Ironman 70.3 California - Triathlon1/2 Ironman

Swimming is still my weakness but I am (slowly) improving. Sighted well and did not feel like I swam extra distance by zig-zagging too much. Still, the problem I have in the water is lack of confidence that makes me cruise along rather than race hard. I came out of the water rested with a HR that was in my recovery zone...way too low!!

Need to actually race in the swim. Go hard from the start...I can always slow down later if I need to.

Water was cold enough that I had trouble with my hand dexterity in T1. Hard to get shoes on and get my supplies in my pockets. I am usually slow in T1 but I was counting on a 3:30 overall and obviously missed it.

Not sure. I had it all laid out well but without being able to use your hands everything becomes more difficult.

The weather was sub-optimal to be sure. One thermometer on the base actually read 48F as I rode by while it was raining. I had hopes of improving my bike split over last year but barely got a minute faster. In training my power numbers are higher and I am not sure what happened. Had some GI issued starting at mile 20 that did not allow me to stay in the aero for very long but that should not have slowed me down by too much. I am starting to think that I have a fit issue between my training bike and race bike. Power numbers that are comfortably hard in training were all of a sudden thigh burners. Thought I would go mid 2:30's but that was not to be.

Not sure. Did not eat anything different that would have caused my GI distress and certainly I cannot change the weather - although I would have liked to. Will evaluate my position and fit before the next race.

Could not feel my feet and hands by the time I rolled into T2. Had a hard time taking my shoes off and putting my running shoes on. GI finally caught up with me and sent me to the porta potty before exiting - there go another 3 minutes.

I injured my left calf about 10 days prior to the race and thought it was better enough to race - which was not quite the case. I could not feel my feet for the first 4-5 miles and when I finally could I realized that in jamming my numb feet in my shoes I had bunched up my sock around my right pinkie and it was now rubbing and painful (turned out to be a full pinkie toe blister). My calf made itself known at the first incline. Even though the course is virtually flat any incline that cased me to engage my calves any more than flat ground caused pain and it just increased throughout the run. I had to alternate between fast (for me) pace of around 6:10-6:20 and calf pain induced slowdowns to 8+ min pace. Overall missed my goal pace by 15-20 sec/mile. I am glad I stuck with it and finished.

As soon as I crossed the finish I guess I mentally relaxed and realized my calf was in serious pain. I must have been limping badly b/c a volunteer grabbed me as my chip was being removed and took me to medical for a check-up. Big knot, spasm and maybe some tearing was the word. I limped around with an icepack on my calf after that.


My inexperience in the water is limiting my swim split. Not sure what caused my bike split to be as bad as it was compared to my goals. On the run the calf injury certainly slowed me down some.


I am very thankful for having this awesome race in my back yard and am already looking forward to 2013!!