Athena's revenge

Alright, alright… about last weekend’s National Capital Du:

International Distance = 5k run, 40k bike, 10k run. Just long enough to demand some endurance, and just short enough to need some speed. I make no claims for speed; my comparative advantage is merely in shuffling along forever at a given pace. Thus, I do relatively “worse” in these events. Hey, I’ll never place in the top 10 but that’s not the point is it?

All in all, it was a beautiful morning, and a lovely day for this event. I’ve learned some lessons since the last time (June), and I made these changes:

1. Took a couple of days off before the race to ensure I had juice into my legs. This included having beer and pizza with my friends the night before. From now on, I’ll try not to stew anxiously at home, trying to get to sleep early – this is a futile exercise. 5 or 6 hours is plenty.

2. I got myself all packed up and ready to go the night before, including pumping up my tyres! Even planned what to cook for breakfast, put my water bottle in the freezer, and chose my Gatorade flavour du jour. Really reduces stress on race morning.

3. Had a nice, easy spin to the race. This got the blood flowing and my head in the game. I got there in plenty of time, and was racking my bike a full hour before the event started… got a decent spot, had time to stretch, walk around, check out the “real” washrooms; I even managed to avoid those horrible Porta-potties this time!

4. Re-laced my shoes with Yankz. Highly recommended! My running shoes fit like a glove and are a cinch to get on and off. Avoids pressure spots on the top of the foot, too.

5. Actually ate breakfast before the race this time. Also brought emergency food in case I needed to eat during the bike split.

The race itself went ok… I usually find the Start line a bit intimidating, with all these super low-fat people in team suits, playing with high-tech gadgets, talking about their workouts. I self-placed near the back; my goal for this event was to give it 100% on the bike leg and just relax on the runs (i.e. the last 10k should not feel like hell). I have been so disappointed with my cycling this year… my power dropping, my positioning problems, etc. I know I’ll be lucky to match my average speed at last year’s Half Iron (30.8kph), and this alone is depressing. Considering all the work I’ve done, frustrating beyond belief.

First 5k out of the way, nothing eventful. T1 was quick; only shoes and helmet this time around. (My awful glove-tan is gone now; half the time I ride bare-handed). The run out was long though, and I got stuck behind some people who were practically STROLLING out of the transition area. I watched with envy as some guy did a flying start with his bike… click click click jump - WHOMP and he’s pedalling away. I poked along from a standing start and tried like mad to pass him later.

Gave it my best on the bike…. some crosswinds halfway down the loop really ate into my speed. Still fighting with my positioning and knew that my back would be killing afterwards… probably should raise bars for breathing, too. Still had more power last year with a less aerodynamic position. Anyways, I wasn’t passed by many girls… one was the eventual winner, and the other was this serious, super-lean chick (SLC) in a cut-away tri-suit. She said something to me as I was rolling along, minding my business on the right side of the lane. Not sure exactly what it was, but a bit snobbish, like “coming through”. I mean, yeah, she’s skinny and fast, ok … it just bothered me. Needless to say, when I caught sight of her again (about 500m from the dismount line), it became a personal test to ride in on her wheel. I let it all go, doing 38kph up that incline on Colonel By, passing several guys on the way (who probably thought I was an idiot for ripping out the last part when I should be spinning in preparation for the run). I didn’t care, it was a vendetta! Revenge of Athena on the SLC! I sprinted out of the corner and reached the line within one bike length of her. Ha!

So I booted my ass into T2 and stood there, blinking for a second, wondering if I was forgetting something (rack bike, helmet off, change shoes). It was so fast with those darn laces! And then with a grimace, I forced my poor legs out of transition… right on the tail of the same SLC. I allowed myself just one self-satisfied smirk before she took off ahead of me on her superior running legs.

Settled into the 10k run and tried to enjoy it… not surprisingly, passed often by people I’d beaten on the bike. Watched with envy as light, skinny girls with bulging arm muscles (what? from swimming?) practically FLEW over the course. Soon realized I’d never hit my 2h30 goal time… next year, gotta work on that running some more.

Happy to see the finish line (at 2:38), but had no juice left for a final sprint. After two bottles of water, a banana, a granola bar, some unflattering pictures (!) and good company, I was off to ease my aching legs with a nice spin home.

So far I’ve come… and yet, so far to go.