ITU Bellingham Pan American Continental Cup ( U.S. Elite and Under-23 National Championships) ~ August 7, 2005 ~ Bellingham, WA USA
This was the hardest race I have ever done. I don't think I have worked that hard ever in my life for that period of time. Even though I didn't achieve the result I wanted going into the race (top 2 in the U-23) I still fulfilled my goal I've had since May 2004… qualifying for 2005 U-23 Worlds in Gamagori , Japan .
This is a really tough course, making it an ideal one for the National Championships. It ensures that everyone suffers a lot and truly earns their result. The swim is two 750 meter laps with a run up and back down a boat ramp between laps. The bike is six 4.1 mile loops, including a huge hill at the end of the lap that is ¾ mile long and maxes at 18% grade. The run is four 1.5 mile laps, very flat and fast.
This race would title the US national champions and determine the 2005 National Teams that would race in Japan at the World Championships. There are 6 Elites, 3 Under-23 and 4 Juniors from each gender that make up the teams. For the Under-23, the first two U23 finishers at this race automatically qualify and the third is determined by ITU points earned throughout the season. Going into the race, I was tied for second in points with Kelsey Withrow, so if I didn't get top 2 then I just needed to beat her and finish within 8% of the winner's time to get a spot on the team. The other U23 participants who were of concern to me were Jasmine Oeinck, Sara McLarty, Jenna Shoemaker, and Caitlin Shea-Kenney.
With some Olympians at the race all vying for a national champion title, I knew it was going to be a fast race. Since my goal was to get to Worlds though, I really only worried about the Under-23 girls. I thought the tough course would suit me like the course at last year's world championships in Madeira Portugal last year. I was just worried about making the swim and was confident that the rest would take care of itself.
I think I made a mistake in that – not quite understanding how MUCH it was going to hurt.
I warmed up on the bike 10 minutes and swimming 10 minutes then I put my sweats on until we were getting final instructions. It was a non-wetsuit swim at about 73 degrees F. I was ranked 11 th in the field of 23 women, so I was able to get a decent spot lining up on the pontoon. I had a pretty good dive for the start, and I went out pretty hard since it was crucial to get a good position. As we headed straight out for the first buoy, I read the names on some of the butts around me: Oeinck, Lavelle, Withrow, Cook… I knew I was okay at that point because all of them are strong swimmers. I tried to stay as calm as possible… “smooth, calm, focused, relaxed” – my mantra from my first year of racing – crept into my head and I repeated it in rhythm with my strokes. The first turn buoy came really fast and after that turn it got pretty strung out. I accelerated to get on some feet at this point but it was a lot harder to feel the draft in a line. We were also fighting wind and more waves in this direction. As I swam in a small group of 2-3 other girls, I concentrated on using a powerful efficient stroke, feeling pretty strong. After the second turn, we started building speed all the way into the boat ramp. I had a good exit, breathing hard and saw a group of 3 or 4 ahead of me diving in as I rounded the turn back down the ramp. My coach yelled for me to get with those girls… so I ran hard back into the water, dove in and sprinted. They weren't THAT far, I COULD catch them if I sprinted hard. I was closing the gap but I guess I had slowed down because a girl zoomed around me and I was able to pick it up and get on her feet. But she kept going hard and I started losing her. I pushed hard but after I rounded the first turn (and got bonked by the buoy) there was a gap. Knowing I was out in no-mans-land, I concentrated on keeping the gap even. I knew I was pretty anaerobic too. Especially the last straightaway in. I was really happy that I had stayed so focused for the whole swim. Sprinting hard into the ramp and running up the ramp, the clock said 20:31 . DANG that's like a huge PR (personal record) for me! Psyched, I ran into transition breathing hard, watching the girls ahead of me. My coach yelled ‘Michelle that's your pack get with them!' In the transition area I heard someone yell “There are strong cyclists behind you, like Jessi Stensland, they'll bridge you up!” Still I booked it out on my bike, with a clean, smooth flying mount. It was easy to get my shoes on because we had a straight flat road. I got them on quickly and then got up with the girl ahead of me then we worked on catching the next girl up. After catching her she said there was another girl 15-20 seconds up so we set to work on catching her. I had no idea where the rest of the U-23 girls were, I knew Sara McLarty, Jasmine, and Kelsey were up there and probably Jenna and Caitlin too. So I had some work to do!
After the flat section on the course there is a long steep descent followed by a small hill just before the big hill. One of the girls like attacked on this small hill and the other girl was right on it. It took me by surprise and getting back up with them took some effort. And mentally I was really worried. The big hill was starting in a quarter mile and I wasn't feeling my legs. It totally threw me off and I began the first hill without my usual focus. It got hard very quickly. I guess I was counting on the first two laps not hurting that much but I was very wrong. The 27 tooth cog on my rear wheel felt more like a 21 or a 23. And I was getting dropped! The fans cheering along the road didn't help too much – I was spiraling into a panic. Then halfway up the hill, Jessi comes by like she's on an escalator. Then Caitlin and Jenna were there and passed me too. When I got to Charlie (my coach), he yelled at me “Michelle do you want this?! You HAVE to go with these girls!! Get out of the saddle!” I couldn't. I was sitting. In a 27. Where WERE my climbing legs?? I felt awful and panicky. I began the descent and didn't let myself rest. I made the turn back onto the start of the next lap at full speed knowing I had no time to lose. Hammering along on the flat section again, I wished I could relax and recover from the hill, but I had to just GET ON THEIR WHEELS! I finally caught back on right before the long descent. I was able to recover a bit there sitting in the draft with these 3 girls.
On the small hill again, the same thing happened. As they accelerated up it, I got dropped. I managed to catch back on again and began the 2 nd time up the hill with them. Leading into it, I tried to talk myself into it… but this time, both Jenna and I were dropped but I fell back more than she did. Charlie yelled again but was more positive, telling me that I was still in the race and that I just had to keep with Jenna.
On the flat section after this lap, I again had no recovery and hammered to catch back up with Jenna, and I did on the descent where I could make up a lot of time. The rest of the bike portion went the same. I would begin the hill with Jenna, get dropped and then hammer on the flat and downhill to get back with her. The last lap, we dumped out our waterbottles and began the hill together and I saw Kelsey in catchable distance ahead. By this lap, I had developed a good rhythm, counting my pedal strokes. We caught Kelsey and I picked it up, finally getting my chance to win the hill one time. Jenna passed me on the descent, and I hopped on her wheel, preparing mentally for a fast run. I knew I could run faster than them but I hated how it was so close. The three of us went into transition together. My bike time was a slow 1:17 . I followed Jenna into transition and as I ran I evaluated how my legs felt. I almost ran by my slot again and racked my bike the slow way, on the seat not the handlebars. I ran out of transition 10-15 seconds behind Jenna.
I was pretty confident as I began my run, I fell into a quick cadence, good posture, even breathing. Then began the splits from Charlie. Caitlin had 1-2 minutes on me, Sara had over 5 minutes. “Oh man!” I said and Charlie said “its ok you're still in the race, keep pushing.” The other coaches were yelling at the other athletes too, it was pretty intense. I kept gaining on Jenna and passed her at the first ¾ lap. It was harder mentally having her at my back but it allowed me to run my own pace without her in my sight. Charlie said I made up 30 seconds on Caitlin on that lap. She was still 50 seconds ahead. My parents were cheering this whole race too, and it was really cool racing right where they could see it all happen. After the 2 nd lap I was still 50 seconds down. I don't think I could have run faster without blowing up, I just focusing on maintaining and not losing any ground. Barb Lindquist (Olympian!) passed me and I noticed how hard she breathes. My legs were hurting – kind of a dull ache and they felt separated from my upper body. As I approached the finish line, I passed another competitor, but she put in a good kick and got me right at the end. It was finally over, the pain finally stopped after 2 hours 18 minutes of racing. I was still worried about whether or not I would get the spot on the Worlds team because it was coming down to points. I just had to hope and pray they would select the team fairly.
They announced the teams after the mens race and I was super happy to have reached my goal. In June (not that long ago) it seemed like such a long shot, kind of wishful thinking. But I worked hard, raced consistently and improved at each race. It has finally cashed in!
I leave tomorrow for Tiszaujvaros , Hungary to race in my first World Cup! I am very excited and nervous but I know it will be a valuable learning experience, especially since U23 Worlds in Japan will be much like a World Cup. Then I head back to school for a couple weeks and leave Sept. 4 to race in Japan ! Thanks to everyone for the encouragement and support – you all truly make this possible for me.
