The Tale of the SOMA Half Ironman

PREFACE: SOMA 2005
Last year's SOMA was my first Half Ironman (HIM). But that race didn't end up as I had planned. After the race, when everyone asked how it went, I would usually look at the ground, shrug, and say "Well, I finished." I wouldn't offer up my finishing time unless I knew the person really well and knew they wouldn't be critical of my time.

You see, my first HIM didn't go as planned. I learned just how much the mental side takes over in these longer distance races. Everyone always cautioned about going out too fast. "You can never go out too easy." Well, I'm here to say, "Oh yes you can."

I was full of so much self-doubt before the race that I was completely scared of the distance. Sure, I had trained and followed a training plan. But linking all 3 together in a HIM? The thought completely freaked me out. The tell-tale sign was as I headed towards the swim start. I wasn't excited or anything. I was completely unsure if I could do the race. And that feeling of being unsure stuck with me all day long. I was way too conservative, not pushing myself like I needed to in the swim. That set the tone for the entire race. Throughout the day the course cut-off times loomed behind me. On the run, I was to the point that I was paranoid that I wasn't even going to finish. But I did cross the line and "finish", but it wasn't anything I was proud of.

Last year's SOMA was a test for me, as I wanted to do Ironman Arizona (IMAZ) in 2007. With such a horrible first HIM, how was I going to do IMAZ? A few months after my dismal SOMA race, I decided to try again, and signed up for Barb's Race, held on the Vineman course in August. This time I was much more confident, and attacked the course. It was a much more difficult course with all the hills than SOMA, but even with that I took of 50 minutes off of my SOMA time. This gave me the fuel to move forward with trying to fix the unfinished business I had with SOMA.

This year I planned to be one of the first people in my wave to get in the water. This time I was going to leave EVERYTHING out there on the course.

SOMA 2006
PRE-RACE:
The Three Week Taper
Before a HIM I don't recommend crashing a motorcycle.I was in a race (on the track, in a closed course and sanctioned environment...I'm not a hooligan) on my new '03 Buell XB9R, and going into one of the corners the transmission decided to eat itself. This caused the rear wheel to lock up, the front to tank slap, and me to highside. It was quite spectacular. I landed on my left elbow and skidded off the track. Other than the elbow, I was fine. The elbow was not. It had a huge gash and roadrash, and lots of bruising. This happened even through the leather racing suit and elbow armor. So for 2 weeks I stayed out of the pool while the wound oozed, as I didn'twant to go to the pool with an oozy elbow, nor did I want to expose the elbow to pool nasties. The bruising also didn't allow me to put pressure on that arm, especially in the aero position, so biking was out. But I could run, and got a few 2 hr runs in before the race.

Burnout
This was my last race of the season, and I could tell I was burning out. I burned out bad this year with the motorcyle racing, so I could recognize the signs. But I only had a few weeks to go, and this race and this season would be over. I just wanted it all to be over. I seriously needed a break, especially with training for IMAZ starting up in late November. I wanted to do better this year at SOMA than last year, but I could tell on race day my heart wasn't in it. I had peaked at Barb's Race back in August, so I think I was on the downhill after that. The timing with SOMA just didn't work out. I just wanted the race to be done and over with.

Waiting...Waiting...Waiting...
We met up with some internet axe murderers (a.k.a. people we had never met except for postings on the internet) from BeginnerTriathlete.com for Saturday night dinner, which was a lot of fun.Then we rolled our little RV to a friend's house and set up camp. I finished getting everything ready for the next day, and went to bed early. At 2AM I woke up to use the restroom, and didn't fall asleep again until 3AM. I begrudgingly got up at 4AM to eat and get ready for the race.

We found parking in an empty lot a few blocks away from the racesite. I stepped outside and thought that I would just wear my race clothes to the race site without any sweater or anything, as itwasn't that cold. I set up my transition area, and then Zac and I sat by the lake, waiting for the race to start. I was in the last wave,so I had a lot of waiting to do. We got to see the sun come up over Tempe Town Lake, so that was pretty cool.

After the Quarterman waves got going, I found my wave and got ready. I wanted to be at the front to make sure I wasn't still on land when the horn blew. While I was waiting we found Niki, and I noticed her race number was 666 and started cracking up. We were still in our race corral when the Quarterman swimmers came out. We got to cheer for our fellow Tri Girls as they got their wetsuits stripped. Finallyour group moved forward and we were next to get in the water.

SWIM:
What Was My Stomach Thinking?
I jumped into the water and the shock of the cold water hit me. At least we had 50 meters of swimming to do to get to the start line. I seeded myself slightly to the left of the group and somewhere in the middle. The horn blew and the washing machine began. People were everywhere, and I was running into people and getting run over quite a bit. But nothing where I got hit hard. If I saw feet I'd pull up my head to avoid getting kicked in the face. This is the first race where I was able to draft! Swim coaches Colleen and Jeff would be so proud! I found some feet at the beginning and followed for a bit, but then they disappeared. We were about half way to the first turn when I noticed I was by myself, but someone my speed was next to me. So Ipulled over and tried to get behind them, but noticed they already had a drafting buddy. So I fell in behind that person. I was able to draft all the way to the first turn, then found some more feet to the second turn. At the second turn there was and orange cap, so I was already catching the wave in front of me. I swam almost to the bridge behind my drafting buddy until more orange caps came around. This was the back of the group, and these orange caps could NOT navigate. One came cutting across me and my drafting buddy, severing our connection as I had to take action to avoid this big guy in an orange cap. My drafting buddy had a gap now, and I tried to catch up but couldn't. So I swam aways by myself.

I got to the yellow Dorito chip that was the turn for the Quarterman folks to turn in and end their swim. I figured that was about halfway, so I did a time check and saw 21:00 on my watch. That made me happy, but the next part didn't. After that I caught the timing of a wave or something wrong, and sucked in a ton of water. I had to stop to cough and choke, and I started gagging and heaving. Oh no...not good. Was my stomach trying to throw up or something? I stopped for about 2 minutes trying to get everything under control. I decided to start swimming again, but my stomach was not happy. It felt like there was a bunch of air trying to get out but couldn't. So I wasreally uncomfortable for the rest of the swim. This also slowed me down, as I didn't want to push the pace if my stomach wasn't feeling well. Also, this was screwing up my mental game. I didn't know what to do about the stomach issue, and that bugged me so that I couldn't focus on swimming. My arms were pretty much going through the motions as I worried about getting sick. You see, I have this anti-puking mechanism in my brain or something. I don't like puking and try toavoid it. You know that Seinfeld episode where he hasn't puked in 10 years, and does because he eats the white and black cookie? Well, that's me.

I tried to focus on getting to the next buoy...and then the next buoy. I told myself, "You can get sick after the swim." I could just picture myself getting pulled out of the water by the volunteers and puking everywhere. Great, I was going to be "that girl." I made it tothe bridge just before the finish and pulled up again and belched out a ton of air. That made me feel much better. I got to the last orange Dorito chip and turned right to face the bleachers. There was a dark blue cap who was several waves ahead of me at the start, so I made it my mission to beat him into the swim finish. I got there ahead of him and grabbed a volunteer's hand. These guys were great, and lifted me out of the water onto the first step. Then I just put my hands out and let each row of people pull me forward, and that way I avoided being a clumsy girl and rolling down the bleachers into the water and taking a bunch of volunteers with me.

At the last step I looked down at my watch and saw 50 minutes. A little slower than I had hoped, but still 12 minutes faster than last year. I ran along the cement to the wetsuit strippers and got my suitoff, and they helped me up. I heard "Go Elaine!" and saw Holly and Kyle cheering. At least I think it was Holly and Kyle, as I didn't have my glasses on and could only make out shapes in the haze. I alsoheard Zac yelling, and I ran to the transition area. Total swim time reflects wetsuit stripping and the run down the chute to the transition area.

I've got to do something about swallowing too much air on the swim. Wear a noseclip? Take Gas-X beforehand? Hold a penny under my tounge? I've got to figure something out before IMAZ.

TRANSITION #1 (T1):
Thank God the Swim is Over!

I ran into transition and past 12 rows of bikes to Row 12 where I was racked. This is the first race I've done where numbers and rack spots were assigned alphabetically. I pulled my number belt out of my helmet and put it by my run shoes. At the last minute (when I was in my wave group waiting for the swim start) they said we didn't need to wear our # on the bike, and only on the run. Then don't put it in the athlete's guide! I didn't want to wear the number on the bike, so I stuck it by my shoes. Got my socks on, with a nice layer of grass on the feet, too. Shoes on, gloves on, sunglasses on, helmet on and strapped, and I booked out of transition. I was careful getting on my bike to not knock any of my bottles off (I did that earlier this year). Done and out on the bike.


BIKE:
My Knees Hurt, and I Have to Pee AGAIN
3 weeks off of the bike took it's toll. My goal was 16 mph average for the whole thing. I made the turn onto Rio Salado and joined the group. Since I was in the last swim wave, most folks were already on their second loop. I spun my legs along, and proceeded to burp allthe air that was in my stomach on the swim out. I felt much better after that.

The first loop went well. There was a lot of construction and rough spots. Gotta love AZ roads. But I tried to stay in the aero position as much as possible. The first loop was crowded with the racers, and often times I'd see huge groups riding together going the opposite direction. The U-turns were crazy, and I had to slow way down to make it through. I really didn't want to fall there. For my nutrition, I had 2 bottles of Gatorade with CarboPro to give me ~200 cal/hr, and water in my aero bottle up front. I had to go at the first aid station, and luckily I had scoped out the porta-potties before hand. There were only 2 potties at each aid station. As I approached the turn I could see one bike parked by one potty, and some guy walking towards the other. Nooo! I need that spot! He wasn't done by the time I rolled up, so I had to wait for a little. Finally he came out and I was able to go, probably taking half the time he did, and I'm a girl! Got out and slowly crossed traffic back into the racing lane. That part kinda sucked, having to cross traffic to use the potty. It would have been better to have them in the center median. I refilled my water at the second aid station, and finished my first loop a little under 16 mph average. I also got a cramp in my left calf on the first loop, and tried to stretch it out while waiting in line for the potty. It went away later during the ride.

The second loop I tried to go a little harder. I was looking forward to the third loop because I knew everyone would be out on the run by then. I cheered for anyone that I saw that I thought I knew. I was still sucking down my Gatorade/CarboPro, and would have to then rinse it down with water. It was overcast out, so I wasn't sweating much. So on the second loop I had to use the pottys again, this time at both aid stations. This may have been too much fluid on the bike.

The wheels fell off on the third loop. At Mile 44 my knees began to ache badly. And I had a real hard time staying in the aerobars. My body just did NOT want to be down in the aerobars. I was also slowing down. The hills were killing me, and I just wanted to be done with the bike. I made one more potty stop at the McKellips aid station. My stomach also started growling at this point. I had been taking in calories, but no mass. So I ditched the idea of finishing with CarboPro and instead switched to the contingency Cliff Blocks that I had in my bento box. After the last aid station I checked my watch and saw 3:30 for the bike. I hammered back to the transition area. During those last few miles on the bike I began to think about the run, but my legs were already hurting. This was not a good sign.

TRANSITION #2 (T2):
Finally OFF of that Stupid Bike!
I rolled into T2, glad to be done with the bike, and absoloutely scared of the run that was ahead. Why oh why didn't I sign up to do the AquaBike? Running really isn't my thing anyways. Changed shoes, got my hat, number belt, and nutrition belt, and hit the porta potty one more time before leaving T2. This seems like an excessive amount of peeing for the bike leg.

RUN:
I Don't Know if I Can Do This
My goal for the run: run as much as possible. I walked the entire course last year. I set out on the course and immediately saw all the signs we made for the Tucson Tri Girls. For my first loop, I would have the most people around me. Nevermind that almost all of them were on their second loop. My first loop wasn't too bad. I ran the entire thing, and averaged about 12 min/mi, which is what I ran in training. I forced myself to eat Clif Blocks every 20 minutes, as I was sick of Gatorade from the bike. I got to the aid station at mile 7 and re-filled my water bottle. I walked for a little after that to get some more water down. A truck drove by and stopped at the intersection of Rio Salado and Priest and someone was cheering me on from the truck. "Yeah! Go Elaine! Keep going! One foot in front of the other!" I couldn't tell who that was or if I knew them. Could they read the name on my number from that far away? I waved and started running again.

The water at the aid stations was nice and cold, so I allowed myself to walk to get some water. The sun was also out at this time, so I was pouring it on myself and my legs to keep cool. Just before mile 10 I had to walk the small uphill, and the uphill to the bridge. They had water and Coke there, so I took a chance on the Coke. Might as well try it out now to see if it will work for IMAZ. The aid station volunteer said "We're still out here for ya" which was pretty cool. I slowly sipped the Coke and followed it with water. It seemed to stay down, so I started jogging again. I was also taking a salt tab every hour.

The downhills were hurting just as much as the uphills, so I let myself walk those. I wanted to start running again on the dirt path at mile 11, but a horrible side stitch came up. I decided to powerwalk instead. The jostling of the fluids in my stomach made the cramp worse, so walking it would have to be. My stomach was also growling like mad at this point, and it wasn't fooled by the Clif Bloks. I just wanted to get to the finish and get some real food. I got to mile 12, hoping for Coke. "Nope, we're all out" the aid station guy said. All out?! How could they be all out?! Don't they know how addicting Coke can be? Don't they know where the name "Coke" came from? I need my hit! I had been hoping for Coke at mile 12 and I was denied. Of course. Another way this race is trying to beat me down. So I kept going.

In the midst of all this craziness I did notice one strange thing. On my first loop myself and another girl in front of me were running along the lake, next to some shady tables. She was wearing tri shorts and a sports bra, but no top. Anyways, there was a guy sitting at the tables with a big bag and a camera. Something didn't feel right. He didn't have any official logoed stuff indicating he was an official race photographer. As she ran by, he took a picture. As I ran by, no picture (I was wearing my tri top and shorts, so no bare midriff). EEEEWWWW!! EEEWWWWW!! So apparently creepy old men hang out at Tempe Town Lake taking pics of triathletes with bare bellies. What he was going to do with those pics afterwards, I have no idea. But I didn't see him on the second loop. Thank god.

Ok, back to the race. I managed to do a strange gimpy run with my arms swinging wildly up to mile 13. The cramp was still there, and this was all I could muster. I skipped the mile 13 aid station, and headed up the grassy hill. My legs were done, and for all I was worth I could NOT run up that last hill. So I had to walk. But as soon as I got to the top I started the gimpy run again, with the arms swinging like some sort of cage fighter. Strangers on the side of the road started cheering when they realized I was heading to the finish. No, she's not some crazy lady on the street, she's just one of the last finishers. There were more people there at the finish this year than when I finished last year. I saw Zac in the stands as I ran by, and finally crossed the finish line. I was done! Take my chip off my stupid ankle as I'm done and want to sit down so freakin' bad! I was hoping for some grapes or bananas or oranges or bagels, but instead was greeted with the frat boy catering service of pizza, chips, and candy. The sight made me want to urp. I got a water instead, and chose the Snickers Marathon Bar. I only ate a few teeny bites before dumping it in the trash.

POST-RACE:
Zac and I immediately went to the transition area to get my bike and stuff, because all systems were shutting down. I used my bike as a wheeled crutch to get back to the RV. I was so happy to see the RV's couch! I laid down right away, and slowly drank my chocolate milk that I had prepared and waiting in the fridge. That was much better. I was caked in salt, so I took a quick shower in the RV, and ate a small snack. I slept the entire drive home, and when I got home I had this crazy craving for Ramen noodles. Then I immediately went to bed and slept 11 hours.

Zac: "Did you see the creepy guy taking pics of the women with bare midriffs?"
Ah ha! I was right!

CLOSING:
Well, I took 1 hour off of last year's time. This was also a few minutes faster than Barb's Race. I was hoping for a little better, but I'll take this given the events leading up to this race. Also, if I want to do better for this race, I'll have to train for this one, rather than training for a different race and peaking there andtrying to carry it forward to this race. That doesn't work so well.

Things I need to fix before IMAZ:

• Stop swallowing too much air on the swim.
• Different bike nutrition. I need something that gives me calories, keeps the hunger at bay (enough to not have a growling stomach the entire time), and not make me sick. Spiz worked well in the past, but I can't drink it when it gets hot. Gotta find something new. Maybe what I'm using now + a few bites of solid food (bananas?)?
• Work on the biking.
• Work on the running. It's slowly getting better.

I've learned I can't take one particular race I've done and project it forward to IMAZ. Doing 3 HIMs has taught me that each race is different. But, I know what it's like to hurt that bad. I really think IMAZ is going to hurt like this race did. It will just take a bit longer and last longer than this race because the training will increase with the increased race distance. I've got one thing going for me...I know what it's like to be out on a race course for a long time. Just me in my head. I definitely had a better mental game this race, because that's what kept me running until the cramps set in at mile 11. That is what's going to carry me through IMAZ. So all of these little tests along the way are helping me build the mental game for IMAZ.

And for those wondering, no, I won't be racing any motorcycles until after IMAZ in April. ;)

FINAL THOUGHTS ABOUT THE RACE:
They took suggestions from last year and improved the race. Packet pickup was WAY better this year, as there was no lines when I went through (unlike last year which was a complete mess). Everything was much more organized. 3 loops on the bike course still isn't fun (I'd like it better with 2), but I understand if they can't get the permits for the other roads. A few more porta-potties at the aid stations on the bike would be helpful, and again, move those to the center median. Other than that, I have no real complaints. Everything went really well given the size of the event.

SPECIAL THANKS:

• My wonderful husband, Zac: Some folks have spouses that don't even come to their races because they are long and boring and well, there's not much to watch. But it really helps to have that support there. Just knowing I'd see him while on the bike, after my first loop on the run, and at the finish kept me going. Not to mention he helps carry all of my stuff and keeps my bike in working order.
• Tucson Tri Girls: BEST TRI CLUB EVER! I love how this club is so supportive. Here I am finishing the last in my age group and one of the last people in the entire race, and they still cheer for me and keep encouraging me. I can't begin to say how awesome that is! I wouldn't be attempting stuff like this without the help they've given me along the way.
• BeginnerTriathlete.com: From the helpful forums, the training plans, and the training logs, it really is a super site. If you are a geek and love to analyze data, this site is a dream.
• Mom & Dad: They take care of our puppies so that we can go out of town on trips like this.