I'm Going to 70.3 Worlds! (BSLT Race Report 2014)

When I won the Norseman slot, Dawn and I talked about what needed to happen with the limited time I had to train for Norway on August 2. We agreed that it meant skipping Buffalo Springs, even though I had already registered for it, and spending the weekend training instead. I reluctantly agreed and asked Marti Greer, the race director, to let me defer to next year. Then immediately started begging Dawn on a daily basis to change her mind. I love Buffalo Springs - it's my favorite race. I've raced it the past 2 years, and I didn't want to miss a third.

About 3 weeks ago, Dawn agreed to let me participate! Maybe I wore her down. She allowed it under the condition that I would "not race." That I would have fun with my friends, get in a long training day on the race course, and be fresh for the following week's massive training block. So I begged Marti Greer to let me do the race after all (she's the coolest - she laughed and put me back on the list) and joined Shelly, Aixa, and Trent on the participant list for Lubbock! Yippee!

The night before the race, after giving out race instructions to the other Tri-Belief athletes, Dawn talked strictly to me again about "not racing." Her concern was that I'd dig myself into a hole by going too hard at BSLT, and she was so firm about staying within myself that when I got off the phone with her, I thought she was mad at me. I heard the message loud and clear.

As a result, I was calmer than I've ever been on the morning of a race. The swim went smoothly. I wore my new blueseventy Helix longsleeve wetsuit to practice for Norseman, even though the water was barely wetsuit legal. It was incredibly comfortable and flexible and amazing to swim in, and I know it will be perfect next month.

I aimed for steady, "comfortably hard" watts and heart rate on the bike, which proved to be a perfect plan on an extremely windy day. Riding steady meant going a little easier into the headwinds and up the hills, and going a little stronger with the tailwinds and downhill. Dawn had said to put my ego in my back pocket, and this meant letting people hammer past me as I spun into the wind. I'm learning! I stayed within myself and enjoyed seeing my friends along the course. Marveled at my new bike handling skills as I turned corners with confidence and descended with significantly less fear (a thousand thank yous to Chris Aarhus for this - I can't say enough times how much the instruction I received last month in Arizona helped me). The fear of other riders that I've battled for 2 years is going away as well - when Carlos Miranda passed me and patted me on the shoulder to say "good job," I spent the next few minutes giggling about how I didn't freak out and fall over. I rode into T2 with a bike time similar to last year, but I felt so much fresher than I ever have.

When I took off on the run, I aimed for a strong, steady pace. I chatted with other athletes and yelled some sweet nothings at Jordan Rapp and Jesse Thomas as they ran by to finish the race ("I love you! Run faster!" Hahaha). I was having fun.

Then I saw Dawn sitting on her bike about 2.5 miles in. She told me calmly, "You're in 3rd place. You need to start running." What? Third place in my age group? Yes. But...what happened to staying within myself and saving my energy for the next week of training? Her answer was basically, hey stupid, you're in 3rd place, so move your ass.

As I ran, I realized how much I wanted to stay in 3rd. I wanted the buffalo trophy that I'd seen the winners receive last year. I wanted the shot at a rolldown to the 70.3 World Championships in Mt. Tremblant, Canada, in September! I knew there were 2 slots to Worlds in my age group.

I ran scared. I'm usually stronger on the swim and bike, and then helplessly watch people pass me on the run. Each time I felt footsteps approaching from behind, I thought it might be someone in my age group coming to take away my buffalo. And each time it was a male and not a female running by, I breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, I reached the turnaround of the out-and-back course and could see who was behind me. There were no women near me, but that didn't mean that someone couldn't run me down. Roland did it last year - after I passed him at the halfway point, he chased me for 6 miles and I had nothing left when he passed me right before the finish. This was in my mind as I continued back into the park.

Throughout the run, I'd chatted and made friends with half a dozen people, including a young lady who ended up winning 2nd in 25-29. As we approached the last mile, she turned to me and told me "let's go, we got this," as she took off for the finish line. With less than half a mile to go, I asked a spectator, "are there any women behind me?" and he answered that he couldn't see any.

For the last few minutes of my race, I was alone, and I allowed myself to really take in and enjoy the last stretch. Thinking about this magical day where everything went right. A perfect day at my favorite race. It was simply incredible to cross the finish line knowing that I'd held my position on the run. On this difficult, windy, hot day, a 5:43 was good enough for 3rd place in my age group. It's also a new personal best time for this distance.

As soon as I finished, 2 volunteers rushed over and asked me if I was okay. I said yes, and gratefully allowed them to support my weight on either side of me. As soon as I was no longer responsible for holding my own body upright, I collapsed. They lifted me by both legs and carried me into the busy medical tent. I grasped their shoulders for a moment but soon felt myself go completely limp as they lowered me to a lawn chair in the tent among 25+ other athletes who were lying on chairs, receiving IV fluids.

Aixa was there (she had collapsed after the bike and had already received her own 3 bags of IV and met Jordan Rapp in the process - jealous) and she helped me calm down and breathe as they covered me with cold towels and got ready to start an IV for me. Even this part was fun, although it was a little bit scary. I have to admit that I felt like this was a part of the full experience of making it to a podium at an Ironman event. I mean, you always see the super fast awesome people being carried off afterwards for medical attention! It turns out I was just one of many with this experience - Aixa asked a race official, and on this very hot day, at a race with 1000 athletes, 450 bags of IV fluids had been provided to participants after the race.

Super happy to be finished and getting my IV.

This lady sitting on top of me is the greatest coach ever.

At the awards ceremony that evening, it seemed to take forever for them to announce the Female 35-39 age group. Although I felt nervous about going up onto the stage in front of a room of people, I was impatient to see if I'd get a rolldown slot to Worlds. If the women in first and second place didn't take the spots, I'd get one. And of course I would take it, although the triathlon budget has been stretched pretty thin already this year, to say the least!

When they called our group, only two of us walked up there! The first place winner didn't come to the awards. We were handed our trophies (the buffalo!!) for 2nd and 3rd, and then the question came - first, to the 2nd place female, "Do you want to go to Canada?" Her amazing words came next, "I'm already going, I already qualified." And then I knew. When the same question came at me, I practically shouted "OH YES!" and took the little card and got my hug from Marti. I thanked her for letting me do the race and reminded her that I was the one who had waffled because of Norseman. She laughed and said she remembered. She really is the coolest!

The buffalo!

I took my card (and my credit card) and walked into a room to sign up immediately for Worlds. I was shaking; it all happened so fast. Then Bree Soileau, a friend from San Antonio, walked in - she had won 2nd in her age group and won a slot to Worlds as well! We hugged and congratulated each other and immediately started making plans for going to Canada.

I'm still in a state of disbelief. I can't believe this happened at a race that I was "not racing," although upon reflection, of course pacing the bike evenly and staying within myself for the first 2/3 of the race is the reason that I was able to hold the run pace that I did. Coachie is no dummy.

This overwhelming year...I am 100% aware that I'm living a dream right now. First Norseman, now 70.3 Worlds - it feels like the sky is the limit. I'm just so amazed by my progress over the last few months and so excited to see what the future holds. And as always...just keep on training, training, training. It works. Hard work works.

I want to say a huge thank you to the people who support this crazy dream of mine: Dawn Elder, Hillary Biscay, and my incredible Tri-Belief training buddies and dear friends. My coworkers and my family, who have no choice but to listen to all of this on a nonstop basis. The folks at Promotion Physical Therapy who keep me healthy and the guys at Bicycle Heaven who push me to achieve while making me laugh. And blueseventy for providing the sweet gear that makes me feel super legit in the water! And of course my ridiculously supportive husband Robert, who just keeps saying "okay," and understands what this dream is - I know it's not easy and I know how lucky I am. Thank you.