This race was a Covid deferral from 2020 and a chance to revisit the course where I did my first 70.3 two years ago.
In the weeks leading up to the race, I was having some hip flexor issues that would come and go. The Monday before the race, I couldn’t run off the bike because it was painful. Not exactly what you want during race week. So I spent the week seeing all of my people (Chiro, PT, etc) to help heal my hip and I also took it easy for a few days, which worked out anyway because it was taper week. Needless to say, I was a little worried as to what would happen on race day.
My husband and our college friend, Kayhan, were racing with me, so I was looking forward to hanging with them up in Maine (no kids!) and seeing them on the course. I also got to see my awesome friend and teammate Jensine, who raced, as well as my local friend, Karen, who is on the Cape Cod Tri team with me!
I got up to Maine on Thursday and it was so hot. We did a shakeout ride and I tested my hip flexor on the run and it felt good! So that was a huge relief that things might work out on race day. I spent the next two days swimming, riding and running a bit, but trying to save the hip flexor. The ocean was pretty warm (two years ago it was 64 and this year it was 68, which is crazy for Maine).
As usual, I was watching the weather and ocean forecast closely and it looked like the weather was going to be awesome and the ocean was going to be wavy. I wasn’t super worried about it, because I survived the 2019 swim, where they pulled 70 people out of the water.
Race Day:
Maine has a 5:45 AM start time, so we were up at 3:30. Same breakfast as usual: gluten free PB and J; 1/2 banana; and coffee. I still get super nervous race morning, so food is hard to get down. I got to see my friend Karen and Jensine in transition, which was great. It was also nice to be racked next to Seamus and Kayhan, because of the new check-in and bib assignment procedures. I had a gel (endurance tap)20 minutes before race start and sipped on electrolytes (SOS) before the swim.
SWIM:
I’m not the fastest swimmer, but I’m getting better. I seeded my self right at the front of the 40-44 minutes. My friend Christine found me on the beach and gave me a big hug and I started crying. No one can accuse me of being the coolest cucumber before a race. I’m a whole mess of emotions. I always start out my swim slow and controlled and I pretend like I just out for a swim by myself. It helps me not panic. It was a bit wavy on the way out but I got into a rhythm. Lots of people around and a few shoves, but nothing crazy. The first turn buoy came up fast and I cut it so close I got caught in the rope, hahaha! Once I turned the buoy, it seemed like we had bit of a current assist, but the waves were pushing me a little off course. At some point, I was thinking to myself, “ Is this swim done yet?” But then I pushed the negative thoughts out of my head and just kept going. Weirdly, there was not a swim arch on the beach so you had to just watch the buoys and the people standing on the beach. Timing mat was up the beach at the top of the sand, so technically my swim was a bit faster (I hit the lap button on my watch when I came out of the water and I like that time way better…lol)
Swim time : 39:43
Bike:
It was a new course for 2021, so we drove it beforehand. It looked like a fun course and I was right! The course is rolling hills- nothing too steep, nothing too long. Just lots of ups and downs. The pavement was really nice. I ended up riding around a lot of people, but it wasn’t bad. This was the best bike I’ve had and it was the most fun I had. My proudest moment was refilling my torpedo water bottle going 21 mph. 🙂 I practice the move a lot in training so I can do it in a race! As usual, I drank every 10 minutes (SOS Hydration) and ate every 20 (3 Clif shot blocks,..except the final 20, I took an endurance tap gel). I ended up only drinking two water bottles because of the cooler temps and faster time on the bike.
Bike: 2:34:25 (bike course was a bit short, FYI)
Run:
In my past two races, I got a side stitch on my right side in my diaphragm. Not sure of the cause…possibly from heat or from just going too hard. But I have been working on my breathing when I run and doing some diaphragm release moves in PT. Also, the hip flexor issue was on my mind as well. So I wasn’t sure what would happen when I got off the bike. For this course, the first mile of the run is basically a long uphill. I chose to not look at my HR or my pace at all and just run by feel. Long story short : the run felt great. I clocked my first mile at 7:27 (I only looked at my pace when each mile beeped) and I knew I could hold mid/high 7s for the race. It was comfortably uncomfortable the whole way but I felt so strong. Once again I took water from every aid station and I had 3 gels (3,6,10). I took a caffeine pill at mile 7. I didn’t feel the need for coke or a salt tab. At mile 11, I kind of tucked in behind a guy who was going about my pace and he asked if he was pulling me and I told him yes, but that we weren’t in the same age group so just keep going (one of those “had to be there” jokes, I guess. I’m my biggest comedic fan). He then asked what time I was going for and I told him I didn’t know. He said I might be sub-5 and I said “No way!” Then I told him I couldn’t talk anymore because I needed to breathe. In any case, he gave me push I needed to stay on pace. Special shout out to the woman at mile 6 who was offering butt slaps… I need that boost and the laugh!
Run: 1:38:59
Final Time: 4:59:48. 4th place AG finish.
When I crossed the finish line, Seamus and Kayhan were there. Seamus finished in an amazing 4:20 and Kayhan finished one minute ahead of me, which means I should have deflated his tires a bit in transition (I kid, I kid). When Seamus told me I did sub-5, I cried (again).
Final Thoughts:
– An uneventful race is the best kind of race, and my first goal in any race is to have a safe race. If that happens, it’s a win in my book. I don’t really go for a certain time in a race because every course is different and conditions can be different. I mostly like to see how I stack up against the other women and how I feel when I am out there. Hip flexor issues aside, I have never felt so fit for a race and I felt strong the whole way through, even when I finished. Huge shout out to my coach, Billy Sawyer.
I recommend this course a lot because the bike was so fun. The run gets a little crowded because of the gravel path you spend some time on, and it’s a bit hilly, but it still has nice shade and I’ve had two really good runs there. The swim is definitely an ocean swim. It can be unpredictable and a bit rough, but it’s always going to be wetsuit legal (which I love). The volunteers are really the best I’ve come across. The whole community comes out. I’ll be back again, but not until I do some different races.