Things that make you go hmmm????

So after a bit of slacking at the tail end of last week which I will just call a taper, I headed down to Columbus Saturday night to meet up my ole college roomie, Liz. Not only am I thankful to have such a nice place to stay before my big Fat Rabbit Event #2, but it is such an added bonus to catch up with friends!!!! Bonus!

After a nice relaxing evening I woke up around 5 to head to Antrim Park in Columbus where the event was being held. I got there just before 6 and started the process of hitting the lines for package pickup, body marking and then headed back to the car to gather everything up before the race. As I waited I scoped out the competition. There were not many ladies doing the duathlon and I chatted with one lady who said she was nervous as she was a runner but not so much a biker (she was planning to do 7 marathons just this fall...wow, I was knew I would have to watch this chick on the run) Time flew and before I knew it, it was go time!

After a late start, the long course duathlon people were off. The men quickly pulled ahead I tried to run a conservative pace for once! I was running with one other guy and we made a little short talk. The run was on a limestone path around the lake which I enjoyed and then out onto a bike path before the turnaround. All seemed to be going well and I was happy to be out in front. At the turnaround I scoped out my competition. The next closest chick who I will call super running chick that I had been chatting with before the start, was not too far behind. About a mile from the end, my stomach felt a little off and I was nervous about how things were going to hold up throughout the morning. As we headed into transition we had to run quite a long way up this grassy hill, just before the hill super running passed me, but I was hit the mat just 6 seconds behind her- 5K Run 1 time 21:56 (7:03 pace-a little slower than FRR #1 time of 21:03)

Super running chick told me nice run in transition and I said the same to her and then I left transition before super running chick. T1- 1:12:05

Once I pulled out onto the road, my aerobar pad went flying. Oh well, what could I do. I kept going and tried to settle down into my groove. All seemed to be going fine. The bike course was a 5 loop course, half of the loop was on the highway, which seemed fast. With all the other people out on the course doing the various distances, things were a bit congested at times. However by my final lap the sprint competitors were done and things had thinned out quite a bit. On the bike I got passed by 4 or 5 women...still need to focus more time in the seat!!! With each one I focused on their legs to see what event they were doing....all doing the olympic tri. One of the ladies I went back and forth with several times but as we came into the final stretch, she had pulled ahead. I was a little bored and singing little songs in my head to try to motivate myself to keep pushing hard. I could feel tightness in my hamstrings and groin again and I was consciously trying to make sure I did not overdue it and have the same issues as last time. As I came into T2, my seat area was happy as it was getting sore! It was probably nothing like many of the some of the new ironmans felt, but uncomfortable just the same! (YEAH IRONMAN JEN--CONGRATS)

Bike time 1:12:05 (40 K/ 24.854 Miles at 20.7 mph) A little better than last race!!

Run 2- As I started into the 10K I was intent on holding my lead. I was the lead female and I wanted to keep things pretty conservative to make sure I made it through the rest problem free. As I passed the 5K turnaround I was totally wishing I was turning around there as I was ready to finish already!!!! As we journey on the bike path, we made a right to head down the ramp and into the a park area. It was nice scenery and I caught up and passed the female that I had leap frogged with on the bike. Where the heck was the turnaround. It was tough knowing I still had to go back all this way that I have already ran!! Just before the turnaround my spirits were lifted as Trial went by. He asked how I was and I just said I was tired. He said to stay on his heels and I kept at them for a minute before my sketchy stomach seemed to twist and I thought I did not want to push it and have some major intestinal temper tantrum present itself. One foot in front of another and I started thinking that I was going to walk through the stop around 4 miles in and take in some gatorade and hope it would give me some more energy. At this point the only thing I had was probably 8 ounces of water on the bike (in addition to my SOBE energy drink and my generic 130 calorie Lowfat Mixed Berry Bar I had pre-race). After the turnaround, I took note of the women out toward the turnaround to see how far back super running chick and other faces I had saw were and I did not see any contenders that were close enough to make me nervous.

I was thirsty so I treasured my gatorade and then continued on. The cop at the corner made me smile when he said I did not have far to go...the little things sometimes do really matter!!! As I came around the lake I could hear the announcer and I was set to finish it in strong. The stomach felt off, but I knew the port-o-potties were close now!!! Run 2-10K -48:44-8:00 pace.

I crossed the line in 2:25:35. I was stoked that I thought I took first overall female in the du. However after the race, they said I was second. It is not that I mind second place but I never saw this female...so I am totally perplexed. Supposedly she finished the first 5K 30 seconds ahead of me. I saw all the people take off which was not a big group. Then I saw everyone at the first turnaround and never did I see a female in front of me. I don't think I would have missed another female. The bike split of #1 female was impressive 1:02:05...fastest female split of olympic tri and du. So I am still perplexed and wonder if I missed this person or if perhaps this person was a male and not a female. Hmmm? Not sure, but totally perplexed. I really don't care about the plaque or placing (since obviously this person is not in the series)...but now I am so friggin curious as to whether I was wrong or the classification or something else was off. Why do I fixate on these things? So I guess I got second overall female, but just maybe first. At the awards this Christine (maybe it was Chris???) was not there so I could not figure it out then either!!!

Anyways, enough with that. It was an improvement over last race. Again, I really felt I did not perform on my second run and much of this I attribute to these darn repeating stomach issues. I am really going to have to concentrate on my diet these next several weeks leading up to my half. I have slacked in this area and definitely pay for it!! Darn my love of cheese and plenty of other things that are definitely not quality pre-race nutrition foods!