NJ State Olympic Race Report

This race felt a little different than last year. The heat was just a given, I think it was 10 degrees hotter plus humidity. I knew that was going to be a factor, but I think the real difference was that last year - I trained all year for this race. This year, it was a workout to get ready for my first half-ironman. However, I thought, I would do better in the swim, I mean I thought I improved...I already had a blister and a cut so I knew my transition may be a little longer and I wouldn't be able to go sockless...so I thought I could do well in the bike (last year was 18.1), but it was a different course, and then the run I knew I had this. I had gotten faster this year. My 5k time even during a try was 8:40, I knew I could at least get 9min miles.

However, what I am failing to mention, is the calf cramp I got on mile 7 of my 9 mile run last week that had me limping/shuffling/running/walking back to my car. After that run, I showered, packed and immediately got on a 4 hour plane ride, got in and had to work the next day from 6am to 9pm. No compression socks, no time for recovery. My calf cramp still hurt all week but I decided not to run except a 3 miler. It still hurt but I thought with some massage foam roller, some stretching I'd be good to go.
Back to the race.

I get there, wow! so nice to be there when there wasn't as many people (last year the sprint and the olympic were the same day). So I got numbered up, got to transition, felt a little sad that I was there by myself versus with my crew. Then I found Bill and we went to the swim start.

So we waited, and watched the elite, the 8 other waves including Bill and then finally the 35-39....I can't believe I am in this age group (I am STILL 34!! LOL). Good thing I had my fans waiting for us when we got out...
My wonderful husband - my photographer :)

My mom, Christine and Tiffany...
and my dad with the crew... They were our awesome cheering squad!
So I start in the back, we are in a wave with the males 50-59. I didn't know what to expect. With women you get a lot of "sorry", "oh..sorry..." but I didn't know if the men would swim over you, kick you, punch you...I still am not ready for it mentally. So I start out, I start passing people, I am feeling good, but then we get back-logged. There are so many of us that the kicking, hitting, is now a part of the deal, so I suck it up and deal with it and tell myself "this is your race." We finally get to the turn point and we are going directly into the sun. The whole swim I am mentally fixing my stroke, but I am not going hard. I should, I just keep on thinking "what if I get tired and I am stuck..." (for all of you that don't know, I am not a swimmer and just learned three years ago. Anyway, the directly in the sun sucked, I got kicked and punched one too many times that I decided to swim on the perimeter, probably adding time to my swim, trying to dodge people etc. etc. Then I get to the turning point and sprint it in. Time...uh the same as last year??? WTF!! But if you don't know me by now, I also, as you can see here, do the Cipolone smile as I reach any area that could be a potential photo-op...Even when you are pissed, always look like you are doing AWESOME!!!(A little secret, the camera won't show your time)
So I go into transition, I fumble as usual. Then get on my bike no socks...a gu and a my two gatorades (I WILL NOT CRAMP UP LATER - this is what everyone tells me, you don't have enough bananas, no gatorade...) . This next pic looks like I am walking but what you don't see is an extremely high hill and I am trucking up the hill...

anyway, I am passing girls and 'chicking' many dudes. Me and this "25" year old decide to kind of race it, that was fun, I would get ahead of him on the hills and then he would pass me. As we approach loop 2 I tell him it was great motivation and fun to ride with someone then I realize he is done his bike. I am averaging at this point a 19.1 - AWESOME, heartrate, check. One more loop, I slow down a little and end with a 18.9. What I am forgetting is the mounting and dismounting and running to the bike start... so that takes my bike time down...booooo....

Here is Bill, he came in earlier doing awesome, but his chip apparently isn't working and no one knows he raced this except us...
again - always smile you never know who could be clicking...I also hear the cheerleading squad..

So we move on to the run, I sock up in transition, throw on a bandaid, bring a gu and take a couple sips of water and I am off. I start off running...and the quad (front lower) is starting to hurt like a bitch. I mean, I can't f'n move at all! I stop to stretch, I think I am going to cry...why I have no idea...so I move on, there is a Heed and water stop, I take a heed, start jogging and move along. EVERYONE looks like crap, the heat is sooo bad at this point. I get to the 3 mile mark and think the thought "everyone can do a 5K" and then I see Mike, I smile, and say I am not doing so well, (my calves are starting to have little tings)
haha - see not smiling, but then I realized....
during Bill's run, Mike got some good pics of him coming in to the finish...

and then I see mom, dad, Chris, Tiff and Bill...gotta keep running, once I get to the other aid station, I walk it, my calves are starting to feel stiff, I run, I walk, they are now balling up and it is so hard to continue. I get to the next aid station, I drink some heed, water, and grab an ice towel. It is really hot, did I say that?? Then I run/walk/shuffle with two other women. The one said this is her worst in 4 years, I concur and we carry on. She runs, I walk and vice versa. Then we are almost to the finish line. I feel like - just say F it and run on it, heel strike more to flex your feet...Shit, it hurt but I finished...18 min slower than last year....ugh.



But I finished and I felt better once I talked to others that also had the same sediment. But the important part was that I did it, I had fun doing it (with the exception of the run) and I have the best husband (photographer), family and friends!!

Love ya all!!
H