Talk about pain being a mental game! At some point, it becomes very physical, and very real. I went into this race weekend perhaps even more tired than I went I went into the Tallchief road race 3 weeks ago. This was mildly surprising, since I had actively sought to do almost nothing this week. But my legs still felt tired and sore on Thursday, perhaps even more so than on Monday (after another brutal race weekend), and on Friday I went ahead and knocked out a really good brick session. Nailed it! But by Saturday it was abundantly clear that my body just felt depleted, and I coached and coaxed myself through the longest 90 minute endurance session of my life... or at least this season.

The field had a few very strong players in it. 3 of us were Okies - myself, Laurel, and Shay. There was also a Master's National Champion on the bike, Lynne, and another national champion as well as pro triathlete, Erin.

The womenz (Thank you to Biff Stephens for sharing this photo)

We managed to get a break early in the first loop of the race after a few strong pushes up some rollers, with the 5 of us gunning it to gain ground on the remaining field behind us. Rest was short, and when we began to encounter the climbs along the scenic shores of Wedington road, the game was on again. Lynne attacked powerfully up a climb, not trying to break away, just working to tire us out. Erin, to my surprise, looked over at her, smiled, and then countered the attack shortly after. This girl was no average triathlete! My legs are heart burned, and I worked hard enough to hang on for dear life at the back of the pack. If I lost them now I was finished! The wind was strong, and we weren't even halfway through...

After that round, we began wondering aloud if that was the famous NWA climb we had just powered through. It was not, and it became laughably apparent about 5 miles from the end of the loop when this beast of hill suddenly jutted out around a bend in the road. As we neared, the grade of climb did not appear to lessen. It stared down at us, dominating our view, hissing its silent challenge. I knew exactly what Lynne was planning to do - she would try to gun it up the climb, and if she didn't break us then, she would at least put the hurt on and tire us out for round two. As she took off, my gears stuck (again! curses from Tallchief) and it took me several extra heartbeats to coax my bike to shift into the small ring... Just enough to cause Shay to curse for being stuck behind me (truly sorry) and for me to really lose momentum. Not that it really mattered. Even though this was by far not the worst climb I've ever done grade-wise, nor the longest, my toasted legs screamed and screamed at me as I tried desperately to claw my way to the top. I could see Lynne ahead of everyone - it looked like she would actually be getting away. She was followed quickly by Erin. Laurel and Shay were in hot pursuit... and I was dragging up the rear, watching the entire field of 5 pull away a little more, then a little more...

I finally reached the top. Laurel and Shay were chasing down the other two. I had to mentally focus, shift back into the big ring, and will my legs to keep pedaling in order to catch Laurel and Shay. They kept looking back at me, realizing I was close, and slowed a bit to let me catch on again. Maybe the 3 of us stood a chance of catching the other two? They were not so far ahead, but Lynne and Erin were not letting up on the gas for a second. As I caught on I knew I had almost nothing left in me. I told Shay and Laurel that I would do whatever I could to help them out, but I knew that they would end up leaving me near the line, if not sooner as we climbed that hill on the second round.

Shay was pulling powerfully. So much so that even with me on her wheel I was easily putting out threshold watts. I would then pull, trying to do the best I could to maintain, and then Laurel. Thank god for Laurel. I know we were chasing, but at least when she pulled my body could finally get some recovery. (She told me she would sit up a bit because she needed the break, too! We were definitely hitting our limits.) The next loop was rather uneventful. We kept the leaders in our eye - they were never so far away that we lost them, and we would so close at times that we could almost taste it. But they were just stronger. We stayed together through Wedington road until that fateful second ascent up Weaver Hill. Laurel and Shay rocked it. Although I managed to convince my CAAD to shift a bit faster this time, and hit the hill with the proper gearing, I still couldn't manage to quiiite keep up with those two. It was close, but by the top they managed to keep pulling away, and I just. couldn't. quite! 

I tried my best not to give up. My only recourse now was if they planned on resting up for the sprint finish. Laurel had gotten ahead of Shay, with bit Shay's powerful legs that day she managed to catch her. As for myself I knocked it back into the big ring, buried my head down, and pushed with all I had. I figured I could TT my way in, and with any luck bring myself back to the two of them. We were now within 5 miles of the finish, and every now and then I'd look up and see the two of them getting closer to my wheel. This must've worried Shay, because the two of them suddenly started pulling way ahead again. As we neared the last maybe two, or one mile, some race vehicles pulled around me and I knew this was it. I stood zero chance of catching them now. I was alone, pushing as much as I could against a strong headwind, trying to gain on two other females who were not only stronger, but got a chance at resting off and on. I could see them crossing the line ahead of me, though I wasn't quite sure who had finished first because of the final bit of climb. I crossed not long after, rolled right to my car, and plopped myself down on the dirt in front of it, and breathed... trying to choke down my pain and frustrations the best I could.

The Final Bits

Laurel told me she put her head down and pushed on the final 1K, up that last bit of climb, hoping against hope that Shay had perhaps tired herself out pulling so strongly all day. For whatever reason, and to her enormous surprise, it worked! She managed to get away, and when she realized that, she held on for dear life and stuck it to the end. (I'm happy for Laurel, but nothing against Shay! Damn, she's riding strong. Those two just rocked it that day. Kudos to both of them!)

My friend Mike found me by my car. He was a former BoT teammate and all around nice-guy, even letting me and some friends crash at his house during the Tulsa Tough races. He saw the pain I was in and took some time to just sit there and chat with me and be a friend. He really helped to lift my spirits back and get me feelin' ready for the drive back! I just wanted to take the time to give a huge THANK YOU to him. Whether or not you know it, Mike, it meant a lot.

Reflection (as promised!)

So what have I learned? Hopefully, this was a good mental exercise in pushing through fatigue. At least physically, I'm sure it was good for body, although body may want to disagree with me... Maybe I'm learning what my new recovery limits are. I have been training harder lately... maybe it's catching up? Or maybe, I knew I was going in to race tired, and it was just a hard race, and I did it, and I should be happy. Time will tell.

I'm still waiting to hear back on my teammate's full race report from the actual Hammerfest in Middle-of-Nowhere, Texas. That two-day race sounded truly epic, and featured at least double the climbing. It looks like she managed an overall 1-2-3 spot. Congrats on your podium, girl!

*Note, no photos from this race, because I haven't seen any posted yet! :(