Memorial Hermann Ironman 70.3 Texas - Triathlon1/2 Ironman


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Galveston, Texas
United States
EndorFUN SPORTS
45F / 7C
Sunny
Total Time = 5h 44m 57s
Overall Rank = 662/1897
Age Group = M40-44
Age Group Rank = 113/331
Pre-race routine:

Big race, lots of waves. My start was at 8:00, so I had quite a bit of time to kill after leaving transition. I spent some of that time by making a few trips to the bathroom inside Moody Gardens, beside the little cafe. Four stalls that were getting a lot of use but didn't have any lines! From a logistics standpoint, both times I've done this race I've ended up with a hotel room in the Clear Lake area. Prices are good and the drive's about 30-minutes.
Event warmup:

No chance for a pre-race swim. Did get to wath the pro's come out of the water!
Swim
  • 44m 44s
  • 2112 yards
  • 02m 07s / 100 yards
Comments:

Not bad for a non-swimmer like me. A few minutes faster than Branson, which was my last 70.3 swim, and I'd say conditions were a little tougher here with the swells on the back side of the course.
Transition 1
  • 03m 15s
Comments:

Smooth transition. No real issues or problems.
What would you do differently?:

Nothing.
Bike
  • 2h 55m 3s
  • 56 miles
  • 19.19 mile/hr
Comments:

Like others, I was about 4 mph faster on the way back than I was on the way out. Mostly cross-winds on the course, but there was definately a head/tail component to them.

Aid stations were great. Volunteers were spread out enough to make hand-ups nice and smooth.
What would you do differently?:

Pay more attention to position.
Transition 2
  • 00m
Comments:

Good transition. Time included a swing through the outhouse before starting the run
What would you do differently?:

Nothing
Run
  • 1h 58m 59s
  • 13.1 miles
  • 09m 05s  min/mile
Comments:

STarted off quick, but slowed after a couple of miles. The cloud cover lifted and the sun really began beating down as I started the run. Ended up dumping about 10-gallons of water on myself at all the various aid stations.
What would you do differently?:

Slower start for a more even pace throughout the run. A cap would be a smarter way to go to keep too much sun from hitting the baldness.
Post race
Warm down:

Hung out around the finish for a bit and walked around Moody Gardens. A few people at the finish took "warm down" a little too literally and decided it would be okay for them to climb into the tubs the volunteers were using to ice down bottles of water for the finishers. I've got to say, I thought this was a little out of line. I really don't want my water bottles soaking in someone's bathtub. Especially if they've been hard at it for five or six hours. UGH. I think someone from the med tent chased them out. I'm really not sure who would think this is a good, socially acceptable idea?

What limited your ability to perform faster:

No training taper for this race, although my workout the day before was light. I think with a decent taper I could probably target sub-5:30 for this course....depending on the winds!

Event comments:

Good 70.3 race.....easy course compared to most (depending on the wind). This is a great race for first timers looking to move to the HIM distance....wet suit swim, fairly easy bike course, and lots of crowd support on the run. Definatly a course with lots of PR potential!




Last updated: 2010-12-31 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:44:44 | 2112 yards | 02m 07s / 100yards
Age Group: 208/331
Overall: 1367/1897
Performance: Average
Suit: Xterra Full
Course: Three legs of a trepeziod in Offats Bayou. Saltwater. Some swells.
Start type: Deep Water Plus: Waves
Water temp: 70F / 21C Current: Medium
200M Perf. Good Remainder: Good
Breathing: Good Drafting: Below average
Waves: Navigation: Good
Rounding: Average
T1
Time: 03:15
Performance: Good
Cap removal: Average Helmet on/
Suit off:
Wetsuit stuck? Run with bike:
Jump on bike:
Getting up to speed:
Biking
02:55:03 | 56 miles | 19.19 mile/hr
Age Group: 0/331
Overall: 685/1897
Performance: Good
Wind: Cross-winds with gusts
Course: Single loop out-and-back course. Leave Moody Gardens, get to the sea wall and then head south. Turn-around is about 5-miles past San Luis Pass.
Road: Smooth Dry Cadence:
Turns: Cornering:
Gear changes: Hills:
Race pace: Drinks:
T2
Time: 00:00
Overall: Good
Riding w/ feet on shoes Good
Jumping off bike Good
Running with bike Good
Racking bike Average
Shoe and helmet removal
Running
01:58:59 | 13.1 miles | 09m 05s  min/mile
Age Group: 0/331
Overall: 594/1897
Performance:
Course: Four laps of a very loopy course through Moody Gardens. I actually like this course. It segments itself well into short sections that seem easier to get through than the BSLT course.
Keeping cool Below average Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Average
Mental exertion [1-5] 3
Physical exertion [1-5] 3
Good race? Yes
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? Yes
Post race activities: Below average
Race evaluation [1-5] 4