5430 Long Course Triathlon - Triathlon1/2 Ironman

Started out about a row back on the r/h side as I like to stay out of the mix if possible and settle into my rhythm. I have not swam much open water this year and made the conscious decision not to spend too much time on navigation training. I’ve never had too much difficulty navigating in the past – this event was not exception but it had its moments. Despite starting out on the right I found myself on the inside of the course after a few hundred yards. I don’t know how this happened and am surprised I didn’t get pummeled in the process!!? Didn’t worry me that much as there was plenty of room on the inside and I could keep my eye on the yellow caps on my right, as, when I drift off course, drift right. Settled into a good rhythm and was taking good strong pulls. After the first turn I started to notice green caps. A few times I caught a mouthful of water from swimming up on a green cap too fast, not noticing them, and inhaling their wake. Didn’t perturb me too much. The biggest problem I had was on the return stretch I caught myself approaching a buoy too far left and had to make an aggressive turn to swim right and around it. I tried to catch a few purple (lavender) caps on this stretch as they passed knowing they’d make a good and efficient draft, but was too comfortable in my own pacing.
Lastly, it may sound entertaining to not know the swim course, but it was not something I studied. I did not know there was a hard left turn ~300yard before the exit (which explains why I was navigating left of the buoys at times on the long return stretch as I was aiming for the large inflated cliff bar arch thinking it was a straight in swim from the second turn......

All in all I was pleased with the swim. I was a bit surprised to see my time 34+ as I exited the water as I thought my overall effort would have produced a slightly better time. I would focus on being more efficient in the future; target 33-34 minutes as I feel that is well within my capability.

Fairly uneventful. My bike was just right of the entrance. Struggled a bit to get my wetsuit over my heals. Not much trouble with the socks and didn’t bother with the gloves until I mounted the bike upon exit.
I looked at my HR while jogging my bike out of t1 and it was @ 90%. To add to that, my t1 average hr was higher than the average of each of the three events!!! My swim was not overly straining. I guess it is the first time hitting the crowds and the anxiety of getting through a complicated t1 that caused this.


I wasn’t pushing my transitions at all. I budgeted 4 minutes for the transitions in my race plan. Having said that, I spent nearly 5 minutes in them. So…. I need to put more effort on speedier transitions.

It took me nearly 25minutes to get my hr down to my loop 1 target. I wasn’t too worried because I knew I would come eventually, but was surprised by this.
Fueling/hydration is a new thing for me and a 5+ hr hIM isn’t something you can simulate in training so I knew the overall race depended upon how well my body responded to what I put into it on my bike. I'm pleased to report that I executed to my plan and never had any complaints from my body (from this aspect). I took down 2 large bottles of Gatorade Endurance, about 1.5 bottles of water, 2 gu’s, and 5 cliff shot blocks (I think 5, maybe 3).
What I was surprised about what how sore I began to feel come the end of my first lap. My neck and shoulders started to ache, my back began to cramp, the tops of my knees were stinging, and most constraining was a cramp in my left quad. None of these were insurmountable, but my legs did prevent me from my negative split – I just couldn’t afford pushing any more despite having a comfortable hr.
In the end I had an even split and even ave hr despite a target of 5bpm more on the 2nd loop. I do not know why these aches decided to collectively emerge on race day? I adequately trained for this distance and would get a sore neck & back during long rides, but nothing more and nothing I couldn’t overcome. I can’t help but wonder if my bike setup somehow got tweaked a bit causing my thighs (quads) and knees to feel it?
BT Ryan passed me on the way up 36 on the second loop. We both were in good spirits, looking fresh, and joking about how uncomfortable our genitalia were.
I was surprised at how congested the bike course was given the hIM race distance? Anyone else? It was annoying to get into a situation where you were jostling with a racer or two and have to bleed off energy to avoid drafting, knowing that I’d be passing them again very soon. Other races I would have pushed beyond them but this race was all about control for me. I felt like I spent so much time and energy trying to avoid the draft. And it was discouraging to see the officials cruise by on the motorcycle furiously scribing numbers. Up until this experience I’ve been surprised that professionals would allow themselves to get a drafting penalty, but now I know how easy it is – it just takes a momentary breakdown in concentration.
A few times I got jolted by over-zealous cars honking their horns and yelling. I guess I should have been prepared for this but a few times it really caught me off guard. I swear some of the cars on the road must have been on their way home for a very long night out!
Did anyone see the road kill deer just before 36? How sad!!
Overall I was pleased with the bike segment. It was a nice morning, a nice course, no major complications, about 5 minutes off my target but not enough to get discouraged.


This race was going exactly to plan for me until the second loop when I couldn’t produce a slightly faster pace for the amount of effort I had budgeted. I think I need to be smarter leading up to the race (more stretching, perhaps a more efficient bike setup) and overall a bit stronger on the bike.

Uneventful. Had to run the bike clear across the transition area and return given where my rack was. I could have urinated but decided to wait it out a bit knowing I would welcome the brief rest on the run.

I was satisfied with the run overall. Would like to have been below 1hr 50m. I walked through every aide station, ate about two servings of blocks over the first lap, hit the johnnie on the first lap just as the run leaves Monarch.
I took out the first mile in 8 minutes and consciously slowed my pace down. I was getting the chills and goose bumps throughout the run yet that was not limiting my performance and, other than stopping for a minute or two to rest, didn’t feel like I could do anything about it as I was taking on as much fluid and I feel I could stand.
I ran an even slit over the two loops despite picking up my pace the last 3 miles. I saw BT Ryan again at the u-turn on the first lap and knew I would only catch him if he slowed his pace for whatever reason (obviously didn’t happen – he had an awesome race!).
I was fighting my ailments the entire run but aerobically was not stressed. This is very frustrating for me as I continually question my mental toughness and ability to push my pain threshold during these stressing points of races. Anyway, made it across the damn, was really feeling crappy getting to the pavement and felt like I was pushing the pace. I couldn’t wait to be done! At the finish I felt like I was having an out of body expereicne and it took be a minute or two to ground myself again. What a painful expereiecne!! My first hIM!!!


Run faster. That’s all that I can think of. I feel like I had a smart race and took care of myself throughout this unchartered territory for me. I feel I have the ability to get to 5hrs, just need to move those legs and work through the mental aspects.

Looking for shade. Took me the rest of the day to get the nasty, sugary taste of the cliff blocks out of my mouth. I was just spent and didn’t stay for the awards. I just wanted to get home, get a shower before I didn’t have enough energy to do so.


Mental toughness? Perhaps the use of otc pain relievers (ipbrofun (sp) perhaps) – I’ve read of the use of these, although it seems to be out of vogue.
Train a bit smarter, or recover a bit smarter to take care of my muscles and joints (I wouldn’t add any more volume).
More R&R the few days prior to race. I played in a golf tournament on Friday and knew that was questionable when I should have been staying off my feet as much as possible and out of the sun. Also, I was surprised at how much time I spent on my feet Saturday with my brick, going to the race meeting, running a few errands, and packing for the race.



The race was OK. Pretty congested in parts of bike and run for a half IM (in my opinion). The road conditions on parts of the run could have been improved for the race. Some road kill on the bike and run could have been removed - aren't we all feeling ill enough at this point in the race? Offer more shade post-race.

Aside:
I just want to be clear that I'm pleased with how this race turned out. My reports tend to be on the critical side but that is how I develop and learn. I trained hard for this race, primarily. I found a new lifestyle and am in the best shape I've been in in 10 years.
I met some of the BT'ers this past weekend and am impressed with their attitudes, comradely , and talents.

Now I just need to find out what is next in the wake of my wife threatening to pull her sponsorship. I've got to get an IM in soon!