Vineman Monte Rio: Great Friends, Pancakes, & RED Wine!

view from cabin parking space

I shared an amazing weekend with friends in the Russian River Valley!

As I started my drive westward on River Road last Friday (May 29), I found myself once again in awe of the incredible beauty of this region.  Breathtaking vistas greeted me as I followed the Russian River toward the Pacific, past numerous vineyards, redwood-lined hills, pastures, and small historic towns.

If I had a to pick a favorite place to race, the Russian River Valley would be it.  Maybe it's the beautiful scenery, the cool morning temps, or the fact that this was the place I got my first taste of long course triathlon racing with my friend, Emily, many years ago.  I was super excited to return to this special location and race a new event with some wonderful friends!

I like RED wine!

Race Report: 
Vineman Monte Rio Triathlon: Great Friends, Pancakes & RED Wine
 
The race was really fun and scenery was incredible.  I did my best to RACE HARD with a smile and won a bottle of (RED) wine!  I also had pancakes at the finish with friends who completed their first tri ever (Go Bri, Go!) or first olympic-distance tri (Yay Amanda & Matt!), which was awesome.  (...and "guess what, I love pancakes!")


For a longer version of the race weekend adventure, please keep reading!  For a summary of what I learned from this experience - scroll to the bottom!
 

cabin landmark

Race Weekend Adventures!

Travel

When I decided to race Monte Rio a while back, I asked a few friends if they might possibly want to join me for a Russian River triathlon weekend.  Amanda and Matt said they were racing, which was awesome news!  I was also really excited when my co-worker and good friend, Bri, also said she wanted to race!  Bri booked us a cozy little cabin up in Guerneville for both Friday and Saturday nights through Airbnb.  The cabin was tucked away in some redwoods close to town and also only about 10 minutes away from the race.  After I checked in, Bri invited me over to a friend's place for a wonderful dinner.  It was great to hang out with such nice people in this incredibly peaceful area!  

cozy studio cabin

Back at the cabin, I settled in and tried to get some sleep... but somehow couldn't.  Maybe I was excited for race check in?!?  I finally fell asleep in the early morning hours, but at 4:30am some crazy flickering light and noise from a spooky alarm clock woke me up... (part of the heating system).  Luckily the race was Sunday, so I was able to sleep in and try and relax a bit after the early wakeup and the nightmares from the broken glass I accidentally ate during Friday's dessert... (long story for another time - will probably leave glass off the nutrition plan for next race though!).

spooky 4:30am alarm clock

Race check in

Staying so close to the event site, I was able to take a quick drive Saturday morning and get a feel for the bike route.  I was somewhat familiar with Rt. 116 (River Rd. turns into this), but had never seen the fun, bumpy, windy side street loop that was Austin Creek Rd. and Cazadera Highway.  I decided my race strategy would be to grit my teeth and plow through the bumpy pavement as best I could, without hurting my elbows or jolting myself off my bike.  The rest of the ride on Rt. 116 and Hwy 1 looked awesome.  There are some amazing views as the Russian River meets the Pacific, especially out toward the turnaround at Jenner.  That little coastal town is beautiful and nearby a favorite park of ours: Sonoma Coast State Park. 

After my course recon mission, I took a quick stop back at the cabin for a pasta lunch, and then Bri and I headed to the event site to meet up with our tri friends.  Things were going smoothly until I sliced the top of my hand open on the way to check our bikes in transition.  This was completely my fault!  I rested my bike against the car, and when I shut the back door... the bike began to fall.  As I reached over to grab it, the aero bottle cage sliced open the top of my hand.  One of those "I'm fine" moments (as I frantically looked for bandaids to help cover up the profusely bleeding gash - which actually wasn't that big, just in a spot near a blood vessel that kept bleeding). Good thing I packed those water proof band-aids for the race!  I figured between this incident and eating glass, this race was either going to go really well or be a complete disaster. 

views of swim venue and run course (on bridge!) during race check in

We met up with Amanda and Matt, checked in for the race, and claimed some space in transition.  Transition was pretty much a free-for-all with racks housing really wide ranges of bib numbers.  We checked out the entrances/exits from transition, and then managed to make it to the pre-race meeting!  This was new for me... I attempted to do this at my previous races this season but somehow managed to miss them each time.  Feeling very informed and sunny, we headed down toward the River to check out the swim start and the VIP parking.  We were incredibly lucky to have Amanda and Matt share their VIP parking experience with us!!! This was a HUGE help race morning, and we cannot thank them enough for looking out for us! 

view of the swim start

reviving me after race check in!

Note to self: If it is sunny during race check in / bike check... bring your water bottle with you (don't leave it in the car!) & wear sunblock!!!  Race check in always takes longer than expected...be prepared!

Lococo's Santa Rosa pre-race dinner

After the gear checking excursion, we were all ready for some food, so a few of us drove down to Santa Rosa to have dinner at a wonderful Italian restaurant called Lococo's.  This place had excellent food and was in a really convenient location.  I highly recommend eating here if anyone ends up in this area for a race or fun day out!  Thanks so much, Amanda and Matt, for inviting me to this awesome pre-race meal!

We ate early so we'd all have time for any last minute race prep before dreaming of triathlon all night.  I somehow thought I needed more food before bed, so I had a Picky Bar Ah Fudge Nuts bar for dessert (seriously the best tasting bar out there - tastes like a chocolate brownie with peanut butter on it) and started drinking my usual pre-race Scratch Labs Rescue Hydration mix (usually have some the night before, and then finish the bottle in the morning).  I turned the heat way down to avoid the scary flame alarm clock, and it was time to dream of swimming in the Russian River!




RACE DAY DETAILS

It was really fun to have a buddy to stay with and travel to the event site on race morning. Thanks so much, Bri!  We had incredible timing and pulled into the parking lot right behind Amanda and Matt.  It was awesome to see them first thing, too!  It was foggy and cool, so Bri and I stayed in the car a while and eventually headed up to transition.  Transition was crazy crowded, but I managed to get all my gear ready to go fairly quickly and checked out the entrances/exits again... because we all know how awesome I am at transitions.  Then I headed down to the swim... still wearing flip flops... went back to leave them in transition and hustled down to the swim start! 


Swim:  27:33 (1500m swimming & walking)

Q-tip cap with fun messages

The swim start was actually 150m upstream from the entry arch, so of course I was still on shore when most of my wave (women 35-44) was warming up in the water (this happens to me each time I swim in this river!).  I did have enough time to swim up to the start and rest a few minutes before my wave began, so I felt ready to race!  

As instructed, I went for it from the gun... and was dropped by one of the front gals like a bad habit probably within the first 50m.  This attempt left me pretty winded, but I just kept moving forward, and then found a few others to swim with for a little while.   

focused on not falling

This was one of the more interesting swim courses I've done because it was more like an obstacle course at times!  Some spots were shallow, so I dolphin dove whenever possible.  I did this right past some dudes in the previous wave who were wading in the water, and they gave me some pretty funny looks when I was diving past them.  Then another section was so shallow it literally required walking (ankle deep water), and it was impossible to walk fast.  Then to get out at the finish, I got passed by a few athletes because I just couldn't water walk any faster on the sharp rocks without falling!  I must have been a little disoriented from trying to swim a little faster / diving / whatever else I was doing out there, so this final walk out was rough.  The run up to transition was ok at the beginning (thank you for the carpet!), but there was a short hill of rough concrete where I had to walk again.  

Next time I might consider wearing neoprene socks just so I can exit / run to transition easier, or I could just tell my feet to toughen up!


Other fun swim notes: There was lots of filmy algae stuck in my watch/road ID upon exiting the water.  I tried to pick this off during the bike portion, but managed to carry some of this throughout the run.  I had forgotten about it until I went to wipe my face and noticed the awesome smell.  There were also some super cute duck families swimming with us, which was really cool!



Bike:  1:16:59 (40km)

arm warmers sort of on my arms

One I hopped on my bike, I tried my best to keep my heart rate (HR) within my target zone.  My HR only dropped below the zone a few times throughout the course, but mainly when riding some downhills or really rough patches of pavement.  There was a 4-6mi side road which would have been really fun if pavement was smoother! (Picture a tree-lined curvy/windy back road with small hills).  I plowed through most of it, but a few times had to slow down for fear of being launched off my bike.  I got some interesting looks from a few athletes while I was charging through some rough sections (which I thought was pretty hilarious).  My HR also dropped below the zone when waiting to pass a few times.  There were lots of groups out on the course and some dude kept riding near me in the middle / toward the left of the lane making passing him impossible.  There were few cars on the course but when they did get close, it was really difficult for them to pass us (and then we couldn't pass each other either).  One car actually let me pass a rider before they passed me, which was very cool of them!

Overall, the bike course was fun!  It was fairly flat with a few small hills and some false flats (or maybe I was just getting tired?).  The scenery was amazing, especially with the fog, and there was only some mild wind as we approached the coast (still early in the day). It was really great to ride on Hwy 1, even if it was a short stretch! 

I saw Amanda out there, and it was really cool to cheer for her on the course!  She looked strong!  I also saw Matt when we were close to transition, and he was also looking speedy!  I didn't realize until afterwards that he probably had no idea who I was when I was shouting at him, and I may have scared him a bit (random woman yelling from a bike can be a little disturbing!).  Sorry about that, Matt!

Run:  48:47 (10km)

After getting lost in transition... again... I headed out onto the run course feeling ok.  I ran with Matt for a while (after he crushed me in transition!), and also saw Bri and Amanda smiling on the course.  Everyone looked super strong!  Seeing familiar faces and cheering for each other was a huge boost!  Thanks so much tri friends! 

I continued my run at a reasonable pace to keep my HR within the target zone.  The out and back course helped me see if there was anyone in my AG in front of me, so I did my best to catch a few competitors.  I managed to overtake two gals in my AG, and knew the others were too far to catch by the time I crossed the halfway turnaround, so I kept running consistently within the target HR zone.  The last mile, I tried to run a little harder, but the Race Director warned us of a really steep climb up to the finishing arch, so I saved enough to get up that final hill.  When I got there, I realized it was a really steep, but also really short, hill!  (Not sure why I didn't take a minute to look at it before the race!?!).  I made it to the end in one piece and was happy my glute/hammy didn't give me any real issues (they've been unhappy with me lately) 

great timing on this photo - sort of flying! (& I have long femurs.)

Nutrition: 

I have been working on this, and I was able to follow the plan pretty much exactly as Coach instructed here!  Here is what I consumed:

• Swim: Honey Stinger gel about 15min before swim start (I was still carrying my wetsuit & had to get ready & swim up the river 100m to the start within 15min).  
• Bike: I ate Honey Stinger gels (1 in transition while putting on gear, then 1 every 20min during the ride, with the last one around 15 min because I was getting close to transition).  The air temp was cool, so I probably didn't drink as much as I should have on the bike (carried 2 Scratch Labs Lemons & Limes bottles, probably only drank 1.5) but at least I didn't have liquid sloshing around in my belly on the run like the last race.  On the cold note - next time I'll put on a jacket (much quicker/easier than arm warmers!).   
• Run: I had a gel at 20min into the run and half of one maybe 16min later when I felt like I was running out of gas. I was also drinking Scratch Labs Oranges on the run from my hand-held bottle.  
• Summary: All Honey Stingers & Scratch Labs, all the time! :)

Transitions: 

I have much to improve on here!  I was a little disoriented coming up to T1 and had hard time with arm warmers/gloves since hands were cold (only reason I went for the gloves).  T2: I was lost... I even made an effort before race to get my bearings and find landmarks!  What didn't help my search, was that I went down the wrong aisle to my rack, and that the dude in the adjacent rack position basically put his bike over my gear.  Unfortunately, I couldn't really see the bright side of my bag which was supposed to help me spot my gear.  At least I figured it out eventually!  


Note to self: Leaving bike shoes and sneakers overnight to reserve some transition space was helpful!  I wrapped these in a wetsuit changing mat which is great to put under gear at tris!

post-race transition view (many bikes already removed)

Finish:  2:40:43  3rd in AG! 

All smiles :) Thanks so much for the photo, Amanda!

More race highlights:

Huge help on race day - many thanks to Amanda & Matt

It was really awesome to race with friends doing their first olympic tri (& crushed it!!!) and another friend doing her first tri ever (she killed it on the swim! super fast!!!).  I was incredibly inspired by all of them to get out there and RACE HARD!   

My friends were incredibly generous to share their VIP experience with us, and it was a huge help for race morning logistics!  Many thanks for making our race day so much easier!!!

Overall, the event was well organized and everyone working there was really friendly and helpful.  Thank you, Vineman staff and volunteers!

At the finish line, there were pancakes (super awesome) and a really cool setup where race officials would print receipt size results for any athletes who wanted them.  This was such a great idea and very nice of them to do!

printed preliminary results provided onsite! (edited later)

Things I learned:

• My coach does really impressive work!  I know I sound like teacher's pet always saying nice things about my coach, but people deserve shout outs when they do good things!  Chatting with friends after the race, I realized just how impressive Coach Jim's work has been with me.  He helped me go from my previous athletic state (a back of the pack, Tahoe DNF, missing a bike cutoff at mile 88) to this strong finish (& 4th at HITS Napa half & 6th at WF oly) in less than 1.5 yrs (with at least 2-3 months off mixed in).  That is crazy!!!  I didn't have a ton of racing experience when we started, but I can honestly say I have learned a ton over the past year and feel 110% more prepared than I ever was to toe that starting line!  I used to do events just to participate, and now I race them!?!  I cannot thank Coach Jim enough for the positive impact he and his team have had on me!  These results are true testament to his talent & dedication to his athletes.  Definitely check out team RED at Red Performance Multisport if you're looking for excellent fitness / training / racing advice.  We have awesome coaches who care about their athletes and a wonderful community of supportive teammates!  Join us!!!

• Nutrition & race plans are huge.  Always have a plan and try your best to follow it and trust it! (Also know to be flexible and be prepared to make adjustments if necessary!) 

 

• Be patient...Even when you feel like you aren't making progress in your training, please trust that you are!  Eventually you will see big results and all the hard work will pay off.  It takes a long time to improve in something like triathlon where multiple sports are involved, and there are so many variables at each race.  Celebrate the milestones along the way and keep your eye on the final prize, whatever that may be! 

 

• Believe in yourself.  Somewhere inside me, I thought that maybe I could RACE HARD.  Now I know I can.  :)  This is a pretty big deal for someone who always struggled with confidence on the field / court / track / race course.  It is much easier to believe in and encourage others, than it is to believe in yourself.  Go out and be as awesome as you know you can be!

  

  found a pretty fly shirt on super sale (in RED!)

• Always race happy!  Enjoy racing & don't take it too seriously.  Never be too self absorbed that you are a jerk to others on the course or you throw your gear on top of another racers' in transition.

 

• Don't psych yourself out by athletes with fancier looking stuff / bigger muscles than you.  Bigger / more expensive doesn't always mean faster.

 

• I like wearing RED!  I am proud to represent the RED out there on the course, and now wearing red in general makes me smile because it makes me think of my team!  

 

• Be sure to look around & take it all in!  I am lucky to race in such beautiful places with friends!  Always take the opportunity to appreciate everything and everyone around you!

 

Can't wait to race with friends in the Russian River Valley again! 

Footnotes for reference:

HR race data

Target HR zone for bike = 145-150bpm 
Avg HR for bike = 148bpm

Target HR zone for run = 150-160bpm
Avg HR for run = 159bpm

Wildflower 2015: Learning to RACE HARD!

Every once in a while, you do a race that gives you new perspective... for me, this race was the Wildflower Olympic distance triathlon on Sunday, May 3, 2015.

Here's a recap of race weekend and the amazing adventure that is Wildflower!

Wildflower: Learning to RACE HARD!

Champions of Wildflower! Inspiring stairs!

Wildflower is a really special race that every triathlete should experience.  It has a long history that goes back to 1983 and is known by many as the "Woodstock of triathlon."  There are multiple distance (mountain bike, olympic, half iron) races for all to enjoy, and it hosts an incredible festival lasting all weekend. 

I've always wanted to race Wildflower, but it never worked with my schedule... until this year!  Since I raced the HITS Napa half earlier in the same month, I opted for the Olympic distance race.  Due to the extreme drought in CA over the past few years, the olympic distance course format was: 1500m swim, 2.2mi run, 24.8mi bike ride, 4mi run.  Many people seem to be avoiding the race in its newest format (swim - run - bike - run), but I genuinely think this adds to the amazing adventure, and is not to be missed!

 

 

Race Report Summary:

parking lot scenery

This was an incredible experience for me!  I enjoyed every moment of the weekend from making new, inspiring friends before the race, to digging deep to charge up (most of) those beautiful hills on race day, and finishing just off my (really deep, 5-person) age group podium.  I learned how to truly RACE HARD, and am eager to get back out there and tri again! 

Race report...long edition:

Pre-race notes:

I opted out of the camping this time and stayed close by in King City.  The drive to and from the race site from this location took about 50 minutes on scenic back roads.  The day before the race, I checked my bike and run gear in T1b/T2 to make race morning easier.  I also wanted to check out the general race site since this was my first trip to Wildflower.  Next time I'd skip this trip, but it did make me feel more relaxed for this first Wildflower adventure.  One challenge to leaving gear the day before the race was figuring out how to weigh it down (it was really windy!) and also how to keep bottles filled with sports drink from getting funky.  I decided to leave the bottles in bags with frozen cooler packs and that seemed to work (but added a little transition time during the race).   I also left most of my other gear in a bag as well so I wouldn't lose any of it.

Another bonus for checking into the event the day prior to the race, was that I met some great folks out there.  I met Heidi from Love to Move Productions (Mermaid Series events previously).  She's an inspiring athlete who rocked the Wildflower Mountain bike race and had just finished a 105mi run to raise funds for her Mini Mermaid Running Club for girls.  I have raced a few Mermaid events and always thought they were incredibly well organized and encouraging for athletes of all levels.  I said a quick hello and congrats, thanked her for all she does, and got back to race prep!  

I also chatted with a few of the challenged athlete foundation racers on my 2 mile hike (literally) back to the parking area after race check in.  These athletes were super cool, and one of them, Mary, was featured in the event program!  I cheered extra loudly when I saw her racing hard on the bike course the next day! 

After a few snacks in the car, I headed back to the hotel for the pasta dinner that I packed.  Then off to bed early so I could dream of cruising up all those hills!!!

Swim: 28:25

It was really chilly on race morning (around 40 degrees F) so when I arrived at the race day parking area, I bundled up in all my RED gear (shirt, jacket, plus hoodie!) and boarded one of the later shuttles down to the swim start.  The shuttles ran until 8:30am but my swim start was at 9:55am... so I was trying to get on the latest shuttle I could!  The shuttle ride was quick and the athletes were friendly, so it was a nice ride down to T1a!

There was a pretty hilarious commentary from folks getting off the shuttle and heading down to T1a... Everyone took a look at where/how they wanted us to set up our transition bags (to transport our gear after swim) and were saying how much of a mess it looked like and how insane the hill looked coming out of the water.  I also had so much time there, I made friends with the other folks in the later swim waves who were also patiently waiting to begin their race.  I met some really nice athletes from the Golden Gate Tri Club and appreciated their company!  It was also really cold (40F for shuttle ride) at the start for the early waves but the fog lifted by the time I got in the water, and I was sweating in my wetsuit after walking about 100m down to the swim start!

Note to self:  wait until the very last minute to zip up your wetsuit if it is getting warmer!  I waited a while but ended up in the full suit for about 10min prior to the start, and that was way too long!
  
We had 5 minutes to warm up after the prior wave started, and I was excited to get into the water!  I found a good starting position in the front/center and went hard from the start.  Unfortunately, as I tried to keep on feet of front few gals the two ladies next to me decided to simultaneously swim into me, and then I couldn't catch the leaders since I had to completely stop and swim behind/around my new sidekicks.  No worries - I probably couldn't have kept up with the first swimmer as she swam like a dolphin!  The kayakers were really great at keeping us on track as we navigated the busy course.  I swam a little wide on the return trip by accident (rectangular course, diagonal from shore) as I was sighting off the exit buoy rather than the line of intermediate buoys.  I also somehow swam through a bunch of tree branches, twice?  I am still not sure how there was a tree underwater or why the paddleboard dude didn't warn anyone (since he was right there?).  The first shrubbery/tree I was able to navigate through, but the second forced me to stop and go around.  Will have a better strategy next time and will hold a tighter line to buoys!  (we were the last wave before relays so it was interesting out there by the time we hit the water... So many people all over the place!)  I definitely need to go for a few more open water swims to work on sighting/navigating.

View from the hike back to the car from the expo... Lake is out there somewhere! We need rain here in CA!!!

T1: 8:23 

T1 consisted of a T1a, where we scaled a long hill / boat ramp and packed up our wetsuit/swim gear to be transported to finish, and T1b where we got all our bike gear.  This transition time wasn't too bad for running up a huge ramp and packing all swim gear plus unpacking my bike bottles/bike gear I dropped the night before at T1b.  

Run 1: 2.2mi between T1a & T1b

This was a somewhat conservatively paced run on sandy trails... I actually had not seen this part of the course yet, and figured it would have been flatter than it was, but it was a nice challenging warmup for the bike!  Always great to run up two different steep boat ramps in one run!!!

Bike: 24.8mi,  1:34:30

After getting on my bike, I did ok at maintaining good pace throughout using Coach Jim's technique of rocking out to some heavy metal/rock in my head!  I passed a ton of people (which was new for me!) and no one in my AG passed me.  I even made it up some of the less steep inclines in the big chain ring without realizing it until the top, so at least I was trying to push the pace as much as possible.  The course was super crowded at this point and passing was actually really difficult in a few sections which also slowed me down (can't believe I am even saying this - I am not complaining, but just an observation, as I was apparently on a mission out there!!!).  Why don't people ride to the right!?!  This was actually driving me nuts for a while, but then I really didn't want to be the jerk yelling on the bike at such a low key event.  Seriously though, I have never seen so many people riding in the center/left of the lane... slowly... with oncoming traffic/racers in the other lane!!!  AAAAHHHH! :)  I am assuming they didn't realize the older gals were coming through to destroy the old guys up those hills! :)  Kidding...  Next race I'm sure I'll get put in my place even verbalizing that here!  I also learned here that it is really easy to just follow everyone else riding casually through the course at that time.  Caught myself a few times starting to sit back more comfortably since everyone else seemed to be doing the same since it was a pretty tough ride... but then I snapped out of it quickly!  This bike portion provided excellent mental training! 

T2: uneventful, 2:30

 

Run 2:

This second run was not terrible, but also not great.  I started off ok... I was moving past people, but I think I was starting to feel the heat pretty early into this run.  I also realized I should have taken in more salts earlier in the race.  I ran/walked intervals up the big hill and realized that if I am walking, I can still walk/hike with purpose!  FYI: The race officials weren't kidding about the run being hilly - some stairs out of transition to set the tone and a mile long hill toward the beginning!?!  Awesome!  I took a few walk breaks throughout the run course to drink more sports drink, which I managed to add to my bottle this time :) and finally took off like a crazy person down long Lynch Hill toward the finish.  If I wiped out doing this it would have been spectacular, but ugly!!!  Luckily I managed to keep my feet under me the entire time! 

I also saw some really interesting stuff out there on the run course: good running costumes, a full moon at one station, a beer bong at an unofficial aid station...and witnessed 2 college guys actually visit this station while on course, which was hilarious.  Much more tame than stories from previous years, but still very entertaining!

Total run time:  56:13

Rockin the new RPM tri jersey!

Finish time: 3:10:01 (6th AG, 37th female) 

I don't usually write about my place/how I did overall, but this might be my best finish (ever) at a bigger event, so I felt I needed to write it down for encouragement for future racing!  

Not too bad for my 4th olympic distance race ever!  I shouldn't be surprised that I still have so much to learn when looking at my race history... I apparently used to just enter random races that sounded interesting without really paying much attention to what I was doing at any of them.  This is totally great for having fun experiences and getting to know the sport, but it might be a tough way to learn how to race hard!  The only other olympic distance tris I've done are NYC in '08 (really unique event!), Mermaid Santa Cruz '13 which was pretty challenging 2 weeks after my Tahoe DNF (felt like I needed to finish a race!), and then the Desert Tri last year ('14) with the RED team.  All really different races, but great experiences!

Here are a few random side notes:

Notes on Transitions...

* I shouldn't have racked the bike the night before if I wanted to save T1/2 time...I had to leave most of the gear in my bag for the most part because it was super windy, so that meant unpacking/sorting for T1b/T2.  Even 2 min saved in transition would have made a big difference in the racing side of things... I didn't expect to be that close to the leading gals in my AG.  Now I know better!  :)

packed a donut as a post race treat!

Notes on Race Nutrition...

* This could still use some work! I had my usual oatmeal breakfast (w/ almond butter, craisins), and some snacks while waiting for the swim (banana, few bites of rice cake).  Out of the water, I ate a Honey Stinger gel and a few gulps of sports drink to fuel the 2mi run.  On the bike I had 2 bottles of Scratch Labs lemons & limes, a picky bar, 2 gels, and 2/3 sleeve of shot blocks.  This was too much as it was heavy in my stomach during the run.  Next time I may stick to gels/blocks and avoid solids for this distance race. On the run I drank Scratch Labs Orange (in my run bottle) and had 1 gel (about 20min into the run).

 

 

Notes on the Event...


* I am really glad I experienced Wildflower - such a cool event!  Incredibly well organized for what I can only imagine is one big logistical nightmare. 

* It was good to get a slight lay of the land on Saturday, and I met some great folks during that excursion.  

* Most people I met were really cool at this event!  It was so great to be at an event with a lot of good athletes (many folks rockin Kona gear / racing fast) but very few DBs (most of the DBs probably aren't tough enough to handle the ego crushing course or the crazy encouraging college kids everywhere).

* This course has the best volunteers!!! Hands down, the most enthusiastic I have ever seen!  Many of them college students who were super thrilled to be out there for the weekend.  Thanks so much to all of you for the cheers, the help on course, and the "splash" on the run course (they ask, and then throw much appreciated cups of water at you as you run by).

 
* Thanks Coach Jim, for dealing with my ridiculousness and helping me learn a ton each race!  I am really proud to be able to race these tough events and finish strong!  After this race, I am definitely eager to get out there and have another go at pushing the pace, all race!  


Ready to RACE HARD! 

Let's Get RED! 

Ready to RACE HARD - My Favorite Race Day Tips!

Amateur Hour: Things I learned by listening to the best... or the hard way, by making countless race-day mistakes!


It's race week again, woohoo!!!  
To celebrate the awesome occassion of a few friends racing their first tri ever (Go Bri!) or first Olympic-distance tri (Go Amanda! Go Matt!)... I wanted to share a few things to help make race day more fun.  I approach each new experience as an opportunity to learn something, and I've gathered some tips that I use to help me tri to RACE HARD each time I toe the line.
Please note: my blog is titled Lost in Transition... and I am an everyday AG athlete... Use these tips with caution! :)

always have smileys on your swim cap :)

MENTAL PREP: TRAIN YOUR BRAIN

• Think positive thoughts!  Before IM CdA last year, I tweeted something positive every day starting one month before race day.  I also tried to train / race with a few mantras.  There are actually quite a few pros who use these techniques as well.  An excellent article about the power of positivity and training your brain is Chrissie Wellington's article for CNN.  (See some more great examples and tips on her blog and her 220 Triathlon article).  For a great article on using mantras, check out Jesse Thomas' Triathlife column on Mantra Power.  Having a positive attitude and drawing up on positive memories from training / life definitely keep you moving forward no matter how your race day unfolds.

Aero HC water bottle all marked up & ready to race!

• Add positive messages & smileys to your gear!  I always mark up my swim cap, write on my water bottle, as well as rock a smiley on my calf when I race (if they do calf body-marking), because it helps to have something close by to make me smile and keep me motivated out there on the course!  Plus, these things give you perspective and can be a great reminder to not take yourself too seriously (even if you are trying to be the best at exercising!).

• Draw strength from successful past workouts when times get tough during a race.  This goes along with the positive thoughts mentioned above / mantras.  There are probably some workouts that stand out in your head because they were rough, but they marked a turning point, a new milestone, or just a day where you survived a tough workout.  One workout I drew upon last year was my longest run heading into IMCdA... I was feeling aweful from something I ate.  So bad I had to run home to use the restroom, ate some pretzels to settle my stomach, and then headed out to finish the workout.  Knowing I could rally past feeling so terrible told me I was ready! (and hoped not to revisit that feeling)  I can still remember the song playing on my playlist when I reached the end of that tough workout and it was about a year ago now! 

Surviving the frigid swim at my first iron-distance race (IM Tahoe) was a huge victory after a complete mid-water melt down. (I later DNF'd after missing a bike cutoff, but that swim is still the toughest I've completed to date!)

Blazeman roll across the IMCdA finish line

• Be inspired by others.  Find people who inspire you and focus on them while training or racing.  Thinking about my new tri friends and my teammates from camp keep me moving on tough training days.  I can hear them cheering from afar on race day!  I also try to support great causes whenever I can.  Consider becoming a charity racer for a cause you hold dear at a big race - this gives you additional motivation to push yourself and cross that finish line!  If you have never watched the IMWC coverage of John Blais racing in 2005 or the first Blazeman Warrior, Brian Breen, racing in 2006, you should check both out and Blazeman roll over your next finish line!  

GEAR PREP:

  See full-size, triathlon race day packing lists below!

 

• Make a packing list...& check it twice!  Lists help you make sure you bring any/all gear you might need... Be creative on this one and consider all types of weather depending on the time of year / location.  In CA, our weather changes all the time and each area has really distinct weather patterns.  You may need to plan for fog, cooler temps in the morning (jacket/sweatshirt) but hot sun in the afternoon (tank top/sunscreen).  Bring a headlamp if it will be dark in transition.  Be sure all your gear is ready to go and in good working order before traveling to the race site.  Use the USA Triathlon app so you don't have to remember your card!

Pack a post race donut! (these were for WF)

• Bring familiar foods to snack on during all your registration / check in craziness, race day breakfast, and even pre-race dinner!  You may also want to pack a special post-race treat! 

Hiking back to the car after WF check in

• Be early for packet pickup / race gear drop off.  If you plan to go early, then you'll still have plenty of time if something comes up or travel takes longer than planned.  Take your time and stay relaxed during check in as best you can.  Bring snacks and sports drink to stay fueled - at some races, check in may involve a hike or spending a long time in the sun!  Be sure to check out the course and all entrances/exits from transition.

RACE DAY:

• Swim: don't focus on how far the course looks in open water!  You've swam that distance in training (or close to it) and are fit enough to make it through no problem!  Also: the swim portion is a full-contact sport.  Don't freak out if you get hit / pushed under the water / swum over.  Usually this happens by accident because triathletes tend to not always swim in straight lines and don't always have the best control over their limbs in water.  If this happens, take a moment to catch your breath, get your bearings and get back to your race!  Harness the awesome power of Dory, and "just keep swimming!" 

HITS Napa Valley Full/Half swim course

focusing on the bike...

• Bike: Sing a heavy metal song to yourself to keep moving fast!  I tried this last race...and it worked!  Thanks for the tip, Coach Jim.   :)  Rock on!

• Have a plan & stick to it!  It always helps to plan ahead.  If you took the time to train be sure to spend some time making a race day plan: What are your goals for the day? What are your goals for each part of the race?  Also, have some ideas of what to do if your race doesn't go according to the original plan... Being prepared will help you stay calm no matter what happens.  For example, think about your race day nutrition...What if you have GI distress or even start puking?  (see Coach Jim's IM Cabo race report)  What food can you eat to settle your stomach?  What if that first choice isn't available?  (side note: if you do have an upset stomach... try bananas or pretzels - they both help!) 

• Don't be a DB (or Aero A-hole).   I don't like to sound negative, but this is really the only thing you should NOT do on race day (other than cheat, because cheaters never win). There is no reason to act like a jerk!  These races are for fun, and unless you are pro, winning isn't your job, so calm the heck down and try encouraging others to play your sport rather than intimidating them.  If you meet a DB out there, ignore them (see below) and be sure to remind them that second place is first loser.  If that doesn't shut them up, then remind them that they can have ice cream after the race but they don't get any sprinkles, because sprinkles are for winners.

• Ignore the unfriendly folks & don't let anyone's muscles, fancy gear, or bragging about past events get to you.  You worked hard, so trust your training and race your own race!  Don't hang out at any race registration too long if hearing people brag about post races gets you down.  Also know that all you need to race a tri is a swimsuit, goggles, helmet, bike, sneakers, shirt / shorts, and your heart.  Fancy gear doesn't make you race well - YOU make you race well!  Stick to your plan and kick butt on the course!

Thanks Coach Jim! (thanks Megan for the photo!)

• Believe in yourself & believe in your coach!  Trust your training!  On race day, keep your goals realistic (and don't be afraid to adjust them as needed - anything can happen out there!).  Stay focused, have fun, and celebrate your training with a great day out on the course!  For some great advice on believing in yourself and your coach, check out the latest RPM blog post by Coach Jim.

• Race with what you've got!  You may have also heard the saying: train your weakness, race your strength.  Keep in mind this awesome quote from Laurel Wassner:  "It's about using what you have - doing the best you can do with what you possess. Not worrying about what others have or what could be better... and do it with a smile!" (from @athletestyle instagram) (Laurel and Rebecca Wassner are 2 of my favorite athletes!).  Also see Rinny's inspiring Kona performance from 2014 when she broke her marathon course record and won despite starting the run 14 minutes behind the leader!  

Try your best to smile at the end of every race & thank all those who helped you!

• Race with gratitude!  You don't have to race; you get to race, so please be grateful to those who helped you get there and who are helping you on race day!  Say thanks to the volunteers whenever possible!

• Be proud of finishing & smile regardless of how the day goes!

Remember to have fun out there & always RACE HARD!

swim gear packing list

bike gear packing list

run gear packing list