EagleMan Ironman 70.3 Triathlon - Triathlon1/2 Ironman

Hmm...where to start? ya this was a rough swim...literally. Vigo (the race director) suggested that the way back you'd get a slight push from the current so the whole time out I was thinking, "just get to the turn-around and you can cruise on in"...well that was the biggest crock of sh*t ever. you turn-around and you get 1-2ft chop and since there was only 1 buoy every ~200yds you couldn't see the buoys that well. had some calf cramping near the end...thought to myself, "glad I packed edurolyte tablets on the bike." Oh ya, and there was some jellyfish out there...luckily i forgot that a guy mentioned to me on saturday...so i didn't really realize what i was feeling or what that tingling sensation was in my right arm until talking with other after the race...I glad I forgot.

Plan was to take the swim easy and focus on breathing and comfort so as to prep for LP. Was happy with this aspect of the swim.

I looked at my watch while running into T1 and was kinda dissapointed, but when i heard amy yell that craig (cpjohnson) was just ahead of me, then i knew my swim wasn't bad since he is a much better swimmer than myself.

Took my time and made sure I didn't forget anything before treking out for 56miles. Had trouble getting suit off my left calf and foot.

158bpm

nada

Felt good on the bike from the get go. had some headwinds to start so the avg was right around 20 for the first 10mi, but after that you got a mix of cross or tailwinds from miles 10 - 42. Had my computer set to cadence and speed...and never changed it but i did some math when I crossed mile markers...figured I had the avg over 22 at mile 40, but that started to dwindle as miles 42-52 was mostly headwind. I was actually passing ppl while going 16mph...that a tough headwind!

I passed a ton of ppl on the bike...esp. since i was the last male wave to go off...nothing finer that passing superior equipment while on the bike..then again some of those riding superior equipment were my dad's age!

Passed brad (weds19) around mile 35...had made up the 8min earlier wave start at this point. I was hoping I could pass him earlier (the half way point of the bike), as I knew that I needed a lot of time to hold him off on the run.

Also I had my first attempt at, are you ready for this, peeing on the bike. I was around mile 47 or so....I didn't see any port-o-potties for a few miles and I didn't know if I could make it 'til transition. Tell you what, it wasn't easy...hard to pedal and pee...was able to get enough out while standing up to relieve the pain.

Nutrition:
3x24oz gu2o
24-30oz water
6 gu's (every 30min)
6 edurolyte

Very happy with this ride...definitely my best ride ever! Am I officially a biker now that my bike AG rank beat the swim?

nada

139bpm

Again took my time to make sure I didn't miss anything. I had my T2 split on my watch about 25s faster w/ the 25s added to the bike.

nada

overall pace wasn't horrible, esp. since I walked every aid station to get water or gatorade, but I wasn't happy with the significant fall-off as the miles racked up.

Nutrition:
gu @ :20, :50, 1:20
water with the gu and gatorade at all other aid stations

My run reflected my training in two ways...(1) I did a lot of bricks with short runs...and (2) i've slipped into a lot of Z1 run training and very little Z2. These two things help true again today. Smarter training = better run.

light stretching and signed-up for massage.


Mentally I need to learn to not be a wimp on the run for this distance race or shorter...i tend to run for comfort instead of racing.


I enjoyed this race a lot...part of it was it being my first time doing Eagleman and first time at 70.3, but moreso the great company...time for the sappy stuff. It was great to play leapfrog w/ brad and watch him kill another run and take back the belt. It was great that craig unleashed darkness and crushed his bike goal. It was great that Heidi watching heidi beat her last year's time and show us once again that she can play with the boys. It was great hearing Nate's tales of using pretty much ever toilet on the course, taking 16+min in transition (i wonder if there was a massage in there) but loving every second of it. It was great seeing kristin smile and do her "I want to bang Chris Legh" motion as she finished up...and it was great having laura surprise me, and it was great having laura, amy and stacy cheer us all on.

All returning competitors in our group improved on their time in windy and choppy conditions.

oh ya, apparently i left my hat, race belt, number and finishing medal there since they are nowhere to be found...really would like to have kept the number. oh well.