A Dramatic Ending: 70.3 MI Race Recap
I haven’t done a personal race recap in quite some time, so I figured I was due to fill you all in on my biggest race for the 2023 season. 70.3 Michigan was the only half ironman distance race on my calendar for this year. As my coach likes to say, “You don’t know what you want to be when you grow up”! Which 1.), is probably true, and 2.) yes, I have a coach. This keeps my focus off myself so I can solely focus on my athletes training programs.
2023 Season History
After racing multiple 70.3 events last season, I was ready for a switch up this season. The first half of the year was mainly focused on bike racing, as there were a few road races around the Southeast, the State Time Trial, as well as a local weeknight crit series I wanted to take part in. So, I chose a later season half ironman with the hopes that I could be “one and done” to earn my 2024 70.3 World Championship spot. Hello New Zealand! My husband was also going to race, so we chose a location that seemed more ideal for how we race. That meant cooler temps, cooler water, and low humidity. Neither one of us race extremely well in the heat.
Training
While I still trained like a triathlete for the majority of the season, the main focus was on the bike. This meant that other areas, like the swim and the run, were not the main focus. Through most of the season I swam two times a week, ran three times a week, but rode five or six times a week. Once my last bike race of the season was complete (the State TT), that shifted to a slightly more balanced training load. Below you’ll see a typical training week in the buildup to Michigan.
Monday: Swim (-/+ 2500) + Strength
Tuesday: Brick (bike with intensity + run off with RP efforts - totaling 3-4 hours)
Wednesday: Swim (varied length) + Aerobic Ride (2+ hours)
Thursday: Run (track!) + Recovery Ride or Short Swim
Friday: Swim (-/+ 3500)
Saturday: Ride (3.5 -4.5 hours)
Sunday: Run (90 min. to 2 hours) or Brick with a shorter ride and longer run off
Weekly hours averaged around 17 hours. One of the key differences in switching focus to 70.3 training was my run intensity. For me personally to run well off the bike, it’s been very helpful to do a good bit of running at my goal race pace or slightly faster. Sometimes twice a week I would do runs that emphasized that pace. Most days I was fatigued going into the run from the prior days' session as well.
The Race
Okay, I suppose this is what you are all waiting for! The race! Let’s dive in. We arrived in Frankfort, MI three days before the race, taking a full day to drive up there. Pre-race workouts went very well. I felt good on the bike, the water was frigid, and no issues on the shake out run.
Race day arrived and I was very ready to race. Since it gets light a bit later there, race morning wasn’t a super early wake up call. I think we got up around 5:15 a.m. to get ready and head down toward the race venue. Water temperature was reading at 61 degrees, and the air temp was only 55 degrees. This made me happy and just told myself the water would feel warm compared to the chill in the air.
Wetsuit donned and, in the swim start queue, I think I was in the water about 5 minutes after the first age group athletes could enter the water. The swim was a big triangle and I started strong. It did take me about 100 meters or so to settle in as the water was cold and I worked to settle into my stroke and get my breath controlled. Soon enough though I found my rhythm and had a pretty decent swim (for me). I came out under 35 minutes and 9th in my age group.
T1 was okay. They did not have wetsuit peelers at this race, so we all had to get out of our wetsuits alone, which takes a couple extra seconds. Once on the bike, I immediately fell into race power. Normally I am a bit high and have to reign it in, but on that day the power just felt natural. So, I locked in and road. About 10 miles in, a deer jumped out right in front of me! Thankfully I was on a slight incline and not booking it, so I was able to get to my brakes and ease off without incident. From that point on things went well. I held the power I wanted and felt in control; took on nutrition as planned. The course was advertised as rolling, and I felt it was. There was constant pressure that needed to be applied to the pedals without really any chances to let up and “recover”. The last few miles started to get a big tough. I could feel my legs were ready to be done riding, plus I really had to pee! I came off the bike making up 6 spots to be sitting in third.
T2 was longer than planned because the porta-potty was a must stop. Once out of transition I felt great on the run. I was running faster than planned and had internal debates on whether I should slow. The course ended up dictating that a little bit. While I thought the run course was flat, there was a strong wind that day and we were running either into a headwind or with the tailwind. My pace kind of fluctuated with the wind. I kept on nutrition and was feeling good. And then, the second lap. I was halfway through it and felt a little discomfort in my right upper leg. Nothing crazy so I just told myself to hold my effort steady. About a mile later that discomfort turned into a Pop! and immediately I felt the kind of pain that makes you gasp. I grabbed that right hamstring and eased back. Okay. I had 3.5 miles to run. I don't know where I am in my age group. Stopping is not an option. I dialed back the pace a bit and kept on moving. I was able to run on it, but it didn’t feel amazing. I talked myself through one mile at a time, one turn on the course at a time. Mile 12 was the longest mile I have ever encountered.
When I reached the finish line, I was so thankful to stop. Kind volunteers gripped my arms and took me over to the medical tent for an ice wrap. The next minutes were spent sitting with ice on my right hamstring and anxiously awaiting my husband to finish.
Final results were in! I had kept 3rd place in my age group. Now the question would be: how many slots were they allocating for New Zealand WC?!
Awards Ceremony
Tension. I sat with the appearance of total calm, but inside I was trying not to burst. I just knew that we would probably only get two slots, and that I was not going to get mine here. But then our Age Group was called. 1st place didn’t show. 2nd place didn’t show. Slight hope returned. If they weren’t here for the awards, then surely, they wouldn’t just show up for the slot allocations. Right?
Right. It was another 45 minutes of nerves before our group was up for the slot allocation. 1st and 2nd place were not there, so I was asked if I wanted my spot. Absolutely! I (3rd place) and the 4th place finisher both snagged our spots. The only two that were allocated to our grouping.
While I was filling out my acceptance forms, they had moved on to my husband’s category. Due to the size and allocations, they had 6 spots to fill. SIX! And here is why, even if you aren’t a top finisher, you should come to the ceremony if you want your spot. The top athletes have already qualified. With 6 spaces to go, athletes that had placed out of the top didn’t come to the roll down. Since we were there, my husband was able to claim a spot on roll down. Now, we both get to experience racing in a new country in a championship event!
Race Review
If you haven’t done 70.3 Frankfort, Michigan, I think it is one to put on your list. That part of the State is super nice. It is a small town vibe as tourists have left for the season. The swim course is really nice, plus it is guaranteed to be a wetsuit swim. The bike course has gorgeous views, is honest, and the roads are smooth. The run is flat and filled with spectators as it is a two and a half loop course. The temperature was perfect, with the low in the mid-50s and the high mid-60s.
Healing
It’s been eight days since the race, and my hamstring is on the mend. Thankfully I didn’t do crazy damage and am able to improve my mobility daily. While I still am not able to run, I have been able to do some swimming with a pull buoy and some easy riding. I’m focusing on strengthening the area with PT and taking it one day at a time. While an injury is never fun, I’m trying to find the positives. I know that by taking the time now do heal it right, I’ll have more success and less chance of re-injury in the future.
Cheers to the off season!