7 Chocolate Mint Gu's,61 Miles...Bike, Run, Bike...Steelhead 70.3 Here I Come!

Well, it finally came...the highly anticipated 60 mile practice race! The plan was to swim 1 mile, bike 50 miles, and then run 10 miles.  But, because of the severe drought and heat we have experienced this summer, the health department advised that swimming in Geist Reservoir was extremely dangerous.  (Also, note that I haven't been in the reservoir since my eyes started burning while swimming a month ago and I decided it was too disgusting for human contact at that time...even if the team swam, I assure you I would not have stuck even my big toe in that water.)  So, in lieu of the swim, we ran 2, biked 50, ran 9.

It was a warm day, but the weather that morning was surprisingly (and thankfully) cooler and less humid than it had been in weeks!  And, in addition to a break in the weather, my mom decided to ride and do part of the run with me so I wouldn't be out on the course alone all day!

The first run was easy.  Out over the Geist Reservoir Bridge and back to the Sailing Club...no sweat...er, well, despite starting with arm warmers, I was sweating and removing them as I got on my bike.

Mom and I rode 2, 25 mile loops to get our 50 miles.  Although I have no idea where we were most of the time, I will note that we rode through some pretty tough terrain and tackled some big hills.  I felt good about the ride, but the course was technically a bit tough so my speed was a little slow on the first loop. I'm told that the Steelhead course is easier...of course, these were the same people who told me that the Elkhart course was full of fun rolling hills...so I am crossing my fingers and holding my breath.

Then it was time for the run.   As usual, I was dreading it.  The run course was painfully simple and monotonous...we ran out 2.25, back 2.25 and then did it again.  But, the course was shady and there were water stops.  Since running is not my thing, I made a deal with myself that I could walk at the water stops and each mile.  Otherwise I had to run.  This was a pretty tall order for me, but somehow it worked.  I did the first out and back by myself, but thankfully, Mom picked me up for the second out and back.  I was heading back in to meet mom for the second out and back and was trying to telepathically tell her to bring Gu and body glide (I was chafing under my arms...I have had a lot of blisters and skin injuries, but this was a new area)...the telepathy didn't work, but she did show up with a large diet coke, which was about the best treat I could hope for...well, except for the body glide.  We did the second out and back and then sprinted back down to the Sailing Club and we were done!

I was soaking wet and covered in road dirt, but 7 Chocolate Mint Gu's and 6 or 7 bottles of water later, I was done with my last long brick before the big day!  And now, we are officially tapering for race day!