CATS - Half Iron (Iron Mt. Man) - Triathlon1/2 Ironman

Really had one of the greatest swims I've had in a race. Had a good pre-race swim. Pretty good starting point. Very surprised that I had a couple of very fast ladies past me. Geeezzzz. Water felt great and I did well navigating.

Nothing. Just keep practicing and get in a Masters Swim Class

Swim time was a tad off. I stationed Flip Flops where I had to go and find them when I got out of water. Only problem was that I put them in a place that was before the chip crossing instead of after. So my Time was off by maybe 10 seconds.

Not much. Maybe swim with my Jersey on. Felt pretty good off though. I was not realy rushing. I was trying to do a lot of things right.

Well, this was a pretty dand tough course. You start off with a 5 mile climb. You have a small break crossing the dam, but it's not much of one. Keep climbing until you get to a road called "Little Brushy" Couple of good hills and one Death defing hill. I ould like to say that going down would have been great, but some biker a head of me bit the dust and as fate would have it the ambulance was coming up the hill to get him as I was going down so I didn't get to let lose. I Did get up to 44 MPH at one of my downhills:)
So here's the Story: Bike was going great...I was kick'in some major tail. Then mile 33 happened. Stated with the Hammy Cramps. Had to pull over 4 times for cramps. BIG cramps. Absolutly could not ride. Then had 3 more miles to go and chain came off. Damn the luck! This all started to make my day really bad. Thought I was hydrating enough, but obviously not near enough

More hydration, more work on the bike. Just time on the bike.

Just happy to be off the bike. Hammy's were kill'in me. Drank some water and Gatorade. No food though. LEgs felt horrible.

Eat and hydrate a lot more. NUTRITION, NUTRITION and NUTRITION

Holy cow, I don't know where to start. Suffice to say, I had already rode 25 plus miles with bad cramps so I was already deathly sore and still cramping. This is the worst run of my entire life. First 1.4 miles took me 43 minutes. Last one mile took me 29 minutes. We don;t have to talk about the rest. This was a two loop course and they gave out hair scrunchys to those on the second loop. I didn't race for times. I raced for that scrunchy, aid stations, and for survival. I had a medical guy on a 4 wheeler whatching me the last 3 miles. I would'nt even look at him or the ambulances that I kept pacing. I was so scared they were gonna pull me off the course. I'm a pretty good runner(sub 9:00 mile on Long Distance Races). The race director had good aid stations up (about every mile or so) I just couldn't get rid of the cramps. I had them in the calves, quads, hammys and abductors(inner thigh). I'm not kidding when I say that an everage person can walk 15 minute miles adn I couldn't even do that. Very traumatic run.
Here are a couple of funny stories: One is that my wife knows that I'm a pretty good runner. At loop 2, she didn't think I was gonna make it. WHen Lane (er_doc) got done with the race my wife went to lane and said she was worried about me. She also told er_doc that she was afraid that I was gonna be really upset at my performance for the race. Lane says: "No worries, Jesse and I won't make fun of him for a couple of days. On the bright side Amie, they only clap for the people that come in First and Last" Well, I got lot's of claps. Just so you'll know how bad I looked, I think people were clapping because they thought someone with cerebrel palsey had just finished the race (No pun intened). I was so cramped at the end, legs and all, that when I tried to smile at the end, my face muscles cramped. Now is that bad or what????

Where to start.

1.Hydrate on bike and T2 more
2.Run More
3.better nutrition. Gu and other stuff I'll make
4.Build a better base for heat racing

Here's the skinny on the warm down/ Right at the moment I crossed the finish line. My wife took a picture, I fell into her arms, one of my friends wives practically carried me to the medical bus. Once at the bus, I didn't have to tell thing I damn thing, they said the Paramedics had been watching me for awhile. They asked if I could lay down. I said hell NO. If i bent over my ABS would cramp and I would ball up. about 4 big ol' boyspick me up, layed me out flat and then they all wne to work on me. Packed me ice, rubbed my head, put 2 I.V.'s in me and fed me Gatorade 'cause I couldn't move my arms. Dang those guys and gals were great.


HA HA HA HA HA

Nutrition, Hydration and the same thing all over again.


I would like to say that post race activities were good, but by the time that I got out of medical tent there was no more pizza or food:(
The rest of the race was very well organized. Lots of food and drink stations (No help when your past the point of no return). Good race and I really look forward to next year, why?? I have no idea!!!!!!!