Lake Logan Race Report
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Thursday afternoon was the start of a 3 1/2 day whirlwind of travel through 4 states, 1 Olympic distance tri, and some nice family visits. We got to my Aunt's and Uncle's beautiful home about 6:30 and she had a delicious spaghetti dinner ready, perfect start to a two day carb load. Aunt Lois and Uncle Andy's Bed and Breakfast... our favorite Atlanta stop. Sensational company and great food... though she complains we won't ever eat anything but spaghetti, as we are usually pre race. I think she's secretly worried that we are actually Italians impersonating family. Got to do our day before the race short jog on the hills in their neighborhood, when it's not the day before a race it makes for a great leg thrashing.
Always around the table with Lois and Andy. Spaghetti dinner was served formal style in the dining room with candles... bet nobody else got that kinda atmosphere with their carbohydrates!... Did we forget to mention the coconut cream pie?
Drove through mountains and over the Tallulah Gorge on the way to Waynesville, NC. The Gorge is the deepest canyon East of the Mississippi. Quaint roadside stores, antique shops and apple stands line the roads. Most interesting sight (other than some of the positions Tyler and Julie got into napping) was a store with buildings with flat roofs. There was grass growing on the roofs and large signs advertising "Goats on the Roof".... it was pouring rain so sorry for no pics.
It rained all the way to NC. Was great to get to our usual hotel, the three bears were still there waiting on us. Good time for a nap, then out to the race site for a quick bike ride. "The Diesel" rode out to assault the initial climb out of T1 and the challenging climb that brings you back into T2. "The Genius" and I rode out and back up the run course. This is our third year doing this race and we each have our own prerace routine here that seems to work best. Note from Julie: riding the hill pre race didn't seem to help much, other than convince me that I would get up it... and it wouldn't be easy or fast. Good news is even though I still weigh less than Blain, I descended the thing faster... so maybe it did some good, or Blain could be right that I just don't use good sense (or my brakes).
Waynesville is a quaint mountain town, but it is somewhat limited on places to eat healthy. We struggle with this every year we have been there. This year was no different. Now you need to know that I am very picky about what I eat race week and especially Thursday and Friday nights. Pasta or potatoes is usually the norm. Rice is always good but usually hard to come by in enough volume eating out........................unless you do Chinese. I do not like to experiment the night before a race, but "the Diesel" and "the Genius" convinced me to be brave and give a shot. So it was Fried rice, shrimp and veggies and more steamed rice. "The Genius" did Lo Mein. It was surprisingly good and we each splurged with an egg roll. Yum! I topped the tank off with a couple glasses of Chocolate Milk before bed and by 8:30 it was lights out.
I always get a kick out of telling the front desk we need a wake up call at 3:50 am. They think you're nuts. But when the call came, the alarm went off, and my watch started beeping, we got up and went through the routine that we have gone through so many times before. "The Diesel" ate PB and honey sandwich and 2 pepto bismol tabs..............don't ask. I had a banana and PB and J sandwich on Oatnut bread. "The Genius"........well if you have kept up with earlier blogs you would guess correct.......Ramen noodles. Shower, stretch, suit up, pack up, check out, and we leave for the race about 5:00.
As we walked with all our gear from the Pathfinder to transition a van pulling in to park stopped and rolled his window down and asked if anybody had seen "TEAM ROADKILL"...............a self given name to our Sunrise to Sunset relay team after 178 miles of pain and suffering. It was our brother-in-law Alan!!! He drove 3 1/2 hours Friday night, spent the night in the van in the parking lot of a church just to be there along with Tyler to cheer us on. Alan deserves his own story, but he has been one of our training and racing buddies from the onset of our triathlon days. He has raced Lake Logan with us the past 2 years but a fractured pelvis back in March rendered him inactive and this race among others on his schedule have come and gone without him in the lineup. He patiently waits clearance by the Dr. but until then he gives his undieing support to us and the other athletes competing. His presence aligned all the planets for our race and MOJO was present and accounted for.
Julie had a great race considering a mechanical problem on the bike that we found after the race. Her rear brake had come completely loose from the frame at mile 4 and was laying on the tire therefore causing her to be slower than she would normally be and for those who have never trained with her on the bike.........she can HAMMER, knows no pain, and at mile 80 she gets stronger(unfortunately this bike was only 25 miles long)............thus the nickname. Her swim was solid and steady and she PRed her run on this course. Notes from Julie... I always seem to get my clock cleaned up here, but I still love to come and race. It makes me humble, sometimes frustrated, frequently angry and I go home and train harder for fall. Usually I then have great fall races... so Lake Logan is always a good trip.
Leading up to this race some not so good training days had left me with some questions as to how this race would go. My swim fitness is really good right now so I was able to get out of the water with a lead. Then it is like a rabbit being chased and I really hate that feeling. My strategy was to be conservative on the flat sections and attack the climbs and it paid off because I got off the bike still with the lead and I was ready to hurt on the run. I really tried to run strong the first half knowing that the steady uphill grade would hurt for everyone and then use the downhill to maintain momentum and speed. Julie had told me before the race that when things got painful, find a place to put the pain.......an orb........then protect the orb. So that is what I did. And like Julie, I PRed the run and along with a PR on the bike I was able to win my AG. We hung out for the awards and then by noon we were on the road to Columbia to visit more family. Played cards with Gram and Pop Champey half the night.... the Diesel and the Genius once again victorious!
Highlights of the course are the lake.
Running in the shade with water falls on one side and the river on the other.
Then there is the shooting range just over the hill beside the run course. Glad they finally put a sign up, the first two years we thought some mountain people were trying to shoot the wierdo's in the lycra.
Having family there cheering you on is invaluable. They are the mental and emotional aid station. Thank you Tyler.....#1 Fan..................and Alan........we are all ready to reverse the roll at IM Florida.
The most memorable moment of the weekend was my bike ride with Tyler on Friday afternoon. She has not been on her bike much the last few months because of a busy school schedule but as usual she got on and just hammered..........this kid can swim, bike, and run......she's a natural. When we finished and and with sweat pouring from her face she told me how much she missed riding her bike. Well between me and mom we can fix that!
Aloha for now.
The Three Coconuts
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