Ironman 70.3 Eagleman Triathlon - Triathlon1/2 Ironman


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Cambridge, Maryland
United States
Columbia Triathlon Association
93F / 34C
Sunny
Total Time = 6h 19m 54s
Overall Rank = 1188/1973
Age Group = 30-34
Age Group Rank = 118/??
Pre-race routine:

Drove up Saturday afternoon and was at packet pick-up at 4:30pm. I had never used Chamois Butt'r but wanted to try some since my longer rides (longest rides have been a previous 70.3 race, and a 48 mile ride 2 weeks before EagleMan) produced some uncomfortable rubbing. The only bottle they had for sale was an industrial sized, $20 dollar bottle! I guess I am set for a while!

Met up with my brother who arrived a bit earlier and we took a short dip at the race course. At one point I opened my big mouth and said, "Where are the jelly-fish I heard about?" My right arm found one.

The best and pretty much only non-fast food joint near the hotel was Denny's. My friend who came to cheer my brother and I on arrived and we ate dinner. Pre-race excitement kept us up late. Bedtime at 11pm. Pre-race nerves also had my brother wake up an hour and a half earlier than planned. He had not changed his clock from the chronograph setting and thought it was showing the time. He was all ready to go before he realized his mistake. Meanwhile I tried hard to fall back asleep.
Event warmup:

Had two Hammer bars and a banana about 2.5 hours before my race wave. Drove and parked at the race site with plenty of parking at about 5:45 - 6am. I had plenty of time to set up. Had one Gu 45 minutes before race wave and another 15 minutes prior. Swam a couple minutes to warm up arms before wave was called.
Swim
  • 36m 41s
  • 2112 yards
  • 01m 44s / 100 yards
Comments:

This was my first M-dot race and largest swim wave I've been in. I knew I wasn't the fastest person out there but wanted to experience being in the thick of it. I lined up a bit in the middle (left to right) and in the front row.

Holy cow that was an experience! I thought I could hold my own long enough to not drown while the faster swimmers made their way past me. What I didn't know is that it is possible for some of these folks to swim right over you.

My sighting is great when it comes to buoys. However, I found myself off course a bit on the return leg due to the current pushing me towards shore and had to correct my angle a few times.

I still don't have the hang of drafting. I worry that drafting behind someone who I can catch will make me swim slower than I otherwise could on my own. But I can't catch and hang with those faster than me.

Overall a decent swim for me. I had hoped for 36:00 and came close. Plus, I didn't find any jelly-fish this time!
What would you do differently?:

Learn how to draft. Get faster!
Transition 1
  • 03m 3s
Comments:

My wetsuit got stuck on my heels and I had to sit down to pry it off my feet, despite spraying copious amounts of Tri-Slide before the swim. I also took time to spray sunscreen everywhere, or at least I thought I got everywhere.
What would you do differently?:

I need to cut my wetsuit legs shorter so they might actually pop off like they are supposed to and not get stuck on my heels. I also need to spray a little more sunscreen, since my sunburn at the shoulder and neck edges of the trisuit hurts.
Bike
  • 3h 12m 50s
  • 56 miles
  • 17.42 mile/hr
Comments:

I am awful at the bike. I've read race reports where people say they aren't strong bikers while turning in times around 2:30:00. We all race our own race, and granted, I wasn't out there trying to qualify for anything.

I read up on this race and knew to expect headwinds at mile 40. Not only did I also catch a headwind for what seemed the first 15 miles or so, but my lower back locked up 20 minutes into the race. Really?! 20 minutes?! I know training time was limited between a job, full-time college, and planning a wedding, but in training I always made it a lot further than 20 minutes before pain set in.

I hoped for a 3:05:00 time and saw that goal go away as I had to pause my pedaling and stretch my back every 15 minutes and my hamstrings got tighter. The headwinds at mile 40 pushed me down to 14-15mph and I decided to relax and focus on the run.

Nutrition: I started with a Hammer bar, followed by Gu Roctane gels at every 40 minutes or so. I drank two bottles of Gu Brew and a bottle of water. Consultation afterwards suggests this might not have been enough liquid and could have affected my bike. I am thinking I might actually need more gels, since my effort was great for 15 minutes after each gel.

My previous half iron distance race was Beach 2 Battleship 2011, where the winds were horrific and my average pace was 15.51mph. With more training, new Profile Design aero wheels, and borrowing my friend's Rudy Project aero helmet, I went almost 2mph faster this race.
What would you do differently?:

I have to figure out a good nutrition/hydration plan for the bike. There is also no substitute for more training.
Transition 2
  • 03m 46s
Comments:

I run with Zoot shoes that just pop on. I sprayed more sunscreen (again, I mistakenly thought I actually covered everywhere) grabbed a Gu Roctane gel and took off. I thought I did well until I saw everyone else doing the same in much less than 3 minutes.
What would you do differently?:

Get faster? As I nurse my sunburn I realize I actually need more time to apply sunscreen. How does everyone else do it so fast? Do they forego sunscreen? Did I blackout in transition for a minute? Lol!
Run
  • 2h 23m 34s
  • 13.1 miles
  • 10m 58s  min/mile
Comments:

Oh boy. My race completely fell apart on the run. My first goal at EagleMan was for sub 6 hours. My second goal was to break 2 hours on the run. The run is my strongest part...usually...but not this time.

My first 5K was right on target for my goals. An 8:15 first mile, 8:20 second mile, 8:25 third mile. My body was about to settle into around 8:30-8:35 miles when the heat reminded me that it was my constant companion.

After mile three I started to overheat, get light-headed, and have difficulty breathing. In T2 I had grabbed my Fuel Belt with two bottles filled with Gu Brew. These were of no help since they were scalding hot by the time I started the run. I am also used to aid stations every mile based on other races. This course had them every 1.5 or more miles.

Each station was the same routine: fill Fuel Belt bottles with gatorade, drink water, pour water on head, pour ice down front and back of tri suit, pour ice in hat. I also consumed two Gu Roctane gels during the run, at mile 5 and mile 9.

The aid stations in the vicinity of miles 6-9 ran out of cups. My personal performance was the only detractor from the day until this point. I did not expect this from an M-dot race. If 2,000 people paid $250 as an entrance fee, that's $500,000! And they ran out of cups?! The aid stations resorted to recycling used ones from the ground. I carried a couple cups with me the rest of the race.

Loads of ice in my suit and hat cooled me off enough by mile 9 that I resumed a decent amount of running. I just about even splitted my run.
What would you do differently?:

I need to do more brick training and more running in the heat of the day.
Post race
Warm down:

Cups of cold water poured on me in the finisher's chute. Hosed off by the fire trucks. Drank lots of water. Ate everything they had to offer at the food pavilion. There were 60 people in front of me for a massage, so I cleared out transition and drove 2.5 hours home.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

I did as much training as a full-time job, with 2.5 hours of daily commuting, full-time college, and planning a wedding in August would allow. But it was not nearly enough. I also need to see about a better bike fit. I am 5'9", weigh 155 pounds, and am in pretty good shape. I don't know why my back locked up 20 minutes into the bike.

Event comments:

The volunteers were fantastic! They helped make this race as great as it could be. This includes all the wonderful residents who set up sprinklers for the runners as well as people blasting music like the Virginia Tech party house!

My own ability let me down this race and I will strongly consider refraining from entering any more 70.3 races until I have more time to properly prepare. I might also not do another M-dot race for a while. I can do the half-iron distance at other events for less money and with better course support. I do not mean to repeat myself here, but I am truly disappointed that they ran out of cups at multiple aid stations!




Last updated: 2012-06-08 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:36:41 | 2112 yards | 01m 44s / 100yards
Age Group: 96/??
Overall: 875/1973
Performance: Average
Suit: sleeveless
Course: Rectangle in brackish water, right turns.
Start type: Wade Plus: Waves
Water temp: 75F / 24C Current: Low
200M Perf. Below average Remainder: Average
Breathing: Good Drafting: Bad
Waves: Navigation: Average
Rounding: Good
T1
Time: 03:03
Performance: Below average
Cap removal: Below average Helmet on/
Suit off:
Wetsuit stuck? Yes Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike:
Getting up to speed:
Biking
03:12:50 | 56 miles | 17.42 mile/hr
Age Group: 0/??
Overall: 0/1973
Performance: Below average
Wind: Some
Course: One big loop, flat course, headwinds at first and last 15 miles.
Road:   Cadence:
Turns: Average Cornering: Good
Gear changes: Average Hills:
Race pace: Drinks: Not enough
T2
Time: 03:46
Overall: Average
Riding w/ feet on shoes
Jumping off bike
Running with bike Average
Racking bike
Shoe and helmet removal
Running
02:23:34 | 13.1 miles | 10m 58s  min/mile
Age Group: 0/??
Overall: 0/1973
Performance: Bad
Course: Out and back. No shade.
Keeping cool Bad Drinking
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Below average
Mental exertion [1-5] 2
Physical exertion [1-5] 1
Good race? No
Evaluation
Course challenge
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? No
Post race activities:
Race evaluation [1-5] 4