Ironman 70.3 Rhode Island - Triathlon1/2 Ironman

No huge complaints with my swim. But whoa! Waves are a bi*ch! Getting through them with the run from beach start was an experience for sure. Once through, it really wasn't too bad, just dealt with the swells and the seaweed. Definitely fighting the current going out and with it coming in. Only, it wasn't directly in, but in and right to left, so I kept getting pushed inside the rectangle. had to swim completely sideways to make one bouy. I always breath to my right, so the counterclockwise swim made it impossible to sigh during breathing. Not a huge deal though. My left arm starting feeling sore somewhere about halfway through, but I didn't care, I wasn't gonna be relying on it for the rest of the race!

I never found a reliable, consistant draft, which was disappointing. I got a good one at Black Bear, and I made it a point to try again. I started pretty far back in the start and didn't go crazy with the running and diving through the waves, since i figured over a 5 hour race, it wasn't worth it. As a result, I'd get behind someone and just pass. I'm no swim speed deamon, but I was 20th out of 100 something, so I probably passed 40 or 50 along the swim, just couldn't find someone going my speed along the way.

Garmin under swim cap measured 1.26, so distance was spot on (subtracting for my non-straight swimming of course).

MAYBE...big MAYBE...start closer to the front. I'd have to deal with the issues and hassle, but I'll probably have better luck finding a draft up there.

Wetsuit strippers! First time with them. Actually not a wicked slow T1 based on other's times. All my stuff was packed in a bag, and I had to pack anything I wanted to keep (wetsuit, goggles) back into the bag. Added some time and it wasn't as smooth, but it was fine.

nothing.

Split Time Distance Avg Speed Avg HR Max HR Avg Bike Cadence
1 0:13:51 5 21.6 154 171 93
2 0:14:27 5 20.7 147 162 95
3 0:13:14 5 22.7 150 212 96
4 0:13:56 5 21.5 152 171 100
5 0:15:22 5 19.5 160 241 96
6 0:14:01 5 21.4 165 253 95
7 0:13:26 5 22.3 156 188 96
8 0:12:47 5 23.4 156 183 94
9 0:14:33 5 20.6 155 167 94
10 0:14:36 5 20.5 151 162 89
11 0:14:29 5 20.7 150 160 90
12 0:04:56 1.41 17.2 153 162 89
Summary 2:39:43 56.41 21.2 154 253 94


Some data above (some Garmin artificial HR spikes in there too). Firstly though - does anyone have any idea how hard it is to pee while riding? I did not anticipate the difficulty. i flat out could not do it and I tried many times, even stopped pedaling/stood up and did everything I could think of. No dice.

So, headed out on the bike and felt great. My HR was high, but my RPE felt very low, so I went by RPE. I think my HR lies after a swim in a tri as it gets very high coming out of the gate and it doesn't feel like that at all. IDK, maybe this is where I'm making my mistakes, but when I started for the first 20 miles, 150 bpm felt like 125 during training. Not sure why...speed was about what I'd expect at the lower HR too.

I had a great time on this bike. I really enjoy the bike. maybe its because I'm not running yet. The more biking I do, the longer before I have to run. The course was very nice. Save for a bump here or there and the last 5 miles into Providence (VERY rough, bumpy and technical turns with lots of slow downs).

Started feeling great. Cruising feeling like I was putting almost no effort out but HR was high...this was the theme for the bike (save for the hills, then I felt like I was putting effort out :). Started with a few guys keeping about the same pace and played leapfrog with a few the whole way. Some were wicked annoying (a 20-24 kid especially. He didn't like to be passed and would immediately pass back and then slow down cause he went too hard to pass back). Lots of very borderline riding too. Passing on the right, blocking, and drafting especially. Some people thought they could stay 4 feet behind me as long as they were a foot to the side. SOme just though they could ride 5 feet behind me not to the side. I gave some dirty looks. Yelled at one guy who came up beside me on the right, mostly cause he surprised me doing it and it was dangerous, I'm not expecting people on my right. But yeah, really not impressed by the amount of sketchy riding. maybe it is just cause this is the first big race I've done where the bike course is crowded the whole way. I've been used to just passing a few people and being alone mostly. This was waaaay different.

Just cruised and had a lot of fun for the first 40 miles. Then I got worried. I started feeling my legs. Not tired, but just could feel effort in them. You can see in the data my HR creeped down. I was cognizent (sp?) of it from here on out, but kept low Z3. not a lot of leap frogging anymore either, those guys fell back. Just rode and passed people when I could on the rougher roads.

Figure out the right effort to put out for a HIM and actually follow it.

Again, had to unpack a bag to get my stuff so slow. NBD though, not bad compared to others.

Get my feet out of my shoes on the bike, forgot to do this.

Some Data:
Split Time Distance Avg Pace Best Pace Avg HR Max HR
1 0:07:21 1 7:21 5:59 161 170
2 0:07:16 1 7:16 5:59 163 171
3 0:07:33 1 7:33 6:43 164 166
4 0:08:13 1 8:13 6:33 162 166
5 0:08:04 1 8:04 5:57 163 167
6 0:08:06 1 8:06 5:25 162 165
7 0:07:39 1 7:39 5:06 164 168
8 0:08:06 1 8:06 6:22 164 171
9 0:07:50 1 7:50 6:36 164 168
10 0:08:37 1 8:38 6:57 162 166
11 0:09:06 1 9:06 7:30 162 166
12 0:07:45 1 7:45 4:27 162 169
13 0:08:19 0.94 8:48 5:32 159 167
Summary 1:44:00 12.94 8:02 4:27 162 171


Wow, this run was my first forray into a "survival" vs a "race". From about 2-3 miles on, this was definitely "survival". Ran from aid station to aid station dumping sponges, water, everything over me to keep cool. walked most to get fluids and calories. My stomach was fighting me a lot. Bad cramp in my stomach really came out on my second loop and kept me slower. I think my legs could have kept it up though. I felt bloated, but I knew I needed the fluid and calories or I'd bonk...so I erred on getting the calories instead of letting my stomach settle, the lesser of 2 evils I thought. regardless, it was a nutrition plan mess up I need to figure out. I took in about 800-900 calories or so on the bike I figure. Might have skimped on water though. One gel about mile 3 on the run, but I couldn't do more, my stomach would not have accepted it. though about doing a hard reset (i.e. puking and starting my nutrition over) but got chicken. I didn't see anyone else puking or any puke on the ground alreay and didn't want to be "that guy". I'm not sure I'd have the balls to pull the trigger anyway.

My first loop was about 50 min. A quick calculation and I realized I could beat 5 hours with 51 min on the second. Survived the ridiculous hill again, but that killed me. I had nothing after that. coasted down the other side, and hit the flats. Tried to think a negative split was possible, but every speed up just was turned down by my stomach. I couldn't do it. I really struggled the last few miles. It was survival mode to the extreme - aid station to aid station. I knew shortly after coming down the hill 5 was out. I just wanted to finish. I was REALLY hurting on the back of the loop...I was the most alone I'd been for the entire race, very thirsty, hot, with no aid station in sight. It was incredibly demoralizing. Knowing 5 was out, it was a super struggle to keep from just walking to the end. I finally saw an aid station - walked through getting fluids and dumping lots of water on my and felt a little better.

Went up the long gradual hill, then down the steep section, and I knew I was close. I also knew I couldn't run it, it was all uphill at the end. I decided to walk for 20 seconds at the base, then just get up the hill. I came through, saw my family in the chute and crossed, the most relieved I've ever been in my life.

Pace. Pace. Pace. Nutrition. Nutrition. Nutrition.

Run more.

I flat out collapsed. Super naseaus as soon as I stopped running and had to sit down. Then lie down. Then eventually make it to the food/water. Then drank some, sat down, lied down. I couldn't speak for at least 30 min. Last time I felt close to this it was dehydration, so I'm pretty sure that was the case here too. Eventually able to sit up and talk to my parents and Lindsay. Got some small food stuff in me and more water/soda. Stretched a bit.


All in all, I'm mixed on the race. I REALLY wanted 5 hours (4:50 even), and I failed there. however, I'm proud of myself that I was able to keep going through the run and finish. It was hard to keep going, but I made it.


Fitness, nutrition.