2013 USAT Collegiate National Championship Race Report

Sit down, strap up and get ready… this is going to be a good one!

The USAT Collegiate National Championship event is unlike any race I have ever experienced. The energy and excitement that is created when you put 1000+ triathlon-crazed-college-students in a concentrated area is indescribable. And to add to this years excitement, USAT decided to offer three, count ‘em… three different events that athletes would be eligible to compete in.

1. Friday, April 12^th- USAT Draft Legal Collegiate National Championship
2. Saturday, April 13^th- USAT Non-Drafting Olympic Distance Collegiate National Championship
3. Saturday April 13^t- USAT Draft Legal Mixed Relay Collegiate National Championship

Notice the key phrase in the three race descriptions; National Championship. This is where the absolute best of the best collegiate triathletes convene to lay it on the line, represent their University and prove that they deserve to be recognized as one of the nations top elite triathletes. And I wanted to- scratch that- needed to be part of all of it. 

Below is the run down of the 2013 Collegiate National Championship weekend in Tempe, Arizona. 

Event #1: Sprint Draft Legal Race (750m swim, 20k bike, 5k run)

I went into this race having some unfinished business from the Sarasota EDR. I wanted to prove that I could be a contender in the draft legal style and I really wanted to put my name on the ITU map. The fact that I had two more races to go the day after this event was on my mind, but I tried to focus on going as hard as possible, taking one race at a time and remaining present- in each moment, of each sport, of each race. I knew my training was strong and I could handle 4 hours of hard work over the course of 24 hours. Best of all,  I was not afraid to fail trying. I was going to go out there and give each race all that I had. 

After the traveling for 27 hours the previous day, I woke up feeling far from refreshed on Friday morning (reference Part 1 for more details). Luckily, the race did not start until 9:00 AM local time, which felt like 11:00 AM to me. I set my alarm for a manageable 6:00 AM, enjoyed my usual pre-race rice cakes/ peanut butter/ jelly/ coffee combo and got organized to roll out at 7:30 AM. 

Our hotel was less than a mile from the race venue which made it incredibly easy and super professional to ride over on our bikes. This gave me the opportunity to get in a little longer warm up, test out the bike and get comfortable with the dry-Arizona air. 

After ditching our bags at the transition area, Alex and I went out for a loop of the bike course, adding a few tempo efforts and a few really hard/ short efforts to get the engine going before the near-all out race effort that comes along with a sprint distance triathlon. 

I then checked into the transition area, set up my spot and started to get into mental race mode. 

I love how clean and professional ITU style racing is. Not to mention the bad-ass name plate on the rack!

After leaving the transition area, Alex and I ran 1 loop of the course- again adding a few harder efforts to prepare for the intensity. I got back to my bag, got my wetsuit on and was able to hop in the water for a good 10:00-15:00 warm up. I was feeling good, ready to race and focused when I climbed out of the water on the stairs. 

Right before getting in for the swim warm up. 

Talking tactics and trying to figure out the swim course 5 minutes before the start.

They lined us up outside the swim entrance and loaded us into the water. They had us swim over to the edge of the lake which had a 4-foot wall that we hung onto before the gun went off. With a field of nearly 75 guys, I knew this was going to be pretty tight, so I tried to position myself somewhere that I would be able to get out quickly without getting totally beaten up. 

The starter said, "on your mark" and then the horn went off. My attempt to get into a safe position failed miserably and I was swam on top of and violently punched in the head. This continued for the entire swim and was simply unavoidable due to the 6 turns throughout the 750 meter course. 

I had originally missed the front swim pack as the entire field diverged towards a single buoy, causing some initial panic. Luckily, I found some clean space between the corners and was able to bridge the gap on my own when the pack got congested at the turns. I settled in on the back of the pack and exited the water gingerly to avoid falling down on the stairs or on the slick pavement behind it. I finished the swim on the back- but in contact of the main group of guys. 

Right before the swim start/ cage fight 

I had a perfect first transition: wetsuit off, sunglasses and helmet on, perfect flying mount and onto the bike.

I got onto the road and quickly slipped into my shoes. I picked my head up to see a group of 4 or 5 guys already organized and separating themselves up the road. I quickly found myself with two other guys who were both very strong cyclists, but the group up the road was growing and seemed to be working well together. Those few extra seconds I had taken to get out of the water had let these guys get away and I was paying the price for it now. The three of us had to work VERY hard to bridge the gap and it took nearly two laps to do it. We finally made contact with this group and I tried to settle into the pace. 

Working on the bike with friend TJ Gleason (pink bar tape)  

The rest of the bike course was challenging. The course was technical and the effort was extremely high. I did not facilitate any attacks, but I kept myself towards the front and was able to respond to any surge that one of the stronger cyclists attempted to put in. 

I dismounted the bike with the 3rd fastest swim split of the day. 

I quickly ran through the second transition without a hitch. 

Right in front of the pack. Perfect position! 

Immediately, the group I came off the bike (in the picture above) absolutely TOOK OFF. I am not sure if it was my legs that were hurting or if the pace was actually this high, but it felt like a 4:30 min/mi right out of the gate. I quickly realized that there was no way I could sustain this pace and let the group gain on me out of transition. In 400m or so, they had gotten :05 seconds and my mental outlook on the race started to instantly fade. I managed to settle into my 5k pace and simply focus on relaxing- there were still 3 miles on this run... 

It may have been the tough bike ride or it may have been the blazing pace out of transition but about 1/2 mile into the run, I found myself picking off the guys of this group up the road. First a pack of three, then another, and another. By the first turn around point, I had the lead guy of the group in my sights. As I came around the turn for the second loop, I was leading the pack. 

It felt like I was running on air. It was the most painfully effortless run I have ever had. My cadence was high, my form felt perfect and I was gliding through this course- like a true runner. I gritted my teeth and heard the finish line shouting. I sprinted as hard as I could, collapsing at the finish line. 

I had just taken 4th place at the first ever Draft Legal Collegiate National Championship event, outrunning the main group and posting the second fastest run split of the day behind the overall winner- Ben Kanute. 

Huge stepping stone in my career. If only I had longer shorts.... 

This race was huge. I was one of only 4 athletes to break an hour on the course. The three guys that finished ahead of me separated themselves on the swim, swimming 1:00 faster than myself and stayed out in front all day. I was the first of the chase group and the run was my weapon of choice. Maybe I can be successful at this draft-legal style... All I know is I absolutely love it. 

Yeah... I'm not a freshman.... 

After some post-race school-girl jumping up and down with my dad, I got on the bike and spun back to the hotel. The rest of the afternoon I tried to relax as much as possible, get in a few high quality meals and was even able to get in an easy spin on the trainer in the hotel room. 

With one race successfully under my belt, it was time to turn my attention to tomorrow. 

Event #2: USAT Non-Drafting Olympic Distance Collegiate National Championship 

I really did not sleep all that great on Friday night. I woke up about every two hours, alternating between excitement from the Draft Legal race and apprehension about the Olympic race. Finally, I woke up about 20 minutes before my 4:30 AM alarm and decided to walk around the hotel. Immediately, I could feel the previous day's race in my legs. My calves were like rocks and my hips were tight- not surprising after running an all out 5k on my toes, in race flats, just hours before. 

I needed some distraction, and luckily, it is two hours ahead in Chicago and my Mom was awake. Even though I don't like to admit it, I relied on Mommy for some last minute words of encouragement. Unsurprisingly, she was able to ease some of my concern- reassuring me that I was prepared and that my best effort would produce a result I would be happy with. And at the end of our conversation, she said,"work as hard as you can." Maybe it is that motherly-charm but this was EXACTLY what I needed to hear and this phrase stuck with me the entire race. 

My pre-race preparation and warm up was pretty much exactly the same as the previous day: 

• Roll down to the race site on our bikes
• Drop the transition bags
• Go back out on the course for a more proper/ extended bike warm up 
• Bike check in and transition set up 
• Run warm up and wet suit-donning 

Mentally focused and ready to race, ignoring a sore physical state

Unfortunately, our timing was not as on point for this race and we missed the swim warm up. As I jogged down to the swim entrance, there was about 10 minutes to the start. Enough time to jump into the water, pee in my wetsuit and get out to line up. 

We were called down into the water and lined up for the in-water start. I treaded for a couple of minutes and put myself in a position I thought was the best line to the first buoy. The gun went off, I took the usual swim-start beating and then settled into the pace. I really did not feel great at the start of the swim, but as I approached the turn around point, I was able to settle in and simply go to work. I found a group of swimmers that I thought was moving quickly and tried to latch onto their feet. I exited the water in the mix of the main group but far off the lead. 

I ran out of the exit and into the first transition. Struggling slightly with my wetsuit, helmet strap and sunglasses. Not a clean T1, but I was out and onto the bike in relatively quick fashion. 

Exiting the swim

And onto the bike

I immediately settled into the pace on the bike; rarely getting passed and passing a number of competitors. I had completely forgotten about racing the day before and I simply settled into a threshold 40k time trial effort- an output that I had replicated hundreds of times in training. I was in control and noticed at the multiple turn around points that I was moving up into the top portion of the field. Although I was feeling strong coming into the second transition, I was informed that I was currently in 31st place.... This meant I would have my work cut out for me to crack the top-20. 

The second transition went smoothly and I actually remembered to grab my number belt (almost forgot after all this draft legal racing!)

I quickly got onto the run course and tried to settle into a rhythm but could not seem to get anything going. My cadence was low, my form was off and my legs felt like metal rods. Although I didn't physically feel that great, I was still mentally focused and determined to work as hard as possible. As I tried to get through those painful first 2 kilometers, I found myself easing into the effort. I approached one guy and was able to pass with ease. Soon after I passed another... and another. I was picking these guys off left and right, moving my way up into the top-20 by the 8k mark, and passing another 3 guys in the final two kilometers to finish 17th overall. 

Finishing strong (and I kept it together just long enough!- reference picture below) 

I will be heading the committee for larger ice-bath-finish-line-kiddy-pools at the 2014 race 

Too exhausted for school-girl-jumping up and down with my dad, we settled for the excited congratulatory man-hug and then stumbled over to the Jamba Juice/ NormaTec station which majorly hit the spot. 

Alex and I debriefed our efforts (he came in THIRD!, with the fastest run split of the day... HELL YEAH!) I was so stoked he went out there and executed such a spot on race performance, especially after unfortunately flatting out in the draft legal race. Congrats dude. 

If I am wearing matching jackets with a pro, warming up with a pro, rooming with a pro and traveling with a pro does that make me a pro by association? SURE FEELS LIKE IT. BOOM! 

I stumble around the race venue and team tent for a while before getting my gear out of transition and heading back to the hotel. I called my crew that was eager to hear about my performance around the country while Alex and I made a celebratory post-race/ pre-race breakfast. 

After scrubbing off my temporary tattoos from the first race, we got organized and back on our bikes to watch the finish of the women's race and get prepared for the final race of the weekend. 

Event #3: USAT Draft Legal Mixed Relay Collegiate National Championship 

Unfortunately, Alex had sprained his ankle on the run course of the Olympic distance race and was unable to compete in the relay. Jack Parr stepped up in his place and we still got ready to compete against the 37 other teams in the field. 

Say hello to Jack everybody! 

The mixed relay is a fast and fun style of racing. Each team member competes a mini-sprint triathlon (250m swim, 5k bike, 1.2k run) and then tags the next member to complete the same course. Each team has two males and two female athletes and the group to cross the finish line in the fastest combined time  wins. 

The dream team. 

At this point in the weekend, my legs were absolutely trashed... As the fourth person to go on our team, I was the anchor and was able to watch the event unfold before it was my turn to complete the course. Because each discipline is so outrageously short, it is literally an all out effort right from the start. I originally planned a good 1 hour warm up before it was my turn to go but that quickly turned into a 5:00 walk/jog at 9:00 min/mi pace and a few run drills. 

I lined myself up on the fence and extended my hand- waiting for the tag from my teammate. She flew through, touched my hand and I was off. I ran down to the dock, dove off the edge of the lake and swam to the first buoy. I passed one guy in the water and made my way towards the transition area, catching another athlete there. 

Once onto the bike, I caught two guys who I briefly worked with- yelling at them to take pulls by riding all out in their biggest gear. This gave me some temporary relief in their draft but also caused them to ride so hard for :15-:30 seconds, they were completely toasted and had to spin easy the rest of the ride. For the remaining 3 kilometers, I road a solo- TT effort, coming into transition with 1 guy glued to my wheel. 

After a quick T2, and a few hamstring cramps while getting on my shoes, I bolted out of transition for the 1200 meter run. I was right behind the guy who drafted me the entire back half of the bike course but was closing in on him inch by inch. 

Get back here! 

With about 400m to go, I was right on his tail. He began to sprint and I attempted to go with him, but the legs were simply not there! I cruised in and finished smiling- wrapping up the weekend of races in gracious fashion. 

After the race, we packed up the trailer and headed over to the awards ceremony. The men's team ended up finishing 5th overall, and we were able to celebrate on stage as a team for the first time in TriHawk's history. 

Overall, I could not be more pleased with my performance this past weekend. It was tough, but I was able to mentally overcome barriers, deal with adversity and execute. I was able to accurately express the fitness that I had developed in the hard months leading up to the race and I was able to do it on a National Championship platform. It's safe to say that I am stoked- this is just the beginning of what I expect to be a long and fruitful career in this sport. 

Quickly, I want to thank a few people who made this weekend possible: 

1. Dad: you are the best. Thank's for coming out to Tempe to cheer, cook, support, run, hike and be there for me. I would NOT have been able to perform as well as I did without you. Also, me having to remind you to eat/ drink every hour helped remind myself to eat/ drink every hour which was crucial in the dry Arizona heat! 
2. Mom: for canceling clients to watch the live blog feed and for the pre-race pump up talk. Again, couldn't have done it without you. 
3. Craig Strong at Precision Multisport. Obviously things are starting to click here! Although it is hard-ass work, my training plan was spot on and I appreciate the detail you put into each session. Interested in the best coaching and training facility in the Chicago area and beyond? Contact the guys at Precision.  
4. The crew who drove all of the bikes/ gear from Iowa to Arizona. I had two bikes, three sets of wheels, a trainer and tons of gear. Flying with all that would have been a NIGHTMARE. So thanks for making it so easy to focus on racing and having fun. 
5. The guys over at Pacific Health Labs. Chocolate Endurox R4 was clutch to help me recover in between races. Not only was it great in post-race shake form, but we also added it to oatmeal and other meal concotions. Click on the link and use promo code METZLER15 for 15% off. 
6. Nuun Hydration: 1 Lemon-Lime tablet in my bottle for all three races worked like a charm. Not to mention the Kona Cola, Lemonade (new favorite flavor) and Orange that I sipped on for the days leading into the warm weather race. Thanks for the support! 
7. And thanks to all of my readers for sticking around! You guys are the best and the support I get from each one of you feels amazing. 

Next up is the St. Anthony's Triathlon in less than two weeks! I look forward to a single-race weekend ;) 

Over and out.

-Justin