2023 Long Course National Championship

I wrapped up my Duathlon year and long course season by racing in the 2023 Long Course National Championship via Daytona Beach, Florida December 3. Here I will share my reflections about the season and race.

Prior to this late in the year long course season, I had not raced the distance in three years. I specialize in the Olympic and Sprint distances but decided to do this championship as the National Championship was close to home and it would make for a change-up in my year.

I began the long season training months ago and competed in two long distance races leading up to the race consisting of a 5k run – 56-mile bike – 13.1 (1/2 marathon) run. I felt ready going into the race coming off a very good race at Miami Man three weeks prior.

This distance challenges me as I am wired to go all out in the sprint (1 mile run – 12-mile bike – 5k run) and Olympic (10k run – 25-mile bike – 5k run) distances. For the long distance it is a necessity to pace appropriately to not blow up on the final run and that can come in a few different forms.

I have an extremely high sweat and salt loss rate so executing a nutrition, hydration, and pacing strategy at this distance was critical for me to do right or risk the consequences. I executed perfectly in Miami three weeks prior so going in I felt like I had my plan to rock.

I ran the first 5k at my goal pace and I felt like I worked harder for it than I should have but felt good going into the bike portion. During the bike the situation on the course made me decide between pushing outputs beyond my plan to keep in the mix or fall off significantly but increase my likelihood for a strong final run. Each time I have pushed in prior races at this distance it has cost me during the final run. I gambled once again like prior races to push the pace…I’m just wired in this way and the way the groupings were out on the road, I felt like I had to do it and if in the same situation I would do it again…

I came off the bike feeling a bit taxed but not feeling really bad. My split was extremely good setting me up for a very good overall time. I did not know at this point, but I was 5th after the first run and moved into 3rd after the bike.

The final run started off which consisted of three laps around the Daytona International Speedway Track but at a U-turn in the infield at mile 1, I charley horsed in my hamstring. At that point I knew I was going to be vulnerable later in the race, but my head felt good at that point. Lap 1 of over four miles went pretty well.

At mile 7 I began to labor, and the wheels began to fall off at mile 8. The last five miles were hell. I was cramping more and more and nausea was in full effect. In the final mile my legs were spasming and cramping in areas I’d never experienced, and my body was moving sideways at times without me trying. As I approached the chute to the finish line by body failed. It was with about 100 meters to the line, I had two cramps locking up in my inner quads and as they spiked it caused my right calf to charley horse and it took me to my knees. I tried to release the right calf and when I made that movement the left calf locked, and I fell completely to the track surface rolling over. I could not release the cramps. It was the most severe cramping pain I’ve experienced. I was told I was down for about two minutes before I was able to get to my feet. I began walking and my first attempt to jog my legs began to spasm again but not lock up. I then was able to get into a slow trot to the finish line.

I made it to the medical tent where my legs would not stop cramping and severely charley horsing. I could not get them to release and they continued to repeat the pattern. After a few minutes, the emergency personnel got me on a stretcher, placed me in an ambulance, and headed to the in-track medical facility. It was like an urgent care right there…thank goodness. For the next 45 minutes plus, I could not stop my legs from locking up. It was unbelievable and was really making me angry. I could not stop charley horsing and the nurses attempted several times before securing an IV in my arm. I received two liters of fluids and after about 90 minutes they released me.

Backtracking in time to the race finish. I had no idea where I finished and, in a way, I wasn’t sure about much as my head was gone… While being treated in the medical tent, Lauren came in and shared I finished 2nd. I think I asked a couple times if she was sure as I just went through total body failure. She confirmed I chased someone down early in the final run and hung on finishing only one minute and 16 seconds ahead of the 3rd place finisher. I felt great about that, and that the collapse didn’t cost me a spot at the National Championship (long course).

My final run time was 12 minutes slower than in Miami but my bike split more than made up my goal time for the race and with that combo, I finished two minutes faster than my overall time goal. My gamble paid off other than collapsing…ha! I will learn from this experience as with every single race. Of all things in the race, I am most proud how I fought to give myself a chance in those final five miles.

Post race I celebrated with team who also had great performances. Thank you to Lauren for driving two plus hours race morning to cheer me through the entire race and taking care of me post race. That support is incredible and hard to describe the impact.

Now it’s time to recharge in the short off-season, consult with a few experts on adjustments I need to make, implement the adjustments and look to have a kick-ass 2024.