Teeter Totter

Well, hello there.  So, the holidays are here in full force and anyone that knows me knows I do love some cheesy holiday music /movies coupled with the smell of a freshly cut Christmas tree.  

Mr. Pi definitely did more of the lumber jacking but I helped!

 My favorite holiday has already passed, Thanksgiving, duh!  But I’m looking forward to Christmas and the holiday season in general.

But I’d be lying if I didn’t say that I’m kind of in a weird place right now.  I feel like I’m a teeter totter emotionally.  On the one hand, I’m still completely riding the race high from Nov. 17^th and all that came along with the race; and, on the other hand, I’m feeling kind of lost—I wouldn’t say it’s post-race blues per se but rather just a feeling of aimless wandering and for a person that thrives on structure this is an odd feeling.  Maybe this is my version of the post-race blues, who knows.  I thought the holidays would offer a great distraction from training and the race but it hasn’t really, at least, not yet.

On the race high front, I think about that day and the year a lot and every time I do, I can’t help but smile and think about the badassery.  I also keep going back to the thing that Mike Reilly said on race morning mere seconds before the cannon, “There will be things you can’t control but the one thing you can control is your attitude.”  And, I think I do have a new attitude (oooo, ooo, ooo, I have a new attitude—anyone else now have that song stuck in your head?  Your welcome!).  I am really enjoying my newfound confidence and positivity.  It really is true that positivity breeds positivity.  Try it during your next trip to the office kitchen or to Starbucks—if you smile and have a cheery attitude toward your co-worker or stranger, they can’t help but to also smile and be cheery (or at the very least pleasant) back to you.  Anyone ever heard of those random acts of kindness?  Like people paying of the drink for the person in line behind them at Starbucks or placing a bouquet of flowers or a gift card on a random car in the parking lot?  I think I might try this sometime this month.  I’ll let you know how it goes.

So, on the other side of the teeter totter.  It’s not that I feel depressed or even sad, just, lost.  I miss the training (maybe not all the time and I certainly don’t miss having to ride for 5+ hours, though I could totally go for a 2-3 hour ride) but I miss the structure of knowing a good sweatfest is only hours away on any given day.  That’s not to say I haven’t been working out, I have, but not in the same way and for a good reason.  I do believe the body deserves and needs recovery; it’s just weird to have weeks of recovery instead of a day or two.  Maybe my feeling of being lost or wanting some structure means I’m ready to start seriously thinking about my own goals for 2014.  I’ve really enjoyed and been inspired by those that have contacted me about coaching, so many great goals out there for next year and I’m looking forward to being involved in helping others reach their goals for 2014.  For my own 2014, I have thought about it but am still not sure what the year has in store for me yet.  I know it won’t include another 140.6, although I really want it to (Cedar Point!) but I also know that wouldn’t be fair…to Mr. Pi, to my body, to our budget, etc.  But I think I am ready to start thinking about 2014 more seriously and I’m ready to set some ambitious (but realistic) goals for myself!

Do you have 2014 already planned out?  Have you ever experience post-race blues?  If so, what’s the secret sauce for overcoming it?

Happy Holidays!

Let's Talk Goals and Goal Setting

Welcome back from the holiday weekend those of you stateside!  Who is ready to start planning (or even fine tuning) their 2014 plans? Now that my BIG race of the year is over, I am ready to start thinking about next year.  I've actually been thinking about next year for quite some time but probably not in the way you think. Sure I've thought about races for next year, I'll get to that in a later post but this post really has way more to do with YOU than it does me.  Some of you close to me know that I have been thinking about this post for several weeks and I'm finally ready to lay it all out there.

So...next year for me could involve YOU and YOUR goals for next year.

In the last few months I've been thinking a lot about "what I want to be when I grow up." Yes, I'm in my early 30's and technically "grown" but I believe in being a dreamer and always thinking about how to pursue your aspirations.  Heck, I didn't call this blog ambitious aspirations for nothing!  Something I really value is supporting my friends and family in their pursuits, whether that be athletic or otherwise.  I really thrive on seeing people reach their goals.  

With that said, I'm looking to pursue my USAT Level I coaching certification in 2014.  They even have a clinic in Portland next year!  As part of the application process you are to submit a coaching resume and explain your history of coaching.  This is a little bit of a catch 22 right?  You're applying for a coaching certification so you can coach but in order to be accepted you need to have coaching experience.  Well, I do have SOME coaching experience already.  I've helped my sister in law achieve a 30 minute PR in her half marathon by writing her a training plan and helping her along.  I've worked with local friends on swimming technique.  I've reviewed a few friends' training plans and offered my comments. I host a family "boot camp" over the holidays and on our family vacations.  But now I'm looking to expand and I'm looking to help YOU!  

I am looking to offer guidance to anyone out there wanting a second opinion on a training they have built themselves or found online--FOR FREE.  I'm willing to write a training plan or offer tips.  I can help with swim technique and open water anxiety (even remotely).  I did a lot of weight training in college as part of my water polo program and through my physical therapy lessons this year I've been educated on the big triathlete weaknesses; so identifying strength training options is also something I can help with.  I'm well versed in riding the trainer so if you're looking for some winter cycling routines, hit me up!

As you know, I've also come back from major injuries this year so I know how to build back through a slow and effective ramp up back to sport.  Obviously, I'm not a certified coach (YET) so I'm calling this "guidance" and not coaching.  Also since I'm not certified, you get all of my attention and opinions for FREE. Not a triathlete, no problem.  I can help with single sport plans or general fitness too.

I'm excited to embark on this new adventure and I hope that some of you will take advantage, if for nothing else, just to have a second opinion on your training plan or someone to help keep you accountable to your goals--I know those are two things I always like to have.  Readers of this blog know that I'm no speed demon BUT I did have a kick ass 140.6 distance race and I ABSOLUTELY KNOW what it takes to be a dedicated athlete working to achieve YOUR personal best and for some of you, I have no doubt a podium is in your future.  My "guidance/coaching" philosophy is two fold: 1) set challenging but realistic goals; and, 2) train body smart.  I think #1 is pretty self explanatory but I think it is really important to challenge your body and mind but in a way that will set you up for a successful outcome.  #2, what the heck does body smart mean?  It means, using your head and your heart to become more in-tune with how your body is feeling on any given day.  Triathlons, and any sport, require you to walk the fine line between getting in the training to complete your event and overtraining, risking injury.  By becoming more self aware, you'll be able to help me guide your journey in a more effective and efficient manner (there is a bit of a help me to help you thing going on).

If you are interested, or someone you know might be interested, please email me: ambitiousalisa@gmail.com. Don't fret if you're not local to Portland, I am happy to work with you through this lovely thing called the internet or via phone.  You can also find me on twitter: @dunlapa or on Facebook: Alisa Houghton Dunlap.  To look through pics of my own training, I'm also on instagram: dunlapam0723

Let's start planning your 2014 season together!

Giving Thanks

I love thanksgiving, it is by far my most favorite holiday.  It has all of the great things about Christmas but without all of the stresses.  This year on Thanksgiving I am giving thanks to everyone that supported my epic journey this year…this day and this post is for you.

Mr. Pi, my LOML.  Thank you for all that you put up with this year and really any year, I know I'm not always the most fun person to be around (especially after long training days).  This year you put up with my ridiculous bed times (which were worse than usual) and weekends we barely saw each other.  You supported me through my injury, emotionally and physically by driving me all around town so I didn’t have to crutch in the rain.  You understood the dedication I needed to put in to achieve my goal, even if you gave me crap about it every once in awhile =).  I appreciate your patience because we all know I don't have any! My hobby is time consuming and expensive but you rarely complain.  You have always supported my dreams and ambitions but this year went above and beyond. You always reassured me that I could do it and I think you knew I would succeed even before I did.  Thank you sweetheart—I LOVE YOU.

Dad, thank you for always being my cheerleader and the person I can vent to about anything.  While you may have “failed” to teach me patience (lol) you most certainly taught me perseverance and I am forever grateful for that trait.  Thank you for being there to watch me complete my goal race and always reassuring me that I could do it.  You have always supported my athletic pursuits and this time was no different.  Thank you most of all for being such a great example for all things in life!

Coach Laura, girl, without you and your guidance this year I would have been lost.  On May 4^th when I called you in tears about my foot, you never once said, “your season is over.”  You constantly observed me and let me tell you all of my fears and hesitations.  And, at the end of it all, you were one of my biggest fans on race day!  Thank you for your leadership, your time (I know I was probably at times pretty needy), your advice and most of all your friendship.

Jen,the original badass IronJen of our group.  Thank you for listening all of the times that I cried this year and for all the times that I may have vented/complained.  Thank you for running with me and always being willing to share your experience and your knowledge.  Despite being a significantly faster runner, you have never once made me feel any less of a runner and in many ways have constantly tried to get me to see that I am in fact a runner too. Your card really said it all…you “believe in me” (cue tears) —thank you!

My Arizona Spectating Crew.  Thank you for flying out to watch me race.  It was a long weekend of schlepping to/from the race site culminating in a very long day of standing around watching sweaty bodies go by.  You really have no idea how much your cheers meant to me, even if I heard them for only a few brief seconds.  Knowing you guys were there watching  pushed me to do my best and without your support it would have been a lonely day.  Thank you!

My local supporters.   C, E, L, A, S, Z, P and A.  You know who you are and you know what role you’ve played in my journey.  All of you helped make my dream come true this year and for that I thank you!

My Rev3 team.  Thank you teammates for inspiring me to be a better athlete.  Thank you for your support during my injury and for your virtual cheers as I rehabbed myself back into shape.  I thought of all of you as I wore my big blue R on race day and channeled your speedy legs!  Robin, a most special shout out to you.  Thank you for all of your motivational texts at o'dawn thirty to help get me up and out of bed for training.  Your motivation and supportive comments really helped get me through the year, most especially during my injury rehab and throughout peak training when I was constantly tired and wondering if I was going to make it.

Other internet friends and readers of this blog, thank you guys for reading and for inspiring me to keep pursuing the next dream.  I started this blog way back as a reason to write down my training and my goals, it has morphed into a space where I have met so many wonderful friends both in person and “virtually.” I am lucky to always have a post or two sitting in my reader waiting for me.  Thank you for your inspiration and your encouragement.  Special shout outs to Mr. Carolina John, Miss IronDiva and the sweatastic duo of Emily and AJH.  

This post could have gone on and on and on, that’s how lucky of a girl I am.  I have so many people in my life to thank for so many different reasons.  On this Thanksgiving, think about those in your life that you should thank.

140.6 Recovery with lots of Pics

I last left you at the end of my epic day of racing and hinted at what the next day looked like with pictures of lying by a pool and a margarita!  Well, it has been over a week and I’m still squarely on cloud nine which is awesome. (WARNING: At the end of this wayyyyyy end of this post I show the aftermath of what 140.6 miles does to your toes and talk a little bit about some of the not glamorous after effects of long distance racing...if you're squeamish, don't read past where I answer whether or not I'm going to do another 140.6 mile race.)

The rest of our time in Arizona was pretty great.  The weather was sunny and warm; it did not disappoint.  Here are a few more pics from the trip/after party back here in PDX and then maybe I’ll stop talking about it (LOL).

Making signs at our rental house --- I cannot say thank you enough to my spectator crew, they were amazing all weekend!

Mr. Pi and his mom hiked up to the lookout above the bike course and ASU stadium

Proud Dad!  If you look at my face closely, I'm holding back tears.

Really holding back emotions here.

I know I posted this already but it cannot be said enough that Mr. Pi really is the best husband, race sherpa, spectator king!

Another proud Dad moment

Breakfast the next morning.

I may not have slept well the night of the race but Mr. Pi never fails to capture me sleeping soundly.  Some point during our time in Arizona this was taken.

I thoroughly enjoyed my first weekend post-race.  Mr. Pi and I went to yoga which felt so good.  It also felt so good to have him on the mat next to me, it’s something we can do together which is great!  Mr. Pi, as many of you know, is an amazing trail runner.  He recently bought a new book of new trails in the area and I think he has the goal to run all of them.  Since I didn’t have my own crazy workout to get in, the whole family (even Zoey), loaded up in the car and headed out for the trails.  Mr. Pi ran while Zoey and I went for a nice hike in the woods.

Zoey looks less than thrilled

Sitting in the middle of the trail, silly girl

Nap time!

Sunday night my friends threw me a little get together to celebrate my training and my big day!  Thank you Jen and Zach for hosting and thanks to E, L, A and of course, Mr. Pi for celebrating with me!

Collage of my day from my friends

Jen's little Penny the IronBaby, with parents like Jen and Zach it wouldn't surprise me!  And, no, we didn't stage this, she picked up my medal and put it around her own neck =).  She's a smart one and a cute one (duh).

Ceremonial cutting of the wristband from the original badass of our group, IronJen

It's off

In my recovery week there have been...

Long walks in the neighborhood

And even a REUNITING with Luc the Lucero for an easy 30 minute spin

In my immediate weekend future, I foresee many hikes in my future as Mr. Pi runs trails around the state (nope, I have absolutely no desire to run an ultra or become a trail runner).  I also foresee some easy recovery spins, swims and yoga sessions.  I'm saving my first run for Thanksgiving morning! In another week or so I'll start thinking about a routine again but for now I'm enjoying doing what I want when I want to!  

I’ve read a few good quotes recently about the “off season.”  One from Marni Sumbal “triathlon is my lifestyle, not my life.”  Very true.  I really love being a triathlete and pushing my body like I did this year.  I don’t plan on giving that up for anything BUT I’m not a professional triathlete and triathlon isn’t my whole life, it is part of the lifestyle I’ve chosen for myself.   Another good quote about the offseason was, “being good at life.”  Similar to Marni’s quote, “being good at life” means supporting Mr. Pi in his athletic endeavors for the year and supporting my family friends in their various pursuits while still maintaining my active lifestyle.  I think letting go of the double brick Saturdays and 5 hour ride Sundays is going to be a mental (and physical) shift but one that needs to happen and not just for my physical/mental self but for those who supported getting me to the double bricks and 5 hour rides to begin with, they deserve more of my attention in the coming months.

I will answer one question that I’ve been getting a lot of, “would you do another 140.6?”  I am absolutely, 100% in the “yes” category.  As Page said not too long ago, this race, this distance is a “life changer.”  And, the second question I’ve been getting is, “if you want to do another one, when?”  That’s harder to answer but I can definitively say, not in 2014 but as of right now, 2015, I’m looking at you!

Here’s to another week of recovery and working toward, “being good at life.” 

 STOP READING NOW IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE GROSS TOES.

And for the 140.6 mile aftermath. I think they have actually looked worse but they certainly don't look pretty.

A couple of notes on long distance racing recovery.  In the days following the race, I felt rundown, understandably, however, so far, knock on wood, I have avoided getting a cold.  I think part of it is that I obsessively wash my hands and have been good about getting enough sleep.  I also think that b/c I went back to my normal eating habits very quickly after a couple of celebratory meals.  My meals include a lot of nutrient dense foods like leafy greens, I love KALE and my giant salad creations.  I also eat a fair amount of berries and am sure to get plenty of protein along with healthy fats.  I am also a fan of hydration, i drink a lot of water and herbal teas during my work day which I think helps repair the body.  I hope I don't sick but if I do I will treat my body well with rest and fluids.

For about a week after the race, while I went back to mostly eating normally, my stomach did feel off.  Anyone that has ever done an endurance event knows this is pretty common.  I wasn't starving like I thought I would be but I was hungry and not everything settled properly--I'll leave it at that.

Otherwise, my muscles and overall self felt pretty great.  My hips were sore on Monday and Tuesday but not unbearable.  My legs in general felt heavy and tired but they felt that way through most of peak training-ha!  I think my lack of intense soreness and overall ability to recover from this race is yet another testament to my training.  Training for 140.6 is no joke, it is the "grand daddy" of triathlons and takes a lot of dedication to properly walk that fine line between getting in the volume and not risky injury from over training.  I think Coach Laura developed the perfect program for me and I wouldn't have changed anything about it.  Even my injury.  That injury taught me a little bit of patience (yes, dad, patience--a trait I am NOT known for) and it certainly taught me just how mentally and physically strong I really am.

I am looking forward to enjoying some further recovery and thinking about planning for 2014!

Ironman Arizona Race Report: The Run

ICYMI, here are the Swim and Bike reports.

The run…the discipline I probably have the most experience in, have always had mental hang-ups with and the sport that landed me in a boot and on crutches a mere 6 months ago. 

I honestly hadn’t thought much about the marathon during training or on race day or the days leading up to race day.  I’m not really sure why.  Maybe I wasn’t sure I’d get to the marathon on race day (since I was so wrapped up in the bike cutoff).  Maybe it’s because I knew it would be painful.  Maybe it’s because I was scared to think that most people’s IM marathon is an HOUR or more slower than their standalone marathon time, which would have put me running a nearly 7 hour marathon.  Regardless of reasoning, I hadn’t thought much about it until I started running.

As I started out, my right eye totally blurred which also made the song “blurred lines” go through my head multiple times, I looked down to the time of day watch and realized that even if I had to walk the whole marathon I would make the cutoffs.  This felt awesome.  Spectators were out in full force on the run course too.  As I scanned the crowds through my one good eye and one blurry eye, I kept looking for my family but didn’t see them.  I figured I’d catch them on the way back.

The course was a two loop course with several out and backs so there were people everywhere which was neat, it also made the course seem less boring.  The first few miles were interesting.  I was happy to be running and not biking.  I may have been slowly jogging but I was passing people---this is NOT something I’m used to during running races, especially passing guys.

As I got to the first aid station I started to think about nutrition.  I hadn’t done a great job on the bike but I certainly had eaten enough that I wasn’t hungry.  I took a water and a cup of ice.  Frayed Laces, a teammate of mine, had put ice down her sports bra during the Rev3 Cedar Point race (which she WON) and ate the ice to keep her mouth from going dry.  I figured if it worked for her it would work for me too.  So yes, I was eating dirty ice out of my dirty ass sports bra (the one item of clothing I didn’t change after the bike).

By the time I got to aid station #2 and the first turnaround I decided I needed a strategy for more than just water.  You see, the way I eat and the way I trained, I didn’t need much fuel (if any) for running.  Even my 20 miler I took in very few calories.  As I approached mile 2 thinking about how anything non liquid sounded terrible I opted for coke and water and ice.  This would be my strategy for several miles.

At mile 4ish, near the Mill Ave bridge I saw the fam.  And, just like Jen did during her race, I stopped and gave every single person a big sweaty hug.  They had been standing around for hours and still had hours to go, they deserved way more than a sweaty hug but it was all I could give at that point.  I told Mr. Pi about my eye and he told me to try to flush it out with water so at the next aid station I tried and it did seem to help but my right eye remained blurry for the entirety of the marathon.

The look of determination or blindness or a little of both

One of my favorites of the day!

At some point during the next few miles I found my running legs.  I’m not sure what it was…it could have been seeing my teammate Nina or realizing that even if I ran a 6 hour marathon I would STILL finish under my pie in the sky goal of 15 hours.  Whatever it was I ran and I felt like I was flying but in reality according to the tracking I was averaging 12’s which is totally fine.  I was walking aid stations—taking my water, ice and coke.   I stopped to use the porto’s once during the first half marathon too.

Happily running my way through the marathon

Sunset

The fam was able to cross a couple of bridges and see me at various points along the course which was totally great.  Every time I saw them it gave me a much needed boost.

Around mile 18 I started to not feel so good.  I was really nauseous and had to do a lot of walking.  Coach Laura had prepared me for this moment.  She told me that at some point I would feel “not great” and that I would need to walk but that if I could muster even a really SLOW jog that it would be faster than walking.  I tried, really I did, but there was a lot of walking during miles 17-20ish. 

Feet not moving quite as quickly

About that time in the race I decided I needed to try something else in the nutrition department.  So I went for what some call the holy grail in these races…the chicken broth.  Oh man did it taste good.  A few sips of broth and I felt back in action.  As I hit mile 21 or so there was a sign that I had seen during lap 1 that said, “believe in YOU.”  I may have teared up a bit as I read it.  It reminded me of the card that Jen had made me and of the words written on my Road ID which are “persevere, endure, believe.”  Perseverance and belief are two things I absolutely learned from/make me think of my Dad and endurance/endure is something that reminds me of Mr. Pi and his amazing achievements as an endurance athlete.  

Just after I saw that sign, I saw Mr. Pi walking toward me.  Since I was on a hill (really the only hill) I was walking BUT walking with purpose.  We walked together and I told him that I was only walking to the top and then I was going back to running and only walking the aid stations.  He told me how great I looked and about how awesome I was doing.  I told him that I had gone through a rough patch but that I was feeling better and was totally going to finish. We even joked about how I was going to let the family off easy since I was finishing way before midnight! I said to him how awesome I was feeling and kept thinking to myself that never during this race, not even during my rough patch, did I think "why am I doing this?" or "I'm never doing this again"  I honestly felt pretty freakin' awesome the WHOLE. Mr. Pi kept running with me for a little while and then headed across the bridge toward the finish and said he would see me there!

The full moon in the sky was gorgeous

Around mile 23 it really started to hit me that not only was I going to finish, I was blowing my time goals completely out of the water.  I truly thought my best case scenario day would be finishing in 15:30. It was about then that I also started to remember that not only was I going to finish under 15 hours but that I was also running myself to a marathon PR-ha!  Granted my marathon PR is from 2009 and my training this time around was much stronger than for any of my 4 standalone marathons, I was still shocked that after 2.4 miles of swimming and 112 miles of biking I was going to set a marathon PR---who does that?!?

Miles 24-26 were spectacular.  Just like that note that my friend C sent me before my race (which I posted here), everything, all the painful spots, my blisters, my sore hips, my tired legs, my blurry eye, all of it melted away and for those last few miles I felt awesome. I saw Nina at the mile 25 aid station and she took extra special care of me which was great.  

As I neared the finish I could hear that famous voice calling names and I knew I was close.  

A couple of turns later I saw Mr. Pi, I didn’t see the rest of the family but I knew they were there.  As I entered the finish chute, I soaked it all up.  The lights, the crowd, all of it.  There is truly NOTHING like it.

Eye on the prize

I swear I'm running more here than I have at the end of some marathons

With my arms in the air I heard my name, crossed the line and showed myself just what an athlete I have become.

HELL YEAH

SOOOOOO HAPPY!

Post race I hugged all my family members and put my name in for the post-race massage…well worth it!  As much as I wanted to watch the rest of the finishers, I felt pretty dirty and gross and my family had been out there a long day so we headed home.  

Volunteers walking with me

FINISHER

Proud Dad!

Best sherpa and spectator king ever

My crew!

Back at home I showered and felt the fresh stings of chafing, eek!  I put my feet and legs in the nice cold pool out back of our rental house.  We toasted with celebratory champagne and called it a night shortly thereafter. 

Of course for me there really was no sleeping, I was riding the race high!  In some ways, I still am and probably will be for quite awhile.  This training cycle and this race really changed me.  Sounds completely cliché but it did.  I’m sure there will be times I doubt myself in the future but this training cycle and this race taught me that I AM a swimmer, cyclist and runner--I AM a triathlete!  I think I came into my own this year, battling ups and downs, culminating in one of those days that is now forever on my list of amazing life experiences.  

Total Run: 5:41:38 (an 8 minute marathon PR)

Total Time: 14:21:03

Recovery done right...margarita and the pool!

Ironman Arizona Race Report: The Bike

Ahhh, the bike, the discipline that scares me the most, the one where so many things can go wrong, the one in training that I never felt super strong at, the one that would take the most time of the day…so many thoughts went through my head at the beginning of the bike course. 

Lap 1---
First thought, my damn watch.  So I was wearing two watches, a regular stopwatch type watch which I had left on time of day and my Garmin 910XT which was set on multisport.  I’ve worn this watch several times and never had any issues.  It picked up satellite no problem before the swim but sometime during the swim the thing must have malfunctioned.  It was still collecting total time but it wasn’t giving me any speed readings, HR or distance.  Well, shit.  I had trained with this watch, how the heck was I supposed to know how fast I was going?  I’ll get back to the watch story in a minute.

Second thought going through my head, stay calm, keep pressure on the pedals (great advice from Coach Laura), ride within my ability and ENJOY THE RIDE.

Third thought that was there from before the race started, 3pm bike cutoff number 1 (mile 76), 4:15 pm bike cutoff number 2 (mile 80 something), 5:30 pm final bike cutoff.

As I made my way out of town and down Rio Salado Drive for the first time, I stayed to the right and just let people pass me.  This is something I am very used to.  Being a decent swimmer I typically exit the water and get passed during the rest of the race.  As I settled into what I deemed a good pace I sat in my aero bars and thought about what I was going to do about my watch.  Since it was still keeping total time and total time per discipline/transition, I started doing math.  As Mr. Pi and pretty much all of my teachers can tell you, math isn’t my strong suit BUT it would keep my mind preoccupied!

The course makes 3-4 turns on various roads before you get to the Beeline Hwy.  Each of these roads were nice and flat and on this first lap I didn’t feel any wind.  The temperature was warm (for me) as I had been used to doing rides in 40 degrees but it wasn’t hot.  I did question the number of people I saw with arm warmers though.  

I started sipping on my aero bottle right away.  My aero bottle was filled with water and nuun (cherry limeade and kona cola which tastes a little like cherry coke—both have caffeine which I figured I would need since I’d be running a marathon past my normal bedtime).  As I made the turn onto the Beeline Hwy for the first time I thought I should probably eat something, despite not being hungry.  I grabbed a few macadamia nuts and thoroughly chewed them up.  In fact, chewing my food became a good distraction tool.  I would try to chew everything 10 times.  Funny the things that go through your head during a race like this.

Pretty soon I hit the gradual climb up to the turnaround.  I stayed in aero and stayed calm as people were flying by me.  I kept telling myself to ride within my own ability and to keep pressure on the pedals.  I had originally done all my calculations for the bike based on beginning the bike course at 8:45 but since I finished the swim earlier than I thought and my transition wasn’t even close to 15 minutes all pre-race time calculations were off but in the better direction!  (P.S. Yes, I spent a considerable amount of time in the week leading up to the race doing math on my phone and on scraps of paper and using the tricalc app.)

Before I knew it I was at the turnaround, woooooooo hooo!  There was an aid station at the top and I noted that it had a bathroom in case I needed that knowledge for later.  A quick note on the aid stations, I ended up not stopping or taking anything from any of them BUT they were well staffed, friendly and every time someone made a handoff the volunteers and crowds would cheer it was kinda awesome!  The spectators at the top of the hill were also awesome; they yelled very loudly for every person that made the turn; even more so if you said it was your FINAL turn.

As I hit the downhill, I shifted into my hardest gear and kept pressure on the pedals the whole time—no coasting.  I told myself that on lap three if I was doing well I could coast some if I wanted but not now.  I still didn’t feel any wind which was awesome!  I looked around at the cactus and tried to enjoy the bit of free speed.  Turns out I did nearly 10 miles at a 21 avg pace per the tracking.  Downhill with pedaling will get you there.  One thing I didn’t do was ride aero for the first part of the decent but it didn’t seem to affect my speed much.  I even passed a few people.  I actually passed a lot of people when we got back to the flats, enough people that it actually had me worried that I was riding too hard.  I checked in with myself and felt fine and felt like I was totally riding within my ability so I went with it.  

Just about then I saw the mile 30 mile marker, I glanced at my watch fully expecting to see 2 hours or more (which would have me at 14-15 mph avg)  I was f’ing shocked when I saw 1:40 something.  Holy shit, who am I?!?!  As I made the turn on Rio Salado Drive I started looking for the fam, I rolled all the way into the turnaround and didn’t see them, sad.  I glanced at my watch and saw 2:13 for lap 1—whoa!  Just as I got settled back into my aero bars I saw my Dad and gave a yell!  They clearly weren’t expecting me so soon but I’m glad I saw them.  Later Mr. Pi told me he thought that there had been something wrong with the tracking as he noted "Alisa never rides 21 mph" --haha tis true but on that day I DID!

Lap 2---

At this point the pro’s were passing me on their third loop but I continued to settle into my pace and just stayed within my ability.  I checked in with myself about hunger, thirst, bladder, etc.  Everything felt fine though I admitted to myself that I probably needed to eat more.  I made it through all of the turns to the hwy and paid attention to the not so calm looking flags.  Through most of the turns we had a cross wind but it didn’t feel too bad, I stayed aero and stayed calm—pressure on the pedals.  As I turned onto the Beeline Hwy for the second time I felt no wind…I figured that meant tail wind.  I looked at the bright side and thought, maybe the hill won’t feel too bad then. 

As I hit the hill, I kept checking in with myself and I felt fine so I carried on with the pace I was going.  I also decided it would be a good idea to eat some more, as I reached into my bento I promptly pulled out my PowerBar Harvest Bar and it fell straight to the ground, oops.  Good thing I knew I had more food at special needs should I need it.  Instead I went back to eating and CHEWING my nuts.

Pretty sure this was right after I dropped my food but I'm giving a thumbs up and I'm happy!

As I climbed up to the turnaround I saw a mile 50 sign, I looked at my watch and saw under 3 hours….WHAT?!?!  The fastest I had ever ridden 50 miles prior was like 3:15.  At the turnaround, I got a lot of go Rev3 cheers, not sure who that was cheering but thank you!  Actually throughout the whole day I got a lot of Rev3 love, including from my teammate Nina on the run course (more on that later).  Anyway, I made the turn and immediately HEAD WIND.  Eh, oh well, at least there is a downhill.  Again, I shifted and kept pressure on the pedals and pedaled through the windy downhill.  It was about then that I wished I was more comfortable descending in aero, I think that would have cut the wind some, oh well.  When I got back to the flats I went aero and kept pedaling. 

I also knew special needs was coming up, I checked in with myself, did I need anything, did I want to stop.  Hmmm…I didn’t really need anything but my aero bottle was almost empty, my bottle in the cage was empty and I knew I had premade stuff in my bag—including my secret sauce! As I rolled up to my box, a volunteer held my bag out and kept my bike steady as I poured my premixed Nuun in the front bottle and threw a new water in the cage.  I also dumped some powerbar chews in my bento along with a piece of gum and more nuts. Then I went for my secret sauce, a can of starbucks double shot coffee.  Oh man it tasted delicious.  Even the volunteer said it looked good.  I told him he couldn’t have any though!  I checked in with my bladder and decided I didn’t need the restroom so I off I went.

As I made the turns back to town I looked at my watch again and felt good about where I was at.  I don’t remember the exact times but it was well ahead of my best case scenario.  On Rio Salado I started looking for the fam and saw my whole crew.  Anyone that has ever done a race knows how much of a boost it is to see family and friends.  It was amazing!  I felt awesome as I made the turn and headed back out for my third and final lap!

My Dad with his sign looking proud!

Lap 3---

Again, I saw my fam on the way out of my final lap.  I sat up and gave them a wave, I was feeling awesome.  As I hit the turns I realized that I did kind of need the bathroom, so I decided that I would stop at the first aid station.  I waited in line for maybe a minute but was in and out in a jiffy. Again, volunteer held my bike for me and asked if I needed anything, I didn’t so I was off and riding again.  As I got back on my bike I definitely felt the winds.  It still wasn’t anything terrible but it felt stronger.

Heading out on lap 3, telling the fam how much ass I was kicking

There I go...

As I made the turn onto the Beeline Hwy for the last time I really tried to enjoy myself and soak it all in.  The bike course was a LOT less crowded and there weren’t giant packs of grotesque drafting going on anymore which meant that I paid extra special attention to staying out of draft zones. 

As I climbed up the gradual hill for the last time I really felt great.  I thought this last climb might kill me but I think the tailwind really helped.  I made the final turn around and got lots of cheers from the folks at the top as I told them it was my last turnaround.

Again, on the downhill I shifted and kept constant pressure on the pedals but this time with the stronger headwind and some cross wind gusts I really had to recite to myself that I would be okay and that any free speed I could get would help me.  I tried to stay calm but a couple of times the cross wind gusts definitely scared me.  Every time one came up I thought, thank goodness it isn’t a windier day and that I’m not 5’1’’ and 100 lbs.  I can’t imagine riding in 20 or 30 mph winds.  I also can’t imagine being a small female…really on the bike or during the swim.

As I approached the mile 100 marker I was ecstatic!  The girl riding next to me said, “farthest I’ve ever ridden,” and I said, “Me too!”  I looked at my watch and saw I was WELL under 7 hours and decided to start backing off the pace some which was easy since I was riding into a headwind. I also went for my spearmint gum.  During long training rides, mint gum always did wonders for me.  It made me feel like I was brushing my teeth and starting the day over.  It didn’t disappoint this time either; it perked me up a bit and was a welcome change of taste.

I hit Rio Salado Drive and starting looking for the family I couldn’t wait to tell them how freakin’ awesome I was doing on the bike course.  Sadly, I didn’t see them.  I was disappointed but also secretly thought, heck yeah I’m riding so fast my family is missing me!

As I hit the dismount line, I looked down and saw 7:02…HOLY SHIT man, 7:02!  My absolute pie in the sky best case dream was 7:20 and I really thought I’d be more like 7:45-55.

I got off my bike, handed it to a volunteer and realized how wobbly my legs felt.  Oh boy, the marathon. I grabbed my bag and walked toward the change tent.  As I did I also noticed that my right eye was feeling really weird.  I figured I smudged my sunglasses and that it would be better when I took them off.

I sat down and the tent was much less crowded this time.  A volunteer dumped out my bag and asked what I needed.  I opted for full change.  I baby powered my feet and put on my calf sleeves, new socks and my running shoes.  I grabbed my Rev3 visor and headed out. 

Immediately I noticed my right eye was still totally blurry---what the hell?  Oh well, I could see that’s all that mattered.

Total Bike:  7:02:20

T2: 7:03