Pacific Crest Half Iron Triathlon - Triathlon1/2 Ironman

The first 1500 meters were perfect! In fact I remember smiling from ear to ear when I was close to the last bouy because I felt great!!

After I rounded the last bouy I sighted on something that turned out to not be the Redbull finish arch....damnit!!! Took me way off course and I kicked hard getting back on coarse!!

Definately would have helped to have tinted goggles for this swim.

Good transition time considering we had to put all of our belingings into a plastic bag for the race volunteers.

Nothing.

Started strong! Felt great! My goal time was under 2:45 with ultimate goal of 2:30. Until mile 36 I was on target for a great bike split... thats when it felt like both tires were flat and both brakes were rubbing the wheels... I know that feeling...I completely BONKED!! The summit of the climb was 2 miles away. I knew if I suffered another 2 miles I could recover on the way down to T2. It took everything I had to reach the summit. I was passed by quite a few people while I was in my own world of suffering.

The last 2 miles of the climb had to have taken 20 minutes. A few racers shouted encouragement as they rode past me, I couldnt go any faster if a big black bear was chasing me.

Finally, I made it to the summit!!

For the first few miles I coasted as I drank my electrolite drink and ate a few gels. I then picked up the pace and started picking off the racers that must have passed me while I was inside the wall that I hit at mile 36. Half way down the descent I started to feel good so I pushed the pace again and reeled in a few more racers on the way to T2.

Eat more for breakfast on longer events!!!! Take in more gels each hour...I only ate one Rocktane every 30 minutes.

I burned just under 4k calories during the ride alone!

Drink more water the morning of the race and on the bike!! I was peeing at least once an hour the day before the race and was well hydrated prior to the start.

I feel like I could have held my strong pace through the entire ride had I fueled propperly.

Took a little longer for T2 cuz I put on socks and went for a tinkle before I started the run

Put any fluids I want to take on the run in an ice chest for this race. My water was hot coming out of my belt bottles...nasty!

The run started great. I was keeping my pace at just under 8 min/mile (goal pace) and I felt great!!

At about mile 2 or 3 the wheels came completely off!! Everything just shut down! At that point I began the "Death March".

I would run about 200 yards and then walk and run a few steps and then walk, stop and talk to myself (mostly cuss words and "COME ON!"), run, walk, see the water station ahead, think about running to it, walk, jog, stop at the water station, dump 2 waters over my head, drink one electrolite drink....repeat for 11 more miles.

I forget when, but, during one long stretch between water breaks I even called out a marching cadence in my head...left...left...left, right, left (you know the one)...I used every mental trick to keep my body moving towards the finish line.

At one point I seriously thought I was hallucinating...Along the running path there were 10 hot chicks in bikinis standing in a cold river drinking beers....it turned out to be real and I was in no state to do anything about it!

At the end I was able to run the last 1/4 mile through the crowds of people. Zoe and Zed were there at the end and ran with me for the last 100 yards...that made the entire "Death March" worth every step!!

Nothing...I survived, there's only one other alternative and that wasn't a choice!

After I finished and sat down in the athlete feed zone I felt dizzy, naucious, and faint. I asked Zoe to get me some food and asked Zed to get the medic.

The medics walked me into the med tent, took my vitals, and gave me oxygen. My blood pressure was low and I was suffering mild heat stroke and dehydration.


FOOD, FOOD, WATER, WATER, ummmm, WATER!!!

Time to figure out my nutrition plan for longer events!

Endurance races will not let you hide any weakness. It will find it, expose it, and exploit it!!


I had some lofty goals for this race and some fast predicted splits. My goal was to finish in under 5 hours, and I would have been stoked with any time under 5:30. For some reason I'm not dissapointed to finish in over 6 hours because I suffered so much just to complete the race.

I have bonked before...but not like this...and definately not twice in one race!! I had to dig deeper than I have ever gone to complete this race. I felt every emotion along the way.

There is no way I even considered quitting the entire time! It just wasn't an option!

I knew that Zoe and Zed were at the finish line waiting to see their dad finish...I thought about that the entire time I was on the run course!