TwoDays,TwoTris

By:Mone’Haen

TheDonnerTriathlonEventstakeplaceovertwodaysinJulywithaSprintdistancetriathlon,OpenWaterSwimsandKidstriathlonstakingplaceonSaturday;andtheOlympicandHalfIronmandistance

triathlonsandAquabikeeventstakingplaceonSunday.Thisyear,Ihadthepleasureofcompetingintwoofthoseevents-theSprintandOlympicdistancetriathlons.

WhileI’vecompetedintheSprinteveryyearsince2014,2017wasmyfirsttimeparticipatingintheOlympicdistanceaswell.Howdidthiscomeabout?Well,inthemidstofSnowmageddon2016/2017,

whenwehad10footsnowbermsinfrontofourhouse,nopowerandahousefullofkidswhohadn’tbeentoschoolinaboutamonth,myfriendCortneyandIgottodrinkingsomewine.

Shocking,trulyshocking–Iknow.

Longstory,short,Ipeerpressuredherandherhusband,JeffintosigningupfortheDonnerLakeTri.Ieitherdidn’tspecifywhichdistance,orshedecidedtoraisemypeerpressurebet;thusshesignedupfor

theOlympicDistance.IamasuckerforpeerpressuresouponhearingthatshesignedupfortheOlympic,Idecidedtofollowedsuit.

Theprolongedwintermadetraininginterestingtosaytheleast.Runninginsnowandiceturnedintorunninginslushandmudturnedintorunningondirt.Throwinafew“real”roadrides,lotsoftowing

mydaughteronourtandemattachment,adecentamountofswimmingattheTruckeeRecCenterandafewopenwaterswimsessionsatWestEndBeachandvoila-TriTrainingTruckeeMomstyle.

Fastforwardtoeventdays...

SprintTriathlon–SaturdayJuly22,2017

TheDonnerLakeSprintcourseiscomprisedofa¼mileswim,followedbya6milerideanda2milerun.

Thisracehasbecomeoneofmy“benchmark”races.Bythat,ImeanthatIparticipateintheraceeveryyearandtrytoimproveuponmyperformancefromtheyearbefore.Ilovethisrace,becauseit’sshort,butchallengingandit’sinmybackyard,figurativelyspeaking.

Arrivingonthescenethemorningoftherace,withmygearandbikeintow,IwasgreetedbylovelyvolunteersreadytoadornmewithaSharpie.Althoughthebodymarkingreallyisn’tnecessaryanymoreduetotimingchips,Ilovethatthistraditioncarrieson–mybibnumberonmyarmandmyageonmy

calfsomehowmakesitfeelallthemorefunandexciting.Thebody-markingritualcomplete,Iproceededintothetransitionareaandbegantheprocessofrackingmybikeandlayingoutmygear.

TheenergyandexcitementwaspalpablefromtheathletesandspectatorsandIfoundthatadrenalinewasstartingtopumpthroughmyveinsinanticipation.Itwasonly6:30amandmywavewasn’tgoingtostartforoveranhour.Inordertocalmnervesandstopmyadrenalinefromwearingoffbeforetherace

evenstarted,Iputmyhoodieon,putmyearbudsinandtunedoutofthesurroundingactivity.

Undercloakandheadphone,Iwalkedovertothewater’sedgetogetabitofquietandtakeinthescenery.I’maTruckeelocalsoI’mspoiledinthatIenjoytheseviewsonaregularbasis,butI’mstillinaweeachandeverytimeIswim,rideorruninoraroundDonnerLake.Thescenerycouldn’tbemore

beautiful.Thelakeissurroundedbygraniteandpine,andthistimeofmorning,thewaterwasglassy.

Justbeforethe7:30amracestart,thetransitionareawasclearedandweallmadeourwaytotheshorelineinanticipationoftheracestart.Rightontime,men49&underweresentintothewater.Tenminuteslater,myracebeganamongstfellowwomeninwetsuitsandpinkswimcaps.

Thewatertemperatureisrightaroundthesameastheairtemperature,ifnotalittlewarmer,atthis

timeofday,sotheswimisreallypleasantandit’snotashocktothesystem.Inaquartermile,it’snotreallypossibleto“settlein”,butunlikepreviousyears,Ifoundmygrooveinthewaterrightawayandswamthecoursein7:48.

Exitingthewater,Ihustledintothetransitionarea,peeledoffmywetsuitandcapandcleanedthepine

needlesandsandoffmyfeetasbestasIcould.Bikeshoes–check,helmet–check,sunglasses-check(formethisisn’taluxury–they’represcription)…..go.Ineverrunoutofthistransitionareatothebikecourse.It’stoofaronloosesandandI’dratherconservetheenergyfortheride,soItrotoutofthe

transitionareaandmountmybikeonOld40akaDonnerPassRoad.

Uponstartingthebikecourse,there’saveryshortrunwaybeforetheclimbingstarts–aboutatenthofamile.Thenitstarts-thelongclimbuptoRainbowBridge.Thecoursedescriptionsoundseasy–a6milebikeride?Pieceofcake!Nope.It’sanoutandbackandthere’sathousandfeetofelevationgain,

soyes–that’sathousandfeetofclimbinginlessthan3miles.Pedalinguptheroughly7%gradeatabout6-8milesperhourallowedmetolookaroundatthebeautifulscenerysurroundingOld40.Thereweretoweringgranitecliffsinalldirectionsandoldretiredtraintunnelstosouthwest.Theclimbis

rewardedonceagainattheturnaroundatRainbowBridgewithearlymorningviewsofDonnerLakebelow.

Theclimbover,IturnedmyfocusentirelytothedescentdownOld40.I’machickenonthedownhills

andgoing30+milesperhour(notethatsomeathletesachievespeedswellinexcessof40-45milesperhour)isprettyintimidatingtome,nottomentionthatthevisualbasicallygivestheopticalillusionofridingoffacliffattimes.Nonetheless,Igotintobydropswithalighttouchonmybrakesandstarted

silentlychantingmyownlittlemantraof“stayoffthebrakes,trustthebike,gofast”.Well,thatworkedgreatandIwasfeelingprettyconfidentuntilIhitasmallpotholeaboutathirdofthewaydown.Itwasreallynothing,butitscaredtheshitoutofmeandIslowedmypaceabitafterthat.Allinall,theclimb

uptomeabout25minutesandthedescenttookmeabout7minutes.Soyeah,Igota7minuterestbeforethefoot-downstopatthebottomofOld40followedbythedismountandrunintotransition.

AfteraquickchangeofshoesIranoutoftransitionandheadedoutonSouthShoreDrive.Theruncourseisa2mileoutandbackandislargelyflat,buthasabitofaclimb(about80feettotal)between

thehalfmilemarkandtheturnaround.Theroadisflankedbyadorable,oldfamilycabinsandcrossestwoquaintbridgeswithrushingwaterbeneath.Havingrunthecoursebeforeandknowingwhatwasinstore,IknewitwastimetopushhardandusethelegsIconservedontheclimbupOld40.Iendedup

runningthe2milesinjustunder16minutesforafinaltimeof59:58anda2ndplaceagegroupfinish.Itwasoverofmygoaltimeof57minutesbut4minutesfasterthanIhadcompletedtheSprintbefore–anewbenchmarkset.

WhilemyendorphinsstartedpumpingassoonasIgotinthewateratthestartoftherace,theyreallysurgedaftercrossingthefinishline.Iwasecstatic.IthadabsolutelynothingtodowithmytimeorwhereIplacedamongstmypeers,itwassimplyachemicalreactiontothephysicalexertionandthe

energysurroundingtheevent.

Totopitalloff,Igottowatchmysixyearolddaughter,Sawyerparticipateinthekidsrace.Thereisnothingcuterthanabunchoftinyhumansracingaroundatricourse.Sawyerendedupwinningher

raceandhavingablasteverysecondoftheway.

OlympicTriathlon–SundayJuly23,2017

TheDonnerLakeOlympiccourseiscomprisedofa1500meterswim,followedbya24.8milerideanda6.5milerun.WhileI’vecompletedthisdistancebefore,thiswasmyfirstyearracingonthiscourse.Still,IprettymuchknewwhattoexpectfrommyexperienceswiththeSprintandhavingtheareaasmy

trainingground.

Themorningoftherace,atabout2:00am,Iwokeupwithmystomachinknots.I’mnotsureifitwasatouchoffoodpoisoningorwhat,butlet’sjustsayIdidn’tgetmuchsleepafterthat.IfIhadn’tcommittedtodoingtoracewithmyfriend,Cortney,Iwouldhavethrowninthetowelandgonebackto

bed.Icouldn’tflakeonherthoughsoIforceddownsomeoatmeal,drankalotofwater,pulledmybiggirltrishortsonandheadedouttoWestEndBeach.

Givenmydigestive“issues”,IwasactuallyconcernedthatIwouldn’tevenbeabletostarttheracemuchlessfinishit.Iresolvedtojustgiveitagoandseehowitwent.Graduallymybodystartedtosettle

downandbysomeminormiracle;Iactuallystartedtofeelprettygood.InspiteofthatIknewthestomachissuesandlackofsleephadtakenatollonmyenergylevelsoatthatpointIjustresolvedto

takeiteasyandcruiseforwhateverportionoftheraceIcould.Ironically,havingthismindsetresultedinanunbelievablycalmstarttotherace.Noracejitters,noadrenaline,noexpectations.Itwasoddly

Zen.

Mywavestartedat7:55AMandIliterallywalked,verycalmlyintothewater.Norunningordivingin.Iwalkedin,andslowingstartedswimmingouttothefirstbuoy.Igrewupswimmingcompetitivelyfromtheageof7to16somyformisn’tterrible.IknewIswammoreefficientlywhenIwasrelaxedbutIhad

noideahowefficientlyuntilthispoint.Isomehowmanagedtogetoutoftheschoolofswimmersandfindmyownlittlepocketofwater.Theswimwasliterallyblissful.Mybreathingandnerveswerecalm,mybodywasateaseandIwasenjoyingtheswimmorethanIthoughtpossible.Roundingthesecond

buoyandheadingbacktotheshore,Ipickeduppaceabitbutnotmuch.Istillmaintainedacalmandrelaxedstroke.Iendedupfinishingtheswimatanaveragepaceof1:51/100yd.Bywayofcomparison,myswimtimefortheSprintwasanaveragepaceof1:42/ydandIwasgunningforitonthatcourse.So,

lessonlearned–RELAX.

I’veparticipatedinendurancesportslongenoughtoknowthatmybodycanrevoltifIdon’tlistentoit.SoalthoughIfeltamazingaftertheswim,Iwalkedintotransitionandcalmlygotreadyforthebike.Norushing,noadrenaline,justcalmfocus.Iwalkedoutoftransitionandmountedmybiketobeginthe

sameclimbupOld40thatIhadcompletedaspartoftheSprintthedaybefore.

IascendedOld40ataconservativepaceandkeptmyheartratehoveringaround120-130bpm,stillnotwantingtoriskabodilyrevolt.Thesamegranitecliffswerenolessinspiringandbreathtaking(ormaybethatwasjusttheclimb).Anyway,IcaughtupwithCortneyatthesummitandweproceededtorideand

gabandrideandgabandsinguntilwehappeneduponanotherridewhohadclearlycollidedwithsomething.Therewereplentyofpeoplealreadyatheraideandwedidn’thaveanymeansofproviding

assistanceoreveningcallingforhelpsoweresolvedtogetoutoftheway.Welaterfoundoutthatshehadhitadeergoingabout45milesperhour.Ihaveoftenhadtoavoidhittingasquirrelorachipmunkwhileriding,butneverthoughtofthepossibilityofhittingadeer.

Abitsoberedfromseeingtheaftermathofabike/deercollision,weproceededtotheturnaroundand

thenmadeourwaybackuptothesummit.Happily,wediscoveredthattheinjuredcyclistwasbeingattendedtobytheFireDepartmentwhenwepassedbackbyherandsheappearedtobesittingunaided.

Asweapproachedthesummit,IpulledabitaheadofCortney,butthenaswebeganthedescentdown

Old40,sheblewpastmelikeIwasstandingstill.ThiswasthesamewomanthatwasterrifiedofridingOld40amere3daysbefore.Afterthat,Ididn’tevenseeheruntilthetransitionarea!!!

Aftermyextremelyfocuseddescent,ItookaheadtotoeassessmentofhowIwasfeeling.Shockingly,Ifeltgreat.Reallygreat!Irememberthinking“howthehellisthishappening?Well,whatever,gowith

it.”Igotintotransition,re-rackedmybikeandgotmyrunningshoeson.AtthispointIdecidedtopushit.Ifeltgoodandhadatonofenergyfromtakingthefirsttwolegsofthetrieasy.IfIblewup,ohwell.

Runningoutoftransitionandontocourse,Igotgiddy-endorphinhigh,slightlyspazzy-giddy.Istillhaveabsolutelynoexplanationforanyofitanditstilldoesn’tmakesensethatmybodysomehow

managedtorecoverfromthewrenchingstomachissuesIhad,butIranwithit.Punintended.

I’lladmitit;it’simmenselysatisfyingtopickoffrunnersonebyonethatpassedmeontheride.Ikeptafairlyfastpace(formeanyway)allthewayaroundthelakeandwasencouragedandfueledwitheachsuccessfulpassingofamile.ThegiddinessonlyincreasedasIgotclosertothefinishandwhenIhitthe

onemiletofinishmarkIwasecstatic!

IroundedthecornerintotheWestEndparkinglotandheardmydaughter,husbandandfriendscheeringasIranontothelawnapproachingthefinish.Iheardmydaughteryell“ENGAGETURBOBOOSTERS!”andturnedthewheelsonforasprintfinish.Itwasgoodenoughfora3rdplaceagegroup

finish.

Ihadzeroexpectationsgoingintothedayandendeduphavingthemostincredibleandsatisfyingracingexperiencesofmylife.

**ThankstoTodd,Bryan,MistyandallofthewonderfulvolunteersatBigBlueAdventureforputtingonaphenomenalweekendlongtriathlonfestival!**