Santa Cruz 70.3 Ironman - Triathlon1/2 Ironman

Based on my recent time trials before the race I felt I could swim between 38 and 42 minutes depending on how straight I swim and how well I draft. Completed it in about 40 minutes so I'm happy with that. If I didn't have my shoulder injury late July I think I would have shaved off a few minutes and possibly make a new swim PR.

I drafted behind some random athletes while making sure I was inline with the buoys. Near the end of the swim I think I veered off course a bit adding about 100 more yards. There were a few times where I felt I was getting out of breath and losing form so I slowed my pace down a bit to get back in control.

Not get a shoulder injury entering peak training phase. Don't lose sighting focus near the end of the swim.

The jog back to transition was long... almost half a mile based on Garmin Connect. A fellow triathlete who did this race before said there was some rough parts which made me cringe a bit because I didn't bring my water shoes. The first 2/3rds of the distance was fine but then I hit the really rough parts which made me walk. Maybe flip flops would have saved me some time and agony. Getting into the transition area was a big relief as I continued to jog to my bike.

Unsuited as quickly as possible without falling down. Mounted watch, sprayed TriSlide on my feet and got into bike shoes, headband on, Oakleys on, helmet on and clipped, race number on.

Bring water shoes.

My plan was to negative split the 2nd half of the bike course and I successfully executed that. However, right out of T1 my HR was up in Zone 4 fast but my breathing did not reflect that so I just ignored it and paid attention to my power output. There was a bike aid station at around mile 15 with uncrowded porta potties and I felt a slight urge to go but I planned on holding it the entire bike segment like I did in practice but this didn't work because the pressure to go felt unbearable at mile 18.

There was a hill where I did not shift to my small ring wisely and my chain dropped shortly after I passed an athlete who was stupid enough to stay on my right despite seeing I was having problems. I nearly crashed into her despite her cries, "Oh no, I'm on your right!" I didn't cuss her out but basically yelled, "Fuckin shit, FUCK!" at the situation I was in. I wasted time trying to shift and spin my front chain rings to re-engage my bike chain but that failed and after 3 attempts I just used my fingers to re-mount it and that worked. I must have wasted about 2-3 minutes with this mishap.

Back on the bike and kept myself in control because I still had about 35 miles to go. For some odd reason my pee pressure was slightly relieved but I peed at the 2nd bike aid station anyway. The damn place only had 2 porta potties! Argh! I wasted 3-4 minutes there waiting in line with 5 other athletes. I was thinking, "Damn, I should have went at the first one then I could hold it to the run course." And this would have worked nicely because I didn't have to really pee again until mile 5 there. No matter how hard I tried to relax and pee on the bike, I couldn't do it.

There was headwinds all the way to the turnaround but despite this, my power plan was executed well and the tailwind on the way back helped lots.

~2300ft elevation gain

~1:45 to get to turnaround, ~1:25 back

HR zones:

1:25 -- Z2
1:16 -- Z3
0:25 -- Z4

Power zones:

0:42 -- Z1
1:26 -- Z2
0:38 -- Z3
0:12 -- Z4
0:03 -- Z5

134watts avg/144 normalized @ 0.70IF and 1.07VI

Pee early or pee on the bike.

Unable to dismount while moving because it got crowded in the dismount area.

Took off bike shoes, applied SportSlick, socks, and running shoes. The application of lube took between 1 and 2 minutes because I wanted to minimize any blisters or hot spots that may form. Maybe give Trislide another chance?

Race belt with 2 bottles and ran for the run out chute.

Still trying to figure out what works 100%. NewSkin all over trouble spots???

My hamstring problems I developed right after the swim stuck with me all day and I had to be a bit tentative about it on the bike while climbing because I always felt it about to cramp up which caused me to reduce my power output to compensate. I had to do this the early miles of the run as well.

The hill out of T2 was a bitch because my quads were seizing up forcing me to walk about halfway up that damn thing. Then about half a mile after clearing that my hamstrings started locking up forcing me to stop and stretch, walk and stretch. After a few minutes of this I was able to get my run legs going again at a careful pace. I sipped the remainder of my bike nutrition in the last 5 miles of the bike course to prevent this problem but nope, it didn't work, hehe.

I sipped a tiny bit of Jet Fuel and that may have helped me get going again. The course wasn't very rolling yet as I saw my pace was going as planned but then the rolling hills came and wind which slowed my pace down a bit to just over 11 minute mile. I aimed for an overall sub 11 minute mile pace but my legs couldn't hold it because of the rolling hills on the bike and run course. At mile 9 made my quads start seizing up bad on the hills at that point onward. I had to walk up every hill so that they wouldn't. After mile 11 my legs started feeling really bad and I was shuffling at 5:00/0:30-1:00 run/walking. My quads were cramping up really bad and my left foot had 2 hot spots/blisters since mile 6. I think at mile 8 they started really bugging me.

I forced myself to walk for about a minute before the downhill run to the sand and the finish so I wouldn't fall down and it worked! I was able to run myself to the finish chute! Yay!

BTW, I ran tangents like a smart runner would. ;)

More speed work but then I had a shoulder injury that affected my preparation. :P Or maybe too much Z3 on the bike.

Drank water, Endurox, walked around, ate a slice of cheese pizza, oranges, banana, and cola.


Shoulder injury late July, lack of running speed work, and sub optimal swim prep.


Great race and venue. I wish transition was closer to the swim finish, hehe.