The Road to 70.3 - Two Weeks Out

By Jordan Turner, SwimOutlet.com Social Media Coordinator

Five weeks, 3615 minutes of training, hundreds of miles, bottomless water, pools of sweat, a few tears, one goal—make it through 70.3 miles.

I walked away from my first Olympic distance triathlon on June 1 and continued on the road to 70.3 with a few things in tow; shin splints, sore hips, fear, a strategy, and a lot of determination. Unfortunately, the shin splints and sore hips are inevitable— but the fear, strategic training, and determination are what will propel me down the road to 70.3 (fingers crossed).

At 24, I like to think of myself as bulletproof (naïve, I know). I tend to put minimal effort into my training, and expect maximum results come race day. Sometimes, this logic works (hence bulletproof). However other times—like in a triathlon, for example—this training plan does not get me very far. Contrary to my previous race strategies, or lack thereof, I knew after my first Olympic distance that I needed to dedicate myself to the sport if I expected to hit the 70.3 finish line alive. The problem? I was trying to squeeze what should have been 12 weeks of training into 5 short weeks (bulletproof, right?). 

Sunday, July 13, I competed in my second Olympic distance triathlon. Since I had raced this course before, I knew what to expect—the good, the bad, and the ugly. I walked down to the edge of the lake and replayed the previous triathlon in my head, all 32 physically and mentally challenging miles. I was about three weeks into my training plan and I knew that if I couldn’t complete this race in one piece, I was doomed for the 70.3 at the end of the month.

Different from the tri on June 1, I had become more acquainted with my bike (I swear by my stationary bike trainer), had acquired more appropriate race gear, and planned out my race-day nutrition the night before—an egg white and avocado breakfast with peanut butter and banana on whole-wheat toast, a protein shake for transition one, a nutrition bar and GU energy gel for the bike ride, and a coconut water for T2. I don’t know if it was the strict training schedule, the new tri-suit, the fear of failing or the power food—but I felt stronger in the water, faster on the bike, smoother in transition, and more energized on the run. More importantly, I felt happier before, during and after the race—which was an accomplishment in itself (hallelujah).

I’ll be the first to admit, it is a miracle what real training and proper nutrition can do (turns out I'm not bulletproof after all). I learned this the hard way, with guidance and support from my family, my colleagues (working with experienced triathletes has its perks), and my fellow competitors on the Lodi Masters Triathlon team. 

So here I am, two Olympic triathlons under my belt and two weeks out from race day. What now? Unlike most, who are probably already in the midst of their tapering, this week will be the peak of my training. Realistically, I don’t expect to get physically stronger in 14 days—but at the very least, I think some quality time on the open road and under the water will squash any lingering fears. 

The way I see it, strength doesn't come from what you can do, it comes from overcoming things you once thought you couldn't. If I said that 70.3 miles do not scare me, I would be lying. However, the tiresome training and race-day emotions aside, I am inspired and I am beyond excited. I am inspired by all of the triathletes that have already conquered a half-ironman, and at the end of the day I am elated and eager to join them in this accomplishment. 

Are you thinking about TRI-ing a half-ironman, 70.3 distance triathlon? Stay tuned for my race-day recap (Barb's Race 2014). 

What I wore (believe it or not, pink is NOT my favorite color): Zoot Women's Performance Tri BYOB Racesuit // Sporti Antifog S2 Metallic Goggle // Garmin Forerunner 10 GPS // Giro Women's Amare Cycling Helmet // Pearl Izumi Women's Select RD III cycling shoes // Zoot Race-Day Belt // Yankz Sure Lace (for an easy transition into my Nikes) // Speedo Teamster Backpack (similar)