Ironman 70.3 Branson - Triathlon1/2 Ironman

Felt good about this swim.(finished in the top 10% of my AG) Was able to navigate myself to long stretches of open water where I could concentrate on long smooth strokes and keeping my head down. I've gotten much better at staying down in my stroke without lifting my head to sight a lot and keeping a straight line.

Nothing.

Took my time in T1. Had to make sure to get my wetsuit in the transport bag and took the time to tie the two bags together to make sure everything made it safely back to T2.

Nothing.

I knew this course was going to be tough because I had trained on it twice in the last year. Maybe it's an excuse, but I really tried to concentrate on spinning up the hills very easy and not trying to push too hard. I have been feeling very good about my run in training and I didn't want to jeopardize the chance of posting a decent run by pushing too hard on the bike. My time definately reflects that I rode quite slow on the bike!

Nothing really. Although was very slow, I rode within my ability and didn't push too hard.

Had a couple of funny moments coming into T2. When my spirits are up on the race course, I like to joke around with the spectators. It just keeps my mind off the pain, so when I was coming down the hill to T2, a lady screamed :You're Done with the Bike!!" and I screamed back, at the top of my lungs "WAAHHHHHHOOOOOOO." She got a pretty big kick out of that. I also asked all of the volunteers at the entrance to T2 if any of them wanted to buy a bike. I was so ready to be done with that thing for the day!!

I was really hoping that I had saved enough of my legs on the bike to put in a decent run but they were just SO shot after that bike. I started out the first couple of miles at a pretty good clip and then around mile 3 I started to slow down. I walked every aid station (which I had planned to do) to pour icewater down my back and over my head. Lap 1 went ok, but when I got to the furthest out point of the run course in the park on lap two, it took everything I had to talk myself into running all the way thru the park and back to the aid station. When I walked the aid station, I began that internal negotiation of OK, I'll pick back up after the last trash can...(trash can passed, still walking), OK, I'll pick back up after the curb....(curb passed, still walking)...etc.
I ended up walking the roughly half mile returning through the neighborhood and was able to get back to running as I turned the corner to leave the neighborhood.
I guess what I'm most proud of is that even though the overall run was slow, I was able to gut it out and increase my pace for lap 3 over lap 2. I actually think I ran the last 2 miles under 9 minute pace. Which normally wouldn't have been good, but based on how I was feeling, I am happy with. I remember looking at my watch and thinking Wow, 9:45 pace never felt this fast. That's a pretty sad testimony as to how skewed my perception was!

Not walk the section during the second lap although, I think that is what made the difference in finishing the 3 loop stronger.

Crossed the finish line with my arms raised. I don't have a single finish line photo with my hands raised, but this one was all about me signing up for a race that specifically targets my main weakness: (cycling on the hills). I was less concerned about my time for this one and more excited that I was able to complete the distance with the hills and feel like I finished somewhat strong!
After the finish line I went over and sat in the fountain that was filled with the cold, roughly 55 degree water of Lake Taneycomo. It felt so good after such a hot run , and I remember seeing 15 triathletes lined up sitting on the ledge underwater with the look on their faces, as if to say "WHAT WAS THAT!!" Everyone was talking about how tough the course was and I heard comments on the course and at the finish all day like "I've been racing 70.3 for 10 years and that's the toughest bike course I've ever seen!!"
After the "ice" bath, I caught up with Pete and Ty, found Todd, headed back to the hotel for a quick shower and then headed back to KC.


Spent legs on the bike left almost nothing for the run.


Regarding the race set up, the ONLY complaint I have is that when we finished the race, the only food available was oranges and chocolate milk. I have learned, at this distance, that I need to eat right away after the finish to keep my stomach settled and I was disappointed that there was NO food available for the athletes after we finished. Other than that the race was great. It has to be a logistical nightmare to pull off this kind of race with the two transition areas on opposite sides of town, but everything seemed to go very smoothly.