PeasantMan 2023: Bittersweet Symphony

Without a doubt, this might be the toughest race report I have ever written.  I've thought about this the past 4 days and debated which version to give you - the unfiltered truth, or the proverbial sunshine and rainbows?

And I know which one is right - its the former.  This is a little bit of a different tone than you are used to from me, and I want to acknowledge that.  But if there's one thing I have been consistent about in this blog, on social media, and in real life - its - you get the real me.  The sunshine, rainbows, laughs, dancing - and also the raw and real struggles.  So buckle up, this one's a bit of a bumpy ride.

I have a little history with Peasantman (oooooh, do tell, Rae). It's a fantastic local race put on by one of my good friends, and he rocks it.  He's run the race for a decade, but up until last year, I had silly schedule conflicts that prevented me from racing.  Last year, I toed the line with a little "sweet" motivation and somehow won the Intermediate (Olympic-ish distance) race.  What??  

Somehow that guaranteed me free entry this year, and by the grace of who knows what bad decisions on is end, Joe, the RD, brought me on to help with the First Knight Racing team on social media and as some sort of athlete presence.  Bless his heart.  Either way, I had the feels about this race - it was such a fantastic day in 2022 - could we even measure up?

I've blogged ad hoc a bit about it, and will follow up with more non race report navel gazing - but it's been a tough go lately.  The training is there, but in a lot of ways, it's been a struggle bus since Texas.  Coming into this race, I knew I could cover the distance ( a bit over standard Oly distance - a one mile swim, 29.75 mi bike, 6.55 mi run) but I seriously was lacking in zooms.  Either way, I pledged to have a fun day - whatever it brought.

I knew a lot of friends were gonna be at the race, and with Greg doing the sprint, it was fun to be able to race together (we don't often get to due to lil guys).  A few days before the race, I got a text from a friend I hadn't seen in four years - who asked me if I was racing.  I laughed at some irony surrounding said friend, and then made a ridiculously foolish bet with him as to who could go faster (he is a sub 10 Ironman finisher - Rae, will you ever learn??  Nope).

Race morning, we made the trek to Penn Yan, with the weather at least on our side - it was a little windy, but after last years sideways rain, anything was better!  We racked early, got our gear, and I began the business of very seriously setting up to race screwing around and socializing like I always do.  Fast friend set up next to me, and I got a rather - um- eye opening lesson on wetsuit tricks involving plastic bags (thanks Derek!) After a few zillion selfies and laughs, we headed down to the beach to hop in the water and go!

Swim: 34:45 - 1:58/yd (WTF)

Where to go with this - I don't know.  The shape of the swim is a giant rectangle, and the buoys are set up to match your swim cap (yes, I checked this year before donning my tinted goggles).  The water was a little choppy, but not bad, with a slight current that would be against us on the way out, and with us on the way in.  Theoretically.  

Guys, I have no idea what I did here.  I sighted worth crap, straining to see kayaks that really weren't there to guide me. (Note that there were plenty of kayaks - I'm just not that bright). I possibly threw a tea party in the middle of the swim as my pace slowed to a crawl (not a forward crawl, which is an actual swim stroke).  I never felt bad, but I'll fully admit I got caught up in my own head and cashed in within the first few hundred yards.  I exited the water after what felt like a zillion years, a full three minutes slower than last year, and headed to T2 to get on my bike.

Bike:1:34:53 29.75 mi - 18.7/mi

As I mounted my bike, a volunteer asked me how the swim went and I laughed - it was wet, I replied, and thanked the weather gods that the bike did not look to be!  The first ten miles or so were pretty uneventful - we had some cross wind, but not bad, and my HR was pretty low. As was the effort,  Damn.  I was going about 19, and I should have been going faster.  I just....didn't care.  My heart was not in this, and it pains me to say it.  I love being on my bike (who am I??) and that part was there - but I had zero drive to race.  I felt...sad.  And just sort of unsure about the whole thing.  

After we turned out of Branchport, I brightened up a bit - this is the cool part of the course that is hilly, but gorgeous.  And, much like last year, filled with horse poop and buggies.  I slowed for a few, and played nice with the cars and horses.  I even got to ride next to a few Amish people on their way to church, and thanked them for sharing the road  (they probably thought I was crazy - I am).  This was definitely the best part of the course, and at mile 19 when we turned back onto the main drag, it was all headwind and either zoomy cars or horse poop, lol. I always think this is gonna be the fastest part of the course - nope.  I handled the bike well, took in a gel, and spun out into transition, a few minutes fast than last year, but without any vigor whatsoever.  

As I ran into T2, I was a little short with a volly ( I totally misunderstood her and felt horrible and apologized later) and asked Greg how his race went - he told me to get on with it and GO RACE!  I had zero idea what place I was in.  I passed two women on the bike, but with my shit swim, who knew....

Run: 6.55 mi 49:21 7:25/mi

As I got out on the run course, I saw my buddy Matt, who yelled something vaguely encouraging or flirty (who can tell) and I smiled briefly, but I was in such a funk.  My eyes kept wandering to the wide of the road, scanning the sides of the course without any really direction.  I felt so flat.  I ticked off miles 1 and 2 in about 7:35, and saw Derek heading in for 2nd overall (he beat me by like 25 minutes and it was a stupid bet but it made me laugh) - I counted one woman ahead of me by about two minutes as I it the turn around in 24:40.  Guys - I kind of gave up.  I grabbed some Gatorade, walked a hill, and just gave no shits.  Two minutes was a lot to make up in 3 miles.  At that point, the Outlaw rode past me (warm down bike - he did the sprint) and yelled at me for walking.  I wont repeat what I said, but I begrudgingly started up again.  Hit mile 4, and mile 5 and saw....first place woman right ahead of me.  WTF?  OK, then, we should race. I picked it up, gave her a "nice job!" and turned on the gas, going from 7:40s to 7:10 and 6:55....well then.  I passed my buddy Steve going out who yelled "I KNOW THAT SMILE" and I FINALLY turned it on.  For 11 minutes...I raced.  I hit the gas full force at mile 6 and sailed it in for a 3:01 finish time, for the overall female win.

Post Race

Post race I caught up with my athletes (LAURA YOU ROCK!) and hung out, having some beer and recounting the day.  Turned out, most people had a shit swim - the water wasnt great, but I know deep down I let my head get to me. I was knighted by the queen and got my award, which I am super grateful
for, and a big thanks to First Knight Racing for putting on an amazing event, as always.

I know this is a weird report - and after the race, when I tried to explain it to my best friend, he gave me some good ribbing about feeling this was about a win.  And I am so grateful for the win.  But I also know in my heart I did not show up for this race like I should have, and I'm disappointed in that.

We move on.  Next up is the Rochester tri on August 26 - I'll be doing the sprint, which I have zero zooms for but I am excited to give it all I've got and spend the morning with some good friends.  Onward!