70.3 World Championship Race Report

My smile in this photo says it all! I was happy to cross that finish line but, knowing it was my last race for the season, I tried to really enjoy all the miles, even the hard ones. I have to thank those that helped me get to the start and finish line. For this one, getting to the start was the big accomplishment as I needed to earn my slot but also because I raced a half ironman in August, September and October, plus got that sickness that shall not be named in between it all. Huge thanks to Klavs and Magnus for always being my biggest cheerleaders! They are always with me in the swim, bike and run! Also to Fick PT and Performance, Breakthrough Orthopedics and our massage therapist, Jessica Johnson, for putting me back together and keeping me healthy! And to Campus Cycles for taking care of BMAFII and keeping him fast! And to all my teammates on The Cupcake Cartel, I Race Like A Girl and Waterfall Racing. The off-season is in full swing and can't wait to bring it in 2023!

The Swim

This is my least favorite leg of triathlon on any day but at least today the water was warmer than the air! I was shivering before the race, which caused me to burn more calories, plus I completely forget to take my pre-race UCAN Edge! This may have impacted my run later. I had plenty of time but was so focused on staying warm that I blew that. Because of the cold air and slightly cooler (but not bad!) water, I decided to use my neoprene swim cap under my race cap and neoprene booties. Those booties really saved my feet as we were walking in line to start on the cold ground. Since this is a championship, they start the swim in age group waves, which is different than other IM swims, where you line up based on your estimated time. I knew this would be a bit more chaotic once the faster swimmers from the next wave came and it was. For the first time ever, another racer swam over me and pushed me under. It freaked me out a bit and I said some bad words but then decided to just keep an eye out for the other age group swim caps and move aside if they were coming on me fast. That probably made for a slower swim but also calmer, which is my main goal in the swim. I was actually dreading getting out of the water because of the cooler air temps (30 something degrees Fahrenheit) but it was time to face the cold. I used the wet suit strippers, which may have been a bad idea since more of my body was exposed to the cold air before I got my gear bag. Once I got my gear, I really struggled to get things on. I planned to put on dry clothes to stay warmer, including a dry top, vest, compression sleeves, arm warmers, gloves and socks. It was so hard to get them on with my cold hands and wet body. It took me 13 minutes to get out of T1. That is a record for me, in the wrong direction! Things to work on… practicing putting on clothes when cold and wet and set a timer on phone for pre-race nutrition.

The Bike

I got on the bike, freezing and feeling a little out of it. There were so many women around me and it was really congested. I would call out “on your left” but people would not move over. This is typically when I go to work since the bike is my strongest but this race was just a celebration so I decided to ride and not get worked up about passing. Thankfully my hands warmed up really quickly, thanks to my awesome gardening gloves! Yes, I used gardening gloves! I had them as an option instead of my bike gloves so I could throw them away at an aid station as I warmed up. In looking at the forecast, I figured I would probably keep them on the whole time anyway but I could not believe how warm they were when I tested them the day before. They also have more grip than my warmest cycling gloves so I stuck with them, which turned out to be a great idea. Things got less congested once we started climbing and I was passing more people. I did find it interesting that no one talked AT ALL! I like to say nice things to people as I pass them but no one was saying anything. I’m sure some of it is because there are many different languages, but it felt a little lonely. I was able to keep up with nutrition on the bike (UCAN Energy, X2 Performance, salt and amino acids), which can sometimes be a struggle if it’s cold. Once we turned into Snow Canyon Park, I got ready for the four-mile climb. It was not too bad but I felt like it was easier last year. After the climb, it’s a really fast descent into town and T2. I felt better than I did last year (it was hailing last year!) but still need to work on my descending to keep my placement on the bike. Most of my gains come on the flats and climbs. I could see some teammates running up the first climb as I was coming into T2 and getting ready run uphill. Things I need to work on… descending, staying engaged and pushing when I know I’m not in contention for a top placement.

The Run

I got into T2 and actually moved pretty quickly through things. I know the start of the run is uphill so was mentally ready but it still sucks. After the slightly steeper climb out of the downtown, it’s a gradual uphill for 2 miles. They had us running through a golf course, which no one could see ahead of time so the terrain was a bit unknown. There were some rollers in there but I actually enjoyed running on the grass. I realized why, because the softer surfaces felt good on my foot and my foot was hurting on the harder surfaces. The pain was where I had torn my plantar plate in 2018. It’s been fine, after healing with stem cell injections, and this was the first time I felt pain again so it freaked me out. I started to walk a bit more as I’m a forefoot striker so every step on the run has impact on the plantar plate. I had made the decision to run in my carbon shoes but I knew they were on the last miles so that was probably not a good idea since there is less cushion as the shoe gets older. We got to another new area of the run course at the end of the first loop and I was already planning where I would walk in the second loop. There was more climbing than I expected since the course was “easier” than last year. Mentally, I was not prepared for that so I probably walked more than I should have. I also felt like I needed more calories as I was finishing the first loop (likely from pre-race nutrition mistake and cold temps) so grabbed a Maurten gel with caffeine. There is 100 mg of caffeine in one gel, which is a lot for me, so I usually suck on it over a few miles but I took this in more quickly. It definitely helped give me a boost as I ran uphill in the second loop. I then started with coke at mile 10 and that is like nectar from the gods! Quick burning sugar plus some caffeine but it burns fast so, as I tell all my clients, once you start with coke you need to stick with it. I took it again at miles 11 and 12. I also thought to myself that this is the last race of my season and, as much as I feel pain, I will miss it, so take in everything during the last few miles. I got to the chute and really looked around and enjoyed the crowd but I was pretty darn happy to cross that finish line! My overall race was slower than I expected and I know I could have pushed more than I did, but I also wanted to really enjoy it. Things to work on… making sure I’m in the right shoe for the race, keep pushing on the run, especially on the uphills, and run all the way through the finish so I get better photos (c’mon you know that’s important!). I need to keep working on the run, mentally and physically, but a finish, especially a World Championship is always something to be proud of. Now I’m ready for the off season, which includes some reflection on my last races and planning for the 2023 season!