Du report...

After tracking so many friends racing on Saturday, I was feeling pretty excited for my own race. But it was also one of those days where I was thinking – hmm racing already – is it really april already? Where did all the time go? Am I ready? Do I still want to? It’s a familiar place for me to be the day before. But it doesn’t make it any easier. I’m learning to have confidence in myself a little more all the time.

So Sunday came all to quickly. Its funny though. I woke up around 4 am and was WIDE eyed and ready to go. Only it was about an hour and a half too early. I went back to sleep for a bit and actually got up more tired than I was earlier in the night. Crazy. but no time to obsess. Breakfast was made and gear was packed in the car. We took the short trip down i-40 and could not help but think of this race last year when the weather was about 30 degrees colder and the sky was spitting sleet. Oh yea, what a fun day that was.. but today, though starting out a bit chilly, was clear and by the time the sun came out, had already started to warm up. I went and checked in, got my number and was ready to go.

Transition was in an upper parking lot (guess they learned from last year when it was in the middle of a field and was more like a huge mud puddle than anything else) so the course had changed a bit. I had a little trouble with my tires, the extender valves weren’t working, but the mechanic assured me I had “enough” pressure. Hmmm enough. Not good, not race ready, just enough. Nice.

So after a quick pit stop, I put in a good warm up. That is one thing that I’m definitely taking more seriously this year. Last year I would jog for like 3 minutes and be like, ok enough. But I’m learning that the more warmed up you are the more your body is ready to hit the accelerator. So I put in a good 20 minutes with some pick ups. I wasn’t feeling particularly snappy, but I hoped when the gun went off I was ready.

Back up to transition to decide what to wear that day. People really run the gammet with clothing choices. Some were covered head to toe and others had shorts and sleeveless. So me, tending to error on the “I’m going to be cold side” decided to put on the armwarmers. (brand new. And unfortunately a bit big. Guess my big guns are not medium but small. darn..) anyway they worked well enough – until about halfway thru the bike a slight wardrobe malfunction… when one was creeping down and I never bothered to fix it.. .. so

Head over to the start and the LC guys are off first. We go 3 minutes after. So one of the girls is like “lets see how many we can catch”. Hmmmm now there is a good idea. Nothing like seeing the look on his face when a guy gets “chicked”. Love it.

Ok so like I said. Game plan was to stay with the leader as long as I could. Bang. (that’s the start! Ha) and we are off. I’m right behind her. And yes starting to breath heavy as we settle into our 6.40 pace. Hmmm. So managed to stay with her for about 10 minutes before she just found another gear and zipped away. Time to run my own race. The first run I took out a little fast but was determined to keep up a good pace. The course is 2 loops and the last mile is pretty much up hill (minus a short out and back part). My second loop I started to think about the bike, and that was probably a mistake. I think that is when I let up a bit, when my mind got away from me and I really lost focus. I came in to transition in 3rd place with a girl right on my heels. I was surprisingly good with my change – over which is a bit surprising, since most times in training I kind of lolly gag around a bit and grab my ipod, change my shirt, drink some water.. but not today. I was out of there quick.

i had made a stupid mistake and not set my bike in the bigger gear before starting - not a problem for most, but for me for some reason switching over is always an issue, either i dont push the lever hard enough or i'm not peddling right or something but the chain will go like halfway and then i freak out thinking its dropped or something so i fiddle some more and it finally goes over. but all of this mess usually keeps me dwindling for a little bit. and in this case, let someone blow by me. ugh! so at that point my mission was to stay on her tail. the bike has always been my favorite part, but i think thats because in the past i would just ride. i'd give a hard effort here and there but definately wasnt racing. jen has helped me to change my mindset quite a bit on that. so the first 20 miles or so i was with her, and we even managed to pass the girl in second. but then my nemesis happened. a monster down hill and though i swore i would not touch my breaks i did... and honestly at that point - ok well after i got down the hill!- i was so mad at myself that i took a break to be pissed. ok so that was even stupider than the slow down....but it also allowed me to feel the exertion of the race at that point and i knew i had to get past that. see, old kari would have taken that breather and then some. old kari would have been like - oh i'm sure no one is racing behind me and i can chill out. but i'm different this year. i'm finding out what i can do, and this new kari gets her ass moving again. and i did. and it was tough. seems they always throw the hills in at the end just cause they can. i know i did slow a bit because a girl came up on me. she did pass me, but i made it a point to go by her again and huff it out for what i knew was the last few miles.

i made it back in to transistion in third, but as i was putting on my visor i saw 2 girls fly in right behind me. shit. shit. so off i go. running scared. i just kept telling myself - MOVE. there were so many volunteers on the course (which was awesome!) and i used them to my advantage. when runners would go by the would always cheer and ring a cow bell. so i was trying to see how far back those girls were, but then i would think well maybe one of the guys has come up or something... too many mind games and not enough oxygen to keep up. so instead i focused ahead. one guy at a time. one step one mile. the first lap my feet were numb. not sure if it was from the cold (it really wasnt that bad out) or what.. but i found my self thinking.. hmmm. thats good.. one less part of me to hurt. so lap one was all about keeping the cadence. i had the same old vs new conversation with myself here as well. i knew that last year (mainly because this is what i did last year!) i would have taken it easy on the first lap and just saw what i had left.. but i just knew that i didnt want to hear "sandbagger" ever again... and i actually thought ahead to my phone call with jen. yes jen i had a conversation with you as well. i thought about what you would say when i told you my result and for me -- i wanted to spend the rest of the day knowing that i had a good race that day. so i kept moving forward and by the second lap i was feeling a little zippy.

i finished the race in third and was happy with that. bettered last years time by over 16 minutes. and best of all - really beleived in myself and turned that corner into sufferville. maybe i'm not a full time resident yet, but i at least have a time share.....one of the girls chasing me came up after the race and said how relaxed i looked on that run. (HUH?) a great compliment but also crazy to me as i felt like i was barely moving!

so next on to richmond. (ok with a slight detour to trouble...) but i'm excited.

a HUGE congrats to everyone who raced this weekend out in CA. you girls are amazing!!




a quick note about the photos - my ahem, equipment manager, is perhaps not the greatest spectator. after racing for nearly three hours, there is but one photo of me actually racing and not in transition..and the finish? nope not there either. its a good thing that cookie cake was at home waiting- ha!....i guess i'll just have to steal them off the event site!



a recent steal off the event site..me right after finishing. and looking pretty haggered! ha.