Posts in race report
first podium @ black diamond

I was also pretty confident that I was the only trans person there, and also not surprised either as there aren’t many of us in triathlon to begin with. I’m still proud representing my community in areas that might not be very friendly towards us. I never hide the fact that I’m trans at these races knowing full well that it has the potential of opening myself up to hate, judgement, questions, etc. I definitely encountered some of that at the race, but I’ll get into that in more detail later in the post.

Read More
race report, trans prideErin
lake meridian triathlon (olympic)

I did this triathlon in 2017 while prepping for my first full Ironman, so I was excited to do it again!

When I arrived to set my transition area up, I was blown away by a change.

First, a little backstory. Traditionally when you go and get your body markers applied, they put your race number on your arm and then your gender and age on your calf. This has always been difficult for me because I would go up to the volunteer to get marked and when they put my gender on my calf they always put a β€˜M’ for male. I would then correct them that I was Female, so the volunteer would blackout the β€˜M’ and put a β€˜F’ above it. So I raced with a β€˜F’, followed by a big black dot, and then my age.

Well, this time around I was surprised! The race organizers decided to not put gender markers on your calf. I was really happy that these local races are finally learning and evolving with the times and acknowledge that gender can be so many different things and you can't risk assuming a persons' gender. They removed the potential of a very awkward situation for the athlete and the volunteer.

Read More
race reportErin
evergreen half marathon

The Evergreen Half Marathon was a fantastic race. Great course, high energy, and well supported with hydration and nutrition every two miles. The volunteers were absolutely awesome! It will definitely be on my calendar for however long it's held. I really can't recommend it enough, great for beginners to elites, something for everyone.

Read More
running, race reportErin
i am an iron(wo)man

I did it!

Nine long months of blood, sweat, and tears to finally make it to this moment...  Ironman Coeur d'Alene.  All I was waiting for, and thinking about was hearing the announcer tell me...

Read More
race report, ironmanErin
lake meridian olympic triathlon

Despite being two weeks out from Ironman Coeur d'Alene, and with the disaster that was the Ellensburg Olympic triathlon ... I felt like I needed another Olympic distance race under my belt.  With how I performed, and my results in Ellensburg, I was extremely worried about Ironman.  My confidence after that race was so low.  I needed to know if Ellensburg was a fluke.  So on a whim, and not in the training plan, I signed up for Lake Meridian.  Thankfully, I was able to put to rest Ellensburg, and prove to myself that I am ready for Ironman.  Coming out of the Lake Meridian triathlon ... my confidence, and determination, couldn't be any higher, and I'm glad I decided to race!  Getting this high two weeks before Ironman is exactly what I needed!

I had the most run in a race in a long time.  I had a smile on my first the entire time, singing to myself, laughing, and just having fun.  I need to do that more often!

Let's get into this awesome race!

Read More
ellensburg olympic triathlon

Over the weekend, July 22nd, I competed in my second triathlon race in Ellensburg, WA, and my first olympic distance.  I knew going in that this race was going to be a rough one.  Having done a 2.4 mile swim race the night before (July 21st), and to drive over to eastern Washington the morning of the race.  So very little sleep, and sitting in a car for an under two hour drive to get to the race on time ... not a good setup for race day.  But, you do the best you can with the situation your dealt with.  

I was a little disappointed with the size of the field, only 14 women started the olympic distance compared to the 39 in the sprint.  I think it was this was the first year for the olympic distance, which makes sense for the low turn out.  Regardless, would love to see more women out there for these races!  Hopefully next year there will be more.

Let's jump right into things.

Read More
race reportErin
friday night swim race (2.4 mile)

Second and final swim race of the year.  This time entered into the 2.4 mile swim, using it to see where things are at for the Ironman swim.

This race was eye opening, and pushed a lot of limits mentally.  It showed a side of me that I've never seen before ... I decided to call it, and leave the race before the last turn.  It's something I've never done in competition, and it took me a while to see what I learned from this race.

Read More
friday night swim race

I didn't make the same mistake I made at the Lake Wilderness triathlon, starting out way too fast, and trying to follow the other swimmers around me.  This time I went out with a pace I'm comfortable with, and could sustain for the whole 1.2 miles.  I felt much better at the beginning, compared to being dead exhausted at Lake Wilderness.

Read More
lake wilderness sprint triathlon

I competed in the Lake Wilderness Sprint Triathlon over the weekend, my first triathlon race!  This race was primarily a learning experience.  Figuring out setting up my transition area, figuring out how my body will respond doing a swim, bike, and run after one another.

Now, being my first triathlon, I wasn't expecting much from the results.  To be perfectly honest, going in, my expectations was just not to come in last, haha!  So, it was a pleasant surprise to see that I actually performed great!  I struggled where I knew I would struggle, and that's fine ... for of that below.  So let's get into it.

Read More
icebreaker

Yesterday marked the return to bike racing.  My first organized race since my accident of May 2015.  It wasn't a big race, just a 10 mile time trial, perfect to ease back into competitive cycling, and to really put my new Specialized Shiv through its paces.  It was a great opportunity to capture my outdoor FTP (functional threshold power).

I really missed the racing atmosphere the last (almost) two years, and it was great to be in that environment again.  Many of the faces have changed since my last race in 2015, and many of the familiar faces have since upgraded to different categories.

I wish I could have performed better on the time trial, but being out of racing for so long, and now training for an Ironman ... my legs still have some growing to do.  Regardless, I still think I did pretty good for my circumstances, and where I'm at in my training.  I got the data I needed for my outdoor FTP, I managed through my headaches, and most importantly ... I had fun.

So good stuff out of the way.

My performance should have been better... Period.  Looking back at the race, and the data, I regret the strategy I decided to go with.  I was very hesitant going into my big front cog, fearing I wouldn't be able to sustain myself for the full time trial.  But very quickly staying in the low chainring, everything was just too easy, and my power output started to suffer because of it, as well as a very high cadence.  I was hoping to remedy the situation with just going to my harder gears in my rear cassette.  That was my first mistake, I should have just switch to the big chainring.  It wasn't enough.  I felt I was too far committed with my strategy to switch it up, thinking if I did switch I would loose a great deal of momentum, and would have to burn extra matches to make up the lost ground.  Looking back, I should have risked it.  The course was short enough that burning a few extra matches wouldn't be an issue.

My next goof up was at the turn around point.

Just to give some perspective...  I just started riding my Shiv at the end of last year, I've only put 910 miles on it so far.  Before that I did all my rides on my Specialized S-works Tarmac Disc.  What is that so important?  My shiv is carbon rim brakes, versus, my S-works having disc brakes.  Not going to go into the specifics, but disc brakes, you can go into corners a lot faster, as the braking distance is shorter.  Carbon rim brakes, and simply how the brakes are designed on the Shiv, require a lot more braking distance.

So back to my issues with the turn around.  For some reason I though I had disc brakes agains.  I came into the corner WAY too fast, and quickly was reminded that carbon brakes SUCK!  So I had a fun skid out, and almost sliding out at the turn.  So right off the bat, messing up that turn cost me valuable seconds.

Hindsight is always 20/20 after reflecting on things.  If I went with my other strategy, my power output would have been way higher, and my overall average speed would have been high, resulting in being more competitive in the field.  That's why we look back on our races, and find the areas to improve, and incorporate changes to the training plan, so that you don't make the same mistakes twice.

Live and learn, and race another day πŸ™‚!

Read More
race reportErinracing