LURAY TRI 2024

 

LURAY 2024

I love race writeups.  I realize they are rarely read, but they are SO IMPORTANT FOR ME! So, here we go!

Well, let’s start 4 weeks back.

I did Culpeper Tri end of July and my training had been actually feeling really fun and GOOD! I had some bike/runs where I felt really strong and in control and more back to being “running” for me since my back/hamstring saga of 2023. It felt GOOD. And honestly, that was my only goal- to FEEL GOOD. And this feeling isn’t like placing, winning, but feeling like my work has resulted in something! I did feel this way and really was satisfied and SUPER MOTIVATED!

Until 2 days later when I got diagnosed w/covid. F. (last covid in Jan 2024 KILLED ME for 3 months- 3 months of freaking naps every freaking day, feeling like a SHELL OF MYSELF SO DEPRESSED because I just was NOT ME.) So I was worried.  After the first week (took Paxlovid), I thought I was really progressing so tried to ease back in. And for a weekend, it seemed great!  And then…. (maybe I overdid?) it wasn’t. I’ve gone through 147 tissue boxes, cannot breathe without sniffing still, and I wake up feeling like a BUS ran over my BODY.  I get going and feel ok beginning mid morning able to fake my way through some things…. Then- feel like I DIE again (even though I’ve been gentle and let myself go and sit at pool and read (which has turned into eyes closed holding a book- that is how tired I’ve been).  I took dogs for a walk last week and honestly almost sat on the sidewalk on way home.  That is when I was SURE that my body is just not fully recovered.

I adjusted expectations for Luray.  We moved Phoebe into her dorm room yesterday, so it was a busy day, and I gave myself an opportunity to not go if I decided I didn’t think it was best.  But- I also know this race makes me HAPPY.  I love the lake surrounded by mountains.  I love the bike course where you climb and climb and then arrive with like a huge panoramic VISTA!!! I love the run where again you climb a hill, turn a corner and the countryside and SUN and HEAT just beat down on your shoulders.  I literally break out into a smile numerous times in this race.  I decided to be a big girl, adjust expectations and go for it.

Got up at 3:30/ left house at 4:15 to get there for packet pickup and bike racking. All good.  It was a possibility of rain, but NONE! YIPPEE!!

The race venue changed- there are fences around the beach area/ volleyball courts and changing rooms taken down, the dock taken down.  I’m not sure why, that was disappointing.  We have like 15 years of taking kids there (when young) and acting like this was a “vacation beach” and jumping and playing all day after the race.  The memories are so special.

I was nervous lining up for the swim.  I was nervous because I knew that I truly wasn’t fully recovered and I feel like I really “respect” that my body is doing its own thing and I cannot override it by sheer will.  And my worry was that I wouldn’t be okay in the water. And if you are not ok in the run, you can walk.  But in the water, I was worried about …. (going under).  I tried to keep myself calm, warm up with bouncing around and loosening shoulders enough to get mobile.  I began and … FELT GREAT!  (maybe if you think the worst, it just feels really good?)  The ENTIRE SWIM felt great- okay now HALT- that doesn’t mean I felt FAST! It just means I felt strong, didn’t have any breathing problems, didn’t have anyone “in my space” pushing me down, getting anxiety going, etc.  I honestly don’t care about my time- I FELT GOOD! Yea yea!

 

The transition from swim/bike is new for the past 2 years (new race management) and it is freaking LONG. There is first a flight of like 30-40 steps to go up from the beach. This is immediately after you’ve been horizontal swimming 1.5K, so blood flow is just returning to upright and it’s hard.  Then there were branches/tree roots to navigate, gravel.  Goodness. I was as quick as I could.

Hopped on my bike and let’s GO! Except a few miles in, I realize- my legs really don’t “feel” like going hard and strong like I previously have.  They just aren’t “responding.”  Like I know how to train hard, go hard, but this seemed to be like a non result. But I was passing people left and right.  I had 3 people pass me (in my recollection maybe I am forgetting) the entire time- all men, and all during downhills.  So I was trying to tell myself- we are ALL in same boat on these mountains.  Keep the effort. It was beautiful and I was trying to immerse myself in the joy, and also be smart and keep fueling. (but I honestly didn’t really feel like it- maybe I didn’t eat enough)? It was also MUCH hotter than expected.  There was a chance of rain, and at my last race, it was FREEZING beforehand. So I brought a sweatshirt for before this one and it was ROASTING and I had to even take off my tee shirt.  On the bike it was HOT on my back and I (loved it) but kept thinking, what will this mean for the run? I was coughing so much, which was also annoying.  Maybe from being in the water horizontal then upright on the bike it was like the top of my throat seemed COVERED in mucous. The coughing was kind of a helpful “on your left” at times when I was passing people so that they knew I was there.  I just kept doing what I could do and trying to not beat myself up for not FEELING my FIERCEST.

Made it through. Got to T2 and honestly was nervous because I knew I wasn’t like on all cylinders.

Started the run, saw Ryan and waved!  I acted happy because I know that is psychologically good. Mile 1 I tried to stay calm- just see how things are feeling.  I had a 7:45 split (a bit downhill here), but I thought, OHHHH maybe not terrible here?! 

Mile 2 I realized. SHIT. (literally). I have to go to a port o pot and I do not know if there is one out here.  I’m kinda scanning for areas in case. And also start to feel a bit shaky in legs.  I’m fueling, taking UCAN gel sips and water. Trying to remain.  I should mention when I was leaving T2 a woman told me “I think you are first place triathlon woman” so I had in my head, hmmm… wonder who is around- maybe in front or how close behind. And: I have to go to the bathroom- I saw a girl after turnaround at 1.5 and she was close.  I thought, just keep yourself moderate intensity and maybe your stomach will smooth out.

Mile 3- we go through the biggest hill and the biggest sunny patch and my stomach is just clenching and I’m like I do not care, I need to stop at the bathroom at turnaround and if there isn’t one there, I’m gonna have to find a place. (sorry if this is embarrassing to you to read, ha!) I had been playing head games like maybe if the woman behind me hasn’t passed me, I won’t stop and just see how far I can get.  But I decided I’d rather not…. Ummm.. you know… be embarrassed.

Turnaround: I run into porto pot and THANK GOODNESS. But the woman passed me (and I wasn’t sure if anyone else did, but just at that point, carry on). I had seen Ryan and told him I needed to go- I was honestly kinda delirious and I told him (he was near one on the opposite side of road)- to try to “save it”!!! ha!  He said later he had no idea how he was supposed to be a port o pot bouncer. I went to one in the meantime that I didn’t know was there.  But I didn’t feel any better when I got out. I felt like I could sit down and nap. Literally.  Like a lovely nap.  I saw him and he asked if I was ok.  I said no and kept “jogging.” After like 10 more terrible steps I wanted to cry and turned around, but he was looking down at his phone and I yelled “ryan”- and kinda realized- I have no idea how I want him to help me, but I think he should know this is not going well! I didn’t know if I should quit, nap, continue. And I realized it was so silly and to just do what I could even if it was walk.  But I decided- NO WALKING. That is the new goal girl.  I had another downhill mile and I was like ok.  Now you are at 4 and you’ve made it.

If you can make it to 5, then you can say “1 mile left.” And you can do ANYTHING for 1 mile.

Mile 4-5 is an out ½ and back ½.  So that was also nice to break it up and I just began doing all the mental tricks I have ever learned.  I took 40 seconds to focus on tangents.  I kept fueling. I kept my shoulders low.  I pretended that I felt smooth.  I thanked the volunteer at the turnaround (and told myself if I could still have a bit of gratitude that I wasn’t going to actually die). I kept fueling because my body physically felt like shit.  I was shaky and done.

Mentally I had more.  My last mile (uphill and in sun) I did every yoga cue I say to my class in my head:

Can you ask yourself to stay present with yourself.

Can you trust yourself.

Can you take the next step.

Can you stop trying to end the suffering and be with the feeling.  Revel in the challenge that you love.  Be in the work. The work is the essence- there are no guarantees of results, it isn’t about results.

And I did.  I never walked. I trusted each step. I trusted myself. I made it to the final hill and said to myself, “if you’ve gotten here, you will finish.”

There was a grassy spot we had to run over (4x) and I said just do not roll your ankle and you can finish.

And I did.

I am so glad I did this race. I may not be able to do next year because of 2 kids moving into college and I at least pulled it off by 1 day this year, so we will see.  I won’t sign up early, but I’ll keep it on my radar since I’ve enjoyed this race for almost 2 decades!

I ended up 1^st place in my age group, 4^th woman overall. The unfortunate part is that I was less than 1 minute away from 3^rd place overall… and in my mind – that is the bathroom stop plus the panic of walking/ turning around trying to wonder if I’d be able to make it for 3 more miles.  It’s ok though, I’m proud of the day and it was POSITIVE and all I had (and there was no choice- I needed that port o pot stop!)