One Tough Cookie

This was the second year I decided to sign up for the Tough Cookie Duathlon. I had reservations about doing it again, then was told I couldn't because of some medical issues and I think that just made me want it that much more! So two weeks before, I registered. I knew it would be difficult because, once again, I didn't train for it like I should have and I had been sick for a week prior. I took a few cycle classes, which were awesome, but riding your own bike on rolling hills is much more difficult than a stationary bike in a studio. It takes a lot of endurance and focus. Two things I wasn't quite sure I could master. My only goal~to beat last year's time!

Race time~9am Temp~52F!

So the race was a 2k run, 10mile bike, followed by a final 2k run. Doesn't seem like much...until you're out there in the cold/rain and hoping that next turn means you're done! I started the race feeling a little sluggish, but hoped it would go away once I got warmed up a little. After the first turn I looked at my heart rate monitor and noticed I had already sky rocketed...170!! This was only 1/4 of a mile in! I have always had a difficult time maintaining a lower heart rate and I knew this would really hinder my endurance. So I tried to pace myself a little more, but nothing I did was bringing that heart rate back down. I pushed on. I am definitely not a runner so the run was difficult and rounding the halfway mark I remember feeling really happy about it being halfway over. I grabbed my water and kept on. As I got closer to the transition area I could hear all the Tough Cookie support team members and families of the racers cheering their women on...I pushed a little more. At this point I realized I had put my hair in a bun and if you know my hair, you know how thick it is. That thing was not fitting inside my helmet! I ran up the hill to transition, quickly put it into a ponytail, got a quick drink, grabbed my bike and off I went.


Starting the bike portion was a little scary, but I knew I could handle it as long as I paced myself, figured out the gears and just kept moving. The roads were wet and it was drizzling a little so I was worried about my brakes and those snaky little turns. David bought a cadence computer for my bike so I could tell where I was during the bike portion. I clocked over 26.2 miles per hour downhill...that was fun! Mile 2 was pretty hard. There were several hills and I still hadn't quite mastered the gear shifting so going down was lots of fun...back up...not so much! Around mile 6 I started to wonder if I was really going to make it, but I would not let myself give up. I had to finish! I remembered a few cycle pointers Dave G. told us in our cycle classes and just tried to focus on that...heels down, knees in, light shoulders!


The chain only fell off once and my derailleur decided not to crap out on me this year so I guess that's an improvement ;)

Last leg! I hopped off my bike and thought my legs had decided to go home already. Those first few steps were difficult! I was so ready for this race to be over! I took off down the run path for the last 2k. At this point my heart rate monitor had read well into the 180's for over an hour and it wasn't showing signs of letting up. I started getting side stitches and had to slow down. Sadly, I walked/jogged that last leg. No shame though! I knew I would finish and that's all that mattered to me.
Crossing that finish line was the best part! I knew I had beat my time, but I wasn't sure how much. Eventually I realized I had only beat last year's time by 1 minute and 9 seconds. I was disappointed! I really wanted to do a lot better, but what can you do?! I'm just happy that I was able to race and finish!

Tough Cookie 2011..WATCH OUT!