Harvest Moon Race Report-Olivia

Had I not suffered from temporary stupidity on the morning of 9/16, I might have turned in a PR at the Harvestmoon Triathlon. Thankfully, the fact that I seem to have left my brain sitting in transition for the bulk of the race, didn’t result in a personal worst either; though it easily could have. Having raced all but 12 minutes of this entire half iron event in HR Zone 4 I am surprised that I was able to do as well as I did (5:32 – the same time I posted in my first half iron over a year ago).

My swim in the frigid Aurora Reservoir felt solid and smooth. After T1, as I got comfortable on my bike I focused on making a plan for taking on nutrition and hydration over the course of the 56 mile course, and at the time I also focused on bringing my HR down to zone 3. Some early hills in the course served to send my HR up to 4, I noted that it was rising, but figured it was OK. Though my HR was up in zone 4 I was feeling good on the hills. And, since as noted above I had left my brain with my other stuff in transition, I couldn’t go through the cognitive process of reminding myself that in order to feel good later in the race you have to race conservatively (a.k.a. not in zone 4) early in the race. I started the running feeling a little worked over, but no more so than I usually do in the first few miles of a long distance race. When at mile three I was still not hitting a solid running cadence and was pacing myself with a 60 year old guy, I knew I was in trouble. Luckily running along the dam with the breeze providing relief from the heat, and the turnaround point in site I felt some relief and was able to pick up a little quicker step. I still didn’t feel great, but I slogged along. In the last mile Polar teammate, Amy Smith flew by me. For a while she actually tried to have a conversation with me. She couldn’t have known that when I didn’t respond it was because I was starting to have heaving sensations in my stomach. Nonetheless, true to my brainless racing strategy that day I tried to stay with her and power to the finish. That didn’t work. I didn’t care. I was just so glad to be nearing the word finish where my husband was waiting for me.

Though I already know that racing this way is wrong, this event served as a refresher lesson. I scolded myself a bit for not being smarter than that. What’s done is done. With this lesson, I can now refocus my training toward next season’s long distance racing.