Pumpkinman Half Iron Triathlon - Triathlon

I registered for this race in December of 2013! Back then I set a swim goal of under 40 minutes. In June I did a HIM as a relay and I swam. That swim was 47 minutes and it taught me I needed to learn to do the following better: RELAX, sight, swim straight and draft. So I changed my goal to do those things better. Mission accomplished this time around. I knocked 5 minutes off my swim and hopefully when Garmin gets their act together and shows the right map it'll show I was directly on course.

This season has also been about losing the PANIC I would get at the start of races in the 2013 season. I think it's fair to say - it's gone!

Nothing

This race is unique in that after you get out of the water, there is a significant hill to get to transition so they throw in an extra timing mat and you actually get a "mini run" time before T1. Apparently, it took me just as long to GET to transition from the water is it did for me to LEAVE transition :)

My biggest fear was the bike. I was afraid I was going to cook myself and leave it all here and have nothing left for the run. Coach talked me down and said go easy for the first 40 miles and then race the last 16. So I went out slow and tried to keep my cadence high - just keep spinning. I played leap frog with a guy in the 49ag for a while but eventually he took off and left me.

At mile 38 there was a water handup/aid station so I stopped to pee. And I tell you what, I had to go bad. I exited the portopotty and felt 2 pounds lighter!. I took my bike from the volunteer and took off like a rocket up the hill. I decided mile 38 was close enough to 40.

Around mile 45 I pulled up along side my friend again and he looked over and said "you're back!" I said "race begins now" and left him in the dust. Sorry buddy but it was the best feeling in the world at that moment because I knew I played it right and I was going to smoke my bike time (although I missed sub 3hrs by 20 seconds LOL)

oh not good. back to the fitter. my left foot was numb when I got off the bike. Luckily I had a dry sock in my bag and changed the sock and took off for the run - feeling came back quickly.

My nemesis: the run. My plan was to just go by feel, play it conservatively and take 1 mile at a time. The temperature was 74 degrees and bright sunshine. 74 never felt so hot to me! I was well hydrated and sufficiently salted but it was still HOT. I stopped to pee again around mile 10 and drank at every aid station. There was also ice soaked sponges which were awesome. So in the end, my run wasn't even as bad as I thought it would be! If I can just figure out how to run I could become a competitor!

I got bear hugged by a friend I passed on the bike at mile 50 (his swim wave started 5 minutes before mine). And overall I beat him by less than 1 minute - that was pretty neat too.


This was my first HIM and I would say the number one thing this event has going for it is its volunteers. Every aid station was fully STOCKED and the people at each station were so psyched to see you and eager to help in any way. It was really great - the best supported event I've been to. Well done to the Pumpkiman organizers and volunteers!

I went to Maine with DH who is my biggest supporter and the best sherpa anyone could ask for. With us was another couple (he raced, she sherpa'd), and 3 friends from my tri club and another friend who lives in NH that we don't get to see often enough. It was so great to see everyone on the course and be able to cheer everyone on so often. NOT TO MENTION my cousin and her husband drove over from VT for the day (nearly 3 hours each way) just to see me finish. She's my partner in crime for IMMT and having everyone there was awesome. It really was a great day and I had a blast!

I could write about it all day but I'll end it here. :) DH says I have the same look on my face all the time when he hugs me :)