So, I have now had some time to recover a bit from this past weekend's race. Chattanooga Waterfront humbled me - to say the least. I had finished six races in six weeks through May and June. During that period I had some great success (4 first place finishes and 2 second place finishes in the Clydes division). This gave me great confidence heading into Chattanooga. I had one week off before the race and tried to keep the effort high. Did one killer track session, one killer pool session and my legs didn't like it. I fought pretty intense cramping during the days leading up the race.
Got down to Chattanooga for the race and quickly realized what my biggest challenge was going to be - the heat. Saturday as I walked the expo I knew the next day was going to be painful. The heat and the hills were going to test me again.
The race is a point to point swim. They transport you on a bus to the swim start where you wait for about an hour before the first swimmer goes in the water. I didn't like this at all because it gives me way too much time to think through everything. When my time came to get in the water I couldn't help but think of how hot the water felt. The swim started and we were under way. Settled into a good rhythm. I felt like the pace was good and steady...got on the heels of a few fast swimmers and tried to keep my focus. During one stage of the race I popped my head up and saw the pier. I pulled my pace back a bit getting ready to finish the swim and head to T1. Well, I made a mistake...the crowded pier was a group of spectators. We still have 500 or so yards left in the swim...ugh. Tried to pick up my pace and get back into the rhythm. Swim wrapped up and I headed into T1.
Headed out on the bike....this is where it all fell apart. Got out of transition and headed out on the course. First few miles were turns through the city as we headed towards the interstate. Didn't take any drinks since we were working through the turns. The on ramp to the interstate was a looped uphill. Carried some good speed into the ramp, jumped up to the bull horns and saw a rough spot at the beginning of the climb. I headed over that section at about 20 mph and then it happened..I am an all liquid nutrition racer at the olympic distance....my bottle shot straight out of the front and skidded down the hill to my left. Split second decision - hit the brakes and get your bottle (crowded as we headed into the climb) or go on and hope for an aid station on the course (never understood aid stations in an oly distance race). Decided to keep going. Big mistake. No water...no nutrition on the bike at all. I tried to keep my pace in check knowing I was going to hurt on the run because of this. Finished the bike and I was thirsty, to say the least.
Got to T2, headed out on the run and walked the first aid station at the exit of transition. Got down two cups of gatorade just to keep me going. Don't need to say much more about the run as there wasn't much to say. A 1 hour + 10k is not something I was planning on that day, but I didn't have anything else. The heat and lack of nutrition punished me.
Finished the race with a 2:46...about 20 minutes longer than I had hoped for. Packed up my gear, headed to the hotel and had my first ever hotel ice bath. Felt great. Headed back to Nashville after that. Too hot to even go back down to look at results but I was certain I wouldn't be anywhere near the top. Well, 6 hours later when the results were posted online I saw I took 3rd in Clydesdale. Glad to hear I hit the podium but still didn't feel great about my performance.
Lessons learned.....stop next time.
