Escape from Alcatraz 2017 Race Report: No ESCAPE! (Swim)

I have had this race on my bucket list for a while now and was so excited when I got the notification email that I had been chosen from the lottery system they have.  You have to put in for this race WAY in advance as it sells out every year.  I wanted to do this one so bad because everything about this race just seemed EPIC to me!
In the morning you get barged out to the Alcatraz island and jump into the icy cold shark infested waters of San Fransisco Bay.  You have to battle the crossing currents and make sure to sight well so you don't end up under the bridge.  Once you get to shore you have a 1/2 mile run to transition where you jump on your bike and cycle the humongous hills of San Fransisco.  The run takes you out along the beach and right under the Golden Gate Bridge.  There is a 400 step sand ladder you have to climb once you hit the Pacific Ocean and start heading back.  You see!  All of it sounds AWESOME!!!

 This year was my year to do this race!  I got plane tickets for me and Rod well in advance and arranged our accommodations. Our Auto Repair shop (RAD) has been very busy this year (YAY!) and we are shorthanded (BOO) so Rod decided it would be best for him to stay home.  I asked my girlfriend Brenda if she would join me and she was all in!  GIRL TRIP!!!! 

Thankfully I have a few friends who have already done it so they had offered me some very helpful advice!  I arranged an airbnb room right by transition so I didn't have to worry about traffic. Brenda and I couldn't have picked a better location.  We were literally right next to everything!  We were close to transition and packet pickup but we were also really close to some really cool restaurants and shops.  I swear we couldn't find a bad restaurant and the views were spectacular.  We were able to walk everywhere and it made for a nice stress free stay.

 Race morning!  It was pretty chilly in the morning and they were expecting winds to start picking up.  We needed to be to out of transition early and shuttles were leaving from 4:30am- 6am to get everyone out to the barge on-time.  You are able to drop a bag before you get on the barge but they ask you not to bring anything onto the barge with you.  So we were all wet-suited up before we climbed aboard so we could stay warm. 

We were all on the barge by 6:30am and the "JUMP" was scheduled at 7:30.  I found a couple of my friends, Cindy and Jim, and I hung out on the floor just chit chatting with them.  It was pretty funny looking around the room with everyone in wetsuits, caps, and googles just hanging out on the floor on the barge. After about 30 min the captain came over the loud speaker and announced that there was a "small craft warning" and the kayakers and paddleboard support were not safe and therefor we were not safe.  SWIM CANCELED!  WHAT???  Oh my gosh.  This is what we came out here for!  How can you do Escape from Alcatraz without actually escaping from Alcatraz!?  Oh man.  We were all disappointed.  It was now going to be a time trial bike start and we were to head back to the shuttles.  I have never seen so many heads hung low.  Luckily I was with a group of friends and I think we all just wanted to keep each other positive and discuss how we will just have to come back next year and do it again!  It seemed like forever as they unloaded us from the barge and waiting for the shuttles.
Once we got back to transition things were crazy.  People were wanting to bail and go home.  I don't get that? You came all this way and yeah it is disappointing but we are triathletes!  We do more then one sport!  We still had a bike and run to do.  They were not allowing bikes out of transition so people were hopping the fence and making a run for it.  Crazy... Anyways with a time trial start they started with the pros number 1 and let everyone go in numerical order.  I was number 646... OYE!  I feel really bad for number 2000! It seemed like we were stuck in transition all day!  Finally my time had come and I was off on my bike!
Those of you who know me know this is my favorite part of a TRI! I LOVE to ride my bike!  This course was literally designed for me.  Short and STEEP swooping hills and balls out descents!  I was in heaven.  This had been just what I needed to get me right back into race mode. The views on the bike course were amazing.  I loved every minute of it.  It is a shame that it is only 18 miles!  I would have loved the bike to be longer. On to the run!
The first 2 miles of the run are pretty flat and boring.  You are running along the shore of the Bay but you have already seen those views many times by this point and you are just kind of trudging along anticipating what is yet to come. Once you get closer to the Bridge you climb a big series of stairs up to the tunnel that takes you under the bridge.  There was a lot of pretty foliage around the stairs so it gave you something to look at least while you were doing your extended bleacher climb. Once you get to the top the view is breathtaking!  There you are right at eye level with the Golden Gate bridge and you can see past the bay all the way to the Pacific Ocean.  I so wish I had my camera with me for this view.  I seriously would have stopped and taken a picture.  Once you run past the bridge you have a pretty steady climb for about 2 miles until you start dropping down into the beach.  You hit the beach and run in the soft sand all the way to the infamous "Sand Ladder"...

HA!  It was fine.  Not that big of a deal.  Kind of cool actually.  I didn't mind it at all.  Once you hit the top of the ladder you have a nice smooth decent for about 3 miles back to the Bay and onto the FINISH LINE!

There at the finish line was my friend Brenda cheering me on with a full Parka complete with hood all the way closed covering her face!  LOL!  I guess it was cold and windy out there ;).  I wish I had a picture of her.  It was pretty hilarious seeing her all bundled up as I am running around in a tanktop and shorts. Bless her heart it was so nice to have someone come with me for this amazing day.  Yes it was disappointing not to swim but I seriously think I smiled through the whole race.  Later talking to racers they said it was cold and windy on the course but honestly the weather never even crossed my mind while I was out there.  That is how much I had enjoyed this race.  I was totally zoned into it and NOTHING got in my head or way! The race director sent out an email letting us know that those who competed in this years race are guaranteed entry to next years or 2018's. I am so glad I have an excuse to do it again!

Heat Exhaustion: Recognize the signs!

It doesn't matter how strong of an athlete you are and how long you have been training in your particular sport.  Heat exhaustion can hit us all!  There are a number of reasons a person can become victim to heat exhaustion and as endurance athletes who train in Arizona heat it is important for us know the signs.  Here is an example of an athlete experiencing heat exhaustion and then a refresher on the signs, risks, and treatments.

It has been extremely hot here in the Valley the last couple of weeks and I needed to get a 3 hour ride in.  I arranged a 4:30am start with some fellow riders hoping to beat the major heat although even at 4:30 it was still 87 degrees outside.  We headed off into the dark and went on our usual 45 mile route.  Right around mile 30 I started to notice my friend David, a normally very strong rider struggling a little bit.  He was breathing heavy and looked tired so I asked if he was ok and he said that the heat was bothering him but he was hydrating and taking in fuel.  We carried on and came to another stop about 5 miles from the last and this time as he rode up I noticed his skin color was almost grey and looked clammy.  I immediately got nervous and told him he did not look good and we needed him to maybe go wait in the shade somewhere until we could get back or find him a ride.  He agreed that he was probably not going to make the entire ride but he wanted to get a little closer to end of the route so we could go back and get him.  As we continued riding I mentioned to my friend Bridgit that I was really concerned about David and she expressed the same concern.  I decided to call his wife and see if she could come and get him.  I realized that his wife was out an a shorter ride at the time and then called my friend Bev a fellow rider and someone I know I can count on in an emergency situation.  I explained to her what was going on and she told me very sternly you need to get him off of his bike and into the shade NOW!  I followed her direction and he listened obediently and Bev and Jim were on there way to come and get him.  Phew.  Thankfully David is home now recovering and is going to be ok.  But let me tell you watching something like that escalate to quickly really gave me a scare.  Why did that happen to him?  He is a great athlete who knows how to hydrate and fuel.  We left early in the morning and though it was hot he has certainly rode in hotter conditions and there was even an overcast this morning. 
That is what made me want to write this blog.

Here is the reasons this could happen to you or anyone regardless of there athletic ability...
1. In David's case he had rode 7 days in a row in AZ heat and had not replenished his body enough after his rides and through out the rest of the day.  We forget that we need to hydrate and fuel not just during our workouts but also for hours after.
2. Heat Exhaustion can occur when your body is not regulating it's core temperature correctly.  Ways that this can happen are.

• Dehydration, which reduces your body's ability to sweat and maintain a normal temperature
• Alcohol use, which can affect your body's ability to regulate your temperature
• Overdressing, particularly in clothes that don't allow sweat to evaporate easily  

Risk factors: (MAYO Clinic)

• Young age or old age. Infants and children younger than 4 and adults older than 65 are at higher risk of heat exhaustion. The body's ability to regulate its temperature isn't fully developed in the young and may be reduced by illness, medications or other factors in older adults.
• Certain drugs. Medications that affect your body's ability to stay hydrated and respond appropriately to heat include some used to treat high blood pressure and heart problems (beta blockers, diuretics), reduce allergy symptoms (antihistamines), calm you (tranquilizers), or reduce psychiatric symptoms such as delusions (antipsychotics). Additionally, some illegal drugs, such as cocaine and amphetamines, can increase your core temperature.
• Obesity. Carrying excess weight can affect your body's ability to regulate its temperature and cause your body to retain more heat.
• Sudden temperature changes. If you're not used to the heat, you're more susceptible to heat-related illnesses, such as heat exhaustion. Traveling to a warm climate from a cold one or living in an area that's experienced an early heat wave can put you at risk of a heat-related illness because your body hasn't had a chance to get used to the higher temperatures.
• A high heat index. The heat index is a single temperature value that considers how both the outdoor temperature and humidity make you feel. When the humidity is high, your sweat can't evaporate as easily and your body has more difficulty cooling itself, making you prone to heat exhaustion and heatstroke. When the heat index is 91 F (33 C) or higher, you should take precautions to keep cool.

What are the signs or symptoms of heat exhaustion?  (From the MAYO clinic)

• Cool, moist skin with goose bumps when in the heat
• Heavy sweating
• Faintness
• Dizziness
• Fatigue
• Weak, rapid pulse
• Low blood pressure upon standing
• Muscle cramps
• Nausea
• Headache

Treatments for heat exhaustion are... (Mayo Clinic)

• Rest in a cool place. Getting into an air-conditioned building is best, but at the very least, find a shady spot or sit in front of a fan. Rest on your back with your legs elevated higher than your heart level.
• Drink cool fluids. Stick to water or sports drinks. Don't drink any alcoholic beverages, which can contribute to dehydration.
• Try cooling measures. If possible, take a cool shower, soak in a cool bath or put towels soaked in cool water on your skin.
• Loosen clothing. Remove any unnecessary clothing and make sure your clothes are lightweight and nonbinding.

If you don't begin to feel better within one hour of using these treatment measures, seek prompt medical attention. You may be given intravenous (IV) fluids to help you rehydrate. Immersing yourself in cold water, misting your skin, placing yourself in front of fans, or using cold or ice packs and cooling blankets are some of the techniques that may be used to bring down your body temperature.

Dawn Brooks Fitness and Endurance Coaching!

Hello Friends! I have some exciting news! You can now follow me at Dawn Brooks Fitness and Endurance Coaching. https://www.facebook.com/dawnbrooksfitness/ I have recently decided to make the jump and start coaching on my own. There are so many different styles of coaching out there and I wanted the freedom to develop my own. I am committed to keeping up with the most successful and proven methods for each of my athletes. I can now offer training programs from 5k's all the way to Ironman. PLUS!!!... Comprehensive strength and endurance programs for any distance obstacle race including trifecta Spartans and Ultra Toughmudders! I will continue to post updates as I develop my business plan and my website. Thank you for following me! For more information about my coaching services you can call or text me at 480-528-5374. Or send me a private message :).

Chino Grinder 2017: Race Report by Colleen Venti

Before signing up for St. George this year I had previously signed up for the Chino Grinder.  A 108 mile gravel ride through Chino Valley.  I love these back road rides and thought it would be a blast to ride my mountain bike on the course.  Looks like being swayed to St. George was the better way to go! My friend Colleen Venti was nice enough to give me her race report so my athletes and I can learn from her experiences.  Colleen is an incredibly strong cyclist. She can give even the strongest mens cyclist a run for their money. This type of cycling however is not usually her thing.  Based on her report it might be worth the investment of a gravel bike if I ever plan on doing this ride in the future! She would  like me to add that the event was well organized and the bike support was top notch!   Check out her report...

Chino Grinder- this kind of riding is new to me. I love mountain biking on trails and enjoy road riding (on a road bike), but gravel grinder courses consist of dirt roads, gravel roads, and some paved sections. For this one the route goes from Chino Valley, AZ- elevation 4,600 and heads north to Williams, AZ- elevation 7,545. At 22-miles into the route you are at the lowest point, about 3,800 ft. So, it's up, down, up, on the way out. Total climbing according to my Garmin was 8,734. It was supposed to be 108 miles, but was 110.1. About 90% of the people riding (at least those doing the full 110 miles) do it on specific gravel or cross bikes which have drop bars just like a road bike, but tires that look like something that would be on a hybrid bike- thinner and less knobby than mt bike tires. I own a road bike, a tri bike, and a mt bike, more than my garage can already fit- I never plan to do a race like this again and could not even justify modifying my road bike or buying different tires for my mt bike, so....mt bike with full knobby tires was my choice. My friend Keisa, who I did all the training with, was doing it with me, or so I thought… The race started at 7:30- at 7:10 she pumped up her tires and the seal on her tubeless tire separated and all the air leaked out. She headed over to bike support to get help, but they couldn't get it to seal, so she put a tube in it and finally at 7:43- 13 min after everyone else started, we were on our way. That part kind of sucked, we were on our own and the wind had already started, so we had no group with us to help block it. Then, 10 miles into the ride her tire blew, it sounded like a shot gun. The side wall had a slash in it and after a few minutes of us evaluating the situation, we realized there was nothing she could do to fix it. She had to call it a day and told me to go on. Luckily this happened right near a support vehicle so she could get a ride back. There are several distance options for this event- there's a 44 miler- you go out 22 and turn back and there's a 54 miler (really 55)- where you go to the top then get a ride back. I really didn't want to do 108 (110 I would soon find out) on my own, so I told her I'd most likely go to 22 and turn back. She and I chat non-stop on these long rides, making them go by so much faster, so the thought of talking to myself for 100 more miles was not appealing. There was not another rider in sight, so it was just me and the long dusty road. I got to the 22 mile turn around and was feeling good and wasn't ready to head back, so I decided to get to the 55 mile turn around and re-evaluate at that point. I was taking a gel and electrolytes every hour, and filled up my camelback at mile 33 where they had an aid station. My legs were feeling pretty shot by mile 50, but I was so close to the top that I decided to keep going (really, where the hell else was I going to go??). The last 2 miles are the steepest and hurt! I got to the turn around, heard some volunteers and other racers saying that a lot of people were calling it a day and getting a ride back down because the wind was so bad. I thought long and hard about doing the same, I just really wasn’t having fun. After telling my brain to shut up, I grabbed more gels from the aid station, filled my camelback up with water, used the men’s bathroom (women’s was out of order), jammed an Uncrustables down my throat, and jumped back on my bike thinking that it's mostly downhill and won't be that bad. HA! The wind coming back was insane, 30mph with gusts up to 50. Never knew what that felt like before, but it was an effort to stay on the road and my neck/shoulder/back were getting sore because I was so tense going down. About 10 miles into the descent a guy I know (Joe) caught up with me and we decided to ride together- I got behind and drafted him on the descents (or tried to, the wind seemed to be coming from several directions at once), and he got behind me and tried to do the same on some of the climbs. He told me this was his 3rd time doing this event, the first two times he didn't finish. Once he told me that I was determined to finish and get him to do the same. Also, it was nice to have someone to ride with and not have to talk to myself anymore! At about mile 80 I could no longer see out of my left eye at all, and the right wasn't must better, I wear contact lenses and they were so dried up from the wind. On a whim I decided to toss a fresh pair in my jersey, so at an aid station at mile 87 I stopped and changed my lenses. I had to go into a camper to do this, otherwise the lenses would have blown away. It was so nice to be able to see again!! The climb out was tough, it started at mile 88 and ended at mile 99. The last 11 miles are pretty much flat/downhill, and ideally should be an easy ride back, but not with a 30 mph head/cross wind and 50 mph gusts. It was almost comical. The gravel/dirt ended at mile 107 and the last 3 were on roughly paved road. Right when we hit the paved part we saw a bike on the ground on the right side of the road, and a guy laying on the left side- the bike support van was with him already. We stopped and they told us an ambulance had been called. The guy was literally blown off his bike and across the road. OMG (later heard he was ok, stitches and road rash were the worst of it). So- the one and only advantage of doing this kind of ride on a mountain bike- they are heavier and don’t get blown around as easily, haha. We made the final turn into a full-on headwind and just laughed, it was so ridiculous. I crossed the finish where Mark and the kids were there waiting for me. While I spent the day on the bike they had slept in, had breakfast, went for a hike, had lunch, went to see Guardians of the Galaxy, went out for ice cream, and still got to the finish an hour before I did.

They decided they earned a spot on the podium regardless
of what place they finished :)

Ironman St. George 70.3

This race I was really looking forward to this year because I planned on going with my friend Maggie and I had coached my athlete Devon for this and it was not only his first 70.3 it was his first ever Triathlon!  It is crazy trying to get someone prepared for a TRI in general with no experience but make it a ½ Ironman to boot! I had worked with him enough and he was a strong and capable athlete so I felt like he was going to do great. 

I honestly could not have asked for a more beautiful race.  The town of St. George and the Snow Canyon Mountain State park is really just spectacular.  The weather conditions on the other hand… It could have been worse for sure.  The day before was a blistering 99 degrees and I remember thinking “man this is going to be a HOT race if the weather stays like this”.  The weather app said it was cooling down to about 88 degrees and that sounded so much nicer then 99.  There was a picture of wind on the app and I thought no problem I have had wind at races before maybe it will keep us cool? As my friend Maggie and I were settling into bed we received an urgent message from the race director informing us that swim wave times have changed and we were going earlier due to the increase of high winds expecting in the afternoon.  OK… well that's good I thought. Hopefully we will be off the bike in time for the winds and only have to deal with them during the run.

Swim: Water temp 64 degrees.  Much colder then I like but I had my full sleeve wetsuit and I was ready for it.  On the shuttle into the lake we all saw a sign that said “swimmers itch active”.  LOL.  I had to explain to people on the shuttle what this was (parasites in the water from bird poop that get under your skin and attack your veins) lol.  It is fine I said it goes away in like a week.  I am sure I didn't make anyone feel better. Lol.  I have dealt with this enough I wasn't concerned about it.  Honestly I felt pretty calm at the swim start.  I leaned over and told my friend Maggie “just think about dinner tonight in Vegas, all we have to do is get done with this and we will be on our way”.  Into the water we went.  It was very chilly starting out I and  was worried I was going to get one of the frozen sinus headaches that happen when the water is to cold.  But after a few minutes my body started warming up and the temperature was fine.  Honestly this is the first time in a race I actually really enjoyed the swim.  The scenery around me was beautiful the lake was pretty clean and clear.  If only I didn’t have 1000 people swimming around me.  They sent the younger guys in waves out behind us and sure enough they came charging though!  Got swam over a couple of times and punched in the face once.  For a triathlon this is pretty standard.  The swim is always carnage.  Made it out alive, which is always the goal, and on to my bike.

Bike: I had driven the course the day before and felt good about my strategy.  I planned to take the bike course a little easier then I usually do because of the elevation and knowing the run course had 1200 ft of climbing.  I usually just barrel out the bike because that is my strength and whatever I have left for the run is whatever.  But this time I was really concerned about the run.  I took my time on the first climb of the bike, which was within the first few miles.  Just kept telling myself to take it easy.  About 20 miles into the bike course I started experiencing severe menstrual cramps. The only reason I am talking about this is because it is a situation I have never had to deal with and I want to share with my female triathletes so they can learn from my experience.  So sorry guys if this is just not something you want to know about you might want to stop reading here… I needed an ibuprofen so bad.  Seriously, it was bad.  I was not prepared for this.  Forget about the bike course, the pain in my abdominals was far worse then the pain in my legs.  Now I just needed to figure out what to do.  I have never had to stop on my bike at a bathroom for a 70.3 but I had no choice today.  I had no ibuprofen and just had to deal with the pain.  I started just trying to focus on the scenery and not worry about my bike times and find a happy place.

The bike course was very much like my rides to sunflower I had done previously so I felt really good about the training I had done to prepare for the bike course.  The long slow grind up snow canyon was really nothing comparatively to some of the sunflower hills.  It was really beautiful.  Sometimes Ironman bike courses can be dull and non-inspiring but if I needed to be on a course to take my mind off of my problems this was the one to be on!  The weather had remained pretty decent with cloud cover for most of the ride.  The last 10 miles of my bike the winds started really picking up with some strong gusts blowing us all over the road.  I felt good that I had finished fast enough to miss most of wind and felt sorry for the people that were still on the course.  Into transition I rolled.

Run: Oh boy.  The first aid station I came to I begged for some ibuprofen and nobody had any.  Even after taking it easy on my bike the first 3 miles of the run were all uphill.  I couldn't get a good groove going and had to walk a lot of it.  After that, we had a nice downhill section and I was finally able to get my legs underneath me to get my run going.  It was really kind of a wacky run course.  1200 ft of climbing consisting of 3 miles up, rollers, and then a out and back 2 times up and down a mountain then 3 miles down.  The wind had really kicked up now and people’s hats were blowing off, big gusts of dirt and debris were hitting us in the face and it was adding resistance to our run paces. It was just a “survive” kind of run for sure.  I never ended up with ibuprofen and I had several people ask if I was ok as they saw blood running down my legs (totally embarrassing I wanted to die).  But I FINISHED! Not my fastest times by far but I ran through the chute happy to have finished and have another experience in under my belt.  All of these experiences just makes me a better coach.

My athlete Devon had succeeded in finishing his very first triathlon and first 70.3.  All in all a successful day! Yay!!!

Cochise Classic 165 mile Bike race-- 1st Place Overall Woman! October 8th 2016

This was a crazy idea from the start...
This is my first year coaching and I did my own training schedule for Ironman Florida.  Saturday Oct 8th fell right on the date of my planned 7 hour training day bike ride.  As I browsed the local races in AZ as I do often I noticed that there was this local race in Douglas AZ that weekend and if I did the 165 mile option I could use my triathlon bike! Score! It seemed like the perfect scenario to pound out my long training day with the excitement of other riders and race support happening.  I knew that 165 miles would translate to over 7 hours but I felt ok with that. 127 was my farthest ride ever at that point so it would also be a new exciting challenge for me!
My friends Bridgit and Bethany decided to sign up with me to coach them and I started planning out their year schedules as well.  I mentioned to Brigit I had this race in mind and it might be something she would be interested in as her goal was to develop her biking this year.  I didn't have to ask twice.  She was in!  LOL.  We signed up together and tried to get a group together but believe it or not there is not a lot of people who want to ride that distance ;).

This was all planned out early in the year and I still had a ton of training to do in order to get me ready for my A race Ironman Florida.  As training volume started to get heavy and fatigue started to set in I was questioning more and more whether or not I should do this race.  I really didn't want to do something that was going to hurt my Ironman but I hate the idea of not completing something I signed up for.


About a week to go from the race I was battling some severe fatigue and depression and made a call to Bettina (head coach of Racelab and my mentor).  I explained to her how I was feeling and what I had planned and she told me that I was experiencing classic over training syndrome and that I should NOT do the race. Oh man.  What was I going to do?  I totally agreed with her based on how I felt and I knew that I would run a risk of ruining my Florida Ironman race if I went through with it.

This however was the problem...
1.We had a total of 4 riders going down to Douglas to complete the race and I had the support crew (Brittney) that we needed in order to do the race. (this ended up being Sevi's son)
2. This was a big race for my athlete Bridget.  She trained very hard and was really looking forward to doing it.  I did not want to bail on her.
3. Her grandmother had just passed away and she wanted to ride in honor of her memory.
4. I felt like she was really counting on me and I could not let her down.

I called Bettina again and said that I completely understand what she advised me to do but for reasons out of my control I had to do this race.  I asked her if she would help me recover as best as possible for Ironman Florida so I could at least still have a decent race.  She agreed to help me!

So I was off to Douglas with Bridgit!  Race morning came and I spent at least 1 hour watching Bridget try to decide what socks to wear out of the 10 pairs she brought with her? I don't wear socks so I was absolutely no help to her in her decision making process.  With 20 min to go before the race we were literally getting in our car at our hotel and driving to the race :/. LOL.  All was well and we somehow made it on time and got to the start line seconds before the gun went off.

The race was on!  We all started out together and my heart rate immediately shot up.  I yelled out to the group that I was going to slow it down because I knew I had to stick to my heart rate strategy if I was going to finish this race.  I decided to let my friends go ahead and I hung back.  Always keeping them in eye shot though it is hard to watch people ahead being a competitive athlete.  As the ride continued we rode out through the hills of Bisby and the historical town of Tomestone.  It was so beautiful and very cool to see.  In the mean time by mile 30 I had caught up with my group at aid stations and was feeling really good. I pulled away at one of the aid stops and just got my grove going.  I was seriously in my happy place.  There was so much to see and everything was new it really made for an awesome ride.  By mile 80 I was out on the course by myself and just cranking away.  I really had my rhythm by this point and was able to increase my speed.  At about mile 85 we head out onto the I-10 for about 15 miles.  This is a major highway and holy crap that was scary!  Semi's are buzzing by looking at you like you are crazy.  There was no signs or anything out there telling people cyclists were on the road.  My heart rate probably jumped about 10 beats for that portion.  As the I-10 portion finally ends around mile 100 there is a pretty big climb.  I remember thinking about one of my training rides where my friend suggested we climb this big hill for our mile 100.  We all laughed and said "nah lets not" but here I was climbing a big hill at mile 100.  I suffered through that climb a little bit but I knew after that it was pretty flat for the last 60 miles.  Now it was just time to get to the finish.  More miles ticked away and I was still going pretty fast and steady.  At about mile 150 everything started to hurt.  Those last 15 miles were a major grind.  My feet were burning, my back was sore, my butt had enough in the saddle.  I really had to dig deep and mentally push through those last 15 miles.  As I rounded the corner on the last mile I hear a volunteer yell into his walkie-talkie "first place female coming through".  What?  First place?  Was that me?  Holy shit!  As I rode through the finish line I got a lot of applause and they congratulated me on my first place finish.  Wow. 

I got my medal and they asked me to hang around for the rest of my crew to come in and so they could get a picture of the top female finishers because second and third had not finished yet.  I had a pretty good feeling that my athlete Bridget was going to be coming in second.  I knew if she stuck to the plan and held strong she had every bit of the ability to do it.  Sure enough they started announcing second place female was coming through.  There she was!  It was Bridget!!!  I was so excited and so proud to see her coming through.  Tears started welling up in my eyes as I saw her cross the line (I am kind of a sap about my athletes).  She looked amazing!  Nice and strong.
This turned out to be an amazing race for me and an awesome confidence booster for my Ironman Florida coming up.  To think I didn't even want to do it.  Hah!  Who knew? 

How To Set Up Your Transition Area.

It is a anxiety inducing buzz among new triathletes as to how best to set up there transition area.  There are of course are many ways in which you can set up your area but I have found this way to be pretty fool proof for me...
Step 1. Fold small towel no wider then your body and place to the left of you wheel.

Step 2. On back side of towel of farthest from you place your running shoes opened wide and if you use laces have them open and out to each side.  Place shoes coordinating with foot left on left and right on right ready to go on the foot. Lay your race belt with number attached and or if you are using a fuel belt across top of shoes open wide and ready to go on first.  Place visor/hat on top of shoes ready to go on your head.  If you are carrying extra water or fuel put between shoes so they don't get tossed around.  Be ready to stuff in your pockets or carry in your hand. 

Step 3. On front side of towel or closest to you place your bike shoes opened wide and coordinating with correct feet (left on left right on right).  Make sure your socks are unrolled and next to each shoe ready to go on foot.  Place helmet upside down and front facing you with straps laying outside of helmet.  This will insure you just pick up your helmet and put it correctly on your head. Have sunglasses laying open on top of shoes to put on first. (if you put your sunglasses on after helmet then you have to take them off when you take off your helmet in T2...wasted seconds!) Have your bike loaded with hydration and fuel.
*It is also ok to have a small towel and water bottle off to the side to rinse your feet off if your are running through sandy/muddy areas to get to your transition.  ←←

Final Glace...

Hope this helps! Now go and ROCK your race!