Florida Challenge Triathlon - Half Ironman - Triathlon1/2 Ironman

I felt much better before this swim than I did in August for the HOT; I told myself the swim wasn't much longer. I started from the outside, planning to stay wide and swim for the turn buoy. I got perhaps 100 yards out and couldn't settle my breathing. I knew I'd be OK if I slowed down and took more time to breathe, but that stupid little voice in the back of my head was going, "Panic attack! Panic attack!" I called on my mental reserves formed from years of ignoring my wife's comments I didn't want to hear and concentrated on gliding and breathing.

That worked like a charm, but by the time I sighted again I'd swum inside the line of the buoys, and wasted time zagging back out again. I neared the first turn and the guy on the boat yelled at me to swim out. I told him I was, I just couldn't swim a straight line. :)

The rest of the swim went beautifully, and I even looked at my watch a few times to make sure I was going to make my time goal, which was to at least beat the time of the full iron guys who were swimming 2.4 to my 1.2!

Tie a sighting scope to my nose!

T1 went fine..saw Jess and Wendi; thanks for cheering me on, and taking the pictures!

I put a Profile drink bottle on for this race, and that thing needs a lid! It splashed in my face at every bump..I think I still have Gatorade in my nose.

I felt pretty good on the bike as far as pace and exertion went. I had increasing neck and shoulder pain setting in as the ride went along; I have a chronic problem since I fell off of a roof years ago (explains a lot, I know!). Usually I take Excedrin before racing but didn't have any this time. The pain was seriously wearing on me by the end of the ride and I couldn't stay aero for long.

I rode easy the first 30, keeping Peter's advice in mind, and stood up for the first of 3 rollers on Buckhead. That spiked my breathing and heartrate, so I decided to sit down for the rest. Got to Sugarloaf and watched people wobble at 3 mph on the bike..got off and walked up, which was a good decision, I think. I was passed by 8 people going up, and went by every one on the way down. :)

Finished the rest of the ride trying to go easy, with my quads and calves intermittently threatening to cramp. I still passed probably 100 people, and was only passed 3-4 times. I guess that's the benefit of being a slow swimmer in a later wave..lots of rabbits to chase! :)


I don't think I got enough nutrition in on the bike, and it showed when I got to the run. I had a gel, 2 bananas, and Gatorade, which apparently wasn't enough to fuel my 195 lb ass through 6+ hours of effort. I lost my endurolytes, which might've helped the cramping.

Transition went fine; trotted out trying not to think about running around the lake!

I ran for the first 3-4 miles feeling OK, but then I pretty much started to bonk. I took another banana and that seemed to help, and I was able to continue running, or shuffling. My pace was slow, slow..10 minute miles. I didn't feel out of breath, I just didn't have any gas left in the tank!

Got back to the lake, and started walking the aid stops, drinking, and then arguing with myself about starting running again. I finally stopped running about 3/4 of the way around the lake, and didn't start again until James passed me. That got me going and I started the Minneola Shuffle again.

Finally got into town and eyed the hill up into town to the finish. Surely this was a cruel joke and the wheelchair would be right there. Nope..had to run it. I saw Jenn and Kira at the finish chute, and Wendi as well, and managed to run through without falling over, though it was a near thing! I had time to see the finish line banner and hold up my hands as I crossed, while thinking of how dorky I had thought other people were who did this, when finishing hours behind the winner. Hey, we're all dorks at some point, but I was a Half Iron Dork, which is worth capitalizing, anyway.

Get more calories in! I am going to do some longer ride/run bricks and get this nutrition thing down before I do the next half. Oh yes..I'm already forgetting all of the pain and my mental self-flagellation at the stupidity of all this.

Collapsed in an ant pile..then got a massage. Poor unlucky masseuse had to pick the ants off of his table.


My JATO assist shoes were MIA.


While this was the single most painful thing I've done ever, I am already planning the next one. Either I have great drive, or extreme stupidity, I'm not sure which.

I have to say meeting Jess, Mike, Wendi, Haley, James, Jig, and Brett and having someone to cheer me on at transitions and the finish was awesome! The only thing that makes achieving something hard better is having friends to share it with. :)