Snapple Tri Team

As a brand new Snapple Tri Team member I competed in 2 races over the past 8 days. They were both running races, as my season will build up toward the European Duathlon Championships Pro Race (draft legal, so heavily running based) on May 1st, and after that race, limiting the running and focus on Tris (including Kansas and Rhode Island 70.3′s) and improving my swimming.

Anyhow, the races: St Patricks’ day 8k was a race on a flat, but somehow not very fast course (was it long?). Together with 5 Ethiopians we separated after mile 2 (9.55) and I ended up in a group of 3, chasing leader  Abiyot Endale, who ended up winning in 24.20. Despite my attempts to out-kick my fellow chasers, I got beaten at the line by Mohammed Awol and finished 3rd in 24.36. A good race, followed by a 40km hard ride in the afternoon!

Yesterday, I ran my first ever half marathon at the National Half Marathon in DC. My background is running, but in college I mostly ran 1,500m-5,000m, so I never quite got around to running a half.  The lead group took off too fast for me, running sub 25 for the first 5 miles. I felt smooth though, splitting 25.30. After that, the course turned deceptively hilly, which was challenging for me (I’m not very good on uphill). Mile times varied between 4.56 and 5.27 from mile 5 to mile 10. Mile 10 was nicely downhill and I split 10 miles in 51.20. I sort of kept the same pace and finished in 1.07.37 for 5th place overall. It was a hard race, as I didn’t go with the leaders, but as a consequence ran the entire race by myself, picking off only a few guys. The course was a bit challenging for me, but I think this was a good experience for the 70.3′s to come!

Greetings

Dirk de Heer

A new Endurance Films USAT Training DVD Series promo featuring Champion System proudly highlights Team Snapple’s triathlon kits.  Huge thanks to Sky Temple for the awesome design!

Champion Systems New Promo Featuring Team Snapple!!!! from Katie Davison on Vimeo.

Oh my did that hurt. That run hurt, those last 16 miles hurt. The last 4 miles felt like death.

I went too hard on the bike, got caught up in the moment. It was fun, but if you have fun on the bike you pay for it on the run. Fellow teammate Chris Ganter and Adam Otstot from Richmond raced, here are paces for the bike segment. Also included Alexander and Wellington to see how they paced the bike.

I pushed the middle section too much. Danilo Palmucci, a 46 year old who’s placed as high as 14^th overall, told me to stop accelerating up the hills, it’s too early and I was burning myself out. I should have listened to him. Otstot, who went on to run a 3:03 marathon, had an even pace up the climb to Hawi and back down. I pushed the pace pretty good up the climb to the turnaround point and then hammered the downhill. Ganter and Otstot are stronger cyclists, they split 5:14 & 5:17 compared to my 5:03! What was I thinking! Self control and discipline are so important in an event like this.

Then the run, ouch. Wheels came off pretty quick, just as we made the right turn up Palani at the 10 mile mark. Paces for the run…

Otstot had an amazing race, he went by around mile 17 and was moving! The heart rate data tells it all…

That’s what a slow death in the run portion of an ironman looks like. Spike from miles 15 to 20 as we made the climb out of the energy lab. Headwind on the way out which felt great, on the way back the tailwind feels stagnant like running in an oven.

Mile 10 – When the visor gets low things are getting ugly

Lessons learned:

• Develop a plan and stick to it

• Enjoy the moment, try not to get caught up in it

• Be patient, treat the swim & bike as a warm up for the run

BIG thanks to Katie, Michelle, Slake, and MikE for taking care of me post race. I was a mess. Now some time to enjoy Hawaii… and think about Clearwater.