Ford Ironman 70.3 California - Triathlon1/2 Ironman


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Oceanside, California
United States
Ironman North America
78F / 26C
Sunny
Total Time = 5h 20m 37s
Overall Rank = 550/2225
Age Group = M35-39
Age Group Rank = 100/317
Pre-race routine:

Up at 3:45. Ate banana, half a bagel, and a little gatorade.
Event warmup:

Ran up and down along the harbor a few times. Was glad I used the restroom earlier before the lines got really long.
Swim
  • 37m 35s
  • 2112 yards
  • 01m 47s / 100 yards
Comments:

Had to be careful with my legs during the swim as they felt like they wanted to cramp.

Lots of contact through much of the swim. Was getting run over during the start and bumped into other waves in the middle and end.


What would you do differently?:

Work on navigation after turnaround. Probably could have swam more direct to the swim exit.

Do more warming up and incorporate more stretching into the normal training plan. Felt I had to hold back on the swim to prevent leg cramping.
Transition 1
  • 03m 50s
Comments:

Tried to run quickly from water to T1. Was a bit more casual in getting helmet, nutrition, etc, set to go than normal. Put shoes on at bike and made long run in shoes to bike mount area.

Felt pretty well focused during the transition vs. being in a haze. Maybe I'm getting more used to drill now.
Bike
  • 2h 37m 10s
  • 56 miles
  • 21.38 mile/hr
Comments:

Felt good on the bike during the first half of the course up to the freeway crossing. Was averaging 22.4 then faced "the hill".

It was a bit steeper than anticipated. I was running a 12/27 rear cassette which normally would have been enough.

I figure I went out a little too hard on the front half making the hill effort more difficult than it should have been, particulary with all the hill training I've been doing in preparation for Breathless Agony. Was difficult to spin up at a comfortable tempo and I didn't feel I could climb standing up for very long.

Crosswinds had picked up on the back side of course after the hills. I was running a 30mm front wheel with a disc cover on the back. Someone asked how the bike felt with the disc on the back. It felt fine and I never felt like I was getting blown over or going to lose control.

The last leg of the back half had more favorable winds. I was able to settle in to a steady tempo. Things felt great at this point. A few others were shouting "go get 'em" as I went by which made me want to finish strong. However, next time I need to better figure out where to start backing off.

Nutrition: Ended up consuming a flask of gels (4), about 4 shot blocks, 2 bottles of cytomax, and 1 gatorade.
What would you do differently?:

Dial back the effort a notch on the front end, get through the hills, then regulate the back half of the bike based on what I have left. Will probably use a 11/28 next time.

Also, in retrospect, I should not have a done such an intense training ride the Saturday prior. Did ~ 70 miles including 40 miles at near race pace test riding the front half of the course. Thought I could recover in time, but perhaps not.

I continue to learn more about pacing on the bike with every race. Having not yet invested in a power meter, this race has certainly illustrated it's potential utility. Optimizing to a particular wattage really seems to make sense in order to execute properly on the bike.
Transition 2
  • 02m 1s
Comments:

I took it easy in T2 also. Took my time getting nutrition sorted out. Sat down to put socks and shoes on. Grabed the full bottle of water I had left over from the last aid station on the bike. Squirted a bunch of it on my head which felt good.
What would you do differently?:

I left a full sleeve of shot blocks in my jersey which was bouncing around on the run. Should have left it in transition and just ran with two gels.
Run
  • 2h 00m 3s
  • 13.1 miles
  • 09m 10s  min/mile
Comments:

Again, I ended up going out too fast from transition. After a half mile, after noticing my 7:00 pace, I cramped. I was so disappointed as I thought I had taken it a least a little easy on bike.

At this point, I needed to figure out if I could salvage any foward movement in the form of a run or if I would need to walk/shuffle my way throught the half.

At first I just stood there, trying to get things under control. Other racers who were passing by and spectators were shouting words of encouragement.

I was able to begin taking baby steps and by the time I approached the pier, was able to move into a 9:00 min/mile run.

I diligently restrained my pace in order to just complete the run without cramping again and having to walk.

The run was a mixed experience as I was happy to still be able to salvage a 2:00 time, yet I knew I still left a lot of time on the course.

Since I was taking it so easy on the run, I was able to really enjoy the scenery. The volunteers at the aid stations were wonderful. I also learned that I love the wet sponges they hand out. They provide a great means of carrying water to help down salt in between stations.

Also, I wasn't sure if my family was going to be able to make it to the race and was thrilled to see them on the run. That really lifted my spirits.
What would you do differently?:

My goal next time will be to be able to come into the run fresh enough to run more at higher aerobic pace vs. being limited by the leg fatigue.


Post race
Warm down:

Limped past the massage tent. Don't think I could have laid still on the table without cramping.

Picked up pizza and then met up with the family.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

This race was a total learning experience for me. I was happy to get through it without any mechanical problems or other major issues.





Event comments:

It seems this race is a perfect mini version of IMCDA with it's rolling hills and flat run course. I'm definitely happy to have this event in my own backyard and look foward to doing it in the years to come.

The only thing I could recommend is having a few more porta potties as the line got very long. I felt sorry for those who were still in line as race time approached.


Profile Album


Last updated: 2009-07-06 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:37:35 | 2112 yards | 01m 47s / 100yards
Age Group: 179/317
Overall: 1077/2225
Performance: Below average
Suit: Xterra
Course:
Start type: Wade Plus: Waves
Water temp: 59F / 15C Current: Low
200M Perf. Below average Remainder: Below average
Breathing: Average Drafting: Below average
Waves: Navigation: Average
Rounding: Good
T1
Time: 03:50
Performance: Average
Cap removal: Average Helmet on/
Suit off:
No
Wetsuit stuck? Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike: No
Getting up to speed: Good
Biking
02:37:10 | 56 miles | 21.38 mile/hr
Age Group: 50/317
Overall: 237/2225
Performance: Average
Wind: Cross-winds
Course:
Road: Smooth Dry Cadence:
Turns: Good Cornering: Good
Gear changes: Good Hills: Below average
Race pace: Too hard Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 02:01
Overall: Average
Riding w/ feet on shoes Good
Jumping off bike Good
Running with bike Good
Racking bike Average
Shoe and helmet removal Below average
Running
02:00:03 | 13.1 miles | 09m 10s  min/mile
Age Group: 102/317
Overall: 0/2225
Performance: Below average
Course:
Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Average
Mental exertion [1-5] 3
Physical exertion [1-5] 3
Good race? Yes
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? Yes
Post race activities: Good
Race evaluation [1-5] 5