Ironman 70.3 Florida - Triathlon1/2 Ironman

I was in the 16th wave to leave the beach (7:06 AM). Lots of swimmers in front of me.

I have done a race in this lake before so I was aware of the fact that you can't see your hand in front of your face while you are swimming. This pretty much translates to the fact that it is extra difficult to find feet... not just to draft off of, but also to stay clear of so that you don't get kicked in the head.

The swim course was staffed by more lifeguards than really needed, but I suppose you can never really have enough. The race director said that there were 96 of them out there! Wow! Anyone considering this race should feel pretty safe on the swim course. If you need a kayak, it will be there.

I borrowed a friend's speedsuit for this race in order to keep my tri tank from creating annoying drag in the water. It worked well. My swim pace was about right for me, maybe just a wee bit slow considering that I had the suit on. It could be that the course was long or that with the narrow channel created by the lifeguards it was just extra difficult to nav. through other swimmers.

I took the swim VERY easy. I did not want to jack my heart-rate up at any point. I even breaststroked a few times. Breaststroke doesn't really slow me down all that much compared to other swimmers around me, so it's nice to have as a little 'back up' crutch.

I was able to catch up to two waves in front of me... and a few swimmers from the third wave in front. Navigation was spot on.

My right goggle lens leaked the entire swim. I tried to fix it twice and then just gave up. I used these same goggles at Lucky's Lake swim the day before, so I have no idea what was going on. Perhaps my hair was in a different position under the cap. Anyway, my right eye was actually blurry when I got into T1. Sort of like it had a lake film on it. Ick!

Not much. Practice using goggles with race day hairdo? I swam as I planned- nice and easy. I knew I had to save everything that I could for the torturous run to come.

Long run from swim exit to T1 and my rack was one of the farthest racks from the swim-in and bike-out. My speedsuit came off fairly easily over my heels. I used a lot of TriSlide. No chaffing either. My rack was on dirt and leaves and my feet were gross. I had to towel them off for a bit to ensure that I removed all of the leaves. Sprayed some sunscreen on my shoulders and lower back. Put my Camelbak on and helmet on and was off running to the mount line!

The film on my right eye was worrying me a bit.

I moved as quickly as I could, but with a race in extreme conditions (blazing sun, heat & humidity), you have to take extra precautions (like applying extra sunscreen) and wiping off feet b/c they will get sweaty.

I ran into T1 and ran out of T1. No walking. My rack was just bad luck of the draw. No big deal; everyone gets nailed at some point.

I had a really good bike. As with the swim, I went into the bike knowing that I really had to watch my RPE b/c the run was going to be TOUGH. I pretty much kept my HR in Zone 2 for the entire ride. This course is MUCH less windy than where I train at and I think all of my spring 'wind training' helped a great deal. The rolling hills broke up the course nicely and I was FLYING up them! I rarely got passed on any of the hills... and I was not passed by a single other female on that bike course (at least not from what I saw). It rocked! This FL girl has some 'hill skillz'!

I saw at least 4 packs of drafters go by. One pack of "Team Panama" drafters nearly ran me into a cone! I would have taken down there numbers if I could have and put them on my blog. You just CAN'T ride two and three abreast in a single-lane. It's not safe folks!

Compared to Augusta, my legs just felt so much stronger... they seem to get stronger and stronger with each passing year. It's pretty darn awesome! With each passing year (and this is the start of year 3 for me) I realize more and more that the cumulative effects of training are built very slowly, but surely.

This was a 15 minute HIM bike PR for me. Very pleased. Of course, I am WELL AWARE that I overbiked this course (like I always do), but hey...

The film on my right eye from the swim eventually disappeared, but then I noticed an issue with the hearing in my right ear. It was like my eustachian tube was clogged and I couldn't clear my ear. I suffered with this for the remainder of the race. Nearly went to med tent in regards to it afterwards. It finally cleared up with a few doses on 'ear drying aid.'

Not much. I definitely worked on the bike, but never to the point where I felt like I couldn't get off the bike and run. I kept my in check nicely, but still overall mph is faster than what I normally ride (aka overbiking). A really solid physical and mental effort from me.

Dismounted well before the dismount line b/c there was such a back-up. Because I chose to get off my bike instead of feathering my brakes, I ended up being able to run right through this back-up and into the T2 shoot.

I took some time again to spray myself with sunscreen. I put my socks on, grabbed my handheld, race belt and hat... and was off!

Learn to dismount with feet already out of shoes. This was a typical T2 for me.

At the athlete briefing the day before the race, the announcer actually joked about how miserable the run course is. Warning, warning! In a nutshell, this run is spongy (the grass seems to absorb every bit of energy from your stride), hot (expect a heat index of 90+ by noon) and has little shade for relief. In looking at some of the half-marathon times posted, it looks like even some of the professional athletes melted out there.

Heat index was 90F while I was running (and the index may have been even higher during the grassy portion of the run b/c of the steamy canal along side of the grass). This may very well be the most miserable 13.1 on the 70.3 circuit. You can't acclimate for this folks, you just suffer through it.

I held a 10 min/mile pace for most of the first loop, but after finishing up the last part of the first grassy loop, I realized that this run was not going to be a good one. Even though I live in South FL, I am genetically a bit heat intolerant. I suffer, a lot. So I knew that keeping my core temp down and staying hydrated were HUGE priorities for me from mile one.

I loaded up my bra, shorts and race cap with ice at every station. I refilled my handheld bottle with ice and orange gatorade many times. The baby pools filled with ice for our caps were a sweet releif. There was NO forward progress made at the aid stations for me. I walked through every one of them and came to a standstill at the baby pools to fill my race cap.

With every aid station stop, I watched my pace fall, and fall and fall... until I was eventually averaging a pace per mile that was 2 minutes slower than my LSD runs and more than 3 minutes slower than my open half marathon. Yes, miserable run.

While I was not able to maintain optimal hydration (was anyone out there?), I did get my nutrition right. No cramps, no stomach blunders, mental faculties stayed intact. Hydration wise, it was a disaster. I didn't produce any urine at all during the race and it took me about 4 hours afterwards to finally put out some. Even 24 hours later, urine output was still not where I would like it to be.

I tell ya, though... there were A LOT of inspirational people out there yesterday. A LOT! Y'all are tough stuff!!!

OK, I would definitely not "overbike" the course, but in the case of FL 70.3, it's also what can the "race" do differently?!?! This was an awful 13.1 course!

I will not do this race again until the run course is changed. Period.

I spent about 1 hour searching for my husband. I watched him cross the finish line, but then could not find him.


Heat, humidity. That's it! My training plan was solid, I kept my HR down, I was mentally ready...

I had an OK swim, a good bike and a poor run... that makes this an 'average' race for me.


Good volunteers, decent swim, nice bike course, very POOR RUN course! This may be the most miserable HIM run course out there. I couldn't find anyone who actually 'liked' this course. I will not do this race again until the run course is changed. It is pretty much cruel and unusual punishment.

If the run course had been better (maybe even if the race was held earlier in the year), this would be a PREMIER 70.3 event. The run course is a real shame. I live in South FL and there's only so much acclimating that you can do. Jeff Galloway has been known to say that if it's over 80F, run for fun. I wonder if when it's over 90F, it's "stroll" for fun?