Pictures from Cedar Point

It took me a few days to process everything out. Truth of the matter is, I was sick. There's nothing I could do about being sick. Had I not been, I would have finished the day as an ironwoman. That's the risk you take when choosing to do epic endurance racing. You put all eggs in one basket and that basket has got to hold steady. Surprisingly, I'm okay with all this. There will be other races. For now, I'm just laying low and continuing to swimbikerun for fun.

I've finally downloaded all the pictures Dave took from Cedar Point. There's not all that many of them since the day stopped half way through the bike, but I thought I'd share what I had.

Mine's the midget bike.

REALLY not looking like I'm feeling good.

But, giving the double thumbs up that the first half of the swim has gone well and I'm okay.

Pointing to Rachelle, showing she was right beside me. This was funny as we had discussed we were doing the whole racing holding hands.

And this is what I looked like after midnight, completely drugged up and barely able to keep my eyes open having spent the whole day tossing my cookies. Good times!

Decision Made

Man, I hate making decisions. Today I made an extremely difficult decision for myself. I was feeling a lot of pressure about it, and I was up against a deadline, and I just had to do it.

I decided not to return to Team Trakkers/Rev3 in 2012.

I'll probably kick myself for that decision as this may be the best opportunity that ever comes around for me as an athlete, but in my heart I know I made the right decision. Here's why...

I really dislike Twitter. I just don't get it. Facebook I get. You actually know the people on Facebook, they're real-life people, so when you make a statement or respond to somebody, you feel like you're having a conversation with them or actually contributing. Twitter moves much quicker than that. To me, it feels like any status you put out there is interrupting somebody's conversation with somebody else. Maybe I'm just not on it enough. And yet, that's where most of my teammates hang out. And Twitter is the reason I feel like not part of this team anymore. Last year I felt warm and accepted and this year I just feel on the outside. I just don't have the time to keep up with all the social media and I don't want to either. I haven't been on Twitter in months and I don't envision myself logging in again.

And then there's the sponsors. I have been on other sponsored teams where you are basically a billboard for that sponsor. This has not been like that. Our sponsors treat us really well. We get great gear, gadgets, products, and discounts. I really couldn't ask for more. But, I wouldn't define myself as a typical triathlete either. I am not a gearhead. Maybe I spent too many years as a runner before jumping in the triathlon game, but I was pretty set in my ways with what I liked before I switched to tris. I have worn the same running shoes (brand and model) for like 4 or 5 years now. I have found nutrition that works for me. I have been a swimmer all my life and like what I use to remove chlorine from my hair. And although I have sponsors that provide me these things, I'm not using any of it. I like what I like. And I'd like to tell others what I like and why, a la Steve in a Speedo, but I can't. I will never be a pro and will never get to choose my sponsors, but I am willing to spend my own money on good products that work for me and I want to be able to give those products props for being good.

Finally, and the most important reason why I'm not returning, is that after The Big One!!! in a few weeks I have one more race on the schedule in January and then that's it. I don't intend to put together a race schedule for 2012. I'm not sure I'll even do any races at all. Sure, I'm going to keep swimming and biking and running and getting fit, but there WILL NOT be an ironman or even a half ironman on the schedule. I'm even of thinking of switching from the marathon to the half marathon in January. I want to get some of my speed back and just have fun at some of the local races. I will continue to support Rev3 as I believe in Charlie and his company, but I can't travel all over the place to race or volunteer. Financially, it's just not possible. Plus I have a business to run and it's season is the same as racing season.

I have had a great time being part of this team. I wouldn't trade it for anything. I have met amazing people and have been given opportunities that I'm not worthy of. It's time to move on and pursue other interests. Thank you, thank you, thank you to Carole, Charlie, and my teammates for letting me be part of the ride.

Rev3 Knoxville Olympic Triathlon 2011

Last year I raced seven races total. Sunday was my seventh race of the season and my third triathlon. I feel like I've gotten a good jump on the year and have settled into my goals and expectations. I was ready. I was SO ready!

I slept great Saturday night and woke up Sunday hungry--hungry to eat up the course. I had established two goals for myself: PR and place in the top ten of my age group. I was ready to eat those for breakfast. I got to the course early, set up my stuff, and waited around patiently. I would be in the very last wave.





As we headed down to the swim start, I did get a little nervous about the swim, but overall I was excited and ready to tackle the day. I was here last year, had previewed the course again this year, have had GREAT training in the last couple of weeks, I knew exactly what to expect. Finally, my wave was called and we headed down the dock and into the water.

Look how calm I look before this race!

I'm the tiny one about to jump in.

I never know where to line up for a swim start. I know I am a strong enough swimmer that I should position myself nearer the front, but I really don't like the crowds. I am not good at drafting and I don't like to be around other people when I swim. Unfortunately there wasn't a whole lot of time to find the right position as the horn sounded and we were off. And I, of course, was right in the middle of a gazillion bodies. I kinda panicked. I treaded water for a good amount of time and actually said to myself, out loud, "this isn't worth it. I'm gonna swim over to those rocks and quit." But, I didn't. I pulled myself together, found space, put my face in the water, and just swam. And then I started to catch people. A lot of people. People in my wave, people in the wave before me. Before I knew it, the swim was done. I rolled myself onto the dock, started running up the dock, and then error #5 of the weekend happened: I couldn't get my wetsuit off.

See, I'm stuck!!!

I had, stupidly, put my watch on the outside of my wetsuit and the wrist cuff had gotten stuck. Really stuck. So stuck that I screamed at Dave when I saw him near transition, "I'M STUCK!" He and another volunteer pulled and pulled, which really hurt, until my hand popped out. I lost good time and my Garmin had gotten all screwed up in the process. Finally into transition, I had to restart my watch and would just wonder and do a little math for the remainder of the race to figure out how I was doing overall.

Swim - 30:20, 2:06/100m pace, 10/25 AG (All the swims were slow this year. I hear the course was a little long.)

T1 - 3:08 (This may have included the time I needed help getting my wetsuit off. I have no idea where the timing mats were.)



I have to admit, I love hills. I love to ride them. I love to run them. I enjoy the challenge. I love passing people. This bike course was made for me. I have worked for the last year on hills and I knew I was ready for a big bike day. I had something to prove. I started out conservatively, but made a conscious decision on the out and back portion of the course, "Meredith, you have got to go." I popped my bike into a big gear, which I never do, and pedaled as hard as I could. I raced up the hills. I pedaled every downhill. I stopped looking at my speed because I didn't want to freak out about it. Just go hard until the bike is over. I started to do a little math in my head. My goal was to go under 1:30 as last year I went 1:33. Soon I was realizing I was going to be in the 1:20s and before I knew it, I was back to transition in 1:22. Holy crap! I just became a legitimate triathlete.

Have you ever seen me smile getting off the bike?

Bike - 1:22:04, 18.13mph, 10th/25 AG (I was 12th AG coming off the bike.)

T2 - 1:15

Finally, I was out on the run, but things didn't seem to be clicking like they normally do. I saw Dave and said, "I may have spent too much on the bike." He told me I was within striking distance of several girls in my age group. I knew what I had to do: RUN! I didn't have the speed of last year, but I was still dropping 8:00s on the course. I was catching all kinds of people and soon found myself having passed 3 or 4 girls in my age group before the turn around. Right before the turn around, however, one very fast chick in my age group passed me. There was no way I could go with her. Turns out, she averaged 6:50s on the run. Yazow!



In the last two miles, I found myself in the land of men. I saw no women in front of me and knew I wasn't going to place any higher in my age group. I had no idea where I had placed, but I was pretty sure it was in the top 10 of the age group. My last mile was the hardest and slowest of the day. Had I known there was one more girl in my age group only 30 seconds in front of me, I probably could have found the strength, but as you can see, I was very much alone:

Looking very fit.

Run - 50:20, 8:06 pace, 7th/25 AG

I finished the race not knowing how I had done. Dave came running up to me and asked me what I thought? How big was my PR? Well, it was a 6+ minute PR. I had PRed on the bike by 11 minutes. I had made my goal and had finished in the top ten of my age group, taking home 8th place.

Total - 2:47:08, 8th/25 AG

This was a big breakthrough race for me. Finally, I feel like a real triathlete. I put together the total package: swim, run, AND bike. This was a real confidence boost for me. I can do this sport. I'm ready for the next challenge that lies ahead...

Motivation

My two months of gluttony off season is coming to an end. Monday, November 1st I return to organized training. Frankly, I'm ready to return. After two years of being coached, I have no idea what I'm doing on my own. The last two months I have been wandering aimlessly, running here and there, doing the swims posted at the pool, and not biking at all. I have big goals next year and I'm ready to focus and dedicate. But, I also know it's going to be a long, long journey towards 140.6 again. It takes a lot to stay focus, dedicated, and motivated. This week I've been prepping.

On the drive down to Louisville for the race, Dave handed me a big envelope full of encouraging cards and emails from friends and family. When things went bad in the race, I put them all back in the envelope and kept them there sitting on my bedroom floor. This week I got them out, reread them, and decide to use them as motivation. With most of the cards, letters, and emails I made this, which will sit in front of my bike this winter.


For years I've kept a journal about my running and racing. As the blog has progressed, I've gotten a little lazy about keeping up with that journal. I still write my race reports in the journal, but that's about it. My coach uses Training Peaks to communicate the daily workouts and therefore, I no longer keep a training log either. I really wish I had all my Ironman training workouts written down in a log so I can look back at that one day and say, "Wow, look what I did!". So, this week I bought myself a composition notebook and wrote down my first week's workouts and my weekly goals I've established for myself. I hope to continue to build this log and have something that's really interesting to look back on and be amazed.


The season's coming. And I'm ready.

Ironman and Rev3: A Comparison

I've run a lot of marathons and they've ranged in size from small (Towpath) to medium (Columbus) to large (Boston) to OMG! (Chicago). My favorite type of marathon is on the larger size. I like the spectacle of it. I like it to be an event instead of just a weekend run. I like traveling to the race and making it a vacation.

Having experienced both Ironman and a non-Ironman iron distance event this year, I would say the opposite is for triathlon for me. Ever since I tiptoed into triathlon years ago I have found the sport to be unbelievably intimidating. I think it's the equipment. I lovingly refer to triathletes as sheep. Yes sheep. :) Triathletes tend to follow trends and hold onto them very tightly. The gajillion dollar bikes. The compression socks. The sperm helmets. If they can afford it, they've got it. The other part that's been intimidating to me is the speed at which triathletes can bike. Seriously, how can you do that? Oh yeah, I know. You can't run. :) See you on the run, sucka!

Anyway, getting back to Ironman and Rev3. There were things I liked and thought needed work for both races.

Ironman Likes:

• Community supported. I'm convinced that a large portion cheering on the course were not family and friends of those doing the race.
• Volunteers aplenty. More volunteers than racers. 'Nuff said.
• Established. There will be another Ironman.

Ironman Dislikes:

• Having to decide a year in advance if you want to do the event with no escape plan.
• To me, it's a big spectacle that makes a person like me very, very nervous.
• Corporate greed. 'Nuff said. :)

Rev3 Likes:

• Small and friendly. It felt like a hometown race instead of a big spectacle.
• Not as many volunteers as IM, but friendly and super-knowledgeable.
• Family friendly. Yep, you can cross that finish line with the ones who supported you.
• There's a half option if that full is just too much for you.
• The swag is much better and FREE!

Rev3 Dislikes:

• Not as many volunteers so there weren't things like wetsuit strippers.
• Not every aid station had everything.
• The finish line was fabulous, however, I'm not really sure why it had to be IN the amusement park. For those of us who didn't have park passes, it wasn't very accessible and not a lot of space to watch.

With all this said, IF I decided to tri again next year it will be at Rev3 Cedar Point. I was much less nervous there and felt at home. To each his own...

Come Race With Me (and get a discount)!

Hey friends! Here's your chance to get into the Rev3 triathlon races and get a discount in the process. There are three races scheduled for summer 2010. First it's Knoxville on May 8th and 9th. I will be doing the Olympic distance tri in Knoxville. Then it's the Quassy race on June 5th and 6th in Middlebury, Connecticut.. Finally it's the Cedar Point race on September 12. Dave will be doing the full iron-distance race at Cedar Point, so I will be there too!

And when you go to sign up, please use the discount code Trakkers119 to receive a $10 discount. There is a contest going on for all Team Trakkers members. I need as many people to sign up using my code as possible. So, tell you friends and family about my blog and get them to sign up too. The prize is big and I'd really like to win.

See you in Knoxville in May!