Race Result

Racer:	Karen Ashbrook-Barnes
Race:	Chesapeakeman Aquavelo
Date:	Saturday, September 27, 2008
Location:	Cambridge, MD
Race Type:	AquaVelo - Iron
Age Group:	Female 35 - 39
Time:	8:31:00
Age Group Place:	2 / 5
Comment:	Awesome swim/long wet ride

Race Report:

ChesapeakeMan AquaVelo
Total Time: 8:31
Age Group – 2nd/5
I signed up for this race just a couple months ago, with the intent of only doing one 56 mile loop of the bike. I just wanted another long swim to prove something to myself, having done the Bay swim slowly with torn ligaments. But, not wanting to be a wimp, I gradually admitted to everyone that I actually was intent on finishing the race. But at mile 56 of the bike, I wanted off that bike bad. I had trained for 2/3 of this race distance.

Swim 2.4 miles – 1:26:45
This was my favorite open water swim after 8 years of competing, better than the Bay swim. The start was cool, with the rain, dark navy ominous clouds rolling low on the horizon... It looked beautiful and dangerous at the same time. This was also the easiest mass start. We all started in the water at once, and I hardly had to maneuver for room. From what I could tell the water was black, all muddied from the rain. Perfect for me because I couldn’t see a thing. For the first time I know I grabbed many jellyfish, but I wasn’t stung. I love my new DeSoto wetsuit, I was very comfortable in the 70 degree water, and even got hot after 20 minutes.

The conditions were great, a little bit of chop and swimming straight into it only on one leg of each 1.2 mile loop. I was really happy with my sighting, stayed very straight, warily eyeing the occasional swimmer who looked completely lost. People who can’t sight, or just don’t, irritate me because they are unpredictable. One guy kept shadowing me and finally decided to turn left – directly into me. Unfortunately he got cussed heavily until he apologized. He didn’t know he crashed into my already broken thumb, or that he caused me to have a severe calf cramp… I had been trying to get away from him for 10 minutes already. Otherwise it was a perfect swim.

T1 – 7:54
I didn’t plan on a fast transition – good thing. I knew I could not sit aero for 6+ hours in my tri-suit, so I planned to change into bike shorts and jersey with big pockets for all my food. Between changing clothes, socks, using ear drops, staggering about, it took forever. But my heart rate never went down. I figure that is what matters; I was still racing. DeSoto wetsuit again is awesome, 20 seconds to get off.

Bike 112.8 miles 6:56
Avg 16.1 mpg
I spent much of the ride averaging 17mph (according to my bike computer), but between the multiple toilet stops, delirium, cycling through rain and river, giving away my bike tube, my average plummeted. In general I was way slow; I averaged 20.6mph at Reston. Oh well. This was certainly the most money I have ever spent for the honor of riding my bike all alone, in rain, at times feeling completely lost. But it was a great race, I never did get lost, there were bottle exchange/toilet stations quite often. All you had to do was ride the bike. Huge wide shoulders, often completely empty roads. The first loop through the Blackwater Wildlife Refuge I saw an eagle, and I loved watching the colors of the marsh change with the light/dark of the sky. But the second loop through I just wanted it to end.

Since the high tide was higher than expected, the marsh flooded the road, so there was a 2 mile section covered in water (salt water). Covered intermittently the first loop with 2-8 inches of water, and completely covered for the second loop. As I plowed through the water, filling my shoes, shorts, I watched large schools of little menhaden fish darting across the road. Not often you see schools of fish passing under your front tire when you ride your bike down the road.

My lovely bike got special treatment after the race: a shower and rub down in the hotel tub. Good Kuota.

I managed to stay aero for the entire 112 miles, but I had to get into a routine of sitting up and stretching my back about every 30 minutes. One calf cramped for about half the ride, so I will be working more stretching into my workouts. The tendinitis in my shoulder gave me agony for about the first 60 miles, and then was better.

I seem to have done really well with nutrition, I drank too much in the beginning and had to stop a lot. But, I started with a plan of a gel every 30-45 minutes, alternating with cliff bars and peanut butter crackers. I never was hungry or weak, never became desperate for real food, and my last 2 hours I rode stronger and faster than the whole ride. I really wanted off the bike by then.

Now that I have done 2/3rd of an Ironman distance race, and I realize I could have done the whole thing, although I’m not sure I want to… I was able to run with the kids after the race; surprised to find that my legs still worked. My muscles are tight, but I have not had any soreness since the race. I must have done something right.

Things to work on for next time:
Faster transition, stop less often, more speed/distance.