Liberty Triathlon - Half Ironman - Triathlon1/2 Ironman

I could see right away who was going to start fast for our wave: a 6'3" skinny guy standing 8 feet in front of everyone else at the water's edge. As we went in, a pack of 3-4 swimmers started further to the outside. I was right behind "speedy guy" for about 100 yards, and had a drafter on my feet for the first 800 yards or so. I slowly pulled away from the outside group and started to catch up to swimmers from earlier waves. Then I started drifting way off course (to the inside), so my drafter decided he could let me go:) I found it odd that I was drifting off course into the wind. I essentially swam my own race the rest of the way, settling into a good, but not overtly hard pace. My sighting improved (with increased frequency), and eventually caught up to another white cap. I didn't have the speed or desire to pass him, so I was content to settle in for a little drafting of my own. This guy may have been my drafter on the front half of the course, so I figured it was fair. When I got out of the water, I was ecstatic to see 31:50!!! I gave my swim buddy a high-5 and congratulated him on the great swim during the long run back up to transition. Since he came out of the water just ahead of me, I let him go across the timing mat first.

Try to site a little better. I kept veering to the right (inside the buoys) and would go 15-20 strokes at a time between sighting.

Definitely took my time with transitions. I wanted to get my phone/GPS app set up and on with my armband so that my support team at home could follow my progress. Otherwise this could have been :40 faster.

Since I was "taking it easy" today with the hot conditions, I just wanted to make sure I didn't miss anything and was methodical, not efficient with the transitions. No more of this putzing around in the future!

This went MUCH better than I expected. I had been averaging around 18.7 on training rides, and typically felt very tired after a consistent Zone 2 effort. Race day today, I maintained in low Zone 3 for almost the entire race, with rare spikes to 4. I knew the course well, and knew where the strong south wind would hurt. I also knew that it would be pushing us all the way back to the park, and that I could sustain a harder effort early in the course and recover on the way home. I was fairly annoyed with the number of times someone would pass me, then stop pedaling and sit up. To avoid drafting/overtaken penalties, I actually had to brake on several occasions to fall back. Out of spite I would pass them right back and continue with my consistent effort. Late in the ride I really had to pee. I tried to do the "ballast release" described so eloquently in Farlig's race report, but I just couldn't get things started. I have a history of being pee-shy, and figured this may be a problem. With my advanced course knowledge, I knew the gas station just outside of watertown had a bathroom that was easy to get to and usually not occupied. I took my chances, and this worked perfectly! Thanked the fine ladies behind the countery, hopped back on my bike and finished off the ride refreshed and energized. Overall, this went awesome (and seemed to go surprisingly fast). I may have put out a little too much effort (especially when passing back), but i felt I still had plenty in the tank, and stuck to my nutrition plan (2 bottles Roctane Ultra Endurance, 1 1/2 water bottles from the course, and a pack of Gu chomps for 680 calories total).

A few weeks ago, I was really down in the dumps, thinking that I wasn't making any progress in the distance rides, and I knew I hadn't put in the time I wanted due to work and family conflicts. I guess I was doing much better than I thought, as this went awesome despite fairly strong winds (15-20mph) and warming temps. Overall, I wouldn't change a thing!

Again, took my time, reset my watch, grabbed some more Gu Chomps to start the run (ended making my hands a sticky mess).

Again, methodical, but not efficient, and will be much faster without screwing around with the phone

After a great bike split, I knew that I would need to finish in under 2:10 to break my "A" time of 5:30. Most of my training had been in the 8:45-8:30/mile range, so 10:00/mile would be easy as long as i didn't walk much. After the first 3/4 mile, my right quad started to cramp. This was a first for me, but I though maybe I can just ease/shuffle through it. Within a few hundred yards, my left quad cramped as well, and I thought I was in for a long run. I stopped at the first water station for water, Heed, and stretch both quads for about a minute. I started again at an easy pace, and the cramp worked out after about another mile, never to return. The mile markers seemed to be coming relatively fast (my GPS agreed). I continued a comfortable pace, alternating water and HEED at each stop. Other than slowing/stopping briefly for water, I ran the entire route. I saw my wife and kids near the turn-around, which was wonderful!! They all got a wet, sweaty hug and kiss! By mile 8, I figured out that I actually had a shot at 5:20 and started pushing the pace. At the same time, several of the people that passed me early in the course were now walking. It was the first time that I was actually passing people on the run! In the end, I lost 2 spots in the last mile, but finished well under my "A++" time overall (thanks in no small part to the short run course). Great run, good mental effort to keep pushing, and probably at or near my physical effort limit!

Nothing really. Again, lack of training made this harder than it had to be. Since I'll be doing the TC marathon 4 weeks after Square Lake, hopefully my legs will be in better shape.

stretched a little. went down to the lake to cool off, then back up for food. I felt like I could vomit for a brief period, but that subsided quickly.


Only limit here was missing my overall training goals. But again, this went MUCH better than I could have ever hoped for!


Volunteers were great, course was well marked. I was dissappointed that they only had 2 instead of 3 water stops as they said they would. They only had ice at one stop on the run course (which would have been really helpful earlier). Burgers were small, crispy hockey pucks, but otherwise everything was set up and run very well. If I'm doing an ironman next year, this will absolutely be on my list to do again, regardless if it's at Rebecca or Baker park!