Firmman Half Ironman - Triathlon1/2 Ironman

Generally good. Didn't do well drafting, didn't see many people in my direct vicinity that were good targets. Maybe because there aren't many swimmers as slow as me.
Did a good job keeping up solid pressure though, I'm satisfied.

Swim faster!

Pretty good. Didn't strap the shoes on the bike, just put them on at transition.
Overall, very good time. As fast as the top guys in my AG. Probably helped by my prime bike rack spot.

The whole running mount is hard, worked semi-well at Musselman but I need practice to get it right before doing it in a race again.

Nutrition::
Pre-swim: 1 gel
Post-swim: 1 swig from gel flask (~1 gel)
Bike: 11 clif shot bloks, ~0.8 gel flask (~3-4 gels)
Post-bike: 1 swig from gel flask (~1 gel)
Run: 1 gel, 1 clif shot blok

Took the bike too hard. Rob passed me around mile 10, and I hung with him for a while, actually, around 10-100yds back, until somewhere around the turnoff Rte 1. Soon saw Aaron on the hills in that stairstepping hill section, but he left me in the dust! :) Passed Kathy somewhere in here, but she caught be on the return trip on Rte 1, when I was suffering in that wind.
For the first ~40 miles I pushed too hard, although it was actually fun, because there were a lot of people in my vicinity, and all the passing back and forth was cool. I got a little too caught up in it though. It's hard to resist not passing somebody. I often wind up at the BOP with very few people around - which is the way it felt the last 15 miles, many fewer racers it seemed. I could have just been where I happened to be. But, the last 15 miles were brutal. Pretty tough headwind, and I was drained. Legs were hurting at this point also.
Speed was at 18.7mph at mile 40 (goal was 18.5-18.7), but that dropped rapidly on that return trip into the wind.

Become a better cyclist, and not go out so hard. Resist the urge to pass people - race my own race.

Only got one foot on top of my shoes before the dismount line, so couldn't show off my flying dismount. Still, time was pretty good, although could have been better (some at times at ~0:35-0:40).

Get feet out of shoes earlier.

I was hurting already coming off the bike. Calves were cramping the first ~2-3 miles, but eventually went away. My goal was 9:00m/m. First 2 miles were ~9:30m/m, then next two were 8:35 and 8:02, although they didn't feel that fast. Stopped for a gel at mile 5, and came in at 9:36. Still felt OK at this point - hurting, but not bad. If I could keep up like that, I knew I'd be in good shape. Mile 6-7 took 8:57 & 9:13. Chatted with Rob for a minute and met May at mile 8 (I think), and this mile was 9:31. But then it got harder. Mile 9 was 9:42; I walked twice in this mile (aid station & mile marker; before this I only walked aid stations). Then the walking became more frequent. I knew I had to keep going if I wanted to break 9:00m/m on the run, but I just didn't have it.
We all have our limits, and I met mine there. Miles 10-12 took 10:13, 11:03 and 10:19. Mile 13.1 was ~12:40, and included the final stretch along the sand along the beach, which was a BIYATCH. I was hurting like a MOFO. Made it to the finish and could hardly move my quads.

Take the bike a bit easier. Maybe I could have pushed more at the end and not walked as frequently, but, I just didn't have the drive.
Nonetheless, my AG and overall rankings were highest in the run, so at least that's good.

Stretched, and sat in the cool ocean water.


I'm slow.


Race organization was just OK. Not terrible, but nothing great. This might sum up the race organization - there was a spot on the bike course where there was broken glass along the side of the road. So, they spray-painted "GLASS" and indicated where it was. Which was nice. BUT, why not just SWEEP IT AWAY?? Basically, things were not fully thought through.