Timberman - Half Iron - Triathlon1/2 Ironman

Swim was non-eventful. I started well and after a couple of dolphin dives quickly went to the swim while others were still walking. I took a couple of little shots early on and then settle in behind someone and drafted for awhile. I went to pass because it was a little slower than I wanted to go but then realized it would have been a little more effort than I wanted to give so I just backed off and accepted the pace. Swam near the same guy for the majority of it and into the waves ahead where it started getting really crowded. At the second turn I broke off and just cruised home. Never really pushed at any point. Swim felt really easy. Especially compared to RI. I swam up until my fingers were dragging and was still passing people who were walking in chest deep water. It was a little over crowded and if I was a FOP swimmer I would have been annoyed but it wasn't too bad to just tuck in behind people and swerve around a little bit to get by some people. Definitely better swimmer than I was last year.

I was 40th percentile in swim last year and 21st percentile this year overall so that's decent.

Maybe swim a little harder but probably not worth it.

Good transition. I was right near the swim exit so had a long way to run with my bike and shoes on but I was still top 10% so that's fine.

Shoes on bike maybe for the long run out to mount bike.

Bike was a lot easier than I remember it from last year. My HR was a little high coming out of transition so I was just cruising in the beginning and then after the hill I picked up a little. I never really pushed at all. It felt easy. I hit the turnaround a little over 23mph and was a little surprised how easy it felt at that point. On the way back I started wishing I had gone off in an earlier wave because I was in the downpour. I slowed it down a little but was able to keep a decent pace for the most part. The one thing that was annoyed me most was the blocking. It's tough starting so far back and having to pass so many people. Constantly swerving and yelling for people to get out of the way. Other than that it was fine. Non-eventful. Went by pretty quick. The bike position was much more dialed in than when I was in RI. Also noteworthy is I had a 900 disc w/ an 808 front I rented which was sweet. Probably could have taken a couple more minutes off this but I slid around a couple of the corners in the rain so started being more conservative.


They messed up my timing chip so going by Garmin 310 which nailed everything including transition w/in a couple seconds using multi-sport mode. Put time in spreadsheet with results to get where my rank would be.

16th percentile overall last year. Top 4% this year. Rode it at 149bpm last yr and 145bpm this year which is just the top of zone 2 based on my recent test so that is probably either a little too conservative or just right for this distance I think. Not sure (which is one of the reasons why I'm going to get a coach).

Maybe ride a little harder. I really wasn't tired at all after the bike but I guess that's the point.

I had my feet out of the shoes for awhile before pulling in to transition since I was hanging out behind someone going really slow in the no passing zone. I was ready to jump off the bike and go.

I put socks on for the run after the blisters I got in RI so that cost me some time but it wasn't too bad.

Probably the only part of the race where I'm disappointed in myself a little but I'll get to that.

Started off really easy and conservative after realizing I had a really good chance of breaking my time goal of sub 5. I started off at 7:45ish pace but then had to hit the porto body about a half mile in. Then I settled back in and on the 3rd mile I had a stomach ache and had to go to the bathroom for real (stupid from eating garbage the day and two days before). That slowed me down quite a bit and took my rythm away but I wasn't tired or pushing. I felt like I was just out on a long run. Especially w/ an avg HR of 155.

Splits:
8:24
8:07
9:51
8:02
8:03
8:08
7:57
8:25
7:57
7:48
8:07
8:12
7:29

Not sure why I lost my tenacity on the run. I was purposely conservative in the beginning because I knew I could get under 5 but that shouldn't have dictated the run like that. Comparing this to my stand alone time and the HR I typically run at suggests I wasn't in it mentally to give it everything I had and was just settling for being under 5.

Alright...not a pity party. I'm really happy with the improvements I made overall and looking forward to nailing a really strong run one of these days. It's definitely my limiter but has gotten a lot better in one year. I feel like I can realistically take 10-12 minutes off this in a year. It was an improvement but I can't look myself in the mirror and tell myself I had a good run.

43rd percentile overall last year to 26th this year.
I need to get to the top 10% on the run and then I'll be a little more satisfied and can start being a little more competitive in my AG.



Push harder. Find some sort of edge to get myself amped up and run with my HR in the low 160s which is where I usually do any sort of longer tempo runs.

Walked over to wife and daughter. Hugs and kisses. I synched up with Ken who had a great race and then Shane came in. Walked to food tent.


Rain

Being a pussy on the run. The run is supposed to hurt and it didn't (only race I've ever done where I wasn't hurting really in the run). I should have made it hurt.

Race Weight too high.

Overall I'm happy with the progress I've made since last winter. Lost about 40lbs, taught myself to swim, went from never owned a bike to almost FOP, couldn't run 2 miles without HR through roof and shin splints. I'm generally just never satisfied I guess though so now I think I'm ready to take the base I've built the past 18 months and get a little coaching to try and take it to the next level as I go into my 2011 IMLP campaign. I know my limiters. Need to get PW to 4+w/kg. Also need to get my run a little more dialed in and really be able to run tough. Sometimes it seems like it's there or almost there and then it vanishes and I have no flow.

Anyway, I'm happy. I had a good race and never came close to blowing up at all. I'm actually not even sore or tired anymore and am ready to go just a few days later. Party time.


Good race. Not doing again because there are other challenges to attend to but I may be back someday.