RAGE in SAGE 70.3 Recap..

My second Successful Failure in the month of April.

Let's start off from picking up Luke and his awesome gal Norma from there hotel, as they were in for business/pleasure. At 4:10am were packed and heading towards the Lake. Get there and start unloading some things and take the bikes over to transition area, get set up, body marked, pick up timing chip, get wetsuit on, go to bathroom, its time to get in water.

Once in the water, yes, it was COLD, Yes, it WAS COLD! but overall I didn't think it was as cold as Ironman CdA last year so warming up was not too bad. Now as the gun went off, I took off with everyone but towards the back a little as to not get in a slug fest. Got on line and just swam, all was good. Had a couple of poor swimmers that couldn't site worth a shit and crossed over my line only to realize as soon as they crossed over they were off track and cross back over to get on line, UGHH!! So after that little annoying mess I have made it around the turns and heading back home. Water was a little choppy head on but not bad, I've swam in worse in that lake. Then sure enough, Leg Cramp #1 Right Calf. I flex my foot, move it around and it goes away quickly. All is Fine. No, Leg Cramp #2, Left Calf! WTF! this one will not go away and annoys me for a the remainder of the swim, about 500 meters. Finally, Land in site, Stand up come out and get to running. I see Luke exiting the water just in front of me.

Swim: 54:23. OK I guess.

T1: I actually ran though transition and politely yelled at some people to get out of the way, on your left type thing b/c the Sprint racers were already in T1 and the isle way was a little narrow. Saw Luke changing out, as he was next to me, and he was quickly off, and me to follow.

Time: 3:37.

Bike: I took out of T1 up the dreaded incline to get out of the beach area and it's not a nice way to start your bike leg, No time to warm up as its low gear, start cranking up the hill to the road. I passed several of the sprint people and was soon on the road making my way through, taking in nutrition. I passed a couple of Half people when Leg Cramp #2 Returned, could this be #3, well, let's just call it #2 revisiting as it will be there several more times through out the bike. I start taking in some more salt tabs to get things working there but as the cramp continues on and off, I continue with the salt only to realize I took too much too close together (lots of to's in those words, haha) and now my stomach was no TO happy! I back off on salts, take in some gels, power bar (which didn't go down well either) and Gatorade. Finally, cramp #2 is gone but cramp, well kind of a cramp, but more like a tight pain in my right glute, Cramp #3 shows up. I actually attribute this to riding out of position or something as I have Never had this type of problem or maybe my seat moved or something. Anyway, I fight this stupid thing for while and it comes and goes. Attacking some of the hills up and down to get my grove going but overall it just seems I have no Power! .. (cryn'.. Norman Stadler style.. uhhaahh.. I gotz no pow'aarrr.. 1:03 on video) and I could only think and cuss Formualic in the back of my mind for the Mulholland ride last week, sorry Form, it's your fault, HA!. I finally get close to the turn around and I see Luke about 8 mins ahead of me which means 16 b/c I have not made the actually turn around yet.. then I see Form, who I calculate at 4 mins ahead of me, meaning 8 mins. I make the turn around and now as in training it's time to lay down the hammer. I quickly settle back in and all is working well, FINALLY! I feel good. Stomach OK, Cramps None. Power Working.. all for about 15 mins.. then stomach cramps come back, ugh.. not really cramping but just sloshy and blah feeling, lots of belching. I began to slow. I'm fighting it, keep working the hills, take advantage where I can. Then the 8% hill, I've climbed it before a few times in training, I know where to attack it, and recovery but Mr. 8% has different plans for JT. I quickly settle in for beginning crank at the bottom, humm, I feel something.. I then hit my out of saddle point and attack, when just as Last year, Mr. 8% attacks back and locks up my left Quad!!!! FUK!! Cramp #4. Mr. 8% wins out and I sit back down as I am instructed to and crank up the hill seated style. After that I was really ready to get off the bike but still about 10 miles to go. I took another salt and felt fine. As I approach the last nasty little climb I see Form and he's about 2-3 mins ahead of me.. I can catch him at T2. I make the last climb and scream back to T2.

Time: 3 hrs 22 mins.

T2: In and out right.. uneventful. 2:05.

Run: I start out great and again it's quickly uphill through the gravel roads but just have to walk a little due to the HR being sky high and now its Hot. Once I make the level part of the gravel road I try to settle in and get going. I saw Stef and she was looking strong heading home and I was jealous!! Things are working OK. I feel fine, just hot. I make the turn on the paved road that once again leads up for about a mile or longer and its a walking/HR game. It's OK. I get to the top, hit the trail portion once again where theres plentyO rocks and cuss some more about this run course. Finally, I am at the top of the trail heading to the tunnels and just feeling tired and hot. Gels and anything else is just not working anymore and I stick with Water only. I run the sunny parts to the tunnels and walk the shaded parts inside the tunnel. Finally I see Luke coming back and he's looking strong, says he's beat up but hey, he's on the way back home! Finally I see Form and I know I am close to the turn around and he tells me so. EXCEPT in classic Form fashion leaves out the excitement of the turn around. Although I will give Form a Little Bit of credit as he didn't run the Half last year he didn't know BUT I remember where the turn around was and I timed the gap between us. Now here is where it changes.. I make this turn around a hill and then see the makings on the dirt pointing the way.. I then see where it leads, look down to my right about X amount of feet Below and see the turn around tent! Are you Serious! They moved the turn around from last year and now I have to go down this big ass decline trail and back up.. I knew right then I was not going to catch Form. I make my way to the turn around, am drinking Flat Pepsi by now and it's working for me, make my back up the hill and back to where I saw Form and check the time, He's 12 mins ahead. Based on my pace, feeling and whats left.. I know he's a goner. I begin the run sunlight areas, walk the shade but things are quickly falling apart, I'm tiring like crazy, feet are not hurting and I feel like I have blisters on each foot which makes walking worse than running. I make my way back to the paved area and it's a lot of nice gradual downhill which I settle in and pretty much run it all the way back stopping only at the aid stations for water and bath, except one time, the kids at the aid station gave me a HEED Bath which I then had to wash all that off with more water to not be sticky.. hey, they were having fun throwing the water on me and one got a little carried away, no worries. Once back on the last gravel part I was just trying to stay consistent and make it home. I did take a look behind me several times to make sure the last place Half guy was not coming up on me and I was way clear of him. I made it to the finish to see Form, Mrs. Form w/baby Form looking from the inside out, Amanda and her daughter Izabelle, All Super Sherpas (expect Form). I was glad to cross the line and be finished.

Time: 2 hours 43 mins Flat.

Overall: I had a great race and PR'd over last years time of 8:21 with this years time of 7:05 but I would not have changed it b/c running with SWTRIGAL made it the most memorable race to date! Yes, IMCdA is memorable but in a different category. SWTRIGAL and I did it together and that's what makes this sport such a great thing, a year later and we are still friends!!! You Rock Debi.!!

So I pr'd, made a smashing bike time even though I had a Stadler going on and I feel apart on the run. I learned and experienced a few things which I will have to take into action and change on future training. MY SUCCESSFUL FAILURE, again.

Oh, and I decided I will not run this race again next year, I will Sherpa for you all day long and take pics of you, like Norma did of Luke and I, Great job Norma!! and help out at the end of the race, Thanks Norma and for driving back!! but I'm not racing!

Saturday night after the race the Mr. & Mrs. Form and baby Form, along with Stef and husband met up with RBR who came into town with her LA friend to do RAGE. It was great to meet her and hang out with them for a while.

rockon'