Race Report - Showdown at Sundown - 3/26/11

When I was a kid, I used to watch Jim McKay on ABC's Wide World of Sports (back when cartoons were a Saturday morning thing). During the intro, he would always say, "the thrill of victory or the agony of defeat" (insert dramatic music here). Today was mostly an agony of defeat day for me.

SaS is a different race in that it starts in the afternoon and finishes in the early evening. Included are Sprint, Olympic and Half IM length races. This was my first year doing the race and I entered the Half IM as a "B" race to see how my fitness is shaping up for IM Arizona in November. This is my second Half IM length race.

The morning was cold, cloudy and windy with the skies threatening rain. Water temp was 54F. As a point-to-point race, there were two transition areas to setup. I did T2 first and then worked my way down to Lake Mead to setup T1. I had everything set, mentally rehearsed both transitions and was walking my wife Melissa back to the car when the RD announced that the swim was cancelled. What a killer! The RD told me that his concern was that people would just never get warmed up once they got out of the water. Race start would also be postponed until 12:30pm.

With the extra time, I decided to accompany Melissa back to the house to pick up the Lulu in "Team Lulu", our daughter Lucia. On the way home, I point out to Melissa that blue skies are headed toward the lake. Texting with my coach, giving her the 411 on what is happening, she comments that the temperature is expected to top out in the high 60s. She also warns me about the winds promoting dehydration. She notes that I need to be aware of my effort level and to take in lots of fluids.

When we arrive back at T1, the sun is out and athletes are frustrated with the cancelled swim. I notice that the swim course buoys have been pulled in. It's hard to blame the RD for his decision and it's a call I certainly would not want to make. I understand that it's for the safety of the athletes. Having said that, I paid full price for the event and have seen swims go off in worse conditions. I was in the water two days previously, and it worked out fine. Maybe an optional swim for those who wanted it would have been a better choice. I watched 8-10 athletes swim (I assume to make a point). A mute point as the decision had been made.

The start would now be TT style, with athletes moving up to the timing mat and then being released at intervals. I wait in line for my turn, pull up and watch for the signal. I am off.

Getting Started (photo: Melissa Eichelberger)

The bike is historically the troublesome leg in the triathlon for me. I lack restraint and always want to hammer. I'm still trying to learn where I am from a fitness perspective and what I can put out without cooking myself for the run.

I ride out to the turnaround, just past Calville Bay at a good pace with the winds slightly helping. I am overdressed with a long sleeved shirt under my jersey. On the way out, I'm cooking a little bit. I started with one bottle of water and one bottle of coconut water tempered with Crystal Light Lemonade flavor. Pulling into the turnaround, I am cheered on by Team Lulu. I stop and rip off my shirt and get the jersey back on. One of the volunteers asked me if I needed anything. I told him no thank you and took off for the return leg. Looking back, I should have drunk more. At the time, I had taken in about half of each bottle and I seemed to remember an aid station on the map on the way back. I figured I would take on more then.

The Calville Turnaround (photo: Melissa Eichelberger)

The two factors I did not take sufficiently into account were the winds, which were now headwinds of 20-30mph and the fact that the expected aid station would not be there.

The riding out by the lake is tough. It is almost always windy and the roads are a series of rollers that are substantial with several solid climbs at various points to get your attention. Technique and gearing here are a big part of what it takes to be successful and they are both things I am still learning and trying to develop. One of the things I already love about long course events is that it puts stresses on the body and mind that short events cannot. It's the combination of time and unrelenting stress bearing down on you for an extended period. It pulls things out of me that I am either unsure or afraid of and makes me confront them. Also, short event pain is different than long event pain. I don't know that I can explain it, but if you have experienced it, you know what I am talking about. The best I can do is say that for me, short event pain is more physical and long event pain is much more mental. The physical pain is there, but the battleground shifts to the mind.


Lake Las Vegas - Swim for 5150 Las Vegas and the 2011 ITU Long Course Championship

At mile 48 or so, everything was stripped bare. Badly dehydrated, pissed off at the RD for skimping on the aid stations, mad at myself for not racing smarter and utterly beat down by the wind and hills, I am just utterly wiped. Competitors riding by me and telling me that we are almost there. The last 6 miles are the hardest part of the whole course and I know that. I'm losing the battle in my mind.

Somewhere around mile 50 there is a lady handing out water. I take the water and say thank you, but I think she can sense my disappointment. It's certainly not her fault, but I needed this 15-20 miles ago, when I could have kept my body from red lining. I felt ashamed for giving off that kind of negative energy, but it is real. The volunteers are always such amazing and wonderful people. My ability to be here testing and challenging myself is directly attributable to them. A huge THANK YOU to the people who volunteer their time for these events. The emotions that well up are just so strong as you struggle.

The last 6 miles of this bike course are steadily uphill, starting as a sneaky elevation gain and continuously increasing in grade until the last 2 miles which run between 6-13%. I start cramping. I end up getting off my bike 3 times and walking for 2 minute intervals during the climb to get the cramps to subside enough so I can control my legs again. Several people pass me as I crawl up the hill. After what seems like three lifetimes, I mercifully find the top of the hill and T2.

Coach Cyndee and one of her clients, Michael were standing outside the transition area looking for me. Spotting me in transition, Micheal calls out to me. I think I waved. Seeing them got me focused and back in the game again. I started getting myself through transition and let young developing habits take over.

The run was hard from the very beginning. Every stride felt like someone was driving an ice pick
 into my kidneys. I took the approach of running 10 minutes and walking 2. I start trying to hydrate at each aid station, but I know it's too little, too late.

Team Lulu Showing the Love (photo: Melissa Eichelberger)

The run course is setup as an out and back, with aid stations at turnarounds for the Sprint and Olympic races. The first aid station with food is around mile 4. I eat a couple orange slices and take in more water. I push through another aid station and make my way to the turnaround.

At the turnaround, I stop in a porta-potty. My urine is just a couple shades under Newcastle Brown Ale...not good. I stop at the aid station, drink half a Coke and some water. Risky, I don't drink Coke. I start back up the hill toward Railroad Pass.

I originally signed up for this event with the idea that I would be making part of the run in the dark. I thought that this would be good practice for Ironman AZ. With a goal of 14:00:00, at least part of that run will be in the dark. When I realized that daylight savings would be in effect for this race, I thought I would be done before the sun went down. Now, here I am running the last couple miles in the dark.

Up the last hill to Bootleg Canyon. Shuffle, shuffle, shuffle. There will be no racing a little boy on his bike tonight. Instead I am getting beat by everyone. If I'm not the last one in off the course, I am definitely one of the stragglers to come in at the end. It is humbling. I can hear the MC giving out the awards for the various age groups. Certainly the name Eichelberger will not be in the announcements tonight. I run across the finish line and the day is finally over.


Mercifully Finished (photo: Melissa Eichelberger)

For me, while most of the race was the agony of defeat, the thrill of victory is in the glass being half full. Next time I will be smarter and more experienced. I will continue to lose weight and build fitness. I will build on this to become a better competitor.

Total Time - 7:10:52 / 69.1 miles
No Swim
No T1
Bike - 4:20:58 / 56 miles
T2 - 1:38
Run - 2:48:16 / 13.1 miles