!/2 Vineman - Triathlon1/2 Ironman

After getting over the nervous feeling about the magnitude of the this race for me and were I thought for a moment I was actually going to throw-up I calmed down and watched the waves in front of me head out. My wave started almost 2 hours after the beginning of the race so there was a long time to relax and get my head in the game.
Once I started I felt real strong the 1st 500 meters or so but then I could tell I wasn't having a great swim, my calves started to cramp early which caused some mental worry that less then 10 minutes into what's going to be a very long day I was already starting to hurt. I shook off the thought of hurting and resolved to take one event at a time. So I focused on just finishing the swim. I relaxed and dredged on. I had a slower than normal swim by a whole 10 minutes. I think this was more of my subconscious pacing me for a long day because I felt very strong coming out of the water. I even beat my brother out of the water which was a side goal I had. (of course he started 2 waves behind me, still a minor victory for me, and that means I'll get to see him on the course which I didn't expect)


I think I'm going to have to re-think my morning routine to figure out my a cramped up so early and keep working on my open water swimming

Feeling pretty good coming out of the water, instantly saw my wife and other family members cheering me on which always make you feel even better. In fact I was feeling so good that I ran right past my bike aisle. When I went to look for the little orange water bowl someone was using for their feet and I was using to mark my aisle, it was gone. I guess that a disadvantage of having 2 transition areas when leave the T1 they pack up all their stuff to be transported to the end of the race. After what felt like forever but was more likely only seconds I found my bike and all was right once again. I took my time to make sure I wasn't forgeting anything then handed my swim stuff off to my wife so I won't have to hunt for it at the finish and I was off. Saw my brother getting to his bike as I ran past on my way out of T1

not much, maybe try to remember which rack I parked at.

the 1st 5 miles was flat with slight upwards trend but I was actually able to keep a comftable pace of 20+mph, just spinning away. At mile 5 there's a 110 degreee turn that appearently leaves some people in the blackberry bushes and marks the start of the hills. Although the uphills slowed me down I was averaging pretty good for the next 20 miles or so. My brother actually caught me at mile 12, he slowed to joke a bit then he was off. I actually tried to pick my pace up to stay with him but I couldn't do it and he slowly pulled away. Man I hate hills. I settled into a comfortable but hard pace and began focusing on eating and hydrating. I had my stop watch set for every 20 minutes to remind me to drink or eat something. For the most part I just listened to my body and made sure I gave it what it was demanding, short of getting off the bike. Chalk Hill. The steepest hill on the course even though its relativly short was a killer at mile 45ish I managed to not get off the bike like I saw a few others do but for a little while there my speed dropped to a mere 4 mph (ouch). The rest for the ride was mainly slightly downhill or flat and uneventful with the exception of the railroad crossing. I must have saw 50+ water bottles on the other side of the tracks. It appears that the collision of the tires to the track is just enough to knock people water bottle out of the holder. I was more worried about the bottles than the tracks.



Continue to train with the hills to work on powering over them more effeiently.

There was a long run from the dismount line to the bike racks. My legs really didn't like that at all. Again I had a hard time finding my Run bag. It was one of a few lift sitting between alot of bikes with no good landmarks other than my age group signs, which there was 4 of.
Once I found it I quickly changed my socks and slipped on my running shoes, splashed on some Bull Frog,sun scree, grabbed my fuel belt and I was off.

Again figure out a better way to mark my spot in transition.

Now I've never been a runner but over the last 1 and 1/2 or so I've been losing the weight and gradually getting faster. None of that mattered today. Today I started running and instantly my legs started to scream at me to stop. It wasn't that I was in pain they just didn't want to move me forward. Before I hit the 1st mile marker I started to do the math from my time until the race cut-of time 4 hrs 47 minutes I had to finish the race or get pulled.
I tried to wipe that thought from my head and as quoted many times on the BT site, Suck It Up, and start running.
I ran a good pace for me, until I hit the 1st WALL, I mean hill. The 1st hill seemed enormous to me and I ended up walk as many people where doing. I never seemed to recover and ended up doing a run walk thing the rest of the way. At mile 6 I realized I could actually hit my on goal of <8 hours if I picked it up. So I did the best I could.
I ran down the final stretch with less than a minute to go so I gave it everything I had and made it in at the 8hour even mark.


MORE RUNNING OFF THE BIKE. I guess the only way to improve is simply more training, more weight lose and more brick work.

Sat down and stretched, my wife retrieved me some fruit and misc. calories to take in. Other than that I was pretty happy just to sit down in the grass for awhile.


Training, weight (excess). I'm working on both of those issues, hard.


THe volunteers on the bike and run course where great. I unfortunately had a chance to talk with some at each aide station on the run, they truly made it an easier run.

A couple of notes: I basically had 3 goals going into 1/2 Vineman. 1st go in under 250 pounds, down from well over 300, complete i weighed in at 249
2nd Complete the race, period. Without feeling or getting ill would be a bonus., Completed- I hydrated very well with just the right food intake which contributed to me not having and head or GI "issues" (I have these issues in shorter races, not fun) throughout the race.
Last was to finish in 8 hours or less.- I finished at 8:00, I actually had almost 47 minutes to spare before the time cut off. So I completed all 3 goals.

Also in my age group alone 70 people started but did not finish the race, ouch.