Preface: Muncie was not to be an "A" race. Muncie was to be a nutrition check and a "systems check" to see how I was feeling at the prescribed HIM distances. Three weeks out from the "A" race I knew that it was just to be a sort of dress rehearsal, smack in the middle of some heavy-ish training (for this year, anyway) and I wouldn't really be that rested. What I didn't plan on, however, was being injured. Talk about a wrench in the gears....
The Freedom Run brought on some interesting pain in my left shin. Where did it come from - this 3in. below my knee on the inside pain - what is it and how do I get it to go away NOW? I started asking people about shin splints - what do they feel like, where are they, "how" do they hurt and how do you get them to go away NOW? Last Thursday's track workout had me worrying about my left shin - the pain while running was a bit more intense (though still not really hurting while walking) and it was hurting on the impact while running. I scaled back the workout a bit, dropped some intensity and distance and went about fretting. Friday did some internet searching - medial shin splints - and how/what to do to get them to go away NOW. Then I set to fretting about Muncie. Do I do it at all? Will I hurt myself more (it's a hilly run...)? What if I just go kinda easy? Is it smart? How quickly can I recover? Had the brilliant idea of wearing my calf sleeves to kinda mediate the problem a bit and just play it by ear. But because I can't locate my uber-cool red ones and was a bit nervous about the 2XU ones in the heat (and my feet popping off if they swelled at all and those dumb things got even TIGHTER) so I wound up purchasing a pair of Zoot socks to put on (and entertain the crowds) in T1. I don't care if I look like a 'tard, if it helps preserve my oh-so-delicate physical and mental state for Aug. 1, ok.
After a night of hilarious mechanical prep - changing my tires (Tangente - zipp tires on H3 wheels...ha...I laugh at the universe shaking it's head), Garvins changing wheels, changing my tube (after changing the tire - we'll try not to blame LG) - and not getting to bed early (of course) - and only marginal sleep (holy snot and headache, batman) - it's off to the race-site at 5:20a.
The good news: they changed the forecast while we (struggled to) sleep. They cleared the early morning of rain and storms, now it only looks sketch after about 10-11a (40%). Good deal, they've even backed down the wind a bit - max looks around 15mph in mid-day. Rock on.
The bad news: the weather people stand blindfolded and throw a dart for each hour. They then throw a dart at a percentage. They combine the two and someone plays "pick a number" and voila! A forecast is made.....Muncie is a bad-weather MAGNET on race day, lest ye ever forget.
Get to race site, get things laid out (remember to turn running shoes upside down in case of rain. Decide against putting them in grocery sack to stay dry - it isn't supposed to rain until later and they shouldn't get THAT wet. Note to self: weather people suck.) and head off to get marked up and find a bathroom. Amazingly, I manage to get all things accomplished - a rare feat on race morning. Some pre-race consultation with some runner-friends (Runner's Forum Rocks) and I decide to play it safe - I'm giving the run a mile or two to feel ok - if it hurts on every impact, or hurts and gets worse, I'm making like a fat kid in dodgeball. Pull the chip and number and spend my trip back to transition cheering on the others. I still plan to charge fairly/kinda hard on the swim and the bike and follow the nutrition plan. (Additional note to self: DO NOT ask LGarvin "trispoke or regular". Response will be - even if you aren't - you'll look fast. This does NO GOOD in a howling wind. Will to live will be sucked from body as shoulders and arms and hips tighten massively while trying to maintain bike position and stay on the road. When in doubt, laugh in LGarvin's face and go regular spokes. The more wind-splitting, swerve-avoiding spokes the freaking better, at least on the front wheel. Looking fast while crying is UTTERLY POINTLESS, and as the old guy cruises by you and you're vociferously cussing all living, breathing things that have conspired against you on this ugly morning, you will take no solace in entertaining the masses at this moment.) So....away we go.
Swim - So it's a tad windier than expected. I like rough water, I'm good in rough water. Who the crap put that buoy on the other side of the lake and WHY? No worries...swim to the sailboat, hang a Ralphie. Got it. Muncie always has a bit of a melee start to me, my wave is always mixed in with the punk-ass boys (and I do mean boys...as they're usually the young punks)that think they can swim (and usually can). So I get elbowed out of the way by all the taller, leaner, younger, triangle-shouldered punks and a lot of chicks and the gun goes off. It's fairly evident fairly early that this is NOT going to go according to the normal plan. The course is flanked by intermittent, small orange buoys (not to be mistaken with the HUGE yellow guy that we're actually swimming toward before we can turn). There's a wind blowing anything and everything diagonal across the course - meaning it's also blowing everyONE diagonal across the swim course. I swim a pretty straight line in most conditions (not sure why/how, it just normally happens) - but when I'm getting pushed back and forth by random people swimming across my bow AND my stern, I get freaked. The chop is pretty heavy and sighting is, well, sighting is a bitch. But plow on like the little tugboat that could I do. I work on my form for awhile, watching the crowd move from one side of me to the other. I take a minute to actually make sure the sailboat IS by the buoy and I chug ahead. I get hit a couple of times, I run into a couple of slow-moving vessels ahead. I take note of the vast distances between the safety groups on pontoons. I also note that the lifeguards standing on the pontoons is kind of a good idea - them being above the water and able to see the people flailing and all....A gazillion years later and a few tacks (my "swimming fairly straight" was all outta whack, but luckily I don't think I went too far...just a bit wonky compared with everyone else...but I still think everyone else swam a really odd course) I found the buoy and made my right turn. Lucky for me, I made this turn with Father Time (I shit you not) on one side of me and Pokey the Puppy (dude seemed content to take in the sights) on the other. Fairly insulated, except after the turn everyone decided to go sideways. Pokey slams into Father Time and my lane disappears. I'm left clawing over two old, hairy guys and just want out of the way. I'm still kind of uneasy, not really breathing that well and all. But this part of the course went great....fairly smooth sailing (seems appropriate, as sailboats line most of the swim course - makes for easy targets to stay between). Hit the other very large yellow buoy and turn towards shore. Somehow, I got the living hell beat out of me at the second buoy. Chicks laying into me, dudes swimming on my legs...weird. As I was debating swinging at ping-pong girl, who had swam into me 3 times in as many breaths, she promptly disappeared....these guys have a great thing about back an ambulance down towards the bank and roaring the lights. Good thing, those are great to swim towards. Not sure if everyone else was getting pushed by the wind/water, or swimming to the little orange buoys, but I wound up about 20 yds inside of everyone else and started to get a little weirded out (maybe swimming straight isn't the best idea?) I came up on another random slow swimmer who pummeled me (seriously dude, two of us in 20 yds and you manage to totally GRAPPLE my boob?) and finally felt like I was making headway. Cruised up to shore where yet ANOTHER poor swimmer decided he was ALL ABOUT swimming to the right - when I was right next to him. Whammo - into me. Finally got my feet under me and started heading uphill - while giving Mr. Cool Wetsuit a really nasty look and debating taking him out.
It was not a good swim for me. The time wasn't bad, the course felt interminable and the waves pummeled me. I didn't ever get settled into a rhythm so I think my form was WAY off. Altogether, not a great way to start the day, but at least it was over and it wasn't raining yet. Off to the bike. Swim: 36:49.81 (out of the water around 35:14...there's a long uphill run to the mat)
T1
Fairly uneventful, despite the hilarity of trying to get the Zoot socks on. Put the R one on the L foot, cussed and had to unroll it and start over. Note to self: check R/L PRIOR to putting on. Slammed my feet in my shoes, a little velcro action and away I go. Had a giggle as I was announced as "The Legendary AW"....did a slow, cautious mount on the bike (I was that stop and step-over person, after all - I'm not in a hurry remember....) and off. T1 - somewhere around two or three minutes...not in a hurry. Socks = slow. Wear sleeves during swim.
Bike
Immediately started chugging right along, feeling pretty good on the bike. Spent some time grappling with my sunglasses but I won the war. Noticed that I was picking some guys off - chicking guys is fun. LGarvin and I climbed on our bikes at the same time - but skull disc man was off like a rocket. Muncie's first few miles are just my dream ride. You have a few little rollers to settle in and warm up, then you turn on the Cardinal Greenway (read: bike path) and it's just awesome. It's slightly downhill and easy to just cruise a good cadence and fly. I caught LGarvin on the path and decided he was smarter than I, so I settled in behind him and just cruised. I could already feel the wind - NOT GOOD - and knew that life would change for the worse once the highway arrived. Reminded myself to not blow up and not go crazy, ride within myself and just "get through it"....hit the highway (and the wind) and just settled back in and kept plowing along. Saddle was already starting to bother me a bit by about 15mi (note to self: find a new damn saddle) - bad sign. Was just cruising along, kept an eye on my speed and my legs, finished the first bottle at 57:00 (right on schedule), grabbed a gel at a few minutes after the hour and just kept humming along. Didn't push the uphills too hard, just stayed aero and kept an eye on my cadence. Green Steve goes cruising by, bunch of other guys mashing along. Wind is picking up. I grabbed a bottle of water at the second aid station, figured it would be good to have on board to mix the new bottle around 1:00. Mixed it up around 1:10, it was weak but whatever. Computer briefly left the building for a few miles very early on, so I just kept an eye on my speed and my watch and guesstimated around where I was. Then the wind went nuts. It was just off my right shoulder and gusty. With the heli rotors for wheels this was NOT a fun ride. Made it to the turnaround after fighting straight into it for a few miles, then turning and REALLY fighting a direct sidewind. (Damn you, LGarvin) Got stoked because the run back has more down that up and if all held would have more tail than head or side wind. Saw a rather nasty-looking cloud standing in my way, but didn't see any lightning and didn't hear thunder. The sprinkles started literally at the turnaround. No worries, as it stayed light for a long time. A little cooling-off, I'm cool with that. Starting to hurt in earnest now, the hoo-ha is NOT happy and the hips are starting to tighten. But I'm headed for the barn. Then it starts to just rain. Not a happy, summer rain, an "I want you off the road" rain. One flash of lightning, one crack of thunder, and a whole lotta rain. I'm past halfway, there's no other way in, I might as well keep going. Fighting gnarly winds and cussing up a storm. I hit an "Ironman-style" low (never happened to me on a ride so "short") and was just struggling, Knew I didn't have a full 13mi in me after the ride, didn't want to quit, didn't have it mentally. Just a shitty day. Kept pedalling, knew my time wasn't going to be great, everything hurt and I just got pissed. Then i hit the rough pavement and I just sunk. I wanted off the bike, I wanted in bed. I wanted away from where I was. Due to the wind and having to fight I didn't get a gel at 2:00, and didn't get the chance to mix the other bottle - prolonged "letting go" of the bars wasn't an option. I was able to grab a gel at some point and the caffeine helped a lot. Thought I might be able to run. I fought through my own self and made it to the line and just literally got through it. I survived, but that's about it. Bike: 3:00:30 (includes T1)
Run
Didn't have it. Knew it from the get-go. Was planning on a 4mi shakeout run. Figured I would "give it a mile" like I told WGarvin I would. My Running Saviour called out as I dropped over the hill and asked how I was feeling - "eh" - and told me to be smart. There's nothing wrong with being smart. I chugged along for about a half mile, the shoulders loosened up, the back and hips loosened up - this was great. My shin wasn't even pounding yet. Still raining, cold, and really windy. Cruising along at a slow, slow pace and just trying to feel it out. Telling myself it's 4mi. If I feel better I can keep going. About 3/4 in my left shin just screams. I walk for a little bit and stretch and breathe and wiggle and just "relax"....I start a little runny run run and then my right shin starts to tighten up. I run through it for apx. 30 seconds then just got pissed and stopped. Pulled my chip and my number off, turned around and started back to the barn. Just didn't have the fight in my dog. Mentally and physicall got my ass kicked by the rain and the wind and my bike and myself. Limped back with the crazy Hawaiian with the HOT wife who was running great and just making an ass outta himself cheering on everyone - he'll never know how much he helps those of us running - but he has an idea. Limped back to the Iron-Umbrella and got some reassurance. My race was over. Hung out and watched a bunch of the finishers and then realized I was getting cold. Still raining, still winding, and I'm getting cold. Then realized I wouldn't have anything dry. GRUMBLE. But I hung out for awhile and watched and cheered and had a good time. Did a lot of stretching and just kept repeating "right decision".
It sucks - I'm not a quitter, but it was the right decision. Muncie is about $160, Steelhead is almost $300. If I'm going to "show up" to play on Aug 1 I want to do so as healthy as possible. That means sacrificing the shitty weather and mediocre race I was delivering. Still hard to say "DNF".....but I realized afterward that I don't have to prove anything to anyone except myself.
I've gotten through much worse. I did what I showed up to do. It's a shame I couldn't do more and I'll live with that, but no one really thinks worse of me, and I know I could do it. I WILL do it, in 3 weeks. Why does it take so long to explain so little?
