Big George Triathlon - Triathlon1/2 Ironman

My first HIM so I wasn't really sure how to pace myself and wanting to conserve a lot of energy for the bike and run. Definitley could have gone harder for this but really didn't have a clue. Found one guy and ended up just staying with him and pacing myself with him for the time. Worked out rather well and was satisfied with the time.

Maybe just a touch faster, I know I had it in me when I got out of the water. Lesson learned.

Oh. My. God. This was a nightmare! The time doesn't show it because the mat was directly out of the transition area and doesn't show in the T1 time but in the bike time.

Shoes were clipped into pedals and I went to jump on the bike and my shoes had flipped the wrong way on the run out and I didn't notice. Was working on the right one...got that figured out and then the left but it was too late, I couldn't pedal because of the way they were positioned and then I whacked a cone to come to a complete stop and DOWN I went. NOT cool!

Not fall would be something to do differently!

I felt like I did a decent job on the ride. My HR was a little higher than it should have been but I was feeling good. Rode with 2 guys for about 40 of the miles and we talked most of the time. Really helped time go by and made it entertaining for the 3 of us.

Drink more gatorade.

By time I got to T2 my back was pretty sore so I didn't do a flying dismount...I just stopped and unclipped. Took my time, getting my thoughts together. Ran into T2, racked my bike and felt pretty good. Took longer than normal to get my crap together but I wanted to make sure I was going to be good for the run.

I grabbed a water bottle and my wrist strap for my 305 and off I went. As I was leaving T2 they had an aid station so I threw the bottle which apparently I also threw the wrist strap. So I had my 305 in my side pocket the whole time. Just annoying more than anything.

Not throw the wrist strap and not bring a bottle with me. Would like to get a fuel belt.

Very hot and humid.
Mile 2 I realized I didn't have enough in my legs to run the whole thing so I started walking a bit to pace myself for the next couple hours. I walked on and off for the first 3 miles drinking 2 cups of water and putting sponges on my neck. About mile 3.5 I started feeling pretty good, stomach settled a touch and my legs were feeling revived so I started running and got to about to mile 6.6. Wife asked how I was doing and I said not good...but I had no idea what was in store for me. I just knew I was exhausted and ready to cross that finish line.

Ugh, I'm not sure what else to say...after passing Mandy at 6.6 I grabbed 2 more waters at the aid station and that's when it started to fall apart. I walked for a ways as I was realizing that something wasn't right. My hands started to get tingly...very strange sensation but shrugged it off and just kept moving forward. About mile 7 my arms started to tingle like it was going up my body. Before I knew it my face was tingly as well and I was getting light headed. Cheeks, nose, mouth, ears, jaw...I knew something wasn't right at that point and I knew it was going to be a long 6 miles to push through.

I made it to about mile 8 and saw a volunteer asked if I could just stop there for a minute and see if I could recoup. Leaned on my knees a bit as I was starting to get even more light headed. That wasn't working I could feel my body was getting worse, so I decided to sit. That's when it pretty much stopped for me. I could barely hold myself up anymore, I was slo light headed and my face felt like it was going to fall off...my hands and arms felt like they were asleep.

The volunteer asked if she should call the EMS and I said no. Got up, walked up the hill about 10', put my hands on my knees because I couldn't walk straight and then just collappsed to the ground...I couldn't even hold myself up anymore...I was done. Told the lady to call the EMS as I couldn't move.

A fellow runner helped move me into the shade as I was burning up and laying directly in the sun while waiting for the EMS. They came, picked me up, and brought me back to the MED tent where I stayed for over an hour drinking water and HEED.

Up until the collapse I was doing about 10:15 miles.

Do a better job on my electrolytes. I learned a hard lesson that GU doesn't have electrolytes in them...so the only ones I was getting were in the Gatorade on the bike.

Layed in the MED tent because I couldn't walk or stand.


I thought the race was fantastic! Plenty of volunteers to help out at corners. Very impressed with the organization of it.

The only thing I can see them needing to change is more sponges. There was a couple times I went by an aid station and they had none left.