Ironman Chattanooga - Triathlon

So, this will be my all-time PR, no question! All week long, we were wondering two things: what will the current be, and will we get to wear wetsuits? Well, no wetsuits, which was a good decision because the water felt perfect, and there was definitely a current. I felt good during the swim, but I didn't wear my watch, so I wasn't sure of my time until I finished the whole race. I never thought in a million years that I would break an hour. Crazy...

haha, nothing!

I was quick, but not frantic. This time counts running up the ramp, etc. I made sure to be thorough in getting ready for the bike; I wanted to be comfortable. I'm glad I did.

I could hurry up a little, but I'm happy with the time it took me.

I had a great ride, and I'm really happy with it. My main goals were to start easy for the first 15-20 miles, stay consistent for the middle 75, and then turn on the speed a little bit for the last 30 miles, or so. For the most part, I nailed that.
Starting out, there was a yard sale at the first set of railroad tracks. There were bottles everywhere, so a lot of people started out without their nutrition. After that, it was a rolling ride out of town.
Between town and the sharp left on Hog Jowl, I rode steady and not too hard, which was great because I was between 19 and 20 mph, which is faster than I thought I could hold. My effort was steady and my legs felt good. I paced Hog Jowl hill, turned left and saw all people with flats, probably 10-15 people; I knew something must have gone wrong. After the race, we learned that someone dumped oil on part of the road, and threw out tacks in another part. It really makes me sick.
From Hog Jowl to Chickamauga, it's fast, mostly downhill. I saw my parents and Sarah's parents before town, which was awesome. There's a steep hill out of Chickamauga, but it's not terrible if you pace it. There's a really great downhill after it, as well; I think I hit 41 mph on it.
I turned left for the 2nd lap, paced Hog Jowl again, turned left for the speedy part and saw Sarah on the side of the road with a flat. It was an easy choice to stop and change it for her; I knew she could change it, but I'm much faster and more confident. I lost about 8-10 minutes there, but it was worth it. She was really appreciative, and I'm glad I was there to help!
I got the tire on, then put the hammer down. My average had gone down to 18.9, and I had every intention of getting it back up above 19 before the end.
I saw the parents again, told them about Sarah's tire so they wouldn't worry, and kept pushing. I rode the Chickamauga hill steady, then flew down the other side and then it was a fast ride back into town. I probably passed 200 people who had gotten past me while I changed the tire.
Riding into town, I heard a cop and volunteer say, "that guy was cookin'". I liked hearing that.
As far as nutrition goes, I did well. I took Gu/Bonk Breakers at the top of the hour, or more often if I felt hungry, salt at the bottom of the hour, and drank Perform throughout, based on thirst. I felt hydrated getting off the bike, which was good.

I paced it pretty perfectly. If the ride was 112, instead of 116, and I hadn't lost time changing a tire, I would have averaged 20mph, I think. I'm happy with that.

I moved through quickly, and my legs felt good. I got into the changing tent, and did a full change, making sure to warn the volunteer helping me out before I went all nudist on him! I felt good coming out of the tent, and the volunteers were great.

not much!

So, I knew that everything would come down to this: the run. For the first 8 miles, or so, I felt good. I kept my pace steady and kept moving. I took in Coke and Perform at each aid station. I slowed a little once I hit the hills, as I was well below my goal pace of 12"/mile. I saw the parents on Veterean's bridge and then headed up Barton hill. I ran the first hill, but saw that I was barely any faster, so I walked the next, but still at a good pace. I paced the hills, crossed back over the river, and moved on to my 2nd lap. I was slowing some, but was still below my goal pace, and just kept moving steadily. Around mile 20, I started feeling a little fuzzy-headed, and knew exactly what that meant! So, I slowed down, walked for a bit, and just stayed calm. I was still moving, making good time, and I was close to the end.
I crossed the bridge, and my way up Barton again. I saw Sarah at the bottom of the hill and she said that she was doing well, which was good to hear. We walked together for a bit, and then I picked up the pace. I really wanted to get 5 hours for the marathon. I picked up the pace pretty good, and managed around 10" mile for the last couple miles of the race. I heard the finish line, started with the high-fives, and ran through to the sound of Mike Reilly saying, "Jamie Roszel, you are an Ironman!"

As I'll explain later, I definitely didn't hydrate adequately ;)

Sooooooo....my head was buzzing, and my hands were fuzzy. I knew exactly what was up, so I said I needed the med tent. I went in, explained how I was feeling, got my two bags of IV fluid and felt like a new man. At this point, I've improved my nutrition and hydration, but I still have a ways to go! However, I am happy with my progress. I got in the med tent, got back to the room, showered, changed, and then got back to the race in time to see the last 1 1/2 hours, which was a blast.


hydration, hydration, hydration. I think I could have held a better pace if I'd hydrated better.


This is a great race. Chattanooga is a great town, perfect for a race like this. The swim is fast and calm, the bike is challenging, but fast, and the run is tough, but runners get tons of support. I can't recommend this race enough!