San Diego Century, 2014

Three weeks before the Oceanside 70.3 I broke my foot.  Six weeks later the doctor cleared me for activities, but I had to ease into running. 

Okay, but I was cleared to bike, so resume I did!

That takes us to the San Diego Century.  105 miles and 6100 feet of climbing, so says the event information page.

My friend, Sugarmagnolia, was doing it.  It was her first century.  Her previous longest bike ride?  80 miles three weeks ago as part of her preparation.

When I met her, she biked only because she wanted to do triathlons, and biking was part of it.  She hated hills like nobody ever hated hills before.  I suggested repeats once.  I can’t print the response I got, but the PG version is why would anyone do that?

But I think the bike has grown on her.  Not unlike running has grown on me.  So, she signed up for the century.  And as it worked out, I agreed to ride with her and encourage her along the route for the day.

At the start I also met her friends D&G.  It was their first century too. 

The early morning was promising with cool temperatures, and cloud cover.  Even a hint of fog as we rolled out of Encinitas and into the rolling hills toward inland Carlsbad, Vista, San Marcos, and Escondido.  I was happy to see the mile 18 aid station.  I guess I pre-hydrated properly!  Sugar was doing great, and in good spirits.  You can see her ride report here.

< Churning up Paseo Delicious near El Montvideo>

Cruising along we flew down Del Dios Highway and hit the mile 30 aid station.  Topped off the bottles.  We were still under overcast skies and delightful temperatures.  The bikes were mechanically sound, and we all felt good, as we exited the aid station and headed up the “Three Witches”  I took Sugar on this climb as part of a route about a year and a half ago.  We stopped at every one of the mini-peaks and she yelled at me.  How much has she improved?  We hit Camino Del Sur, and she is laughing at the once vaunted and scary witches.  The witch is dead, long live the witch.

Camino Del Sur meanders into Camino Del Norte and its endless rollers.  Up, down, up, down.  So nice of the route to soften up the legs before the climb up Scripps Poway Parkway (SPP).

Cruising down Pomerado we hit the mile 43 aid station.  This would be Sugar’s favorite of the day as her family met her there.  After that, it was up SPP.  Fine time for the skies to clear, the sun to come out in full force, so bright you had to squint with sun glasses.  Fine time for the temperature to go up 20 degrees.  Yes, fine indeed, as we began the ~2 mile ascent.  Sweat dripping off me and pelting the top tube of my blue Roubaix as if a rain shower had begun.  Carnage all over the hill as I lost count of the number of people walking up.  It was well over a dozen.  I looked over my shoulder and could see the once flatlander, chugging up the hill with a determined look.  She reached the summit not long after I did, with just one question.  Why did it have to get so BLEEPING hot?  I had no answer, but Hwy 67 beckoned our attention, so off to Ramona we go. 

67 is mostly uphill to Mt Woodson.  Sugar, are we at the top yet?  Me, no.  Sugar, why not?  How much longer?  How soon to the lunch stop?  Me- about 9 miles.  Sugar: BLEEP!  Sugar: Will they have soda.  A soda sounds good.  Me: I don’t remember, but a lot of rides do at the lunch stop.

Finally Mt. Woodson, and the descent into the Ramona valley.  Sugar made the observation that if we descended into Ramona we would be climbing back out of it.  I confirmed she was right.  BLEEP!!

We get to the aid station at mile 63.  Mediocre (at best) sandwiches.  No soda. (BLEEP) and….they were out of sports drink. That is inexcusable!  The poor volunteers looked dumbfounded as to why they were not supplied with enough sports drink.  How does an event in its EIGHTH YEAR not have the planning to have enough sports drink at its furthest point from the start, and the point where virtually all the 105 mile riders would need and want refills?  I wonder if these people ever participated in an event?  How does that happen?  Oh, and by the way, since we are paying to ride, break down and get bottled water.  San Diego tap water tastes like crap.   In short, a big thank you to the volunteers, they were great.  And a grade of D to the ride organizers for under-supplied, poor aid stations.

Out of the aid station I told Sugar I knew there was a little grocery store on 67 about 5-6 miles away, so we stopped there, got some proper food,  sports drink, and a soda.  Ahhhh. 

Fueled up for the climb out of the Ramona valley.  Then the fun descent down 67.  Just before SPP I had a first for me.  While in my seven plus years as a cyclist I have had the occasional driver yell at me, I never had one yell F**K YOU out of a truck window, going the opposite way on a highway.  Stay classy lady. 

Down SPP: WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE.  9% grade downhill!!  (I did control the downhill speed, my max was just 42 MPH)

We hit the mile 83 stop, picked Sugar’s friend D back up (my friend too, now) and the three of us headed for the finish.  Of course, five miles later I had the obligatory puncture.  I told them to go, I would catch up, but they didn’t leave until I was putting the wheel back on.  They took a breather!  There were some struggles, especially on the uphills, but as the finish got closer and closer spirits were picking up.  Soon enough I pointed to the college and the Finish banner.  Hugs and tears, and celebration.  My friend is now a century rider.  Through the good, bad, and ugly of the day, props to her for adhering to rule #5 when needed.  And kudos, not finding a flat boring course, but tackling the purple monster and well over 6,100 feet of gain.  My Garmin showed 6,188.  Hers showed over 8,000!  Either way, it is a hilly and challenging route.

Bike:

Specialized Roubaix Expert

50/34 crankset

11-28 cassette

Continental 4000S tires

Williams SX30 wheels

Nutrition:

Sun Rype fruit bars

PB&Js

Water

Sports drink

Coke Zero

Peanut M&Ms 

My (non) IM 70.3 California Oceanside Race Report

I would love to start this blog by telling you how I got to transition in the morning; set up, and headed out for a swim. 

I would love to write about a chilly but strong swim, and exiting with or near a PR swim, cruising through transition and onto the bike. 

I would love to write about a better bike than last year, which was pretty good by my standards, another cruise through transition and onto the run course 

And I would love to be gleeful as to a new PR run, showing all the extra emphasis I had put into my running was paying off. 

But, none of this happened.  In fact, I didn’t even start the race.  You see three weeks ago, as I headed out for my peak 12 mile run I had some bad luck. 

Just 500 yards or so in, my left foot landed on a rock and rolled.  I stumbled but maintained my balance.   After a couple of minutes I tried to run.  I went between ¼ and 1/3 of a mile.  Just when I thought I got lucky, a sharp shooting pain in my foot.  Of course I tried again and got about 6 strides before it happened again. 

By the time I got home, I had what looked like half a tennis ball on the top of my left foot. 

After a trip to the orthopedist, I was diagnosed with a non-displaced fracture of the cuboid bone.  You can see the x-rays here. 

So it’s an air-cast, and crutches.  The doctor cleared me to swim with a pull buoy and no walls, but that is about it. 

However, I still came out to the race.  You see I had more invested in this race than just myself. 

My friend Sugarmagnolia asked me to help her with her training.  So I became “coach.”  Now she has done several triathlons, and one 70.3 (Superfrog), but never with a defined training plan. 

So I created the skeleton of her plan, and sent her each week’s workouts one to two weeks out, so I could adjust the workouts based on progress, results, and her life needs.  She has a really busy life, see her blog. 

I also had another friend racing, Andrea, doing her first 70.3.  She prepared herself for the race, but I did give her an outline of a training plan.  And I met with her almost every Sunday morning for open water swims, or on rare occasion when we had rain, we swam at the pool. 

I can’t begin to tell you how much I wanted these two to have a great day, how much I wanted them to succeed.  How hard I was rooting for them. 

I met up with Sugar’s family, we saw her come in off the bike.  We applauded, yelled, and cheered.  Of course, I went into coach mode.  Make it a FAST transition.  Don’t get a manicure, GO!  (She did good, and before I knew it we saw her coming back out on the run) 

We saw her again around the half way mark of the run.  She said she didn’t want to do another loop.  I can’t print what I yelled out this time.; but most of you have heard the expression HTFU.  Magnify that!  Then, we saw her again.  Finishing.  Smiling.  Success! 

All the while I was using athlete tracker.  Andrea had gone through mile 26.4 on the bike strong.  But I was concerned as I didn’t see her come off the bike, and tracker didn’t show her in indicating I missed her.  And how does one miss a hot pink helmet? 

Right around the time Sugar was half way through the run, I got a text from Andrea that she pulled out at mile 45 of the bike with issues including dizziness that would have made riding 11 miles a risk.  She was in good spirits and came down and rooted for Sugar with us. 

Overall, I am very proud of both of them.  Knowing not just the training and effort that went into this, but all that was going on in their lives during the training and all the life challenges, they did great.  Their names are linked to their blogs.  Both will do race recaps as well, and they are good writers, so check them out!  I have a new respect for those that coach many athletes.  You really become invested in your athletes.  You feel their pain, anguish, and rejoice in their success.  It is harder than racing, because you have ZERO control on race day. 

Thank you Sugar, and Andrea for allowing me to assist you in this journey.  You guys are awesome. 

As for me, cheering is stressful and hard.  I really would rather be racing.  Hopeful that the foot gets better and I am on the start line at IMAZ in November.  With maybe a short one or two locally in the summer so I can toe the line and get the race juices flowing.