Ironman 70.3 Texas 2014

The triathlon last Sunday was one of the most stressful yet rewarding races I've ever participated in. It was stressful because in addition to prepping for my own race, I was busy making sure Karen had everything she needed, reminding her of all the things we did in training and nutrition, and making sure she was safe and ready to race. I actually forgot some stuff on race day because I was busy worrying about Karen. Next time, she's on her own! ;) I also had a few Team Zoot and Bike Barn events that I had to attend, which took time out of resting, but they were well worth it as I got to meet and hang out with some stellar people/athletes. 

It was a rewarding race because I got to spend the entire weekend with my sister and race day with my closest friends and family. Just seeing their smiling faces and encouraging (or taunting words -"Run faster! Don't let Karen catch you!" courtesy of my loving roommate) made me bust out my pearly whites. The race quickly stopped being about me as I kept thinking about how Karen was doing and cheering her on every time I saw her. :) I even ran with her for the last half mile or so until the finishing chute when I stepped in dog poop and had to go wash my feet. See how much I love her?

It was indescribable how proud I felt and how much joy I felt to see her race and finish with such a huge smile on her face. It made all my extra training sessions with her worth it. All the skipped rest days, slow bike rides, skill and technique lessons, late night bike mechanics, nutrition planning, all worth it. 

An even better surprise was the letter and card I got in the mail a few days later:

Aww, she thinks what I do is stupid. <3

Big sisters are not so bad afterall..

:) It's good to know she loves me and my stupid activities. 

Read on for the more detailed race report. 

Swim

The original plan was for Karen to set the pace and I was to draft behind her for a PR swim. Her growing up as a swimmer gave her a huge advantage as she could swim twice as fast as me without any training or even trying. After practicing an open water swim earlier during the week and feeling horrible, I told Karen to drop me during the race if need be. I'm so glad she listened because I was not having a steller day and instead focused on my form since my coach and I had been working on it the past few weeks (Karen was also swimming backstroke a few times trying to wait for me.. show off!! :P)

We're ready to go! First (of many, I hope) race together!

It was hard to get into a groove while swimming in a washing machine, getting thrown around and smacked in the face during every breath, so instead of getting frustrated by my non-personal record swim pace, I concentrated on my pull, reach, and recovery. Repeat times 5000. I also got smacked a few times in the face by other swimmers, but the best part was getting smacked by an arm and a wave at the same time. Another reason why I love this sport: you get hit on all the time ;)

Who needs a wind gauge when you have hair? That's how windy it was out on the swim course!

I got out of the water in 40 minutes, the same as my usual half ironman time, but I quickly got over the disappointment as given the water conditions, 40 minutes wasn't bad. I also felt much more fresh coming out as my stroke was more efficient and smooth. Yay! Thanks coach :)

T1

I stumbled to T1 as my equilibrium was still off from all the thrashing in the bayou. I made it through the strippers with no problems (another reason why I love this sport) and made my way to my bike. I was glad to see that Karen's bike was gone as I hoped she wouldn't spend eternity there as she said she would. Next thing I know, she's right in front of me and asks if I want a face wipe. "No Karen! I have to go bike!" She grabbed her forgotten gel and headed to the bike out. (She almost had an entire facial in there as her T1 time was over 5 minutes!! Silly girl.)

Athletes 1225 and 1226 racked together!

Bike

It was something special to be able to cross that bike mount line beside my sister and tell her goodbye and good luck. It was now my time to focus and see what damage I could do on the bike course after all my hard training and long hours in the saddle. My goal was to get in the low 2:40s or even break 2:40. My dream goal was to crack 2:30, but with the rain, mist, and slick roads, I wasn't expecting to set a huge PR. 

I was supposed to race in zone 2 power as advised by my coach, but I couldn't maintain it/was afraid to because my run had been struggling the last few weeks to stay in zone 1 due to exhaustion, and racing that part in zone 2 as well would've been very taxing. I opted to hold back to give my run a chance.

Lo and behold, I felt so freaking good coming off the bike. I knew right away that I was capable of a lot more in future races. Watch out!! I also hit my dream goal bike split and went under 2:30 with a 2:29:35!

T2

I took my time to body glide my feet/heel really well for the anticipation of running in the rain to avoid any blisters. I also needed the extra time to process what I just did on the bike and to calculate my run pace for a killer finishing time since I was way ahead of schedule.

Run

I felt amazing. It shocked me how good it felt to run a sub 8 min pace as I could barely hold a 9 min mile the week before the race and actually had to walk home during one of the runs because I felt so sick. I reluctantly made a pit stop at mile 1.5 since I was well hydrated but knew it would aid me in the long run since there was still many miles to go. I forced myself to slow down the pace since I was now in zone 3 and was not sure how much energy reserve I had left from the previous training block. It was a tough thing to do as I was feeling so good. It felt really natural to run at that low 8 min pace. 

Then I felt not so amazing. I didn't bonk because I knew I fueled well, but I did slow down significantly after 7 miles since I used up everything in the energy tank and was completely depleted. It was really frustrating to watch myself struggle when I knew I was capable of more. I hit a low when I ran a near 10 min mile. Negative thoughts began to flow through my head and that only caused me to run even slower. I finally stopped this madness as it was torture and reminded myself that 1) I came in untapered and exhausted 2) I wasn't feeling well all last week 3) it's my first race back from a concussion that I'm still recovering from 4) I'm still killing the race and PRing.

So with that mental boost, I dug the deepest I ever had to dig and forced myself to get to the finish line as quickly as I could for that day. I even ran into Pamela who ran with me for a bit then encouraged me to keep pushing :) during the last 1.5 miles, my new goal for the day was to crack 5:10, so I picked up the pace and had nothing but c'mon on repeat in my head.

My official time was 5:11:35, but my watch says 5:10 (without the bathroom break) so I did reach my on-the-fly goal :) Next up is cracking that beloved 5 hour mark!

The sister

Watching Karen smile throughout the entire race was enough for me to have a successful day. Seeing her at the bike turn around, she was looking so aero and gave me an emphatic wave as she continued to kill it! I felt proud to see her having the correct form, and it scared me that she was so close to me that I had to pick up the speed.

Upon passing her on the second loop of the run, she threw her hands up in the air and shouted, "I killed it on the bike!!!!" I could do nothing but chuckle and glance at my watch in fear as I was just beginning to struggle and that 5.7 mile cushion did not seem like enough for this KMan who was still looking fresh. The last lap and a half I was seriously just telling myself to not let Karen catch me! I kept timing when we'd run into each other on the course and sighed relief when I noticed she was slowing down slightly. I kept cheering her on every time I saw her and encouraged her to keep up the stellar work.

She told me at the end of the race how she kept reminding herself of everything I told her about nutrition and racing and that she pushed herself because she didn't want to disappoint me. As if she ever could :) I am so proud of you, Karen, and it has been a blast being a part of your triathlon journey! Thank you for your continual support and for being my biggest fan! And, guess what? I'm your biggest fan too.

Swim, bike, run, smile, laugh, and love. Repeat. :D

A letter to my sister

Dear Karen,

I still cannot believe that I got you to sign up for a half ironman. After constantly hearing you say that you would never be that crazy, I did not think that I'd ever get to fulfill my dream of being able to share this part of my life with you. But now I do, as we will be lining up together, side by side, at the starting line on Sunday.

It has been a real pleasure watching you grow in the past few months from someone who was terrified of the bike and needed me to save you to a wannabe cyclist smiling from ear to ear during a 50 mile bike ride with headwinds. I have watched you fallen multiple times, only to get back up instead of quit. Although I didn't say anything during those moments, I was so proud to see you conquer a fear.

I've heard you complain many times of soreness and tiredness, but you still trudged on and went running, swimming, and biking with me. You gave yourself no excuse, and that's great because you're building your mind to be like an ironman, which is anything is possible.

Your smile has gotten bigger (and so have your quads!), your laugh has gotten louder, and your eyes have gotten brighter. I could only wish that it was spending time with me that was making these transformations, but it's not. It's the sport, the dedication, the discipline, and the dream.

I have no real ambitions for my race on Sunday except to be your biggest fan and loudest cheerer on and off the course. I want to be there with you when you cross that finish line and accomplish something that you once thought was impossible. I want you to see my face when you realize that you've made one of my dreams come true.

And to hear you say that you're actually enjoying all this pain and suffering aka training and even jokingly planned your future in this sport, has made my heart grow thrice its size. To be able to share with you something I love so dearly and to have you love it back, it's one of the best feelings in the world.

Whatever happens on Sunday, no matter the results and finishing time, know that I am so proud of you and that I love you even more for just trying to get a taste of my world.

You're the best big sister in the world, and I'm glad this little sister can still teach you a thing or two about being crazy. Crazy awesome that is. :)

See you at the finish line (and hopefully many more to come)!

Love,
Angie Man

Drive like a cyclist

In lieu of everything that has been going on in the Houston cycling community (hit and runs, deaths, "Goal Zero"), I thought it'd be a good time to share my thoughts on my relationship with bikes and cars.

I love cycling. A lot more than driving. If I could bike everywhere to run my errands or meet family and friends, I would. But with the infrastructure and size of Houston, my preferred mode of transportation is not ideal. Despite all that, I bike anyways because I love it. You get to experience nature in a whole different way than in a car while still getting somewhere in a timely manner.
Wind caressing your skin, sun kissing your face, smell of freshly cut grass, wildflowers springing up to say hello, cars honking at you..

Okay, that last one is not a pleasure, and it's the exact reason why my parents and some friends abhor what I do.

I love my worry rats, but I hate that they have to worry.

My parents have been trying to convince me to quit this sport for as long as I can remember because it's hard work, doesn't pay well, and there's no secure future. Oh, and it's dangerous. But asking someone to quit something they love is like telling them to make their heart stop beating. Sorry, no can do. I know cycling can be dangerous, but it doesn't have to be! Cars and bikes can coexist safely and happily on the road.

Truth is, cycling has made me a better driver. I often find myself saying 'car back', 'bump', 'pothole' while I'm driving or even as a passenger because it has become so natural for me to call out all dangers while out on the road on my bicycle. Some people might find it annoying to consistently say or hear these cautions, but I see it as life-saving and accident-preventing for I am always on the alert. I have also noticed that my peripheral vision is even better than it was before. Although I'm mainly staring straight ahead while driving, I see more of the road and catch activities and motions that are happening beside me. I can attribute that to constantly keeping my head at a swivel while biking and honing in on my senses to detect bypassing cars, people, or danger.

My spidey senses tingle too as I can predict the sudden movements of cars and know how to react before the other driver even makes a move. These skills have all been gained through countless hours of cycling. They have become so instinctual that I don't even have to think or remind myself to pay attention. I just do it.

My wish as a cyclist, a driver, and a person is that this type of alertness becomes instinctual to everyone. I'm not saying every driver should become a cyclist (although that would be great!), I'm saying think and act like one.

Drive as if you're a cyclist - feel vulnerable and therefore be extra cautious and alert

As cyclists, we usually look ahead 10-12 seconds (or more!) to detect any dangers in the road whether it be debris, bumps, cracks, potholes or even a human being. Knowing what we need to avoid ahead of time provides and arms us with ample time to evade danger. There's no reason why drivers can't do this too. I not only watch the car in front of me but also 3-5+ cars ahead. If their taillights are indicating they're braking, I'm already slowing down before the car in front of me does.

We ride to the far right of the lane, keeping our line and trying to be as predictable as possible. We even try to be courteous and single file ride when we know cars need to pass by. This gesture sometimes puts us in even more danger as we are hovering over the edge of a road or inches away from the curb and at the mercy of the drivers. The reason we take an entire lane sometimes is to ensure our safety; we don't do it on purpose to annoy drivers! So drivers, please cut us some slack. Instead of honking at us and trying to drive us off the road, wave hello or comment on how great we look!

We follow all street rules - stopping at stop signs, yielding at intersections, etc. And to the cyclists who weave through traffic, I plead for you to stop. Not are you only making drivers hate us, it's stupid and dangerous. If you were in a vehicle, you would not be weaving in and out of cars lined up at the stop sign or light; you'd patiently wait your turn. Act like a vehicle, and drivers will treat you like a vehicle.

This brings me to my last point. Drivers, please treat us cyclists as vehicles. Just as you wouldn't pass another car within inches or a foot while speeding, please don't do that to us. Give us the 3 feet the law demands or even better yet, the entire lane. You switch lanes anyways to pass another car, don't you? Plus, what's an extra 30 seconds to your travel time? It won't ruin your day or life, but a hit and run would.

I half heartedly agree with this poster. As cyclists we are just as responsible for our own actions, but we are also at the mercy of those behind the wheel. Both parties need to up their game and be responsible drivers and cyclists.

And my fellow cyclists, act like vehicles. Keep your line and stay in your lane. Just as cars signal for turns and use headlights and taillights, you should too. Let your intentions be known and make sure you're visible. And since cars have to get routine checkups and maintenance, so should your bicycles. You don't want your brakes to fail you when you need them the most.

I don't want my friends or family to have to worry about me every time I head out to ride. So whether you're a driver or a cyclist, feel vulnerable so that you are extra cautious and alert on the road. Make it a habit until it becomes second nature. And even then, keep honing your spidey senses.

It really doesn't matter what new laws are passed or new streets are built because the rules cannot be enforced 100% of the time. It's our own responsibility to be respectful and safe drivers and cyclists.

Proof that happy cyclist and happy driver can exist!

ps. my momma and poppa will thank you too. :)