Apple Duathlon 2013 5/25/13

With some nagging ankle/knee issues I was somewhat hesitant to do this race, but decided to head out to Sartell and see how I felt during warm ups. After doing about a 2 to 3 mile warm up and feeling no real heel pain on the ankle surgery foot I decided to go for it. I didn't remember much about this race expect that there was a huge hill on the run and that I got a PR 5K here last year. I wasn't expecting any PR's this year but was hoping to at least feel strong and not have to DNF due to pain.

There were only 6 of us in the elite wave because most were doing Age Group to Quality for Worlds in August in Canada. Since I knew I was not going to be able to do Worlds this year I kept my Elite wave slot. I knew all the girls in the Elite wave besides one, which was fun. The first run felt pretty good, I came in in 20:26, about a min off from 2012. Transition was fairly smooth. With no issues with cold or rain I was able to use my hands like I wanted to clip and unclip my helmet, which was a real problem last year.

The bike started out really well, but I ended up getting passed by three girls which made me in 5th place compared to the second place I was in after the first run. Suzie was out in front by about a min on the first run, and the rest of the girls were very close together. We made a final turn which lasted for more then 5 miles, and were headed into a pretty good headwind, and that's when I started to feel sluggish and didn't have much energy to push. I panicked and decided to take some fuel in, but the chops I had flew away from me, so then I decided it was gel time. I was pretty frustrated at that time after losing the chops, and the gel didn't taste very well or sit well with me. I was struggling to keep, 17mph, eat and not let the girl who had just passed me get too far away. All of that didn't workout too well...as I was feeling a deep burn in my legs and the wind was not letting down. I was worried about the run with how my legs were feeling those last 6 miles on the bike.

T2 was pretty smooth, but when I started to run the wheels really feel off. I felt like I was crawling and in fact I sort of was. I ended up with a 7:30 pace for the second run which might have been my slowest yet...It was a struggle with that run for whatever reason. I came in at 1:44 with some change and 5th overall, about 3:30 min off from last year, and mostly on the run, especially the second run.

It seemed like most peoples times were about 4 to 5min off from last year, but I'm not sure why. Maybe it was the wind and chilly temps. I thought the weather was way better then Oakdale but of course not ideal for March 25th.

No open water swims yet!!

Trying not to be too negative this season and use this year as a healing/training season.

Results:

5K run 20:26 (6:35)

T10:51

33K 58:52 (20.9)

T20:46 125

5K 23:27 (7:33)

Total 1:44:20 6th overall

Season Opener kind of like the Fishing Opener but more painful....Oakdale Du 2013

It was a cold cold day for the first race, super windy too!! I have done Oakdale a few years in a row and have always singed up for this race pretty early. This year has not only been cold, but I've also had some hiccups with my ankle. After contemplating if I can do this race with my ankle surgery being March 22nd, I decided to go ahead with it, with little run or brick training under my belt.

Unlike last year I started with the correct wave this year. There were only 3 women in the Elite wave this year, most likely due to the weather conditions. The wind was like nothing else I've ever raced in before especially on the bike. I ran the first run feeling pretty good, and not feeling much or any discomfort in my ankle. The bike was a bit of a disaster as I decided that it was too much to mess around with my gloves after the first run, so instead of taking the extra few seconds to put them on I left them off. I knew this was a mistake pretty quickly as winds were 20 to 30 miles per hour and the weather was in the 40's. I was being blown pretty good on the bike, and my hands were so numb that's all I could think about. I got pretty frustrated on the bike with the wind, and very very cold. I couldn't drink any water the whole race also because I was just so cold. After coming in first on the run, I was in 3rd into T2. At that point I was not able to do anything with my hands, so I had a nice guy un-clip my helmet, and then somehow got my shoes on all by myself! The second run was pretty painful also, mostly because I felt out of shape with running and bricks...All different parts of my legs were sore and in pain. Kirk passed me with about a mile to go. I didn't have much in my legs, and it really did feel like the longest 2.5 miles ever. I came in 4th overall, not super happy with the race, about 5:30 slower then last year, and mostly on the bike. The runs were also slower but the majority of time lost was the bike. I guess conditions didn't help and coming off the surgery was also a factor. As I write this a day later I can be a little more realistic with myself and just think...On to the next race, Apple Du...

Results:
51 20:22  6:48 
T10:49   41  
40:36 20.7 
T21:03   59
17:38  7:03
Total Time 1:20:26