Ironman Chattanooga - Triathlon

The time trial start was extremely well organized and ran like clockwork. Because we started by number, each age group started together which made it really interesting. Basically it was all women until the "boys" started to catch us - by age too - first the 20somethings, then 30 and so on. Once I started to see 40s I knew DH would be coming along shortly....He passed me at mile 78.

Halfway through I got really fidgety. My quads ached and my hoo ha was unhappy on the saddle. I tried to mentally distract myself which helps for a bit but then my watts fall off.

Overall the course was perfect. I think 4,000' of rollings hills is my sweet spot. I really enjoyed the course. Not to mention, the weather was 70, overcast and breezy for a majority of it. Around the 4 hour mark the sun started to peak through and by the time I got back to transition it was full on Chattanooga heat and humidity.

As I came into T2 and picked up my bag, I noticed it was wet. I asked a volunteer "did it rain?" She said "oh yeah, it poured!" Funny - it didn't rain on us at all in Georgia :) All my stuff was dry because I had put it inside a large ziploc bag. SCORE!! I'll do this from now on wherever the bags sit out over night.

I melted. I actually melted.

I came out of T2 guns blazing. I so badly wanted to have a decent IM run and although I knew it was hot - and the sun always gets me I still had high hopes. I ran long the waterfront on the little carpet they put down and then hit the road - and was hit by a ton of bricks. HILL and BRIGHT SUN and lots of people walking. This was going to be a long day and I started thinking about how I registered for IMMT 2019 and what race I was going to defer to because I'm definitely not doing another 140.6.

The first 4 miles were on a highway with very little shade and it wrecked me. Then you turn onto the riverwalk - which was lovely and was mostly shaded. At this point I started to get a little dizzy. URGH I thought 'I only have to hang in for 2 more hours until sunset.' Somehow I hung on going from aid station to aid station. I walked way more than planned but it became about survival. The IM run is such a mind *&^&.
is my nutrition plan working? Yes? continue, No? reevaluate
how am I feeling? strong? No? Dizzy? YEP
Slow down? speed up?
Aid station: sticking to the plan? What am I eating/drinking this mile?
Ice? HELL YEAH fill up my bra.

When I get hot, my face gets all red. I kept taking ice chunks out of my bra and rubbing them all over my face - don't judge me, triathletes are disgusting.

Finally it started to cool down as the sun was setting. The sunset view from the riverwalk was really nice. Too bad I still had 1 more trip up Barton to contend with.

On the last downhill back into town I started running with a guy who was wearing a singlet from IMMT 2016. We were both at 2015 (HOT) and 2016 (RAIN) and compared notes. Then I found myself telling him I would be there in 2019 and he said he was going back too. WAIT HOW DID THAT HAPPEN?! 5 hours earlier I was going to defer! Well Dave from Ontario, I'll see you there because I still have a marathon to get right.

SO HAPPY to have survived.


The finish line was lackluster compared to IMMT and IMLP.

However, IMCHOO has some of the best volunteers and spectators I've ever had in a race.