Hot Air--Ironman Training in the Heat of a Georgia Summer

Heat, humidity, hills, hot wind, warm water bottles, burning skin, sweat...salty sweat...dripping into the eyes and stinging like saltwater, making you into a human salt-lick.  Oh...and the smells...roadkill, farmland, my clothes...

Is anyone else ready for Fall?! 

On Sunday I met some friends in Chattanooga to do a double loop of the Ironman bike course.  I started at the BI-LO shopping center to make it a 105 mile ride.  Here is my impression of the course on a day which reached 90 degrees:

The first part of the course is definitely the most challenging.  The long stretch on Hwy 193 has a few hills that got my heart pumping and legs burning. It was ok on the first loop, but the second loop was noticeably more difficult for me. When you make the right hand turn onto Cove Road, be prepared for 10 miles of false flats and strong winds.  If you overexert yourself on this road, it could very well be your demise on race day.  I personally found it to be the most mentally challenging area, so it is important to find positive things to think about.  I made a point to occasionally look up to take in the beautiful scenery of farmland with the mountainous background.  I also started chanting "Just get to Hog Jowl. Just get to Hog Jowl.", which is the left hand turn off Cove and filled with some fun rollers and winding country roads. 

Some much needed Cove Rd laughs

The last part of the course is definitely faster, but there are still some sections with false flats and some hills interspersed throughout. The Chickamauga downtown area is fun to ride through, and I imagine there will be a lot of spectators there on race day. 

Downtown Chickamauga

Hopefully on race day the weather will be cooler and the sun will not be burning so intensely, because there is very little shade, if any.  On this day I was fighting hard not to overheat and totally bonk.  There were times when I felt like my entire body was on fire and the sun was burning through my clothes! I had to allow myself to slow down, sometimes slow down a ridiculous amount, just to get my heart rate and core temp down a little.  Our 2 stops along the way for COLD water and snacks was AMAZING.  I've discovered that Lay's potato chips are a perfect pick-me-up on a long sweaty ride.  After eating them and guzzling cold water, I was renewed and ready to go!

This is how I eat potato chips after riding 80 miles :)

 The final stretch back into town feels like it is going slightly uphill, so do not get too discouraged.  Your legs are going to be tired, yes, but then you get to go stretch them out on a little 26.2 mile run :) 

Somehow I still managed to smile for a post-ride selfie! Practicing for Race Day!

Nutrition:

6 GU gels (600 calories)
1 1/2 Cliff Shot Blocks (250 calories)
3/4 Larabar (150 calories)
1 Rice Krispie Treat (200? calories)
3/4 small bag Lay's potato chips (200calories)
1 bottle Skratch mix (100 calories)
1 bottle lemonade (100 calories)
5 bottles water (I think)

Total calorie intake (best estimate): 1600
Total ride time (not including stops): 6hrs 15 mins
Total distance: 105 miles

Other noteworthy items

Roadkill seen:

2 snakes
1 skunk
1 raccoon
1 opossum

Live animals seen:

3 unleashed dogs (friendly)
1 large cow on the side of the road (had escaped from the fence)
A cowboy riding a horse on the highway (had to do a double take and rub my eyes to make sure I wasn't hallucinating)
5 vultures eating off a huge dead carcass in a field

This is exactly the look the cow gave me as I pedaled by!

SIX weeks until IRONMAN Chattanooga, which means 4 more weeks of intense workouts before the taper begins!  Dear Lord, keep me sane and healthy!

This is SO true!

Race Report: Inaugural Lake Logan Half Triathlon

DATE: August 2, 2014
TIME: 7:00 AM
PLACE: Canton, NC
SWIM: 1.2 miles
BIKE: 52 miles
RUN: 13.1 miles



In training for an Ironman distance race, most training plans recommend completing a Half Iron distance race when you are 8-6 weeks out from your big race.  It helps you see where you're at as you enter the peak training phase and also helps you practice pacing and your nutrition plan.  Since this is the first year for an Ironman race to take place in Chattanooga, and it happens to be on the same day as the closest half Ironman to us (Ironman Augusta 70.3), we needed to find another option.  There were rumors of a few half distance races being organized, and lo and behold, the Lake Logan Half was formed.

SetUp Events has been doing an Olympic distance race there for the past few years, and this year they so kindly decided to offer a half option as well.  No one truly knew what to expect of the bike course, but we had read reviews of being anywhere from "fast rolling hills" to "the toughest course I've ever been on". My attitude about going into a race is that I have to trust my training and do my best, no matter what, and there is no point in worrying about things I have no control over (like the elevation chart).

The location was absolutely beautiful.  I have always loved the mountains, and I was reminded just how much I love them again on this trip. 

We drove from Atlanta to North Carolina on Friday afternoon (about a 3 hour drive), and arrived in enough time to pickup our packets and check out the race venue.  The swim buoys were already set out in a big 1 mile loop in the lake. 

So beautiful...but also so cold.

Race Day:

After getting a good 6-7 hours of solid sleep, I woke up dark and early at 4:00 AM to get the day started.  I was still in that weird pre-race mood of...ummm... what's it called? Oh yeah...DENIAL!!  :)

I went through the routine: breakfast, hair, coating my entire body in my anti-chafing bag balm mixture, packing up and loading bikes on the car.  Then we were on our way down and up and around some winding mountain roads in the dark.

We arrived early at the race venue and parking was already a bit of an issue.  I'm glad I brought my headlamp because it was DARK in the fields where we parked!

Even with that, I still managed to scrape my leg on a truck tailpipe...argh...just a flesh wound, continue on.

 Nerves were in that cool mountain air and the porta potty lines were long.  Before I knew it, it was TIME. Yes, time to stop doing the wetsuit squat-jump and to start wetsuit waddling to the dock for swim wave positioning.   

There's always time for a pre-race selfie, right?

The SWIM:

The lake water was around 67 degrees, which meant definitely wetsuit legal and strongly suggested to wear one.  I had not swum in my wetsuit since April of 2013!  I do not enjoy wearing a wetsuit because it makes me feel like I am suffocating and restricts my motions, BUT there are times when you just gotta do what you gotta do and get over it.

That being said, I donned my wetsuit and focused way too much on pulling it up as high as it could go to allow for more room in the shoulders and neck...as discovered once I started swimming and I felt the biggest wetsuit wedgie in the history of all wetsuit wedgies.  WHAT was I thinking? HOW did this even happen? And then that uncomfortable situation didn't matter anymore because WHAM! I was smacked in the face...and then WHAM I was hit and scratched in the face.  Ladies, ladies, calm down!

I thought I was going to be ok and tried to keep swimming, but then it happened...that feeling...the panic attack feeling...the "I can't catch my breath" feeling you just can't shake within a few swim strokes.

I did something I haven't done in a long time...I stopped swimming and bobbed up and down in the water trying to catch my breath and think about what to do next.  The following thoughts popped into my head:

1) Where's the volunteer kayak? maybe I can take off this stupid wetsuit and give it to them and then keep swimming
2) No, I need to try to keep swimming (I tried to swim a few strokes) NOPE...not working...I can't breathe...I can't breathe...maybe this is it...maybe I just can't...
3) WTF lady, you are not a quitter! Just force your head in the water and continue on. Get it DONE! Just GO!

I followed the #3 train of thought and it worked :) I eventually found a good pace and groove and rounded the halfway buouy.

 Nearing the end of the swim my feet and calves started cramping a little, but I was able to swim them out for the most part.  The last stretch of the swim took us underneath a bridge and into the mouth of the river.  The temperature dropped instantly to 55 degrees. I'm not kidding.  We were warned about this, but I had no idea what it would actually feel like until it happened. 

I pushed myself up onto the exit dock and immediately both calves and feet cramped so badly that I was in shock and could not move.  A volunteer rushed over and massaged my calves for a few minutes until I felt I could get up and walk.  Whoever you are, THANK YOU for coming to my aid!

One guess--which word am I starting to say here? :)

My swim cap kinda reminds me of Papa smurf...or a gnome

Look of disappointment and discomfort :P

During all that time on the dock, the clock was still ticking for my swim time.  I walked to transition and made sure to stretch out my calves more and warm them up before hopping on the bike.  That was my longest T1 EVER! But for good reason.

The BIKE:

Shortly after mounting the bike we had our first significant climb. Thankfully my legs didn't cramp up and they got me to the top just fine.  The first 5 miles or so of the bike were very jumbled with slower riders.  In these types of situations, especially with some hills mixed in, it can be difficult to ride following the USAT rules: 3 bike lengths between riders, pass within 15 seconds, etc.  That being said, I took one for the team and got my first ever bike penalty! 4 mins added to my overall time.  I'm pretty sure it happened when I was passing riders on a climb.  (After looking at the results I was the ONLY female in the entire race to get a penalty!) Oh well, lesson learned...I guess...

Still smiling! :)

 The first 20 miles or so of the bike went by fast and I was going at a speedy 19-20 mph average pace! I was feeling great and loving it.  The scenery was beautiful, the weather was perfect, all was right in the world...

Why can't all just stay right in the world?  Why??  The small rollers turned into bigger rollers which turned into a few bigger climbs which then turned into the biggest hill/mountain I've ever climbed to date in my life! Somewhere around miles 38-40 was a climb that just kept on going. It knocked grown men off their bikes...but not me.  I was determined to stay in the saddle no matter how slowly.  I had shifted down to my granniest of all granny gears (I just have a standard crank) early in the climb and just had to suck it up, push my butt back in the saddle and power it out.  It HURT.  It REALLY HURT.  But I did it and the descent was the most glorious experience of the entire race.  I LOVE speed! :)

The course was definitely challenging, and I watched my avg speed drop down to 17 mph as I pushed over the hills.  Of course there was one final significant climb in the last mile into transition...and no time to spin out the legs in preparation for the run.  It was ok though.

Overall I enjoyed the bike course, challenging climbs and all! There were a few sections of the road where I felt unsafe with traffic and a gravel spot on a fast turn that caused my front wheel to slide a bit, but other than that it was a good course. 

The RUN:

The run started out on a gravel road...my least favorite type of trail terrain :P After that it was pretty much all uphill for the first 3 miles, all downhill for the next 3 miles, around a lumpy grass field, and then you do it all again. 

Let's just say it was a very odd course :)

The aid stations were very well equipped and were great.  As with any long run, it comes with highs and lows.  The lows usually being uphill in the sun and the highs being on the downhill sections when it started to rain and cool me down.

I'm in the background

One memory that really sticks out: On my final loop I was passing by an aid station where an older gentleman volunteer asked me if I needed anything.  I smiled and said "No thank you". He responded with "Stay strong, girl, stay strong!" and I carried that to the finish line with me.  You really never know what words will stick with someone and make a difference in their day...volunteers and spectators/supporters at races really do make a positive difference.  I would like to send out a huge THANK YOU to all of them! 


Race Results:

			Name	Age				SWIM		T1		Bike		T2			RUN	PENALTY	Time
			ELIZABETH GAYLOR	34				00:42:43		00:06:19		03:05:40		00:03:36			02:14:33	00:04:00	06:16:49

It's real--I really did it! :)

Cool race bling--proud to be part of the Inaugural race

Race Nutrition:

300-400 calorie breakfast upon waking
Larabar one hour before race start
GU gel 15 mins before race start

Bike:
4 GU gels
2 Cliff Shot Blocks (Margarita with 3X sodium--delicious!)
3 Bottles water
1 Bottle Skratch mix

Run:

Water, a few salt tabs, 1 GU gel, 1 Orange wedge

Post-race:

mmm mmm BBQ and Brunswick Stew!

I ate it ALLLLL

And what's an out-of-town race weekend without some friendship bonding time, complete with cheesy picture posing?

GOOD TIMES :)

Now on to the next race tomorrow--our annual Richard B. Russell Olympic distance race in Elberton!

And then IMCHOO next month!

Race Report: Blalock Lakes Intermediate Distance Triathlon

The hills were alive with the sound of...my heavy breathing. Holy Moly was this a tough course on a HOT day!

Swim: 1500 meters 

Bike: 25.4 miles

Run: 10K

This race was my first triathlon of the season, and it felt like it had been forever since my last one at Richard B. Russell State Park in August.  Both this race and Richard B. Russell are labeled as Intermediate Distance, however the bike course of Richard B is only 22 miles.  I have a goal of finishing sub 3 hrs in this distance, but with the longer bike course and notoriously hilly bike and run course, coupled with the heat, I accepted that it would have to be a miracle for that to happen.  My primary goals for this race were to dust off the cobwebs from my race gear, get into the racing mindset again, and to have fun.  Of course there were other goals in the back of my mind like: Improve my swim time, crush the hills on the bike, and push through the hills on the run, but do not overheat too much or cause damage since I have bigger races ahead of me. 

I arrived at Blalock Lakes just after 5:30 and it was still completely dark outside.  By the time I gathered my things, walked to registration, and dropped items off in transition, the sun had started to rise across the lake.  It was foggy and eery and beautiful.  

I was pretty calm as I set up my transition area.  Friends and more familiar faces started arriving, and it was nice to laugh and talk and have some fun prior to the race start.  Since this race is less than an hour from Atlanta, it is pretty popular with the locals and all the fast kids showed up.  Even after doing this for 4 years, I am still in awe of how incredibly fast the ladies in my age group are! They seriously rock! 

The Swim: 1500 meters (750 meter loop done twice)

There were 4 waves at the swim start. The first 2 waves were age group men, followed by my wave with all women age groupers, followed by the final wave with the Novice, Clydesdale and Athena athletes. 

This was one of the most violent swims I've had. Within the first few strokes I was elbowed in the jaw. I felt my teeth hit and did a quick tongue check to make sure nothing was chipped as I kept on swimming.  I was fine and just kept going.  There were lots of kicks and side brushes, and people grabbing at my feet off and on for pretty much the entire swim.  I felt like I was swimming fast (for me) and pretty strong for the most part.  As usual for open water swims, my left hand went completely numb and tingly feeling by the halfway point.  Lifting my head to sight must be pinching a nerve in my neck or something.  

We started out swimming directly into the sun, which made it difficult to see the buoys in the water. Everything was lost in the glare of the bright sun and it was disorienting. There were times when the volunteers on paddleboards were yelling "Go to the right, to the right!" and I am so thankful I heard them and saw them waving when I turned to take breaths!

When I got out of the warm bath water (I'm serious), I glanced at my watch and saw 38 minutes. While it was a few minutes faster from my last race time, I felt like I swam my heart out and it should have been a little faster.  After the race, I checked my Garmin and it said I had actually gone 1.17 miles instead of .9! Assuming my watch is accurate, that means I swam an extra 300 yards due to not swimming in a straight line, and that cost me valuable minutes. Whoops! :)  Looking at the map of my swim I can clearly see that one loop I veered further out and there are a few zigzags in there too :)

The Bike: 25.4 miles

When I got to transition I was dizzy and took a bit too long just because I needed to take a few seconds to regain my balance. Then I was on my way. Once on the bike I was absolutely fine, didn't waste any time and was in my zone. I LOVE the bike.  I pushed hard, passed some people one by one, and felt strong on the hills...until we got to the first real climb. DANG! I had no choice but to go slowly in my granniest of gears up that one, took some time to recover at the top then sped back up and continued on my way.  I remember there being one other pretty tough hill, but mostly it was some easier rollers.  My legs were definitely feeling the burn, and I LOVED it! 

This goat sticker arrived in the mail with some gels, so I HAD to put it on my bike for race day :)

My bike time was 1:25 and I kept an 18 mph average pace. Would I like to be faster? OF COURSE! But I am happy with this time as well, because I know I AM getting stronger on those hills and all of my training is really paying off...even if in small increments.

Sports In Motion Photography

Sports In Motion Photography

  

 

The Run: 10k (6.2 miles)

The run, the run, where do I begin with the run...it was HOT, and it was HILLY.  The first few miles were just not good for me...side stitches/cramps, overheating from pushing hard on the bike, and trying to desperately get in some kind of groove.  I train on hills, so I know I can do the hills, even though these hills were their own kind of special evil, but it was the heat that was getting to me. I'm pretty sure it reached 90 degrees-- mostly in the direct sun.  The first 3 miles I had to walk some of the hills just to get my body temp to cool down. I poured the cold aid station water all over my head and chest and by mile 3 I was able to keep a pretty consistent run.  I made a run buddy at mile 3, too.  Her name was Rachel and this was her first Olympic distance race. She was doing awesome on that challenging course for it being her longest distance! We kept each other company until mile 5; it was great having someone to chat with as we shuffled along.  It really helped take my mind off of the negative and she helped keep me running.  Thank you Rachel!

Sports In Motion Photography

Sports In Motion Photography

 



I feel that it really helps to be present in the moment during tough races like this.  By present I mean: aware and connecting with people, encouraging others and acknowledging the encouraging words they bestow upon you, thanking the volunteers and smiling.  After all, I do this for fun, right? :)

This Dynamo lady was so awesome--riding her bike on the run course and yelling encouraging words at us! Whoever you are, THANK YOU!

My run time ended up being 1:06...definitely not my best 10k time, but not my worst either! 

The total race time was 3:12 something (I'm too lazy to look up the exact seconds right now :P)

Two years ago I did Rev3 Knoxville Olympic distance race, and it also had a 25 mile bike course...I remember it being an intensely challenging race for me and took me 3:43 to complete.  It is so easy to compare myself to others and get discouraged, so I take time to look back at where I came from in order to keep things in perspective and not be too hard on myself.  Progress IS progress! There are lessons learned in every race and every race teaches me more about myself.  

Now excuse me while I go practice swimming in a straight line with my eyes closed...

Remains of the race day. I always write Smile :) on my arm below my Garmin watch so that I am constantly reminded to smile and enjoy the race.