Project Carbon X2: Confessions of an Ultra Pacer

(HOKA ONE ONE owns global rights to all professional photos included in this blog)

Have I ever mentioned how happy I am that I didn't quit in 2019? I think after a bike accident like mine, no one would fault me for leaving athletics behind. BUT I had this gut feeling that there were still more memories to be made and goals to achieve. If you ever feel like "I'm not done yet", you most likely aren't done yet.

Outspoken: Women in Triathlon - Athlete of the Year .. I mean.. unreal!!

This is the stuff that keeps me going. Thank you Thank you Thank you!

I actually received this award on November 15th then raced a marathon that Saturday, after a three year break from marathons (to focus on triathlon). Ended up running a few minutes under 3 hours and figured I go right back to triathlon... then....

I'm sitting on a beach with my family, having a margarita, check my email, and receive an invite to be a pacer for Project Carbon X2 (100K Record Attempt).

My first thought was "oh hell naw! I'm not running 20+ miles again". But after looking at the list of athletes - including Jim Walmsley chasing the World Record and Camille Herron chasing the women's American Record - it didn't take long for that YOLO mentality to kick in.

Plus, I figured it couldn't be as bad as this... swimming, my Kryptonite!

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I reached out to my coach to get his input and he was actually completely against it. Something to the tune of "you need to be doing a big bike build during that time blah blah blah" (I have 3 half ironmans between March and June). My #1 goal is to earn my pro card in triathlon. Coach Jonny's goal is to get me there. So I 100% respect his input when it comes to racing and training blocks. Still, that didn't stop me from begging and pleading.

For those curious about pacer duties: we had the option of dropping out as early as mile 22 or we could run to the 50K mark.. and yes, there were bonus incentives offered. Once Coach Jonny heard '22 miles' and that I had the option of pacing women anywhere from 7-7:15 pace, he gave me the ok :-)

Contract signed!

There was still much to be done over the weeks leading up to the race:

 - Get the ok from my job

 - Take several Covid tests.. HOKA wasn't playing around. They required three tests the week of the event (2 at home, 1 at the hotel, we had temperature checks the day of the race, plus all of our meals were boxed... I had dinner in my room alone everyday)

 - Coach had me building into a bike block, which included an FTP test. Plus we were trying to keep my run mileage up and get me feeling comfortable around that 7 minute pace for miles and miles.

Forever on my Saris H3

Lots of long runs on my own around this pace

In fact, if you saw my IG stories leading up to the race, I went and had blood work done. I was feeling awful about 2 weeks out. Iron, Ferritin, Vitamin D, etc were all excellent so I think it was just fatigue setting in. Luckily Coach Jonny cut back on training a few days before I flew out to Phoenix. It was nice to just focus on work / corporate life. It definitely gets exhausting squeezing sports stuff in first thing in the morning, at lunch, and/or right after work. But at the same time, I couldn't imagine being an athlete full time. I like the balance.

Packed the essentials: my Carbon X2s, Betalains (Sur AltRed), gels, nutrition (new to seed based snacks.. so good)

I arrived in Phoenix on Wednesday, 3 days before the event. I was able to get in some shakeout runs, adjust to the time zone, dry climate, and warmer weather. Plus get a layout of the course, grab my credentials, race kit, and prep my bottles for the aid stations along the course. As a triathlete, I felt like a bit of a lone wolf. Everyone seemed to know each other from the ultra running / trail / marathon world. But as the days went on I made some new friends :-)

Thank you for the beautiful floral face mask Zoot Sports <3

 

Count Down

I had a unique set of nerves this time. It was incredibly nice to not have the pressure of placing or chasing a PR, but I definitely had some butterflies about running the distance, comfortably hitting my splits and not screwing up. This had nothing to do with me, and everything to do with helping Nicole Monette reach her goals.

The Logistics: due to Covid, travel disruptions, and injuries, the women's list dwindled down to 6. Since there were 6 pacers... what eventually was supposed to be two paced groups changed to each of us pacers being assigned an athlete.

I happened to be assigned the sweetest long distance runner I've ever met - Nicole. We met in the lobby 2 days before the race. I learned that she was a former 2:35 marathoner, went on to have 3 kids (youngest one is 1 years old!), got into ultra running and recently did the Yeti 100-miler (1st woman). She wanted to go out super conservative... definitely no faster than 3:10 through the marathon.

The course was 9 loops total, marked every 5K, 3 aid stations each loop (Aid Stations 1 and 3 had our personal bottles, and Aid Station 2 was water and gels... due to covid we had to grab everything from the marked tables as we ran by).

It was crazy seeing how fast the top women went out - 6:45 pace 😱 In fact, our 7:10s felt super slow. But the thing about distance running is that it feels easy until all of a sudden it stops feeling easy. On paper going 20-30 seconds slower per mile than marathon race pace sounded like a piece of cake. But being a pacer ain't easy. I can typically zone out for a bit in most road races... not this time. I had to be hyper aware of my pace and where Nicole was. We used queue words like "slow it down" if I was being too aggressive. That was by far the most I've looked down at my watch and behind me!

Photo Credit: Melissa Ruse Photography

I was lucky to share pacing duties with 3x Olympic Marathon Trials qualifier Lindsay Tollefson. Running in a pack is always easier. Plus there was a strong headwind on the back loop around the lake so Lindsay and I would try to run close to block the wind for Nicole and Olympian Caitriona Jennings (from Ireland). We went through the half marathon around 1:33 and honestly 22 minute 5Ks felt pedestrian. But it's funny how quickly that changes after 20 miles of running.

By mile 25 it was just Nicole and I. We went through the marathon around 3:06/7. A little quicker than we initially planned but she was feeling good and looking so strong. 

I on the other hand started to feel the mileage. In fact, I tripped over my own feet and almost went down. Warning sign #1 that it was about time for me to drop out. But then....

All of sudden there were drones hovering over us, a lead car with a clock drives by, I look up on the Jumbo Tron and it's freakin Jim Walmsley approaching!! I moved off to the right side of the road to let him take the inside (tangent) and he literally looked like a gazelle. 

The Finale

I wished Nicole luck and dropped out at mile 28. Something I promised myself ahead of time - not to push myself over the edge. My priority is to do well this upcoming triathlon season. It was definitely tempting to run to the 50K marker, but the last thing I needed was to feel like crap and be waddling around for the next week or so.

Mom: "That's what running 28 miles will do to you!"

Dad: "Have you looking like Bernie Sanders"

Got to do a live interview with Juli Benson after I finished my pacing duties: https://youtu.be/-8Tzynp-cqs?t=19446 (starts a 5:24:06)

Then got to watch this incredible moment: Jim Walmsley all out sprinting after 60+ miles of running... just missing the world record by 11 seconds (broke the American Record), AND seeing my girl Nicole gradually move up through the field, second woman across the finish line, first American, and now has a top 10 fastest 100K time for American Women. Truly incredible.

Here's a quick recap of my thoughts immediately after the event:

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That's all folks  :-) 

My First Sub-3 Hour Marathon

When preparation meets opportunity

Tidewater Striders Marathon (3rd Woman)

My one and only athletic goal for 2020 was to earn my pro card in triathlon. Never in my wildest dreams did I think EVERY Half Ironman I registered for would be cancelled/rescheduled to next year. But when life gives you lemons, make lemonade! 

I knew in order to stay fit and have a chance of qualifying for my pro card in 2021 I was going to need to set new goals to stay motivated. I went back and forth with Coach Jonny and settled on three: race an ultramarathon (50K), break 18 minutes in the 5K, and break 3 hours in the marathon <~ primary goal. We thought that training for a 30+ mile race (volume) and racing a 5K (speed) would give me the best chance of running a fast marathon time.

My marathon progression over the years:

2007 - 3:58:05

2015 - 3:11:16

2015 - 3:07:43

2016 - 3:06:55

2017 - 3:00:06 #brutal

.... then I stopped because triathlon took over and Coach Jonny cut wayyyyyy back on running to focus on my swim and bike. Marathon training and Half Ironman training just don't mix well for me. In fact, I talk a lot about my fitness improvements due in large part to structured bike training using TrainerRoad here:

Despite some of the comments, I wouldn't change a thing about this INTERVIEW. It's 'my' journey. Being a black woman in a sport that lacks diversity has everything to do with why I am relentless in pursuing my goals.

Goal #1:

In my previous blog post I go into more detail, but to sum it up: I ran a 3 hour 45 min 50K last month - low budge, 3 loops by my house, on the sidewalk, my driveway was our fluid station. My buddy Steven Keller paced me through the marathon in 3:09, then I suffered badly those final 5 miles and just tried to stick as close to him as possible. And when I say I suffered, I freakin suffered. But I finished and somehow averaged low 7 minute pace for 31 miles. Ultimately, I think this played a huge part in why I PR'd the marathon on Saturday. It's truly the struggles that make us stronger!

Goal #2:

With such a short time span between the 50K and the marathon, I didn't get a chance to taper for a fast 5K. But I was super excited to pin a bib on my top and do a live in-person race.

Between the high run volume, and still somewhat recovering from that 50K, sub-18 was out of the question. Coach Jonny's instructions were to run 5:55/5:55/then all out the last mile. On a good day I thought I could run 18:15.

Official time: 18:23. I just had nothing left in the tank that last mile. Still, I was happy with the effort and elated that I finally got to do an actual in-person race. And now for the good stuff.......

Goal #3 (but truly the number 1 goal): Run a 2:5X:XX Marathon

In an ideal world I would have been able to race this in mid-December - cooler weather, more recovery time, a few more weeks to gain fitness. However, during this time of uncertainty, when the rare opportunity to race a marathon presents itself, you seize it! I knew Thomas Hicks (race director) was putting together a small, fast, competitive field. It was an honor to receive an elite entry. I'd get to chase some fast ladies. The course would be simple. Just 6.55 miles out, 6.55 miles back, times 2.

I was lucky to get in a 17-mile workout on the race course two weeks ahead of time. In my Zoot Singlet. Their new neon apparel is 🔥🔥

Was I confident I'd break 3 hours? Hell no!! Coach Jonny had me do a key workout before the race and I bombed. Seriously bombed. Literally could not hold 6:50s (goal marathon pace) to save my life and almost walked my sorry butt home. Luckily one workout doesn't determine your fitness. It's the cumulative sum of all the training and hard work.

Race Day

After temperature checks, signing a Covid waver, and going for a pre race jog, they called us (top 25 athletes) to the start line. I looked around and saw futuristic looking Nike shoes everywhere 😨

Come on HOKA Rocket X, you got this!

Thomas blew the horn and we were off. Coach Jonny instructed that under no circumstance do I go through the half marathon faster than 1:30. Unfortunately for me the worst case scenario I envisioned began to unfold. The women took off at a FAST pace and I was quickly dropped. Within the first 2 miles I was completely alone with absolutely no one to run with. One woman went out at sub-2:50 pace and the next 4 women ran together in a pack and were averaging 6:40s. 

Running an entire marathon alone is tough, but I began to think about that 50K I did with Steven. I knew if I could get through that - 31 miles, no spectators, limited support - then I was strong enough to push through this.

First 13 Miles

I did what I was instructed to do and comfortably went through the half marathon in 1:29:57 (6:51 min/mile pace). At the turnaround I saw the race director: "OMG they went out so fast, I just couldn't". For whatever reason I felt the need to explain why I was so far behind 😆

Then the race began

Coach's next set of instructions were to negative split the course (run the second half faster than the first). I took note of where the other women were. Place wasn't important. This race was all about time. BUT, come on, who doesn't want to be on the podium?! I noticed a few women were beginning to fall off the pace and come back to me. That gave me a bit of an adrenaline boost as I gradually reined them in. It is so much easier to be the chaser versus the one being chased. Nothing is worse than going out too fast, being passed, and struggling to finish. I have been there before and it ain't fun.

I dropped down to 6:30s/6:40s by mile 15 and found myself in 4th place. I set my sight on the 3rd place woman.

I passed her at mile 21 and the pain kicked in. With 5 miles to go I was ready for the race to be over. I was hurting! This is when the mind games began. I told myself if I slowed down a little I could still get under 3 hours. I was pretty much looking for any excuse to make the pain stop. But then I thought about this weird *ss conversation I had with my coach:

And so I began saying "I'm a fluffy white cloud". Where "white" came from I'm not sure. Too many discussions on racial inequality with him LOL. But you know what? That ridiculous phrase helped me relax.

I crossed the finish line in 2:57:13. I can't explain how great it felt to finally achieve this goal. Gary Corbitt keeps a list of top US-born Black Female Marathoners, and it is such an honor to now be #16 on this list: https://tedcorbitt.com/black-female-marathon-history/. And truth be told, this inspired me to break 3 hours. I truly wanted to be on this list of talented, impressive women #representationmatters

How we celebrated my marathon and his Triathlete Magazine cover photo shoot

Burgers, Fries, and Beer!

How I recovered

Cryotherapy at DistrictCryo's Arlington, VA location: https://www.districtcryo.com/

Yes, it was freezing. I barely lasted the entire 3 minutes 😅 But it's better than sitting in an ice bath for 20 minutes! Plus, I swear it helped. I actually biked for an hour today. I'm typically useless for an entire week after a marathon.

Last but not least... Gear!

Kit: I typically do road races in a singlet (race top). Not this time. I opted to race in my custom Zoot Sports Triathlon Top. With the Covid situation I wanted to limit my interaction with volunteers. Instead of grabbing the gels they provided on the course, I carried my own. The great thing about Zoot's tri top is that it has a TON of pockets. Don't be shy to race in a tri kit ;-)

Shoes: I've been racing in the HOKA Carbon X since they hit the market last year. They're great! Thought I'd never race in another shoe... then they came out with the Rocket X. OMG! Hands down the best shoe I've ever raced in. Yes, I'm sponsored by HOKA. No, they are not paying me to review this shoe. Just giving my honest opinion since I've tried every shoe they put out in the market.

It's light, but there is still enough cushion that I would be comfortable training in this shoe without fear of injury. Plus it lasts. So far I estimate that I could get about 200 miles before I'd have to replace them. I'd say they are a faster shoe versus the Carbon X, but I truly think this depends on the person. The Rocket X seems to have a narrower toe box.. which I prefer. So much of the return you get from a shoe has to do with how your foot falls (pronation), etc. Hopefully my little review is helpful!

That's all folks. Happy Holidays! And if you are looking for a great gift idea, may I suggest Nia Obotette's "I Am A Triathlete".

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