IM 70.3 Indian Wells La Quinta 2019

This was my first 70.3 traveling by myself.  I knew this was a possibility when I scheduled it because of the timing. I have to say it was a success. TriDot is currently running aTrainX challenge and so I put extra effort into getting all my pre-race workouts in. This was also something that was suggested to keep nerves down leading up to the race. I’m definitely a fan and will never miss my ride the day before the race. It helped me get comfortable on the bike while taking note of road conditions. I don’t ride outside regularly (read only on race day and race rehearsals weather permitting - I hadn’t ridden outside since my last Olympic at the beginning of September) so this even more important. I can’t believe I was skipping it before. 

I stayed in an Airbnb about 10 minutes from the Ironman Village/finish at Indian Wells Tennis Gardens (amazing facility). I would do the same again because even the close hotels were still a hike with gear plus parking race-day was easy. The flight into the Palm Springs airport was also easy and getting the rental car was a breeze. 

I arrived on Thursday and swam at the Palm Desert Aquatic Center. This was a beautiful facility with great trails in the park next door where I completed my run.  

Palm Desert Aquatic Center

On Friday, I drove an hour to Lake Perris to get in some cold-water swimming and tryout my new wetsuit since we were unable to swim at Lake Cahilla until race day. This is a state recreational area that also had great trails for my run.

Perris State Park

I got back to ironman village just in time for the 12-noon athlete briefing and registration. The Ironman store took all my money, so I went home and filled my bags for gear check in the next day.

Saturday morning, I got up early for my bike ride so I wouldn’t have to fight traffic. It was a great 40-minute ride on some of the course. The roads were rough but so flat. 

Gear check-in was a process because there were 2 transition areas with clean transitions which meant we were using bags. The run bag was extra nerve racking because we wouldn’t have access to it race morning. I dropped my run bag first because I needed to stop by Ironman village to purchase a CO2 cartridge (can’t fly with them) before taking my bike out to T1 at the lake.  

At the lake, I went ahead and pumped up my tires (no major temp issues were expected) and racked my bike. We had the extra step of decontaminating our wetsuits. This consisted of dipping our wetsuits and neoprene caps and booties into a chlorine pool for 3 minutes and then they were tagged and hung in transition area where I also left my bike bag.

After gear check in, I called it a day and spent the rest of the day watching Disney+ and my motivational movie Moana (I found myself singing the songs throughout race-day - I love that movie!).

My pre-race meal was my usual steak and potatoes and I sat near a local couple who had a 101 questions about the race and I was more than happy to indulge because the race did not get a good name with locals last year because of traffic issues and we need the support of local communities to make these races happen). I got home and gathered my nutrition for the next day, laid out my clothes and applied a layer of sunscreen. In bed at 8pm. 

My alarm went off at 3:30. Race day! I drank a cold brew espresso, put my clothes on, grabbed my nutrition and was out the door. Parking was easy and we were all loaded onto shuttles to head out to the lake and T1. The bus ride took about 30 minutes and I ate about half of my breakfast - 4 hard boiled eggs and 2 bananas.  Once at T1, I checked my bike tires, loaded my bike with my nutrition - 3 bottles of Tailwind and 2 packages of honey stinger chews, grabbed my wetsuit and found a picnic table by the water. I finished my breakfast -1 bottle of Tailwind and 2 Picky bars and made one last trip to the bathroom before donning my wetsuit. My wetsuit and booties were still wet and not much fun to put in the cold of the morning. It was announced that the water temp was 59.7°. This was much better than the 56° that I had been prepping for with cold showers and cryotherapy.  Nonetheless, I was happy to have the booties, neoprene cap and earplugs to provide extra warmth.  We were called to line up by swim times and I found a spot in the 40-45-minute group. There was no swim warmup, but we had the opportunity to wet our faces. The water was cold but not too bad. Now the real waiting began. The National Anthem had been sung and the pros were all in the water.  The age groupers are let into the water 4 at a time every 5 seconds so even though the race started at 7:10, I didn’t get into the water until after 7:45. 

 Into the water and the first 100 yards was tough getting use to the cold but it was definitely manageable.  I was more distracted by the swimmers around me who were struggling.  By the second buoy, I had calmed my breathing and could breathe every 4 strokes except when other swimmers got too close and made me nervous. This is a new thing for me.  Swimming has always been the most comfortable, but I have had new anxiety in the swim. Something to work on this next year. The swim was a single loop with the second half feeling longer than the first. Overall, it felt good and it was time to move on the bike.

 Swim: 44:17. TriDot expected time: 45:53

 In the T1, our bike bags were hung on racks and we picked them up and found a spot or chair to strip out of our wetsuit and into our bike gear. I had swam in my Tri shorts and sports bra then put an aero jersey and arm warmers for the bike. All our swim gear went back into the bag and was given to a volunteer. (Our morning clothes bag and swim bag were taken back to T2 and waiting for us after the race). I went and grabbed my bike and had to run the length of transition to exit. 

 T1: 7:38 

 The mount line was at the bottom of the biggest hill of the bike course. I had my bike in the small chain in anticipation but many of the athletes around me did not make the same adjustment and struggled getting onto their bike. We were off. The road out of the lake was really rough but that didn’t change for most of the 56 miles. Congestion was an issue and there was a lot of drafting (some purposeful and others because you just didn’t have the space because the flat course didn’t naturally spread out athletes).  There were multiple 90 degree turns and U turns that kept you from getting too comfortable with speed. A long the way, I played a game that I like to call “Guess the Crop.”  They changed the bike course this year to help with traffic issues. We were on a completely closed course that went through farmlands on the outskirts of town.  Within the first 5 miles, I found my aero bottle was empty (I had not drank it) and the first 200 calories that I had planned on were gone.  So, I added my second bottle and quickly realized that there was a leak in the bottle. 400 calories were gone. At the first aid station, I accepted my first Gatorade bottle while rolling through. What a rush - I did it first try. After the second aid station, we got to do the coolest thing. We got to ride the thermal track. The pavement was so smooth, and the corners were so fun. I would almost do the race again just for this experience. I knew from the course elevation that the last 1/4 of the bike course was a false flat and I expected to be challenged a little bit. The slow rise was actually a welcome change from the pancake flat. I came into T2 with juice still in my legs. I had not pushed my power as TriDot had planned but it was my fasted bike split to date. 

Bike: 3:01:08 (average power 112). TriDot expected time: 3:14:10 (average power 123). It was definitely an easier course than TriDot expected even though elevation was correct. 

 Because I had already run the length of transition with my bike, my T2 spot was right next to the bike in. I quickly racked my bike, changed into a tank top and running shoes.  Off for a jog of T2 and away on the run. 

 T2: 3:20

 The run course was both mentally and physically challenging.  It was 2 loops that was mostly on the cart path of a golf course. It was up down and down!  I tried really hard to create landmarks for the second loop so I would know where I was, but it was impossible. It all looked the same and seemed to go on forever. It was great seeing Megan Tobin (fellow SOAS sister) cheer on the course and kept my spirits up as I got tired. My goal was to run only stopping for aid stations and not get into my head because my mind was going to tire before my legs. I did it and so the run was successful even if my time was not what I was hoping for. It was a difficult run course!

Run: 2:19:57. Tridot expected time: 2:14:31

This race was a success. I met all my goals, had fun, raced smart and had a 4-minute PR. I did much better pre-race and didn’t have all the feelings of self-doubt that I have been plagued with the last few races. New routines were established that I will continue at races in the future. 

 Total time: 6:16:19. Tridot expected time: 6:21:52