Soma Half Iron Triathlon - Triathlon1/2 Ironman

This was a good swim for me. Usually my weakest event I take it easy to make sure I don't panic or blow up. Not too congested and barely any contact!!! Got in a grove and tried to swim as straight as I can. The interesting thing here is that the timing mat is at the entrance of transition (Am I wrong?) so your time includes the climb out of the water, having your wetsuit stripped and then jogging to transition....I know I'm splitting hairs but it could add up to 60-90 seconds, the difference between a good swim and an average one.

Could have pushed a bit harder I guess.

As good as I can expect

This is where the race started to unravel for me. Apparently I dropped one of my three gels(they are 400 calories each) as well as all my salt tabs early - not sure where. I tried to drink a lot b/c it was sooo DRY, but just could not overcome the nutrition deficit without all my supplies. This is a 3 loop course and the progression was a harbinger of things to come:
1st loop 46 min
2nd loop 48 min - here is where I started to feel the effects of the lack of calories/salt with minor cramps starting to announce themselves.
3rd loop 57 min - OUCH!!!!
Coming into transition I stood up to stretch my back & calves as well as shake the quads loose a bit and both of my quads just cramped tight, so much so I was worried I was not going to be able to dismount.

Make a better nutrition plan, bring extras, find a better storage than my back pocket and execute better!!!!

This was just an exercise in confusion. I never had cramps before and did not quite realize what was happening, all I knew was that I was not moving right.

Oh well...what can be said except for this was not the 7 min/mile pace run I had planned. Took off and felt great, sub 7min pace and low heart rate, for 500 yards. Then both quads cramped shut again and I held on to a tree not to fall over. As I tried to stretch the quads the hamstrings cramped tight....and here we go! The rest of the run was more of the same. When I could run I felt good. HR was 5-10 bpm lower than normal for race pace and I was keeping 7:15-7:30 pace, which I was not too disappointed with given the circumstances. The problem was that I could go no more the 3/4 mile to 2 miles before I had to stop due to cramps. At mile 8 I felt a strange feeling in my calves and my mile 9 they had joined the party cramping every mile or so. The last 4 were the most painful miles I have ever run...I'm pretty sure!!!

I would create a better nutrition plan starting on the bike.

Medical and massage tents.


My very poor nutrition strategy and lack of accounting for hot weather, showed me what my limits are and exposed all my weaknesses!!!


I can say I had a humbling lesson taught to me in SOMA, one I am not soon going to forget. I just hope I can learn and grow from this and not make the same mistakes again!!
Great race, great venue. Looking forward to coming back (without imploding!!)