Irongirl Race Report From 6/28/2009

If you are reading this here and have read it before, I flushed this out so it has more detail (read that as it's longer).

So, I did Irongirl. Let me just say, that this event rocked. But of course it had huge sponsors hence huge support for the race. But it was mainly the finish line/transition area which was majorly different. Ok, let’s be honest, maybe it was me because I wasn’t near the dead last back of the pack? Hee hee, it tickles me pink to say that. Anyway, I was up with the dickens at 230am. I rolled out of bed, threw my stuff in the car and I was out the door at 245am. I arrived at my mom’s house because she was to be my sherpa since Robert was away at a football camp working. So after making me wait 10 minutes in my car at 3am (not happy), we left her place by stone mountain and headed towards Lake Lanier. We were the first ones there at 415am LOL. It was so sweet because I parked at the parking lot directly across from the transition. This is where they told us not to park yesterday and I full on knew that. (I’m laughing on the inside!) But there was no way in hell you were going to get me to park .5miles away with several hills and get me to walk that in the pitch black darkness. Yea. No way Jose. So me and my mom park then nap for about 15 min. Then I see one lady getting out of the car. She’s methodically packing everything in her bag and then I see it. She bends down and wraps her timing chip around her ankle. And there she goes...I let out of few choice words (I repented and asked forgiveness from my mom) as I realized my timing chip is safe. At home on my couch!! *hand hits head* ROOKIE MISTAKE!!

We run to transition where I quickly set up my transition area and spent the next 15 minutes trying to track someone down to get a timing chip. I finally found a timing guy who gave me a chip and all was well in the world. So then I just hang out and wait for the festivities to begin. And I will never get over how scary a lake appears in complete and utter darkness. Seriously. Freaky man.

600 yd swim. That’s 1/3rd of a mile right? Yea. I think so. Anyway, that was the swim. Let me tell ya it looked wayyyy longer in open water than in a pool. Where is my nice convenient wall to do a flip turn on?! But honestly. I walked down 20min before race time. By myself and 911 of my best friends. I just wanted to be alone with my thoughts remembering that a. it’s a race against yourself and b. to race the race in 3rds. This was our (me and my coach’s) strategy to this race. I think last year I got so caught up in racing *against* someone that I got so discouraged when I got passed. But trying to remember to stay within myself was something I’ve been dealing with mentally all season This season alone has been completely full of revelations, but that’s another post/blog.. And can I tell you, “THANK THE HEAVENS ABOVE THAT I AGED UP!” Those young whippersnappers are brutal on the swim. *laughing at myself as I’m only 29* I walked in the water and decided that I was not going to warm up IN the water. Honestly, I just didn’t want to freak out. Lol. A week or so ago I went swimming in the lake and saw the bottom of the lake – FREAKED ME THE HELL_OUT. That’s what I was concerned about …Dear God, please let that lake be murky. Amen. I just waded in the water and stretched and peed about 3 times just standing in the lake. What?! I was nervous. So we see the pro’s off. That means I start in 10min. (pros = another blog) It’s a running start! No way! Awesomeness. So I stay wide and to the right and off I go. I skimmed the buoy and I was immediately in open water. AND I COULD NOT SEE THE BOTTOM! Very important note. I stayed clear of everyone and passed a couple of people in the previous waves. I was in a groove trying to keep my form. All in all it was a great open water swim. I couldn’t have been more pleased. Was I a little slower than I expected? Yep. Will I probably start swimming with Dynamo? Yepper. But, I was faster than a lot of people

Then out the water and there’s this HUGE hill to get up to the transition area. Huge hill of suckiness. I walked. Yes. I was not going to be dying trying to run up a hill. When I got to the top my mom was at the corner cheering for me. All I could say as loud as I could was, “MAN that hill SUCKED_.” Laughter ensued, but I was completely serious. The only thing was I don’t know where the timing mat was out of the swim. If it was up the hill then this adds about 2 min to my swim time. If it was at the bottom than it adds 2 min to my transition time. Oh well. Then I ran into transition and got ready for the bike. I was slow because I was catching my breath and I knew I wanted to be aggressive with the bike. Again, part of strategy.

Swim: 15:01
T1: 4:26 *you are out of your mind if you tought I'd include a swim picture*

18 miles. Here we go. Grab the bike and hit the mount line, flew down the hill in aero and I was gone like the wind! I literally said to myself, ok, “this is what I do” out loud. Going down the hill out of transition I heard my mother screaming, Tom first then Juanice. All I could say was, *sup*. They probably didn’t hear me though LOL. This bike was HILLY. BUT, it’s no worse than what I ride with Juanice and Tom on Saturdays. It felt like hill after hill for the first 3 miles. I hate the first 3-4 miles of any ride. Really, this entire time I’m thinking why the hell am I on this thing. By then I was warmed up. I was flying. Picking people off and finding a group of people I could pace with. Again, staying within myself. I dropped my chain TWICE. On 2 separate hills. Hopped off, hopped back on and flew. Really it was just an awesome bike. I surprised myself. Really, I did. I felt great and pushed it at every possible point. There were hills where I tucked and easily reached 30-40mph. Screaming ON YOUR LEFT the entire 18 miles. THAT was awesome. This comes back to me on the run LOL I am so unbelievably pleased with this bike I could spit. When I saw the first pro at around mile 9 I knew I wasn’t sucking too bad. I was right! *fist pump* the only thing is, if you are new to riding and you hear someone screaming on your left; move over to the right dammit. *coming from a rider who almost crashed several times because of people not responding to the phrase*

Bike: 1:22

hot huh?! Coming in for the finish!

The run. Ohhh the run LOL. I knew it would be rough but all I kept thinking was just get through it. I’ve been inconsistent with my run since ING. And just having felt like I’ve been put through the ringer mentally just kinda took its toll with my run. But that’s no excuse. I just wasn’t consistently training my run and that’s the truth. But, again, I heard and saw my mom, Juanice, Tom and smiled, then laughed and tried to just do my best. Hell_I knew I had to finish the race right?! No way to do that but to run the 5k. Off I went. I mainly walked the 1st half because well, I just couldn’t get going. I was talking very positively to myself and just tried to walk with a purpose and run when I could. I saw the pros – that was awesome. One girl got help from Helen Libby and I was thinking, “I wonder if she KNEW who just ran a mile to get her Gatorade!!!!” That was cool. I also saw a new friend Jamie I met on BT – she was coming back heading to the finish. She yelled, “come on Latrina you can do it!” I yelled back, “Thanks Jamie!” and kept going. It was hilly. But fun! You could hear the finish line for about 1 so that was awesome. I hit the turn around and ran most of the way back. I was happy for that. But I had fun. I talked to a few ladies about random stuff and just tried to stay positive and have fun and I did. Then this lady caught up with me on the run and put her hand on my shoulder, “on your left!” I started laughing. She said ya know, “I could hear you when you were riding! I sure was tired of hearing on your left.” I just laughed and we chatted a bit before we hiked up the last hill.
And down the finish chute. THAT was awesome. My mom ran with me for a little bit and rooted me on from behind. Then I saw Juanice with the camera and just tried to get my feet turned over down to the finish. THAT was awesome. Even though pace wise it sucked, mentally I had a great run.

Run: 50:11?

So. There ya go. I completed Irongirl Atlanta. I finished with a time of 2:34!!! I said 2:34!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 738/912 That may be horrible for some, but for me…not really. My swim and bike are solid middle of the pack numbers. I realize that if I get my run time together I will be SMACK DAB in the middle of the pack. Middle of the pack?!?! Me!!! I easily had a hundred or 2 people pass me on the run. But no pity party here! That made me happy to realize that it’s only my run that is my weakness. And I can fix that. It will take a lot of hardwork, but it’s totally fixable. But it’s something I partly knew already, but my bike fitness has been solidified in my head and that feels great. I’ve been SOOO hard on myself these last few months. It’s been hard mentally. Really, it has. So to have a great race, made me feel so good. I STILL feel good. I’m largely aware of where I am in the positive space in my head and plan to take full advantage. So, if you see me, the first thing you should ask me is, “have you run?” LOL

I'm gonna be famous! Check out the NBC camera next to me!

And I’m going to have to give big kudos to my mom who was a great Sherpa in the absence of my man. WTG mom! It was so funny because she goes I’m going to get hungry and need food and such. I calmly said, “No you won’t, you’ll be too caught up in the excitement.” When I say she was excited after the race, she was SOO EXCITED! She just made me laugh because she was like, “you are right! That was so fun! I can’t wait till you do another one!” Ha. She had fun so that was fun.

Mom and I after the race

ha! I had a whole crew at the race. That's Steve and Emily (group I ride with and the guy who taught me to ride, and Tom *Juanice is the paprazzi*)