Gulf Coast Triathlon - Triathlon1/2 Ironman

I freaked all week about the swim being in the ocean. Little did I know this would be my best leg of the event. I should have worried less about the swim and more about the other legs.

Maybe go out a little more aggressively and worry less.

T1 went very well. First tri in which I already had shoes clipped in. I did forget to put my race belt on. Didn't realize I needed it for the bike.


Remember race belt. Not wear socks on bike.

My aerobottle was loos from the minute I got on the bike. I had another bottle in a cage with perpetuem. The first time I tried to drink it, the top flew off and perpetuem went everywhere. Wound up with a little over half a bottle for the rest of the ride. Finished the perpetuem in the last 10 miles.
Average bike speed was better than I expected. I was hoping to get in around 3 hours.
However, this is obviously where my problems started. I guess I didn't drink enough on the bike. Ate one gel.

Drink more.

Even putting on sunscreen here, this transition went very well also.

Let me start by saying I ran a stand alone HM in March in 1:25, so you can imagine my dissappointment. The wheels fell off immediately. My calves started cramping one mile in. I guess I didn't hydrate enough the day before, the morning of and during the bike. Mile one was around 9 minutes. Mile two was around 12 minutes and they only got worse. The cramps worsened, and I couldn't decide what to do. I was pissed, scared and hurting bad. By mile 6 I couldn't even jog anymore. At the mile 11 aid station I actually sat down nd had them call for someone to come and get me. I was dizzy, lightheaded and the cramps were unrelenting. When the golf cart arrived, I felt somewhat better and decided to try and finish.
The cramps continued and I walked the last 1.1 mile in 29 minutes. I saw My wife near the finish. She was worried sick as she had seen me around mile 5 and expected me in an hour earlier.
We proceeded to the medical tent for 2 bags of IV fluid and a comment by the massage therapist trying to work the still awful cramps out-"you are definetely the most difficult case yet."
Man, what a disaster. I am utterly digusted by the results of months of hard work.






HYDRATE.

IV fluids in med tent


Hydration, nutrition, heat, humididty.


Terrible run performance because of a lacking nutrition plan.
A well organized and supported race however, that I would like to attempt again.