Race Report: Atlantic City 70.3

Only 49 likes ... *sigh* ... the plight of a milennial

I'll start this race report off with a lesser known version of "Atlantic City" by Bruce Springsteen aka Madeline Kirch:

"Not everyone does tris, baby that's a fact, and maybe everyone that doesn't tri thinks we're really whack. Put your aero helmet on, make your race kit all pretty, and meet me tonight in Atlantic City..."

I came up with that little ditty on a long run and was like, yeah I can totes use that as an Instagram caption come race week #doitforthegram.

Here goes my first race report.
I love talking. A lot. So .... this will be long, no matter how hard I try to cut it short. Bear with me.

I registered for Ironman AC 70.3 somewhat last minute because of the whole uncertainty-about-when-I'm-moving-across-the-country-thing, but I had been building up my fitness for a late season half iron distance race. Come mid-September, I was focused, feelin' great, and ready to enjoy one last hoorah with my teammates.

Coach Josh and I came up with some #goalz based on my training and my prior 70.3. Given that I did Timberman in 6:03:54 and that AC is PANCAKE (the blueberry kind) flat, a sub 6-hour race was doable even if I wasn't firing on all cylinders come race day.
#GOALZ:

Swim: 35:00

T1: 3:00

Bike: 3:06:00* --- although this was my goal, in my head I was *really* hoping to go sub 3 hour on the bike

T2: 3:00

Run: 2:11:00

Total: 5:58:00 

Pre-Race

Not pictured: David Edelstein (photo cred),
Pictured: David Edelstein's fried cod breakfast

Fellow Sherpette Melissa and I drove up Friday after work and made it to Atlantic City in the early evening. I'd only been to AC a handful of times when living in Philly and all of these times admittedly were spent confined within the four walls of the Borgata (hey, you're only twenty-three and young enough to rock an Express bodycon dress once amirite?). AC certainly looks different when you don't have Red Bull vodkas in your system and it's the polar opposite from my last 70.3 venue in rural New Hampshire. If you had told me in 2012 I'd be back here doing a half Ironman I'd have thought I was being Punk'd. We settled into our digs for the weekend and Melissa, fellow teammate David, and I found a pre-pre-race dinner spot on the boardwalk to fulfill our carbohydrate needs.

Ye Olde Tropicana Carb Load w/Allie

The next day was spent with more carb loading (best blueberry pancakes in New Jersey!), doing a quick bike around to block to make sure everything was in working order, and getting our stuff together (triathlons require so. much. stuff). Then it was packet pick-up, bike check-in, and meeting up with the rest of our teammates for group pic before an afternoon of staying off our feet and relaxin'.

I'm lucky to have some pretty awesome best friends/surrogate family -- Allie & her parents were in Philly for the weekend and after hearing that I was racing close by, they decided to make the trip to AC to support me! So, after a quick glass o wine and copious amounts of bread with my teammates at their dinner, I headed to none other than Chickie & Pete's for a dinner with my second fam. Crab fries and being with my people certainly helped calm some pre-race jitters. I fell asleep fairly easily that night and 4am was there before I knew it.


Race Day
God bless whichever one of my teammates (probably David) suggested we leave for transition so early, because I was as calm, cool, and collected as I've ever been. For those who know me, I'm definitely on the "fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants" end of the spectrum of life. Staying with these people certainly helped me ensure I had my sh*t together and plenty of time (aka more than the ten minutes I usually spare) to be ready in transition ... so again, BLESS U ALL.

My wave was one of the last to go off, so I had ample time to chill, go to the bathroom, take some baller sunrise pics, go to the bathroom, eat a few snacks, and go to the bathroom --- can I get a *what what* for pre-race GI issues! Welp, it must have been during one of those "go to the bathroom" time slots that they made a Very Important Announcement (or it could've been I just wasn't listening ... which is more likely considering who I am as a person). This Very Important Announcement happened to be that they shortened the swim to 1 mile (planned distance was 1.2 miles) due to dangerous currents. So, going into the start I was unaware that the fact that a) the swim was shortened and b) there were dangerous currents. I squeezed into my wetsuit and sized up lined up with my fellow 25-29 y/o chicks to get the show on the road!

Swim (shortened from 1900m to ~1125m):
Let me preface this part by saying that at times, I'm probably a little too confident in my swimming abilities. I don't really have a right to be because let's be honest, I was a country club swim team dropout and I only average 1.2 swim workouts per week. However, 9 times out of 10 I rank higher within my age group on the swim than I do in the bike/run. I'd rather be #blessed with natural running talent than swimming talent, but I'll take it.

My "IDK-WTF-just-happened-but-I-gotta-smile-for-the camera face"

So, I was feeling pretty swell as I swam out to the start buoy with my age group and bobbed around in my wetsuit waiting for the start. The water was chilly, but felt nice and I didn't notice any current (and remember, was completely unaware of the shortened swim).  The gun went off and another 70.3 was underway!

I started out easy, and 'stroke-stroke-breathe'-d my way through the first portion, pushing out the nerves and negative thoughts that come with the start of any race and open water swim. I had my watch set to alert me every 500m and was expecting to hold around a 1:48/100m pace, more or less depending on the current at the different portions of the course. To my very unpleasant surprise, I glanced at my watch after what felt like around 8-9 mins/500 meters and found that I was 10 mins in and had only gone ~400m. I had a mini mid-swim freakout in which I frantically tried to recalculate my #goals and see if I was completely screwing everything up, but I put my head down and pushed a little harder.

When I lifted my head to sight at the next buoy there was a boat blocking the way we were supposed to go. A lifeguard on a paddleboard was redirecting all swimmers to turn left, many buoys short of the turn buoy. I had my second mini mid-swim freakout because I figured there were either sharks on the course or something had happened to a fellow participant. Before I knew it, we were turning again to make our way to swim exit. Not gonna lie, I was very relieved about the course being shortened because I was swimming so crappily. I glanced at my watch as I was hauled out of the water and saw I only swam 1120m. I ran into T1 feeling confused at why the swim was shortened, pissed at myself for swimming so slowly (still clueless about the currents), and also cursing the fact that it was shortened because then if I PR'd it wouldn't be *true PR* ... I know, I'm really annoying.

Swim Split: 23:32 (2:05/100m); 12th of 56 in my AG

T1:
Wetsuit stripped, bay water rinsed off, gear on, and onto the bike I go!
4:35 - Goal was 3:00

Bike (56 miles): 

Thinking "plz don't let me flat or crash plz don't let me flat or crash"

It was a quick ride out of Bader Field and onto the AC Expressway to start things off and I was feeling strong and confident. Confidence on the bike was something I've been lacking ever since I took a tumble mid-race back in April, so maintaining this feeling was a priority. Coach Dave had divided the 56 miles into chunks with different instructions, which I taped to my aero bars so I could stay focused and in my zones, both mentally and physically.

As the miles went by I made sure to keep sipping out of my aero bottle, check that my cadence was appropriately high, and stay within my HR zones. I was really pushing the upper limit of my HR zone because in the back of my head I had the goal of a sub 3 hour bike. I had to keep reminding myself of Coach Dave and Josh’s instructions of not overdoing the bike to avoid the risk of overcooking it for the run. The day was growing increasingly toasty, and I knew that pushing it on the bike would come back to bite me in the tush once I got on the shadeless run course.

Thankfully, repetitively checking my HR, cadence, and speed whilst doing mental math to see how close I was to reaching a sub 3 hour bike split made the course fly by. The tailwinds also helped my split for that first half (19.69 average mph). Also, it was flat AF which was SO freakin’ nice. Sure, I love a challenge and feeling a little more badass when on a bike course with elevation gain, but who doesn’t also love being able cruise on flats for miles with the only “hills” being an expressway on-ramp?

SEE, I AM IN AERO *SOME* OF THE TIME
(aka when I see a photographer on the course)

I played leapfrog with a few different women, one of which rolled up to me and struck up a conversation about my bike that went a little something like this:

“Hey, nice bike, is it new?”

“Thanks, I got it used”

“Oh … but is it new for you?”

“A year or so …. If you’re asking because you’re wondering if I’ve gotten it fit, I haven’t and I know I need to…”

That kicked off a conversation in which while leapfrogging, said girl told me I looked uncomfortable, my hips were moving too much, and I had barely been in aero. O RLY, THX, I HADN'T NOTICED.

So yeah, I guess I do need to suck it up (or suck up the cost rather) and get my bike fit.

Once I hit the headwinds around mile 35, I started hurtin’ a little. Mostly my crotch if we’re being honest (add that to the list of reasons why I look uncomfy and need a bike fit). I chomped down Gus and a Clif Bar and forced the Gatorade and water because I knew I needed the fuel for the run. I had seen a few people on the side of the road who had crashed, and a few more people who had flatted, both of which made me nervous and want to get off the bike even more than my hurting crotch did. Because I had slowed down due to the headwinds and to not overexert myself, I knew I was cutting it close to sub 3 hours. I picked it up a bit for the last few miles as we came onto the expressway and cruised back into Bader Field with DAT SUB 3 HOUR SPLIT!

Bike Split: 2:58:37 (18.8 avg mph) - Goal was 3:06:00; Moved from 12^th in my AG to 20^th (gots some werk to do!), 21st of 56 in my AG for the bike

#tbt to what my arm looked like for most
of 2015. PSA: WEAR YER SUNSCREEN

T2: 

As I was exiting T2 I saw the volunteers with sunscreen and knew I should stop and get some. However, because the line was about 5 deep and it would cost me ~45-60 seconds, and more so because I am impatient and stubborn, I skipped it. This is coming from the girl who had her race numbers burned into her arms for approximately 6 months after another instance of skipping sunscreen. Will I ever learn? Stay tuned.

2:29 - Goal was 3:00

Run (13.1 mi):

Anyone Photosop proficient enough to cut that
photobomber out?! Just kidding... but really.

The first mile-ish of the run consisted of some switchbacks on the tarmac of Bader Field. It was a weird little snake pattern up and down the old runways, but a good place to get loosened up and into a rhythm before heading to the boardwalk. I also got to give Mindy a sweaty hug here, which was good for the soul (shoutout to all your hard work on this race!). It was noonish by now and v hot. I immediately regretted skipping the sunscreen and had glimpses of being uncomfortably burned, possibly blistered, and enduring another round of questions like, “you know u have 117 on ur arms” every time I wore a tank top. So, as I ran by the exit of T2 and the sunscreeners again, I sucked it up and called one over to slather some onto my arms and neck. Turned out to be a great decision and now I only have to endure 6 months of 26 being burned into my calf #smallvictories #notimeforlowerbodysunscreen.

As I hustled along the course to the boardwalk, I was waiting for the moment when the ocean breeze would greet me. That moment never really came, and the next 12 ish miles were steamy and shadeless. My conservative goal was to maintain around a 10:15 min/mi pace, but I knew that I could realistically hold a 9:30ish pace. I was feeling pretty swell, and had to talk myself into holding back a little the first few miles. I’m glad I did, because while the course was fast and totally flat (obvi), the heat and distance started to get to my legs as the miles ticked by. I shuffled through each aid station, trying not to break a running pace because I knew I probably wouldn’t be able to get started again. Ice down the shirt, water over the head, sip of Gatorade, lick of salt, and GO. Bless the fact that this run was on the boardwalk and there were showers every so often (for rinsing sand off), because that was not only a respite from the heat, but also fun to splash around in. Also, if we’re being full-disclosure-honest, a great place to pee myself. No shame, no time for portapotties for this gurl. AM I A REAL ATHLETE OR WHAT?!

High fives from Speed Sherpa Nation rollin' into the finishers chute

I was keeping my eyes peeled for my trisquad of supporters, and saw Allie and her family around mile 7. In true Kreider fam enthusiastic fashion, they went NUTS when they saw me, and I went nuts right back. Quick hugs for all of them, and off I went. About a half a mile later, I saw none other than BFF/triathlete-badass-lady Sam Winter who is a goddess and took a train down from Philly that morning to cheer me on. She said she’d be somewhere along the run course depending on what time she made it into town but I had no idea where/when to expect her. In true Sam Winter fashion, homegirl took off running with me, knocking spectators out of her way along the boardwalk. She gave me a great little pep talk, and I was off. Seeing these peeps were definitely what I needed for the last bit of my run. I made sure to soak in my surroundings because let’s face it, running alongside the ocean for most of a half marathon is pretty freakin’ cool. Being on the boardwalk provided distraction and entertainment coming from the spectators but from also those who couldn’t have cared less about cheering and were just goin’ about their Sunday mornin’ AC bizness (which is entertainment in and of itself).

RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU WANT A SLICE OF PIZZA!

I saw the Speed Sherpa crew as I passed the finish area, and just had one out and back left at around mile 11.5. That last mile and a half HURT, but I willed myself to push as hard as I could and repeated all of the mantras I had stored up. As picked it up for the last mile, I spotted two girls in my age group ahead of me within striking distance. I’m a horrible sprinter and have been outrun in a neck and neck race by girls in my age group a few times, but they both looked like they were struggling. I kicked it into gear and let it all out for the last quarter mile, passing both of them, rounding the corner for high fives from the #speedsherpanation, and tearing into the finishers chute. I didn’t think I could top the feeling of finishing my first 70.3, but this came pretty darn close & I’m getting all the warm fuzzies as ’m reliving this (and in true eager beaver fashion, want to sign up for another 70.3 NOW ... like, right NOW as I type this). I felt great about the effort I had put forth and was just about as pumped as one can be. Also I knew there were my personal paparazzi (I mean, race photogs) lining the chute, and as a Leo, I luv the camera, so I hammed it up and threw in some fist pumps as I crossed the line. When in Jersey, right? 

Run Split: 2:05:18 (9:33 min/mi avg) - Goal - 2:11:00; Moved from 20^th in my AG to 14^th (hellll yeah for picking off those last two girls!); 13th of 56 for the run

Total time: 5:34:31 on a shortened-swim-70.3 -- I’ll take it J*

*would’ve been sub-6 and a PR with a full swim but I’m stubborn and a perfectionist and won’t count it as a PR... as aformentioned I recognize I’m annoying.

To sum this whole long-winded verbose race report up, I’m very happy with my results. The swim was a wash due to the cray-cray current, but I recognize I could use some more open water practice and general time in the H20. Good thing the tri club in San Fran I joined has weekly open water swims! I just need to invest in a long-sleeved wetsuit and possibly neoprene booties/cap. Seriously the financial drain list of gear for this stupid but awesome sport is never ending.

The bike I definitely need some work on (and that doesn’t just mean getting a fit), and I think there’s a lot of room for improvement with my speed there. However, I am pleased as punch @ the sub-3 hour split. Could I have achieved that on a course with more than 650 ft elevation gain? Probs not, but that will be my goal for the future! My run has improved a lot over the past year (thanks Coach!) and I’m really happy with how I handled my pacing and effort in this race despite the heat. Most of all, I am #BLESSED that I got to do all of this in the presence of awesome teammates and friends! It was great to get to see them out on the course and I already miss them oodles. Even though I just moved across the country, AC 70.3 is something I’m seriously considering for 2017. I really did love the course and the flat-ness allows me to crush some serious goals!

If you’ve made it this far, THX for reading my word-vomit-of-a-first-race-report and I hope you enjoyed!

Xoxo,

Madi

Post race smiles (and a beer, of course) with my supporters