NicoleThe Road Trip
Bentonville is a long day or reasonable two-day drive from Colorado Springs so we opted that path. We left Thursday mid-morning and opted to do it in two days to make for a little more of a relaxing trip before the race (and did the one-day version on the return trip). The route took us on a long, straight stretch on I-70 through eastern Colorado and Kansas, where there is not much but ranches and now windmills. We turned south in Salina to get to Wichita, where we had already planned to stop. We thought about trying out the restaurant scene (thanks for the recommendation, Khem!), but opted for an easier, lighter dinner from the Whole Foods salad bar as it was getting late. Friday morning we slept in. That was niiiiice! Then we continued on to Bentonville.
We arrived early in the afternoon, checked into the hotel, found some lunch, and then went to the race venue for packet pickup. And it was hot. This part of the country has had some non-stop heat advisories with the highs hovering around 100F day after day. Needless to say, we didn’t spend much outside once I got my race packet. We ran into Scott Rampy and it was good to say hello before the full weekend chaos went into effect. Jo was staying cool at home before their evening events. Smart call for sure! (Jo and Scott are the force behind the Rampy MS Research Foundation and this event.)
Rudy and I found a local farm to table restaurant downtown that looked to have a reasonable “pre-race” menu for me. We managed to survive the massive First Friday crowds and had a good meal. From my “create public space for people” lens, Bentonville is doing some good work. (And I know they have some substantial financial help that a lot of small cities don’t have.)
The rest of the evening was spent back at the hotel. I made sure my race gear was ready to go and had a 4:30am wake up planned. Ugh!
Race day
The hotel room was cool, the bed was comfortable, and I got decent sleep. And indeed at 4:30am my alarm went off. Time to get race day started! The rest of my race preparation involved eating the oatmeal I brought for breakfast and making sure I had all my race items together. The one thing about triathlon is that you need a lot of stuff. I had everything ready and at 5:30 we loaded up the truck and drove the short distance to the race venue. I even remembered to grab my insulated water bottles that I’d filled with ice and chilled in the fridge overnight. (Ask a triathlete or cyclist if they’ve ever left water bottles in the hotel room fridge!)
The PA system was already playing tunes and athletes were making their way in before the sunrise. As planned, I had plenty of time to set up my transition area. The heat of the day was already making itself known and the sun wasn’t even up yet. After setting things up I did a quick jog and then found Rudy relaxing in a chair under a tent in the expo area.
Around 6:20 the pre-race meeting started. We got details of the start order as several kinds of races were taking place—a corporate relay, an aquabike, and the Olympic distance race. The slower finishers started first, then the corporate relay, and then the “faster” triathlon finishers. My predicted time put me in the last group to start. The run course was being shortened to 2 miles for each segment due to the heat. Even though I hadn’t raced a triathlon in several years, I can’t say I was nervous, but I did get a little anxious waiting for the start. Good nerves. Rudy and I waited at the side of the pool watching the sunrise. I sipped on a bottle of Skratch, and then lined up with the other athletes when it was go time.
Swim 1
The swim was a snake swim (up and back in each lane) in an eight-lane, 50m outdoor pool. We waited in a line behind the timing mats to be released by the start volunteer. Every 3 seconds or so, a new swimmer was in the water. Being one of the slower swimmers of my group, I was lined up towards the back (but at least not the very back). When it was my turn, I jumped in (no diving allowed!) and started swimming. It’s easy to start too fast and this was essentially my race warmup. Our inability to accurately line ourselves up by pace made itself known early on, but after a couple laps, it got sorted. I was able to draft someone’s feet for a bit, but then took Dory’s advice and just kept swimming.
Swim 1 time (800m): 18:56
Transition 1
I’m always happy to be out of the water in a triathlon so I can try to catch people. I jogged around the aquatic center into transition, where I had a simple strategy – just get it done. I wasn’t in a hurry lest I forget something. I put on my helmet, put some gels into my pockets, and put my shoes on. Then I just grabbed my bike and jogged/walked to the exit. No shoes already clipped in as I’ve done in the past or flying start for me. Just get on my bike and ride.
T1 time: 2:49
Bike 1
The course was just shy of 13 miles long and consisted of four laps of a neighborhood around the park. I used the first lap as an assessment of the course. I’d describe it as gently rolling. Definitely some hills, but nothing too long or steep, but enough grade change to warrant regular shifting. There were left and right hand turns, and a 180-degree turn around. Just enough to keep it interesting. After the start of the second lap, I made the turnaround at the edge of the park, was shifting to find the right gear and then $@!!!. My rear derailleur cable snapped. This meant I was stuck in a gear, which unfortunately (or fortunately?) was my 11-tooth cog. (If you don’t know bikes, the smallest cog in the back makes for the largest gear ratio, which means it’s harder to pedal. Once pedaling, you go faster, but it takes more effort.)
I made sure I was in my smaller chainring (36) up front and then was stuck on a single-speed bike the rest of the race. This combination of gears is also considered “cross-chaining” because in the front the chain was as far left as it could go and in the back as far right, putting the most amount of tension on the chain. It’s not recommended, but I didn’t have a choice. So… I powered through. I got out of the saddle on the steeper segments and made sure to pedal through the downhills to get more momentum coming up the other side. While unfortunate, I’m pretty sure it made me ride faster and push myself a little more than I might have. After my four laps and legs burning more than I had planned, I turned into the park and back into transition.
Bike 1 time: 41:31
Transition 2
This is usually a fast transition, but since I haven’t raced in a while, I didn’t bother with quick laces on my running shoes. This meant I had to sit down and tie my shoes. Not recommended either, but I knew that going in. So I dropped off my helmet, took off my bike shoes (thank goodness those are just a single velcro strap), put on my socks and running shoes. I then grabbed my race belt (has my race bib on it, which is required for the run), and went on my way.
T2 time: 2:05
Run 1
A two mile run was perfect. I had only practiced running off the bike a couple of times, but did between 1.5 and 2.25 miles each time, so this distance was not a problem. The only complicating factor would be the heat (well, and maybe my legs from the bike). I just wanted to get into a comfortable pace, and had been thinking of a 9-minute-mile pace for this first run, but was settling in a little faster and felt comfortable. So I went with it. Again, a course recon for this first time through. I got some very cold water at the aid station and then plodded along. The course was fairly flat so it was easy to hold a steady pace. I took my second gel (first one was on the bike) as I went through the aid station on my way back to transition. It wasn’t too hot yet, and the humidity was lower than I thought it would be. But as I came back into the parking lot, I was certainly thinking about how nice the pool would feel.
Run 1 time: 17:48
Transition 3
Back at my gear in the transition area, I prepared to get back in the water. I emptied my pockets, took off my hat, race belt, shoes and socks, and grabbed my swimcap and goggles. I got everything right but the racebelt. I was partway to the pool when I realized I had it on (did not want to swim with my number) so I turned back and the transition entry volunteer was kind enough to take it to my bike. There was no waiting this time when I got to the pool.
T3 time: 2:53
Swim 2
I jumped in (a little cautiously), and enjoyed the refreshing feel of the water. It was tempting to just stop and soak in the cool water, but that wouldn’t get me closer to the finish. This swim is the worst. Really. While the water felt good, my arms and lats felt so heavy. I seem to recall feeling like this in the last race, and I don’t think it was just me. The swim really did feel like a slog. It was only 700m this time (to make the total 1500m), there were people with some different paces having to navigate around each other, but otherwise it went smoothly. About 500m into the swim the deep heaviness subsided and I was really happy to get out at the end. Swim 2 time (700m): 17:42
Transition 4
Here we go again. Trade the swim cap and goggles for a bike helmet and shoes. New gels in my pockets and get outta here.
T4 time: 2:39
Bike 2
I was going to have to muscle through this one. The burn was real. It was also getting hotter out and it was definitely a benefit to have just been in the pool. The lower humidity also helped make it less sauna-like and provided some benefit of evaporative cooling. I did the best I could on this segment. By the third lap, I was settled in. My legs were heavy and burning but I was going to be able to stay strong to the finish. I was even taking the corners a little faster now that I had a feel for the course. At the start of my last lap I took a caffeinated gel to get me through to the finish. I was glad I had pre-chilled my bottles, as the Skratch in them was still cold!
Bike 2 time: 41:56
Transition 5
Slow and methodical to get my socks and shoes on, and remember to not run in my bike helmet. Off I went.
T5 time: 2:08
Run 2
This was it—the final leg of the race—so it was time to leave it all out there and see what kind of faster pace I could hold. Except now it was really getting hot. I think the air temperature was around 90F. The run aid station about a half-mile in still had cold water and this time I also took a chilled towel and tucked it around my neck. That would be perfect for this course. I proceeded to chase a few people down and felt pretty strong considering the thrashing I had to put on my legs on the bike. Rudy was close by at the start of the run and then he was able to wait for me at the finish. (He was actually at all my transitions cheering and taking pictures). I dropped off the used towel at the last aid station, took a cool drink of water, and then made my way to the finish chute. I have no sprint but was able to pick up the pace a little bit for a strong finish.
Run 2 time: 16:28
Total Finish: 2:46:51
1st in my age group (50-54), 8th of all females (out of 30), and third of all 50-54 year-olds (out of 11).
Reflection
I am grateful that I was able to go to Bentonville to support this race. The racing was (mostly) enjoyable. 🥵 A lot of people with MS get completely zapped by the heat, so being physically able to be competitive in that environment is always a blessing. The race turned out well despite the mechanical issue. There are worse things that could have happened, and if you know me, I just do what I can to adapt.
I am also grateful to all the people who donated to the Rampy MS Research Foundation on my behalf. We raised over $2360! 🙏🏻💚💙 The Rampys are wonderful people who put their heart and soul into supporting people with MS through their foundation. (If you haven’t donted yet and are able, you can do so at researchms.org Under Donate to the MS care clinic.)
Rudy is always a wonderful team player. He did the driving and got up at 4:30 (ish) with me to hang out in the heat and make sure I was good to go. Having the extra set of hands to get ready and the onsite cheerleader made the race even better.
Also having some downtime over a holiday weekend was lovely. We went to Crystal Bridges and I learned that the museum was designed by the same person who designed the Skirball in Los Angeles, where my grandmother used to volunteer. To get out of the heat we saw a couple movies – Spider-Man: Brand New Day and The End of Oak Street. Bentonville is a really neat bike town. They have leaned into making it a destination for all kinds of cyclists. I look forward to going back 1) when it is cooler and 2) with a mountain bike.
Overall, wonderful trip to support a great cause, do something I hadn’t done in a while, and enjoy a holiday weekend road trip.
Nicole
