Kim Loeffler Racing

California 70.3 Race Report

After a long hard block of training, it’s always feels good to get out and race and test the fitness.  It doesn’t feel so good when things don’t go as planned.  My race last weekend was a dissapointing one.  I was excited to get out and race my first triathlon of the year.  My Ironman China build went really well.  My run build up was short due to a little achillies tendinitis which I got from too many runs on the snow back home in Vermont. However over the past 4-6 weeks, it has gone really well and I was clipping off some pretty good tempo runs and long run paces.  My biking has been strong as well and my pool times had gone down remarkably from where they were last year.  So, I was excited and ready to get out there and RACE! Unfortunately, about 2 minutes into the swim, it felt more like a lonely training day.  I really believed my faster pool times would translate into a faster swim leg.  Unfortunately swimming is not like running or biking and hard work doesn’t always pay off!! argggg…..The dynamics of 70.3 racing has changed over the years.  With more and more ITU girls stepping up to 70.3, and more pack riding, the swim is becoming more and more important, even in Ironman.  So, I will not give up! I’ll keep swimming 5 times a week, keep up with the stretch cords, vasa and look forward to the start of open water swimming back home in VT!

Back to the race, on the bike I actually felt pretty and was surprised that I didn’t pass more women and rank a little higher in the bike split category.  But just like the swim, I was all alone on the bike.  Looking at the results you can see how beneficial it is to have other girls around you on the bike.  Seems all the girls who swam 24 minutes biked within 2-3 seconds of each other. Onto the run still in no mans land! I ran steady holding 6:30s.  I haven’t done much speed work, so I wasn’t sure if I would be able to hold a much faster pace than that.  By mile 8, I still felt really good, so I picked it up a little and a little and a little more and ended up running the last 2 miles at 6 min pace crossing the line in 10th place.

 Every time I race, I try to draw something positive out of the day.  This one was a hard one, but it is a good sign for my upcoming Ironman that I felt strong throughout the day and ended up with a big negative split on the run.  That is a good sign that I am strong, which Ironman is all about!!!!

I have one more week here in Tucson before I head out to China.  This is the hardest part of being away from home and tapering.  Feeling lazy and bored!!!!