HITS Triathlon Series: Marble Falls - Half Iron Course - Triathlon1/2 Ironman

I did a new Personal Record in this lake - 2m 03s less than previous PR which was in salt water / more buoyant. Actual time in the water was 36:48 on garmin. Timing chip gate was further up the hill so I think I improved by 2:45 hehe
This was my first mass start (300+ people) and it went well. I was in the fray. The open water group practices I did paid off.
Race plan was to focus on doing more bilateral breathing which I typically don't do in a race out of bad habit.
Sighting went well but buoys were far apart. Often I could only see other swimmers.

Continue open water group practices.
Get a sleeved wetsuit

They had peelers volunteers but couldn't confirm it the day before.
No disorientation coming out of the water. I remembered exiting the water to run easy uphill until peelers.

I rode hard but was careful not to burn up on the bike - I believe my issues on the run came from the run.
Concentrated on keeping the cadence high despite the hills.

Grabbed water at aid station at a good speed but it dropped out a minute later during the turnaround (squishy bottle fit in down tube but wasn't gripped). I ran out of water about when I reached Aid #2 so np.


I do hills in my training but I should do a hills-repeat only session once a month.

better wheels than my stock aksium

Ran with bike as practiced.
HITS has nice individual set up
T1 is same as T2

Go Faster

Steep hills + Hot & humid = Brutal
This half-marathon was a great mental will challenge to keep pushing.
Heat is clearly one of my limiters. PR prior was 1:55 in a HIM (flat & hot) and 1:40 HM (rolling hills & cold). I did 15m slower & above 2h. I felt better about it when race winner told me his run was 30min slower than his PR.

Bridge was under construction which wasn't too bad for racers but the local traffic jam was bad. Running alongside idling cars for 2/3 of the run wasn't great either.

Last couple of aid station started running out of water. I used ice then to hydrate. I don't like Heed drink and apparently I wasn't the only one.

I fast walked steepest hills per my race plan instead of jogging them,since I noticed the difference pace-wise is not that big compared to the toll it takes. It worked ok. I saw lots walking even the flats.
Last leg was downhill but by then it was tough to pick up the pace to take advantage of it. Managed to speed up by 1min/km in last 1km.

I should have done as per my previous race report : practice the heat.
Living near Dallas I do that for long enough normally but Dallas has had a relatively cold spring so far. Since I race in warmer places that's the lesson.

Find a flat, cold, not windy race near the north pole?

stretched for few minutes
jumped in the lake - what a feeling!


Heat
Heat & hills


I liked the town, ambience, number of participants, nice Transition areas with enough space for everyone. Good service & friendly.
Great place to have your first tri of any distance.
T-shirt size is wrong. I'm 6' 177lbs and would have preferred a small.

I'm fine with hilly bike ride. I didn't like the run. If run needs to stay that steep then it should be earlier in the year.
This race would be perfect with a flat run alongside the river in the shade of the trees. Hopefully they can make this modification. Race director talked about trying to do that next year.

Interestingly the race was close in my AG: 5 1/2 minutes faster and I would have placed 2nd. Of course, there are 3 other guys thinking the same.

My wife loves the wild flowers in the area and went on a pictures taking frenzy during my race so we both had a great trip.