It’s all in the head - 2008 Socorro Chile Harvest Triathlon Race Report
Wow, what can I say, the Socorro Chile Harvest Triathlon was my second triathlon and it went so much better and incredibly more smoothly than my first one (Bottomless Triathlon). I had a good deal of anxiety over the last week because of the way my blood sugars ran during my first tri. But this morning, all my anxiety was pretty much all ironed out. Something about having quite a large team to meet and greet and to chit chat with. I love my Outlaws. Misty brought me a jersey to wear so I was in official Outlaw getup and I think it helped me out, I looked cool, I get points for that, I think 
(A couple of the Outlaws have blogs if you’re interested in their race reports: Cindy, Lisa, SWTriGirl, Sweet Baboo)
I went in with a good attitude and my demons never made an appearance which really made me happy. There were a few hiccups this morning, I had to change the tube in my rear tire, I forgot my socks, I forgot the GU; but I rolled with the punches and everything turned out good.
My blood sugars were perfect, I never went low, and I never went higher than I had wanted. I was able to bike faster than at the Bottomless Tri and I was able to run more than I was at the Bottomless Tri. I’d like to say that the reason everything went so well was because my blood sugars were in line, but in reality, I think it was more about Positive Mental Attitude (thank you Laura). There’s something to be said about doing an event and never thinking in my mind the words “I can’t” and how it relates to my performance.
I didn’t fret over my diabetes and that made things hella easier. I simply did my blood checks before and after every leg of the race and I started and ended well (further diabetes related stuff explanation at the end). Overall, I think my experience was far more favorable than at Bottomless.
The Swim
The swim was different from Bottomless in that it was a seeded pool swim. Seeded meaning that we all went off based on the times we submitted. Since I gave my 16 minute Bottomless swim time, I was pretty close to the end, there were only a few swimmers behind me. I knew I had blown it as soon as did the first 50m because I went out there and swam the 50m as though it was all I had to do. I passed 3 people in that lane, but when it was all said and done, in normal Courtney fashion, I couldn’t freestyle the remaining 350m. I had to breaststroke. Even so, I still managed to shed a little time from my bottomless time. (400m in 14:57)
T1:
I got out of the pool and ran, I checked my blood and put my shoes and helmet on and got out of there quicker than I did at Bottomless, I moved smoothly, in my opinion from swim to bike. (3:29)
Bike:
I had already had to change a flat this morning, so I knew that I couldn’t get another flat because I’d have no way to fix it. Did that concern me, not too much, I just got out there and rode. I felt better about this ride than the one at Bottomless. I was a bit stronger, the hills didn’t bother me too much. I never thought that I wasn’t going to make it through. I averaged close to 13.5 mph, it’s not fast, but considering all the hills, that’s better than normal for me. It was a good ride (20k in 53:33). I spent it listening to Basement Jaxx in my head: (cue music)
T2
The transition from bike to run could’ve gone smoother, the transition area was crowded because most people were finished and they were packing up to leave so when I was running my bike through there, there was a bit of a traffic jam. It was cool though because Outlaws were in there cheering me on. Despite the traffic jam, I was in out and on my way in 2:06.
The Run
I was running on noodly legs. But not for long, because I eventually found them. I was determined to run more of this run than I did at bottomless (where I mostly walked it). Sure enough, I did run a whole lot more. I would pick a point and run to that point, then I’d pick another point and walk to it and I kept doing that until I was at the last turn. Rounding the last corner I decided that I needed to run all the way to the finish. I wasn’t quite able to full out run it, but at the very very end, with maybe 100-200m to go, I full out RAN! And I ran fast. I was very happy that I ran as much as I did (3.1 miles in 41:43)
Overall
I’m much happier with my performance here at the Socorro Chile Harvest Triathlon than I was at the Bottomless Triathlon. I was pretty bummed about my performance at Bottomless, completely unsatisfied actually (even though it was just a “set the bar” race), it wasn’t good enough, not from an athletic standpoint and even worse from me as a diabetic standpoint. Here at Socorro, it was a million times better. I’m very very happy with my performance here, on every level. It was also a whole lot more enjoyable, and that’s what tri’s should be all the time, enjoyable. (total time: 1:55:46.5)
The Diabetes
I just kindof let the diabetes fly. I didn’t worry about, I didn’t micro manage it, I just let it be. I had forgotten my GUs so I knew that if I went low, I had no fast acting anything on me to help. I couldn’t stomach my CLIF Builder’s bar, so I only ate half of it, I didn’t force myself to eat all of it. On the bike ride, as though it were normal, if I needed a drink I alternated between my bottle that had Efuel in it and the bottle that had Nuun in it. During the run, I didn’t run with my bottle of Efuel (because I hate running with my bottle), at water stops I’d take a cup of gatorade and a cup of water. It all went well, better than if I had taken the time to think through what I was doing.
Here’s a run down of what I did.
6:53 Pump cut back to 20% of normal intake. 1/2 Clif Builder bar eaten, bolus for 17 carbs (i.e. all that I ate)
8:00 pre-swim check, 1 hr before I actually swam, 201
8:50 disconnect pump
9:16 190 post swim/pre bike check. reconnect pump, set to 50% of normal intake
10:13 159 post bike/pre run check. set pump to 70% of normal intake
11:03 176 post race check
8 Responses to “It’s all in the head - 2008 Socorro Chile Harvest Triathlon Race Report”
Leave a Reply
August 10th, 2008 at 8:17 am
Hey…I didn’t know you had a blog! Great job out there yesterday…you looked super strong coming into the finish!! You and I do have the coolest helmets
August 10th, 2008 at 11:18 am
Hi - I met you yesterday at the race through Misty and Cindy and found your blog through Misty’s race report. I’m glad you were happy with your race. It *is* all about having fun.
Hope to see you out there again sometime. will you be at the Patriot Tri in RioRancho?
p.s. I’m not an Outlaw. I just hang out with some of them. I think that makes me an Inlaw. LOL.
August 10th, 2008 at 1:04 pm
I usually save the Clif builder bars for recovery (after the race). In a sprint, there’s not enough time for your body to metabolize the protein.
August 10th, 2008 at 10:11 pm
Hey Cindy
Yup, I’m a blogger, I’d have a lot of extra time on my hands if I weren’t. LOL!
It was great to see you there, and you’re right, we do have the coolest helmets
August 10th, 2008 at 10:25 pm
Ah, I remember now, the Inlaw
It was nice to meet you Lisa, for this race report, you’re an Outlaw (blame it on my short term memory, it’s shot) 
I’d be crazy to be at the Patriot Tri simply because I’ll have just finished a week at training camp and I’d have to drive 10 hrs on Saturday to get home, but I’m crazy…so I just might be there
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