentor with friends for food and beer. That was a lot of fun! I was pretty exhausted after the race and it was a real treat to be able to use the NormaTec MVP compression boots for recovery!

Closing:

Special thanks to the race director, my husband, friends who cheered and/or raced too! And of course to my awesome sponsors: Rev3 Triathlon, PowerBar, Swiftwick, Blueseventy, SBR Sports and Normatec! 

Triathlon Training in the "Off" Season

With the arrival of winter looming for those of us in the northern states and countries we are faced with the reality that triathlon season (and to some degree running season) is shut down for the winter and some of the spring. What is a triathlete to do during the "off" season to maintain or even increase their fitness when they are relegated to the indoors?

Even if races are not on the agenda until next season, I think it is still critical to set goals for ourselves and have a plan we can work from. From everything I have learned, the "off" season should be less intense than racing season, which makes sense. Our bodies need time to rebuild. Yet we still need to train and schedule in key workouts to maintain or increase our fitness levels.

Below is my plan for keeping my tri fitness up during this "off season". Feel free to use my plan as a model or to create your own customized plan for success in the next racing season.

My Overall Goal: To start off the running season in March with a strong impact and to enter triathlon season (May-Sept) rejuvinated and ready to work hard to win.

Sport Specific Goals: 

Swim: swimming efficiently requires a lot of technique. I plan to use this winter to work on technique for different strokes, work on speed and work on distance. My goal is to swim twice a week at least with one workout dedicated to technique and speed and the other a freestyle distance swim aimed at keeping my endurance up to at least 1.2 miles of swimming per session for a total of at least 2-3 miles of swimming per week.

Bike: biking is my weakest sport but I have fallen in love with it. I know I will have to work hard to maintain a good base for the spring biking season. I plan to ride the bike at least three times a week with a combination of spinning classes for speed and technique and using a trainer to log some miles on my racing bike. My goal is to get in at least 40-50 miles on the bike each week.

Run: because running is my sport du jour I will always pay a lot of attention to developing this sport. My plan for the winter is to focus on key running workouts that will have a quick payoff in the spring. My goal is to run three to four days a week and use the following key workouts: a speed day that can be done on treadmill or track as repeats (faster than 5k race pace); a tempo day that focuses in on a 5 to 10k race pace; a longer run day to keep the base mileage up to at least 8-10 miles all winter (I try as much as possible to do these outside when weather permits. The goal is not speed); and finally if I do a fourth run it is a freestyle run or recovery run after a hard day. My goal mileage for the "off" season is 20-30 miles per week.

Core: because core is so important to a triathlete's performance, I am committed to doing core workouts at least twice a week for an hour each. These workouts for me consist of pilates, hot yoga, kettlebell and weight training. The added benefit of core is strength and better body composition. 

Rest: I will rest at least one day a week from all activity - sometimes maybe even two!

So there you have it...my "off-season" plan. I wish all of you a happy and healthy "off" season. 

Portage Lakes Triathlon Was a Success!

Well I made it through my second official triathlon successfuly! And it was so much fun! I absolutely love everything about this sport! My performance was much better than at Milton Man. I finished in 1:30:14, a time worthy of third in my age group. Not bad for a newbie I suppose!

The race was well organized and well attended. I enjoyed the course. My only complaint is that the water was chilly to swim in...but on September 19 in Akron, Ohio that is to be expected. Next year I will likely wear a wetsuit to this race!

I arrived at Portage Lakes State Park about an hour early and had plenty of time to pick up my packet, timing chip and set up my bike and transition kits.

I actually felt surprisingly calm considering it was race day --and a triathlon race at that. I'm sure my boyfriend had something to do with that as he was very helpful in getting me ready and keeping me relaxed.

As I said, the water was cold but when the race started I soon forgot about the temperature and tried to focus on finishing the 1/2 mile swim. There were a lot of people and so I wanted to pay close attention so I didn't get kicked. My time was a couple of minutes slower than at Milton Man. I finished in 18+ minutes whereas at Milton Man I was around 16:30. Some people said that the swim course at Portage Lakes is longer than it should be so that could explain my lackluster time on the swim.

The first transition went pretty smooth as I ran to get to my bike. I could have been a little faster and hope to improve on these transitions as I gain more experience racing next season.  The bike portion of the race was only 12 miles but it was a challenging, hilly course! I was happy with my 42-minute time considering and really had fun getting the bike up to speeds of almost 40mph on some of the downhills!

The second transition I was slow and lazy. I sat down and took a few minutes getting ready for the run, which was inefficient.  But once I got going...I got going! I had a blast on the 5k run! Because running is my main sport, I usually feel really good here even after the bike. My first mile was 7:04! Finished in 23:27 so not my best effort but I was okay with it.  I felt great at the end and had a nice sprint going on so I think I could have kept going for a while!

After the race I felt good. I had some food and water and was really looking forward to that hot shower so I could get the lake smell off of me! It was a great race and I will do it again next year.