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| Happy to be racing... past some dudes! Photo credit: Larry |
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| Magical place to race! |
HONU 70.3
I have always wanted to race on the Big Island. Since I have a little (a lot!) work to do if I want to even attempt to tri to qualify for Kona, the Hawaii 70.3 is an awesome opportunity to get out there and race with some speedy competitors on part of that world-famous course. This was a chance to test my fitness on a challenging course while visiting one of my favorite places in the world. Larry and I got engaged at Hapuna Beach after a long bike ride on the Queen K on our first trip here and got married in the little blue church on our second trip. We love the spirit of this incredible island and are grateful for the wonderful memories we have here. |
| Excited to race! Photo: Larry |
THINGS I LEARNED...
- Tri travel gets easier with practice!
Although I still need lots of work with this, I'm getting better at lower stress race travel. Pre-race packing lists really help, and I this time I even checked my bike as regular luggage (on Alaska Airlines) thanks to the Armored Hen House!
- Mmmm... New race day breakfast works for me!
4 slices of raisin bread with almond butter and banana slices was great, so I'll be using this in the future. Easy to prepare, anywhere! (This is my new favorite breakfast, when I'm not eating oatmeal with nut butter and fruit)
- Sometimes the swim feels like a gentler version of this Clif Bar video.
The large start waves (3 men's waves followed by 2 women's waves) led to the most physical swim I have had to date. We started in a big pile (slight current), and then embraced the full-contact nature of the triathlon swim (took a few solid hits in the back of the head & a good kick behind my shoulder complete with a nice toe nail gash).
- Drafting is really helpful in open ocean swims.
- Ocean swimming & snorkeling is awesome!
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| Getting ready to swim. Photo: Larry |
- Keep your eyes wide open to stay on track, especially during the swim.
I was doing ok with sighting this until the final stretch back to shore... I could not figure out where everyone was going off toward the right?!? This was where huge (14') tiger sharks were sighted our first visit here, so swimming alone did freak me out a little... /\ ... (shark fin)
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| T1 rack setup with former champions as markers |
Thank you, Angela Naeth! (2014 Champ - see transition marker photo)
- Such an incredible bike course!
I was so excited to ride on the same roads as the Ironman World Championship! Honu has been a bucket list race for me, so I'm glad I was able to focus through my excitement to be out there.
- I am stronger on the bike than I thought I could be.
thanks to the guidance of my great coach, Jim Lubinski. I was able to ride smart & stick to the plan while riding this challenging, scenic course.
- Nutrition & hydration is crucial when racing in hot & humid conditions. I really focused on this during the race and did not suffer from much GI distress, which is a huge improvement for me. I was trying to consume too much sugar / hour in previous events, and this was resulting in GI distress on the run (& even on the bike in some long races). Having an extra bottle cage allowed me to carry my own sports drink for the entire race, so no guessing on dilution amounts / worrying about timing.
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| Running out of T2. Photo: Larry |
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| Swim exit. Photo: Larry |
- Drenching yourself with water at aid stations all over the course is really helpful in humid races.
Thanks for this handy tip, Coach Jim! Makes sense - evaporation decreases as humidity increases, so you need some additional cooling tactics.
- Many dudes do not like it when women pass them.
Always listen to what the head referee says during the pre-race briefing, "Guys: She started after you and is passing you. She is faster. Let her pass."
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| dreaming of shade... |
When it came down to it, I just just didn't have it in me to push hard in the heat. I followed the race plan for the first few miles, but quickly realized the sun exposure was really starting to get to me. I was really disappointed with myself on this part of the race, as I had trained to run hard (on tired legs). On lap 1, I was able to run up & down all the hills, but on lap 2, I ended up walking up a few steep sections. Knowing how far back I was from where I wanted to be, I still managed to hold it together and jog my way to the finish line. This was some great mental training, but I need more.
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| I like to ride my bicycle... |
THINGS TO WORK ON...
- Swim positioning
We had to keep swimming backwards because we were drifting past the buoys at the start (deep water start) - this messed up all our positioning & we started as one big pile. I basically could not kick or swim with my head in the water for maybe even 3 min. Had I been closer to the front of the pile I could have taken off sooner.
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| all drifting past the buoys... Photo: Larry |
I had not been feeling great the few days prior to the race, so I was conservative with warmups to save energy. I could have used a harder warmup & will try to do this next time so I can catch my swim groove earlier.
- Bike fit...
Might need adjusting... I know that the engine driving is more important than the frame or wheels, but I should make sure the bike is ready to work best with / complement its engine.
- Bike tactics
I was paranoid about drafting after they made a huge deal of this during the race meeting. I was being as cautious as possible not to do this, but did get stuck behind a crowd that was hard to pass a few times on the bike.
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| smiling around mile 2-3 |
I only executed maybe 2-3 efficient aid station walk throughs on the run course... the others were too slow and added up to a lot of time on the course. I can do better at this! My moving paces weren't terrible (still can do much better at this), but the stations were definitely too slow.
- New run bottle or go without
Mine rubbed a blister onto my palm & I didn't notice until after the race. Apparently I can block out some discomfort? I also ended up not drinking much of it...on lap 2, I dumped the sports drink & refilled with water to pour on my head...
- Mental toughness & confidence
I need to find a way to push through the uncomfortable times & trust my ability more when it comes to the run portion of the race. I train on tired legs & can still run hard, but somehow couldn't do it on race day. I rock songs in my head to keep me moving consistently on the bike, but I need to up my positive self-talk / mantras game on the run.
I know I can put together a solid run time at these long course tris, & I will do it someday!
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| Hawi |
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| Hapuna Beach State Park - so beautiful! Photo: Larry |
RACE TIPS: HONU 70.3
- Be respectful of everything and everyone while you visit this amazing place.
Don't be an aero a-hole around town.
- Put on the tri tats race numbers the night before as instructed
They stayed on all race no trouble (& took scrubbing to get off after)
- Do not get freaked out at how far out the buoys seem when you are on land (seriously - they look pretty far off shore)
The distance feels familiar once you start swimming!
- Sight early and often on the swim
Even a slight current / small waves can throw you off. Sighting helps avoid swimming additional distance!
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| Hapuna Beach State Park |
- Appreciate the incredible setting & wear reef friendly sunblock to preserve this diverse ecosystem
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| Go swim! Deep water start. Photo: Larry |
- Get comfortable with deep water, open ocean swimming before race day.
- Rinse the saltwater off
If the hoses are not working to rinse off after the swim...grab a cup of drinking water & dump it over your head. Waiting in line to rinse off takes a lot of T1 time!
- T1 is first come first serve...
on a curved incline, so don't stress about showing up when T1 opens on Saturday (maybe don't go at the end of this bike check window, but rushing to get there early may not be worth it). The rows are pretty tight, so I would have a better plan for how to get my bike gear on next time without feeling like I am about to get rolled over by athletes trying to exit.
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| T1 Photo: Larry |
It can feel very tight when full of scrambling athletes. I was on an end, so I used a curb to sit on / have my own little space, but I still felt like I was going to get rolled over
- Use the volunteer help to get going up the steep hill out of T1 but keep your head up & use tons of caution
as there will be lots of wobbly riders attempting to get going up the hill (almost crashed here as someone swerved into my path - seriously be careful)
- The bike course is hilly... in both directions
so save some energy for the return trip - although it is net downhill, there are still some climbs
this may be really congested & you will likely get stuck behind other riders so be patient (lots of cars at this point too)
- Be aware of your positioning
as you enter the no pass zone from the Queen K to the Fairmont. Try & position yourself among quicker riders if possible, so you don't have to slow down a lot through that entire section
- Do not draft on the bike course!!!
There will be many athletes drafting, probably not all on purpose. Try not to do this! If you do, please know that cheaters never win.
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| running on the golf course |
- T2 racking takes time
It is a little odd in that you rack bikes in the order you arrive (same wooden slot racks as T1 - see above). It can become really congested & slow if you enter with a group & they march you down an aisle together to each rack bikes immediately next to each other in tight spots. Then you have a grassy uneven run in bike shoes to find your bag and a very small area to swap your gear right in front of the port o potties (which is fairly convenient).
- Run course is challenging
Winding cart paths, lots of hills, uneven terrain on fairways, & the only flat part is a 2mi out & back stretch on a really hot road surrounded by lava rocks. All exposed with really very limited shade & little wind. Be prepared mentally & physically because this can be brutal after a challenging bike ride & open ocean swim.
- Run aid stations are really well organized & spaced.
They even have signs saying where on the tables each item is (one of many benefits of racing on same island as world championships!). One of the longest stretches without aid is between mile 4.5-6 just be prepared for that hot section on the golf course. Also, just grab cups off the tables as you go. The volunteers were awesome of the volunteers are overwhelmed - they were awesome! but it was impossible for them to keep up with the constant demand for water cups, etc. Help out the volunteers by grabbing your own cups from the tables when it gets crowded. The volunteers were awesome by the way and their stations were really well stocked. Tons of kids waiting with bottles to drench you too, which was awesome.
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| serious swag |
- By far the best swag (technical trucker hat!?!, shirt, medal, bag) & after party I have ever seen at a race!!!
Live entertainment, bar (3 free beer tickets per athlete - even Kona Brewing Co. beers!), and lunch (grilled chicken / burgers / etc). I recommend hopping in the ocean & using freshwater showers once you're done racing. Beautiful location, but zero shade except for a huge, packed tent. Definitely reapply sunblock after the race if you hang out & make sure your support team does too!
Overall, this was an amazing experience with incredible volunteers and local support.
Mahalo, Kohala Coast, for your generosity and hospitality!
BEYOND THE FINISH LINE - fun facts and other thoughts
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| that's one awesome finish line!!! |
I am really lucky to have such a great coach helping me prepare for this craziness. Hopefully next time I'll be better at executing the entire race plan...
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| post race glamour shot. Photo:Larry |
Race stats: (for D's reference!)
swim: 38:01 (no wetsuit)nutrition - Honey Stinger Gold gel 15min prior w/water
equipment - TYR torque elite swim skin, tri kit, tinted Speedo vanquisher women's goggles
bike: 3:01:01
nutrition - 1.5 Picky Bars (cookie doughness), 1 pack Scratch chews (orange) (2 servings), 3 bottles (24oz/bottle) Osmo Mango regular strength, water at each aid station to drink and drench myself, plain goldfish crackers (handfull), maybe 2 Base salts servings. (put 2 packs of scratch chews & crackers in a snack size ziplock bag in bento box)
run: 2:02:49
nutrition - 2 Scratch chews (berry) every other aid station (2-3mi) w/ Base salts, sips of Osmo for 1st loop (swapped for water during 2nd loop - next time all water), water at each aid station, ice in hat & sports bra each station. some cola on lap 2
total: 5:54:17 (22/84 in AG)
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| not at the world championships... (cool bag though) |
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| Making friends after the finish line! News anchor from Dallas / Ft.Worth training for Kona and fundraising for Leukemia and Lymphoma Society! We'll be cheering for you from the mainland, Doug! Photo: Larry |
Great job in the heat! And awesome news about your GI tract cooperating!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Jen!
Delete"some cola on lap 2"; You are officially elite ;-)
ReplyDeleteHa Ha Ha! Thanks! I totally rock the cola whenever available... still a little (long!) way to go for that elite thing though! ;)
Delete