tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370981186005950702024-03-12T20:42:14.880-04:00Training...Racing...LivingMeghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06295633306150866116noreply@blogger.comBlogger59125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1037098118600595070.post-55338178180087924702016-01-25T23:21:00.000-05:002016-01-27T14:51:05.322-05:00It's time for a different kind of fun! It's been just over four months since the World Championships in Chicago. I finished 47th in my age group (compared to 14th in London Worlds 2013) and did not compete in the Open Age Group race I registered for. My training and fitness had me placing on the podium, but mentally I couldn't pull that off with the different levels of distractions I was facing that week. <br />
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Since then, I have not had one structured training session. My typical off season break is two weeks but I needed much more this time. <br />
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I needed time with my friends, I needed to figure out who I was outside of training, working, racing and fundraising. I needed to mountain bike more, a lot more, to go out at night and not have to worry about having to getting up at 4:30am for training. I needed to be "free"! <br />
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Well all those needs have been met and I am the happiest I've been in my life! I have strengthened the relationship and bond with my wonderful, caring and crazy friends.<br />
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I have a boyfriend, Eric who competes in triathlons - the long ones! He loves to swim, bike, hike, camp in the winter, cross country ski, trail run, kayak - pretty much everything I love! He lives fours away in Rhode Island so we cram as much as we can over the weekends. <br />
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I've explored trail running and have fallen in love with it! The feeling of following a trail, running super fast downhill, skipping on rocks and being in the woods - it's incredible. I did my first 10k trail race, the <a href="http://randolphramble.com/" target="_blank">Randolph Ramble</a> and placed 2nd without structured training and I decided to race it the day before! <br />
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I've also "dropped" into downhill mountain biking! Thanks to Amber, Mark, Pat and Julie for the use of all the gear and the community bike Minxy. I've been a few times and have fallen in love with it. The speed and flow and getting air feels awesome!!<br />
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I competed in an 18k running race since the Ramble and it was very different knowing I wasn't fit enough to place and not be competitive, actually brought me to tears. I called Steve that morning and he calmed me down and said just do your best. That helped! <br />
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I'll still race, I'm too competitive not too! I raced the <a href="http://www.baxteroutdoors.com/" target="_blank">Baxter Outdoors Winter Triathlon</a> a few weeks ago had a blast and placed 1st!<br />
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This weekend I competed in my first Fatbike race (20 miles) after only riding in the snow a handful of times. (It's a whole different ride when you're sliding around unexpectedly in freezing temps). It was so much fun and the <a href="https://cooscyclingclub.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Coos Cycling Club</a> put on a phenomenal race. Complete with cheering volunteers at all major intersections with cowbells and fire pits. Exquisite handmade awards, food from <a href="http://www.libbysbistro.org/" target="_blank">Salt Pub</a> and <a href="http://whitemountaincafe.com/" target="_blank">White Mountain Café</a> and sweet raffle prizes. The club did an incredible job prepping and packing the course for weeks and that made for a fast two laps. As the temps warmed to maybe 20º (start temps were below 0) and with over 50 riders on course, over the next two laps it began to deteriorate and made for some deep ruts but that's nature for ya! I had a great race thanks to Julie Ferland for letting me use her bike, Pat Ferland for prepping it for me (he even put hand warmers in the bar mitts!) and thanks to Eric for the support. He helped me plan my clothing and gear, kept my water bottles and gel warm for each lap, comforted me on the 3rd lap when both hamstrings cramped so bad it brought me to tears.<br />
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So after being able to "play" for the last few months and having a
discussion with Steve, I've decided to take a season long (or more) break
from being coached with structured training and racing. It was an
emotional talk knowing I won't be working with Steve everyday and
landing on the podium at nearly every race, but this is what I need. <br />
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In the spare time I have now, I am coaching the Saco Valley Swim Team at the <a href="http://www.whitemountainaquatic.com/" target="_blank">White Mountain Aquatic Center</a> on Wednesday nights, playing co-ed Hockey on Thursday nights and helping my friend Sinea manage her website, <a href="http://donnasdreamersinc.com/" target="_blank">Donna's Dreamer<b>s</b></a><span style="font-size: small;"> - <span style="font-size: medium;">A non-profit scholarship organization for children who have lost a parent or guardian to cancer.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;">I'm also turning wood with the legendary Ed Good of One Good Turn. I have several pieces and am raffling one off for the <a href="http://greatglentrails.com/events/carl-johnson-memorial-ski-a-thon/" target="_blank">Carl Johnson Memorial Ski-A-Thon</a> along with Ed and 2014 Olympic Biathlete Sean Doherty. Tickets are 3 for $5</span> </span> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"> </span><b> </b> <br />
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I'm racing the Cape Cod 1/2 marathon in April followed by the <a href="http://www.rasputitsagravel.com/" target="_blank">Rasputitsa</a>, a 45 mile gravel grinder the following weekend - <a href="https://youtu.be/4qHGWUo3ovc" target="_blank">race footage here</a>.<br />
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Eric and I are registered for the Timberman 70.3 in Gilford NH on August 21 and he convinced me to do a full Ironman in Wilmington, North Carolina mid October! A full consists of a 2.4 mile swim, a 112 mile bike and 26.2 mile run. Never thought I'd do one this soon but I'm excited!<br />
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Don't get me wrong I was having fun racing at very competitive level, traveling and being super fit but now it's time for a different kind of fun! <br />
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<br />Meghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06295633306150866116noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1037098118600595070.post-3450587418186552002015-09-14T23:05:00.003-04:002015-09-14T23:05:13.310-04:00World Triathlon Series Chicago Day 1Day one in the windy city was hectic! First off big thanks to Regina's friend Susan Osgood for the hospitality last night and free parking for the week and Mike Ferreira for picking us up at 4:45am to bring us to the airport.<br />
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When we arrived there was hardly a line and we stepped up to get our boarding passes only to be shocked. None of us were registered on the direct flight to Chicago that Regina booked two months ago!! Regina provided the confirmation number and it came up as leaving at 10:45am stopping in NY for 6 hours and arriving here in Chicago at 8pm. That was not happening. After going back and forth a few times we asked for the supervisor. She informed us that the plane we were supposed to be on had a mechanical and they changed it to a smaller plane. The system randomly chose passengers to be bumped. That email came in at 5am as we were checking in. After about 30 minutes we were switched to a 7am flight (it was already 6am at this point) to NY with a 20 min layover before our connecting flight to O'Hare. They set us up with pre-check and seats in the front of the plane so we wouldn't miss our flights. We checked our bags and were told we had to pay for them. Regina spoke up and said no that's not what it said when I made the reservation. After more back and forth and if we booked before July 1st they were free, after that not so much. We booked before July 1st. We made our way around to security and the line just kept going and going!!<br />
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Finally they called pre-check and were on our way to gate 19, or so we thought. We had about 15 minutes to get there and try to get some food. We stopped to get smoothies and they were out so we opted for breakfast sandwiches. Regina went to fill water bottles and came back with another look of shock. Gate 19 was headed to LA!! We looked at our boarding passes and had been checking our NY to Chicago passes. We dug out the Boston passes and had to be at gate 31 in 5 mins!! We made it. <br />
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It was a quick 45 mins to NY and we rushed to gate 19. On the way there we all checked our seat number and that space was empty, great. We made that flight and were the last ones on board in the back of the plane. We didn't care, we made it.<br />
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The captain came on after about 15 mins and reported that the electric box needed to be replaced. We looked at each other with those big eyes again. Really! He kept us up to date on the process and 45 minutes later we took off. Steve, Regina and I spent the entire flight planning the week. There is almost no sightseeting time for me until Sunday.<br />
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Between training, packet pickup Tuesday, picking up my aunt Tuesday night, bike check in and opening ceremony Wednesday night at 6, racing on Thursday, rest and recovery post race, packet pickup for my second race on Friday then a mandatory meeting, watching women's elite race Fri night, race Sat at 7:25am, rest and recovery and watching the paratriathlon on Saturday, watching the men's elite race Sat evening and closing ceremony.<br />
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Today's agenda: arrive in Chicago, get rental car, drive to venue to check out the course, assemble bikes, go for a ride, walk through venue, check into condo, go food shopping and get a swim in.<br />
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It mostly went to plan. The course is flat, it took awhile for us to find a parking spot near the park, we didn't leave any bike parts in NH, the rec path is WAY to crowded to get a good hard ride in, Lake Michigan looks like the ocean, parking passes disappear or fly out the window in the windy city and rental car nearly got towed, condo is in the basement but really nice, pm swimming was replaced by dinner and a blog, Sinea and I have the bigger room and the condo is really nice!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view from the flat bike course! </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bike assembly in the park</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our condo....</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">....is in the basement</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A really nice basement! </td></tr>
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Tomorrow we do two bricks before packet pickup at 11, hit the expo, grab lunch, swim in Lake Michigan where the current water temp is 68º rest/nap for the after noon and pick up my aunt at the airport. <br />
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The Sprint World Championship race begins at 10am central time on Thursday, September 17th. My offical start time is 10:55. There are so many competing that the last wave begins at 1:00pm!!<br />
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<br />Meghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06295633306150866116noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1037098118600595070.post-71686456870786358242015-08-13T09:46:00.002-04:002015-08-13T09:46:48.742-04:00A few weeks off, now back to the gameWow. Can't believe that my last blog was back on <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1211401338" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">May 31</span></span>. I had high hopes of writing one each week but life has gotten in the way. The opening season for Great Glen and the Auto Road came fast upon us as usual and the month of June was non stop events that consumed much of my time. On top of that training and travel to a few big important races and the next thing I know July is here. Two weeks of Teen Adventure Bike Camps, throw in a holiday and August is here.<br />
<br />With so much going on I was so distracted and feeling a little down that I took two weeks off of training for both physical and mental reasons. My recent struggles continue on whether I want to continue triathlon at this level or take a break after this season. How to balance what I am really good at to what I really want. How to train seven days a week and fit in a social life at the same time. Regina, Steve and I sat down and came up with the training plan for the next few weeks to get me back on track and ready for the 2015 World Championships.<br />
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I know I'm ready to focus my energy to best prepare me for the World Championships. I'm getting that very excited feeling knowing that I will be racing against the best triathletes from around the world. This race definitely has a different feel than 2013 when I raced the Worlds in London. That was in an overseas foreign country, and included an amazing vacation. This is Chicago just a short two hour flight from home, but will still have that same feeling of a huge race and in my own country! Still the field will include athletes from around the world and I need to prepare for that.<br />
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In the middle of June Steve and I traveled to Mt Tremblant, Quebec Canada. That was amazing! Such an incredible venue and strong field of competitors. It was the second elite race for me on my quest to attain my pro card. Steve and I spent a few days training and exploring. On race day there were so many athletes it was a bit nerve wracking but I held it together the best I could. My swim was a little slower than usual. 30 seconds into my ride my computer fell off my bike so I rode without any numbers to follow but I did very well and just pushed it out of my mind. The bike course was two laps on a hilly course with no flats. It was so fun but so hard. The pavement was perfect and flowed so well. On the second lap I leap frogged with the same girl a few times which always pushes me. She ended up getting a 2:00 min penalty for drafting and had to serve it as soon as she finished the bike portion. Smaller races just add on the time at the end of the race. It must have been so hard to sit there watching all the people you passed, pass you back. The run also had a few rolling hills in it. The course was marked in km not miles so that threw me of a bit. The end of the race was lined with spectators cheering like crazy and we finished right in the village on the ski area. I pushed it as hard as I could. Somehow the crowd pulls it out of you and it feels incredible! I finished just three minutes back from where I needed to, to meet the cutoff for my pro card. That was so frustrating!<br />
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I was 35 in the swim, 7th on the bike and 8th fastest female in the run out of 210 females! I finished 7th female overall. Steve and I celebrated with dinner and went back the next day to watch the Half Ironman. I rarely get to watch a live tri so it was great to see the transitions and learn from others mistakes and see how efficient others can be. It was a beautiful place and I can't wait to go back<br />
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The next race was down in Winchendon Massachusetts for the very popular Mass State Tri. I traveled down with my friends Mark and Amber and their son Sammy in their brand new camper trailer. Our other friend "Crash" met us there the next day along with Steve and Gina who came down in the morning. The race went well but was pretty hot. With about 2 miles to go on the run my friend Megan who is an incredibly strong runner passed me and said lets go "I'm pulling you, I'm working with you". That felt awesome! I held on for a few minutes and then the gap grew. I finished 10th female out of 200. She was on the podium in third place and my friend Stacy Sweetser took 1st place overall! The rest of the weekend was relaxed and we hung out and got ice cream followed my an easy mountain bike ride the next day. Thanks to Mark and Amber for camping and a great weekend! Also to Crash, Steve and Gina for cheering me on! <br />
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I was supposed to race in Greenfield where I finished 1st overall last year but taking some time wasn't going to put me in a good place to race so Steve and I decided to save the 6 hour drive and reg fees and do a practice race here at home. It was hard decision but the right one. <br />
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The next race is on August 30th in Old Orchard Beach Maine where I finished 3rd female and 1st in the 29 and under division last year. It's an ocean swim and another very popular race.<br />
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I'll have one more sprint race the weekend before Worlds to get me prepped.<br />
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Well I'm off for a bike to run! <br />
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Meghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06295633306150866116noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1037098118600595070.post-17506417015944625852015-05-31T21:15:00.002-04:002015-06-01T19:53:49.431-04:00King Pine TriWow that was a very hard win and not my fastest but despite the high temps I'm very happy with my performance!<br />
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Plus it was the debut of my brand new custom triathlon suit (designed by me!) and my new aero helmet, thanks to Pat at Stan and Dan Sports! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimdYtV_wRgHH-VtBHHxY75t5bwuSNxiJNSnRqnpEanG7hBSbPqKW1ShKtBJlJwNFsivTiPT9-DkSPzQRsiA9BaT3iNLfJHvpywsNXGEbV5je6XnqttnBt38J6ZdxuK4ovntDf7FiaFi7A/s1600/20150524_145525.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimdYtV_wRgHH-VtBHHxY75t5bwuSNxiJNSnRqnpEanG7hBSbPqKW1ShKtBJlJwNFsivTiPT9-DkSPzQRsiA9BaT3iNLfJHvpywsNXGEbV5je6XnqttnBt38J6ZdxuK4ovntDf7FiaFi7A/s640/20150524_145525.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thanks Mt. Washington Auto Road, Great Glen Trails, Gorham Family Dentistry, Northconwaylodging.com and Mt. Washington Valley Bicycling club</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP0Ob3cj2g80pliKafzNFsshlZhB_mKE4fsxL-RbquesSh3CsNVvjr7DwtM0iZZZbphd604xfgBDCMsvjlo6ysTmyLFdskYkdYHDB35X5D4nSOYAWUOVdUZjfI61ctvVjpgx_d1TNvNps/s1600/20150526_210654.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="508" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP0Ob3cj2g80pliKafzNFsshlZhB_mKE4fsxL-RbquesSh3CsNVvjr7DwtM0iZZZbphd604xfgBDCMsvjlo6ysTmyLFdskYkdYHDB35X5D4nSOYAWUOVdUZjfI61ctvVjpgx_d1TNvNps/s640/20150526_210654.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thanks White Mountain Aquatic Center, Comfort Inn & Suites, Peak Health, Stan and Dan Sports, Top Notch Inn, Stabil, Skratch labs, Gorham Hardware, Jay's Quick Lube, Pollock Photo and Smith & Town Printers. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkRvBoyiBK4IkIaTiAYZBZV4W4vTTu8udmc8TovCYVY8oMLMEYlg1xtTeKX4JQE71ujj-CeUIrMH-D6VRZ1k3TmpFH7mYNacUvpNDohXGRUZz_W5CEAF1VX7O6TffGUXzWEpsMY2AxcDc/s1600/20150529_182821.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkRvBoyiBK4IkIaTiAYZBZV4W4vTTu8udmc8TovCYVY8oMLMEYlg1xtTeKX4JQE71ujj-CeUIrMH-D6VRZ1k3TmpFH7mYNacUvpNDohXGRUZz_W5CEAF1VX7O6TffGUXzWEpsMY2AxcDc/s640/20150529_182821.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thanks for working your bike shop mojo for this gem, Pat! </td></tr>
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Since it was a local race I didn't have to be up at 2am and got to sleep in until 4! Because of my long and specific warm up I like to be there two hours prior to start time. Plus I build in time for the bathroom, check in, socializing and because this race was local I had a few spectators! Thank you to Chris Fleming, Kim Henry, Lauren and Brooke and Dick Pollock for taking photos and of course Steve for coaching me before and during the race. Regina could not be at the race due to work but gave me a good luck phone call!<br />
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Highlights on the swim: Steve and I had a new plan for the swim start. Instead of being off to the side I started right in the middle of the front row to allow for the best possible chance of drafting and it worked perfectly. I hung on to the lead girl, Kara Newman for as long as I could. She was very fast and was out ahead of me in no time. Two other girls passed me and I swung in right behind them but they opened a gap after a few minutes. It took me awhile to settle into my rhythm and after they passed me I was on my own for the rest of the swim. My sighting was perfect and I even passed a few guys in the wave before me.<br />
Swim time - 27:42 .9 mile <br />
Transition 1 time - 1:08 (4th fastest overall) <br />
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Comparison to a few years ago: The swim was mostly about finishing and only thinking about technique but now that I am gaining confidence and speed it is becoming way more tactical. It's pretty exciting to have the mind set to think this way!<br />
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Bike: Phew 33 miles was a long ride but knowing the course made a huge difference. Steve and I rode it last week and talked tactics. I was able to visualize each section and prepare myself mentally. Although the course is described in the pre race meeting you just can't get a feel for it. <br />
Bike time - 1:38 33 miles<br />
Transition 2 time - :46 (fastest overall) <br />
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I strongly suggest riding, driving or at least looking at the map a few days in advance. <br />
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Comparison to a few years ago: I never previewed my courses. I just rode and followed the signs and took it as it came. Educating myself on a course turns the race into a whole new game and keeps the mind off the pain. <br />
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Run: It was hot and I've been dealing with a sore/tight left hamstring so that was a distraction. Keeping my mind on the course that I also knew ahead of time made it just a little easier to push through it. I didn't run my fastest but focusing on technique and quick turn over Steve and I practice during the week makes all the difference when your body is tired.<br />
Run time - 46:04 6.2 miles <br />
Total time - 2:54:30<br />
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Comparison: I used to run to put the miles behind me and not think about technique at all. Steve and I have focused every run on technique and speed over the last two seasons. Although I am pushing hard in a race I am still mostly relaxed and thinking of all the pieces of running.<br />
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After I finished I was asked how I placed and I had no idea. At this race there are six different races at the same time. Olympic and Sprint distance: Triathlon, Duathlon (run to bike to run) and an Aquabike (swim to bike). The results weren't being updated so I had to wait until the awards to find out that I finished 1st female!! I was surprised because it wasn't my fastest race but humbled that I did so well.<br />
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Awesome job to all who raced and pushed themselves to cross that finish line! <br />
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Congrats to Joan Daly for completing her first Duathlon faster than she expected. So proud of you and you look amazing keep up the hard work! <br />
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Next up: Mont Tremblant June 20th Elite race #2Meghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06295633306150866116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1037098118600595070.post-1254041932358063912015-05-18T19:33:00.000-04:002015-05-18T19:33:02.843-04:00Front Page of the Newspaper! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I was reacently intervied about ny training and racing by Rachel Brown who writes for the Berlin Daily Sun. She told me the story would be in newspaper. I had no idea I have a nearly life size photo of me on the front page with an extended story to follow! <br />
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Meghan Skidmore is a tip-top athlete, a triathlete to be exact. But
it wasn't always that way. A good athlete in her youth — she says she
played soccer in high school in <span class="pt_location_term pt_term">Connecticut</span> — she didn't get hooked on triathlons until she tried one while in college in <span class="pt_location_term pt_term">Vermont</span>.<br />
"There was a triathlon (in college) in spring; I tried, I did it. I
don't remember how well I did. It was a pool swim, a bike and then a
run, the spring of 2007," says the 30-year-old, affable and very fit
Skidmore.<br />
Skidmore's next triathlon was that summer at <span class="pt_location_term pt_term">Webster Lake</span>, <span class="pt_location_term pt_term">Webster, Mass</span>.<br />
"That was my first official triathlon, I really wanted to do one.
There was not a lot of training, just biking and running, no coach," she
says.<br />
Now she has a coach, and the game has changed for her: Something inside her just wants to become better and better.<br />
Skidmore was on hand at Great Glen Trails, where she works full-time,
as does her agent Regina Ferreira, to talk about her experiences, her
dedicated training with coach Steve Vosburgh, her goal to obtain her Pro
Triathlon license in 2015, an accomplishment that would put her in the
elite-pro category with the opportunity to become professional.<br />
She has her sights set on the 2015 World Triathlon Championships in <span class="pt_location_term pt_term">Chicago</span> on Sept. 15.<br />
Skidmore explains a triathlon is a swim, bike and run in that order, they vary in length.<br />
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"Half Ironman and Ironman are typically longer. A sprint is a
half-mile swim, 12-mile bike ride, 3.1-mile or 5K run; Olympic is a mile
swim, actually 0.9, 24-mile bike ride, 6.2-mile or 10K run; a Half
Ironman is a 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike ride and half marathon — 13.1
miles; and a full Ironman is a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike ride and a
full marathon — 26.2 miles," explains Skidmore. She says pros complete
an Ironman in eight to nine hours while amateurs may take 13 to 17 to
finish.<br />
Skidmore typically competes in the Olympic Triathlon. On April 26,
she completed the 5150 St. Anthony's Triathlon Olympic (Elite) in <span class="pt_location_term pt_term">St. Petersburg, Fla</span>.<br />
"This was the earliest in the season for me. I learned so much from that
race. Not saying that you can buy experience, but I guess I did because
of the cost to enter the race. Now I know what the bar is," she says,
smiling. <br />
"The biggest thing in this race that added to my time was the swim. The
average time was 25 to 27 minutes. I did it in 35 minutes. It was the
first time in open water in the ocean. It was choppy, swelly; it was in a
cove, but the waves still come in," says Skidmore, who trains indoors
with Vosburgh at the White Mountain Aquatic Center, outdoors at <span class="pt_location_term pt_term">Echo Lake</span> and from <span class="pt_location_term pt_term">First Bridge</span> in <span class="pt_location_term pt_term">North Conway</span> on the <span class="pt_location_term pt_term">Saco River</span>.<br />
"To prepare, I watched some videos with Steve. We could look at the
bike course before. It was in the city and the roads were closed for the
race, mostly through small neighborhoods and it was flat, not like
training here. It was 82 degrees with humidity," she says.<br />
How did she do in <span class="pt_location_term pt_term">Florida</span>?<br />
She wrote on her blog: "My feet hurt and my legs were noodles, but I
did it. I raced with the elites. I finished in two hours and 34 minutes,
placing me 8th of 13 in the elite women and 33 of 48 men."<br />
"The top girl to beat finished in two hours. To meet requirements for
the pro card, I have to finish within 8 percent of the top female
finisher. For me, it would have been two hours 12 minutes. I finished in
two hours 34 minutes," she says.<br />
Some races are entered by age categories, represented in four-year increments, while some are elite races with no age category.<br />
"It is easy to be competitive in an age group, in the elite /pro
race, age groups disappear. I race with a girl who is 14," she says.<br />
The elite/pro races are important for Skidmore to reach her next
level, and they must be races with a cash prize. The race in St.
Petersburg gave away $33,000. The top female was awarded $10,000.<br />
"I was pretty successful last year — overall female, the next level
is elite-pro and to break in you have to apply for the pro card. Elite
and pro are pretty much the same. The USAT (USA Triathlon) use pro and
elite interchangeably for the pro card, but some races have pro and
elite classes, it can be confusing, a gray area," she adds.<br />
To obtain the pro card, Skidmore must find races awarding over $5,000
in prizes in the Olympic category. She says the cash Olympic races are
hard to find. Half Ironman and Ironman with over $5,000 cash prizes are
more plentiful.<br />
"I think the reason is cash draws more competition," says Skidmore, adding there is a cash prize calendar to help find races.<br />
And if she obtains her pro card and becomes pro, what next?<br />
"After pro card, am I ready to be a pro,?" she asks.<br />
She responded: "There are two ways to be a pro: You could be fully
sponsored, train a lot more, do meet and greets, race some races and
maybe earn some money or not. I think I can have a pro card and still
work. How much more can I push myself mentally and physically? <br /> <br />
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If I had
more time, it would benefit me, but I am still getting pretty good time," she says adding that finding sponsors is a full-time job.
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"People don't just jump at you and give you money. You have to work hard," she adds.<br />
But first she has to find the races in which to qualify and there is the cost of entering the races.<br />
"You have to have criteria going to races. <span class="pt_location_term pt_term">Florida</span> was expensive — $1,000. The five elite races are super expensive. I may not be able to go to others," she adds.<br />
That's where fundraising comes in.<br />
Her Team Skidmore and agent Ferreira work hard to raise money. Skidmore, who lived in <span class="pt_location_term pt_term">Randolph</span>
and in the employee cottages at Great Glen during the summer, reached
out to businesses north of the Notch for support. Three years ago, she
moved to <span class="pt_location_term pt_term">Intervale</span> to be closer to her coach and to the White Mountain Aquatic Center.<br />
There are some events planned for north and south of the Notch to help raise funds:<br />
• Shannon Door Restaurant and Team Skidmore will be hosting a benefit night on May 28.<br />• Berlin Bowling Center will host Skidmore Bowling Benefit Night, June 13.<br />• <span class="pt_location_term pt_term">Libby's Bistro</span> hosts a benefit night July 9.<br />
Skidmore, who also gives back to the community, wishes to thank businesses for supporting her:<br />
<span class="pt_location_term pt_term">Mount Washington Auto Road</span>
and Great Glen Trails, Gorham Family Dentistry, Northconwaylodging.com, Mount Washington Valley Bicycling Club, Stan and
Dan Sports, White Mountain Aquatic Center, Comfort Inn & Suites,
Peak Health Sports Massage, <span class="pt_location_term pt_term">Top Notch Inn</span>, Jay's Quick Lube, Gorham Hardware, Pollock Photo, Smith & Town Printers, Skratch Labs Hydration and Stabil Icers.<br />
Skidmore also invites anyone who would like to do a training run with her, whether it be easy or hard, to zip her an e-mail:
<a href="mailto:megskidmore@gmail.com">megskidmore@gmail.com</a>.<br />
Speaking of training, coach Vosburgh and Skidmore connect.<br />
"There are no words to say how grateful I am to Steve. He keeps it
fun, fresh, never boring. We have toys in the pool. He is so
technique-oriented, to get the extra edge," says Skidmore.<br />
They met at Great Glen Trails, where Skidmore works.<br />
"Steve skis and bikes at Great Glen, and we got to talking back in
2010 about my hobby, and he gave me some suggestions for my first Half
Ironman. We continued working together after that race," says Skidmore,
adding that Vosburgh is the Nordic ski coach at <span class="pt_location_term pt_term">Kennett High School</span>.<br />
Here is a typical day of training.<br />
"Tomorrow, before I go to work, a one-hour swim at the aquatic center. We will transition to outside at <span class="pt_location_term pt_term">Echo Lake</span>. We sometimes swim at <span class="pt_location_term pt_term">First Bridge</span>
downstream to where it bends and gets shallow and then upstream past
the bridge," says Skidmore, who works at least an eight-hour day in an
active position, skiing, taking photos on the <span class="pt_location_term pt_term">Mount Washington Auto Road</span>.<br />
After work, it is a brick work out.<br />
"It is either 1 <span>½</span>-hour bike or one-hour run, either or
both. You have to train your muscles, and you do the workout in the
swim/bike order. If you do a hard bike and a hard run, your legs feel
like bricks," she explains saying you train like that so come race day
your body isn't saying, 'What are you doing?'"<br />
Then it is home, shower, have some dinner and sleep.<br />
"Sleep never seems long enough. Still haven't found time to manage
everything. Although I have Regina, I still must post race results on my
blog. Having a social life is important, but I am not a night owl," she
grins.<br />
It would be hard to be a night owl with six days of specific training
and one day off. But it really isn't a day off; it is a recovery day.<br />
"In the winter, Sunday is a free day but an active day. I either ski
or go snowboarding. In the summer, it is Monday, some physical activity,
but unstructured," she says.<br />
Skidmore and Vosburgh work with an online training program.<br />
"I have an online log. Steve gives me my workouts. I write down what I
did, how I felt. He can log in and see how I am feeling. We talk every
day. I also have a computer on my bike, (an aerodynamic, triathlon
Cannondale Slice bicycle) which can take me through zones one to five.
It is really wattage goals; you go by those numbers," she says.<br />
Skidmore can't say enough about Vosburgh's coaching technique.<br />
"The cool thing about Steve, he knows how to layer things in, knows
the psychology of training. There are some workouts we wouldn't have
done two years ago. Even though he never raced in a triathlon, he is so
in tune with a training plan, reading books, watching videos. He is like
a sponge," says Skidmore, adding that Vosburgh biked competitively
since his early teens, has a strong background and ran track.<br />
And there is that devotion.<br />
"Steve is so dedicated to train me. It is just as easy to be dedicated to train with him," adds Skidmore.<br />
For more information visit: www.skidmoreracing.blogsport.com, or call Ferreira at (603) 915-6665.<br />
<br />Meghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06295633306150866116noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1037098118600595070.post-24038250240023927672015-05-15T21:44:00.001-04:002015-05-15T21:46:00.489-04:00Team Skidmore Fundraisers<div class="font_8">
<span style="font-size: small;">Time to raise some money!! Check out the three fun events this summer to help me with the costs of traveling and racing. A raffle with great prizes will be held at each event. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">I am so grateful for the support I have in the community and I wouldn't be here without those who have donated or given me words of encouragement, it means a lot and goes a long way especially when I am racing or trying to get through a tough workout. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Hope to see you this summer! If you have any questions or want to donate a raffle prize shoot me an email megskidmore@gmail.com or give me a call (860) 377- 4206.</span><span style="font-size: large;"></span><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<u><b><span style="font-size: large;">Pizza at the Shannon Door - Thursday, May 28</span></b></u></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16px;">The
Shannon Door Pub hosts Team Skidmore Thursday evening from 4 -10pm with
a portion of proceeds of every pizza sold being donated to Team
Skidmore! </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16px;">We'll have a raffle with prizes from local business'</span>. No need to RSVP just show up with an appetite!</div>
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.shannondoor.com/index.html" target="_blank">Shannon Door Pub</a></span> Rt 16 Jackson NH, 03846</div>
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<u><span style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Bowling Night - Saturday, June 13</b> </span></span></u></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16px;">The Berlin Bowling Center shuts down for Team Skidmore 6 - 9pm! Spend your Saturday night bowling </span>a few strings with friends. We'll have a raffle with prizes from local business'.</div>
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Tickets are $25/per person,
and include an evening of bowling, friendly competition, pizza, salad.
Tickets must be purchased in advance.</div>
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For tickets please contact: Meg <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="mailto:megskidmore@gmail.com?subject=Berlin%20Bowling%20Tickets" target="_self">megskidmore@gmail.com</a></span> | (860) 377- 4206 </div>
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Regina <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="mailto:reginaannferreira@gmail.com?subject=Berling%20Bowling%20Tickets" target="_self">reginaannferreira@gmail.com</a></span> | (603) 915 - 6665</div>
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://go-bowl.biz/" target="_blank">Berlin Bowling Center</a></span> 283 Main Street Berlin, NH 03570</div>
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<u><span style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Dinner with Liz at Libby's Bistro - Thursday, July 9th </b></span></span></u></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16px;">Libby's Bistro hosts a wonderful dinner for Team Skidmore! Enjoy </span>expertly and lovingly crafted food by Liz Jackson’s culinary team. Cocktails at 6:00pm dinner at 7pm</div>
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<span class="color_30">“Liz Jackson, who has been with us before, proved herself again to be the<br />
most versatile prep cook and baker, as well as all-purpose kitchen expert.” </span></h5>
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<span class="color_30"> -Julia Child, Baking with Julia</span></h5>
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Tickets are $35/per person an must be purchased in advance.</div>
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For tickets please contact: Meg <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="mailto:megskidmore@gmail.com?subject=Berlin%20Bowling%20Tickets" target="_self">megskidmore@gmail.com</a></span> | (860) 377- 4206 </div>
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Regina <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="mailto:reginaannferreira@gmail.com?subject=Berling%20Bowling%20Tickets" target="_self">reginaannferreira@gmail.com</a></span> | (603) 915 - 6665</div>
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.libbysbistro.org/#%21" target="_blank">Libby's Bistro & SAaLt Pub</a></span> 111 Main Street, RT 16 Gorham, New Hampshire 03581</div>
Meghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06295633306150866116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1037098118600595070.post-23826379606245889592015-05-11T18:16:00.003-04:002015-05-11T18:16:52.957-04:00St. Anthony's TriathlonRace Day Temp: 80º <br />
Humidity: 98% <br />
Light to moderate winds<br />
Water temp: 84º <br />
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Start time: 7:03 am<br />
Arrival: 5:40 am<br />
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It was still dark when we pulled into the VIP parking lot, yes I personally paid for VIP parking! Finding parking in a city was one less thing I wanted to worry about and it was so worth it. Plus Gina didn't have lo lug around my pack for the whole race.<br />
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I was so nervous but in a good way. I set up transition and walked past the race announcer and he looked up my number and saw I was from NH. He called me out and mentioned it must be tough coming from the north and racing here I smiled and agreed and chatted with him for a minute or two.<br />
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Because the race is so big bikes cannot leave transition the morning of the race so I did my standard running warm up to get my legs ready. I returned 15 mins later and was nearly soaked in sweat.<br />
Steve and I chatted about all parts of the race. Here I think he is telling me some waves will be small and some will be big. Just kidding I have no idea what he is saying. <br />
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The swim was a point to point so I had to be sure to build in time to walk to the start and Steve and I talked more strategy. At this point I zone in on just the swimming and forget about biking and running. He tried showing me a huge tree for sighting because the water was so choppy but we were too close to shore to see it. The swim was parallel to the beach for a while then it turned out to sea. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steve and I way out in the point finding the BIG palm tree to sight on</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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The male pros started followed by the female pros then the elite females and males together. That was different usually males and females are separate. As we walked out to the start buoys I thought to myself what am I doing in this wave. Then that passed and I felt special and proud that I challenged myself to register as an elite. Even if I finished last in the category I was going to be ok with that. </div>
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We treaded water for about a minute then the count down began I shifted my body to horizontal as Steve and I practiced in the pool. It takes a few seconds to go from treading water vertically to being in the horizontal swim position so might as well get there before the gun goes off. </div>
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BANG!! I swam as hard as I could for the first 100 yds or so to get position and the more I sighted the more swimmers drifted away from me. I tried my best to draft and deal with the choppy water. Before I reached the first buoy the wave of swimmers had big gaps in it. After I turned to sea the waves got bigger and I swallowed so much water I had to break into breast stroke a few times. It was not my best swim. Last summer my average swim was around 27:00 and I have improved a lot over the winter. I clocked a 35:00 so I had a lot of catching up to do. </div>
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As I got closer to the shore I began to visualize the bike course. We drove it and rode it so I had all the pieces together in my head, yup all 24 miles and 27 intersections/corners. I started drifting past the exit due to the current something I forgot about in the ocean I had to re-sight and locate the stairs. </div>
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I climbed the stairs a bit dizzy from the waves and being horizontal for awhile and ran into transition. </div>
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I knew exactly where my bike was in the sea of about 2,000. As I exited T1 the announcer mentioned Stacy Sweetser of Sweetwater Swim Studio and myself right behind her both of us from NH. She started 13 minutes behind me and passed me in the swim. Shes an excellent swimmer glad I took a swim session with her! </div>
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The first 1/4 to 1/2 mile of the bike course was a brick road but I was prepared for it, it was actually fun and I felt like I was racing like the pros on cobblestone! </div>
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I passed her before we got to pavement and she said go get em' Meg! Once on the course I was able to visualize each turn and prep for it. I looked down at my computer to check in with wattage and cadence but I forgot to put it on my bike so I had to go with feel. At first it threw me but after a few seconds I let it go and forgot about it. I tried to bridge gaps and stay with those that passed me for as long as possible. I drank a ton in the first 10 miles and negotiated the corners at speed while pedaling. I took my gel a little earlier then planned but it worked out well. As I was coming back into the venue I start spinning a little higher and lower the power just a smidge so my legs are fresher for the run. I had picked out a spot during the preview but I was getting close to passing another girl so I went for it before the mark and it was a confidence booster so it was a good move. <br />
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Back to the cobblestone and into transition I picked my spot out and switched over to run. I should have taken a few seconds to wipe my feet because I paid for it later. As I run in with my bike I try to have quick turnover and light feet to prep for the run.<br />
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Running out is always so exciting for me, the course is lined with spectators cheering everyone on it's very easy to get caught up with that and run faster then I should but it feels so good. I knew the run course so I tried to push through each mile as fast as I could. At mile three my 100% waterproof super sticky bandaid starting peeling off. I ignored it and kept going. The cool water at the aid stations helped and I dumped as many cups of water on myself as I could.<br />
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Between mile four and five it got hard and painful. The temp was high and the dirt I didn't wipe from my feet started rubbing in the insole of my shoe, I don't wear socks so after while it was getting raw. I changed my stride a little and it helped but it didn't go away. I just kept pushing it out of my head and knew I was getting closer to the finish. Once I hit mile five I did the best I could to complete that mile faster than the last. Coming down the last straight away I focused on my form and pretended those in front of me were pulling me closer to them. That always helps! <br />
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I rounded the last corner into the parking lot to the finish chute and gave it my all. I finished just behind Stacy we congratulated each other as she waited for her husband.<br />
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My feet hurt and my legs were noodles but I did it, I raced with the Elites! I finished in two hours and thirty four minutes placing me 8th of 13 in the Elite women and 33 of 48 Elite men!<br />
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I found Steve and Gina and they gave me the biggest hugs, they were so proud of me.<br />
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When it's hot I usually jump back in the water but the temp was 83º so I found a shower to lower my body temp. <br />
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It was a great intro to my season.<br />
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As for meeting the criteria for my pro card, I wasn't fast enough. I needed to finish with in 8% of the fastest pro female. Her time was 2:00:30 I was 34 minutes behind her, a 2:12 would have met that criteria. Even a few of the pro women didn't finish in that time. <br />
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It was an incredible experience and as I get into my season that gap will close. It might take a few seasons to get that close but I was happy with how I did and where I placed! <br />
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<br />Meghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06295633306150866116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1037098118600595070.post-45768988496101426302015-04-25T18:50:00.000-04:002015-04-25T21:37:39.676-04:00One day before the race! Well it's been really hot here compared to back home in NH where it has snowed a few times but that was to be expected. I did my openers this morning and now off my feet for the rest of the day so I have time to write my blog! <br />
<br />
<b>Day 1: Downpour!! </b><br />
<b>Plan: Put bike together, run the run course and either drive or ride the bike course, watch the Red Sox play the Tampa Rays</b><br />
After Steve and I put my bike together and had to problem solve the seat post clamp bolt I tightened too much and broke. We rented a bike for Steve from St. Pete Bicycles but due to the high demand for rentals for the race he ended up with a hybrid which was much better than the Barclay bike he rode in London! We tried reserving a road bike but couldn't because of the race.<br />
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Gina dropped us off at the race venue to check out the 6.2 mile run course; Steve riding and myself running. I started with a 10 min warm up followed by some agility drills - to get my legs warm and ready for fast running. I did some intervals at race pace. During which the skys opened up, like really opened up. It was raining so hard we go lost! The course is marked with orange spray painted dots for cone placement and they seemed to disappear in the heavy rain. The course is an out and back in a neighborhood with alot of side roads. Some dots mark road closures some the actual course. We told Gina we'd be back at 12:30 and it was nearly 12:45 pm when we realized we were lost. We asked for directions and got a funny look, us being completely soaked and out in the rain. As we made our way back Gina came and found us, a little worried but she figured we had taken cover, nope! It could rain on race day so why not train in it! The streets flooded so I was running through deep puddles and rivers which of course soaked my shoes with water and street debris. This created and opened a blister on the back of my foot, not great for having to race in a few days. <br />
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Because it still looked like rain we decided to drive the 24 mile bike course. We followed the course map provided online and we were off. All streets in the city are by number both east and west and north and south but the east/west streets don't reflect that. 1st Street South actually runs north/south and then there is 1st Ave which runs east/west it was very confusing for me. Some of the streets are one way and are not distinguished on the course map because they will be closed on race day. We had to navigate around those and make do. There are quite a few turns which makes it's a technical course. Steve and I practiced taking corners at speed while pedaling so it will help. There is a long section where the pavement is rough which makes it hard to drink from my water bottle that has a long plastic straw. It is mounted on the front of my bike so I don't have to pull it out of my cage. So I will prepare to drink before that section because I don't want a straw up my nose! It took us nearly 2 hours to drive the course but very worth it. We decided to ride it with intervals the next day.<br />
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Gina bought tickets to the Red Sox game while were running! I've only seen them play once so this was a treat, I was worried about sitting in the sun all evening but the stadium is a dome so that wasn't an issue. We were about 20 rows up from the Red Sox dugout! Thanks for being spontaneous Gina! <br />
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<b>Day 2: Sunny</b><br />
<b>Plan: Ride the course, pick up race packet and swim the course </b><br />
After looking at the bike course map I decided it would be better to write down the directions to take with us. Gina dropped us off at the venue and was to meet us back at the hotel around 1. Steve and I planned to practice cornering in the Tampa Rays stadium parking lot. Gina drove to the Gulf Coast to check out a restaurant on the beach. After we negotiated the bike course we broke it into sections and discussed the plan. This is really good for me to break it into pieces. It doesn't seem as long and keeps my mind occupied on the tactic for each part. We ride through a golf course community which has big speed bumps actually speed humps. Steve told me to ride them at 20 mph to see how it felt. There is room to ride around but in case there are riders around me I needed to know how it felt to ride over. There are also raised reflectors sprinkled throughout the course, yup he had me hit one of those too, just in case it happened during the race. Can you tell he has a ton of racing/riding experience? He thinks of everything! Once we got back to the venue we headed to the stadium parking lot for some cornering practice. Due to the cold spring weather in NH I have only been on the road three times before flying down here so it was great to get this practice in. We rode back to the hotel after covering nearly 35 miles. Hit the showers/pool and enjoyed smoothies from the Ninja Pro that Gina brought down.<br />
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We drove back to the venue and checked out the swim course. It was not completely marked and it was hard to tell exactly where it started but I think we swim about 3/4's of it. The last ocean swim I did was in Maine and it was cold, not here! The current water temp is 83º so wetsuits are not allowed. Steve wore his to keep him higher in the water to swim fast enough so I could draft off him. The water got pretty choppy half way through but earlier we had watched a video with tips for dealing with rough waters. I tried my best to keep them all in mind as well as all the things going on thinking about technique. It will be difficult but everyone is dealing with it so I just have to stay focused on my race.<br />
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We headed to the athlete tent to pick up my race packet. I registered in the Open Elite (now Open Age Group) so I will not be racing in age group this time. Yes I am nervous and have been since I registered a few months ago but it will be somewhat of a good test to see how I do against the next level of competition. I say somewhat because it's early season, this is my first race but I know what I have to do and I just need to execute it the best way I can. <br />
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From there we headed to the Gulf Coast and had dinner on the beach. Salmon with sweet potatoes and veggies, lobster mac and cheese for Steve and a shrimp salad for Gina. She wanted us to see the sunset but we were pretty tired and needed to get back and sleep. We'll be going back for that sunset before we leave for sure!<br />
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<b>Day 3: Sunny </b><br />
<b>Plan: Openers, transitions, bike drop off, a quick walk through expo and rest for the afternoon</b><br />
Openers are a brick session. Ride for about 20 mins or so to get legs warm, yes even in 85º they still need to be warmed up, then 3x 3 mins hard efforts with 5 mins easy spin in between then ride back and switch to a 10 min run then agility drills followed by 2x2 min hard efforts with 2 mins in between sometimes 4 mins depending on how I feel. We drove to the venue to do this on course but the Meek and Mighty Tri was using the same course. We had to park the car on a side street and Gina was going to move it closer to the venue after the race ended and I was going to call her to find that location when we were finished running to practice my transitions. Steve and I re-routed around the race and went the "bottom" part of the course for openers. I did the best I could and had to obey traffic lights and stop signs so it was a little frustrating to get up to speed only to put the brakes on and sit and wait. I switched to my run shoes and took my jersey off, I was cooking. I did buy the water proof blister bandaids and they held through the bike but not the run. I ran for 10 mins and it started peeling from the bottom due to my shoe rubbing. Steve pulled the map out of the plastic baggie and we put it around my heal to protect it from my shoe. It worked for the time being. I ran my hard efforts in the blazing sun and realized my phone was in my jersey in the car that Gina moved. Steve and I got to the venue and knew she'd be near the pool but not exactly sure where. It didn't take long to find her and she told us she sent me a text with her location. I laughed and said my phone was in the passenger seat right next to her when she sent it!<br />
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I ran through T1 and T2 a few times because I haven't done them since September. It went well and hopefully it will go a little smoother tomorrow! Gina made lunch for us in the park before I dropped my bike for the night in transition. We walked through the expo again and then back to the hotel for a nap and relaxation. Dinner is home made tonight, chicken and veggies on Gina's camp stove.<br />
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Race start is 6:50 for Pro men, 6:53 for Pro Women and Open Elite (now Open Age Group) start together at 7:03 am tomorrow! You can track the race live <a href="http://edge.raceresults360.com/satriathlon15/#/results::1429998622325" target="_blank">here.</a> My race number is 117 in F Open. At the time of this post we are not entered into the system so I'm not sure how this page will display tomorrow. There is a search option for my name or bib number so that might help.<br />
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Mega thank you to Gina for navigating through the city, parking, waiting around for Steve and I to train, prepping the food, shopping and moral support.<br />
<br />
Huge thank you to Steve for creating the workouts and doing them with me on a hybrid bike, working on my bike, researching videos and tips for better racing and checking in with me about how I'm feeling.<br />
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I've been updating my Facebook page with photos and videos <a href="https://www.facebook.com/meghan.skidmore" target="_blank">click here</a> to take a look!<br />
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Bed time soon and mentally prep for race day! Meghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06295633306150866116noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1037098118600595070.post-65878785685149304042015-04-20T21:47:00.001-04:002015-04-20T21:47:58.196-04:00Press Release - Skidmore Competes for her Pro Card<div class="MsoNormal">
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{page:Section1;} </style>After a very successful 2014 triathlon season, culminating
with a 4<sup>th</sup> place finish in her age group at the U.S. National Triathlon Championships in Milwaukee, Wisconsin,
Meghan Skidmore is setting her sights on the 2015 World Triathlon Championships in Chicago, on
September 15<sup>th</sup>. Meghan is also competing in several elite races
hoping to secure her Pro Triathlon license in 2015.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB08EieOK9X9bXlbtQ6ymbr7_ev7gIdIN_GoHgxgAl-kqFlENPlAsXT8RptEJnzr64Zc2skNe4hoXaFvminASmL8hmyjYsXeJfMxdHN9voAEXOsU2PYm2L39uUB5zHtsR_osAlBYqvuI8/s1600/US+Nationals+Finish+Line.jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB08EieOK9X9bXlbtQ6ymbr7_ev7gIdIN_GoHgxgAl-kqFlENPlAsXT8RptEJnzr64Zc2skNe4hoXaFvminASmL8hmyjYsXeJfMxdHN9voAEXOsU2PYm2L39uUB5zHtsR_osAlBYqvuI8/s1600/US+Nationals+Finish+Line.jpg.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meg at the finish line at the 2014 U.S. National Triathlon Championships, Milwaukee WI. <br />Two goodie bags for racing the Olympic Distance on Saturday and the Sprint Distance on Sunday. </td></tr>
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Meg competed in (17) triathlons last season, introduced the
Olympic distance triathlon into her training and competition, and earned a spot
on the podium in (15) of those races, including an overall win at the Lightlife
Triathlon in Greenfield, MA. Very few females are the first to cross the finish
line in any race, and to do it in the Olympic distance was a huge personal
accomplishment for Meg. </div>
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Meghan’s training will focus on finishing within the top 8<sup>th</sup>
percentile of female finishers, in at least <br />
(3) elite races this season. Her first race will bring her to St. Petersburg,
Florida, on April 26<sup>th</sup>, joining a field of 1700+ triathletes
including pros, where she will face competition in the open elite division.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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"Setting a goal to meet the criteria so I can apply for
my pro card is both exciting and challenging! Knowing I have an excellent coach
and manager along with tremendous support from my friends, family and community
will keep me mentally tough and physically ready for the next chapter of my triathlon
career."</div>
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Meg continues to prioritize her structured training
schedule, focusing on precision cycling, running technique and improving her
performance in the water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
valuable support that she has been able to cultivate with Team Skidmore, has
been critical to her inspiration and success, and invaluable on her journey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With that, she would like to extend her
sincere gratitude to The Mt. Washington Auto Road and Great Glen Trails, Gorham
Family Dentistry, Northconwaylodging.com, MWV Bicycling Club, Stan and Dan
Sports, White Mountain Aquatic Center, Peak Health Sports Massage, Top Notch
Inn, Jay’s Quick Lube, Gorham Hardware, Pollock Photo, Smith & Town
Printers, Skratch, Stabil Icers and with a special thank you to Dave Power of
the Comfort Inn, North Conway, for his help in securing accommodations as she
takes her racing across country. </div>
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Every dollar contributed and every minute spent in support
of Meghan, has been an immense gift and privilege.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Meghan hopes you will continue this journey with her, as she
enters a new level of physical challenge and competition.</div>
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Do you want to join Team Skidmore and help Meghan achieve
her 2015 goals?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is accepting
financial gifts via her blog at <a href="https://www.blogger.com/..:AppData:Local:Microsoft:Windows:Temporary%20Internet%20Files:Content.Outlook:Local%20Settings:Temporary%20Internet%20Files:Downloads:www.skidmoreracing.blogsport.com">http://skidmoreracing.blogspot.com/p/donate-here.html</a>,
you can forward donations to Regina Ferreira via mail at 339 Randolph Hill
Road, Randolph, NH 03593, or you can join Meghan and Team Skidmore at an
upcoming fundraising event.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For
sponsorship inquiries, please contact Meg at <a href="mailto:megskidmore@gmail.com">megskidmore@gmail.com</a>. </div>
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Shannon Door & Team Skidmore will be hosting a benefit
night on Thursday, May 28<sup>th</sup>, 2015; friends and supporters are asked
to gather for pizza and stay for a raffle on Meghan’s behalf (a portion of the
proceeds from all pizza sales that evening will benefit Meg’s triathlete
pursuits).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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Berlin Bowling Center will host Skidmore Bowling Benefit
Night, June 13, 2015; tickets are $25/per person, and include an evening of
bowling, friendly competition, pizza, salad and a raffle. Tickets must be
purchased in advance. This event is sure to be a fun celebration; don’t miss
it!</div>
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Libby’s Bistro hosts a benefit night July 9, 2015.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tickets are $35.00/person.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Join Meghan and Team Skidmore as they
celebrate Meg’s race season, all while enjoying expertly and lovingly crafted food
by Liz Jackson’s culinary team. Reservations are required and tickets for
Libby’s and Bowling can be purchased by contacting Regina Ferreira at
603-915-6665. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
Meghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06295633306150866116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1037098118600595070.post-38725617909367193672015-04-14T20:51:00.000-04:002015-04-14T20:51:23.558-04:001st Training Tri! As my first race of the season approaches it's time to put all the pieces together. Today's training was a practice tri. I was so nervous as I drove to the <a href="http://www.whitemountainaquatic.com/" target="_blank">White Mountain Aquatic Center</a>; my practice "race venue". As with most of my training Steve was right there along side me, timing, encouraging and pushing me to do my best. Gina also came for photos and support. Thank you both so much!! <br />
<br />
The break down: <br />
Swim: 10 x 100yds at a 1:32 pace then a 500yd swim. This equals the Olympic distance <br />
Bike: 20k outside!! <br />
Run: 5k sub 7:00 pace<br />
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It was sunny but still a little chilly. So I made sure to have the right clothing. After being soaked from the pool, my transition wasn't super fast. It's hard putting long spandex, socks and a long sleeve jacket on when you are wet! <br />
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Today was my second time off the trainer and riding on the road. It was a challenge to be on top of shifting, hill transitions, cornering, dealing with traffic and wind while concentrating on the zone I was supposed to be riding in. It sure did feel good to be going somewhere and not looking at a TV and my washer and dryer!<br />
<br />
The switch to run went much better, clothing wise, I only had to take off my jacket and put on my shoes. My legs definelty felt the 20k ride but I focused on really good technique. Steve was riding his bike while timing my splits. He waited at the 1st mile and I though for sure I was about 8:00 but much to my surprise I ran a 6:25!! Technique sure does help!! I held that pace for the rest of the run.<br />
<br />
Steve is amazing he got each of my splits right down to each 25 yd <br />
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<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
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<span style="color: black;">10 x 100 @ <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_488196349" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">1:32</span></span> on <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_488196350" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">2:00</span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
<div>
1 - 21, 44, 108, 132.5</div>
<div>
2 - 23, 46.5, 110.5, 134.5</div>
<div>
3 - 22.5, 45.5, 111, 134.5</div>
<div>
4 - 22.5, 45, 109, 133.5</div>
<div>
5 - 22.5, 45.5, 109, 134.5</div>
<div>
6 - 22, 45.5, 110.5, 134.5</div>
<div>
7 - 22, 45.5, 109, 134</div>
<div>
8 - 22.5, 45.5, 109, 134</div>
<div>
9 - 23, 45.5, 110.5, 135</div>
<div>
10 - 22.5, 45.5, 112, 137</div>
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<div>
500m TT:</div>
<div>
100- 22, 23.5, 26.5, 26</div>
<div>
200- 25, 26, 26, 26</div>
<div>
300- 26, 27, 27, 26</div>
<div>
400- 26, 26, 27, 26</div>
<div>
500- 28, 26, 27, 27</div>
<div>
- 26, 27( I lost count and did an extra 50yds) </div>
</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">
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<span style="color: black;"> </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
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Ride:</div>
<div>
31:02 (I think)</div>
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Run:</div>
<div>
1st mile <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_488196351" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">6:25</span></span></div>
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2nd mile <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_488196352" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">6:30</span></span></div>
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3rd mile <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_488196353" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">6:30</span></span></div>
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5k in <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_488196354" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">20:58</span></span></div>
</span><br />
<br />
It felt so good to be outside and to put it all together!<br />
<br />
<br />Meghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06295633306150866116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1037098118600595070.post-20703086675011235242015-03-26T19:52:00.000-04:002015-03-29T22:33:18.378-04:00Free SpeedLast week I had an appointment at the <a href="http://www.sweetwaterswimstudio.com/" target="_blank">SweetWater Swim Studio</a> in Amherst, NH with ASCA Level II certified coach Stacy Sweetser, who has kicked my butt in numerous races! Although it is a two hour drive it was well worth the session! <br />
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<span class="wsite-text wsite-headline-paragraph"><i>The SweetWater Swim
Studio houses an Elite Endless Pool with underwater mirrors and
underwater video capability in Amherst, New Hampshire. <br /><br />The
SweetWater Swim Studio is a training facility that aims to enhance
athletes stroke technique across all levels of swimming, from the pool
to open water. The immediate feedback from the swim current, the visual
feedback from the mirrors and optional video analysis all help guide the
swimmer to a more effective and powerful stroke technique. <br /><br />About the coach: <br />Stacy
Sweetser is an experienced coach with a background coaching USA
Swimming age groupers, U.S. Master's swimmers and triathletes. Stacy is a
USA Swimming and ASCA Level II certified coach.<br /><br />Stacy is a
former NCAA Division I swimmer. Most recently, Stacy was recognized as
an All American in both U.S. Masters Swimming and U.S.A. Triathlon.
Stacy is experienced in events as diverse as sprinting the 50 Free and
100 IM to open water swimming events including sprint and olympic
distance triathlon and the 4.4 mile Chesapeake Bay Swim.</i></span><br />
<br />
Before I made the appointment Steve and I were hesitant because we didn't want have too much feedback. Steve has an excellent style of coaching me where he layers on different techniques or tips as I progress and am ready to work on them. We agreed that if I was given too much we'd choose a few things now and save some for later so I wouldn't get overwhelmed. To our surprise that did not happen!!<br />
<br />
Stacy and her husband have worked so hard over the last few months to prepare her studio for swimmers. I was so impressed when I walked in. It wasn't just an endless pool in a basement. It was so professional and comfortable. It has a beautiful bathroom with a shower and storage for towels and cubbies for all the swim tools you need! The pool has mirrors on the bottom so you can get instant feedback too! <br />
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<br />
She watched me swim for a few minutes and noticed I was diving my arm in and "snowplowing" the water creating A LOT of bubbles. I wasn't getting much glide and was slowing myself every stroke. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNfwXCUmh5zdeIAJxPs7k3ocNyh42F-TQOsP7kjeXYaiHhqC4jnb8eCQWA95PceeKWevh9SS4hDI5n3wfy95pfF4Yq1iNEy3-IOIl3JHxaoZWWKUkSDkUEU-Py784BaNaKSs-GPXZHeSU/s1600/20150317_113337.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNfwXCUmh5zdeIAJxPs7k3ocNyh42F-TQOsP7kjeXYaiHhqC4jnb8eCQWA95PceeKWevh9SS4hDI5n3wfy95pfF4Yq1iNEy3-IOIl3JHxaoZWWKUkSDkUEU-Py784BaNaKSs-GPXZHeSU/s1600/20150317_113337.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />
Watch the video of this analysis <a href="https://www.coachseye.com/v/8HbK?utm_source=ios&utm_medium=app&utm_content=thumbnail_image&utm_campaign=shared_email4-1" target="_blank">here</a> (only 1:37 long) <br />
<br />
Simple fix: a PVC pipe and the Power Y drill! This keeps my hands/arms closer to the surface to glide with less friction and I can begin my pull much earlier - FREE SPEED!!<br />
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<br />
After working on this drill for 15 minutes there is already a huge difference!<br />
<br />
Watch that video <a href="https://www.coachseye.com/v/Qtpc?utm_source=ios&utm_medium=app&utm_content=thumbnail_image&utm_campaign=shared_email4-1" target="_blank">here</a> (2:06) <br />
<br />
This is the only thing we worked on and it was perfect, I didn't get overwhelmed at all! Since the session I have already seen huge improvements with less energy expended. Now I just need to re-train my body to swim this way. <br />
<br />
Thanks Stacy! Meghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06295633306150866116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1037098118600595070.post-25366871786502846932015-02-16T13:47:00.002-05:002015-02-16T13:51:36.825-05:00Bretton Woods Winter Tri - Baxter Outdoors Packed Powder Series When I see an event that has Triathlon in the title I am naturally drawn to it. So when the <a href="http://www.baxteroutdoors.com/events/2015_winter2.html" target="_blank">Bretton Woods Winter Triathlon</a> by <a href="http://www.baxteroutdoors.com/index.html" target="_blank">Baxter Outdoors</a> showed up on my Facebook news feed I had to race it. I talked with Steve and he ok'd it. Yes I have to run everything by him, especially in this case because it changed my training the week leading up to it. <br />
<br />
I've never run on snow and I've only snowshoe ran once at the Winter Tri at Whittaker Woods, three years ago. So I had to get used to running with resistance/weight on my feet. I did an easy 5k snowshoe run at work on Wednesday only tripped twice and the next day my hip flexors were sore but that was to be expected. <br />
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Thursdays training was a brick - 5k snowshoe run to 5k skate ski. Just figured out how to get video to display on my blog!! So here is my Facebook post on this brick: <br />
<div id="fb-root">
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<script>(function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); }(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));</script><br />
<div class="fb-post" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=711338661065" data-width="466">
<div class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore">
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=711338661065">Post</a> by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/meghan.skidmore">Meghan Skidmore</a>.<br />
If it doesn't play <a href="https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=711338661065&pnref=story" target="_blank">click here</a><br />
<br />
Thursday afternoon I contacted the president of Stabil Icers as they were one of the sponsors for the race to let him know I am the "cover girl" for their product and see if there was any support/sponsorship available to me. Here is part of his response<br />
<br />
<i> "We do have a new Ambassador Program with only one Ambassador to date
who is a </i><br />
<i> Canadian runner. We would love to have a New England Ambassador
and would be happy to </i><br />
<i> provide product and support your presence online
and at events as well."</i><br />
<br />
In a matter of two hours of email correspondence I became the New England Ambassador for them!! They overnighted gear and I had it just in time for the race! <br />
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<br />
Friday I had to do openers (three, 3 min race pace effort invervals on my bike) as I do before every race.<br />
<br />
Saturday morning was race day! I was able to eat all my oatmeal mixed with sliced almonds, granola and
honey so the nerves hadn't gotten a hold of me yet. I packed a few
snacks for pre race, 10am is my snack time so I knew I'd be hungry
again.<br />
<br />
The race started at 10am which is when I am almost finished with my summer tris so it was a bit different for me. It allowed more time to get nervous. Plus it was about 10 degrees. I don't race much in the winter so had no idea what to wear. I packed my big duffel and made changes as I needed while warming up.<br />
<br />
I arrived with plenty of time to warm up but that time disappeared quickly as I had to figure out clothing, the transition and a warm up. I checked in and Adam, the Race Director, said we knew you were coming. Neil from Stabil Icers had contacted him about my new role with the company. Adam was glad to have me race.<br />
<br />
My summer warm ups are ingrained in my head. I set up transition after askingAdam how the flow would go and went out for a ski. I forgot my h20 waist belt so I couldn't drink. I skied for less then 10 mins and started to feel way low on energy and almost felt "bonky". I turned around and dug around in my bag and I didn't bring what I needed. I purchased some energy gummies and had two but almost spit them out they weren't great. Glad I didn't spit them out it would have been funny to try and spit partially chewed gummies in an area packed with people. I had a few almonds and finished my banana. I only brought one gel, that was a mistake. I keep a few gels in my summer tri bag but that bag wasn't big enough to hold all my stuff so I used a different bag.<br />
<br />
I set up my transition where I thought it would be and went for a short run. Start time was fast approaching. I returned and my stuff was still the only set up. As Adam made announcements I had to decide on adding another layer or not. I ran in a got my vest and set it down near my snowshoes in case I needed it. <br />
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I had to get a picture of my Stabil Icers to share on their Facebook page to fulfill my ambassador duties. <br />
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Although this race was small I still got nervous and never once though I would win, I wanted to and told myself I would on the drive over, but as Steve always tells me "You can't control anyone or anything else. Stay with in your race and block all others out. The chips will fall as they do and do the best you can." Reason #145 I am lucky to have Steve. <br />
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The run was 3.1 miles broken into 2 laps around the Mt. Washington Hotel mostly on roads, a course change the morning of. Bretton Woods Nordic didn't want us running on their groomed trails. I was dreading running in snow and hadn't had a chance to do so during the week. So I was elated at this change.<br />
<br />
3....2....1 Go!! At the start of every race everyone goes out too hard to jockey for the perfect position. We filed in after the first turn and I was passed by a female in under 5 minutes and in less then 3 minutes she was out of sight! I stayed at my pace and when I finished the first lap Regina yelled "She's got 2:00 minutes on you!" Two thoughts went through my mind "Whoa, who is this girl?" and "Keep your pace you still have more than 10km of racing to go." I did my second lap and was passed by one guy. I came into T1 and made the switch before him and never saw him. Felt good about that. (I found out later he only did the run portion)<br />
<br />
As I took my running shoes off and put my feet into my Salomon's that were already strapped into the snowshoes, Regina yelled "She just went over the bridge!" (200 yrds away) Great I might have a chance of catching her! Thanks to Doug Mayer for letting me borrow them!!<br />
<br />
My legs felt the shift in stride and the light weight of the snowshoe but I blocked that out. Not far after the bridge I noticed a pair of snowshoes on the side of the trail and foot prints on the course. I was shocked to see someone already had their ski boots on for the next leg and tried running with snowshoes attached to them. Well apparently that's not a great idea. I had no idea who it was. After mile 1 ish of lovely groomed terrain, very easy to run on. We ventured into the woods for the ungroomed portion of the race very hard to run in. It was walked the day before by two snowshoers setting the course. So it wasn't really packed at all. It was a trudge and every time I lifted my snowshoe I was lifting snow with it and had to stay in the narrow path or else I'd disappear in the 3 feet of snow on either side. Even with three athletes in front, it still wasn't an even surface. It was THE hardest and most mentally challenging part of the race. I honestly wanted to stop and that's never happened in a race before but I have also never run in deep snow. I heard someone behind me and that kept me going. <br />
<br />
I discovered the person running in cross country boots post holeing up to her mid shins, I finally caught her! Laura was struggling big time. I was hoping she'd step into the snowy abyss to allow me to stay in the path but that didn't happen. I stepped out almost got sucked into the deep fluffyness. I kept trying to run and lost a little time but passed her. The deep snow went on forever! I finally made it back to groomed after a little more than a mile of slogging. The 3rd place female, Hillary passed me and started down the next hill. Then her snowshoe fell off I smiled a little inside - this is one of the things I can't control but I can take advantage of. I said "Shoot" and felt a little bad for her. I ran even harder for about a minute to build a gap. I held her off for only 5 minutes, at least that's what I thought. As she passed me she didn't have snowshoes on. It was Laura again, she passed me like I was walking and disappeared again. "Commme on!" I said inside. Again two thoughts; "If she can ski I won't catch her" "That's not fair she ran it all with out the weight of snowshoes maybe she'll be disqualified"<br />
<br />
As I got closer to T2 she was making her way back over the bridge. I took one glance at her form and she was fumbling. I smiled inside and knew I'd catch her. Then I as I entered transition Hillary was right with me. I got concerned, I had no idea if she could ski. I noticed she had on small gaitors which I decided against because it would take longer to get them off and into my ski boots. <br />
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I stuck my feet into my boots and tried to close the straps, I couldn't because the snow had built up around the bottom of my tights. I quickly problem solved and yanked them up out of my boots and put my skis and poles on. I was out before Hillary. I was ready for the much faster pace of sliding on snow vs running with extra weight of the snowshoe. I wanted to ski hard but I was running out of gas so I focused on some small goals;<br />
• Catch Laura <br />
• Maintain my technique<br />
• Push it on the up hills <br />
• Hold off Hillary<br />
<br />
I passed Laura with in 5 minutes and maintained my technique. I climbed up a longer hill knowing I'd have a rest on the other side. I bombed down the hill and half way down my left ski got caught in the rib of the corduroy. I tried my best to hold it together but I couldn't. My legs split and I must have looked like Bambi on ice. I went down and sprawled out everywhere, I actually laughed at myself.<br />
<br />
My first thought was being in the way of the next skier. I quickly glanced up the hill and saw no one. I tried to get up really fast but my pole was under my ski and it slid down the shaft 3 times before I realized it. Then still in a panic, I tried to pull my pole out but the basket was caught under my ski. After 3 attempts and looking up hill I had stop the adrenaline and break it down. I took a deep breath and said to myself "lift up your leg so you can move your pole, now move your pole on the other side of your ski and stand up." This all happened so fast I was probably only down for less than a minute but it seemed more like five. Luckily no one came down the hill. I got up and continued on trying to gain my composure. <br />
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I was holding Hillary off but I had no idea what my gap was. I pushed it when I could and made it back to the field. I glanced back once before the bridge 200 yds to the finish line and didn't see her. I gave it my all and crossed the finish line in 1:18:26. Hillary came across in 1:22:27.<br />
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I slowed to a stop and hung my head trying to regain my breath. I found Regina and gave her a hug and started crying. When I have difficulties in a race and give 110% I loose it and cry because I am proud of myself, I am exhausted, I am happy it's over and I am stronger. Mixed emotions get the best of me and crying usually wins the battle.<br />
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I cheered Hillary in and went inside to change for my cool down ski. I put my skis back on and began to shake I guess I didn't put enough layers on. Gina noticed this and ran back inside to get my puffy. I skied for five minutes and couldn't feel my fingers so I turned around and went back inside to warm up, drink my recovery drink and elevate my legs. <br />
<br />
I learned so much from this race:<br />
• Being 2:00 behind and not getting caught up in trying to run faster when it's not my pace. <br />
• Knowing I can push myself a little harder, I wanted to give up on the ungroomed snowshoe portion but I didn't. <br />
• Problem solving and staying in control of my race and trying not to worry about anyone else who I can't control.<br />
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After awards and more stretching Regina and I had lunch across the way at Bretton Woods Alpine and visited my friend Megan.<br />
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When I got home I had a 30 minute easy spin to help my legs recover a bit more and I was still chilled. <br />
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<a href="http://www.baxteroutdoors.com/Results/Results_2015_Bretton%20Woods%20Winter%20Tri.pdf" target="_blank"><br /></a>
<a href="http://www.baxteroutdoors.com/Results/Results_2015_Bretton%20Woods%20Winter%20Tri.pdf" target="_blank">Online results here</a><br />
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Meghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06295633306150866116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1037098118600595070.post-41627537589208730372015-02-02T15:35:00.000-05:002015-02-02T15:35:40.395-05:00Welcome Recent 2015 SponsorsI've started the process of asking businesses to support my 2015 race season and I wouldn't be able to pursue my triathlon career at this level without their help and the support of friends and family. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart! <br />
<br />
As of today the <a href="http://mtwashingtonautoroad.com/" target="_blank">Mt. Washington Auto Road</a> and <a href="http://greatglentrails.com/" target="_blank">Great Glen Trails Outdoor Center</a>, the <a href="http://www.whitemountainaquatic.com/" target="_blank">White Mountain Aquatic Center</a> and <a href="http://www.peakhealth.biz/" target="_blank">Peak Health Sports Massage</a> have signed on again! It feels amazing that I can say these local businesses, along with a few others I have not asked yet, have been a part of Team Skidmore since the beginning back in 2012. <br />
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<a href="http://mtwashingtonautoroad.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="http://mtwashingtonautoroad.com/" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4SEPvjxVYx0q0hCNka_ltv6j19pz4qeehxaDcWBGpdtZH2oVvXVOiFDeFJtzLrFuXt1WZFUN41CZNQzQyz4334aNqyf7LtmXRRdxNbU9mS7ojEDCLKQMHkYpZV6N7JBy7Y31Zjr85Y-I/s1600/MWARlogoVrgb.jpg" height="200" width="177" /><span id="goog_756989650"></span></a><a href="http://greatglentrails.com/" target="_blank"><span id="goog_756989651"></span><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9R3LM8osBnOhWswazJKaCWJH3gc1Dtg8klPMcXzFuQsmLiLH2tO5U95EQ9vwbuF_97CuWl_DwwzsOCs8a9A1kTdO-ekrV4drbIB_0oRkM6DRicoc_PhYrln2ckuXnXuRajdDjAVNio-o/s1600/GGTlogo.jpg" height="137" width="200" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.whitemountainaquatic.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="http://www.whitemountainaquatic.com/" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ0Uw3uMdVHNKk4r3xmhtyrUPCvAAV_eKruHM4y0hG9-OW8HSBs74Wq-srlxUaS2SXBRb4Y4NyivkXHTjZXkS8tcP0mjDiqGVzCuBlDhfeslRVL0Qr5qi0kxj-Q8y0ecW9zitnjGlsLXY/s1600/aquaticlogo.jpg" height="125" width="200" /></a><a href="http://www.peakhealth.biz/" target="_blank"><img alt="http://www.peakhealth.biz/" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgouoi9hKNheiR5oe79UePxs18_qcSyxtnsTxCS9CZy6vsfTNnPZQggSGHghXjZ-NhP9debuhMepYUuw9htwYY7Y38auXvDB-Urt5zw_qnJQ12p_C7Bz66Jknu2OwP3E7tg9V9Cv-sb0_Q/s1600/PH_logo_color_72_large.jpg" height="133" width="200" /> </a></div>
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I am also proud to welcome <a href="http://stananddansports.com/" target="_blank">Stan and Dan's Sports</a> as the official Team Skidmore bike shop! </div>
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<br />Meghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06295633306150866116noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1037098118600595070.post-81632037226224182722015-01-26T20:24:00.002-05:002015-01-26T21:47:51.256-05:00I made the right decision....Oh the life of a dedicated athlete, it brings out many emotions; the feeling of success, the physical hard work, the hours of training, the dedication to training and having to turn down most social engagements. It can get overwhelming at times, so overwhelming it can lead to break downs and uncertainties. Well about 3 weeks ago, that happened. I didn't know if I wanted to continue training at the level I was at, I was struggling to find time to spend with my friends, and I was becoming really unorganized and unmotivated. <br />
<br />
I meet with Steve to talk about 2015 races and broke down in tears and let it all out. He understood and said I was the only one to make the decision to continue or to stop, that was hard. I wanted someone else to decide. Triathlon is my life and I couldn't image giving it up, I could picture coming home and not having to train but then come summer I wouldn't be racing- that did not feel right at all. <br />
<br />
I took 2 weeks and didn't train. I thought long and hard about my life and what was important. I sat with Regina and we made a list of priories and put them in order. At that point training was near them bottom and that made me sad. At the end of the 2 weeks I re did the list and tri was back near the top. I had to balance everything much better and become more organized if I wanted the two things most important to me (a social life and training for tri at a competitive level) to be at the top.<br />
<br />
Fast forward to today and things are much different. I am continuing to train and am looking to apply for my Elite/Pro license. That requires me to race in three elite races (races that offer a prize purse of $5,000 or more) and finish within 8% of the top woman. These races are not local and will take me out of New England. I'm guessing they will cost about $1,000 each with flights, bike transportation, hotel, food etc. I will post them soon and hope that I can make a connection with some of you who might know someone near the venue. Right now it looks like the 3 locations will be St. Petersburg FL, Boulder CO and Mont Tremblant Canada.<br />
<br />
In November I worked with Regina, Steve and my friends Pat and Julie to put together an official race portfolio and sent it to big companies but I didn't realize that most of them allocate sponsorship dollars in September/October. So I have only heard back from 2 of the 40 I sent out.<br />
<br />
One of them was <a href="http://www.skratchlabs.com/" target="_blank">Skratch Labs.</a> I add their Exercise Hydration Mix to every water bottle. It's like powdered Gatorade but MUCH better for you. It's made with all natural and real food ingredients. I applied to be a Taste Agent and received this email last week: <br />
<div class="gmail_default" style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia,serif;">
<i>First,
our apologies for the delayed response, we are still a pretty small
team here. Due to the overwhelming interest in our program it has taken
us awhile to get back to everyone, thanks for your patience!</i></div>
<div class="gmail_default" style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia,serif;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="gmail_default" style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia,serif;">
<i>Second, thank you for your interest in our Skratch Labs Taste Agent program, and for dotting every i, and crossing every t.</i></div>
<div class="gmail_default" style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia,serif;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="gmail_default" style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia,serif;">
<i>And finally, we are excited to welcome you to the team!</i><br />
<div class="gmail_default" style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia,serif;">
<i><br />So, let's get down to business and spread some Skratch love! We
have attached your individual agreement contract. Please read over
everything carefully and sign and date at the bottom and return to us.</i><i> We
definitely feel the need to thank you in advance as well, you are the
flesh-and-blood organisms hitting the streets, trails, water, gym,
classroom, air, to spread our message, humor, and love, and we are proud
to be working with you!</i></div>
<div class="gmail_default" style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia,serif;">
<i> </i></div>
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So I have to talk about it with my friends and fellow athletes, connect with them via Twitter, Instagram and Facebook and here in my blog. So I started a Twitter account <a href="https://twitter.com/megskidmore" target="_blank">@megskidmore</a> and an Instagram account too <a href="http://instagram.com/megtris/" target="_blank">@megtris</a> !<br />
<br />
The second was Specialized. They asked me to connect with Stan and Dan Sports to see what they could offer me. So I met with Stan today and I have support from them!! Welcome to Team Skidmore <a href="http://stananddansports.com/" target="_blank">Stan and Dan Sports</a>!! <br />
<br />
I also have the support of the <a href="http://www.whitemountainaquatic.com/" target="_blank">White Mountain Aquatic Center</a> where I spend 3 mornings a week getting faster with Steve and the Masters class! <br />
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In other excitting news I did a photo shoot and am on the Stabil Icers Run and Hike boxes!! Thanks to Regina for setting this up for me!! <br />
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Meghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06295633306150866116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1037098118600595070.post-13763131695755455482014-11-01T10:57:00.003-04:002014-11-01T11:37:09.975-04:00Fall Training/PlayingI'm much more disciplined in training than I am in blogging about it-working on that.<br />
Here's what's been going on since Nationals: <br />
<ul>
<li>I won the last race of the season, the Pitch Pine Olympic. Coldest race
I've ever done; temps in the upper 40's and no sun. Lots of support from
Team Skidmore, thanks guys for braving the cold!! </li>
</ul>
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<li>Took 2 weeks off from structured training, of course still ran and biked and wanted to eat doughnuts!! </li>
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<ul>
<li>Full day hike, started at 5am and hike 11 miles in 9 hours. <br />Redlining (hiking all the trails in the White Mountains) with Lauren and Brooke.</li>
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<ul>
<li>Was awarded Athlete of the Week from Millennium Running.com read the short article <a href="http://www.millenniumrunning.com/athletes-of-the-week-sam-wood-and-megan-skidmore/13317" target="_blank">here</a></li>
<li>Decided I'm going to apply for my pro/elite license, look for details on this process in a later blog. </li>
<li>Didn't win a local 5k - took 2nd by 3 seconds - very humbling and now have a training partner</li>
<li>Spent a whole weekend with my niece Cheyanne! Taught her how to
ride a bike w/ no training wheels- highlight of my summer.</li>
<li>Volunteered for the White Mountain Milers 1/2 marathon with Cheyanne and got 30 verbal thank yous for our sign! </li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoUNgehjVZiZCCZA4w1-ZrGsMnhjA5G-n5VmNjZLqxua-M_yXS6WwFbBvFn5Zxbx6vqSpH1u3Sb_x_PcRziejZtR7EoqMna3zXhZrVY9uGZn8mfRLyYkYxJRNCAjmege9aM2jyp42vtMQ/s1600/10690032_695272702375_272574205356954550_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoUNgehjVZiZCCZA4w1-ZrGsMnhjA5G-n5VmNjZLqxua-M_yXS6WwFbBvFn5Zxbx6vqSpH1u3Sb_x_PcRziejZtR7EoqMna3zXhZrVY9uGZn8mfRLyYkYxJRNCAjmege9aM2jyp42vtMQ/s1600/10690032_695272702375_272574205356954550_n.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li>Finished my professional race resume to send out to bigger companies in hopes for more sponsorship with the help of Gina, Tami, Pat and Julie, and Steve-thanks so much guys!!!</li>
</ul>
I've returned to training and Steve has mixed things up by adding hikes
(soon with weights), specific strength training as warm ups prior to
workouts and mountain biking!<br />
<br />
Stay tuned for the next blog, promise it won't be 2 months from now!
<!-- Blogger automated replacement: "https://images-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com/gadgets/proxy?url=http%3A%2F%2F2.bp.blogspot.com%2F-1wn9j6VPJUk%2FVFTtESsgjdI%2FAAAAAAAABwE%2FeL1JBQ8Fb6A%2Fs1600%2F1620459_689741646655_5500208202429173908_n.jpg&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image%2F*" with "https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimMW3DFe9H6o73Se6cu1XV9QGLs4SatHgGnOEqpYmfbi64ojU2yCC2GUnIiD-Clx48wFvAMcvlk2TdnYnqObEUDU5iSShEwLaMSi4QmmGDr2pxOZraE5rSwlODxRfUeNuojlgHXLEdjDw/s1600/1620459_689741646655_5500208202429173908_n.jpg" -->Meghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06295633306150866116noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1037098118600595070.post-39968190261180873602014-10-28T12:52:00.002-04:002014-10-28T12:52:51.599-04:00The Nationals Double<div class="MsoNormal">
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--></style> The first race: Olympic Distance<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>.9 mile swim, 24 mile bike and 6.2 mile run<br />
Second race: Sprint Distance 1/2 mile swim, 12 mile bike, 3.1 mile run (the next day) </div>
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Transition closed: 7:30</div>
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Race start time: 7:40 </div>
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My wave number: 15</div>
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My start time: 9:50</div>
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Equals way too much time for butterflies to take over my
stomach.</div>
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Starting at nearly 10 am is so different; I am usually
finishing my races at this time. I warmed up and took in food and liquid the
best I could. It was hard to know what and when to eat with this much time. </div>
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<br /></div>
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As my swim start time approached Gina and I made our way to
the water. I had to stop at the bathrooms for a while; Gina must have thought I
fell in. I can’t help my nerves and what they do to my stomach. Steve said its
something I can work on and that I can control. </div>
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The swim was a straight shot and under a bridge and into a cove,
then a big loop back to the other side of the bridge up a very steep and short
exit ramp. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Among the hundreds of athletes I put my wetsuit on and
waited for the 30-34 age group to be called to the deck. There were just over
200 of us and no they did not split us up. I walked down the ramp and realized
I still had my flop flops on! I took them off and threw them up to Gina. We all
jumped in and warmed up the water was 70º perfect temp. I swam for a few minutes
then did some sprints getting myself ready for the start. 2 minutes to start came
over the PA I made my way over and positioned myself front row far right. For
each wave they played music from that decade to get us started. About a minute
left they announced we’d be delayed but didn’t say why. I swam some more and as
time went on most were getting out of the water. I wanted to stay in as long as
possible, one to keep my core temp down and two to keep my arms moving. After
about 6-7 minutes they asked all of us to come out. We could see a rescue truck
on the shore just before the bridge but they weren’t telling us what was
happening. </div>
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At the 2012 Nationals during the Olympic an athlete had a
heart problem and drowned in the swim. I was racing the Sprint the next day. I
was really hoping that it didn’t happen again.</div>
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After 10 minutes they brought us back to the start line.
Just before the count down they encourage every wave to high five their
neighbor. I high fived mine and said have fun. The count down was a deep drum
like a heartbeat. That got my heartbeat going. The horn sounded and we were
off. With 200 hundred women it was a bit crowded. I did the best I could and
drafted when<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>possible. I got
elbowed in the face a few times and definitely kicked a few too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I kept getting stuck between two girls
and got a huge mouthful of water. It went down so fast my gag reflex didn’t
even kick in to try to stop it, I just swallowed it. The water was really
choppy so it made it hard to sight. I followed others and drafted one girl the
last minute to the exit. My plan to swim to the right side and grab the rail
went perfectly. Volunteers lined the ramp and pulled us up it was very helpful.
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I waited until I was on flat ground to pull my goggles up
and my arms out of my wetsuit while passing a few girls. </div>
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The rows were lettered and I was in row M. I spotted my
bright green bar tape switched over as fast as I could. There is a line that we
have to cross to mount out bikes. Most stop right at that line, I saw it was
crowded and went beyond before getting on and got out in front of the cluster.
I got up to speed and began to settle in. The roads were closed to all traffic
so that’s one distraction we didn’t have to deal with. At Nationals there is a
huge fleet of USAT official on the backs of motorcycles driving the bike course
looking for infractions. Drafting, not passing on the correct side, not passing
in the allotted time 15 seconds and those that have been passed dropping back
to the proper following distance of four bike lengths. A 2:00 min penalty is
given if any of these are seen, 6 minutes for two penalty’s and
disqualification with three offenses. After the turn around, we made our way up
the exit ramp of the highway 794 that had been shut down for both races! Racing
on the highway is always so fun. I picked off about 10 girls in my age group
and most of which had aero helmets. Out to the turnaround and back over the
bridge and back to transition. I forgot to recognize my spot with out green bar
tap and looked for my stuff in row M. Big mistake everyone’s stuff looks the
same, black inside out wetsuits swim caps and goggles tossed to the side. I ran
right by my spot and my brain switched to looking at numbers on the racks. Mine
was 3302 I stopped at 3317 and tuned around. Switched over and headed out for
the 6.2 mile run. I felt fine at that point and passed one of the girls who
passed me on the bike and at about mile 1.5 my stomach began to hurt/cramp. I
tried to block it out but it wasn’t working. My turn over wasn’t fast and my
legs felt like Popeye’s arms look. I held it together the best I could. More
and more racers passed me which doesn’t happen often. Then I began to recognize
some of the girls passing me as the ones I worked so hard to pass on the bike.
It kept happening and I was getting so frustrated with myself and just wanted
to stop but that really wasn’t an option – I don’t quit. </div>
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There are a few questions athletes ask themselves when it
gets tough. Am I hurting so bad I may be injuring myself? Am I going to pass
out? Can I still feel my legs? If the answers are no then there is no reason
what so ever, to stop. That’s when it becomes mental. Knowing the hundreds of
hours put into training kept me going, knowing how many people have sent me
words of encouragement kept me putting one foot in front of the other, knowing
Steve would resign as my coach if I stopped, kept me going. He wouldn’t. So I
kept going. I finished in 2:29:21 with a 29:06 .9 mile swim a 1:08:0224 mile
bike and a 48:20 6.2 mile run. I didn’t meet my placement goal but 53/157 wasn't bad for my first Olympic distance race at the National level. </div>
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After some tears and words of encouragement from Gina I
started to be ok with 53<sup>rd</sup>. There was nothing I could do but look
forward to the Sprint race the next day. It took most of the day to get over
it. Steve called me, Tami called me and they both said Sprint is your specialty
and we support you no matter what place you come in. The evening was filled
with rest, food and hydration. Gina cooked a wonderful dinner cous cous chicken
and mixed veggies. </div>
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Sunday came and I was excited. We knew the routine; traffic,
parking and timing. I set up my transition and wasn’t as nervous. I was closer
to the end of the rack so there was no confusion during the race. We walked
back to the car for me to start my warm up. It was away from all the action so
I could focus on what I had to do to get myself ready and not worry about
others. Again, as I was warming up, the race had already started and the
butterflies began to take flight but I pushed them out the best I could. </div>
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The start came and I was so ready to do what I do, no matter
the outcome. There were less in my age group so I felt better about that. My
swim plan was the same start; in the front and draft when the faster swimmers
got by me. That worked a few times. I got squished between two girls like three
times over the ½ mile course. It was so frustrating, I got kicked and elbowed and had to
change my stroke. The exit was a challenge to see so I did my best to follow
the girl ahead of me in. I had the same strategy up the ramp; stay right, grab
volunteers hands and wait until I was all the way up to the flats before I
started stripping off wetsuit, goggles and swim cap. I made the right decision
again as I passed others who were struggling. I swam my fastest ½ mile 13:25</div>
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<br /></div>
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Found my spot, pulled wetsuit off and got my shoes and helmet
on. Unracked my bike and went straight down the row where the rest of the bike
racks weren’t being used –left over from Olympic race- avoided all other racers
and got out in about 2 minutes. </div>
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It took me a few tries to get into my pedals but I made up for that as I got up to speed asap! I started picking off cyclists but less than 2 miles in one of the girls passed me. It's been A LONG time since that's happened. It lit a bigger fire in me and I chased her down. I got her on the long gradual uphill and made the 180 turn before her. I descended but she was faster and left me in the dust- respect. </div>
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I made my way back through town and the crowd. It took a few seconds to soak it all in; the venue, the crowd, the competition, that all my hard work was paying off and I have the opportunity to be in this race. I made my way up the exit ramp and picked off a few more. I didn't know where the turn around was but it came up fast. That felt good. I peddled hard back up and over the bridge and could see the venue, again I smiled and was so grateful to be racing. I came into TA and knew exactly where my bike was. Switched over and was out on course in no time.<br />
<br />
The start of the course was lined with screaming spectators which always helps to go a little faster. I felt really good, quick and light. I started doing my thing, passing guys and girls! My confidence was getting stronger and stronger. There was an athlete who must have finished before me and was seeig how the race was shaking out. For some reason, he noticed me and knew where I was with in my age group. He yelled I was 10th when I started my run. At the 2.5 mile mark he kept track and said I was 6th or 7th and told me to keep it up and push it. I didn't him but he had his eye on me strange but cool. With a 1/2 mile to go he yelled your 4th!! I passed one more girl in my age group and got super excited knowing I had moved into 3rd place!! My heart began to race and my breathing changed. I need to calm down so I could finish the race. I pushed my current placement out of my mind and refocused on my pace.<br />
<br />
I could hear the roar of the crowd and gave it my all. I felt so good. I finished strong, got my finishers medal and began the frantic search for Gina. I finally found her and she had the biggest smile on her face and was throwing her fist in the air. We hugged and she was so incredibly proud! I was too. We still didn't know exactly what place I was in but we knew it was in the top 25 so I was going to Worlds!!<br />
<br />
We got in line for the results ticket and when I saw it I was both a little disappointed that I wasn't 3rd but so excited, I was 4th in my age group. I called Steve and he was very proud of me too.<br />
<br />
I did a cool down run and changed and got ready for the award ceremony. For this race they honor the top 5 in each age group on the podium. That was so cool!<br />
<br />
Results: 4/63<br />
I was tied for 1st in the run for women in my age group!<br />
<br />
The award ceremony was great! They began with the oldest age groups and ended with the youngest. It was so nice to see top 5 for each AG. Not many were holding their hands up in celebration. I wanted to change that. When my age group was called I made my way to the stage and up onto the podium. they put the medal around my neck and when 5th place got hers the audience clapped and I grabbed the women's hands next to me and raised my arms, the rest of the podium followed I had the biggest smile ever!!<br />
<br />
From there we had to decide and sign the Team USA sheet if we wanted our spot on Team USA for the World Championships in Chicago in 2015. There was no hesitation for me!!<br />
<br />
It was the perfect ending to an amazing weekend!! </div>
Meghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06295633306150866116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1037098118600595070.post-80501527015378518482014-08-08T11:39:00.001-04:002014-08-08T11:39:36.176-04:00US Tri Nationals pre race<div>
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We made it to Milwaukee by 7:30 am yesterday. </div>
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<br />
<div>
That
gave us PLENTY of time to relax which is exactly what I need. Got the
rental car and found an excellent coffee shop/bakery for 2nd breakfast.
We left there at 9:30, check in to our hotel wasn't until 2 or 3. I
planned on putting my bike together in park outside in the fresh air
with lots of room to spread out vs waiting to get into the hotel. We
found the perfect park w/ free parking! We are right on Michigan Lake
(Yes i know its really Lake Michigan) but I keep calling that to mess
with Gina she keeps correcting me :). It took me an hour to put my
machine back together, Gina was impressed! </div>
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<div>
Since our alarms went off at
3:30 it was time for a nap, yup right there in the park. I was a 10 out
of 10 on the relaxed scale. We went to check out the venue its right
next to the Discovery Center and the Milwaukee Art Museum , gorgeous
buildings. We checked into the hotel at 1:30 and our room was ready.
Thanks to Dave Power manager of the Conway Comfort Inn & Suites for
helping us out on a discounted room! We walked in and it was perfect,
full kitchen, a living room huge bedroom large bathroom and on the first
floor. Unpacked everything into draws. I even have my own bureau in the
main area for all my gear and race stuff. I got off my feet and watched
tv, I haven't had time to relax and watch tv all summer. It felt weird
but good plus my legs were resting. Late lunch /early dinner right next
door at a steakhouse chicken sir fry and a salad. Gina and I checked
the schedule and packet pick up was from 2-6 and I had to get an easy 30
min run in. We returned to get my goodie bags. I am racing the Olympic
distance on Saturday and the Sprint on Sunday so I got 2 goodie bags. </div>
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The race numbers are tattoos and I have two different 4 digit numbers so
Saturday afternoon I will have to remove my Olympic numbers and put on
my Sprint ones. We walked around the expo and got a few things, new
goggles as I discovered Monday the nose piece is cracked on mine, a
Nationals jersey, a tiny mixed co2 and hand pump, its easy to pump a
little bit of air into tube first before filing it w/ co2. If I get a
flat during the race no one can assist me. We went to the finish line
for photos and got yelled at for walking on the turf. I have no idea why
they weren't letting us get close to the finish line. I waited until
she walked away and got my photo. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh30r32Fv6jJ1YfcKr2OErjUvK8TR6G8tu5BH__VMqfWeMfjvkKqQTKFMzmU-8r2pEUgIcOJ3FdvoGHLj0J8_7_pWEkvV0nLr9LTlKAHpaM7ee3o-F1-GqClaOghRdGFlUnZCWfv9b3LZU/s1600/20140807_182941.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh30r32Fv6jJ1YfcKr2OErjUvK8TR6G8tu5BH__VMqfWeMfjvkKqQTKFMzmU-8r2pEUgIcOJ3FdvoGHLj0J8_7_pWEkvV0nLr9LTlKAHpaM7ee3o-F1-GqClaOghRdGFlUnZCWfv9b3LZU/s1600/20140807_182941.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a>Gina waited while I
ran for 30. It was about 6:30 and I ran along Michigan Lake there were
sail boats and many were out walking biking, skateboarding flying kites
again 10 out of 10 on relaxed scale. On the way home we went food shopping got home and relaxed for the night. </div>
<div>
<br />
Fridays
schedule: pre race openers usually consist of a bike and a run piece
but because I have to leave my bike in transition overnight I can't use
it to warm up the morning of my races. I have to do an altered warm up
today and do it again tomorrow. A run with some hard efforts w/ squat
jumps and some agility work. Then my regular run warm up w/ two 2 minute
hard efforts. </div>
<div>
<br />
The bay is open for swimming at 11
after that, lunch and ride the run course on my bike then drive the bike
course. Then off my feet for the rest of the day and get excited to
race!! </div>
<div>
<br />
The top 25 per age group advance to the 2015
World Championships held in Chicago. There are just over 200 in my age
group 30-34 in the Olympic distance and 73 in the Sprint. In the Sprint
Just 2 of us are from New England, me and a woman from Mass.</div>
<div>
<br />
My goal is to qualify for Worlds in both races! </div>
<div>
<br />
<br />
Coverage may be a live video from the finish and there might be a link to
watch my dot go through the race. My number for the Olympic is 3302 and my Sprint number 5598. I start both races at 9:50am </div>
<div>
<br />
<b>OLYMPIC</b><br />
Sat
Aug 9 Olympic Coverage online: <a href="http://www.usatriathlon.org/events/usat/2014/08/olympic-distance-national-championships/coverage.aspx%5C" target="_blank">http://www.usatriathlon.org/events/usat/2014/08/olympic-distance-national-championships/coverage.aspx\</a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Schedule: <a href="http://www.usatriathlon.org/events/usat/2014/08/olympic-distance-national-championships/schedule.aspx">http://www.usatriathlon.org/events/usat/2014/08/olympic-distance-national-championships/schedule.aspx</a><br />
My wave, wave 15, starts at 9:50</div>
<div>
My race number for the Olympic is 3302</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<b>SPRINT</b><br />
Sun Aug 10 Sprint Coverage online: <a href="http://www.usatriathlon.org/events/usat/2014/08/sprint-national-championships/coverage.aspx">http://www.usatriathlon.org/events/usat/2014/08/sprint-national-championships/coverage.aspx</a></div>
<br />
Same, wave 15, starts at 9:50 </div>
<div>
My race number for Sprint 5598</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Schedule: <a href="http://www.usatriathlon.org/events/usat/2014/08/sprint-national-championships/event-schedule.aspx" target="_blank">http://www.usatriathlon.org/events/usat/2014/08/sprint-national-championships/event-schedule.aspx </a><br />
<br />
I've be posting photos to my Facebook page as well!<br />
<br />
Thanks to every single person that supported me I wouldn't be racing this weekend if it wasn't for you!! Meghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06295633306150866116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1037098118600595070.post-89430422222373873902014-08-04T23:46:00.002-04:002014-08-04T23:47:23.944-04:00Greenfiled Olympic Tri # 8<div class="MsoNormal">
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--></style> To repeat a win feels amazing, to be THE fastest overall still hasn’t hit yet. I won the entire race by just about :30
seconds and the next female by 14 minutes. Last year I was the first female in
the Sprint and with my new schedule it put me racing the Olympic/International
this year. Now to come back and be the first female in the longer race is so
cool! </div>
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Before the start the race director recognized some
“celebrities”; the person who started the race, a few others and the previous years winners. It was pretty neat to
be announced! </div>
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I experienced few first time hiccups; two crashes right in
front of me, leaving air fresheners in my run shoes and having my skin rubbed raw from the timing chip. </div>
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It began to rain while on the bike so the roads were really
slick. I raced in the rain in London and have trained in it too. The one thing
I’ve learned is to be cautious but smart. You can haul on the straights but
it’s not worth it to take corners at speed. There was a sharp left followed by
a sharp right under a bridge with a blind corner. I tried passing a guy on the
straights before that corner and he responded, probably didn’t want a girl to
pass him! So he was going pretty fast from that. We made the first corner and a
car had stopped just out of sight around the second, he locked up the brakes
and swerved around it but couldn’t hold it together with the wet roads. He fish
tailed I grabbed my brakes fish tailed too and he went down right in front of
me. He slid about 15 feet, I swerved to the left and didn’t hit him. I came to
a complete stop as he laid in front of me and asked if he was ok. He was and was probably so mad at that
driver. They had traffic control there so I’m not sure why they let the car go
through. On the next lap I was leap frogging with another guy who seemed to be
killing it but not really knowing how to pace himself. I was behind him on that
same corner and he was going faster then the other guy. I gave him a little
more space just in case. Glad I did because he went down too. As I rode by I
asked him if he was ok. He was. </div>
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The next hiccup came when I switched to the run. I have been
keeping air fresheners in both my bike and run shoes because they smell sooo
bad. Constant swimming in lakes and running through mud and grass mixed with
sweat, really lingers. This morning I didn’t use my race shoes to do my run warm up, I
just set them up in transition and used my new race shoes to break them in.
When I came in off the bike, I threw off my helmet and shoes and stuck my foot
in my run shoe. I felt something and thought the insole was crinkled, it
wasn’t. It was the air freshener! I hoped Steve or Gina didn’t see. I looked in
the other one and had to dump it out too. That cost me about 4 to 5 seconds. I had
the second fastest run time by two seconds. It's incredible how close things can
be. That’s why I’ve learned to brush things like that off and try my best to
make up for it.<br />
<br />
And then less than a mile into the run I felt the plastic piece of my timing chip start to rub. I was in such a great rhythm I wasn't going to stop. I tried shaking my leg in between strides to get it to turn, no luck. I tried turning it by kicking w/ my other foot still no luck. So I just ignored it. When I finished Steve asked what I caught my leg on. I didn't notice it was bleeding a little. I went to the race director thanked her for a great race, showed her my leg and suggested a different type of timing chip. </div>
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The day before started early with a practice Sprint triathlon to prep me for competing in both the Olympic and Sprint on back to back days at Nationals next weekend. I worked from 8am-4pm and then Steve, Gina and I drove down and stayed in
Brattleboro arriving at 9pm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As
always Gina brought the good food! She pre-made dinner at home – pene pasta, w/
Italian dressing and sautéed veggies and a salad. Glad there was a microwave in the room because I'm not a big fan of cold pasta. We chatted for awhile and got
ready for bed. I foam rolled my legs and Gina worked a knot out of my back. The
clock read 10:45pm.<br />
<br />
The alarm went off at 4:30, I showered while Gina prepped
breakfast on her camping stove! Egg sandwiches for the three of us and Steve
shared a fresh fruit salad and Gwen's cranberry lemon cakes. I was able to eat
most of it and tried to remain calm, this is the last race before Nationals.
We packed up the room and <br />
<br />
Departure time was 5:45. </div>
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I picked up my packet and set up. The bike course was 21
miles with three loops. Steve brought his bike and we rode the loop together. I
did my standard warm up; 10 mins two three minute power intervals and 10 mins
back. We discussed the strategy for racing the laps.</div>
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I switched to my run as the race director was having the pre
race meeting-10 mins then 2x2 min sprints and back to TA. I felt a little funny running behind her but I had to get my legs ready to race! My stomach
was a little heavy so my run warm up wasn’t the best. I resorted to foot speeds, butt kicks, knee highs, weedwackers, and knee drives. I came back and my step dad Mike and his girlfriend Vicky were
there. I knew they were coming but it was so good to see them! </div>
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They were all smiles and started asked tons of questions! I
loved it. Steve helped me into my wetsuit and I headed down to the river to get
a few stokes in mixed w/ hard efforts. It was very cold, which explained why
there were only a couple of people swimming.<br />
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There were only about 20 women in my wave compared to the usual 40-50 but I was still nervous. My strategy was to start in the front and when I got behind a little I
would find someone to draft off. That didn’t work so well. I saw two girls
pull ahead and I moved over but they were going too fast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I caught some men in the wave ahead of
me but one was walking, the river was about 5-8 feet deep the whole way. I made
the first turn, sighted and the girls were too far to catch. I tried to draft a
few men but they were going too slow. I made the second turn and felt so good
and relaxed which helped me focus on my technique. It was the best swim as far
as being completely in control, I’ve had. I moved over to exit on the river
bank and got stuck between another guy and the weeds. I surged and passed him
just before the exit. I swam .6 miles in 19:29 – 19th out of 71 racers.</div>
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Steve yelled "Two ahead at 45 seconds!" Referring to the two women ahead of me. Ok I thought, that’s
doable. I raced through T1 in 44 seconds, 2<sup>nd</sup>/71 and out on the
course. I lost a few seconds trying to get into my pedals. </div>
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The course was flat for about ¼ mile then up steep. Steve
said don’t kill it on that hill, spin high and relax, make up the time at the
top. That worked really well. I had no idea who the two girls were. There was
another women’s wave ahead of ours. I passed two but wasn’t sure they were they
women in my wave. </div>
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The rain started after the first loop and I played it smart,
the last thing I need is a crash a week from Nationals. I was very cautious on
corners and passing. My legs were a little tired but I tired to ignore that. I
avoided two crashes and stayed upright. I returned to TA in 1:01:33 – 4<sup>th</sup>/71.<br />
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I went to put on my run shoes and found the air fresheners! I couldn’t believe
it. I felt so silly but didn’t let it deter me. </div>
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Out on the run in 39 seconds 5<sup>th</sup>/71. I was
feeling the best I have all season. I cut back on my drinking and only took ½
gel. This helped my stomach not feel so crummy, but if it was hotter then I
would have been in trouble. I passed two guys before mile 1 and until the turn
around at 3.5 miles, it was a gradual uphill. I focused on the guy ahead of me
and tired to close the gap. My timing chip was cutting into my skin and I tried
to shake my leg to get it into a different spot but I couldn’t. I
paced myself according to the race not to how I felt. Once I felt comfortable
knowing the next girl was pretty far back I tried not to push myself too hard.
Nationals are next weekend. I wanted to get the guy I had been chasing. It
didn’t happen until mile 4.5. I got a big rush, my heart rate went up and I
tried to keep calm. He commented “great racing” as I went by I returned the
complement. I heard him try to keep up with me which scared me a little, but
then I cracked him. I hit mile 6 and only had a little left to go and it was
all downhill. I pushed it through the finish. 2:06:33. </div>
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On the way to the race I thought about how cool it would be
to win the International after winning the Sprint last year. I knew I was first
women before I hit mile 4 on the run but I didn’t think about that until
crossed the finish line. </div>
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I was met with hugs from Gina, Steve, Mike and Vicky. That always feels good. I told a few stories and had to run I
could feel my legs wanted to cramp up plus I needed to start the recovery process asap. I ran out on the opposite side of the run course and the announcer said "oh there goes Meghan Skidmore still running, why don't you sit down or something?" I cheered a few racers on and returned about 10 mins later. Then I elevated my legs then soaked them into the chilly river to help with recovery.<br />
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We took a few fun photos and I gathered my things from TA. Steve and Gina loaded things into the car while I waited for awards. They began with the Sprint so we had lots of time. We went to look at paper results and Gina eyes were huge when she turned around. I was on the top of the results in 1st place overall. She said that must be a mistake. I agreed. I never trust results until they are announced. <br />
OMG though! Gina did some quick math and it was true!<br />
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I kinda hoped they would make a big deal out of a women winning overall. I've race for 7 years and I've never seen it. They called up the top three women and while the crowd was clapping. They said oh and it looks like she was faster then all the guys, hardly anyone heard it. Oh well I knew it!</div>
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A few photos and I had the choice of a wooden plaque or have it made into a cribbage board with my name engraved on it. I chose the cribbage board this time.<br />
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<br />
A quick interview with a newspaper reporter and we headed back to the car. Check out the article <a href="http://skidmoreracing.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_4.html" target="_blank"><u>here!</u></a><br />
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We said our say goodbyes. I was so happy Mike came and he brought me homemade pasta sauce!<br />
On the drive home I couldn't stop smiling, I still couldn't believe it!! Steve and I looked at the data from my computer and were both happy with the results.<br />
<br />
We stopped at a rest area for a picnic lunch. Gina made us sandwiches, we had veggies, triscuits and hummus, fresh fruit salad from Steve. There was plenty to eat! We chatted some more while I foam rolled (self massage) my legs. I was so comfortable when I stopped I dozed off for 20 minutes.<br />
<br />
We packed up and got back on the road, one more stop for ice cream and gas.<br />
<br />
Huge thank you to Gina for driving the 6.5 hour round trip, making dinner, breakfast and lunch, explaining triathlon to Mike and Vicky, taking photos, getting my splits and encouraging my throughout the race. I really don't know what I'd do without you!! <br />
<br />
As I write this I'm still shocked to be first. As Steve said "Now we know it's possible" <br />
<br />
Results: 1/71<br />
Female: 1/20<br />
Age Group: 1/3<br />
Online results <a href="http://www.coolrunning.com/results/14/ma/Aug3_Greenf_set1.shtml" target="_blank">here</a></div>
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Meghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06295633306150866116noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1037098118600595070.post-35897323609981697252014-06-23T19:20:00.002-04:002014-06-23T20:03:23.150-04:00King Pine Olympic w/ 30 mile bike - Tri #6<div class="MsoNormal">
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--></style> This was the first race that my coach, Steve and my manager,
Regina have not been at. It was very different to not have them there. I know
what to do before my race, check in, set up TA, warm up etc... It’s the during
and after I count on them. They keep track of how many athletes are in front of
me and tell me how far back I am from the closest ones. After, they are there
for hugs, support and help me briefly analyze the race, make sure I eat, drink and get a cool down in. </div>
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The race was only 40 mins from home and I was one of the
first to arrive. I checked in and got my number; 142. I went to TA to set up
and looked for my number on the bike rack. 136, 137, 138, 150. Hmmm my number
wasn’t there. I looked at my watch and knew I had to start my warm up pretty
soon. I told Vince, the race director. He helped search and then went to get
the registration list. I racked my bike and started putting my race numbers on my helmet and bike. I looked and
I was really 241 oops. Vince came back and said there is no 142. I looked at
him, held my number up, smiled and apologized for giving him a small heart
attack.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I set up and went for my
bike warm up: 10 mins then 2x3min hard efforts. When I returned Ed and Ro were on
their bikes, I waved and went on to start my run. I felt bad I didn’t stop to say hi but I knew they understood. As I went out for my run Christine and Kim
were walking to TA. I hugged them, thanked them for coming and explained I had to get my
run in. Race start was getting closer and I still had to get into my wetsuit,
head down to the water and warm up, so I cut my run a little short. I still got
in my 2 x 2 min sprints. </div>
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Ro and Christine wanted to help with my bag and wetsuit and
other things but they knew I had to do it on my own. It was very nice and they
asked if it was cheating if they helped. I loved it. They eventually had to help
me zip my wetsuit. It zips down instead of up, so the neoprene has to be pulled
together from my shoulders. I can usually do it myself but just couldn't get
it. It took the both of them and me turning into the sun to see it. I was
giggling inside. Thanks girls!! </div>
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I checked my spot one last time, visually ran through the flow of TA and
walked down to the water with Ro.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I put my cap and goggles on and turned around to see Jess and Mark! Wow
this is great I couldn’t believe how many people took time out of their Sunday
morning to watch me race!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I warmed
up and listened to pre race announcements. All the Olympic racers started
together. </div>
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I put myself in the middle of the pack to get better
drafting opportunities. About 5 mins of standing there waiting when Vince let us know he was waiting for all
volunteers and police to be in place. He counted us down. I swam hard but cautious. So
many feet and arms all doing the same. The pack broke up and I tried to find
someone to draft off while keeping my pace and sighting. It's so hard to do.
During the 1 mile swim I found about three different people I could draft off. I know
it helped me a lot. I made the first turn, it seemed so far from the start and
far from the finish. I got stuck on the right side of a swimmer going my pace
which pushed me out of line quite a bit. I eventually crossed behind him and got
a better path. He caught up to me again and towards the end I ended up
directly behind him, perfect!! I swam as far in as possible and got out. I
passed him on the run up to TA and looked at<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>my watch 27:35 – 2 mins faster than my previous race. I was so happy!! </div>
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As I ran into TA we had to go all the way around the back
and then across the front to our bike. I was right next to racer 264 and his
bike was in the front corner. He ducked under the fence and went right to his
bike. I couldn’t believe it!! He cheated. I know it was confusing but to stop
running and duck under a fence, that’s not right. I still ended up beating him out of TA. </div>
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I got on my bike and started the 30 mile ride. </div>
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As I
began to climb the second hill, 5 mins into the race, my chain fell off as I
shifted. I tried to shift it back on but I lost speed on the hill and had to
stop. I really didn’t want to get grease all over<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>my hands so I tried to shift it back on. No luck, as bikers
passed me they asked if I was ok. That felt good. I was getting so anxious
about the competition getting away from me. I had to stop, take a deep breath
and relax. I knew the more frustrated I was getting the less productive I was
being. I thought of a section in a book by Chrissy Wellington; 4 times Kona Ironman
winner, she flatted in Kona and was down for 15 minutes and when she got it
fixed she hammered and passed the lead women. I refocused and fixed it. I got
back on and went to pedal and it jammed. I kept my cool knowing no one else
could help me, I had to figure it out. The chain had jammed in between the rear
derailleur pulley and the metal casing. It was so stuck. The only way to fix it was
to pull right on the chain. I grabbed the dark black greasy chain and pulled
and pulled. Nothing. I had to re grip it in a different spot and finally it
popped. My hands were so black I didn’t want to touch my bike. I tried wiping
them in the sandy grassy hill but it was useless. I quickly used my number
taped on my bike and it worked a little. I looked at my watch and it had been 5
minutes since I had stopped. I thought OK now pull a Chrissy and pass as many
racers as possible. I didn’t pay attention to who had passed me so I don’t know
for sure how many I got back. </div>
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I did my best to get through the 30 miles and be smart about
it. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A few more hiccups along the
way and I made it back in 1:34:18. I almost got spit on by the guy who didn’t know I
was off his left shoulder, as I turned on to Rt 41 I hit a huge rough spot and
my right hand bounced off the handlebar- I still don’t know how I didn’t crash,
and as I was taking in my gel it was so warm, some of it oozed out all over my
hand. Now my hand was greasy and sticky I didn’t want to touch anything, but I
had to shit (oops I mean shift) and take in water. I mistakenly left out the f in shit and re read it and busted out laughing so I decided to leave shit in there. Hope no one is offended. </div>
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As I entered T2 I saw my friend and co-worker Steve! Again I
was so happy. I was in and out in :51 seconds. He told me after he tried to
take a picture of me but he was using a new camera and I was too fast for him to get the picture. </div>
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I headed out for the run not knowing what place I was in but
knew I was back a bit. I saw runners coming back with black numbers they were
the Sprint athletes. They had the same run but turned at 1.5 miles we turned at
3.1 miles. So I didn’t have to start counting my place until after the turn. </div>
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The first women I saw was cranking! I saw her at mile 2, I was
shocked there was no way I was getting her. Then 2<sup>nd</sup> place and 3<sup>rd</sup>.
I stared getting discouraged but just kept my pace and focused on the guy ahead
of me. 4<sup>th</sup> and then 5<sup>th</sup> went by at about 500 yards after
the turn. That meant I was still 500 yards from the turn. I wanted so badly to
catch her. That was my goal for the rest of the run. I passed 2 more guys and
encouraged them. The road twisted and turned so I couldn’t see her. Finally
with about 1.5 to go I saw her. I watched her pace and knew I could get her. I
tried not to get too excited. As I passed her I said good job and she replied
with the same. I got one more woman and then just an uphill and down to the TA
and to the finish shoot. That last uphill was so hard I wanted to stop. I came
down and got speed into the
shoot I ran as hard as I could through the finish.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTi0Hx6GwckAdsJ9IFTt6fD0_vBuyd6aAlFXMDcwZPyltK6K_3GH3B_5EYrCl0PZLRsm-786CdPIAQU4pCSsFnmHRVXkRUx5XOLXb_n0TP1iNeanAvJU_5XscgIlwHVe_8EXuNUlbDuxA/s1600/905834_577177829065225_3345616544366447957_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTi0Hx6GwckAdsJ9IFTt6fD0_vBuyd6aAlFXMDcwZPyltK6K_3GH3B_5EYrCl0PZLRsm-786CdPIAQU4pCSsFnmHRVXkRUx5XOLXb_n0TP1iNeanAvJU_5XscgIlwHVe_8EXuNUlbDuxA/s1600/905834_577177829065225_3345616544366447957_o.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
I didn’t even look at my
time. I was asked to remove my timing chip and was handed a finishers medal. I
quickly looked for water and didn’t see any. My eyes started tearing up like
they do after most races but I was more frustrated with my chain falling off. I
walked around a bit and saw Steve again and then Julie!! Wow another friend
came to watch me! She asked if I needed anything I said water and she ran to
the cooler and got me a water. That’s all I saw of her. I felt bad that I wasn’t
more talkative. When I went over to the rest of my cheerleaders I asked where Julie went. Ro said she had to make it to the dump by 12. So thanks Julie for the
water and for coming to my race!! </div>
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Everyone asked how I did and I showed them my hands and
arms. "My chain fell off and I was down for 5 mins!!" I sat down and made my
recovery drink, put my legs up and started eating my homemade sticky rice bar.
It had coconut, walnuts, blueberries and dark chocolate all mixed in. It’s
great for getting the carbs back in pre and post race. Then my mood changed. I
couldn’t change what happened and it was the first time ANYTHING has happened
during my 6 seasons of racing Tri. I thought of how lucky I was. I started to feel
ok with it. Everyone but Christine and Steve had to leave. I thanked them so much
for coming and then did my cool down run. I stretched a bit and we made our way over
to the tent for some shade and to check results. </div>
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The results were posted and it showed me in 22<sup>nd</sup>
place. Wow I didn’t think I was that far back but I guess. I looked for the
splits and there weren’t any. Just finish times. I thought to myself, then why
did we wear timing chips if they weren’t posting splits. I studied them more
and saw they mixed the Duathletes and Aquabikers in and put them in order of
finish times. Duathletes run then bike then run and the Aquabikers swim and
bike. We all can’t be put in the same results. I was so surprised they didn’t
post separate results for each discipline. So I didn’t even try to figure what place I
came in. My mind was spent. </div>
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Christine and I went in to get food. They cut my wrist band
off and I walked the buffet. It was egg sandwiches, scrambled eggs, bacon,
corned beef hash and home fries. I didn’t want any of it. Usually it's chicken,
salad, or pasta, not breakfast. I noticed in the back they had bananas, muffins
and bagels so I grabbed one of each. We went back under the tent. There wasn’t a
single chair or table. I noticed 20 picnic tables grouped very close together about
300 yards away all in the sun. Nice. So we all sat on the ground as they began the
results. They announced the over all winners for the sprint and Olympic but
didn’t mention any finish times. First place female for the Olympic was Allison
Dimatteo she races for OA the same team my friend Jenny races for. In second
place….Meghan Skidmore. What??! I was shocked, how?? I went up for my award- a
mug, a pine tree and a bike tune from Stan and Dans.<br />
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<br />
We stood on the podium for a few
seconds for pictures and I went back to my towel. I thought some more and
realized the other women I saw on the run were Duathletes. That makes sense now. My friends Anna Johnson and
Suzanne Reid raced the Sprint and placed 2<sup>nd</sup> and 3<sup>rd</sup> in
their age group!! We got a group picture and stayed for the cash prizes.<br />
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</div>
<br />
They
pull your bib for $100, $200, $300 and $500 dollars. The three of us were
hoping to win, but we didn’t. Steve headed home and Christine offered to help
me get my things out of transition. I welcomed it, but knew I could get it all
in my transition pack. I guess I figured she knew that, but she's only been to
one other race so she didn’t know. She was surprised I didn’t need any help.
She said I’d be fine at nationals<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and carried my mug and tree for me.<br />
<br />
Thank you so much to Rosemary and Ed Good, Christine Fleming, Kim Henry, Jess and Mark Spaulding, Steven Iannuzzi, and Julie Conway Ferland for supporting me and cheering me on. It felt so good to know you cared enough to take time and spend it watching me race.<br />
<br />
Results: 15/44<br />
Female: 2/10<br />
Age Group: 1/2<br />
<br />
Online results <a href="http://www.coolrunning.com/results/14/nh/Jun22_KingPi_set1.shtml" target="_blank">here</a><br />
<br />
Monday Morning: <span class="userContent">Took my training to another level today. In
order to get ready for racing back to back Olympic (Sat) and Sprint (Sun) distances
at Nationals. I raced a practice Sprint tri this morning in 1:17! My Sprints are usually around 1:12 - 1:14 depending on the course. I swam a 16:37 1/2 mile, rode a 39:43 12 mile and ran a 22:45 5k. I've never been so proud <span class="text_exposed_show">of
myself nor have I ever said it out loud. Steve told me to make a good
breakfast and stay off my feet as much as possible today. </span></span><br />
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Meghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06295633306150866116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1037098118600595070.post-68043401836818869952014-06-10T22:38:00.002-04:002014-06-10T22:38:54.776-04:00White Mountains Olympic - Tri #5<div class="MsoNormal">
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--></style> Well that went way better than expected and I had no
expectations nor did I set any goals. I finished my first Olympic in 9<sup>th</sup>
place over all out of 94 men and women and I was the 2<sup>nd</sup> fastest
female!! Wow even I’m shocked. I know I’m fit but you never know who’s fitter
or what will happen on race day. Today went perfectly except for bathroom
issues just before the start. I couldn’t go but knew I had too otherwise I’d get stomach cramps.
And using the bathroom was much more important than a swim warm up in the long
run. The TA was in a way different location then I had
planned on. It was 1/3 of a mile up hill from the beach. </div>
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Rewind to the morning, Gina and I drove over from Randolph.
The morning was perfect not a single cloud in the sky and I was in a super good mood. </div>
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We arrived to discover TA wasn’t in the parking lot by the
beach instead it was at the Peabody lodge of Cannon Mountain Ski Area 1/3 of a
mile away, uphill. And the run course didn’t finish there either. Instead it
was also at the base lodge but we had to run past the TA and lodge down part of 3 mile hill
and back up the access road through the base area up the stairs to the back of
the lodge. </div>
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I checked in and again was asked about Team Skidmore, most
think it is in relation to Skidmore College. I explained and got my goodie bag.
Numbers were tattoos but there weren’t any volunteers helping to apply them.
Gina and I stepped into the bathroom to put them on. Seems pretty simple but I
forgot to take the clear plastic off before I stuck it one on and I messed it up.
So I had to get written on, one side and had the tattoo on the other. </div>
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I found my spot and began to set up. Due to the longer race
I taped 2 gels to my bar. I planned on taking one on the bike and had the
extra if I needed it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I went out
for my warm up and wasn’t nervous at all. I just wanted to do everything the
best I could and had no expectations on my finish time or placement. I came
back and went for my run.</div>
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Steve caught me and had checked out the last ½ mile of the
course and advised that I use that for my run warm up. It was down hill then
back up for a long steady climb up a set of stairs and around a corner to the
finish line. Wow more hills. So glad I did that. Having the advantage of
knowing the whole course helped me mentally so I could perform physically. </div>
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I walked through TA a few times so I knew exactly where my
bike was and I saw Jenny who I met at the Tri for a Y. We chatted and were
exited to race together. </div>
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Next it was down, down, down to the beach and T1A, I’ll call
it. We were given a big plastic bag and were ok’d to wear sneakers from the
beach up the long hill to T1. They set up some fake grass carpet for us to
strip off wetsuits and leave there so we could run the hill with no extra gear.
I only had flip flops with me but Steve let me borrow his sneakers. Glad he had
an extra pair of shoes in his car. Come to find out they were crocs. He moves
around a lot during my races and sometimes runs next to me so I felt really bad
he would be doing that in crocs. </div>
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I lubed up my neck to prevent chafing, and writs and calves so my suit would slip off easier. </div>
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Stuffed myself into my wetsuit and set my
bag, shoes and arm warmers up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
walked away and turned to pretend I was racing and made sure I knew where my
spot was. I strongly suggest that for any race, take the time to get your
bearings because when you are in race mode everything looks different. </div>
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We walked down towards the beach, race start was at 7:30. I
had to use the bathroom, I started to feel cramps and didn’t want to deal with
them later. So I tried and couldn’t go. I pictured a line outside waiting for
me and nothing. I looked at my watch and it said 7:09 so I had plenty of time,
still I couldn’t go. I opened the door and there was no line at all. Phewww. I
talked with Steve and told him about it. He said well race starts in 4 mins. My
jaw dropped WHAT!!?? Its only 10 after he looked at his watch. It read 7:26. My
watch still said 7:09 it was switched to my stopwatch and had my last spilt time displayed. Ooops. But I
still had to go so he said hurry up. I went back and knew there would be pre
race talk and different wave starts. I relaxed and went!! </div>
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Now to get in the water to warm up before the start. I made
my way over to the beach and they were doing pre race announcements and said
they were going to start the half iron man racers 10 mins late so that put our
start at 8:15 ish. Wasn’t planning for that. Meaning I didn’t have my water
mixed with Scratch – all natural hydration mix- with me. I could have easily
taken in more food and calories. There wasn’t a day of schedule on the website
or posted anywhere so no one knew what times things would start. </div>
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Both courses had 2 loops both requiring us to exit the water
run 50 yds on the beach and back in for the second loop. The half course was a
longer loop and they started first. We had to wait until all waves finished the
first loop before we began our race.<br />
<br />
I got in and warmed up quite a bit. It was cold
but it got better the longer I was in. One women was messing with her goggles
so I asked her if they were good and offered her my extra pair if she needed
them. I once forgot my helmet and was give the 2<sup>nd</sup> chance to race
because someone had an extra and offered it to me. I will always pay that
forward whenever I can. I was worried about getting too cold so I got out and
stood in the sun for a while. My stomach was settling and I felt good. I was
surprised by the distance. I know what<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>mile is but actually seeing it and then knowing I had to swim two loops
was a little overwhelming but I shut that out.<br />
<br />
Steve and I had a last minute chat, thinking back I honestly can't recall what he was telling me here. But it was something along the lines of have fun and be smart. Or why didn't you bring your own shoes now I have suffer in these green things with socks. I'm probably looking at the bear on the slopes of Cannon behind the mirrored lens of my goggles. <br />
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We were called to the start line, all women started
together. I like that format then with the help of<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Steve and Gina they know where I am during the race and can
relay that info to me. We got in and had the count down I was still calm and
ready to get through the swim and onto the bike. </div>
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The horn blew and I was off. I sight on my right so I got to
look at Cannon Mtn Ski area for the first 1/3 of the swim. </div>
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I was enjoying that
until I got t-boned. Yes t-boned in a swim race. The girl on my left apparently
wasn’t the best at swimming straight. I didn’t see her but I sure felt her.
That’s a first, I’ve been swam over and kicked but never taken out from the
side. After the race Gina and Steve said they watched the whole thing happen.
It must have been so funny and frustrating not being able to do anything about
it.<br />
<br />
After the mix up I got into a really nice rhythm. I held it the whole swim
and tried to draft when possible it only happened twice for about 10 strokes. I
was swimming a tight line to the imaginary rectangle and everyone seemed to be
just outside it. Steve and I talked after and staying in the pack to draft
would have been better. I’ll keep that in my pocket, well somewhere in my wetsuit
for next time.
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I got out after my second lap in 29:10 not bad. Ran up to
T1A </div>
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I started pulling my wetsuit down and a girl came over and asked if I
wanted a strip. There were volunteers there pulling suits off. It saves some
time. I didn’t know they would be there otherwise I would have just sat down
vs. trying to get it off myself. I put Steve’s size 10 shoes on and started to
jog to the real TA. I was running with another girl she had a good pace. Lots
were walking or running really slow so I made up some time here.<br />
<br />
I came up into
T1, the plan was to drink a lot and take a half gel but I didn’t want to. I took
a few swigs and pulled my shoes on. I ripped the special loop on the back of my
shoe right off. Crap I yelled. I had the shoe on but now its going to flap the
whole 20 mile bike ride. I finished up and began the 3 mile descent into
Franconia. It was all about surviving. The road was horrible pot holes, cracks,
big huge bumps. Steve and I had ridden it last week and I knew what to expect.
I did take a different line and it didn’t feel as scary. I got to the bottom
and opened up a gel. Took 1/3 of it and stuck it in my shorts upside down. Bad
idea, it started sliming down my leg as I began to climb. The guy next to me was
shocked at the wall in front of us. I smiled inside – he didn’t preview the
course- I won’t see him again. I passed a few going up and never saw him. I
topped out after forever and pulled away. </div>
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The next few miles were a series of step climbs. I executed
perfectly according to the plan Steve and I set. The next descent was steep but
not as long. I didn’t need to pedal but I had to keep my legs moving. Always
moving, there is no coasting. </div>
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We turned right onto Rt 302 and headed out of Bethlehem to begin a
steady climb past the golf course. I passed a girl who had the same bike as me
and I yelled nice bike and passed her. The next guy I passed had a full disk
wheel and aero helmet. I have neither. It felt good to go by him. He never
caught me. Next; long down hill to a flat turn on Trodeau Rd. It was patched and
shimmed and had lots of potholes for 3 miles. I stayed in my aero bars and
pedaled I almost caught the guy in front of me. Got thought that horrible
section and passed two more guys. The last 6 or so miles were on Rt 3 a steady
grade of 4-5% but on super smooth pavement. During our preview we were riding
at 11-12 mph and Steve said during the race Id be at 15-17 mph. I laughed when
he said that. It seemed so hard. But half way through that last section I
looked down and I was at 16 and got up to 20 at one point. I was so happy I was
doing exactly what we discussed. I didn’t care where I was in the field I just
was in my own world and kept it up for the rest of the bike. I drank just about
all of my water bottle and tore the 2<sup>nd</sup> gel off for the run. I
climbed the last section and hit T2. </div>
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I switched over and ran out in :36 seconds. As I ran out I
heard the MC, John DeVivo call out my name, he said that I knew him which I did. I never do
this but I totally soaked it up and gave him huge wave. It felt awesome. </div>
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The course dropped down a steep hill and onto gravel towards
the Tram. A spectator yelled to me I was 3<sup>rd</sup> female. My hart rate
spiked and I smiled so big. No way I’m in 3<sup>rd</sup> place at my first
Olympic tri. Ok Meg keep it together and DON’T let it go to your head. Keep
your pace. I usually look at my watch and get my splits for each mile but this
time I didn’t I wanted<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>to go by
how I felt. It was hot a sunny day but the course wound through the Franconia
bike path, most of which was in the shade. Steve and I had ridded this course
too so I knew what I had ahead of me. </div>
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The course was an out and back and longer and longer I
didn’t see the lead female, the happier I got. Then I saw her she was keeping at
great pace much faster than I was and I knew I couldn’t catch her. After a few
mins I saw 2<sup>nd</sup> place. I noted where I was and looked at my watch.
Down a little hill, through a tunnel, around the corner for the 180 turn. There is always a
volunteer at the turn around, always. The only thing there was a closed
container of pretzels and something else in a container and 2 big water jugs
with no pre filled cups. It was self serve. Are you kidding??!! I wasn’t
stopping and I bet most didn’t and I bet some turned early when no one was
looking. </div>
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I made the turn and back through the tunnel. I looked at my
watch, she only had about 30 seconds on me. Ok I thought. That it ,just ok. I
didn’t make a decision to consciously catch her or worry about how much course
was left. Just ok. I was curious to see her again so I just kept that thought;
curiosity. Then I saw 4<sup>th</sup> place and didn’t think shed catch me but
you never know. I ran some more and 4<sup>th</sup> place never appeared in my
thoughts again. I started focusing on keeping my pace in check while hoping to
see 2<sup>nd</sup>. Up down twist turn down up. Before I hit the half way mark
I did get a glimpse of her and knew I’d catch her. I didn’t surge I kept my
pace and reeled her in. The course crossed the ramp for the Tram where 2
volunteers were directing traffic. I thanked them for helping today. </div>
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Not once during the whole race did I ever get to the sprint
distance marks and think oh no I’m going beyond my comfort race distance, not
once.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hit 3 miles on the run and
thought ok half way done. I’m good. </div>
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<br />
As I got closer to her I got excited and my heart rate
started climbing. I had no idea what she would do when I passed her. Would she
surge and not let it happen? Would she keep my pace for a while? Or would it
just happen. I debated on saying something to her but what do I say. I’m taking
2<sup>nd</sup> place from her. So I simply said good pace, she responded Go get
em’. Not at all what I expected. So that meant to me she wasn’t going to try.
Ok but maybe she would later. I saw the 2<sup>nd</sup> aid station and it had 3
people at it handing water. I took a cup spilled ½ of it on me and got a swig
in. I focused on the guy ahead of me and heard her ask for water. She wasn’t a
far back as I though. I caught the next guy after we turned the corner to a
wall. I knew it was there, he didn’t and expressed that very clearly. I had him.
I smiled again. He stayed with me for a few seconds. I helped him by saying
small quick steps. I don’t know if he tried it or not but I just kept thinking
that. My heart rate spiked again and I got scared but didn’t stop. I slowed a
bit and kept calm as possible. I topped out and the course still climbed at 5%
until Rt 18 and over 93. It flattened out and went down past a volunteer. Who I
thanked. I looked back which I never do. I could still see her, she didn’t give
up. </div>
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Then the 2<sup>nd</sup> to last climb went past the spectators
and Steve with his bright green crocs.<br />
Oh yeah, he still had them
on. Only athletes are allowed in TA. I should have thrown his shoes out for him. He
jogged with me up the hill and said I was doing awesome. Gina was on the other
side of the road practically in tears. She was shocked at what place I was in.
Steve told me I had about 7 mins left to race. I crested that hill and down
about a football field to the last turn. Then up the last killer hill. It
wasn’t very steep just steady and went on forever. I could see Steve’s green
crocs again. He was cheering me on. I really slowed down. It was so hard my
legs just didn’t want to go any more. I looked back one more time and knew she
couldn’t catch me. I put myself in her shoes and knew how hard that must have
been to watch. I tried to go a little faster.<br />
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I ran through the shoot and under the building. I climbed the stairs and booked it to the finish. <br />
<br />
Wow that was hard but I did it!! I pulled off my timing chip
and got water. My legs almost gave out but I made it to the deck and into the
shade. I hugged Gina and cried then hugged Steve they were both so proud of me.
I went back to congratulate Erin she slapped me on the back and said the same
thing. </div>
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Wow I did it and I placed. It was so fun in a weird way. I
had no time goals I just went with how I felt and I felt good. I like this
distance and I’m so ready for the next one. <a href="http://www.kingpinetri.com/" target="_blank">King Pine Olympic</a>, June 22</div>
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I saw the first place female and told her great race and
asked he if she knew when the awards were. She heard 1pm. I had time to cool down
and change. I met another racer Katie Dywer who also raced the Tri for a Y
where I met Jenny. We chatted for 20 mins and I gave her my card.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I met 2 more triathletes it was great!
I’m not a super social person and shy when meeting new people but I’m getting
more comfortable with it. </div>
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I showed up at 12:45 and they are already ½ way through the
ceremony. I missed the podium, and so did Stacey. She
was as shocked as I was. I ate and then gave Stacey my card. We also chatted
for 20 mins she was so nice and humble. It was an awesome day!!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Results: 9/94</div>
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Female: 2/37</div>
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Age Group:1/8<br />
</div>
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<b>Women:</b> 14<sup>th</sup> in the swim, 2<sup>nd</sup> on the
bike avg speed 18.2 and I was the fastest on the run with a pace of 7:14!! I
guess Stacey was running downhill when I saw her. </div>
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<br />
<b>Overall:</b> 41st in the swim, 10th on the bike, 7th on the run</div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
View online results <a href="http://www.allsportsevents.com/Results/triathlon_results/WhiteMountainsTriathlon2014.html#/results:&AthleteSearch=%28Enter%20Name,%20Bib%20No.,%20or%20City%29&Division=All:1402448187095" target="_blank">here</a> </div>
Meghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06295633306150866116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1037098118600595070.post-22598920424309787702014-06-01T21:47:00.001-04:002014-06-01T21:51:03.667-04:00Camp Huckins Tri-ath-Loon - Tri #4<div class="MsoNormal">
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--></style> It was very nice to be 30 mins from a race however it
was a little tricky finding it and I was late, by my standards. I need about an
hour to get in my bike, run and swim warm up. On the way to check in I saw the
team, the team to look out for. Larry, Curly and Moe; Leah Kelsh,
Kerry MacDougall and Stacy Burke. They were walking the path like they owned it; sunglasses on,
straight faced, walking in unison. I was scared. Just kidding they were all
smiles and commented on how serious Regina Steve and I looked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What can I say we had our game faces
on! </div>
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I checked in and all the volunteers knew I was coming, I
know the race director Vince so he must have mentioned it to them. "You're going to win"
they said after I got my race bag. I didn’t know what to say. It felt good but I also
felt like maybe I shouldn’t have registered for such a low key race, no offence to the
race at all. I didn’t want people to think I came to show off or expected to
win. So I said "you never know what might happen". Thinking a flat or a crash or
cramp or anything. Then I was like great, you might have just jinxed yourself. </div>
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The transition area was tiny compared to my other races. There were 48 triathletes racing. We had lots of room so that was nice. A few
women commented on how this probably wasn’t my first race. I smiled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got marked and set up my transition area. I made sure to
say hi to Vince. I headed out on my bike warm up. It was
7:45am and race start was 9 with a 8:40 pre race meeting. I knew I had to cut
things a little short. Before I went out Steve suggested I wear my jacket as it
was chilly but making sure I said hi to Vince, caused to me forget my jacket. I
could have used it. </div>
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My PI’s (power intervals) felt good and I made it back by
8:15 then switched to my run. Jogged for about 7 mins and did my run PI's. Legs
weren’t feeling great they were heavy and sluggish. I wasn’t too concerned
because the same thing happened this week at the Salomon Spring Trail Series at Great Glen Trails. I had a crummy warm up but felt light and quick during the race. </div>
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Back to TA at 8:30 and walked down to the water it was pretty
far and on gravel. We were allowed to put shoes on to run from the water so I took
that opportunity. I got down to the water and saw Christine Fleming a member of
Team Skidmore!! I had sent an email out to let people know that my next 3 races are
local and she came. Sorry if I missed anyone! </div>
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I put my suit on with Steve’s help of course. My new suit zips
from the top so I can’t even get it started. Leah and another swimmer were
already in the water and only three of us actually warmed up. It was a little
chilly but nice. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbvlcB0zdHi9WB5elVdUfYGuKgBi8vQ4C2G-pnC_BOnIzL4rtTkcb0g1idJ7ItaG2sjWESMIrO12e0CVrdKwGB88gfGddxJZQvetwPRs8SkLRQBP-2dSUgYQG3KnTTEkSExd9A5Zc1A0g/s1600/DSCN4799.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbvlcB0zdHi9WB5elVdUfYGuKgBi8vQ4C2G-pnC_BOnIzL4rtTkcb0g1idJ7ItaG2sjWESMIrO12e0CVrdKwGB88gfGddxJZQvetwPRs8SkLRQBP-2dSUgYQG3KnTTEkSExd9A5Zc1A0g/s1600/DSCN4799.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Michelle, Me, Stacey, Leah and Kerry! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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I really enjoyed knowing others that were racing. I’ve never
experienced that. It keep me calmer and more relaxed. After the National Anthem
we moved to the start. My goal was to draft off Leah. She said "Yea right, you're pretty fast I'll draft off you." I laughed pretty hard at that one! Most of you know how much I struggle in my swim speed. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI3LfROTb_ww6wFV0xXrG5asdjZgYBaXCu2CpwTHsZzb4o2-fpxqIz4EmpbRB1Vnf1OgHjswAFhLcYba28AlJmljsw6nKYqpd3LUppP5c8nqIvzSXs3D7mNYQK_ShbEWHrrz5NKHuCr3g/s1600/DSCN4804.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI3LfROTb_ww6wFV0xXrG5asdjZgYBaXCu2CpwTHsZzb4o2-fpxqIz4EmpbRB1Vnf1OgHjswAFhLcYba28AlJmljsw6nKYqpd3LUppP5c8nqIvzSXs3D7mNYQK_ShbEWHrrz5NKHuCr3g/s1600/DSCN4804.JPG" height="320" width="296" /></a></div>
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After a quick group shot
of all women, we lined up. This was my first all female race! The horn sounded
and we were off. </div>
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I stayed out front right next to Leah until the 1<sup>st</sup>
buoy,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>that never happens. Once we
made the turn her and another women took off. I drafted for 20 strokes but
couldn’t hold on. I swam the straightest swim ever until the last turn to the
beach. I though we were exiting to the right of the last buoy so I sighted for
that direction. Totally my fault I didn’t look at the exit. As I got closer I
could see Vince on the dock waving us left. I swam in as far as possible so I had
less water to run in. And got out as 3<sup>rd</sup> swimmer, that never happens.
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As I ran up the stairs, I took the top half of wetsuit off.
Really didn’t need to do it then because TA was so far away, so lost a few seconds. I put
my shoes on which filled with dirt. I ran to T1 and Leah was cheering me on,
she was part of a team and had already tagged her cyclist. I had the worst T1. I
was not used to having sneakers on so I started taking off my suit before my
sneakers. I got all out of my routine and took way more time than needed. Next
time I’ll skip the sneakers and maybe go for crocs or barefoot. I had two women
in front of me to catch. I made my way out of the camp road and was in my 3<sup>rd</sup>
highest gear as I approached the intersection for the main road. There were
five volunteers and one was stopping me because of a truck while the other volunteer
was stopping the truck. I was so frustrated, the athletes never get stopped. I
should have switched to an easier gear when I was slowing down but spaced it and
had to go from nearly a stop in the gear I was in. That used some energy I
wasn’t planning for. </div>
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Once out on the road there was a longer hill and my legs were heavy
but figured once I got over it they’d settle in. Not the case, they felt that
way the whole time. I usually run between 200 and 220 for power depending on
the course. My average was 186. I just couldn’t shake it. The course was an out
and back and so many of the women going out were cheering me on and I was doing
the same. I’ve never ever experienced that! </div>
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Retuned and switched to run very fast. I was very different being the only one in TA with all eyes on me. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVqi8VNyvGdKpiRJYo9yba2-ZpK2bxuFal6m7Gb5UM4wbc0re5mUwUHAqie9zxUxjrLz4xwXrX1M9kWDKhyphenhyphenb-W_ceI65STn-DWjPegeT7CXJDdwRsxf5i9Lym4_8dEmcKV-zUtuChvy3E/s1600/DSCN4816.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVqi8VNyvGdKpiRJYo9yba2-ZpK2bxuFal6m7Gb5UM4wbc0re5mUwUHAqie9zxUxjrLz4xwXrX1M9kWDKhyphenhyphenb-W_ceI65STn-DWjPegeT7CXJDdwRsxf5i9Lym4_8dEmcKV-zUtuChvy3E/s1600/DSCN4816.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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I went to grab my
race belt and it got hung up on the bike rack. I always try to get it on before
leaving TA as some races require that. Next time I’m grabbing and going then
putting it<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>on once I am running. </div>
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The course wound through the camp on gravel it was fun vs.
being on the road. My legs still didn’t feel light and fast but I just tried to
push through it. I popped out on the road and up a gradual hill to mile 1 hit
the split at 6:44 and wasn’t super happy with that. Kept going and passed the 1<sup>st</sup>
water station. The volunteer was so excited she cheered me on took a few photo,
that’s another first. The run course merged back with the bike course and back
to camp. I saw where mile two was on the drive in. Looked at watched and knew I
wasn’t going to negative split it –faster then my first mile-. I hit mile 2 in
6:45 that’s pretty consistent! I felt good about that but my goal is to be
closer to 6 mins. As I turned in camp I had about ¾ of<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>mile left. I tried to pick it up and
saw Steve running towards me. He told me what was left of the course and that I
had about 2 mins until the finish line. He’s great!! I rounded one of the last corners and the
arrow pointed to the right. There was a hard right and then another right
corner, I was confused I kept going and finally saw the next arrow around the
bushes. After the next corner I saw Vince and mile 3 6:39 He was clapping and
said "Give them good show!" I popped out of the woods and into the grass, the
crowd was going wild!! It felt so cool. I won the whole race. To
know it before crossing the finish line is unusual. </div>
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In triathlon the start is separated by waves so you don’t
know where you are until you finish and look at results. Well this race was
smaller so we all started together and I knew where I was the whole time. I
finished in 1:01:59 again. Looking back I could have finished in under an hour-
due to the sneaker mix up in T1 and legs not feeling great, maybe next year! </div>
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As I looked for Gina and Steve so many spectators said great job to me. It was amazing how good it felt. You never get that because no one knows how you finish until the results are posted. I hugged Gina, Steve and Christine and Vince met
up and shook my hand. I said it was a great course and told him about the last
turn. He hoped others wouldn’t get confused. </div>
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I went out for my cool down run in the opposite direction to
cheer on the rest of the women. The next runner was Kerry and she was confused too. So I
moved the 2<sup>nd</sup> arrow into sight and continued my run. I turned around
and headed back to the finish to cheer on everyone else. </div>
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Steve met me and
suggested I do a 15 min spin because my legs weren't great. Next weekend is my 1<sup>st</sup>
Olympic and tomorrow Steve and I are previewing the bike and run course. I told him I wanted to cheer on the other women. He said it's
better to spin first. Vince overheard us and he said you’ll have enough time. Still didn't want to ride but I knew what was best for me. </div>
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I felt funny going back out on course I didn’t want it to seem like I was showing off. I cheered for anyone I saw and then took a side
road. I came back and startled the volunteers who were picking up the cones
because all the cyclists were on the run. He thought I was still racing. </div>
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I made it back to the finish line to cheer on more racers. They made an announcement for everyone to go to the finish. The next triathlete
to finish was 76 and raced the whole thing. It was so inspiring and she was running too!
I stuck my hand out for her to slap and started the line of hands for her. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieDednQJ-DgYx0xOm4CXc1aF9Z0AwWg_R58uVGN7CbmZ5a4mxWqhWbBieAwfcnb5CIq4wqnywwoZPD8KmB6fEg9j3YRFZ86WYke9ONRILSDwiLNyCW5dxKEtAXdlwgeYxvbjxw4eFQGKg/s1600/DSCN4830.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieDednQJ-DgYx0xOm4CXc1aF9Z0AwWg_R58uVGN7CbmZ5a4mxWqhWbBieAwfcnb5CIq4wqnywwoZPD8KmB6fEg9j3YRFZ86WYke9ONRILSDwiLNyCW5dxKEtAXdlwgeYxvbjxw4eFQGKg/s1600/DSCN4830.JPG" height="320" width="314" /></a></div>
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Once all athletes were in it was time to eat! Chicken, steak
tips, roasted veggies, rice, salad, multiple types of bread and tea lemonade
and water. It was delicious!!
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After that, the camp director said a few words and told us
that $25,000 was raised! Enough for 18 girls to go to camp, wow!! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5sDWVHqWSxf7dp2p2eroMTWzONP49MPue1ZwiMlowzUkfjbogwqncxKhyphenhyphenWduJMT1hnlEpbLZCsiZZ15TwK9ScSFZMurntBwZAOU9Z-5Qt8t4dBJzBpL-hcwgglJ4DsxfFuvlDwedjUZM/s1600/DSCN4844.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5sDWVHqWSxf7dp2p2eroMTWzONP49MPue1ZwiMlowzUkfjbogwqncxKhyphenhyphenWduJMT1hnlEpbLZCsiZZ15TwK9ScSFZMurntBwZAOU9Z-5Qt8t4dBJzBpL-hcwgglJ4DsxfFuvlDwedjUZM/s1600/DSCN4844.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Then they acknowledged the camp alumni and started awards
with oldest age group first. That was nice. Then they asked if Meghan Skidmore
was still around. I thought they were going to say something about my
accomplishments but I was the fastest runner so I received a gift certificate for a
free pair of Sketchers! That's another first; receiving an award for the fastest split. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRzzMmq0JcxLGCgxG_OYvMBEPk8s4AgkOlvhcv9w2bNaP0u6x7Yitv8OIswYojzGyd18LoUkg5vjDEnCr10jDTN3p46GkO0w2_vCphIOgOM_VeoAzMhlo_uCBmZZ-FEB5iCfFqOqh2XLQ/s1600/DSCN4845.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRzzMmq0JcxLGCgxG_OYvMBEPk8s4AgkOlvhcv9w2bNaP0u6x7Yitv8OIswYojzGyd18LoUkg5vjDEnCr10jDTN3p46GkO0w2_vCphIOgOM_VeoAzMhlo_uCBmZZ-FEB5iCfFqOqh2XLQ/s1600/DSCN4845.JPG" height="320" width="217" /></a></div>
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They did some more recognition and then finished with
overall winner. This was totally backwards then all other award ceremonies. I
liked it. It gave a change for age groupers to shine first. I was surprised they
didn’t bring up 2<sup>nd</sup> and 3<sup>rd</sup> place for pictures. I won a
Huckins Tri knit hat! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1jChZcz9CHPGNZ8LZWim4DTTIEubvsB3fRMmbglopMm5BlgaAuX1jWD4gcjFw9bjV1C2UmVyQK1-ypYff827bOeqMtcDXthBixPcRcwZIk4gokB0CZs72zrEONomuryXwn9BmbrHnV0o/s1600/DSCN4847.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1jChZcz9CHPGNZ8LZWim4DTTIEubvsB3fRMmbglopMm5BlgaAuX1jWD4gcjFw9bjV1C2UmVyQK1-ypYff827bOeqMtcDXthBixPcRcwZIk4gokB0CZs72zrEONomuryXwn9BmbrHnV0o/s1600/DSCN4847.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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It was fun day and a great race! </div>
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Meghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06295633306150866116noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1037098118600595070.post-33283564219293831012014-05-26T14:25:00.003-04:002014-05-26T14:25:41.233-04:00Tri for the YMCA - Tri #3Another two hour drive to Maine but the morning was
beautiful heading into the sunrise. I felt so good and confident the whole
morning, not cocky by any means but strong and confident. Packet pick up, body
marking and transition area set up all went smoothly. I practiced a run through
the TA and got a super good warm up in both on the bike and run. I did confused
8 volunteers, when I warmed up on the run course. They all thought I was
already racing and gave me praise. Even the photographer got a few shots.
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I saw a few girls that looked strong and one had a different
looking seat so I asked her about it. I am not comfortable on my seat most of
the time. She loved it and put her on her sit bones as apposed to leaning on
the nose. It also had groove to hang on the rack in transitions. With a regular
seat the nose has to hang and when taking it off you have to lift and go back
to get the bike under the rack. This way you just lift and go! I researched
them and they are only $224.00!!! Who wants to sponsor my butt?? </div>
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During the pre race meeting the sun gave way to clouds and
the temp dropped. The bike course changed again due to construction and was 2
miles shorter making it 11 miles over 2 loops. That makes it super confusing
for racers and volunteers. Volunteers have no idea who is on what lap and even
some athletes don’t even know. There were quite a few waves for the pool swim.
The first wave started at 9am but I was in wave 6 and didn’t start until 9:45
so I had time to get my run warm up in and suppress the pre race jitters yes I
still get them. The swim was just 325 yds = 13 lengths, pretty easy to count,
well I lost count and pretty sure I swam an extra lap. The volunteers put an
orange board in the water on your second to last length so you just swim to the
other end and get out. I watched how they facilitated this and it looked pretty
simple and there was no communication just a few waves of the board in the
water. Well I saw the board and heard my counter yell “you’re done!” so embarrassing.
As I got out there was no one left in the pool. I already suck on the swim and
now I’m back an extra lap…great. I booked it out of the pool and got through T1
in 37 seconds passing 4 racers. The first 4 miles were on Rt 1 with lots of
traffic and moderate headwinds so frustrating. My legs were chilly so it was
hard to keep a good pace but I pushed through it. The first turn was nice; not
too sharp and no sand. It’s better to sweep wide and cut in towards then end
which always freeks out the volunteers, they think your going to miss the turn.
I kept speed throughout and got right back up to where I was in a few seconds.
That’s crucial time; entering and exiting a turn and being in the right gear.
The back of the course was soooo nice and smooth and I could really open up it
felt soooo good and I felt soooo strong I passed a few more racers. I started
up a small hill I was about to pass an older women but she wanted none of that!
She stood up to keep with up me, and did until we crested the hill. I rarely
stand up, it wastes energy. I spin at a high cadence so my legs don’t get
tired. We crested and I got out in front of her. Out on Rt 1 again but it was
nice to know what to expect. I passed a few more people and was never passed. I
tried catching some of the guys ahead of me but couldn’t. Coming into T2 I spun
higher to get my legs ready to run. I do slow down just a bit but I make it up
if my legs aren’t pumped from killing a big gear. Got through T2 in 32 seconds.
</div>
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How timing works in Triathlon: We wear timing chips and as
we go over set timing mats it reads our number clocks us in/out. There aren’t
separate mats for each leg AND transitions. So when we get our of the water or
pool we run a certain distance, some races farther than others and when we hit
the mat it ends our swim time and starts the first transition time. As we exit
transition that stops our T1 time and begins our bike time. Same coming in for
the bike to run. Then it stops our time when we cross the finish. In photos the
time isn’t accurate unless you are in the first wave. They adjust your time for
your actually start time. </div>
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Back to the run my legs were heavier then they usually are
but I had to push through it. The course trended up for the first mile with a
few flat spots. Then down to a turn around spot after the aid station we turned
the cornet and it went up and up and up. About a 12-15% grade I didn’t see that
on the warm up. I kept my feet moving and craved the downhill. The quicker I
got up the quicker I could go down. I was feeling really good and tried to pick
up the pace as I got closer to the finish. About 30 yds from the finish we had
nearly a 180º turn, I hate that it throws off your momentum. I ran hard to the
finish and felt really good!! </div>
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Found Gina and she had a big smile she was proud as always!
The sun never came out and I got chilled pretty quickly. Went inside and put
layers on while drinking recovrite and elevating my legs. We looked at results
and I was 2<sup>nd</sup> female so far. Wahooo. I jogged for 10 mins and
returned to find I was pushed down to 3<sup>rd</sup>. Still pretty happy. I
looked at the bike time for the new 1<sup>st</sup> place female. It was 8 mins
faster than the top male. That is very very rare but maybe. I matched her
number with her and she looked strong but looked at her swim and run time and
it didn’t match up. Maybe she only did one lap? </div>
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They started awards and I was 2<sup>nd</sup> and she was not
first it was a mistake. Another mix up in results. Now you can see why I NEVER
trust preliminary results. </div>
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The food was awesome here and was open to spectators –that’s
a first. They started age group results and I didn’t think I’d get called up
again but I did for winning my AG. In most races if the age group winner places
in the top three overall they roll down the age group awards so 2nd-4<sup>th</sup>
are recognized. I’m torn with that policy. Regardless if I win my AG. That
person worked had and deserves 1<sup>st</sup> place in AG good for them they
also placed in top 3. I once was 2nd in my AG but was given a first place medal
I felt funny. </div>
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After looking at the results online. Only 3 of us ran a sub
7 min per mile pace. Me and the 1<sup>st</sup> and 3<sup>rd</sup> male so I was
also the only female to run sub 7 min mile pace. Super pumped with that. </div>
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I ended up chatting with Jenny, the seat girl after the
race. She races with a team out of Maine and is racing the Franconia Tri on
June 8<sup>th</sup>. We are hoping to pre ride that bike course together! </div>
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Results</div>
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Overall: 5/128</div>
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Female: 2/76</div>
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Age Group: 1/9</div>
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View online results <a href="http://www.allsportsevents.com/Results/triathlon_results/TrifortheY2014.html#/results:&AthleteSearch=%28Enter%20Name,%20Bib%20No.,%20or%20City%29&Division=All:1401119848413" target="_blank">here </a></div>
Meghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06295633306150866116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1037098118600595070.post-64341376600310028342014-05-26T14:24:00.001-04:002014-05-26T14:24:06.497-04:00Season Opener - Tri #2<div class="MsoNormal">
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--></style>So this summer we will be traveling to races the day of,
it’s less expensive and will train me to be ready for any distraction. Of
course the 2<sup>nd</sup> race of the season is 3 hours away! It doesn’t start
until 9 so you’d think we could leave at 5-5:30 but I need time to get my
packet and do my 1 hour bike run swim warm up. So my alarm went off at 3am and
I got up and made breakfast, a nice breakfast sandwich minus the cheese. I
triple checked my race bag and had everything. This was the first race of the
season with an open water swim. Due to the cold spring I was only able to swim
twice in Echo lake. The first time it was too cold to stay in for a length of
time so Steve and I swam a few strokes to get the feel of a wetsuit again.
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Steve arrived at 4 and we packed my car; bike, tri bag,
extra clothes bag, Steve's bag, Gina's bag, the cooler and food bag and of
course Laura’s presto chango!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Gina
drove while I wrote about the previous race in the back seat. Her and Steve
chatted most of the way down. </div>
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I read the athlete race day packet and checked the website.
I scrolled down to the bike leg and noticed they had to change the course due
to construction. They cut the course in half!! It was now only 8 miles. I did
not receive an email nor did they make it very clear on homepage of the
website. I was also getting extra nervous due to the competition being closer
to Boston and the contingent of Elite and Collegiate triathletes. When we
arrived we discovered the parking was first come first served and was split
into separate coves with not much direction as to where transition area was. As
we were unloading the car I watched to see where athletes were going and ended
up following them. </div>
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I checked in, got body marked and set up transition. The
rules for this race stated that once you check your bike into TA they strongly
suggested against taking it out. Well that doesn’t work for me or most serious
Triathletes who get a good warm up in. I asked about that when I checked in and
she was hesitant to let me do it. The other rule was that your run number had
to be on during the bike. Most races it’s just required for the run. I’ve never
ridden with my run number on. I wear it on a race belt so the bottom is not
pinned to my suit therefore causing it to flap at high speeds. Oh well those
are the rules. I set up and went out for my warm up: 10 mins then 2 x 3min hard
efforts with 5 min recovery in between.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Half way through it I was at mile 4 so I figured I’d ride the whole
course, which I never get to do. Now I knew what to expect. </div>
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Back to TA and out for my run. I felt so scatter brained and
didn’t feel confident in my routine. I needed to refocus and know that I had
this I know what I’m doing. Finished my run and squeezed into my wetsuit. Steve
and I walked down to the water. I walked in and it nearly took my breath away.
There were only a handful of athletes warming up. I didn’t want to dunk my face
in but knew I had too. WHOA!! I swam up and around the buoy and back to Steve.
Booties were allowed for this race so I borrowed Leah’s. This would be the
first time to swim with booties so I was hesitant but I didn’t want my toes to
freeze!! I swam to the buoy and back and it was too distracting plus I haven’t
practiced taking them off at speed so I went without. </div>
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We walked to the pre race meeting and then it was time to
start. Steve and Gina wished me luck. They said do your best and don’t think
about the others. I found the group of women with yellow caps. </div>
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The swim was a point to point so we walked in wave down the
shore to the start. It was an in water start so no running, just treading until
the horn blew. We walked in and everyone’s breath was taken away. The sign said
58º, yea felt more like 48º. It was a little choppy but the wind was at our backs
so that helps. I tried to find the best position. I know I’m not fast so I put
myself in the middle. Bad idea. It was the worst swim start ever. I got hung up
pretty good and couldn’t break out of it for a while. Once I did I felt better.
I got through it and was about 35<sup>th</sup> out about the middle of the pack
according to Steve. Now to get the suit off and on the bike, need to practice
that more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I only had 8 miles to
get my time back so I had to go super hard plus I knew the course. The road in
the park had some good cracks but I knew that so I let a little air out before
I left my bike in TA. That helped a little. I still hit them at speed while in
the aero bars and almost got tossed off. I hammered as hard as I could and
passed a lot of racers. I didn’t get passed so that always helps me mentally. </div>
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Back into TA and onto the run. It started with a steady up
hill not the best terrain to start with but everyone had to face it. My legs
felt ok and once it crested the hill I picked up the pace. I stared getting
stomach cramps and they lasted for the entire run. Maybe my breakfast didn’t
sit well or my pre race nerves got the best of me. I don’t but man it was
uncomfortable. After the 1<sup>st</sup> mile the course changed to grass and
slowed us down. I could see runners on the last part of the course as it
crossed the top of the damn I was excited for that. I passed some more runners
and up another hill to the top of the damn. As I was getting passed the wind
was strong. I yelled out Come on!! He agreed. He passed me on the left and
blocked the wind for a few seconds. So I was able to keep up with him for a few
strides. He read that and dropped back behind me on the right. I didn’t want to
drop back and play that game so I just kept running. I had to shut my mind off
to the cramps I was dealing with otherwise I would have stopped and couldn’t
let that happen. He ended up passing me back just as we got off the damn and I
tried as hard as I could to catch him but I couldn’t. I finished with all I
had. </div>
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I found Steve and Gina they were happy with my times, which
always feels good. I talked about how it went and then walked to the bathroom
hoping for relief. I could barely stand up straight it hurt so bad. No luck.
Steve found some ginger minty liquid stomach relief at the expo and encouraged
me to drink it. I really don’t like ginger but I drank it. After awhile it
started to help I still didn’t want to eat anything. I tried to jog again but
couldn’t. I drank my recoverite and tried to relax. We checked the results and
I was 5<sup>th</sup> female. </div>
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We stayed for awards and I got a glass and a flower and hope
for prizes too. We packed food and hung out I still didn’t want to eat but I
knew I had too the cramps were nearly gone so I got a sandwich down. We began
the 3 hour drive home and I felt happy about my effort. </div>
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Results</div>
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Overall: 52/433</div>
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Female: 5/167</div>
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Age Group: 1/25</div>
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View online results <a href="http://www.allsportsevents.com/Results/triathlon_results/NESeasonOpenerDuTri2014.html#/results::1401117543135" target="_blank">here. </a></div>
Meghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06295633306150866116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1037098118600595070.post-23642576885683763172014-05-26T14:22:00.000-04:002014-05-26T14:24:15.146-04:00Polar Bear Tri - Tri #1<div class="MsoNormal">
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--></style> That was the earliest Triathlon I’ve ever done. It was a
chilly morning as to be expected for the coast of Maine and with the winterish
spring we’ve had. I was worried about staying warm during the bike. The swim
was held in the Bowdin College pool. IT WAS HUGE, well normal for most but the
pool we train in is 2 lanes, 4 feet deep, 13 yards long. This pool was 16
lanes, 15 feet deep and 25 yards long. My warmup had to be carefully calculated
because of the designated swim practice time and when the transition was
closing. I typically warm up by biking, running then swimming all in about an
hour before I start. The pool was open from 7:30-8 transition closed at 8:10
and my wave wasn’t starting until 9:15. So I made sure I had an extra pair of
sneakers because I had no access to my race shoes after 8:10. </div>
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After swim warm
up and the shock of swimming in 15 feet of water I stepped outside to see how
the air temp would feel when soaking wet, burrrr. I quickly ran a long sleeve
in transition just in case. The waves were assigned but not the lanes. So I
figured there would be a free for all for the lane closest to the door to
transition. There wasn’t so I grabbed it and shared it will a guy named Jeff.
Every athlete had to submit a time they could swim the 525 yards in. Maury
suggested 8:30 for me. Wave 5 was up and we jumped into the water it was
chilly. I swam up and back and we started 30 secs later. I really don’t know
what happened in the pool it kinda fell apart and I was slow but didn’t feel
that slow. When I’m training in the winter, I don’t focus on perfecting my flip
turns because I am an open water swimmer but flip turns are crucial for speed
in the pool. </div>
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When I finished my 21 lengths I got out and looked at my watch, it
said 10 mins I was shocked. As soon as I entered the transition area I shut
that out and refocused on the bike. I put my shoes and helmet on and ran to the
mount line. I passed a few racers, so many athletes, the less competitive ones,
are not quick here but that’s ok. I love the bike leg, it’s the fastest, I’m
the strongest here and I make up so much lost time. That needs to change. I
passed between 20-25 athletes and was only passed by one guy rgggg. I also
passed a few guys with super expensive bikes and aero helmets- love that
feeling! It’s all about the training! The course was very nice and the town had
swept the shoulders it was so smooth for spring racing. There were no real
hills and I maintained an average speed of 22.7 mph. </div>
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As I approached the TA I
shift up to an easier gear and spin a bit faster to get my legs ready to run, I
dismounted and ran right to my spot. I forgot to put my sunglasses on before my
helmet in T1 so I had to take them off then put them back on, not good. As I
ran towards the timing mat I wrapped my number belt around my waist that saves
some time, I strongly suggest that technique. I came up on a guy with in 2 mins
and he said I knew you’d get me in the run. It was the guy that passed me on
the bike!! I was so excited inside. 80% of the run was on grass/in the woods on
trail, which was nice and engaging. There were mile markers but I read the
athlete guide and it stated that both mile 1 and 2 were at the aid stations.
When I reached the first one I hit the split button and looked, it said 5:11 I
didn’t think I was running that fast but cool!! I kept running and turned the
corner and there was a big Mile 1 sign. I looked at the time and it was 6:41 I
should have hit split again so I could see my second mile split but I got
confused and thought it would change my overall time somehow. The mind doesn’t
always work well in race mode. The course was split into 2 laps with the second
lap being shorter so that threw me off a little. Each time I passed a runner I
made sure to say good job, it makes me feel good and I know how awesome it
makes me feel when it’s said to me. I’m going to work on being a little nicer
during races. Not that I am ever the opposite but I don’t ever say anything to
anyone because I am so focused. Interacting makes me smile, which in turn will
hopefully make me faster, and more relaxed. After the 2<sup>nd</sup> lap split
I had just a little more to go. The course popped out of the woods into the
finish chute and was lined with spectators. I’ve raced tri for 6 summers now
and that feeling never gets old and I don’t think it ever will. If it does then
I need to move on. Some how you always find a little more in you to go just a
little faster. As I neared the line the announcer Andy Schlact announced my
name along with “one of the premier triathletes in the granite state who
represented the US very well in the World Tri Championships in London” I gave
it all I had left and crossed the finish line with a huge smile. </div>
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After my heart
rate went down I made sure to go for a jog so my legs didn’t cramp up. When I
returned Gina looked at the results. I was 3<sup>rd</sup> female!! As I said in
previous blogs I never believe the results until I hear for sure when they
announce the podium. I drank my recovery drink and put my legs up keeping the
lactic acid from pooling. I went for another longer run and as I passed the TA
someone yelled to get my attention. It was the guy I passed on the run. He
asked what my bike time was and we chatted about the race. He is racing the
White Mountains Tri in Franconia so we agreed we see each other there. He
finished the conversation with “Well gotta go have my jack and coke” Really you
just raced why do you need alcohol. That totally turned me off. </div>
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I studied the results a bit more and the top two females
swam 2 mins quicker than me and I finished about 3 mins behind them, it’s so
frustrating but it just makes me more determined to work harder. </div>
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The award ceremony started with the top 3 females. “In 3<sup>rd</sup>
place Angela Cox, in a time of 1:02:00” then he announced 2<sup>nd</sup> and 1<sup>st</sup>
place. Unmm wait what about me? I scanned the results again and saw Angela at
the bottom with about 10 other athletes who didn’t have complete results. So
they must have manually added her chip time. 4<sup>th</sup> is still pretty
good though and I was first in my age group! </div>
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I found the race director and thanked her for a great race
something else I’m going to start doing. She thanked me for coming down from N.
Conway and asked if I was racing the Pirate Tri again. It’s conflicting with
another race so I won’t be racing it. It was a beautiful sunny day but I was
having a hard time enjoying it. I had mixed feelings about my race, I was so
mad at my slow swim time but happy about the rest of the race. I work so hard
all winter training three mornings a week and then I swim a 10 min 525
yards.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have gotten faster but
I’m still missing something. My lower half doesn’t float that well so I have
some drag especially in the pool. Eventually something will click for me in the
swim!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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Results </div>
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Overall: 30/ 253</div>
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Female: 4/119</div>
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Age Group: 1/23</div>
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View results online<a href="http://www.allsportsevents.com/Results/triathlon_results/PolarBear2014.html#/results:&AthleteSearch=%28Enter%20Name,%20Bib%20No.,%20or%20City%29&Division=All:1401117194504" target="_blank"> here </a></div>
Meghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06295633306150866116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1037098118600595070.post-79807895928253923642014-01-13T21:38:00.000-05:002014-01-13T21:38:27.003-05:00Thanks so much and just keep swimming, just keep swimming!<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Happy belated New
Year!! Hope everyone enjoyed their holidays. I am constantly being asked
about the World's in London and I always respond with; it was amazing, a
chance of a lifetime and how I couldn’t have had that experience with
out the support of my community, friends and family, so THANK YOU ALL
for allowing me to represent my country and race at the international
level!! If you have time be sure to read my post on the whole week and
race experience in London-<a href="http://skidmoreracing.blogspot.com/2013/09/worlds.html" target="_blank">click here.</a></span>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Training has been a
bit sporadic recently which is out of the ordinary for me having missed
only two days of training in a whole year preparing for Worlds. I was
sick for a little while and every week for the last four weeks I have
gone home to Connecticut to help my Gramma get through her chemo
treatments which are 6 hours long. I've been doing a little running, a
few spins and a some Nordic skiing at work. I’ve been trying to swim
three times a week. Those are morning classes beginning at <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_296505564" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">5:30am and 5am</span></span> on Fridays because I need to arrive at work by <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_296505565" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">6:30</span></span> for Great Glen's morning snow report. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Steve is still
coaching me out of the kindness of his heart, and Regina plans to manage again. I will never be able to
thank them enough! Steve and I have been really focused on my swim technique and I
am truly excited to get in the pool every time despite the early hour.
It still amazes me how much there is to swimming or training in any
sport for that matter. Some people ask me how do I just go back and
forth in the pool, doesn’t it get boring? There is so much to think
about that it doesn’t. I’m constantly aware of my position and how I’m
feeling the water on my hands, arms, legs and feet. Just to list a few things I have
to think about: early vertical forearm-keeping my elbows high/90° angle
when pulling under the water, “throwing” the water back at the end of
my pull. Recovering to the next stroke semi quickly while keeping my arm
relaxed. Keeping my hand relaxed while letting just a little water run
through my fingers. Keeping my hands at a slight angle so I feel the
water on my pinky and ring finger. When pulling use my core as much as
possible not just my arms. Extend and push through with opposite hand.
Rotate hips with each stroke. I’m still working on my kick. Steve has
been trying to have me work on keeping my knees from bending and to kick
from my hip flexors. My ankles need to flex a lot more and I need work
on pushing the water down as well as up. So no I don’t get bored when
swimming! Plus we are using all sorts of fun toys to mix it up! Stretch
cords for strength, pull bouys-used to keep your legs up while just
pulling in the water, a pull up bar, kickboards, ankle bands which work
on keeping your body level. Sometimes my feet drag on the bottom by the
time I get to the other side of the pool. It's so frustrating but
I feel I'm getting better. Improving my swim time and gaining more power is a major goal.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">I'm
looking ahead to the summer and working on my race schedule! I can't
wait to be on the start line again, but until then I have a lot of work
to do! </span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></div>
Meghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06295633306150866116noreply@blogger.com1