Peterborough Half Triathlon - Triathlon1/2 Ironman

So, at my last race, I really got so nervous and panicky right before the race. This time around I was very calm. I knew with the mass start there really wouldn't be anyone behind me. The gun went off and i let about 2/3's of the group go but didn't wait much longer and started swimming. There were lots of people around but it wasn't too much bumping or contact.

I was breathing calmly and just stroking - the current was pushing me out a bit but I kept on. The water was pretty warm. The buoys were a little confusing as i thought it was three heading out, around back down three but they seemed to be more angled. It was fine, I was around enough people that I could keep going.

When I got back to shore i noticed someone swimming just ahead of me that could be my husband and sure enough it was. And our swim group friend Nat was just ahead. It took me a second after running on the beach to will myself back into the water. I could have just stood and looked at the water for a while.

Got back in and stroked it out. No problem. On the way back my goggles seemed foggy and all i could see was the flags on the beach so I aimed for those. I seemed to be swimming away from people but i made it just fine.

Not too much - this was a good swim for me. I just need to focus on getting faster.

Felt a little disoriented in T1. My head just wasn't in it. I had to flop down on the ground to get my wetsuit off. It was okay but i could have focused better.

Focus better.

The bike. This is where I knew I could improve enormously over the HIM I had done in Muskoka. Aside from the fact that Muskoka was long bike course (94k) this was just less difficult climbing.

Leaving transition i farted around with my Garmin because I forgot to set it to auto-multisport. The day was very calm and relatively cool given the heatwave. I felt good and just got going.

I felt really good coming into this town Millbrook, I was working on my bonk breaker bar and hydrating. The downhill into town was awesomely fast! Except there was a tough bump at a bridge. A guy passing me lost a bottle and some of his nutrition. As i rode away i checked and my other bottle of Perform had launched. Darnit. Now i needed a plan because on a day like this I couldn't go without.

The pavement was pretty rough in a few spots and i started drinking from my bottle instead of the aerodrink so i wouldn't lose a tooth! We turned at Pontypool just before the 45k mark and I knew I had to climb a hill to get back and decided to down more of my bar and caught some rough pavement and dropped it! Darnit #2! Thankfully i had another (but a flavour i hadn't tried before).

On the way back I grabbed Gatorade at the bottle exchange and took my sweet time getting settled. Dumped it into my aerodrink and had to reach way back to get it into my rear bottle cage. Here the roads were bumpy and I got orange gatorade all over me.

Coming back to transition i felt like i hadn't quite eaten or hydrated enough but it was fine. I felt like I had reasonably paced to keep my legs and cadence up. I did get up out of the saddle a number of times but I felt good.

Focus more on nutrition than climbing.

Nothing much to say - this came and went.

I might have brought my handheld water bottle. I took a drink from it and decided i would just go from aid station to aid station

The first 4k of the run were around the edge of Beavermead Park. It was grassy and partially shady but it was getting very hot and it didn't seem to help. I tried to slow down to keep my HR in check but it was high.

Mentally, this was really tough. I don't like the heat. I would never choose to run a half marathon at this time of year let alone at the noon hour. I was set on running between the aid stations and with the heat walking through and really taking in fluids. I cracked open my gel after about 5k coming into an aid station so i could down some fluid. It was tough to get enough in just walking through and starting up again. It was okay but time to reevaluate.

Kept running between aid stations, all the hills - near to the turn around 13-14k-ish the aid stations seemed far apart and i was getting thirsty. I was telling myself to keep running because you don't walk just because its warm. I wasn't hurting or anything so keep running. I kept running and by the 17k I was getting a side stitch and just really freaking hot. I walked a little longer through the next aid station and really drank the gatorade and water. I cracked my gel and took some more. From here i did more walking but kept going as best i could - i reminded myself that there was no need to demolish myself to prove i could run the whole thing - this is not my goal race, Ironman Mont Tremblant is and i need to be training again very quickly.

Got to the 20k mark where some traffic cops were having fun - and they coaxed me into running and I ran the last k with no problems. Thankfully, the finish line was in the shade. My husband was there cheering for me and I was thrilled to see 6:10 on the clock!

Brought my handheld water bottle or a fuel belt for conditions like this.

Not too much, sat in the shade with D and waited for some of our fellow swim group athletes to come in.


This was not a goal race so no taper. And the heat.


The results showed that the bike course was only 86k. It was obvious when we were out there that it was short but overall it was a good race and i am happy with my effort. It was a fun bike course and a nice spot for a race.

The volunteers were really excellent! It must have been just as difficult to be out in the sun all day helping us out.

That said, I am not sure I would race the half distance again here just because of the time of year. The weather is just too hot to race comfortably.