Shortly after IM 70.3 Chattanooga, Karel started to search for another race before we do Ironman Canada at the end of July. Triathlon options were limited so I came across an open water swim event just an hour away in the town of Lake Lure. We ran this option by our coach and she gave us a big yes for the 3-mile distance. I told my swim partner Kristen and she also registered.
After a crazy tough week of training, we were able to get a good night of sleep on Friday evening. We woke up at 6am and left the house around 7:20am to pick up Kristen who lives about 1.5 miles away. With a 10am start, we didn't feel too rushed to get to the venue but we also wanted to give ourselves enough time in the case of rain. The weather predicted storms for the morning but luckily the weather worked out perfect for us - light drizzle and clouds.
I had a waffle with butter and yogurt before we left and then I made a PB&J sandwich on cinnamon raisin bread for the car. Around an hour before the start, I had a banana. I also sipped on 100 calories Carborocket 333 in a 26 ounce water bottle in the 90 min before the race. I packed a bag of sport nutrition and snacks for the rest of trip/workouts.
It was a beautiful drive to the lake (north of us) and we arrived around 8:30am. After we picked up our cap, chip and shirt, we got body marked and then waited around until 9:40am when we began our warm-up. The event was small (just over 100 athletes) but the event was well supported with nice volunteers and a well-marked course by Set Up Events. I enjoyed the low-stress race environment as it reminded me of when I started the sport - no pressure to perform. I still try to keep a great sense of joy when I race and to remember that this is a sport that I choose to do.
I wore my ROKA Maverick Pro wetsuit and warmed up for about 5 minutes in the lake. I included a few fast efforts to get my breathing up. The water temp was around 75 degrees so the race director allowed wetsuits. I could have been fine without one but Karel and I wanted to wear our wetsuits for practice for IM Canada (which will likely be wetsuit legal).
The start was a rolling start - very low key. I started near the front with Karel and Kristen right behind me.
The course was two out and back loops where you keep the orange buoys on your left. There were 3 sets of two buoys and then a turn buoy. Overall the course was well marked and it was easy to stay on course. The water was fairly calm and there were pockets of warm and cool water. After each loop, you run out of the water on the sand for a few steps and then quickly re-enter the water.
Knowing that I was carrying around a lot of fatigue going into this race, I wasn't sure how I would feel. I was surprised that I felt so strong. I swam a strong-steady effort, similar to what I would do in an IM. I found myself in the lead with Kristen and another girl (not wearing a wetsuit and likely a teenager) and we lead the entire race. Kristen and the other girl swam away from me on the way back from the first loop and I was able to get fairly close to them on the way back out of the second loop, but then I got dropped again. I've really been working on my mental game when I train, trying to tune out my thoughts and feelings and to just act with my body. I've been able to work through some tough moments in training and persevere by turning off my brain and not getting absorbed by my thoughts.
I accidentally hit the wrong button my Garmin so my watch didn't start timing the swim until a few minutes in so I never knew my total time or distance but I did manage to look at my watch around 4200 yards in (IM distance) and I saw 56 minutes which was exciting to know that all my swim training is paying off.
I tried super hard to catch Kristen and the other girl by giving all that I could on the way home but I ended up falling short - coming in 1 minute behind the first place and around 40 seconds behind Kristen. The exciting part was that we were 1,2,3 - so the overall winners were all females! Yay girl power!
I had a waffle with butter and yogurt before we left and then I made a PB&J sandwich on cinnamon raisin bread for the car. Around an hour before the start, I had a banana. I also sipped on 100 calories Carborocket 333 in a 26 ounce water bottle in the 90 min before the race. I packed a bag of sport nutrition and snacks for the rest of trip/workouts.
It was a beautiful drive to the lake (north of us) and we arrived around 8:30am. After we picked up our cap, chip and shirt, we got body marked and then waited around until 9:40am when we began our warm-up. The event was small (just over 100 athletes) but the event was well supported with nice volunteers and a well-marked course by Set Up Events. I enjoyed the low-stress race environment as it reminded me of when I started the sport - no pressure to perform. I still try to keep a great sense of joy when I race and to remember that this is a sport that I choose to do.
I wore my ROKA Maverick Pro wetsuit and warmed up for about 5 minutes in the lake. I included a few fast efforts to get my breathing up. The water temp was around 75 degrees so the race director allowed wetsuits. I could have been fine without one but Karel and I wanted to wear our wetsuits for practice for IM Canada (which will likely be wetsuit legal).
The start was a rolling start - very low key. I started near the front with Karel and Kristen right behind me.
The course was two out and back loops where you keep the orange buoys on your left. There were 3 sets of two buoys and then a turn buoy. Overall the course was well marked and it was easy to stay on course. The water was fairly calm and there were pockets of warm and cool water. After each loop, you run out of the water on the sand for a few steps and then quickly re-enter the water.
Knowing that I was carrying around a lot of fatigue going into this race, I wasn't sure how I would feel. I was surprised that I felt so strong. I swam a strong-steady effort, similar to what I would do in an IM. I found myself in the lead with Kristen and another girl (not wearing a wetsuit and likely a teenager) and we lead the entire race. Kristen and the other girl swam away from me on the way back from the first loop and I was able to get fairly close to them on the way back out of the second loop, but then I got dropped again. I've really been working on my mental game when I train, trying to tune out my thoughts and feelings and to just act with my body. I've been able to work through some tough moments in training and persevere by turning off my brain and not getting absorbed by my thoughts.
I accidentally hit the wrong button my Garmin so my watch didn't start timing the swim until a few minutes in so I never knew my total time or distance but I did manage to look at my watch around 4200 yards in (IM distance) and I saw 56 minutes which was exciting to know that all my swim training is paying off.
I tried super hard to catch Kristen and the other girl by giving all that I could on the way home but I ended up falling short - coming in 1 minute behind the first place and around 40 seconds behind Kristen. The exciting part was that we were 1,2,3 - so the overall winners were all females! Yay girl power!
I finished the event feeling proud of my effort, especially with all the fatigue I'm carrying around. I loved being out in the nature and being in my happy place - swimming. I swim no less than 4 times a week and most of my swims are well over 4000 yards and it felt good to not feel too tired during this event and to feel my swim training paying off. As a life-long swimmer, I know my ability to make gains in the swim are small so I have to work super hard for even the slightest gains.
Karel finished a few minutes behind us so we cheered him on to the finish. He said the event went by fairly quick.
The event was around 5200 yards (per Karel's Garmin) so a bit short of 3 miles (which is 5500) but still a long event for plenty of practice in open water.
Results:
Kristen (my swim partner): 1:07.04 (2nd overall, 1st masters)
Marni: 1:07.40 (3rd overall)
Karel: 1:12.18 (6th overall)
Also congrats to our athlete Leyla for finishing 9th overall in 1:14.52.
After the swim, we chatted with a few athletes and then Karel and I quickly changed into our running gear as we had a tough run workout to complete (build effort run). New to the area, our run options were limited to going up or going up. It was a really tough run and we both struggled mentally and physically but we got it done (1:05 run for me). Despite feeling great on the swim, I worked through a lot of mental demons during this workout. I wanted to quit so many times but I self-managed and was able to complete the session - not exactly as planned but it was the best that I could on the day.
Whereas in my early years of training and racing I'd put a lot of pressure on myself by having expectations and feeling like I needed to prove something in every session/race but over the years, I've learned that you can never predict the future and if you love what you do, success doesn't have to be tied with results. Although I am competitive and work hard for fitness gains, I really enjoy training and the self-discovery and personal growth that comes from every training session. Above all, I'm grateful and thankful for my body for staying healthy and injury-free and for letting me train harder than I've ever trained before.
Karel finished a few minutes behind us so we cheered him on to the finish. He said the event went by fairly quick.
The event was around 5200 yards (per Karel's Garmin) so a bit short of 3 miles (which is 5500) but still a long event for plenty of practice in open water.
Results:
Kristen (my swim partner): 1:07.04 (2nd overall, 1st masters)
Marni: 1:07.40 (3rd overall)
Karel: 1:12.18 (6th overall)
Also congrats to our athlete Leyla for finishing 9th overall in 1:14.52.
After the swim, we chatted with a few athletes and then Karel and I quickly changed into our running gear as we had a tough run workout to complete (build effort run). New to the area, our run options were limited to going up or going up. It was a really tough run and we both struggled mentally and physically but we got it done (1:05 run for me). Despite feeling great on the swim, I worked through a lot of mental demons during this workout. I wanted to quit so many times but I self-managed and was able to complete the session - not exactly as planned but it was the best that I could on the day.
Whereas in my early years of training and racing I'd put a lot of pressure on myself by having expectations and feeling like I needed to prove something in every session/race but over the years, I've learned that you can never predict the future and if you love what you do, success doesn't have to be tied with results. Although I am competitive and work hard for fitness gains, I really enjoy training and the self-discovery and personal growth that comes from every training session. Above all, I'm grateful and thankful for my body for staying healthy and injury-free and for letting me train harder than I've ever trained before.