Diamondman - Triathlon1/2 Ironman

Very crowded and fairly shallow at start ran a good ways along with everyone else before getting down to swimming. A lot of joustling and bumping which made it hard to get into my rhythem. Finally got going, stayed out to the right sighting off the caps to my inside. The course actually had a slight cresent shape so I did well to straighten that out and not hug the buoys. On the way back however I drifted away to the right and away from the curve and other swimmers. It was very hard to see with the sun but I finaaly spotted the mob of swim caps well to my inside. I adjusted and got back to the flow of traffic. Worked on taking it easy and conserving energy. I almost bit the concrete on the transition from the mud to the boat ramp and the end.

I need to work on navigation and swimming straight especially as I get tired

Long run from swim added alot of time and I seriously took my time and made extra sure everything was ready. Had my camelback for the first time and had to load up the Gu's and fig newtons.

nothing

Pretty good ride. Felt pretty good, I stayed in the small ring to reduce the strain on my legs and stay fresh. It also helped with the hills. I lost my bike computer as the magnet slipped to the bottom of the spoke. i tried to maintain a nice steady pace but without any feedback it was hard to tell if it worked. I drank every 15 minutes and alternated the Fig Newtons and Gu every 15 minutes. I added in the gatorade at the last water bottle exchange. I had a little problem with the camelback early on but it fixed itself. I tried to take it easy for the first 20 miles or so, but I ended up pushing it as people passed me. On the fisrt trip up Reedy Point Bridge I found a nice gear and really did well. I passed about 15 people going up and didn't burn myself out. Going down I maintained the momentum pretty well until I hit the first bottle exchange. I signaled that the exchange was coming up and let one dude past and started angling to pick up a bottle. Suddenly, this idiot zooms past on the left, cuts right in front off me and the stops. WTF? Fortunately, I was alert and was able to pull an evasive manueuver. I dropped the first water bottle my hands were shaking so bad. I got a big drink and calmed down and was really going to give the idiot a piece of my mind but I never saw him again. Very long ride and it always seemed the wind was against us. Nothing to bad. Did a couple of back and forths with 2-3 different riders over the second half to try and maintain my focus. Second trip up Reedy Point was nice and I felt pretty good. Overall I was 7 min faster than I was in my HIM in May over a more difficult course.

Fix my bike computer and front derauler. Having some feedback as too if i was going too fast or slowing might have been nice and having the big ring available for the downhill after the bridge would have been really cool.

Good transition, took my time. Got a big drink of gatorade and left. hearing the race announcer calling my name and saying I was looking good was sort of cool.

I really should have visited the bathroom at the end of T2. They were slightly off the run course but I think some of my problems on the run could have been avoided if I had taken care of business there.

The Good:

I felt really good at the start and started out nice and easy. I ran fairly easily for the first 8.5 miles. I drank gatorade and sipped water then dumped the rest on my head and each rest stop. Had a Hammer Gel at mile 2 and 5. Hit half way at 1:07. it was hot but i was going along fairly well.

The bad:

Thing started to get ugly when I decided I finally needed to Pee. I'd been holding it for most of the run but there were no Potta Potties along the course to jump into. Finally I ducked into the bushes and got sliced up be the thorns. I got back on course my legs and hand bleeding and stopped to tied my shoe. I could already feel my muscles twinging andmy right quad cramped up very hard. I had to come to a dead stop, try and stetch and then walk about 5 minutes before it eased up. So much for my goal of running the whole way.

The Ugly:

During the cramp recovery I noticed I was belching up a storm. I found out this was a bad thing when i started running again and got slammed with the worst side stitch I've every had. I had to so to a walk. Each time i tried to run, the same results. So I walked as fast as I could, but i couldn't kick the gas. I ended up walking most of the last 4 miles. That was really demoralizing.

Don't know maybe I got the gas from guzzling too much water and gatorade during the bike and run. I didn't bonk like i did last HIM but the gas wouldn't let me run. Maybe if I went at T2 I could have made it all the way and never stopped that first time.

Ate and laid on the grass and watched the award's ceramony.


The gassing problem.


Nice race. I was disappointed the way the run feel apart after such a promising start. Oh well I ended up with a HIM PR by 1:30 and a really god bike split. I'm surprised how competeive the field was 65 under 5 hous and 292 under 6 hours. Hopefully I'll be back next year doing this as a warm up for IM FLA.