Timberman - Half Iron - Triathlon1/2 Ironman

The ladies in my wave were pretty well spread out and not too many collisions happened. I felt a few hands and feet, but no grabbing. Good girls!

Buoy passings were mostly easy, but the corners were a mess. Bodies everywhere, so I made the second corner a little wider than needed. I felt a rush of new swimmers coming from the wave after mine by mid-course. This always unnerves me! I'm in their way and they're swimming over me because a 4 minute pause between groups is never enough for the mid-pack or slower swimmers to stay ahead. I tried to stay positive and just keep swimming my race. I found the last 200 yards or so very nice and easy because by then the faster swimmers of that next wave had passed.

I am sure I could have sighted better and swum a straighter course. I felt that I did take the second buoy corner too wide. Of course, training more swimming form and technique in the winter ahead should make me faster. I still have a ton of room to improve on my swim times. Most Athenas beat my swim by almost 10 minutes. That's a lot of time to make up!

I felt fine but slow through T1 -- I put on cycling gloves, which weren't necessary. I also questioned my nutrition asking myself "what to bring?" again and again before I left the area. I felt nervous about not having enough calories.

Set-up the nutrition plan more methodically -- what to eat each hour, how much water or gatorade to get on the course, etc. -- and maybe skip the gloves.

Some people talked with me, but most were quiet. We all had our races to race. I saw lots of "stealth" or silent passers who just passed on by without a word. Most people kept to the right side, but some rode down the middle and made passing tough. Anyway, I encouraged lots of mid-paced and slower cyclists who were just doing the best they could to keep going.

One lady asked "Are we at mile 20 yet?" and later, "Is the turn around up ahead?"

I told her I wasn't sure, but we'd know it when we got there. To me it seemed longer going out and shorter coming back, but isn't that the way it always goes?

Some minor course changes from prior years left me a little in the dark on the back roads, but I never felt lost. There was always someone to follow and the course marshalls did a good job at the corners.

I felt like ate and drank early enough to keep dehydration at bay. First was a Hammer Gel and the cliff shot water. Then a half bottle of water supplied from an Aid station. Next came the luna moons and another water supply. At the turn around point I kept with my own cliff shot water and finally ate the last packet of cliff blocks around mile 40. By then, my bottle was low and I should have drunk it all. I didn't want to be on "empty" though, so I kept going thinking that I'd had almost enough water and didn't want too much sloshing around on the run.

At about mile 45 I took my last supplemental water, which was the 3rd or 4th bottle of the course. I drank half and dumped the other half over myself. It was getting hot. The clouds were gone and I was getting sunburned. Uh-oh. This bike would soon end and lead to a long, hot run.

Still, I powered on at nearly full-speed ahead and had no mechanical hang-ups, so was feeling good and on-track for a PR. It looked like my time on the bike would even be sub-3 hours, and that was exciting!

Hydration = 3 bottles, 2 water and 1 water with clif powder shot cran-razz.
**Probably should have carried 2 bottles on my bike - Taken 1 or 2 fewer on the course.** This would have kept me more aware of my hydration, which I think was too little for this day considering the heat.

Nutrition = 1 packet Hammer Gel choco flavor, 1 packet cliff shot powder (in water), 1 packet of cliff blocks cran-razz, and 1 packet luna moons. Calorie Estimate = 90 + 150 + 200 + 100 = 440 cals. Likely not enough. I think I needed more.

How did my bike rack spot get so far away from the entry/exit? The "U" row where my slot 1990 was seemed to be so far into the area. Then I had to look around and think about where to exit for the run, which was also far away.

On the plus side, the run through T2 warmed my legs up, so I was up to speed when I entered the run course.

Take closer observations of the RUN Exit location. And stop for sunscreen -- got really burned, again. Ouch!

By 2pm it was mostly just really hot, not terribly humid. My first 5Km felt great and then I ate 2 Pretzles, and maybe a bad Twizzler. I tried to wash it down with flat Coke. Danger! Not a good idea.

I had to go-go-go to no fewer than 6 porta-potties during the last 10 miles of the run. I had been sooooo on track to my best Timber run ever, but not this year. :-(

At least I mustered enough walking and tummy-cramped jogging to finish, but I seriously considered DNF'ing or egregiously cheating miles off the looped course several times. It was that bad.

Cause: Basic dehydration cramping in the tummy made running unbearable. Anything over 120 HR and I would seize up in the gut. Not good.

Getting a DNF = Did Not Finish = next to my name was NOT an option for me. As long as I could walk, I would finish.

So finally I saw the finishing chute and made a last go at it. I jogged in and heard the announcer completely botch my name (Shruessta Shkletter?!). Fine with me. I just wanted to sit down and pray for Pepto at that point. I clumsily stood while they removed my chip, placed a finishers medals around my neck, and stuck a green metal (very pretty) water bottle in my hand.

Drink more G2 Endurance formula (isotonic, watery Gatorade) and water on the bike and NOT try for many more sugars/calories on the run!

I have a new respect for those who get their nutrition/hydration just right and can really race through the heat. My training in the heat was limited. I had only two runs in 90-95F temps and had practiced just keeping hydrated, and in a 6+ hr race, there's more nutrition *and* hydration needed. Live and learn!

"Oh dear God, thank you for letting me finish that race." What a suffer-fest! Now I know why some very fit people walk out a long run on a bad day.

I could not believe the pains and cramps I felt in those last 10 miles.
I could not believe I still had clean shorts and hadn't puked.
I not feel more crappy at that moment, but I was done.

Walking by the Medical Tent, I thought about going in -- but decided "Not today, I'll be OK". I felt woozy and sweat poured out of me, so I sipped cool water from my new bottle. I wandered to the lake shore and sat in the shallow, cool water among people (other racers, families, friends, etc) but completely alone.

I didn't want to see or talk with anyone and was glad for once that Matthew wasn't there. I had wished for his company so many times along the course, but didn't want him to see me like this. Done, but Defeated. Relieved but still in a lot of Pain. Afraid to eat or drink almost anything.

Then, eventually, I walked over to my teammates at the Wheelworks Tent and forced a few smiles, told my tale, and took comfort in the company of friends. Everyone suffered in the heat, and we shared that bond. I don't think anyone suffered quite as I did, but in the end I knew I'd be OK. We'd all be OK. Patrick and Beck and Jen had such nice food and drink for us -- sadly, I couldn't eat or drink much at all. Everyone was really nice and encouraging but I was really disappointed, and it was hard to hide it.

Eventually rains came (would've been nice on the run!) and the pink skin on my back started to hurt more than my tummy. The worst was done, and I'd finished even if in shambles. It was time to head home.


Clearly not enough hydration or nutrition on the bike. I went into the run with enough for 30 mins, but not for 2+ hours.

I have to get the salt/sugar and water balances right for next time. Maybe next year? If not Timberman, then another Half-Ironman somewhere nearby. I'm not done with this distance yet!

Comparing times... my results to those of the other "A" ladies 1-4:
Bib# 1990 70.3 Sunessa Schettler
swim 43:46 (5th place)
T1 3:36
bike 3:02:46 (2nd place)
T2 3:24
run 2:36:21 (5th place)
total 6:29:51 5/13 ATHENA 361/616 F


RESULTS FOR " ATHENA DIVISION HALFIRON " Women 150+ lbs.

Place O'All Bib# Name G Ag City St Swim Bike Run Penalty Final
===== ===== ===== ====================== = == ================ == ======= ======= ======= ======= =======
1 2304 1992 Kate Tiedemann F 41 RYE NY 28:55 3:00:10 2:35:46 6:11:29
2 2449 1993 Rebecca Rothstein F 41 HIGHLANDS NJ 32:38 3:22:08 2:20:51 6:23:17
3 2487 1981 Jennifer Wharton F 32 BRONX NY 37:10 3:05:39 2:35:23 6:26:32
4 2508 1985 Carol Redfield F 43 FUQUAY VARINA NC 30:32 3:19:59 2:27:59 6:27:5

Looks like I could make up a lot of time by swimming faster (5-13 mins) and even more by running my typical pace (2:10-2:15 which would save 5-20 mins) biking is pretty good already, but no surprise: it's my favorite of the three.