Little Smokies Half Iron (HIM only, not Triple-T) - Triathlon1/2 Ironman

first 100 were horrible, lot of keeping the head up, VERY cold. felt good swimming, just cold for that bit. quickly got into a rythm though and just hammered the swim. came out in just over 23 min, so swim was a bit short (all acounts it seems like 300m short).

out in first and quickly onto the bike course.

pretty fast, smooth.

HOLY
FLIPPING
GOD

i thought this would be easier because of not doing the whole TTT. LIES, it was harder. riding this course hard vs just trying to get over it, i biked WAY too hard. (not that there is any other way to get up the hills).

Stayed out in front till about 8 miles left on the bike, where the race winner passed me with authority.

took in two bottles of heed, half a bottle of water, 5 gels on the bike. felt good with that. rest of the water went over my head to help keep cool.

* note from above.

DO NOT ever try to race a course like this on a bike you have never been on. my back, IT band, hips, etc, have never been so sore. and yes it was set up correctly for me.

in and out quickly.
shoes on, shannon was annoucing and said something about holy smokes this guy is running a half without socks (didn't think it was that weird).

grabbed my hat and bottle of coke and was out.

on the way out, things hurt, a lot. i walked some uphills. plan was to run as much as i could out, fast back, hang on the 2nd out, and then hammer the last part back in. this worked pretty well, was jsut slower than i had planned (bike killed me).

i dont really remember who/what i saw during most of the run, i was very very focused on just trying to keep running and on what i needed to do in order for that to happen.

managed to hang on for 3rd overall.

full nutrition notes below.

A few of us wandered around transition after the race and we came to the conclusion i may have been racing on the lowest priced bike there.

at approx/just under 400 new, sora and tiagra 8spd parts, and some no names, it was a blast to ride, and i am sure i would have enjoyed MUCH more had i rode it before this day. but very good proof that the engine matters a lot more than the bike!


Race nutrition:

Bike:

Heed- 2 bottles- 400 cal total
water- half bottle
hammer gel and gu (3 ras hammer, 2 orange gu), 500 cal total

total bike cal 900 for approx 300 per hour.

another bottle of water over head through ride.


Run:

one bottle flat pepsie. 150 cal
approx 2 oreos per aid station after the first two.
two handfuls of ice per aid station.


bottle of pepsie for the first 3 miles of the run, this was to help pick me up after the bike, and avoid cold drinks in the first bit (lot of side stiches from this in the past so the warmer drink helps).

after that, at every aid stations took two handfuls of ice, ate one, the other was dumped into my tri suit. never grabbed of cup of liquid during the run and this worked perfectly.

2-3 oreoes at all aid stations minus the first three and last.