Team News

After Success Comes Setback, After Setback Comes Resilience and Strength

August 30th, 2015 by Team OAM NOW / Athletic Mentors

By Elaine Sheikh, Team OAM Now Triathlete

IMG_0827Triathlon is a sport dominated by “Type A” individuals. As a whole, we are very precise people. We can spout off our 500 time for yards and meters; we can give you not only our 5K and 10K PRs, but those of our friends and competitors, VO2 max on the bike, and max heartrates for our individual sports without stopping to think. We are extremely particular about our item placement in transition. We have our ritualistic pre-race dinners and breakfasts. We like to have plans and be prepared,  but ultimately, external factors greatly affect the outcome of a race. It can be 40 degrees and raining at a triathlon in June, then 95 degrees and humid at one in July. There are circumstances you just can’t prepare for. In every race, something will not go according to plan. Triathlon is a sport that requires adaptation to succeed.

I was toeing the start line at the Detroit Tri U25 EDR one week after a successful weekend at USAT Nationals. It was to be my first draft legal race, and I was excited to compete in such a strong field of women. The top three finishers would receive pro cards that day.  I fully anticipated finishing towards the back of the pack, but all I really wanted was to race hard and well enough to avoid being lapped out. In draft legal races, the bike leg takes place on a multi-loop course and if you are passed by the race leaders, you are to dismount your bike and make your way back to transition. You are not allowed to finish the race.

IMG_0826The swim was non-wetsuit, but I was not the last person out of the water, despite being pretty far off the back of the pack. On the bike, I quickly caught one woman, but she was unable to hold my wheel, so I lost hope of being able to work with her. I worked as hard as I could on the bike, and knew that I was not in danger of being lapped. When I went to dismount my bike, however, I realized I was incredibly dizzy. I nearly tripped as I dismounted, but caught myself with my bike. I headed out on the run course, but disaster struck immediately. My breathing was completely out of control and my vision was foggy. My chest was tight and I knew I was hyperventilating. I have hyperventilated in races before and knew that if I could slow down and get some deep breaths, I would probably be okay. This time though, my dizziness and the darkness rushing in from the edges of my field of vision caused me to stop completely.

I remember sitting down on the side of the course (and, like a true data addict, somehow I stopped my watch as well).  Then a volunteer was screaming and the next thing I knew I was on my back with a bunch of people standing over me shoving ice in my tri suit.  I started gagging and they rolled me on my side. I couldn’t open my eyes and my breathing was still out of control. As soon as I could talk, I started begging to finish my race. The medics would have none of it, though. I hadn’t been lapped out. My body just gave out.

I had never had a DNF in a triathlon before that day. A DNF was not part of my plan. Although I frequently doubt the quality of my performance, I never doubt that I will finish a race. Sometimes, though, it isn’t up to you.  So, what do you do in a situation like that?  Well, I for one will try again. Sure, my confidence is shaken. No one likes their race to be out of their control,  but I plan to race again this weekend. And the thought of a DNF will not cross my mind.

I will not doubt my ability to finish.  I cannot allow myself to do so. Triathletes are not just Type A people. They are strong. They are resilient. They can endure. And they never give up.


From Off-road to Olympic Triathlon- Kippen Places 2nd in Age Group at Traverse City Tri

August 27th, 2015 by Team OAM NOW / Athletic Mentors

By Roxane Kippen, Team OAM Now Triathlete

tc tri_bike courseNorthern Michigan has some of the most beautiful triathlon race venues in the state, with crystal clear waters and rolling, tree-lined roads. After experiencing the beauty of Harbor Springs last year at the Little Traverse Triathlon, I was determined to race another event “up north”.  I had the opportunity to compete in my first Olympic Distance road triathlon at the Traverse City Triathlon. The race begins with a 1500 meter swim in Bowers Harbor, on the crisp, clean waters of the West Arm of Grand Traverse Bay. It continues with a challenging 40 km bike course covering both the east and west coasts of the Old Mission Peninsula. Finally, the race finishes with a 10 km run that combines pavement, a dirt road, a little bit of trail, and a grassy field.

My primary focus is off-road triathlon, which involves a swim, mountain bike ride, and trail run, but the duration of my races range from under 2 hours up to 5 hours, depending on the course.  The fact that I had never done an Olympic distance road triathlon did not worry me too much; however, I did have to make some estimates to anticipate how much fuel I would need to carry and consume during the race. I estimated best case 2 hours 40 minutes and worst case 2 hours 45 minutes, with the big unknown being the bike. I had ridden my road bike a whopping ONE time this year, but I generally get one or two 90 minute mountain bike rides in per week, so I felt I was prepared for the 25-mile, hilly course. My run training was not really robust enough for a strong 10K, but I knew I could at least cover the distance.

trtri_cabin-3I was able to get a restful night’s sleep at Timber Ridge Resort before the race.  I had originally booked a campsite and planned on tenting it, but with temps near 90, I asked at the check in desk if there were any cabins available and luckily there was a cancellation, so I got to sleep peacefully in an air-conditioned cabin. There are nearly 400 camping sites at the resort and my cabin number ended up being the same as my race bib: #329. I took it as a sign of good things to come.

Race morning was warm with a fairly strong wind from the south, which created a challenging swim with pretty big rollers. The rough swim, coupled with a course that was about 100 meters on the long side, put me several minutes over where I anticipated my swim time. Then, the bike course included a couple of 10%+ grade climbs which left me climbing out of the saddle in granny gear! The winds from the south provided a steady headwind down the east side of the peninsula, and a slight tailwind on the return up the west side. Despite the conditions, I finished the bike almost exactly where I had estimated. I haven’t been doing much brick training, so I was unsure how the transition to running was going to go.  The first 3 miles of the run were along the coast of the bay on nice flat pavement and were mostly shaded. An aid station was like an oasis on the run as the temps continued to climb. I welcomed the breeze. Miles 4 and 5 of the run turned to dirt roads and trails with no breeze. The final, brutal uphill mile was back on pavement with no shade and felt like a death march.  I really felt like I had tanked my run after starting out the first half with a good pace.

 

tctri_finishAt the end of the day, I finished my first Olympic distance triathlon in 2 hours 49 minutes. This placed me 7th overall for the women and 2nd in my age group and I couldn’t be more thrilled. My swim ranking was my normal top 25% of the women’s field. My bike ranking was 8th in the women’s field on a road bike vs many on time trial bikes. And, surprisingly, the run I thought I tanked was my best position, ranking 7th in the women’s field. I am also happy to have posted the fastest transition times among the women and 3rd fastest of both men and women. Check out my blog on transition for tips on improving yours.  This race got me wanting to do another triathlon before the season is up, so I may tackle the Reeds Lake Triathlon for the first time in 5 years.

 


Kathy Braginton Redefines Personal Best While Taking 1st Overall at Girl’s Best Friend Olympic Tri

August 26th, 2015 by Team OAM NOW / Athletic Mentors

By Kathy Braginton, Team OAM Now Triathlete

When most of us think of the term Personal Record (PR) , also known as Personal Best (PB), we think of recording our “Best Time” in a race. In search of a PR, I signed my sister and me up for Athletic Mentor’s Triathlete Custom Training Plan Clinic last March. We walked away with a complete training schedule for our goal race, Girl’s Best Friend.  We chose Girl’s Best Friend as our goal Olympic distance race because the swim is 1000 meters (shorter than a traditional Oly). We followed the training plan, as written to the best of our abilities, even if it meant hitting the pavement at 4 AM.

On race day, we were ready! 11896010_10205919168637145_6679610249602432447_rI have raced Girl’s Best Friend every year since its existence and introduced my sister and many others to the world of multisport at this race. The sprint distance brings many first timers. I enjoy giving assistance in the transition and helping calm the pre-race nerves of others. Unfortunately, I have to be honest when they ask how bad the weeds are in the lake. The first 100 meters are very thick and several times I felt it was difficult to take a full stroke. However, the bike course at this race is one of my favorites…..flat and fast!

I had a great race!  I was 5th after the swim, 1st after the bike, and was able to extend my lead throughout the run. As I crossed the finished line, capturing my first ever win in an Olympic distance race, I was thrilled.  I looked up at the race clock, knowing I had given it my all, and expected to see that PR I had in my mind for the last 6 months. It was hard to hide that initial wave of disappointment when I realized I did not have my “best time” from the previous year.

To have a PR at a triathlon, you have to assume the race course will be exactly the same from year to year. The swim course will be set the same. The buoys will be securely placed and will not be moving targets. The bike and run courses will be the same distance. The head winds will be light and the roads will be dry. You will be able to navigate the bike course without worry of motorized vehicles. You won’t have to change a flat tire. I could go on and on.
Photo Aug 15-2So, I took a step back to annualize what a PR really meant. The completion of Girl’s Best Friends marked my 48th triathlon and I realized I am setting a PR every time I cross that finish line! I finished 1st overall and my sister was 5th overall, a PR from our overall placement of 2nd and 9th a year ago, but that was where the obvious PRs ended. I had to analyze the data from my Garmin for each leg in search of more. Comparing the swims, I was 30 seconds faster than last year. However, my Garmin showed the swim distance was a little shorter than last year. So, we’ll say I swam the same….no PR. Initial review of the bike times showed I was 4 minutes slower than last year. The bike course is a 2 loop course for Oly distance with a stretch of out and back on each loop. Analyzing the results further, I found the bike course this year was 2 miles longer, but my average pace was actually faster than last year….PR!  The run course is a 2 loop course for Oly with a mix of trail and paved roads. On the first loop, I noticed there was an added stretch of road that we had not run in years past.  This resulted in the run being about ¼ mile longer than last year.  Again, I found my average pace was actually faster than last year….PR! But in the end, after all that data crunching, I decided that what really mattered was knowing I had given it my personal best and any time I can race with my sister, I have my “best time” in a race .


Sheikh and Reynolds Post PRs and Earn Place on Team USA at USAT Age Group Nationals

August 25th, 2015 by Team OAM NOW / Athletic Mentors

By Elaine Sheikh, Team OAM Now Triathlete,

IMG_1354One week prior to USAT Age Group Nationals in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, I found myself facing some complications. First of all, I was headed to the emergency room in the middle of the night with acute abdominal pain indicative of either a) the onset of gastroparesis, a condition that nearly killed me in 2011, or b) appendicitis, which would require surgery. In either case, I was well aware that my ability to race the next weekend was in jeopardy. However, the doctors were unable to find anything wrong, and as my symptoms resolved to random bouts of dizziness, nausea, and gastric cramping throughout the week, I decided to race. Secondly, my plans for carpooling and sharing a hotel had fallen through. I contacted teammate Brian Reynolds to see if I could possibly carpool with him, and he graciously agreed. Friday morning, then, we met bright and early, picked up Brian’s dad, and headed to Milwaukee. I had no idea how well I would be able to race, but I was certainly ready to give it my best shot!

We arrived in Milwaukee with plenty of time to pick up our packets, check our bikes into transition, and go for a quick 2.5 mile run to loosen up after a long day in the car. Then we met up with a friend of mine from Michigan State Triathlon and her family to get our pre-race pasta dinner.
The next morning, we needed to get to transition at 6:30 am, despite the fact that Brian’s wave was at 9:02 and mine was 10:12. We walked to the race venue, then I quickly lost contact with Brian. I found a couple of friends from the MSU triathlon team, and we laid around under a tree to relax until around 9:30.

IMG_1340As usual in Milwaukee, the swim starts with a countdown, followed by the statement: “You are now in the hands of the starter” and a heartbeat sound effect blared over the speaker system. The heartbeat made my heart sink and a rock settle in my stomach every time it played, so when I was in the water with my hand on the pontoon, I was prepared for the sensation. The heartbeat seemed to play much longer for my wave than it had for previous waves, but eventually the starting horn blew and I let go of the pontoon and shoved my way into the melee of over 100 women, attempting to sprint towards the first buoy. The problem with having so many women line up in one row was that when I started to swim, I was actually crawling over other women. With each “stroke,” instead of slicing through the water, I was actually pushing off the shoulders and backs of the women around me. Soon though, I was actually swimming and tried to settle into a good pattern of breathing and sighting. After swimming under the famous bridge that forced everyone to funnel in together to pass, the swim wasn’t bad and soon I was sighting the beach. I came out of the water hot on the heels of a friend from MSU, and breathlessly gave some encouragement as I ran past her… and promptly slipped and fell on the wet grass turning into transition. I bit back a frustrated yelp and continued trying to get my arms free of the wetsuit. Still, my transition wasn’t overly clumsy and once I hit the bike course, I was ready to rock and roll.

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Anthes Takes First at Caseville Tri- Thanks to Positive Attitude

August 20th, 2015 by Team OAM NOW / Athletic Mentors

By Todd Anthes, Team OAM Now Triathlete

DSC_7767Some say the fourth discipline in triathlon is nutrition. While I can’t totally disagree, I’d argue that the fourth discipline can be a positive attitude. Racing includes a lot of variables, including some that can derail a good, even great, performance. How you deal with those possibilities makes the difference.

In the bike leg of the Caseville Half Iron Distance race on July 12, 2015, I could tell that I was in fifth or sixth place. I had an unremarkable swim and was counting places at the Olympic and half turn-arounds (it was an out-and-back course). It appeared that there was one male athlete so far out in front (e.g. 25+ minutes), that catching him would be impossible. I thought maybe this was an Olympic athlete off-course, or possibly a relay team with a *really* strong swimmer.Regardless,  I decided that catching him was not achievable, and instead, I focused on those who were.

I moved up a number of places on the bike and transitioned well. The out-and-back run course was completely exposed to the sun and, for the most part, made up of straight-aways on country roads, a majority of them dirt. Because I train a lot on dirt roads, it felt like home. Even that small comfort helped keep me feeling good.

From almost the get-go of the run, I could see four runners in front of me, spanning a little less than an mile. I knew with how I felt, second place overall was clearly within my abilities. I started to pick off runners slowly, and by the turn-around I was in third place. About the time I passed the second place athlete, shortly after the turn-around, I noted a hard charging athlete. He probably couldn’t catch me, but one never knows.

Now in second place, I began to settle into the idea that was my limitation that day . . . then, all of a sudden, an athlete flew by me.  It shocked me, and given his pace, I couldn’t even give chase. And this is where races get tough. It’s easy to start feeling sorry for yourself, and begin to wonder things like, will that hard charging athlete catch me and knock me off the podium and other negative things. However, I did note that when the athlete passed me, he did not have race markings, a race number, or a chip.

I powered through my little funk and maintained my target pace.  The last couple miles of the run were going to be really hard as my calves were starting to cramp.  The run course was not well supported with water and I could tell I was becoming dehydrated.

With about a mile to go, I came upon an athlete very quickly, and not the one that just passed me a few miles back, but the one who was way out in front of the field on the bike.  He was not looking well and I think he cooked the bike to such a degree that he was having a difficult run. With that little boost and a short distance to go, I was resigned to taking second place and finishing this race.

FullSizeRenderAs I started to enter more populated areas near the finish, I began to take in signs that maybe I was the race leader. Sure enough, when approached the finishing line the announcer welcomed me as the winner.  I had an inkling that it might be the case, but had let significant doubts enter my mind.

While relaxing in the great ice bath and huge inflatable tent provided by the race organizer, Tri to Finish, I watched the top of the field cross the finish line. The guy I passed right after the turn-around held on for second.  The hard charging runner I noted climbed onto the last stop on the podium. The uber biker who was 25+ minutes out in front on the bike took fourth.  And then I saw the athlete that passed me on the run. He was chatting up one of the top five or ten athletes. In fact, he was his friend. I’m hoping that his little display on the course was not dirty pool, but regardless, it is a reminder that a lot of things happen on the race course and it is how you deal with them that often determines your day.

You have days when racing where things happen that are completely outside of your control (e.g., weather, better performing athletes, dropping nutrition/water, digestive issues, etc.), but how you choose to address those issues are clearly within your control.  It’s quite easy to fall into a poor mental state and count your problems until they become an anchor. But, if you continue to trust yourself, your training, or whatever else lifts you up, good things will happen. Have faith in the process and in the race and know that the triathlon often requires more than physical training.


Stretching Advice from an OAM Master

August 19th, 2015 by Team OAM NOW / Athletic Mentors

By Jonathan Morgan, Team OAM Now Cyclist

photo (8)After 38 years of competition where I remained relatively unscathed, I unfortunately had a serious injury during the Noquemenon Ski Marathon last winter. I would have bet strongly that a serious injury requiring surgery would come as a result of a bike racing crash, but not Nordic skiing…a beautiful, enthralling sport where there is nothing to fall on but soft snow. Right?  Unfortunately, I found a way to crash at a high speed, on some odd bumps, pitch both forward and back, and eventually do a sort of split that resulted in severed hamstring tendons…and a left leg that didn’t work in one direction.  Fortunately, we have some great resources as athletes representing a group of Orthopedic surgeons, so after surgery I’ve recovered almost to 100% and I can rightfully claim to be a “master” in this area of sport.

Now the rest of the story, and the first key point:  As we age, our muscles stay very strong even as Masters athletes…similar to a 20 year old’s muscles.  However, our tendons age and stiffen.  This  combination of power and stiffness leads to an increased risk of injuries like torn ACLs and ruptured Achilles tendons, or crazy ones like a hamstring avulsion (separation from the bone) that can end our ability to do what we love. Fortunately, there are relatively easy solutions with a little extra attention that can prolong our careers and avoid these serious injuries.

Second key point:  Stretching is critical. Warm muscles and tendons are part of the stretching process. Following surgery and recovery, I started spinning on a bike with little resistance, then moved on to PT in a sport specific clinic. Each session began with 15 minutes of sitting on a towel wrapped around a sack of special clay that had been heated – the heat was so intense after 5 minutes that I often needed to shift position or add a layer of towel to reduce the heat, but the result was a very warm thigh and glut muscle that were ready for warm-up and stretching. Stretching consisted of only about 10 minutes of specific actions, but the result of warm muscles, properly stretched, was an incredible feeling of looseness and power once effort or resistance was introduced.

Third key point: How do we replicate 15 minutes of heat on a muscle and  10 minutes of stretching followed by a warm-up period before starting training or a race? I wanted that “loose, relaxed” feeling from the heat and stretch and discovered a way that is likely available to many of us – heated car seats.  The PT told me that one of the biggest instances of hamstring, Achilles, and ACL injuries results from those older athletes who sit all day in an office setting, jump in a car (more sitting), followed by arrival at a training ride or race where we jump immediately on the bike, skis, or run without any proper warm-up or stretching. Year round, if your vehicle is equipped with heated seats, I strongly recommend that you turn them on and sit on the heat for 10-15 minutes, especially if you are an older or “tighter” athlete.  It sounds terrible, but even on a hot summer day, the heat on your hamstrings and leg muscles really doesn’t feel bad with a little wind or AC in the car.  Upon arrival, a short stretching session followed by a brief spin on the bike or a walk before a run or ski, will significantly reduce the risk of an injury.  This is a way to use a somewhat common feature on many cars to reduce injury.  For those without seat heat, at least be aware that stretching and a slow warm-up before max effort can save you a lot of grief and a potentially career ending injury.

I have been blessed to be naturally flexible and stretched the morning before the injury  AND was well warmed-up, but I did not apply any heat. Heat is an added layer of protection from injury, so use those seat heaters if you have them, not just after the race for the endomorphin laced drive home, but to assure you get that chance to drive home instead of to the emergency room. Please note that you can also purchase heat seaters that plug right into the car (cigarette lighter/adapter) and it just might be a great $30 to spend. Stay warm, stretch, and stay injury free. Happy riding, skiing, running….


Patterson Takes First Women, Vanias Takes 11th Overall at Ore to Shore

August 18th, 2015 by Team OAM NOW / Athletic Mentors

By Alex Vanias, Team OAM Now Multi-sport Athlete

20150808_202830Ore to Shore is one of the classic mountain bike races featuring a 48-mile course covering the rocky terrain from Negaunee to Marquette, Michigan. The race always draws a stacked field and both Kaitlyn Patterson and I selected it as a priority race to test ourselves against some of the best riders in the Midwest.

Our training the week leading up to the race was disrupted by the significant storm damage to the Traverse City area that blocked the VASA trail with hundreds of downed trees.  Some usual training time was instead spent clearing trails and finishing building Kaitlyn’s new race wheels.
A steady light rain on Friday settled the usual dust on the racecourse, but it also created some significant muddy areas scattered along the course.  The rain cleared by the morning and Kaitlyn and I were joined by Terry Ritter and Chris Abston on the start line in Negaunee.
I had a strong start and was riding comfortably with the leaders until a slow tire leak forced me to stop just before the infamous “Misery Hill.” Fortunately, I was prepared by carrying a Fast Air tire sealant can, but the 90 second interruption was enough to lose the leaders. The remainder of the race was a mad chase in the attempt to catch that lead group. I was able to make up several places and finished 11thoverall in a strong field. I was disappointed I didn’t get a chance to see what I was capable of because of my mechanical, especially because my past several Ore to Shore races have been plagued with technical issues as well.
20150808_195000Meanwhile, Kaitlyn was battling for the win against Mindy McCutcheon of Salt Lake City. The two of them were clear of the other female racers after Misery Hill and raced together the second half of the race. Kaitlyn realized Mindy was too strong to drop on the climbs and Kaitlyn had little experience with tactical finishes. Both attacked multiple times, but were ultimately unable to shake the competition.  Mindy was driving the pace in the final miles into Marquette, but Kaitlyn was right on her wheel.  After the final bend, Kaitlyn sprinted for the line in a photo finish for the win. Nobody knew who had taken the win until the video was reviewed and Kaitlyn was determined the winner!  Both of us thought she might have the horsepower to manage a podium finish at Ore to Shore, but a sprint finish victory was an unexpected and exciting culmination to the weekend.
20150808_200549Chris Abston rolled in 53rd overall after riding with the same group with Kaitlyn for much of the race.  Terry cracked the top 100 with 99th overall.  OAM newcomer Kathy Braginton was the first female fatbike across in the shorter Soft Rock race in her first mountain bike race ever.  Overall, another impressive day for OAM at a great event!

Kippen Sets Course Record at Dirty Burg 10K

July 31st, 2015 by Team OAM NOW / Athletic Mentors

By Roxane Kippen, Team OAM Now Triathlete

DB1The Dirty Burg  Trail Run took place on what started out as a cool sunny morning at the Cannonsburg Ski Area. It is the summer event put out by Switchback Endurance, the race directors of the very popular spring and winter trail races at Yankee Springs State Recreation Area. The Dirty Burg offers 5K, 10K, 20K and 50K trail races and punishes runners with a finish up and back down the ski hill on every lap. Sounds fun, right?

Being an off-road triathlete, I do most of my running on trails, so a trail race is a nice motivator to get me out for a hard run. I have participated in several of the Switchback Endurance races in the past so I was confident that a well-managed event was in store at The Dirty Burg. Race directors Kim Owens and Phil Stapert did not disappoint and provided a well marked, challenging course for a mid-July tune up.

Fortunately, I only had to race one 10K loop and had to tackle the steep run walk up the face of the ski hill and clambering decent down once.  It blew my mind that some racers were doing that up to 5 times for the longer races.  It was even more mind blowing when I was half way through my measly one lap race, and the leader of the 50K race, on his 5th and final lap, blew by me on the trail like I was standing still.  The only part of the race where I was actually almost standing still was half way up the ski hill, when I could no longer muster what looked like a run.

The start times for each distance were staggered which allowed for a very rare race day with no alarm clock necessary for me.  This beats a 4am wakeup call for a triathlon any day!  The 10K trail race started at 9am and temps were in the low 60s with relatively low humidity.  It doesn’t get much better than that for the middle of the summer.  The field was pretty small, so I decided I needed to go out hard and see if I had any challengers in the women’s field.  I’d either pull someone along with me or put a discouraging enough gap on the others that they wouldn’t bother trying to work their way back to me in the latter part of the race.  The trail begins ascending immediately upon entry to the single track and goes straight up for about a ½ mile before reaching the top.  That part of the trail is appropriately named “Up the Gut.” I charged up the climb harder than I ever had before and, once I reached the top, I did not see anyone near me.
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Braginton Finds Happiness at Clark Lake Tri

July 31st, 2015 by Team OAM NOW / Athletic Mentors

By Kathy Braginton, Team OAM Now Triathlete

After my last race in the cold and the rain, I was asked whether I was happy and if I had fun. At that moment, it was hard to answer. However, I thought about that question often over the next 2 weeks leading up to the Clark Lake Triathlon. I have only raced at Clark Lake one other time and that was 7 years ago. So, my goals going into the race  were to improve on my previous time, have fun, and most of all be happy. The next time someone asked, I’d be prepared.

Upon arrival, I quickly discovered the size of the field had decreased since 2008 as there would only be 1 wave start for the women. I prefer a single wave start because I can see what place I am in during the race. I was happy! In addition to my preferred start, the roads were finally dry on race day and I was able to top off my tire pressure. I was happy!  Then, the transition had pre-designated spots by race number.  I was assigned a great spot near the Swim In/Run Out. I was happy!

image3Because Clark Lake is shallow and warms quickly, it has a good chance of not being wet suit legal, but with the cool summer we have had so far, the swim was wet suit legal. Again, I was happy!

The women were the last wave in a 3 wave start. As a result of two swim waves starting before us, the water was stirred up and I found I had a hard time settling in on the swim. I had to alternate between freestyle and backstroke. I found myself quickly losing my “have fun/be happy” mantra and had to dig deep. As I came out of the water, I found myself way back in the field of women.  I knew I had my work cut out for me on the bike.

The bike course is known for some rough sections of road and those roads have not improved over the years. Therefore, they turned the bike course into a 2-loop course. The 2-loop course consisted of mostly smooth roads with a few gentle rolling hills. On my first lap, I found myself behind the lead men who were completing their second loop. I was able to maintain a similar pace to the lead men for 3-4 miles. I recorded the fastest female split on the bike and came into T2 just behind the lead female. Now, I was happy! Because I have done several races with the lead female, I knew she was a fast runner and I would not be able to catch her during the run leg, but hoped I could maintain my position near the front.

image2I exited T2 with the 3rd place female and  quickly discovered she was a fast runner as well; I was dropped to 3rd place.  The run course features flat, paved roads that run alongside quaint lakeside cottages.  The people of the neighborhood were out cheering on the runners with signs and hoses creating a fun atmosphere. The women’s field consisted of many fast runners.

Despite running just under my goal pace, I was caught by 4 more women. I was able to finish as the 7th overall female and 1st in my age group taking more than 9 minutes off my time 7 years ago. I was happy! 


24 Hour National Challenge- The Aftermath

July 21st, 2015 by Team OAM NOW / Athletic Mentors

By Lindsey Stebbins, Team OAM Now Elite Club

20150620_193531I have sat down 4 different times to write this blog. Each time I have written a few paragraphs and deleted them.  I had a very difficult time figuring out how to sum up my experience and provide some insight into the race. It was a rather long race for me and there were 2973392462955 thoughts going through my head before/during/after. There’s so much I want to say and share, but in the name of brevity, here are some of the funny moments and  a brief race recap.

 

First and foremost, I want to thank everyone for the support. It was a surprise to see Mike ride up and then to hear there was a huge group of Team OAM riders a few miles up the road! It was nice to see all of you! Cheryl, Cricket, Mike, Polly Krywanski and Amy… Thank you for coming out to base camp. It is so nice to see familiar faces when we come in and head back out for yet another loop. It truly helps a ton. Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!

IMG_20150620_072824177_HDR - CopyThe 33rd National 24 Hour Challenge started sharply at 8am on Saturday Jun 20th. As tradition included, the bag pipe players sent Glenn, Dave, and me off for our journeys to rack up as many miles as possible in 24 hours. From 8am on the 20th until Sunday Jun 21st,  we all rode our bikes. For Glenn this concluded his 24th N24HC; Dave wrapped up his 12th N24HC, but his first as being a professional pace wheel; I finished my first N24HC. I placed 2nd  in my age group with 385.1 miles. Dave placed 2nd in his age group with 415.5 miles; Glenn placed 3rd in his age group with 409.1 miles. Glenn is also 3rd overall for all time high mileage with 7,854.2! Dave and I broke the father/daughter record by 119 miles. We totaled 800.6 between the two of us.

IMG_20150621_094930947Our Pit Crew: Not crewing myself this year was bittersweet. The days leading up to the race I was bummed about not being able to pit. I still miss it. However, we did assemble an incredible crew. Denise (Mom)-Thanks for being mom and making sure the crew got food/drinks/etc. Thanks for supporting us and putting up with our grouchiness from training. Ashley (sister)- Thanks for keeping awesome mileage sheets, keeping us organized, and getting us in and out quick.  Corey (fiancée)- Thank you for everything: supporting my training and the moods/tiredness that came along with it, our sky rocketed grocery budget, my overhaul of the office, etc.. Thank you for keeping us going through the night and the awesome launches! Darren (friend)- Thanks for all your support and providing comic relief to everyone.

The Start: I should probably start riding with people or race more. Starting off in a big mob of cyclists and trying to clip in (without falling over) was an experience. I was a little nervous with people all around me. There’s a lot happening at a start – I was swaying to clip in, yet trying to keep my eyes forward so I didn’t hit anyone, all while sizing up groups to figure out where I should settle in. This was my first mass start, so at least I know what to expect when I decide to race again.

Jim Bob? Eminem?: There was a nice gentleman who rode with us for the first 50 miles and was very kind. I got a chance to introduce myself to him and we talked a bit. Jim Bob is a very nice gentleman and, by the context of our conversation, I’m assuming a fairly PG person (this is important to know for later). As the hours ticked by, I put the speaker on my bike and set my playlist. The playlist was eclectic (oldies for my dad, pump up songs, and yes, some rap). Somewhere in the middle of the night someone rides up behind me…. “Lindsey?”

I replied “Yes, who’s back there?”

“Jim Bob. I’ve never been so glad to hear Eminem in my life!”  I immediately started to laugh.

The Snickers Bar: Weird things happen when I’ve been on a bike for a long time.  My IQ and decision making skills drop significantly and I just go into survival mode. For example, on the 24 mile loop, there is a checkpoint (checkpoint #5) about 25 minutes away from the school. They have food, water, and port-a-johns. I had to go potty (yet again) and headed into the port-a-john. Someone before me had emptied their pockets and there was a bunch of trash on the bench part. Then… THERE IT WAS……a wrapped, bite size snickers bar! Being in my survival mode, I just grabbed the snickers bar, put it in my pocket and pedaled away. I ate that snickers bar down the road and it was the best piece of candy I have ever had.

Nausea Training: My dad’s infamous nausea training: How to combat nausea during the race? You train for it. The night before the race, be sure to enjoy a few too many adult beverages and, no matter how icky you feel the next day, get on your bike and ride. Seems logical? At least you’re prepared to not feel great. Now my only question is why didn’t he tell me about this training method BEFORE the race?!

IMG_20150621_093355505Things I learned: 1) I need to practice my cornering 2) Chafing is inevitable. Buy stock in bag balm. 3) Spend way more time on the bike if I’m going to do this again. 4) Music is a must. 5) Candy out of a port-a-john is still candy and is still good.

Since the challenge, many people have asked me “What’s next?”  It’s a natural question after such a physical test, but to be honest, I’m not sure. I am back in the weight room, biking and running, and just enjoying training.

Happy racing everyone!



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