Sunday, May 20, 2012

Columbia Race Report Of Pain

Ah Columbia - the race where I ALWAYS seem to forget about how very big the hills are!  :)

Today I did my 6th Columbia.  I had my 2nd best time on the course (best time dating back to 2008 when ALL I did was short course) and was the 14th OA female/pro female.  I would rate my race as "okay" - certainly nothing spectacular but also not the disaster that it very well could have been.  More than anything I learned a lot today and for that I'm thankful!

Things I learned at Columbia 2012:

1) It's possible to go out TOO hard in the swim.  In Oceanside I didn't go out hard enough to stay with the pack.  I was DETERMINED to get the job done today.  Turns out though, that when you try to go out with the likes of Sara McLarty, Leanda Cave and other such swimming superstars, bad, bad, VERY bad things happen.  Needless to say, in the end, I swam 95% of the swim alone.  This was a painful lesson to learn.

2) I do really like to swim without a wetsuit.  And 70 degree water really isn't that cold.

Early morning fog on the lake.  Columbia is a beautiful place to race!

3) I learned how to start with my shoes on my pedals.  No laughing!  But this was always something I put off and said I'd learn "another year".  Well this is the year!  I can't be the only pro that doesn't do this.  So I figured why not try in a race when transitions really do matter BIG TIME!  I practiced about 10,000 times on Saturday and then did it just fine today.  I've been converted.  I still managed to have the 2nd slowest T1 (dang!) BUT I had the 5th fastest T2 which is seriously saying something when you are competing against ITUers!!!  :)

4) The fatigue you carry from training for an Ironman is the real deal.  I definitely felt it today, pretty much from the start.  Dirk warned me of it and I struggled with it mightily today but in the end, knowing I was going to be this tired still wouldn't have stopped me from racing.  I really love this race and I really love TO race.  I had a great time no matter the outcome.

5) I learned a little about myself today.  It was the first time in a pro race and one of the few times in ANY race where I really had to decide if I was going to give up.  This is where there is a big difference between AG and pro racing in my opinion.  It's much easier to give into the fatigue when you are racing for "nothing" vs an AG win or an elite amateur title.  I really struggled with my thoughts in the early stages of the bike because I couldn't wrap my head around suffering just for the sake of suffering.  And although I really wanted to "quit" I'm proud to say I eventually turned it around in my head.  This landed me my 2nd fastest run time on this course which is saying something considering I had legs of lead!  Really though what I learned is that there is a very fine line that we teeter on in races and if you can just keep on the good side, you'll be okay!

6) I also learned it's all about perspective.  I actually went a bit faster today than I did last year at this race and my bike and run times were faster than last year (yet my swim time dismally slower...).  Of course last year I was 2nd in the elite amateur race so I went home with a big award and a smile on my face.  This year I finished down in the pro field and left empty handed!  Yet last year I probably didn't give the race a second thought when it was over vs this year I feel as if I learned so much.  As the saying goes, can't win 'em all.  :)

All in all it was a great weekend.  I had so much fun with the Pittsburgh crew!  And we stayed with THE most awesome family, the Sproules!  THANK YOU SO MUCH CHRIS AND TAMMY (and Suzy for hooking us up with them!  :).  I really enjoyed getting to know a family in the area and of course it didn't hurt that they had two of the best dogs ever:

Meet Wrigley and Camden.  Yes, we want treats now please!

Most of all, I really enjoyed having my partner in crime (Oscar of course!) back in action with me.  I am so pumped that he will be at my next few races.  It makes a world of difference!  Now only 5 weeks until IMCdA!  Giddy up!  :) 

16 comments:

  1. Great race Beth! I wish I had been out racing Columbia this weekend but it is a tough race. Glad to see it was one of your best times and that you are hanging in there with the short course pros.

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  2. Way to go!!! Those ITU chicks are a whole different breed. Awesome job!

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  3. OLY race mid IM training, checked! That just sounds painful.

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  4. Ah, I love reading your race reports. You continue to inspire me. I am determined to get the T1 shoe placement down as well. But besides that, you offer so many nuggets to consider. All on tired legs, to say the least. Rock on.

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  5. Ah, I know the pain of racing short course in the middle of long course training. Great job (as always), it is your mindset and attitude as much as your talent that make you so great!

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  6. Awesome attitude! And I could never start with my shoes clipped in. Impressed you mastered it so quickly.

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  7. Nice job Beth!!! You've been working so so hard! To race a shorter fast race like that must have been Brutal on your legs! Amazing job and perfect lessons. Love it. And... I am still trying to get brave about leaving the shoes on the bike too... doh... you've inspired me.. Maybe I'll try on the next race.

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  8. So jealous you have perfected the flying mount! I keep saying I'm going to learn, but I'm a bit terrified of the idea. Way to mix up the Ironman training, I'm sure that will pay huge dividends in a few short weeks :)

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  9. Congrats Beth! Great perspective for sure and that is honestly the total truth. You are in the IM build and some of these girls are ITU girls for sure...but you are right - the dialogue that goes thru your mind when you are racing PRO and not leading or going after the "win" is a tough transition to make! BUT good for you for hanging tough and being a champ. Huge weekend for you! :) Enjoy the rest of the build for IM! :)

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  10. shoes on the pedals = you are my hero. I've tried it a few times and I am just a disaster! Congratulations on a HARD and TOUGH race!

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  11. so proud of you for racing the home race against some BIG names and for your transition manuevers! heck yea! that's huge
    this is so crazy but I had the WORST race mentally of my life ( will write about it soon) and I was about to quit on the bike and I totally thought to myself what you would do in that situation. I was thinking about the difference between you girls who have gone pro and us amateurs and that the biggest difference was not giving up. I learn so much from everyone's race reports about keeping your head in the game when it hurts and that you aren't always going to feel the best but you still gotta make something of it. so thank you for being an awesome example of that and somehow inspiring me with similar thoughts while we in the pain cave in different locations! too funny!
    eyes on the prize- CDA! forget the hurt on to the big goal!!!

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  12. I just need to get my transition down period. The whole shoe on bike thing and going is so cool, yet I would have fell over...Great job on your race!! CDA is going to be great!

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  13. Great work out there, Beth! Just think of what your tapered legs will be capable of doing! --Kendra

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  14. Haha, I swear those hills grew over the last year! I don't remember the run course hurting so much last year!

    Great job, esp. on your 2nd best run time... very impressive in the midst of a crazy training load!

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  15. Awesome race Beth! Those hills on the run course were more numerous and bigger than I remembered from last time. Just a few more weeks until CdA!

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