Race Report(s!) : Winja's Trick or TRI and Rock N' Roll Half Marathon (October 29 and 30th, 2016)

This weekend passed by WAY too fast. I feel like I didn't get enough time to catch my breath and when I did, it was time to go to work again. This weekend was a big one - It marks the last few races I'll do before we head down to Arizona for THE BIG ONE.

I'm sure there will be at least one more post before then, but in the meantime, lots to cover in terms of the two events that I did this weekend!

TRIck or TRI! (October 29th)

My heel has been bugging me lately (Plantar Fasciitis works in mysterious ways - as in, it doesn't like to heal the way it should) and I've been hesitant to work myself out too much in fear that I'll hurt myself before the race. Does this count as an injury? It's definitely a developing one.

I got up rather early on Saturday morning (around 3:30) and got to the Santa Fe Dam around 4:30. Since transition wasn't going to be open until 5, Marcos and I spent time in the darkness talking  about his Ironman (IM Maryland) and race prep. I've found that over the course of the last few months, talking to people who have done a full really helps in terms of calming my nerves.

Transition opened and we were allowed to set up wherever we wanted. I chose a rack closer to bike IN because I didn't want to run with my bike whilst tired. It turned out to be very beneficial, as it meant finding my pace for the run while still in transition. :) So many of the Disney Tri Team came to represent, and we were all able to rack together!

Thanks for the picture, Harrison!

Thanks for the picture, Abel!

The race itself was straightforward: An Oympic distance - one mile swim, 25 mile bike, 6.2 mile run. I was in the third wave and started my swim with women aged 40 and below. The water was murky but warmer than the air was outside, and I couldn't complain because there were no waves in the water. It was a perfect swim at 29:20.

Thanks, Abel! Running out of the water with my wetsuit half off already.

Transition was quick, and I left on the bike a few minutes after. The ride was nice: 3 loops along the San Gabriel Bike path - fast and quick with a little headwind on the ride back each time.

Thanks for this gem, Harrison!

The ride was probably the fastest consistent ride I've been on: I averaged 18.1 mph for the three loops. Probably a good thing that it was flat :)

Got off the bike, and transition this time around was even faster - I was probably only in transition for a minute or so. 6 miles isn't too much, and the run was quick. Sometimes I wish I could run a little faster, but I was consistent and finished without feeling tired at all. Goal achieved.

I finished!

Thanks for the picture, Chan!

Thanks, Kien! My legs look SO ripped in this picture :)

Thanks, Kien!

We had pancakes after (Colette and Emily were on pancake duty and I got to make one of my own), and left soon after to pick up my race packet for RnR LA.

Alice and I took the metro to the LA Convention Center - it was surprisingly easy and we had no issues - though it seemed like EVERYONE was there for a different reason: Stan Lee's Comic Con and League of Legends were taking place at the same place. I'm never opposed to people watching, so I had a great time.

Picked up my packet and headed back. I knocked out early - triathlons take a lot out of you!

Rock n' Roll Los Angeles! (October 30th)

Alice was planning on bike-leading the half, so I hitched a ride with her and we got to LA Live by 5:45. The race was set to start at 6:45, so I met up with Patrick and we grazed over a game plan. The funny thing is - for every half marathon we do together, I tell him I want to target a 10:30/mile plan. We never hit 10:30. Like clockwork, I suggested we do a 10:30, and like clockwork, Patrick laughed and agreed, knowing 10:30 was out of the question.

We were in corral 6 (of 22 corrals) and had a rolling start - the waves were so fast that within a minute we were already on the course. The first four miles were very steady - mid 9s - Patrick was trying to stay consistent, but I think whenever I run in races with others, I get super competitive and always want to run ahead of the people I see. Patrick threatened to hold me to a 10:30 pace, but we did really well - He kept it very consistent and I... I was very spastic. I tend to push myself harder on hills (I have a backwards sense of rationalization), so every hill it was a "bye, Patrick" and I would meet him halfway up and keep running with him.

Around mile 8 my heel started acting up. I'd pause and try to stretch it but by mile 11 I was kind of hobbling and putting more weight on my right foot to lay off my left. (At the moment I have a splint on my leg to allow for the scar tissue to form correctly.) We finished strong (Patrick and I have a saying when one of us starts to fall behind), but Patrick told me that we'd hang back and not speed up, and AT THE LAST SECOND speeds up, blows past me! - and finishes ahead of me. Not cool, Patrick!

The half was GOOD. Really good. I felt strong and I didn't feel tired. I felt like I could do so much more, which is saying something considering I did an Olympic the day before. I needed this weekend to prove to myself how prepared I was, and I'm glad I did it.

We headed over to the beer garden, where Michelob Ultra was serving up after-race refreshers.

The Mowglis were playing the after-race show, and while I'm a fan, I didn't think I would know as many songs as I knew!

 Everyone was still running, so they played to a mostly-empty crowd. I'm gonna call it "intimate" because I literally had the best time dancing by myself. Technically it wasn't dancing because I was seated on the floor with my legs strewn and wiggling the upper half of my body.

Jared saw me from the distance, and his reaction?

Had to stop dancing to save face. :)

Great friends, great fun, great race.

10/10 would do it again.

Race Report: Winja's Ironman 70.3 Arizona (October 16, 2016)

Yesterday, I became a 4-time half ironman. It was the third half-ironman I completed this year, and a big "training day" test before the full in November.

Overall, I did better than I thought I would, but was disappointed with my run and very impressed by my bike.


Pre-Race:

I took this race more like a weekend workout to see how well prepared I would be for the full. With that said, there was no taper for this race. I woke up bright and early Friday morning, swam with GRA, and rode the river trail with Patrick before I headed out to Arizona.

Guys. The drive from LA to AZ is quiet. Without stops and with some minor traffic, I made it to Tempe in six hours.

Best part? I averaged nearly 55 miles per gallon. All the way to Arizona with 3 gallons of gas left to spare. (The little things in life make me happy!)

Arizona is dry. I started sneezing as soon as I got to Tempe and couldn't tell if I was sick or just allergic. I think it's more allergies than anything else now that I'm back home, but it's not very ladylike when you're on the bike and snot runs down your face and hits your shoulder during a race. 

Saturday morning Patrick and I met up to pick up our packets and sign our lives away. 

I can't take nice pictures.

We sat through an athlete briefing after we dropped our bikes off, and then scouted the course for the full. Guys. We didn't anticipate hills on the course. THERE ARE HILLS ON THE FULL COURSE. It's time to get some hills in for training. It's late. I know. I just wasn't expecting anything outside of a flat course for the full. (Insert sad face here because I was really sad to find this part out).

When we finished the drive for the full course, we figured we would tackle the course for the half. Now, when Patrick mentioned that the course looked like a little kid took a crayon to paper and drew the course, he wasn't kidding. Three loops of right turns, left turns, and u-turns. Over 40 in the race alone. It took us longer to drive the course for the half than it did for the full. 

I spent much of the weekend worrying about whether or not this race was feasible. To top it off, the weather was supposed to be 93 degrees and my wave wasn't set to start until 7:56 am. My emotions were out of control. 

Race Day:

Those who know me well know that I worry a lot. As in, I overthink things and replay scenarios in my head way too much. I couldn't sleep, and woke up at 3:30 without my alarm. I was only a mile away from transition, but I hate being late, and even though my wave wasn't set to start until 8.. well, I showed up 4 hours early. 

Just kidding - Transition opened up at 5 and everyone had to be out by 6:20, so I had to find something to do for an hour and a half. I watched the swim start, including Patrick's 6:30 (lucky duck) start, and by 7:56, we were in the water and the cannon was going off. By then, the sun had risen and my tinted goggles came into play. With the mentality of taking it slow, the swim was nice and smooth - a few of the girls tried to swim over me, but I was able to get away and managed to get into a rhythm by the time I hit the fourth buoy. 

1.1 miles, done. 

A volunteer pulled me out of the water at the end (it's a staircase with rails) and wetsuit strippers helped me out of my wetsuit. 

Swim time: 41:46. My slowest swim ever, but hey - practice, right?

The bike I was expecting a 4 hour time - turns have been hard for me since my bike accident, and I always unclip and brake when I do, so I figured I'd be about 20 - 30 minutes slower. The turns weren't as hard as I thought they would be. I still unclipped and I still braked, but I took advantage of the straightaways and went into aero whenever possible. 

The result? 8 MINUTES FASTER THAN MY FASTEST TIME ON THE BIKE. I averaged 17.2 mph and made up the time I lost on the swim. My sunburnt face and shoulders were a worthy sacrifice.

Two coats of sunblock later, I started the run. It was torture. In my head I was trying to figure out where Patrick was. I figured when I finished my bike, he'd finish his run, but in reality, he was only half way done with his run and probably miserable. 

Try starting a half marathon at 12 noon. Insert 92 degree weather. Insert haphazardly sprayed sunblock over already sunburnt skin. Insert already exhausted legs not ready for a run. That was me. 

I started to develop plantar fasciitis a few weeks ago and had to get new shoes to try to repair the stabbing pain in my heel. My new Hoka One Ones had never seen a run over 4 miles, but I couldn't risk exacerbating the pain even more, so I broke the golden rule: Nothing new on race day. 

My gimpy run started off fine - my first mile clocked in at 9:38, but soon after, my mile time slipped to 10s, 12:30s, and even hit 15+. It was so hot. I was trying not to dehydrate, so I held a cup of ice while I ran, and I walked during the aid stations. Mentally, I was all there. I was so excited to finish. Physically, my body was shutting down on me. The run course was unforgiving and had no shade. My lips were chapped and no amount of water was quenching me. 

But, I finished. I kept asking myself if I would be able to handle the full, but I think the conditions were a little different. The heat was a big factor. The new shoes.

I want to say that (for the most part) I am ready, but who knows? 

I downed 2 bottles of water as soon as I finished. I headed over to the athlete food tent to get into the shade, and I sat there for 15 minutes without talking to anyone. I needed to cool down. 

4 halfs is a big accomplishment in my eyes. We're a month away from the full. Fingers crossed. 

Garneau was nice enough to repost my photo on Instagram!

Consider this your #MondayMotivation. Go after what you want. Don't let a not so stellar moment ruin your chances at a great overall result! #LiveYourDream 👏 @_winja on your 4th half-Ironman! ・・・ #Repost @_winja It's 92° and I'M NOW A 4X HALF-IRONMAN, Y'ALL! 💪 worst run of my life, best bike of my life. I'll take what I can get. #IMAZ703 #winja1406 #winja703 #burnttoacrisp #ihateeveryone #Garneau #LiveYourDream

A photo posted by Garneau (@garneausports) on Oct 17, 2016 at 7:28am PDT

Results here.

Race Report: Winja's Ironman 70.3 Vineman (July 10, 2016)

Well. It's been 2 days, and I'm NOT sore! For the first time, I feel like my training has finally paid off. 

One year ago TODAY, I did my first half-ironman. Sunday marked the third half-ironman I've done in the span of a year, and in short, I'm VERY proud of myself. It's hard to really acknowledge how much time and effort goes into training because you never feel like it's enough, but when you cross the finish line, a huge weight lifts off your shoulders, and you feel good. Really good.

I'm still riding that endorphin high now.

This was my second time doing Vineman - it's a hilly course that starts in Guerneville and ends in Windsor.

THE PREP:

Things were a little different this year in that we were told to drop off our bikes and our run gear the day before - with T2 17 miles away from T1, we had to plan accordingly to get everything dropped off by the 4pm cutoff time at both locations and check in for the race itself. 

I did, however, get to cram time in to meet Nanette from Women for Tri, a fellow ambassador who did a great job holding down the fort and meeting some of the women who represented 39% of the race population at Vineman 70.3! The goal is to empower more women to do triathlons, so you'll see a lot more Women for Tri plugs from me as the year progresses. 

THE RACE:

(Disclaimer: Two weeks ago, Bryant and I rode to San Diego from LA, and I pulled a muscle in my right leg. It had been bugging me since then, so I had fears that I wasn't going to finish and that I was probably going to be in pain.)

We got to transition around 5 in the morning - everything was dark and calm, which made for a very peaceful transition set up.

Another thing new thing about the race this year was that everyone had to be out of transition by 6:15 am. On top of that, we were no longer allowed to pass our stuff off to our support crew - it would be considered "outside assistance", and we were told that we would be blue-carded and disqualified from the race if we did.

We all went back to our transition areas to try and figure out what we would do without the help of our friends. Half of my stuff went back into my transition bag and was handed to Alice's brother before the race. All of the items that I wanted after the race was over was placed into my morning bag, which included my phone. Before I gave it up, however, we pulled most of the DTT team together and took a picture!

You'll notice that the #WheresPatrick hashtag comes into play here. He left his phone on silent and missed his opportunity! We'll photoshop him in later.

THE SWIM:

The pros took off exactly at 6:25 - both Crowie and Andy Potts were racing, so it was great watching them come out of the water and pulling their bikes out of transition. My wave (obviously less important) took off at 7:22am. The water was a cool 71 degrees compared to the air temperature of 58. Half of the swim course is meant to be swum against the current, so I swam on the outside of the river to get a little less of the brunt, and closer to the markers on the way back to get an extra push from the natural flow of the river. Shallow points in the river meant athletes getting up out of the water to walk the swim, which astounds me every time. I'm against it, but I do know that Patrick walks it every year. Maybe he'll elaborate a little more on it in his race report.

Despite feeling good after the swim, it looks like my time was a few minutes slower than last year - 3 minutes slower. I'll blame it on the current.

THE BIKE:

Transition was much more organized this year - carpeted for all of the athletes so that they wouldn't struggle with the muddy ground as they pulled their wetsuits off. Since there was no handoff, I took off on my bike without worrying about looking for someone to pass my wetsuit off to - I jammed it into my bike bag and ran up the little hill before mounting my bike (another change they made to the race this year - probably because so many people fell off their bikes last year trying to get up the hill).

The bike course seemed a lot shorter than it did the last time I rode it. Alice said she practiced a lot more on hills - I chose to do the distance. This year alone, I did 3 centuries as part of my training for the full, so the normally daunting 56 miles only seemed like a 30-mile ride, which was a nice way of looking at it. Mile 44 is always the kicker: Chalk Hill. My back was on fire by the time I hit mile 30, so I found myself getting up out of the saddle quite a bit. I think I'm due for another bike fit. This back pain isn't getting any better, so I'll need to lessen the pain everywhere else if possible.

Lots of rolling hills, lots of people that I passed with flat tires, lots of unpaved roads, more cars, more SAG support, and less crowd-cheering. Beautiful sights, though. Probably 50+ vineyards that we rode past.

Bike time was very similar to last year, but this year! This year we got to ride a little further into the transition area before dismounting, which was nice. Last year we had to run a quarter of a mile in our bike shoes. Not cool.

THE RUN:

The run was hard. You know that feeling when you're finished with a workout, you're exhausted, want to go home, and then you realize that it's 7 in the morning and you and have to go to work right after? That's how I felt when it came time for the run. I was putting my shoes on in transition and asked myself why the run was 13 miles and not 1. Or none. None would have been nice.

But, c'est la vie.

I put on my hat, sprayed some more sun block on, and rolled out of T2. Rolling hills. So many rolling hills. The first few miles are shady, but then all the trees disappear and you're running along an airport property with NO TREES. I was a little smarter this year - I ran with a cup of ice. At every aid station, I asked for more ice, and I made sure that I was always hydrated. I actually think I may have over-hydrated, but when you're running in the heat, less is definitely not more.

My overall run time dropped by about 7 minutes, which made up for a lot of the time I had lost in the swim and the transitions!

I will say I had no energy left by the time I hit mile 12. I wanted to sing a song in my head but couldn't think of anything, so I counted. From 1 to 100, and then back down again. I saw the finish line as I turned into Windsor High School, but I continued to jog it in. I had nothing left. I'm hoping that by the time I hit my next half (October), it will be cake - the full is in November!

POST RACE:

The most important part is that I finished. I've been called a sandbagger before because I'm always telling people that I don't think I'll be able to finish races. I think my expectations are so much higher than they should be, so I verbally communicate a lower expectation so that in the event that I actually don't finish I'm not as depressed.

I checked my time and I was a whole 5 minutes faster than my time from last year! I know there is room for improvement in the swim (I should have swum a lot more) and the bike (I should have worked on a lot more hills) - the run was good but I know that with more practice the time will go down steadily. I'm looking forward to my next race!

Results here.

Race Report: Winja's Ironman 70.3 Oceanside (April 2, 2016)

So... let me get a few things out of the way before I start.

1. I love the ocean. I have always loved the ocean. When I was younger, I truly believed that if I didn't prune from being in the water too long, I'd find a way to live in the ocean for the rest of my life. I guess the whole eating and breathing underwater thing would be an issue too, but as a child, who thinks of those things?!
2. I am a runner. I've been running on and off for the last 15 years. If you asked me to run a marathon tomorrow, I'd hesitate a little, but I'd probably end up doing it. 
3. I did not train as much as I should have. I really should have trained more. 

Oceanside was my second 70.3. Unlike Vineman last year, I knew what I was getting myself into. I knew the amount of work that it would take to do the half, and I knew how I'd feel transitioning into each event. 

Also unlike Vineman last year - I didn't train as much. The winter season was really hard for me. I kept getting sick (my immune system has always been weak), and I never wanted to go to the pool because it was always so cold! With that said, however, I did work out a lot, and I did put in a lot of effort: I did my first full century ride, I ran a half marathon the day after (!), and I even did the LA Marathon! Technically I should have been prepared. But I also didn't brick my training, and those swims! I should have swum more. 

---

Now, onto Oceanside. 

PRE RACE PREP

This was a race that Selena, Lisa, and I all agreed to sign up for. It was going to be our A-race for the year (before I haphazardly decided that I wanted to do a full), and we were so excited for it! The thing I love most about these women is their drive and how they are always motivating me to be my best. I would not have wanted to go into this race any other way. 

I drove down to Oceanside Friday morning (I actually forgot that the race was on a Saturday and not on a Sunday, which really threw me off) - Athlete check-in was seamless, and many of the volunteers were from Camp Pendleton. They were all so sweet and encouraging. "Good Luck"s all around!

The swag was great too - Oceanside's official 70.3 shirt was a grey tech shirt, and we were given a coupon to head over to the IM Merch tent to pick up our bags. 

Transition and the finish line were about a mile apart, so we had to drop off our bikes at transition the day before. I thought about leaving my gear there, but as no one else was doing that, I said bye to my bike and went to CalTri's team dinner instead. 

---

RACE DAY

Those who know me well know that I am early to just about everything. EVERYTHING. I hate pushing things to the last minute because then I can't prep! It's also one of the main reasons why I overpack. I always want to have a plan B and plan C in case plan A backfires. 

I woke up around 3 am, checked out of my hotel at 4, and walked the .8 miles to transition at 4:30. Transition opened at 4:45, so I had plenty of time to assess the area, set up my stuff, and get my leg and arm marked for the race. 

At 6:30, we were pushed out of transition into a holding area, and slowly we filed into a chute to wait for our turn to get into the water. I was freezing. Outside, it was 52 degrees. Luckily, the water was 10 degrees warmer at 62. You could hear the sighs of relief as we all filed in. We swam over to the starting line, and at 7:17, we were off!

The swim was slow for me. I felt comfortable the whole time, and in retrospect I should have tried a little harder. Sighting was easy, but as soon as we turned, the sun was in my eyes. Tinted goggles are the best invention ever. There was a little chop at the turn as well, but for the most part, the water was calm. 

As we ran out of the water, I could tell that the swim was a little longer than it should have been (only by a little bit, according to my watch). We had to run up the same chute we were shuttled out of earlier, and back intro transition. 

The bike was good but challenging. I've done 2,000ft climbs before, but I don't think I was anticipating going up the side of a mountain at mile 35. I watched as grown men got off their bikes and walked up. As Selena says, "If you can bike it, I won't let you walk it" - so I didn't. My back was aching by the time I hit mile 25. I constantly had to get up off the saddle to stretch. On one of the smaller hills, I cross-chained and my chain fell off. Not good. I freaked out a little, thinking my chain had broken, but it was a quick fix and I managed to get going in less than a minute. 

There were a few points that were different about this course - the no pass zones - once on a bike trail and the other on a 25 mph speed limit going downhill. Safety precautions supposedly because of a death in IMCali's first ever race, so completely understood, but some of the athletes were very rude about it and called out remarks about cyclists being too slow, etc. Not cool. The headwinds on the way back made for a slower ride into transition. 

With that said: the ride was amazing. We got to go into Camp Pendleton! Marines were on just about every corner, and though many were stoic, others cheered and told us we were doing a great job. It was interesting to get a different look at how a city like that operated, and I loved the idea of riding in a place that most people aren't able to.

Transition from the bike to the run was fine. I was a little slower because I wanted to ensure that I applied enough sunblock. I guess it didn't help, because I'm now peeling - my face, my back - it's great.

The run consisted of 2 roughly-6.5mile loops. The first loop was longer than the second due to construction, which is why the finish line was a mile away from transition. I had a cramp in my left leg miles 1 - 6. It was difficult to even put my leg on the ground. It also turns out that my first mile was incredibly faster than it should have been.

Either way - I'm thankful for the relatively flat run course. There were about 4 medium sized hills, which many walked up. Seeing those hills from far away were kind of demoralizing, but I made it over them! Another interesting point was running back toward the finish line and seeing the masses of people, only to run back out to start your second loop and seeing nothing but runners. I remember the way I felt at mile 11 of my last 70.3 - it was so hard to get to the end. With the run this time, I took it easy: the sun was beating down on us and there was no shade whatsoever. 

The last half mile could not have gone any better. One of the things I love to do during my races is read all the signs: "You're only half crazy!" "Beer and Pizza at the end" "Smile if you just laid one" - they're great. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a sign that said "Gooooo Winja703! Bathroom 1 mile -->" and I thought I was hallucinating. I thought, "Wow! Someone else has my nickname... and my hashtag.. wait a minute" - IT WAS PATRICK! 

A sight for sore eyes, really. It's hard to go to a race by yourself without having your support team. My sister - up until this past race - had been my go to: My schlepper of transition bags, my cheer squad - my "Eye of the Tiger" prep-singer. This is the only time I'll say it: Patrick, I'm glad you were there. 

Okay, now that the sappiness is out of the way: I FINISHED! I was a lot slower than my first half, which goes to show that training goes a long way - I will definitely be amping it up in preparation for Vineman. 

Also, special thanks to Alice and friends for making their way to Oceanside to see me after I finished! 

Last and especially not least, I want to express my elation regarding the two other pieces of my Team Shiiicago pie: both Selena and Lisa were finishers as well!

Kudos to these ladies - we are truly a triple threat, and I'm so glad I have them to motivate me and push me the way they always do. So much love for them!

With my first race of the season out of the way, the only route to go is up. I can now say I'm a 2x70.3 athlete!

How does one celebrate an amazing feat? Disneyland. 

Yes. I drove to Disneyland right after my half. No regrets. 

Results here. 

Packing for a Half-Ironman

My biggest dilemma for this Saturday's Oceanside 70.3 is what I'm going to pack. I'll admit it - No matter where I go, I overpack. Why would I want to be in a position where I'm unprepared? In my mind, I envision being in each moment during the race, and I pack accordingly. This is what I'm bringing with me this weekend:

General

• Headlamp - It's gonna be dark
• Tri Top, shorts, and flip flops. I'll be wearing these to the race, but I have to remember to pack them before I leave for Oside!
• Garmin Forerunner 920xt
• Heart Rate Monitor (I Forgot this at my last 70.3 and wanted to cry)
• Garmin Vivosmart HR (yes, I want to bring both Garmins - they serve different purposes outside of the nasty tans I'll get)
• Chamois butter? I don't use this but it seems like everyone else does. 

Transition Area

• Bike Pump - they're asking us to drop off our bikes the day before
• Towel to lay on ground

Nutrition for Swim:

• I usually pack a coconut water to drink before my race. I sip this and do most of my hydrating the night before. 
• Some sort of fruit - I'll eat this as I walk in to drop off my stuff. Usually an Apple or a nectarine. 
• Peanut Butter and Jelly - this is breakfast at 3am. 
• Nuun Tabs. These things are magic in my water. 

Swim

• Sunblock
• Wetsuit
• Tri-Glide
• Goggles
• Swim Cap from Ironman
• Towel
• Chapstick - I swear by Carmex
• Water Bottle to clean off feet

T1

• I eat a Clif Bar and down a salt tab before I leave. 
• I will drink water because swimming makes me thirsty. If I have enough coconut water from before I'll usually sip some of this because it hydrates me more than water does. 
• Sunblock. Lots of spraying sunblock. 

Bike

• My bike. I should definitely bring my bike. 
• Helmet
• Sunglasses
• Shoes
• Race belt
• Race Number Bib
• Bike Shoes
• Bike Socks
• Riding Cap
• Gloves
• Water Bottle for Electrolytes
• Disposable Water Bottle to trade volunteers with
• Chapstick - I swear by Carmex
• Jersey, loaded with my nutrition in the back
• Clif Bar 
• Honey Stinger Waffles (2)
• Honey Stinger Chews
• Jelly Belly Sport Beans
• Extra Nuun Tabs
• Electrolytes - SaltStick Tabs, Hammer Endurolytes to take - usually one per hour on the ride. 
• The goal is to consume about 250 calories every hour I'm on the bike. 

T2

• I will probably eat some Honey Stinger chews and drink a bit of water here. No real prep because there will be aid stops on the run. 
• Sunblock
• Double check for race belt
• Switch to running shoes
• Grab my hat!

Run

• Hat
• Sunglasses
• More sunblock
• Running Shoes
• Running Socks
• Chapstick - I swear by Carmex

Finish

• Compression Socks
• Shirt to change into

See? I did it again! I overpacked. But I'm going to be so full and so prepared. I'm really excited! Thoughts? AM I MISSING ANYTHING?!