Ironman Chattanooga 70.3 - Triathlon


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Chattanooga, Tennessee
United States
Ironman
90F / 32C
Sunny
Total Time = 6h 34m 22s
Overall Rank = 1979/3644
Age Group = M35-39
Age Group Rank = 208/264
Pre-race routine:

Phone never did change over to Eastern time zone, so I had to set my phone alarm for 3am and the hotel alarm clock for 4am. I must have heard someone else's alarm in another room and kind of woke up, but went back to sleep. Woke up a few minutes later and looked at the alarm clock and it was 3:23am. I thought I overslept, and that's one of my biggest fears on race morning, so I shot out of bed and went to the bathroom and told myself that 23 minutes wasn't a big deal. I wondered why my phone alarm didn't go off either, so I'm standing there studying my phone and realize that it's not yet time for me to wake up! So, I layed back down, but couldn't go back to sleep. Got up for good a few minutes later and just started my morning.
Made eggs & bacon before I left, so I heated that up and ate 2 poptarts as well. Tried to just eat as much as I could even though I wasn't really feeling like eating a ton. But I was able to eat more than I thought I was going to be able to.
Met Patrick in the parking lot and we headed to the race site.
Apparently I ran a red light (Patrick told me that later). I was thinking about too many other things I guess, haha.
Event warmup:

No warm-up this time. Too many people and it's not like we could get into the water. I figured the swim would be my warm-up.
Swim
  • 20m 58s
  • 1408 yards
  • 01m 29s / 100 yards
Comments:

Swim went almost perfectly. I did a really good job of breathing (could have been a little better). I was 1 of probably 100 participants not wearing a wetsuit, so that's probably why my time seems a little slower. I don't remember passing anyone, but I did get passed quite a bit.
It was self seed, but it's not like I was a ton slower than the people around me. I probably started in the top 1/3 of participants.
What would you do differently?:

Probably get a wetsuit. But, I didn't want one this race.
Transition 1
  • 05m 57s
Comments:

Really good T1. Saw Patrick as I was running in and gave him a high five. I heard him yell 'Get Some' which is his little thing.
What would you do differently?:

Learn to jump onto bike with no shoes. Will make T1 go a little faster.
Bike
  • 2h 58m 38s
  • 56 miles
  • 18.81 mile/hr
Comments:

Hard to say if I drank enough. I've thought about how I did on the bike at nauseum. So many things I could/should have done differently to not make my run so terrible.
Did I take in enough salt? Probably not
Did I drink enough? I thought I did well, but maybe not
Did I ride too fast? Definitely. I did not train for going this fast. First 28 miles was almost all around 20mph and most of it 20-21mph average. I knew I was going fast that first half, but didn't think it was going to be a big deal. I tried slowing down, but looking at my watch, it says I didn't really slow down until mile 40. I tried to start riding in the 17-18mph range. I did notice that my quads were feeling it a little there at the end, and that's when I knew I was maybe going to be in trouble.
I had 4 gels and both bags of sour patch kids. I knew the nutrition was iffy, but thought I would be ok.
I mean, I thought I really kicked ass on the bike. I just paid for it on the run.
What would you do differently?:

So many things!
Start longer training sessions earlier in the training block.
Practice more longer ride/run bricks
Do more high intensity rides and runs
Dial in nutrition before the race
Transition 2
  • 14m 23s
Comments:

Got off bike at dismount line on the pretty far right edge. Someone came up behind me on my right and also tried to dismount, and I think they fell over. Not my fault. I barely looked back because I didn't want to feel responsible or anything. There wasn't enough room. Like when Cavendish tried to go around Sagan. There just wasn't enough room!
Felt my tummy rumble a little, so knew a visit to the portapotty was in order. Didn't want to get caught out on the run needing to go. So, that's what made the T2 time a little longer.
I walked my bike to the rack because I was a little tired and I wanted to spare my legs as much as I could.
What would you do differently?:

Nothing
Run
  • 2h 54m 28s
  • 13.1 miles
  • 13m 19s  min/mile
Comments:

Omg, where do I even start. Even in T2 I could feel my inner quads cramping up. Within 200 ft of the start of the run I stopped to stretch my quads. I probably started walking within the first half mile. I knew it was going to be a long run.
The quad cramps were pretty killer. I tried to do the best I could. Walked a lot and tried to 'run' some. Felt like I was just shuffling my feet. Very pathetic.
I could run slowly for about 2 minutes before my quads would realize I was trying to trick them and they would flare up and make me walk. It would hurt so much to start walking. But trying to run with the cramps was debilitating.
After about mile 9 I told myself to just keep running slowly because it hurt less than walking and at least I would finish faster. Run splits support that.
I loved the Hawaiian themed aid station. That was an oasis.
Never once thought I wouldn't finish, just how slow I was going.
'Shut up legs!'
What would you do differently?:

Again, so many things to do differently as I stated above for the bike.
I think it was a combination of several things.
Definitely makes me want to fine tune my race strategy, etc.
Need to crush it the next time like I know I'm capable of.
Post race
Warm down:

Stayed in the stretching area a little while to rest and stretch. Patrick was so awesome and patient and just waited right outside for me.
Loved having him there. He was so supportive.
We hung around for probably an hour afterwards. Getting food and sitting/laying and resting.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Training & nutrition. All the things!

Event comments:

Can't say enough for all of the wonderful volunteers. Without them I doubt I would have made it through the run.




Last updated: 2019-04-17 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:20:58 | 1408 yards | 01m 29s / 100yards
Age Group: 173/264
Overall: 1493/3644
Performance: Good
Suit: No
Course: All downstream because they cut out the upstream after the pro women finished the upstream portion. Major bummer
Start type: Run Plus:
Water temp: 72F / 22C Current: Medium
200M Perf. Good Remainder: Good
Breathing: Good Drafting: Good
Waves: Good Navigation: Good
Rounding: Good
T1
Time: 05:57
Performance: Good
Cap removal: Good Helmet on/
Suit off:
Wetsuit stuck? Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike: No
Getting up to speed: Good
Biking
02:58:38 | 56 miles | 18.81 mile/hr
Age Group: 162/264
Overall: 1320/3644
Performance: Average
Wind: None
Course: Lollipop course. Everyone kept talking about the rolling hills and a couple of big hills. Sounded like they were concerned. I felt like the whole thing was almost all downhill. It was great. No stupid wind to contend with like there is at home (20mph + all the freaking time).
Road: Smooth Dry Cadence:
Turns: Good Cornering: Good
Gear changes: Good Hills: Good
Race pace: Too hard Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 14:23
Overall: Good
Riding w/ feet on shoes
Jumping off bike
Running with bike Good
Racking bike Good
Shoe and helmet removal
Running
02:54:28 | 13.1 miles | 13m 19s  min/mile
Age Group: 221/264
Overall: 2186/3644
Performance: Bad
Course: 2 loops with a couple of out & backs each time.
Keeping cool Average Drinking Too much
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Below average
Mental exertion [1-5] 4
Physical exertion [1-5] 3
Good race? Ok
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? Yes
Post race activities: Average
Race evaluation [1-5] 4