It is Saturday, May 2nd just 2 weeks since I had completed a sprint triathlon and now I am going to attempt an Olympic distance event. What was I thinking? It has been three years since my last Tri, Ironman Boulder 70.3. I haven't done any races since then and now I will have completed two in 2 weeks of each other. I am sure this is one definition of 'Crazy'.
Esprit De She (by Lifetime) has been a race organization that I have been interested in since it's inception 3 years ago. It is a women's only event that really embraces the woman's spirit and encourages women to complete and compete in triathlon, duathlon and run events. It is a well run, well organized, volunteer heavy organization. Oh... and the SWAG, the glorious SWAG. Moxie cycling jersey, beautiful finishers medal (don't we all want great medals?), a bubbly bar with 2 free mimosas in souvenir GoVino glasses, and much more. The event distances for an International/Olympic distance are: 1.5- kilometer (.93 - mile) swim - 38.9 kilometer (24.16 - mile) bike. 10 kilometer (6.2 mile) run. I wasn't, surprisingly, nervous at all about the following days event. I knew I had completed a 70.3 distance event and recently had swam longer, ridden further and run further than these distances in training. I had some open water swim practice and I felt very confident and comfortable. I had timed my swim and I knew I could complete it in 35-40 minutes but I was allowing myself 50 minutes to get out of the water and I wanted to be done with the whole event in 4 hours. Myself and 3 friends (Kristen, Laura and Mairead) headed up from Tucson to prepare for our event.
We arrived mid-day to the Tempe Beach Park where we needed to do our packet pick up, mandatory meeting and rack our bikes. We were told the water temp was 77 degrees. Wetsuit legal, hooray! I realized I had lost a cap off my handlebars and was concerned I would have to find a bike shop near by but a local bike shop had a tent there at registration and handed me two, for free! I was very pleased.
I had not had an event where my bike was checked in the night before. It was hot outside and leaving them in the sun meant we needed to cover them and let a little air out of our tires. This was a first for me.
After our mandatory meeting, listening to the routes and turnaround points, we headed to grab a bite of food. We headed to Gordon Biersch for an early dinner. I ate the pecan crusted chicken sliders and sweet potato fries, yes and a Guinness. After dinner, around 7 we were off to our hotel to rest before our big day.
May 3rd, 2015 - I was up at 4am, braided my hair, ate oatmeal and a half of bagel with peanut butter, double checked my groovy Pink TYR gear bag and then headed out to our transition location to get ready for the event ahead of us.
Walking through the transition area standing in line for bodymarkings (age, number and event distance) I noticed so many ThirtyOne bags being used as transition bags. My heart was full (as I am a consultant). Cindy Moore would be proud.
After body marking I set up my transition. I have had a goal to see how light I can make my transitions. Having my new Tri Suit for my RACE Team Tucson Club proved valuable. I had a chamois handy to dry off with and laid out my transition. It was simple and easy. I loaded my bike up with my bottles, put on my wetsuit and was ready to hit the water. Still very calm and not a hint of nerves. Nutrition: 1 Salted Watermelon Gu to start
We went to the swim start to wait in our swim waves. We got the word that the water temperature was wetsuit legal...YAY!
Our waves were marked by the color swim cap we were given. We got pink. Of course this made me very pleased. Queue the song "Pretty in Pink". While waiting it was getting very warm. We started later than planned but this delay allowed for my family to arrive at the start of the event, just in time. I was so excited to see them there and be able to give them all a hug. This was the first triathlon event my kids would watch me complete. I was proud. The first wave went in. I was still not nervous and the only thing I was concerned about was starting my Garmin 310XT in its Multisport mode. I had not used it before in this mode. I forgot to hit start at the Sprint Triathlon and I really wanted to make sure I hit start on time for this event. Time for our wave to go in. I hit start on my Garmin. I dove in the water (which they said not to do, oops) and then completely panicked...hyperventilating from the moment my toes hit the water. What just happened? Why is this happening? I couldn't breath. I wanted to quit. I keep telling myself. "I can't do this for a mile". I got to a kayak and held on hoping to catch my breath. It wasn't working. I moved forward as best as I could to the next Kayak. "I can't breath" "I can't do this", is all I could say. I looked toward the shore line and saw my family. They were all cheering me on. (They didn't know it was me. They were just cheering on that person in the water who was obviously a slacker and by all accounts looked like she couldn't swim.) The lifeguards in the kayaks kept saying "You got this", "You can do it". My family cheering, my brain saying give up and then saying why....you can do this. You have swam longer distances, you know how to swim, you are a good swimmer, catch your breath, take it easy...don't rush it. Then my family heard me say, "I can't do this". "Oh my gosh it's mom/Torie" they were saying. Then all I heard was Go Mom, Go Torie, from my family and our friend Eric. I put my head in the water and kept swimming.
Once I rounded the first buoy things started to get a little easier. There were swimmers still around me so I was feeling better and as I was more relaxed I found myself passing a few people. I was quite amazed at this since I was so far behind everyone, it boosted my confidence.
I would roll on my back from time to time, and just keep moving forward. The water temperature was really great and every now and then I would put a little water in my suit, I could feel the cool and that helped keep my from getting too warm. I could see just about to the tips of my fingers in the water and eventually I could swim comfortably just not consistently. I took a break around every 12-16th stroke and this seem to get me through the catastrophe that started me out. When I saw the final buoy I knew I was going to be ok. The volunteers lifted me up and out of the water and before I knew it I was covered in wetsuit strippers. It was the craziest, coolest process and within seconds I was out of the water, wetsuit off and running to transition. Official swim time: 48:02, Yay, under 50 minutes.
The transition to the bike was very easy. I didn't even dry off. It was already so warm outside I opted to drip dry on the bike. Helmet on, shoes on, sunglasses on and I put on my bike gloves as I ran/walked my bike out of transition. I was so happy to be headed out on my bike and no longer be in the water.
T1 time: 2:58
The bike was a two loop course and a series of turns. At the mandatory meeting the day before they explained the course and it sounded so complicated but once I was out there I was really comfortable. It was well marked and again, many great volunteers. There were some great flat stretches, some uphills and a few nice downhills. I could have done a third loop. On my first loop I was able to pass many people but quickly realized they could be on their 2nd lap or even just doing the Duathlon. By the time I hit my 2nd lap I was pretty much on my own. It was a peaceful lap but I was looking to make sure I wasn't last. I did notice after awhile that there were still people behind me. Phew...
Total bike time was not captured on the CronoTrack. Nutrition: First Endurance liquid shot out of T1 and then around mile 15, Hammer Heed and water, nothing more. This was enough. T2 time: 1:42:30
My transition in T-2 was very quick. I simply changed from my bike helmet to my GEC visor, changed my shoes and then grabbed my hand-held water bottle and then took off.
The run was out and back - two loops. I was trying to visualize what 1.5 miles would be and knew I had to do that 4 times, theoretically. Well that first 1.5 miles felt like 3. It was so incredibly hot. I was grateful for the trees along the path. At every aide station I would grab a cup of water and cup of ice. Water went on my head and ice down my tri suit. I did walk here and there but each time I ran it felt like I never stopped. I rounded to do the second loop, noticed fewer and fewer people on the path. I kept telling myself "Race your race and your pace, forget everyone else, just finish".
Nutrition: GU packet around the 3 mile mark. Water, ice, water, ice, water.... As I rounded the corner behind the tents and on the way to the finisher arch, I remember thinking this is how my husband ran out of the water during his IM AZ in 2011. There was a lot of emotion in that memory and as I got closer I started to tear up knowing that despite a near DNF decision, I made it. I did it...I didn't give up! Official finishing time: 3:58:43 I met my goal.
http://results.chronotrack.com/athlete/index/e/14075379
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Victoria "Torie" GrammarJust your average Mom and Friend who found a love for the swim, bike, and run. Archives
January 2023
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