Ironman 70.3 Florida - Triathlon1/2 Ironman

The plan for the swim was to start off far right because I tend to drift left. I figured this would allow the speedy guys to get away and I could swim relatively free of contact. As our wave took off I ran out a ways and then just started swimming. I told myself to be calm and think slow and long on my strokes. I sometimes tend to swim too “hard” and not allow myself to glide. I think I did a great job executing my plan. The first turn buoy was around 800 yards or so out and I hit the buoy line about 100 yards from it…perfect. I had almost no contact and had to slow down here a little as there were a lot of caps from the wave ahead of us. I made the turn and tried to swim fairly straight to the next turn which was around 500 yards or so. I actually made contact once on this leg as I was in such a rhythm that I swam right up on a slower swimmer. I apologized to him and he seemed OK..contact wasn’t really that hard so I didn’t feel too bad. As I turned for home I decided to swim to the left a little and trust my natural draw to the left to keep me fairly straight. I got hit once in the head on this stretch but it wasn’t real hard and I figured it evened out me running into the other guy. At about 200 yards to go I couldn’t believe how smooth this swim had went. I kept telling myself I wasn’t home yet so not to jinx it but man, I had to be on my goal pace of 2:00 per 100 yards….I came out of the water and looked at my watch…40 minutes…YES!!! I had done sub 2.

Nothing, I really think I swam the perfect race.

There was a LONG run from the water to the Bike area. It was lined with people though so it was pretty cool. I started to feel a slight cramp in my right calf and thought “oh no, it is way too early for something like this”. It went away by the time I got to my bike. I took off my goggles and swim cap on the way to the bike so all I had to do was wipe off my feet and put on my shoes and socks. I was a little nervous with my calf acting funny so I decided not to sit down while putting these on. I got everything on and put my nutrition in the back of my tri suit and ran to the bike out. There were a few people there but I just ran up a bit and got on and away I went!!

For me this was OK. I told myself to take my time and not forget anything.

Ahhhh the bike. I was worried about the bike because I had just not trained enough in the last month or so. I could give a million reasons “excuses” why but it doesn’t matter. As I pulled out of the campground area I made sure to eat a GU and drink about half a bottle of water. I had heard all of the reports of people not hydrating enough and I didn’t want to become a casualty. About 2 miles or so into the bike I decided to check my pace…ARGGG!!! I didn’t hit start…dummy!! I hit start and noticed I was going about 23 MPH..WHAT!?!? I never go that fast. My HR was fine though and I didn’t feel like I was taxing myself so I decided it must just be a fast part of the course or the wind must be at my back. In other words I went with it. One thing I decided I didn’t like on the bike ride was the mileage signs. Maybe some people like them, but I do not need to know every five miles how far I had come. All it did for me was make me say “when is that next stinking sign coming up?!?!?” LOL. About 30 miles into the bike ride I reached back for some more nutrition. I had been having some difficulties with my bib number as one side had come unclipped the first time I got a gel. I got a bit from the shot bloc (?) I had and the next thing I knew all my nutrition was gone. I don’t know if I knocked it out while adjusting my number or trying to put my garbage (I tried not to litter) in my back pouch…all I know is no more nutrition from mile 30 on. Needless to say I was a bit concerned. At the next aid station I tossed one of my water bottles and grabbed 2 Gatorades. I put one in the cage and proceed to drink the next one for the next couple of miles. As I came upon two cops I yelled “where can I throw this bottle?”, and they said to just toss it so I did. I was worried that would be considered littering…what can I say, I’m a rookie.
By this time my pace had slowed considerably but I was still averaging about what I hoped for. We then turned for home and the headwind hit. I was joking with the people I passed, and who passed me, that the laws of nature must not work in Florida because we were always going against the wind. One guy said that meant I was going to fast…I know that wasn’t it lol!! About mile 50 I realized that the next purchase for me would be a new saddle. I had been procrastinating about getting one for quite some time but my…ummm…tender areas informed me that they had had enough and were overruling any other purchase. I made a pact with them. If they stopped talking to me I would take care of them. Deal. As we turned into the campground for the last 2-3 miles it seemed everyone slowed way down. I must have passed 30-40 bikes in this stretch and I wasn’t going that fast. They didn’t seem to be spinning so I don’t know what the deal was. I rode up to the dismount line and checked my time…wow, less than 3 hours!!! For me this was way under what I thought I would do. My fastest ride before this was 18.5 or so and this ended up being 19.3. ECSTATIC!!!


Once again I think for me, I did about the perfect bike portion...oh yeah, it would have been nice to NOT lose my nutrition.

As I jumped off of the bike I almost fell over...my legs didn't seem to work too good. I made eye contact with one of the ladies at the dismount line and we laughed at the same time. "My legs don't work!!!" I yelled, and everyone laughed. As soon as I got to my bike area I ate a GU and some shot blocs. I figured I was probably behind on nutrition even though I wasn't hungry. I changed shoes and socks, put on my run belt and headed out for what was to be a much longer run than I anticipated.

Nothing really...3 1/2 minutes for me rocks!!!

Wow, here is where it all just fell apart. I wish I could point to one thing and say “this is what went wrong” but I would be lying. I just don’t know. I started the shuffle run out of T2 and realized I was going to have to start slowly and work up to a good pace. I hadn’t gone 100 yards when I heard my Garmin beep and it just shut off. I guess I didn’t charge the battery enough. Little did I know this was to be a blessing in disguise as I would be unable to see just how slow I was going. After about a quarter mile I started to feel “weird”. My stomach started to turn over, I NEVER have stomach issues, and my lower back started to throb. Uh oh. “OK, drink some water” I told myself. After I emptied one of my canteens I told myself to get some Gatorade at the first aid station. I remembered reading they would have them every mile….they lied lol!! By mile 1 I was walking and couldn’t believe it. I had run a perfect race to this point and thought I had a shot a breaking 6 hours. I realized that wasn’t going to happen so I tried to figure out how to finish the best I could. It was weird. I wanted to run…my legs were not tired…I could think clearly…I just couldn’t run. WTF!!!! I got to about mile 2 and at the aid station I saw someone pour ice in their shirt...Ok, I’ll try anything at this point. OMG!! Heaven!!! I immediately started feeling better and started running again. It didn’t last long. At this point I was really getting depressed and decided to take in some of the scenery. I figured if I was going to suck at the run I should at least try and enjoy the area. Ummmm….it was grassland….surrounded by a few trees….with no shade….OK, plan B, talk to people. It was at this point that I noticed there were A LOT of people walking. Why it took 3 miles for me to notice this I don’t know, but I decided maybe it wasn’t just me. Maybe, just maybe, the course was pretty bad today. My spirits started to rise a little and I was able to shuffle run a bit more. As we turned towards the finish line area where we turn to go back out for our second lap I thought about my wife and kids who were waiting for me to come by. I couldn’t be seen walking by them could I? After all they had been braving this heat as well just to root me on, and there were other spectators that were supporting us. I decided I had to run dang it!! I ran into the turn around and saw my wife and daughter right at the turning point. Paris was cheering me on and my wife had her camera out so I gave them a big smile and a wave and started out on lap 2.
Lap 2—this lap starts with an aid station right after the turn around. I proceeded to get my 2 cups of ice and fill my canteen. I drank a glass of water and decided to try and eat a power bar. At this point in the race I had had 2 GUs, a shot block, and ½ a banana. I had also drunk 2 Gatorades. I managed to eat ½ of the power bar before tossing it...it just seemed to dry out my mouth and that was the last thing I needed. This lap was my “good” lap. I say good because even though I was slow I ran probably ¾ of this lap. I kept thinking of seeing my wife and daughter on the first lap and I felt like I was letting them down because I couldn’t seem to run for some reason…yeah, I tend to be too hard on myself at times. ANYWAYS….on this lap I started to see the effects the heat was having on others. There were several people who were just out on the trail. They all had people helping them so all I could do was say a little prayer and keep going. There were also many more people walking or standing by the side “attempting” to get sick. I wanted to say something to them but what do you say? As I passed the 6 mile mark I thought for the first time “man I am nuts to think I can do a full ironman in September”. I would then have an argument with myself saying “forget September, finish today first!!!” LOL!! The funny thing about this run course is that it has the mileage for all three laps as you go around. This means you could be on your second lap but you pass signs that said Mile 9 or Mile 12 or Mile 2. It is hard to explain, but I would get more upset when I saw signs that said first lap mileage because I would think “man, those guys have 2 more laps in this heat. I feel sorry for them!!” Kinda depressing. Yeah, my mind was all over the place. As I came in for the second lap I realized that it had taken me about an hour to do this lap. Are you freaking kidding me???? An hour for 4 miles or so??? I started to get depressed again. I ran to the spot where I had seen Jen the first time and this time it was her and two of my boys. The all started yelling for me and I started to get choked up so I just blew them kisses and told them I would see them in about an hour. Thus begins lap 3…..
As I approached the aid station I thought “ok, get your ice, get your Gatorade and water and let’s see how fast we can do this last lap!!” I should have known something was up as people were grumbling and there didn’t seem to be as many volunteers out. Turns out they were out of ice!!! WHAT?!?!? It is like 180 degrees and still somewhat early in the race and you have no ice??? The water was warm; it was just a bad aid station stop. It is funny what little things can do to your psyche. As I left that aid station all I could think of was how far it was to the next one. I know it doesn’t sound far but at this point a mile seemed forever. I knew that we had to hit the grassland before we would see any relief and I only had about a half a canteen of warm water left. Yes, I was feeling sorry for myself. I went about a half mile and actually got kind of angry at myself. “What, did you think this was going to be a walk in the park?!?!? They call this ironman, not wussman!! Man up and stop whining!!!” I swear, I said it just like that and in an angry “voice” to myself. Was I hallucinating? I don’t know. I just know it worked. I started to jog again and was able to shuffle/walk the rest of the way. Anytime I stopped to walk I tried to talk to others and realized there were MANY people who were either on their second lap or even still on their first lap. I couldn’t imagine being out there for 2 more laps. I tried to crack some jokes with those people because I just didn’t know what else to say. I was able to make a few of them smile and I figured that was the most I could hope for. As I finally turned off of the grassland for the last time I realized I owed “CUBE” on BT an apology. He had been talking about the “African Grassland” run since I started the thread last year but I figured he had to be exaggerating. I would read about it and kind of roll my eyes, I mean come on, it can’t be that bad!! Cube I apologize…it was that bad!!! There was another guy who was in my age group that I was kind of playing leap frog with for the last mile. As we got closer to the finish he ran past me and I thought “Go ahead man, I am not going to race you in. I am going to enjoy this finish.” He got about 20 yards ahead of me and looked back and I knew that he was wondering if I was going to try and pass him. Nope, enjoy your moment and I’ll enjoy mine. As I turned left into the finishing shoot I couldn’t believe I was almost done. I looked behind me to make sure I was going to be by myself as I crossed and I couldn’t see anyone. I heard the announcer saying other people’s names and as I turned right for the final run to the finish I heard “Does anyone here know Dewey Wills from Bloomington Illinois?” and I thought “Yep there are at least 5 people who do!!!” As I crossed the finish line I threw my hands in the air and had a grin that was ear to ear. I saw my wife and kids off to my left but before I could do anything but smile at them someone grabbed me and asked if I was OK. OK? 6 hours 48 minutes and 19 seconds ago I started something most people thought I was crazy to do. I had some high moments and some low moments, but I was able to push through and finish what I had begun. Ok? Yeah, I’m ok. I’m just fine.



Where to start? Train more? More bricks? Work on nutrition? I don't know, but I better figure it out by September!!

I grabbed a water and a couple of slices of pizza. I sat down worried that I was going to cramp until I remembered I walked most of the run so why would I cramp? lol. :( I then came home and took some Advil and took a nap.


The heat? Lack of training? Being a wuss?


I still cannot believe they ran out of ice on the run course. Unacceptable. Saddles, helmets, bikes at the expo? Am I expecting to much for a 1/2 IM race expo?