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MightyMan Half Iron Distance Triathlon - Triathlon1/2 Ironman


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Montauk, New York
United States
Event Power
60F / 16C
Precipitation
Total Time = 5h 57m 2s
Overall Rank = 100/225
Age Group = M35-39
Age Group Rank = 20/25
Pre-race routine:

Got up at 3:30 packed the car and drove to montauk. Got to the sight at 5am, just as it was opening up. I took my time getting marked and setting up my nutrition and gear. I spoke to tony for a little while and then put on my wetsuit and went to the shoreline for the race briefing.
Event warmup:

Swam about 150 yards
Swim
  • 39m 2s
  • 2112 yards
  • 01m 51s / 100 yards
Comments:

Overall, my swim was pretty good today. The first 100 yards was a little difficult. For some reason, I decided to start right in the midle of the pack; I usually start off to the side, so I ended up having to fight for position.

Once I settled in, the swim went well. I was smotth and relaxed throughout. Navigating went well, considering I've only done one other OWS this year.
What would you do differently?:

Start to the side away from trouble.
Transition 1
  • 03m
Comments:

Good, really good. I ran hard to the bike racks, as I knew that if was going to PR, I'd need to use T1 and T2 to make up some time from last year's pr. Oerall, I exited T1 aout 3 minutes ahead of last year's time.


Bike
  • 2h 57m 59s
  • 56 miles
  • 18.88 mile/hr
Comments:

Unfortunately, as the swim ended, the skies, which looked like they might clear up began to become cloudier and darker. The first rain drops fell while we were swimming and they wouldn't stop until the end of my race. Throughout the entire bike ride, there was rain and cold wind. The weather in Montauk is so incredibly unpredictable. There was carnage everywhere on the bike course. I saw lots of break down, people changing flats and quite a few accidents. Seeing all of the disasters made me remember that this is just a race and I was not going to risk my health to try and beat a PR by a few minutes.

That being said, I did push as hard as I could, safely, throughout the ride. I didn’t let the wind affect me mentally like I have in the past. I attacked all of the climbs and pedaled hard throughout all of the descents. I just didn’t take the chances that I normally would when cornering, passing or ride near others.

All in all, I was really happy with my effort on the bike… Not thrilled with the result, but happy with the attempt.

Transition 2
  • 01m 30s
Comments:

Good fast T2.
Run
  • 2h 13m 16s
  • 13.1 miles
  • 10m 10s  min/mile
Comments:

I ran out of T2 feeling great. I was sitting at 3:43 and change. Last year, I ran a 2:13.06 half marathon in this race so I knew that despite my slower than desired ride, I was well within position to get a new PR. I went out kind of fast, maybe too fast, but I was feeling good, it was cold out and I figured I might as well put some time in the bank. I ran the first 2 miles in 9:2X. In retrospect, that may have been too fast.

The first loop was relatively uneventful. I walked up Murder Hill and the long hill in the out and back, knowing full well that I was trading time for the opportunity to hold on to some leg strength. I finished the first loop in 1:03:21 and I was still feeling really good.

After the hill, I started to try to get myself to relax and into a rhythm. I felt OK here, but started to get really tired and sluggish at around mile 9.5. I was cold and shivering at some points. I knew though that staying around a 10:10 pace would nail a PR.

At mile 12.6 of the run (.5 from the end) I had a time of 5:48 and I knew I had a PR in the bag. But then catastrophe struck… the same thing that haunted me at this race in 2010. I got a horrible, nearly debilitating cramp in my left hamstring. I had to stop running. I was able to walk and stretch and massage it out of the muscle for the time being, but that episode cost me about 1:35. One quarter of a mile later, it would happen again and I suddenly went from crushing my PR to just trying to finish within a minute of it.

I got rid of the second cramp and was able to push the entire way in, knowing the whole time that I could find my leg locking up at any minute. I crossed the finish line and my first thought and reaction was utter disappointment. As the last 24 hours have gone by though, I realize that there are a lot of positive things I can take out of this race.

What would you do differently?:

Figure out why I get these cramps. Last year, I added some additional salt to my gatorade and didn't cramp. This year, I didn't. Maybe that's it, maybe it's not. I'd like to get to the bottom of it though.
Post race
Warm down:

Walked to the reception area and I had some fruit and a bagel quickly. Headed back to transition to see if I could find Tony before I had to go.

Event comments:

I learned a lot today. There are a lot of things I can take away from this race:

1. I learned, and proved to myself that my sub 6 hour HIM from last year was not an anomaly. It wasn’t just some freak PR that I attained because of IM training for a year. This is an important lesson for me and it is important to solidify the thought that I AM a sub 6:00 half Iron Man guy.

2. I think I need to figure out how to re-evaluate the way I train on the bike. I can’t continue to ride at 18.XX mph in training and expect that to translate to a 19.5-20.0 mph pace come race day. I have spent the better part of the last several years mindlessly pushing the pedals around in an effort to simply finish the day’s miles and help control body weight. I need to make sure that EVERY bike ride in the future has a specific purpose and I need to do more rides with more intensity. I need to figure out how to find Jorge’s plan this winter and follow it religiously

3. I need to get back in the weight room. Period

4. I also think it’s time I try to buy some speed. I need to drop some coin on race wheels.

5. I’m very, very happy, like I said earlier, with my effort level. I put it all out there in this race and although I finished at a time slower than I wanted, I have to be happy with the fact that I pushed myself to the level I did for nearly 6 hours. I didn’t rest once this year.

6. I’m happy with how I handled the weather. I wasn’t reckless, I felt in complete control throughout the ride.





Last updated: 2012-05-13 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:39:02 | 2112 yards | 01m 51s / 100yards
Age Group: 0/25
Overall: 97/225
Performance: Good
Suit: Blue seventy sprint full suit
Course: Rectangle in fort pond
Start type: Wade Plus: Waves
Water temp: 68F / 20C Current: Medium
200M Perf. Average Remainder: Good
Breathing: Good Drafting: Good
Waves: Good Navigation: Average
Rounding: Good
T1
Time: 03:00
Performance: Good
Cap removal: Good Helmet on/
Suit off:
Yes
Wetsuit stuck? No Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike: No
Getting up to speed: Good
Biking
02:57:59 | 56 miles | 18.88 mile/hr
Age Group: 0/25
Overall: 71/225
Performance: Below average
Wind: Strong with gusts
Course: 2 big loops with several out and backs and a handful of tough climbs
Road: Smooth Wet Cadence:
Turns: Average Cornering: Average
Gear changes: Good Hills: Good
Race pace: Hard Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 01:30
Overall: Good
Riding w/ feet on shoes Good
Jumping off bike Bad
Running with bike Good
Racking bike Good
Shoe and helmet removal Good
Running
02:13:16 | 13.1 miles | 10m 10s  min/mile
Age Group: 0/25
Overall: 150/225
Performance: Average
Avg HR 158
Course: 2 loops with an out and back and some tough climbs.
Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 5
Physical exertion [1-5] 5
Good race? Yes
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? No
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? No
Post race activities: Good
Race evaluation [1-5] 4

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2012-10-01 11:49 AM

Expert
1030
100025
Miller Place, Long Island
Subject: MightyMan Half Iron Distance Triathlon


2012-10-02 10:45 AM
in reply to: #4435086

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Expert
770
5001001002525
Long Island, NY
Subject: RE: MightyMan Half Iron Distance Triathlon
Damn, Mike.  You've come so far in the last two years if you're able to be upset going sub-6.  Great job, you ran a very smart race.
2012-10-02 11:02 AM
in reply to: #4435086

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Expert
2380
2000100100100252525
Mastic Beach, NY
Subject: RE: MightyMan Half Iron Distance Triathlon
Mike congrats on a great race. I think you did an awesome job especially on the bike. The weather was absolutely miserable with rain, wind and the cold. The fact that you were able to safetly push through that on the bike is pretty amazing. I'm sorry to hear about the trouble you had at the end of the run but I was very happy to see you finish sub 6 hours. I was also very glad to see you at the race and I really do appreciate you finding me in transition that morning and wishing me well. I wish I could have caught you right before the swim though. Overall a great effort and result.
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