Great Buckeye Challenge - Half Iron Triathlon - Triathlon1/2 Ironman

It was a lovely morning for a swim and that's what I wanted to do - have a comfortable swim to set up for the long day. I wore earplugs and a nose plug for the fist time and it helped shut out a lot and kept me focused. I drafted off someone for a while then they were drifting left so I let them be and ended up drifting too far right. Our wave was the last for the day and it was small so I never had to jostle for position and it thinned out quickly. Got into a good bilateral breathing rhythm. On the second lap I could hear yelling and had to stop as frantic lifeguards crossed in front of me. They were screaming for 911, heading into shore. One was pulling a person (turned out to be a 69 y/o man) and the rest were following in kayaks. That spiked my HR and I immediately started praying. I continued on and could hear an ambulance and more yelling from shore. After I'd prayed it seemed I put it out of my mind and I didn't think about the incident during the remainder of the race.

Nothing

A little slower than normal but again, I wanted to keep a calm demeaner throughout. Blasted wetsuit stuck on heels again. My friend had made it out of the water a couple minutes ahead of me and she was grabbing her bike as I came in. We high-fived and then she was off and I was looking to catch her.

Nothing

Kept an even pace and kept my HR in check as much as I could. Caught my friend and yelled some stuff to her. Matt had gone out the night before and written two encouraging messages on the pavement which were such a boost when I saw them. Too cool! I never did see Matt on the bike portion but I saw Dirk once. On the first lap I mostly passed folks and I was passed once by a little gal but I got her back and gained distance. Second loop was going well until I had a brain fart and rounded a corner with a payday in my hand and going too fast. Down I went and my first thought was that Tony from my mentor group had this happen and he finished the race, so I was too. My shorts weren't torn at the hip which took the brunt of the fall but I could feel my shoulder and elbow were raw from road rash. I get sick at the sight of blood so I purposely didn't look at it. Checked to make sure bike was OK. My water had spilled out of my aero bottle but thankfully a cop was right there and he gave me water to refill it. I went on my way, albeit at a slower pace initially and a bit shaky. I also put this incident behind me as much as I could. While I was down I was passed by about 5 bikers (the course had thinned out quite a bit by now) but I passed them all back. Previous to the fall I'd noticed I couldn't engage my rear cog chain into the smallest cog but I kept trying until about mile 50 it jumped ship and locked up. So another stop to unlock it. That same group of bikers passed me back by. With grease covered hands I caught all but one of them back before we made it to transition. I was hoping to do better with my nutrition on the bike. I was able to down 2 gels and a couple bites of the payday before loosing it in the fall. After that I couldn't stomach anything so I knew the run wasn't going to go well

Keep my mind engaged in the race at all times. Don't eat and try to round a corner at the same time. Have the bike shop fix my chain issue (I thought they had after it had jumped ship at a race in June but alas, not).

I knew I should do something with my shoulder but all I had was water so I took a peek and poured water on it which burned like the dickens and made me a bit sick to my stomach. No matter, I had 13.1 miles to go. I grabbed a wide headband which I never wear and a towel that I could put around my neck with ice because I was concerned with the heat. Longer than normal transition but I felt I needed to take the time to equip myself as best as possible for the run.

Nothing

I was able to jog at first and I kept expecting my friend to come roaring past me as she's quite the runner. When I got to the turn around I counted that as a small victory because it was just after that that I saw her. I kept ice in my sports bra and the wet towel around my neck. No matter I felt the heat. I felt the shoulder and the top of my foot burning. I felt sick to my stomach. I can blame a whole bunch of things for how long it took me to jog/walk/shuffle/walk and walk some more the 13.1 miles. It was ugly. I don't know where my mind was. I really tried to maintain a pleasant attitude and I think I did on the outside as I encouraged everyone who passed me and thanked the aid station volunteers profusely. Inside I was having a meltdown. Dirk met me about a quarter mile out and helped get me to the finish line where I gave into my tears.

Bottom line - train to run 13.1 miles after swimming and biking 57.2. I have no other excuse.

Cry then hold it together again for my friend. She just earned herself a 70.3 sticker and did fantastic! She won 3rd place in her AG and yelled that I'd won 1st place in mine. I knew there was another 50-54 lady who'd signed up so either she didn't show or pulled out somewhere along the way. I don't know but I felt so undeserving of holding that plaque for the picture.


Training, heat, injury


HFP puts on a simple race which I like. Their registration fees are so inexpensive - $100 for a HIM? Unheard of! A few problems from the git-go were the morning lines which meant a race delay. The one crucial bike aid station had run out of water during the second loop and was unmanned and several of the run aid stations ran out of ice. All the post race fruit was gone by the time the BOPers finished. The volunteers were super friendly and helpful, though, and the course was well marked. I have no complaints.

It's 3 days post race and I'm still emotionally off kilter. Although I was able to put the panic cries from the lifeguards out of my head during the race, I believe they stuck with me and have attributed to my emotional state. The man's family and grandkids were at the race and he was unable to be resuscitated and I'm very saddened. I believe the fall left me shaken more than I want to admit. One of my goals for 2012 was to do two HIMs. One is done and I have the Rev3 half coming up next weekend. I have to say that I feel no pressure to "race" it or make a certain goal time. I DO want to take what the day gives me and do it with joy, then I'll call it a victory no matter what.