Ironman 70.3 Boise - Triathlon1/2 Ironman


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Boise, Idaho
United States
World Triathlon Corporation
65F / 18C
Precipitation
Total Time = 5h 14m 53s
Overall Rank = 220/1500
Age Group = M35-39
Age Group Rank = 41/233
Pre-race routine:

Slept in, had a big breakfast/brunch. Snacked a little and had a few coffee. Was feeling a little hypoglycemic all morning, which had me worried. Ate a small pizza and a Gu after I dropped my T2 bag and tried to get my race face on.
Event warmup:

Couldn't warm up for the swim

Did a 15 mile ride on Friday afternoon.
Swim
  • 45m 46s
  • 2112 yards
  • 02m 10s / 100 yards
Comments:

Swim started out OK, but the chop got pretty heavy as the winds came up. I felt like I was having a good swim, but couldn't get a sense of time. Knew I could push harder, but with the pre-race blood sugar issues, I wanted to save my energy for the bike and run. Overall, it was an OK swim, very slow for me, but I didn't blow my myself up in the first 400m like I'm prone to, particularly in fresh water.
What would you do differently?:

Push a little harder.
Transition 1
  • 02m 44s
Comments:

Had a great transition. The concrete in T1 was hard on the bare feet, but I'm very pleased with the T1, compared to IM Cali.
What would you do differently?:

Nothing
Bike
  • 2h 35m 43s
  • 56 miles
  • 21.58 mile/hr
Comments:

The rain sucked. Did I mention that already?? I probably would have been able to cut 4-8 mins off my bike time if it weren't for the rain. It was a mood killer, but I think I dealt with it OK, all things considered.
What would you do differently?:

Go harder. Not let the rain and other things I can't control get me frustrated.
Transition 2
  • 01m 46s
Comments:

Smoking T2 for me. I didn't waste time on anything. I was ready to get the 13.1 run done and it showed.
What would you do differently?:

Nothing.
Run
  • 1h 48m 54s
  • 13.1 miles
  • 08m 19s  min/mile
Comments:

I'm a little disappointed in my run. It started off well, but I found it hard to hold the 7:30/mile or less run pace that I'd trained to. The rain messed with my head here as well. At least I didn't have GI issues, which was a nice change. Fought off a nice side stitch the first two miles. My pace started slipping towards the end of the first loop - I'd hammer a little harder, then lose focus and see it start slipping off again. Overall, given the conditions, I can't complain. And no bloody feet like IM California this time - gobs of body glide in the shoes, and soaking wet makes for happy feet, lol. The whole race was a learning experience in mental toughness.
What would you do differently?:

Push much harder on the run.
Post race
Warm down:

Pizza. Cookies. Gatorade. Dry clothes.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

The rain. Did I mention the rain??? It rained nonstop from the time I started the bike, until I crossed the line. Soaking wet HIM racing sucks, other than the cooling benefits.

Event comments:

I was shooting for a sub 5 finish in this race after pulling a 5:10:01 at IM Cali in April, but it just wasn't in the cards. It was within reach but I just couldn't get the job done on this day/under these conditions. I will definitely be doing this race again, hopefully in dry conditions. I know I could pull a PR/sub 5 out of this one on a dry day. The city is great, the fan support was amazing and the volunteers are top notch. A fantastic 70.3 race - I'd highly recommend it to anyone. It was also great to meet up with the BTers for dinner the day before.

One additional note is that I'm not so sure they have all the kinks worked out of the Garmin 310XT. Mine was on the entire race, then after I crossed the line I turned it off. That's the last time it ever worked. It won't power up now - the Garmin splash screen flashes and it shuts off instantly. When connected to the charger it just constantly restarts. Not quite as H2O proof as they had hoped, I suspect.


Profile Album


Last updated: 2008-10-16 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:45:46 | 2112 yards | 02m 10s / 100yards
Age Group: 0/233
Overall: 672/1500
Performance: Below average
Suit: XTerra Vector Pro X2
Course: Clockwise loop (1).
Start type: Wade Plus:
Water temp: 63F / 17C Current: Medium
200M Perf. Good Remainder: Below average
Breathing: Good Drafting: Good
Waves: Navigation: Good
Rounding: Good
T1
Time: 02:44
Performance: Good
Cap removal: Good Helmet on/
Suit off:
Yes
Wetsuit stuck? No Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike: Yes
Getting up to speed: Good
Biking
02:35:43 | 56 miles | 21.58 mile/hr
Age Group: 0/233
Overall: 127/1500
Performance: Average
Wind: Some with gusts
Course: Good mix of flats, hills and rollers. Overall the bike was miserable, since the torrential downpour started about 5 mins in and continued until the finish. I knew I had to make up for my terrible swim and accomplished that. Passed around 500 folks on the bike. The rain messes with your head - I'd get into a good groove, and then the rain would get to me and I'd slow down. I was happy to see T2 by the time I got there...:)
Road: Smooth Wet Cadence: 100
Turns: Good Cornering: Good
Gear changes: Good Hills: Average
Race pace: Comfortable Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 01:46
Overall: Good
Riding w/ feet on shoes Good
Jumping off bike Good
Running with bike Good
Racking bike Good
Shoe and helmet removal Good
Running
01:48:54 | 13.1 miles | 08m 19s  min/mile
Age Group: 0/233
Overall: 334/1500
Performance: Average
Course: Two loops along the Boise greenbelt/river. Beautiful course I'm sure, when it isn't raining nonstop.
Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 3
Physical exertion [1-5] 4
Good race? Yes
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? Yes
Post race activities: Good
Race evaluation [1-5] 4