October 5, 2014: Border Wars Tri - East vs. West
Get a snack for this read...you might need it!
I had no idea what to expect...I didn't swim in the Ohio river at Louisville, but I saw the water...and I know what everybody else thought about swimming there. I've also spent many summer days wake boarding on the Scioto...we all know that's not the cleanest river...but I have never been in or seen anything any filthier than the Mississippi!
A multi-transition race is never ideal. At the Border Wars race, we set up on Saturday. It was a sunny, but chilly and extremely windy! Winds with up to 30mph gusts were swinging my bike from side to side as I hung it by the seat. I tried to squeeze all the bikes together so that they weren't banging into each other as the winds whipped thru the transition area. Shalene and I did a quick walk down to the water to take a look...and I gotta say...It was daunting. There were white caps and the river water was literally brown. I recently started drinking coffee...and I call the coffee I make "white coffee" because I put so much creamer in it...it's actually that muddy color which isn't attractive, but is more palatable for me...that was the color of the water!
When I walked back up from the water to my bike, one of the ladies on my rack was attempting to put air in her newly purchased HED tri-spoke wheels and was having some difficulty...I offered my assistance only because I own a pair myself. In passing conversation we talked about the race conditions and I remember telling her that if weather conditions didn't change...I couldn't imagine racing. It would be miserable with white caps on the water and swimming against the current...and a 56 mile bike ride in 20-30mph winds...NOT for me! I was there to test my fitness, but I'm not really that crazy at this age! She looked at me like I was CRAZY! She Was IN! No question about it for her! She offered her pump to me for the next morning...a super nice gesture because I was a little worried that there wouldn't be enough pumps for 500 people...and I didn't really want to carry mine to transition either. I found out later that she kicked my ass in the race! Averaged 20+ on the bike (must've been the wheels?) and averaged 8:30's on the run! She was serious!
Shalene and I went back to our hotel room and started packing for race morning...trying to determine what we wanted...these situations require a bit more thought process than your mid summer races... we weren't positive what the weather was gonna be? Arm warmers...sure...but was that enough? Did we need a jacket? What about gloves? With winds like that, I also like to cover my ears...It's funny...Shalene and I are extreme opposites when it comes to race prep and nerves...I hide in my little shell...finding comfort in silence...and Shalene...the Lord knows I love her...but she can't shut-up! Its not even an option for her. That mouth moves constantly! It's probably a good thing...otherwise we would've sat in silence...and that's not cool either...
We planned an early dinner and a shop stop at Target for bananas, jam and some "throw away" clothes we might need in transition the next morning. By the time we went to dinner, the winds had calmed down and temps were reasonable...I was starting to feel a little better about the race. I also realized that the only "set up" we needed to complete was at the bike to run...we only needed to put a few things down (shoes, race number belt and socks) and take the Trolley to the race start...that meant an extra 15-20 minutes of sleep time in the morning! Woohoo! Before we hit the sack, I completed "race toaster" set up for the morning...and we were ready to go!
Race Goals:
Natalie: Finish without too much suffering in around 6:40.
Shalene: 1) Not to have to pee during the race. Ask her?
2) Beat 6:40...her Rev 3 Half time.
Race morning was actually a relief...at the start. I pushed Shalene out the door
on schedule. (which we all know is darn near impossible) The flag outside the hotel, was laying calmly on its pole...and it felt like it was the warmest temps we had since we arrived in St. Louis on Friday night! I thought...whew...this is GOOD!
We arrived at T2, found our racks...set up our stuff and went straight to the Port-O-Johns for a little relief (this becomes a crucial notation for later) AND a body marking! From there...straight over to the Trolley line for our ride to T1.
At T1, I did a quick tire check for both Shalene and myself. I left Shalene to set up her transition and I set up mine. Every triathlete knows that its critical to sip on fluids all morning before you start your race. Even maybe more critical on days that its chilly, because you really don't notice how much you are sweating throughout the day...every triathlete generally has to have to use the restroom before the race start...and this race company thought that 2 Port-O-Johns and 2 restroom toilets would be enough for 500 people? (500 is the number they gave us...the race results show that only about 375ish people actually completed the race?) Shalene and I start waiting for the restroom at 7:10...transition area closes at 7:50 for the start of the race...at 7:35, Shalene decides to head to the bushes to pee...at 7:38...she convinces me to do the same. That's a first for me...never had to pee in the bushes prior to a race before. I head over to my bike to grab my wetsuit and give everything a double check...then proceed down to Shalene's rack which is closer to the water start to pull (and I literally mean "PULL over my FAT ASS") on our wetsuits...it was during this time that we started to hear rumors about the water temp being 58 degrees! I, trying to be optimistic, dismissed it. HOW could it possibly go from 72 degrees to 58 degrees overnight? It was also at this time that Shalene and I met Juan Valdez. Juan was standing at his bike (right beside Shalene's) and I asked him if he was putting on a wetsuit? When he said "no"...I inquired about how fast he must swim...planned to be in and out quickly, right?...he then told me that this was his
first race...and that he was
very slow. He was a big guy...and when the rumors became fact about the water temps...I started to feel really bad for Juan Valdez....
Before you know it...Shalene and I...with our $5 throw away shoes and some old socks head down to the start...I didn't hardly hear anyone say "go" or give any instructions before the start...people were just getting in the water....being in the last wave...I hesitated for only a few minutes before I stripped down to wetsuit only and wished Shalene luck. (being 10 years younger than I also meant she was going in the water ahead of me!) It wasn't until Shalene's wave that I finally saw it happen...two ladies walked into the water...and walked right back out! It was then that I started to notice how everyone was struggling to put their face in the water...the race director finally (or at least I finally heard him) announced the water temp at 58...and I finally didn't feel so good again?
I can't say I anxiously ran into the water...but neither did anyone else. It was COLD! FRIGID COLD! I knew that putting my face in right away might be a bad idea...so I started my tarzaan stroke...good thing I've been practicing this, because I did it for nearly the first 500 meters or so...every paddleboard and kayak I saw had people hanging from them...I started to put my nose and mouth in the water, just to blow some bubbles and see if I could get used to it? At the first turn, as I kept my head up...I saw Shalene. I started saying her name, because it looked like she was just treading water...not swimming...and she looked at me like I was the creature from the black lagoon. I finally got her to look at me...and I asked her if she was ok? She said "yes"...so I swam on. I thought she might find my feet and try to stick with me like Laura likes to do...but too many swimmers between me and her. I found out later that her "yes", was probably a "no". Cold water distress had set in. She said my face was so dirty that she didn't recognize me even though she could hear my voice...she thought I was guy with beard stubble all over! (That's how dirty the water was...and what I found in my ears and coming out of my nose in the hours following wasn't pretty either)
When I exited the water...I couldn't feel my feet or my hands. I did sneak a peak at my time...it was 42 minutes and some change...I was really happy about that...I tried to start running to my bike, but it just felt like I was running on glass....with each step my feet stung with impact. Nobody ever likes to strip off a wetsuit...but try doing it when you have no strength or function from your fingers...everyone around me was sitting on the ground...attempting to pull the wetsuit from their freezing feet. I started to notice all the jackets people were wearing out of transition and it was then that I decided...to hell with the arm warmers...I'm going full gear jacket...I hardly ever get too warm anyway...and in the long run...I'm glad I did. Never once did I regret putting on a full sleeved jacket!
Beyond the fact that it sprinkled on us at the beginning of the bike...nothing like a little rain after some cold water swims and on 50 degree days...the bike was nice. I can't say I "worked"...I just rode comfortably...and I couldn't hardly feel my feet or my hands until about mile 30-35ish? It wasn't until the turn around at mile 25-28 that we had some headwind...but this is where I made some time and passed a lot of people! Cold water swims, must also make you want to pee...because I had to pee from the moment I got on the bike. I was promised a Port-O-John somewhere on the course...but never saw it! I guess I thought it would be at one of the two bottle swaps...but alas...no restroom...and I wasn't in for peeing in the farmers crops? (as many a men did!)
We finally crossed the Mississippi...and off the bike...surely there's a Port-O-John in T2!? Nope! Sorry about your luck! I ran...and I gotta tell ya...it's tough to run when you gotta pee...for 3 miles before there was FINALLY and Port-O-John on course! UGH....I was feeling pretty peppy after that and made it to the turn-around in 1:10 and change...that's fast for me! I really kept waiting for Shalene to pass over my shoulder...and at about mile 7-7.5...I finally saw Shalene on her way out to the turn. I started doing the math in my head and trying to figure out what I would need to do to stay in front for the next 5.5 miles. ( Little did I know that she was going to sit down...chat and eat some pretzels at the turn!) This gave me a little "motivational juice" to keep up the pace...but I finally crashed about a mile later. I think a lack of fluid on the bike and fuel on the run finally sneaked up on me...I did my best to mentally get myself to run as much as I could...but it was UGLY! We've all been there...you know what I mean! I crossed the finish line in 6:45...I wasn't in enough pain to be overly proud...but it was the first time I've done an event in 3 years...and I was proud of that!
I know you are all wondering...
"What happened to Juan?"
I saw Juan starting his run while I was finishing mine...I smiled and waved and tried to give him a boost! His race time says 8:30 on the results page...I actually wouldn't know that if Shalene hadn't told me...she's the nosey one. That was the race cut-off...I'm not sure if he made it under the clock...or that's the time they gave him? I was just happy to see that he had, in fact, made it out of the water!
St. Louis Watch Out...Here We Come!
Shalene and I showered and headed into St. Louis looking for a great bar with great taps and good food! Of course I let Shalene be the lead on this task...and she did not fail! Who could've questioned? I have never been to St. Louis, and I wanted to see the Arch...Gateway to the West! She found us a perfect bar selling local craft beer...great food and as you can see...pretty close to the Arch! Don't worry...I only drank One in Dog Beers! We hobbled our way around a few blocks after our first stop and decided we should at least have a few more drinks to celebrate! We found another great bar with phenominal Ooeey Gooey dessert...and mixed cocktails abound!
