Savageman HIM - Triathlon1/2 Ironman

I felt great on the swim. Spent much of the time doing single side every 2 stroke breathing and never felt like I was working too hard. Sighting was good except for sun glare, manage to draft a couple of times, and didn't have too much body contact.

Not much really. Maybe go harder?

Wet suit got a little hung up, not too bad. Took time to put on arm warmers and gloves. had to start Garmin because I forgot and then had to scroll to select bike. Put shoes on in T1 since it was uphill right out of the gate. Ran well in the shoes and mounted well.

Not wear the arm warmers and gloves. Lots of dire predictions about being cold on the bike in the early miles. I think I would have been fine without them

Oh. My. God. That sh@t hurt!

I had pre ridden the course on a different bike but had about the same gear inch ratios available. I was able to stay in the saddle more during the race but maybe could have used one more gear here and there. I went with 11-28 and a compact.

I was cooking along pretty nicely the first 18 miles or so. My average speed was 23 when I got to Westernport. Spring Lick was in better shape than when I first rode it but still pretty hairy at times. I did have a couple of guys fly past me and I just let them go.

I was confident heading in to Westernport since I'd ridden up the wall before. But.... as soon as I got out of my saddle I could feel it in my quads. I hadn't pushed real hard up to that point so I was kind of surprised. I managed to make it almost all the way up but lost my line due course congestion including riders and supporters. I appreciate the support but maybe the devil guys should stay off the street. Anyway, front wheel dropped in a hole and my rear wheel spun out. I lost almost all momentum but managed to keep moving. Unfortunately I had to move sideways a bit and ran out of room. I toppled over into the grass and showered those around me with f-bombs. Sorry, but I was pissed. I know I can ride that damn thing, but not that day. Maybe I should have spent more time climbing out of the saddle on my new bike. Hand placement on the flat style aero bars is way different and I didn't feel like I had good weight distribution. I ran up the grass to get to the flat so I could remount and found a whole bunch of people trying to remount. The only safe place was to the right where it was slightly flat but I saw one girl try to remount right in the middle only to fall over again.

After that it was just climb, climb, climb. I made the Big Climb in 44:06 with a 9.7 average. The lead male went 30:32 with a 14 avg. I don't know if I went too hard, or just went as hard as I needed to go to get up all those climbs but by the time I was done with Maynard Ridge I was cooked. I knew the run would be brutal. At the Mile 50 sign I just wanted to be off my bike. I managed to gather myself and suck it up to the end. I executed a very nice flying dismount and got kudos from several volunteers and spectators at the dismount line. I came flying down that hill, left foot on top of shoe, and both legs to the left side. I was getting flags waved at me and the slow down sign but was in complete control and stopped on a dime right at the line. That felt good. It was one of the last good feelings I was to have for the next 2+ hours.

I did have fun on the descents though and topped out at 42.6 MPH and had 4 miles that averaged over 30 MPH with several more in the mid to high 20's. That compensates for the miles spent under 10 MPH with the low of 7. Fun race when your fastest average mile is 31.8 and your slowest is 7.

Ride more hills on the new bikes, especially out of the saddle. I wish I had the new bike when I pre-rode the course. I was concerned about the gearing but didn't even think about the handling

I didn't rush here as I wasn't looking forward to the run. Sat down to put on my shoes, put more sunscreen on the dome, drank some Heed, changed the Garmin from bike to run and put on the quick release strap. I guess you're supposed to wear that from the start, but I could not imagine getting a wet suit sleeve over that thing and I practiced arm warmers with it and they were a pain. So, not a speedy T2

That day, nothing

Wow. That was brutal. I had some very dark moments on the first loop and had to talk myself out of a tiny meltdown and a DNF. I cut myself a deal; walk the hills and run the flats and down hills. And that's what I did. This was my second HIM and my worst run ever, followed only by my first HIM. Don't know if it's bike fitness or run fitness or both but I need to figure this thing out.

There were a couple of bright moments; plenty of friendly and encouraging volunteers (and some cute girls - seeing a pretty face never hurts), hot, and I do mean hot, coke on the fire tower road. That should have been nasty, but I liked it. A hot, and again I do mean hot, apple cinnamon Hammer gel at the top of the fire tower hill that tasted like a slice of pie right out of Grandma's oven. Running past the finish area after the first loop knowing that no matter what I would finish. All the other racers who were just as bad off as me. There is strength in mutual suffering. May seem odd, but other people hurting just as bad as me was a bright spot.

Train the run more. I know I have not been working that as I should. Yes, I came in as a runner, but I don't have that to rest on any more. I no longer run 5 days a week for 30 - 40 miles.

Preview the run course. I really had no idea it was that hilly. The campground was bad but the fire tower hill was straight from the Marquis de Sade.

I literally collapsed at the finish line. I went to the ground and just lay there. I was so happy to stop. I just didn't want to move any more. I gathered myself, got some water and Gatorade, stretched a bit, and got in the cold lake...ahhhhh!!!

Then I ate some BBQ but never got any ice cream. The line was really long so I came back after clearing out my stuff but the girls were packing up. I complained that there was a sign on the run course promising ice cream, and that I had hobbled past it twice, but it didn't matter. There was none to be had. I offered to lick the containers and the girls laughed. Not sure why since I was not kidding.

I was very happy to use the facilities to take a warm shower before getting on the road. That was quite nice since I had already checked out of my hotel.


The course. Really. It's not called SavageMan just to be clever.


This really is a great race. It is savage and brutal and may bring you to the brink, but the payoff of crossing that finish line is worth it. Either that, or I am just a sick son-of-a-batch.