This last weekend was the Toughman 70.3 Tri in Chisago, and what a day it was! This race was actually my very first 70.3 distance race last year, and I was incredibly excited to make a triumphant return to this course in 2017.
I was especially excited since I came into this race last year under some not so stellar conditions. I had a brutal DNF at Liberty, and then rolled right into a cancelled swim and shortened course at Ironman Racine just one week prior. Those were my first two attempts at a 70.3 distance, and by the time I got Chisago I was exhausted both mentally and physically.
But 2017 is the year of Erin, and you better believe I had been doing every thing in my power to make sure that I was ready to give this course hell. While Ironman Madison is my ultimate A race for the year, I had my sights set on a PR for Chisago. I have even recently gone so far as to cut processed sugar out of my diet as a step into the more "healthy" and "no more dinosaur chicken nuggets" type of lifestyle. However, let the record state I still miss strawberry frozen yogurt and SMore's pop tarts and all things delicious. But luckily enough for me, I have included Uncrustables into my long course bike training. So, long story short, I found a very delicious and very sugary loophole in my diet. Queue menacing laugh....
Back to race day. It was a beautiful morning on Sunday, and conditions could not have been more perfect. The water was calm, and extremely warm. So warm that it was no longer wetsuit legal. Which to me was not a surprise, since last year it was the exact same scenario. Getting in the water was like stepping into a warm bath. Except with the addition of an aggressive amount of weeds. Like I spent a solid quarter mile of the swim with a giant weed stuck on my timing chip. I like to think that was the reason my swim was a bit slower than expected at 41:00.
The bike course is relatively flat on the first portion, so I made sure to take advantage of that speed right away. The course was clogged up with all the Sprint race participants, so it was hard to dial it back those first few miles out. I had the urge to race some, ok, all of the people I saw, but had to remind myself several times that I had 30 more miles to go than they did and that I should calm the f down.
I made it back in at 3:06, which was a significant PR from my bike portion last year. I was elated going into transition. I think I completely floated through T2, which showed because I was in and out of there in 1:03!
As I made my way out of the switchback and onto the run course I felt amazing. So good that I was clipping along at sub 7:00 the first mile. Which I knew was WAY too fast out of the gate, so I dialed it back right away. I was trying to hold onto 8:00 minute miles, which I had no problem doing on the front half. I had a some crazy positive energy that came with me those first few miles. I had a decent swim, I crushed my time on the bike, and my legs were feeling good off the bike.
I do have a theory that my run started so well because I had the support of my very fast, and very enthusiastic friend, Miss Nicole Heininger there to support me after she raced and absolutely CRUSHED the Sprint course. Seriously, Nicole is such an inspiration. When I grow up I want to be as fast as her on the bike. I count myself lucky to have met this awesome and badass woman. Her and Nicole Kilgo are the coolest Nicoles I've encountered in my 32 years. :)
I really have gained a pretty fantastic group of friends through this sport, and every race is a testament to how great the Minnesota Tri community is.
Back to the run. As I rounded the last corner in the neighborhoods, heading back into the finish line, I thought about how grateful I was to be out there. Not only was I having a great day, but I was with the people I love and getting to do the sport that makes me happier than anything on the planet. BUT WAIT GUYS, THE BEST PART OF MY DAY WAS ABOUT TO HAPPEN. As I was starting to feel like the wheels were coming off, a super majestic golden retriever came tearing through one of the yards and ran right up to me. And he was so sweet and so excited to see all of us runners out there. So, of course, I stopped and pet that adorable doggo, and got the endorphin boost I needed. Also, one of the aid stations had grape Freeze-Es, which once it got to almost 90 degrees, was a fricking life saver. While nothing about that run really ever felt easy, it was legitimately one of the funnest races I have ever done.
With a finishing time of 5:35 and a 40 minute PR under my belt, I now felt my confidence coming back as I approach the last few weeks into Ironman Madison. Sometimes all it takes is a day of going out there and having fun to really see how succesful I can be when I put my mind to it.
Or maybe the secret to my success is Grape Freez-E's and puppers.
Next stop. Madison.