Powerman Alabama Duathlon
8k run, 53k bike, 8k run
April 13, 2008
RACE PHOTOS:
http://picasaweb.google.com/livestronger14
Clif Notes Version: 1st overall in my 1st time racing pro. One of the top 3 women assessed a 4min penalty, but still won by 2:10. Tons of fun and an awesome start to 2008! Plus, I got some loot!!!
Amy’s Version:
I decided to race pro this year in Duathlon in an attempt to quality for Team USA’s sponsored pro team to race in Belgium at Long Course Worlds (Aug.08). This would mean finishing as close to the top as possible at Powerman Alabama. I had no idea what to expect from the competition, but I figured that it was worth a shot and I’d do my very best. My favorite reminder these days is that I cannot possibly have a bad race if I walk away feeling like I gave everything I had. As far as stepping up to the next level . . . well, I was hoping to be competitive but didn’t have many expectations. Mostly, I was just hopeful that better athletes would pull something more out of me. Funny how that works, but it usually does.
I met local favorite Deanna Frank in the transition area on race morning. She is incredibly nice and equally talented. I also met Bianca Simpson next to my bike rack, who is a super cool New Zealander who I later found out (thank god not before the race) that she was a pro cyclist and even raced in the Olympics several years ago. Huh?!!! Like I said, I’m just glad I didn’t know that BEFORE the gun went off. Deanna and Bianca were the most competitive throughout the race.
7:25am: “Will the professional athletes please approach the starting line.” Holy crap I couldn’t contain myself. This was just too funny for me. Funny as in ironic. I was looking at them, looking at me, and just giddy. WHAT THE HELL AM I DOING HERE WITH THEM?!! The fact that I was in this group was hilarious to me, and I was just so happy to be “sitting at the cool kids’ lunch table” that I couldn’t stop smiling. I was bouncing around while they announced each of us and some of our more recent accomplishments. I was in good company (strong athletes) but for some reason, I wasn’t nervous. I was just excited to be a part of it.
I really think that my head was right where it needed to be. This is not something that has happened overnight, but I’m more relaxed with each racing experience. I used to cry before some races from so many nerves! Now I’m just excited to be there and know that my body is not about to do anything it hasn’t done before. I like the challenge and continually remind myself that I’m just lucky to be doing this. This is for FUN. This is for FUN. If I say it enough I start to believe it.
7:30am: Gun goes off and we start 1min ahead of the age group women. Immediately Deanna takes the lead and Bianca and I are running neck and neck, about 20-30 seconds behind her by mile 2.
This is where things get ugly.
There were barricades left up from the kids’ race the previous day, blocking the road on which we were supposed to continue straight. I yelled to Bianca, “Which way?!” She didn’t know, and I turned left, thinking that’s where Deanna went. We turned and see Deanna coming back at us, yelling the same thing. We didn’t know what to do; there were no signs, no arrow, and no volunteers. The barricades threw us off. We continued left and about a half mile later we yelled to the first volunteers we saw that we didn’t know which way to go and they needed people back up the road! VERY frustrating when we realized that we HAD taken a wrong turn, and had unintentionally cut the course by three-tenths of a mile. At that point we believed we were going to be disqualified. I had no idea what to do, and it was mentally very challenging to deal with that prospect for the remainder of the race, but I convinced myself that I’d make this a good training day regardless. Besides, Deanna and Bianca weren’t slowing down . . .
Deanna finished the first run about 15sec ahead of us, and Bianca and I ran in pretty much side by side! Run #1: 6:20 avg pace/mile (almost 5miles).
53k BIKE: Two-loops, very hilly, and very challenging. There are some fast descents but it’s definitely not a super fast bike course. Deanna was about 30sec ahead of me the entire first loop. I couldn’t catch her!! I was frustrated that I wasn’t reeling her in, but continued to focus on every little thing that was within my control: my positioning, my nutrition, my pedal stroke (smooth) . . . really just trying to put every watt of power into the right place on my pedals. I figured that if I was going to make anything happen today, it had to happen on the bike.
(Sidenote: Interestingly, when I sent my coach Matt a photo of me on the bike, he proceeded to dissect everything I could do to improve my position, my pedal stroke, my aerodynamics . . . I don’t think I quite nailed it on my own!) He even said that my smiling is causing drag. Sorry Matt. I’ll work on looking MEAN! (Gerry, can you help me with the whole “racing with anger” thing??)
Around Mile 25, I started closing the gap to Deanna on one of the hills. As soon as we crested the top and began the descent, I put as much power into it as I could and passed her going downhill. I was pedaling so hard that I was bouncing around – not ideal but I was out of gears. There was no time to coast. I maintained my lead on the bike and came into transition about 30sec ahead of her I believe. I am pleased that the only other woman who biked faster on this hilly course was Brooke Harris, pro cyclist, who beat me by 11sec. BIKE 53K: 1:34:10 (21mph)
8k Run (#2): I flew through transition and took off, wondering how long it would take until I hear Deanna running up behind me. Wasn’t looking forward to being chased, but that’s how it goes sometimes. Her husband is a riot—he was all over the course yelling to me, “Lay the hammer down! She’s coming!!” I really thought that his sportsmanship made for an even more fun day. We were all out there just doing our best, and he was supporting everyone. Very cool. Anyway Deanna ended up hurting her foot but maintain her # 2 position, and I won overall by 2:10. I’m even happier with the fact that my pace/mile was faster on the second run than on the first. That’s a new one for me, and even if I don’t know how the hell I pulled that off, I’ll take it.. Run #2 (8k): 31:14 – 6:16 avg pace/mile
I crossed the line elated! Even if we were to be DQ’d, I was still overwhelmed. I was so excited to have won in my first race as a pro! Sweeeeet!!! Turns out that all three of us (Deanna, Bianca, and I) were assessed 4-min penalties for cutting the course. My final time was 2:39:42 with the penalty. At the pace I was running on the first run, my .3 mile would’ve added about 1:52, but instead I got smacked with an additional 4 minutes. LESSON LEARNED. I will study the course maps religiously next time.
http://www.insidetriathlon.com/article/70996/david-thompson-repeat-winner-amy-kloner-takes-first
Race Results: http://www.onlineraceresults.com/race/view_race.php?relist_record_type=result&lower_bound=0&upper_bound=213&use_previous_sql=1
The best part of the weekend, though, was actually the day before. I volunteered to work the kids’ races, and I was given the task of leading the bike portion on my bike. This was a blast! They had about 6 different “waves” of athletes, starting as young as age 3 to age 14. I could handle the young ones . . . but Lisa Marshall warned me of a 14yr old badass who was racing in her sons’ wave. Apparently he races criteriums and is very, very fast. I shrugged it off (how dangerous could this be? He’s 14!), and took my position about 100yards in front of the transition area. Next thing I know, I see this MACHINE flying around the corner, perfectly poised in his aerobars, looking to set a PR. Lisa yelled to me, “AMY GO NOW!!!” It’s quite possible that I inadvertently dropped a naughty word as I frantically clipped in and took off for the ride of my life. I realized that I was supposed to be LEADING him, but he was very close to taking me out. I would’ve cheered for him, but I couldn’t breath. I was easily above my lactate threshold for those 3miles (hardest 3miles of my life). I maintained my dignity as I stayed in front of him through the bike portion, but I ain’t gonna lie . . . it took everything I had! Alex and Clay Marshall finished 2nd and 5th overall, respectively. So proud of them!! The family actually had a successful weekend, with Momma and Poppa Marshall (Lisa and Keith) both taking home some loot with their 5th place overall places in the Whistlestop Duathlon. Also congrats to teammate Jay Sinclair for placing 3rd (masters) in the same race. Check out Lisa’s pics of the kids’ race: http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=19euwcp0.5k8addtk&x=0&h=1&y=-fcegs5&localeid=en_US
Next up: Gulf Coast Half Ironman. Can’t wait . . .
Hope everyone’s doing great. Keep in touch!
Love,
Amy
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