Savageman HIM - Triathlon1/2 Ironman


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Deep Creek Lake, Maryland
United States
"Tri-to-Win" Melanoma Foundation
70F / 21C
Sunny
Total Time = 6h 43m 19s
Overall Rank = 178/387
Age Group = Clydesdale
Age Group Rank = 3/20
Pre-race routine:

Get on my knees and pray that 11 months of training and race day don't get blown out by a pulled back. Friday and Saturday I was walking with a pitch to the right. Back was still bad Sunday but determined to at least swim. I told the wife and kids I'd try to finish the race and try to make it to the Wall but would have to see. Drank ~30oz of GU Brew 2 hours before start. Had a Egg McMuffin and coffee from the McDonalds that puts whip creme on Milk Shakes...yuck but yep, its true..Ask one of the Josh's.

Got to transition about 1 hour before start. Spread my stuff out, rearranged it a dozen times. Talked with Pector(Mike) and other Clydes...caught up with Wabash(Jason) then hit the Port-a-Pot to release the hounds for the second time that morning. Still praying nearly continuously to be able to compete.
Event warmup:

Warm-up was light stretching at the hotel and the walk from WISP to the car and the car to transition. Some stretching in transition.
Swim
  • 36m 18s
  • 2112 yards
  • 01m 43s / 100 yards
Comments:

Just saying, I was in a near constant state of asking for grace to complete the swim and each proceeding event.
I had some pseudo panic moments the first 10 minutes as I did in my first tri. I'm fine OWS by myself or with a small group but there's something about OWS @ at a race with 100 dudes...
I was cool a minute or two before the turtle then started to enjoy the swim back until I gave some dude an unrighteous kick to what I assume was his noggin..Trying to get out the water I nearly fell over a couple of times...I'm with the Nipper...getting out the water and trying to move quickly is tough!
What would you do differently?:

I'd get the bacon and egg croissant at Burger King
Transition 1
  • 07m 3s
Comments:

Didn't rush the run from the beach or the time in T1, my 7 minute 304th overall T1 obliges that. I could feel my back but it wasn't aggressively gnarly. I was glad to be able to keep moving and felt like I might make it to the Wall.
What would you do differently?:

Spend a little time perfecting wetsuit removal but otherwise nothing
Bike
  • 3h 37m 54s
  • 55.7 miles
  • 15.34 mile/hr
Comments:

Actually enjoyed the Spring Lick descent for the first time this season...demoed the course 6 times. Back muscles were fighting but worked through it a mile at a time. I don't think it was knocking anything off the bike, just had to motor through it. I cleared the wall. It seemed easier. I think all the people gave me and others a charge,hard to quantify but definitely palpable. What a pump to be cheered for like that...brilliant...everyone should experience that at least once. Climbing Savage was better than usual. I think the shared misery and camaraderie helps take your mind off of climbing for 45 minutes.

McAndrews and Evil Otto were uneventful, I took Jennings a little to fast...who doesn't..KM unwound me. I was trudging through and crested the steeps but 50 yards from the aid station I went into a full on medial quad cramp. The volunteers offered drink, gel even to massage the quad. To much pride for that. Besides as they were doing there thing Kaptur in a lucid moment during his fastest SM bike ever yelled "come on Tim"...well there went my 21 minute wave 1 advantage...
Had some cramps in both legs in the remaining miles but I could stretch them without stopping.
What would you do differently?:

Cramps-I think I trained enough long bikes and I had about 100oz of GU Brew, nasty race day Heed and water...packed a 7oz flask of water with about 1000mg of sodium (chix bullion)...and GU chomps c extra sodium...so I guess suck up the cramps and keep going
Transition 2
  • 03m 15s
Comments:

The dismount to T2 was like 25 yards...40yards to my rack...the whole wax on wax off thing with the shoes was mute...and I liked it.
What would you do differently?:

nothing...this was my second tri and first HIM..In a flat-lander HIM I would have hustled esp if otherwise healthy
Run
  • 2h 18m 7s
  • 13.1 miles
  • 10m 32s  min/mile
Comments:

gotta love racing Clydesdale...4th in AG vs. 203 overall...The run was agony. The first 6 miles the back was hurting...but either He took my mind off the back pain or other pains shrouded the back...I don't know but what I do know is the running never stopped hurting but the weird thing was the second lap was considerably easier for me than the first...I did walk up Firetower both times and the cmapground I had to walk the steeps the second time for cramps...my wife took a 15 second clip as I ran toward the second loop...man, could have auditioned for a night of the living dead zombie...or Lurch...maybe Frankenstein...

My kids saw me coming down the gravel road and ran with me the 100 yards up to the finishing chute. That was a great moment for me. Loved that.
What would you do differently?:

Next time I might take the 30 seconds to switch to a fresh pair of socks...it's not savage but until I knock 15 minutes off my swim, increase my bike average to 20 and decrease my run to a 6 min mile I'm gonna enjoy it more...

This event in particular makes me realize its not about the pro's, its not about AG winners, its about respecting anyone that has the guts to compete and the will to finish.
Post race
Warm down:

Through the chute and as the chip commander de-chipped me both quads went into full on cramps...NICE! Hugged the wife and kids from a ground fighter stance. Made myself into a golden arch and stood up. Went to the med tent to check on the Kapturs...thanking God all would be well. Then....PULLED PORK and Black Raspberry Ice Cream! YES OH YES....I hated that mile 4 sign "ICE CREAM FINISH" I wanted to pull it up, rip it apart and toss it into DCL. What a great event.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Cramps and back pain...but maybe they're just part of it.

Event comments:

The race is too hard for my ability, that's TRUTH. It's Savage Man.

Good to see a lot of you from the BT SM forum!


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Last updated: 2009-11-23 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:36:18 | 2112 yards | 01m 43s / 100yards
Age Group: 5/20
Overall: 235/387
Performance: Good
Suit: Xterra
Course: DCL water start just in front of the beach to the bridge past Brant around the giant turtle back to the ginormous swan boat back to the beach.
Start type: Wade Plus: Waves
Water temp: 64F / 18C Current: Low
200M Perf. Average Remainder: Average
Breathing: Good Drafting: Average
Waves: Average Navigation: Good
Rounding: Good
T1
Time: 07:03
Performance: Average
Cap removal: Below average Helmet on/
Suit off:
No
Wetsuit stuck? Yes Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike: No
Getting up to speed: Average
Biking
03:37:54 | 55.7 miles | 15.34 mile/hr
Age Group: 2/20
Overall: 163/387
Performance: Good
Wind: Little
Course: Grueling, its SM! The course was a gazillion times better than the first week in April when the cinder was as fresh as Spring Licks July chip seal. There were no surprises. A beautiful sunny day with a 60d start. Best SM bike weather all year.
Road: Smooth Dry Cadence: 75
Turns: Good Cornering: Good
Gear changes: Good Hills: Good
Race pace: Hard Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 03:15
Overall: Average
Riding w/ feet on shoes Average
Jumping off bike Average
Running with bike Average
Racking bike Average
Shoe and helmet removal Average
Running
02:18:07 | 13.1 miles | 10m 32s  min/mile
Age Group: 4/20
Overall: 203/387
Performance: Good
Course: rolling course with maybe 1 mile of total flat
Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %?
Overall: Average
Mental exertion [1-5] 4
Physical exertion [1-5] 4
Good race? Yes
Evaluation
Course challenge Too hard
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? Yes
Post race activities: Good
Race evaluation [1-5] 5