Ironman 70.3 Lake Stevens - Triathlon1/2 Ironman

Swim started off well. Started on the outside and worked my way in avoiding the washing machine. Drafted really well with other girls in my wave and di a good job working my way through previous waves. My QR wetsuit has gotten big in the shoulders so I felt like I was slogging through the swim in a sweatshirt. Pleased with my swim.

Wear my 2XU wetsuit that is a little smaller. Perhaps swim in tri suit. It was really warm in the full wetsuit.

T1 went well, racks were close together. Came into transition with a couple of people around me and people on the ends were blocking others a little.

Nothing

Headed out of T1 with a plan to take it easy on loop one. I had driven the course but hadn't rode it (except for the Computrainer preview). The climbs from the computrainer and the drive didn't seem as bad come race day. I found myself at the top of the hills faster than I expected. Coming out of the water early always means getting passed a lot on the early stage of the bike. I kept to my plan, nailed my bike nutrition and come the second loop started passing people. By the second loop it was starting to warm up and I started to pour water in the helmet to stay cool. For where my bike fitness was I'm pleased with the ride.

The course was open to traffic and there were more than one point that cars passed a little too close.

Train more.

Came into T2 and ran into a bunch of people walking their bikes. I slipped around and headed to my rack. It was hot and for one minute I forgot what I should be doing. Got my act together, running shoes on, visor on and made a last minute decision to grab the water bottle off my bike (smartest decision I made all day).

Stay focused, not get distracted by something shiny going by.

Headed out on the run and was directed onto a street that was open to traffic both ways. A police officer and volunteer told me to cross the street. There was no way to cross safely with cars moving in both directons, they yelled at me to cross, I did so and got clipped by the mirror of a slowly moving car. I was fine but it freaked me out a little and I was worried about the rest of the run. The first loop went pretty well. I kept my pace down to make sure there was something left for loop 2. I grabbed gatorade, water and ice at every aid station. Gatorade went in the mouth, water went over my head and ice went in the sports bra. The water I was carrying helped keep me cool and stay on my nutrition plan. I was carrying gels but couldn't stomach taking them all at once. Little gulps of gel chased with water got calories in over the run course.

The temps kept going up and the lack of breeze wasn't helping. Ran with a guy from Encinitas for a couple miles before stopping to use the bathroom. We kept each other paced for 3 or 4 miles and it helped pass the time on suck a hot course. I stopped for the bathroom at mile 10 and things fell apart after that. The port-o-potty was really hot and I was having a hard time seeing straight when I came out. My hamstrings were shot at this point and my hips were cramping. I walked/ran up the hill and did some form of moderatly controlled falling/running down the other side, then walk/ran the last hill and forced myself to run the last mile and a half. The heat had gotten to me and my lack of run training was evident.

More run training, heat training.

Crossed the finish line chatted with Mike, Karen and Chris (who were so cool to be waiting at the finish line for me). Drank water and talked the volunteer gaurding the gatorade into giving me a bottle. Stopped in a said hi to Charlie then walked around a little. Grabbed some food, ate then found some shade to cool off in.


Race fitness. I'm not signing up for another half until I can commit to proper training.


This race is held on a beautiful course but ... a lot of it is open to traffic. There were points where I didn't feel real safe even with hugging the line and listening to police and volunteers. My husband volunteered at the med tent and shared that race officials had not ordered enough gatorade for the event and racers were not to be offered gatorade at the finish line unless they asked. In addition the race medical staff consisted of four firefighters, one medic, one nurse, a 16 year old kid, water, gatorade and cots. The fire department had an ambulance at the finish line that dressed blisters and road rash. There was no plan to deal with the heat. The race medical was what would be expected for a smaller event, for a Ironman branded event it was surprising to see little medical support.

The advertised aid stations were to have water and gatorade endurance. I was surprised to see gatorade endurance listed. I asked 2 race officials at registration and they confirmed gatorade endurance (what I train with), come race day there was none on the course only regular gatorade.

The volunteers were amazing and did a great job with what they had. The spectators with squirt guns and hoses rocked.

I'm not sure if I would go back to race on an open course. I would love to improve on my time and race better prepared.