Kinetic Half - Triathlon1/2 Ironman

When my wave was called I went to the front stayed to the left. Once the horn went off I started to wade in and stepped on some sharp rocks. The rocks seemed to be continuing on and on, so I just started swimming despite the 3 feet deep water to avoid hurting my feet, but it was too late. I had a decent cut on my foo and it felt like it was bleeding as I started to settle into the swim. I got into a pretty good rhythm right away and thankfully didn't have any panic-y thoughts (I had a open water "panic attack" at the beginning of the 2010 Kinetic in the same spot...) About half way through the first leg of the triangle-shaped swim course I remembered reading a race report several years ago saying to beware the left side of the swim start. Oh well!

Despite my foot, I felt really good throughout the swim. I was cruising pretty well, doing my usual 1-1-4 breath pattern, and staying pretty close to the buoys. After coming around the last turning buoy I did start to go off course, however. The sun was right in my eyes and I couldn't see the buoys. After a bit I was able to spot the yellow 'wiggly man' air puppet-thingy on the beach and that made things easier. As I waded out there weren't any rocks and I was able to take my wetsuit half-way down without a problem as I ran.


try to avoid the rocks at the beginning

3:07 (24/66 AG, 145/374 overall)
T1 went OK - I had some trouble getting my wetsuit off and as I put my bike shoes on my legs felt crampy. I had made a point of taking salt tablets for a couple of days leading up to the race, and I also took one at breakfast, so I was a little surprised by this, but not too concerned as I usually shake off any after-swim cramps fairly quickly once on the bike.

I was off pretty quickly, climbing the hill leading out of the state park. Once onto the main loop I started to pick up speed. The bike course was the same as 2011, and it is very forgiving - lots of steady downhills and flats and only one decent-sized hill. Last year I averaged 19.4 MPH and I was just looking to equal that or perhaps come in a bit slower. After I finished the first loop I was at 20 mph avg - a pleasant surprise. I was thinking maybe I was pushing it a bit too much though, and on the second loop tried to lay off a bit on the hills so as not to torch my legs before the run. Turning into the state park again at mile 53 I was still at 20mph avg - woo-hoo! This was a first for me at this distance. I didn't think I would ever be able to achieve that speed over that distance with my old piece-of-sh*$ bike!

1:18 (5/66 AG, 54/374 overall)
T2 was very speedy and, unlike last year, I didn't forget my running numbers and didn't have to run back to my transition area (last year I had to run back to my transition area twice, and the second time I got disoriented and forgot where it was!). Started running and the first time I looked at my Garmin it had my pace at 7:15 - whoa, had to slow down a bit. I ran by the beach bathrooms and quickly went in and took care of some business as I had planned to do (it sure beats waiting in line at a port-a-potty on the course...) and then I set out for the first hill.

The run course is three loops, each of which has big hill in the beginning and a moderate but longer hill in the middle. As I ran up the first hill I was definitely feeling fatigued, and to my shock I started to feel a cramp in my quads. I had taken 2 salt tablets on the bike and drank 1 20oz bottle of HEED and 2 24 oz bottles of water, so I thought I was doing OK hydration and cramp-prevention-wise. The temperature was now up to about 74 degrees with low humidity, little breeze and bright sunshine. I was not happy about the thought of doing a hilly half marathon with cramping quads. I had packed extra salt tablets in my water bottle holder pocket, and right after that first hill I reached in to get one. In training, I've found that once you feel a cramp coming on, it takes about 15 minutes before I feel any relief, if I get any at all. The best thing to do, of course, is to do what it takes to ensure that they never start. No such luck on this day.

On the second mile of the first loop my quads were loosening up and I was able to crank out a 7:40 mile. But once I hit the second hill I started to slow down and really never recovered after that. After finishing the first of three loops I was basically in survival mode. In the second loop, the big hill was excruciating and slow, and even the downhill parts didn't feel good. I started to walk for a few seconds at the water stops. I also poured ice-cold water on my head each time I stopped. This was oddly invigorating and I was able to get back into a rythm. I started to count down the number of hills I had yet to hit, telling myself after each one "OK, 4 more hills", "3 more hills", etc. By the third loop my walk stops were getting longer and my pace was up in the 9's most of the time. I was so looking forward to going over the last crest, knowing that the last 1.5 miles would be all downhill toward the beach. I finished the last big hill, and as I walked through the water station all I could think was "this is a Death March!". Once I finally did get over that final crest after the last big hill, I didn't have it in me to pick up my pace. Despite what should have been easy-running downhill, I was starting to feel a bit delerious - the heat was really getting to me. I just kept plodding along knowing that I was so close to this thing being over.

Once I did reach the finish line, I did manage to bring my arms up over my head for the finish line picture. I tried to smile, but I am sure that I looked like I just finished "The Triathlon For The Undead" in this picture!


Ease back on the bike. Drink more on the bike.

As I walked around (oh so gingerly) after the race I kept thinking "Man, I'm done with this distance! That wasn't fun!". In retrospect, the swim and bike actually were a lot of fun, and it was probably a combination of the heat (it doesn't take much to affect me I've found) , not hydrating enough on the bike and perhaps pushing the bike too hard which caused the run to be so horrible. I guess you live and learn. Maybe by the time the 2013 sign-ups are open I will have forgotten all of this...

Next up for me are two Sprints, both of which should be done in just over an hour.


Cramping on the run.


The lunch catering this year was pretty lame. I liked the pizza they had last year better.