Troika Half Iron Triathlon - Triathlon1/2 Ironman

I really practiced my swim this year and if anything, I was hoping just to stay relaxed and enjoy the swim. Was in traffic most of the way, the men started 5 mins before the women and I could hear the fast women coming before they reached me. They blasted by me like I was treading water or swimming the other way. Most impressive!! I just kepy my pace and aside from some bumping from one other swimmer for a long time it went real well. Caught a few drafts but I have a hard time staying right behind someone. Oh well something else to work on. Exited water and jogged to T1, felt great.

Not much aside from train all winter to get a little faster. I haven't done this distance before so I didn't have any time goels, exit the water was my big goal.

I heard quite a lot of laughter during my T1, most of it at me. I had elected to swim without my tri top since I'd gotten chafed pretty bad with it on. Unfortunately, hadn't practiced putting dry tri top onto a wet body. Hmmmm, the 1st time, I had my arm in the neck hole and had to stop 1/2 way, pull it off and start over, try #2 got my arms in the right holes but the top stuck to me like glue and I just couldn't get it pulled down, was doing some serious re-thinking right about then. FINALLY got the thing on and then socks stuck too, hadn't rolled them up. C-cic followed me into T1 and was out wayyy before me.

Bodyglide! Figure out and practice putting on that tri top!

The bike is usually my strong point and today started out well. I was feeling good, taking in nutrition 3 Hr bottle of Perpetuem.Passed C-cic (LS) after about 8 miles, she was riding good pace and looking string and under control. The ride was going pretty well until about the last 10 miles, not sure if I ran out of fuel or what but last last part seemed really hard. I can usually finish well on the bike but not today. Trying to keep effort level down so I'd have something for the run but not succeeding very well.

Not much, I was pretty happy with most of the ride.

This T2 is great! There was a great big guy standing there with arms wide open to cath me and bike. Another with a bag open for my helmet and bike shoes, another to tell me to run over the timing mat, another volunteer to hand me run bag and go. Fastest T2 I've ever had.

Not much, it was great.

This has been my worst portion all year and today was no real exception. Hit the POP about 200yds from T2 and then hit the trail. At the 1st aid station, they were handing out Vaseline and I had gotten chafed pretty bad already so this was huge help. The guy holding the tray said lots of people were using his services. I was carrying a small flask of Perp to sip at, I've been training with this all year but it made me sick right away so dumped it out and got behind on my nutrition, they behind on Electrolytes and was playing catch up the whole run. There were 10 aid stations though so ample opportunity to catch up. Started drinking Heed and dumping water on my head and ice in hat but warming up the whole time. Part of the way out the outbound leg, I saw a spectator standing in the shade who looked pretty familiar, drawing closer I saw it was my Dad. What fun to talk to him for a min!! We have a pretty supportive family this way and it's just great. Not too far after the turnaround, here comes LS c-cic! Oh man, she's going to catch me today! And about mile 9, here she comes, looking strong and calm and not tired at all. I wasn't quite doing the death march yet but wasn't far from it. We talked a minute and she ran and I walked some more. After a LONG time, here comes the last corner and up a hill to the finish. 2 of my neices came out to help me run up the hill and it was just so much fun.

I really fell off my run volume after this spring and paid for it in this race. So, next year, aim for a lot more consistancy in training.

I was pretty wobbly and the EMT who handed me ice water and electrolytes was little concerned that I was going to faint. I felt ok, just wobbly but he stayed right there to make sure. Walked around, went for what seemed like a 3 mile walk to get my bike, came back just in time for a post race massage from a team member who is a LMP, it was GREAT! Thanks AJ!! Ate a sandwich and cookie and some fruit and watched our last team member finish. She was having issues on the run but finished anyway, she's tougher than me!!


Consistancy in training, our coach has been preaching it but apparently I've not been listening enough.


I'll be back to do this race again, The volunteers were wonderful and I tried to thank as many as I could. The only thing I didn't like was the sweatshirt color. Beige......bleah......