Santa Cruz 70.3 .... a literal sht show

Not kidding.....so I suggest unless you are into triathlete gore stop reading now.  I started this race report in the usual fashion and will perhaps return to that one to give Santa Cruz a solid write up, because the race rocks!  It quite possibly my favorite and I have done over 20!

Pre race D3 action 

The bottom line is...newsflash  DONT eat 3lbs of sweet potatoes the day before a race.  No kidding. I am trying to follow my nutritionist fueling plan which calls for, what seems like an impossible amount of carbs.  The goal was 510g Friday and  575g on Saturday.  For the record- that is A LOT, seemingly impossible. I have yet to achieve this and now need a call with Jeff this week to figure out how to get that many in!   My plan was white rice, coconut oil, and salt + sweet potatoes, GF animal cookies, a bit of protein and lots of fluids.  I burned the rice (on the HoJo stove)  and was lazy and did not buy more thinking I'll be okay with sweet potatoes.  Dumbest idea ever

Race AM I felt great!  Despite the fact I had a monster training weekend last weekend and only a 5-day taper.    Swim rocked.  26:54, anytime I break 27 I am super happy!  This swim is easy!  0 waves and a giant rectangle, if you botch this one up, you are in trouble.   LONG transition on painful feet to a stunning bike course!  Just over 2k of climbing along the stunning CA coastline.   Fair course but nothing crazy hard and just so pretty.  The weather was perfect, 60 at the start and maybe 75 high with fog in and out on the bike and then sunny and clear on the run.  

Nytro Women

So the run.  I started off feeling good, legs a tad tired but all was good.  Mile 4 my stomach was not quite right and I was worried OK mild panic  by mile 4.5 it was clear I was going to need a porta pottie.  Mind you I am running in a one-piece kit that has sleeves to my elbows.  The kit is not easy to get on and off in a hotel room let alone while running, sweaty and on the verge of pooping. We are on trails so the terrain is uneven fall altert and I am paniciking wtih every step that this is not going to end well.  Now that we are in the preserve there are NO porta-potties, no aid stations and I am dying. I am sweating from racing, I am sweating in panic of what is going to happen and my run form is altered as I am holding my sphincter.  I get my kit down to my waist, side note I have the oldest stained sports bra on, not one matching my kit but one that looks like I found it in the gutter, but that is the least of my worries.    Full panic is setting in as I realize this is some kind of low bush preserve, nothing for 2 miles is over 18 inches tall, where are the f'ing trees.  I run past a guy who says "gosh this is beautiful"  and all I can think of is I am going to be THAT girl with poo running down my legs for 7 miles, what view?  Well waiting to get out of the preserve is not going to happen and we are having a full 911 so I leap into some bush that is maybe a foot tall and well... you know.  I run out and realize I have not left it all behind.  So now I am like pigpen with a swirl around me and I am dying.  I cannot pull my kit back up over my shoulders, I'm sure I have poo on my back and my legs are now cramping.   Some guys says "Woah what is that smell?"  I pick up the pace and just keep running.

All I want is a shower, not likely, so the next 2 aid stations I take every cup of available water and am washing it down my back, my legs, anyplace ...OMG it was awful.  So now we are mile 9, I lost my salt tablets, shocker!  And I have missed 2 aid stations due to sanitary cleanup and I don't feel so well.    Thanks to Ironman rolling start I have NO idea where I am in the race and at this point, I frankly don't care, but I soon care a lot and do what I can to pick up the pace and get to the finish line.  One mile at a time so very thankful my kit is mostly black, all I can think about is finishing on the beach and running into the ocean.  

Finish! Yea... I see Jay he tries to hug me NOOOOOO, I see Riley she tries to hug me NOOOOO and then she says "mom, what's on your back?"  I silently cry and walk into the ocean.  

Despite all that I had a killer race!   Great swim, my bike was strong and spot on and well my run was a sh#t show for real but it was good enough for the AG Win.

I would post my nutrition for the race but well.... we know how that worked out!  

The weekend was awesome- road trip with Liz, hanging with one of my athletes Cindy, who rocked her race, Scott another D3 athlete, lots of SD friends and the best of all Riley!  We had tons of fun and a killer dinner Sunday with likely too much wine. 

11 years inot this sport and still learning!!!  Next time BUY more rice dummmy!  

0:26:54

02:38:52

01:52:06

05:05:21