Why Hello Friends! It's your old friend the Irondad with a tale from the land of Buckeyes and the OLENTANGY River! The tale includes the results from a scientific experiment, a lack of communication and direction, a strong effort, a quickly changing range of emotions, and a dragon fight!
Let's begin from the top. A "local" triathlon company HFP Racing posted a race called the Ross Heart Hospital TriFit Challenge. The race had multiple distances, super-sprint, sprint, and Olympic. The race was touted to finish inside the Ohio State Stadium. Being a Buckeye fan who wanted to race an Olympic tri, this was perfect. I had to wait for the kids schedules and then the planning of our vacation to see if I'd be home for this race. As luck would have it, the stars aligned for me to be home 2 days before race day. Perfect! The science experiment was set; How will my body respond to racing a triathlon after taking 10 days off of training? To be transparent, I had to keep my run streak alive. I ran everyday on vacation, most days 1-2 miles. Never more than 4 miles. Take into account that 3 days were Universal theme park days which had me over 20,000 steps every day.
Throw in Florida heat and humidity in mid-July. I wasn't exactly sitting around doing nothing, but I didn't swim or bike for 10 days before this race. What I can attest to is that before we left for vacation, I've been consistently training since January. It's that consistency that I believe led to great fitness. The 10 day break allowed everything to set in and the muscles to recover. That's what I'm going with anyway!
I don't know what changed but we got an email July 11 showing the run course had been changed.
If the jury would please note the line, " The entire loop is a 5k. The Challenge distance will repeat the 5k course..totals 6.4 miles". Fair enough! And easy! 2 loops, got it! I guess we aren't finishing in the stadium anymore?? No mention of that!
The race director would then send out 5 more emails. Which I kept to reference. Which I read. I attended the athlete briefing at 3pm and listened to the race director. Never was it sent in an email or mentioned at the briefing that the run course was NOT a 5k, and there was now an intersection. This my friends, is my biggest gripe, where my frustration lies. Triathletes pay good money to do these races. We have an expectation of good course marking. We get told, "It's on the athlete to know the course!" It should've been a red flag to me when Doug and Heidi Calvert said they tried to figure out the run course the day before, but couldn't. With no mention of run course changes at the athlete briefing, I figure we are solid. I follow the signs, I run 2 loops. It totals 6.4 miles. No problem.
In 2018, I raced Ironman Canada and then took a 2 week break to recover before starting Age Group Nationals in Cleveland. That experience taught me I can take a break and still complete an Olympic distance tri. I might not be in top form, my legs might hate me, but I can complete it. I used that experience to stay pretty chill about this race. My brain also wondered if the 10 day break meant I was well rested and ready to go for this race. I decided to test my body. Lets see what happens if we stay relaxed in the water, push pace on the bike and run like I stole something!
I awoke at 4:15 am. I made my way to Ohio Stadium. This was a 2 transition race. T1 would be in Antrim Park, just outside of the lake. T2 was in a practice field behind Ohio Stadium. I delivered my run shoes and race belt to my rack. I looked around T2 and found no porta potties. That's odd I thought. I walked around and found some about a quarter mile away. I returned to my car and grabbed my swim and bike stuff and rode the shuttle to T1. I'm still pretty chill at this point. I met a friend named Brian and his 38 week pregnant wife Jules. Brian raced, Jules cheered. Doug and Heidi Calvert were ready to race. Got my transition set up and started making my way to swim start. I run into Bart and Eileen Girdwood. I love seeing friendly faces that I didn't know I was going to see! We chat right up until race time. I'm still pretty chill. No stress. Not nervous. Lets just see how this goes.
Athletes get called up by gender and age group. As were lined up, 2 or 3 dudes push past me to get in front of me. I sized them up. My brain said, "those dudes should not be starting in front of you." Maybe this is egotistical? Maybe its my race experience? Maybe it's my competitive brain. The thought that they pushed past me triggered a fire in my brain. My brain said, "OK, you start in front of me. Go ahead. Have at it. I'm going to smoke you in the water! I'll freaking show you I'm a better swimmer when I pass you." It happened quick. That trigger kicked in hard. When I dove into the water, my brain and body said, "Lets do this!" I was thrilled to death that I felt great in the water. Lake was clear and flat as a pancake. I thought of Ivan Drago in Rocky as I was passing dudes. "If he dies, he dies." I was swimming with passion. I saw swimmers stop and lift their heads up. Different strokes being used. I was in my groove and swam what I think is my best swim to date.
I used that fire from guys pushing past me to propel my arms. I'm learning more and more about what I term positive and negative motivation. Some people do really well staying happy and just being in the moment. At times, that positive motivation is great when pacing myself. I've tried staying positive in races where I want to go fast and it just doesn't fuel my fire like negative motivation. This may be a personality flaw or issue with "past demons", but when I want to go fast, I need to get pissed. The other dudes that pushed past me may have meant no disrespect at all. They could have wanted to join friends? Maybe they thought I wasn't a threat to be a better swimmer? But my brain latched on to the thought that they were now targets for me to pass and steal their energy. Show them my fitness is better. CRUSH THEM!!!
After 2 loops in the drink, I jump out feeling great. I wanted a sub 30 minute swim and I got it. I start running towards T1. I'm not messing around, I want to get on my bike. I've missed cycling. Its game time. This is only a 24 mile ride and I want to go FAST! Had to take an extra few seconds to get everything including wetsuit into a plastic bag that HFP would later transport to Ohio Stadium for me. No problem here. I get to the mount line and hit the button on my watch to start the bike portion of the triathlon setting. It looks like it doesn't take. So I hit the button again and start pedaling. Legs are good. I hit the road and my quads are ready for this. I'm feeling confident. I'm not looking at heart rate today! I'm pushing pace. I'm daring my legs to blow up. I double check my watch to see it says I'm in T2 mode. Shit!! Apparently the first button press was enough! I let it go for a few minutes trying to decide if I try to fix it or just let it go. I don't want to waste the time. I do want better data for my upcoming training. I decide to go through the buttons and save the swim data. Once the data is saved, I set the watch on bike mode and hit start while cycling. I got 22.7 miles logged on Garmin at 21.4 mph During the bike course, there's a bit of a downhill just outside of a neighborhood. Section of road easy to speed on. There was a "Your Speed" radar sign! I saw 31 mph while I flew by! That made me smile! I was straight cruising. Never looked at speed or heart rate, just pedaled. I tried not to crank too hard, but I knew I was working. I then go to take in some Base Salt. This is a process I have down really well. Unless I hit a storm sewer grate. I about launched myself over the handle bars. It was a good save. I then put the Base salt tube down. I didn't need that anymore. Short scare! Then we proceed to a left turn. The cyclist in front of me is wearing an event shirt. It's flapping in the wind. I'm thinking the shirt is not very aero. The cyclist doesn't slow down very much for the tight turn and totally eats the curb! Ker pow! He rolls over in the grass. I ask if he's ok as I roll by. He says, "I'm alright." My brain says that's what he gets for wearing the event shirt before completing it! ;). I finish the bike strong and I'm ready to run!
T2 goes flawlessly. Rack the bike, switch the shoes. Race belt on. Grab hat and handheld water bottle and off I go. Legs are good. I'm feeling good. Time to go to work. Watch beeps after 2:30 for my intervals. Nope! Not today! Today is push the legs. I follow the signs. I follow the orange arrows. I'm passing people on the run course. I'm breathing hard and can feel my heart rate is up. I know I'm pushing myself and just hope I don't cramp or blow up! Running around Ohio Stadium and seeing all these athletes all around is just fueling my fire to keep running. I walked through an aid station or 2 but I kept pushing. I believed this was a PR race. I felt that good.
I'm expecting that first loop to be 3.1 miles long. I get back to the practice field where we started at 2 miles on my watch. "Oh this isn't good!" I hit the intersection of doom and see a sign that says, "2nd loop turn right", there's an arrow pointing right. I turn right and go in between the tennis courts. Out into campus we go. Back to what looks like where I just ran. This isn't good. I can't do math very well, but 2 loops of 2 miles I was pretty sure equaled 4 miles. And wouldn't you know it, at about 4 miles on my watch, I hit the intersection of doom. Same sign there. No other signs. I ask the volunteer, poor lady, "Where do I go after my 2nd lap?" She replies ever so gracefully, " I have no idea!" My brain is stunned. I already did a 2nd loop. Where do I go? Another athlete runs up and says, "If you already did a 2nd loop, you go straight thru." OKAY! I run straight thru. I find more arrows! Yay!! Race is saved!! Now I'm in a different part of campus! Here's the last 2.5 miles! Thank goodness!! Don't stop legs! Keep pushing!!
I hear the finish line announcer. I see a long line on both sides of the finish shoot. I look at my watch. 4.9 miles ran. WTF!!!!! I ask a course volunteer if the course had been shortened? Nope! It should be 6.5 miles. I'm not happy. I'm gassed. I don't think I can fix this. I run down the finish shoot and stop my watch at 5.01 miles ran. I'm handed a medal. I don't think I've earned that medal. I ask the next athlete who looks like they did the Challenge distance what mileage he ran. "8 miles! I ran the 2nd loop twice because that intersection didn't say where to go!" So I ran 5, he ran 8. Another guy said he didn't have a watch so he didn't know how far he ran. I made my way to the timing table. I explained I only ran 5 miles due to course confusion. I self reported. I did the right thing. I was mad. I busted my ass in all 3 disciplines to be told, "Well, that will DQ you." If I had tried to short cut it or did something against the rules on purpose, I'd be good with a DQ. I'm still frustrated as I type this that the course was changed, it was never communicated, and staffed with a volunteer at the problem spot who did not know how to guide runners.
How the company allowed this mess to happen, blows my mind. I was riding high. I have no idea how I was doing compared to my age group peers. I just know I busted my ass out there, to be DQ'd. Very disappointing!! I gave my medal to a little girl named Nora. She will enjoy it much more than I would. I'm bottling up this anger and frustration. It just so happens that the Zoom Olympic distance at Caeser's Creek is next Sunday. Revenge race coming up!
Side note, 2 weeks ago, this company, HFP Racing held a race at Caeser's Creek. It was not their fault that the county had tore up a road and chip and sealed it, dangerous for tri bikes to ride on, but the company chose not to tell athletes until race morning, which was raining. Chip and seal plus rain= very bad for tri bikes. They state athlete safety is their main concern but choose not to communicate road hazards or run course changes. I don't see myself giving HFP any more of my money any time soon.
On a positive note, I showed myself I can still race Olympic distance triathlons. Really race them. Push speed. Push heart rate. Run fast! Bike fast! Go hard! My 2nd run mile was a 7:59! 8:03 for the 3rd and 8:04 for the 4th mile. I was cooking! After a hard swim and fast bike! This all lines up well as I start to prepare for my last A race of 2022, IM Muncie 70.3. The science experiment showed that a long consistent training plan can allow for an "extended taper."
I will go to bed tonight and the sun will arise tomorrow. I'll take these lessons learned. I may start to ask more questions before races. Race directors need to be held responsible and able to answer why or how things are done. Life goes on. Triathlon goes on. I'll keep my head up with my newly minted DQ. I got in a great workout today. I thanked as many law enforcement officials and volunteers as I could. I smiled a lot. It was a good day with a poor race ending.
You know I welcome your comments on these posts! I just put it out there. I'm honest. I'm open. I can take criticism. Irondad out!
