Florida Challenge Triathlon - Triathlon1/2 Ironman

Swim was uneventfull other than the bouys being hard to see with the sun.

Get newer goggles or use anti-fog

Un eventful, took time to make sure didn't forget anything, can reduce time in future.

Practice more

The bike was okay, I had two flats one at about mile 6, I changed the tube and felt for something on the inside of the tire, but didn't find anything. I caught most of the people I was with before the flat, then at mile 28 I got another flat. I took the tire completely of the rim and held it up to the light and found a small piece of glass. I lost 5 minutes with first flat and 10 minutes with second flat. The course was bad because of lots of traffic with no shoulders, and aid stations that did not have water. I ran out of water at mile 30, and they did not have any liquid at aid station mile 30.

I may put slime in my tires even though it will increase the weight. I train in areas with alot of glass, and think I got glass in my wheel during the last ride to test out my new race tires. I will also stop at the aid stations and get two water bottles full at every water station. Rather than just grabbing one bottle on the fly at an aid station

Put socks on, normally don't

take a few more minutes to ingest liquid/ food/ salt tablets/ etc. Even though these take longer, they will save time in the rest of the race

I did not do something right. I could not run very much and felt terrible. I had to walk alot after mile 4, and was winded walking up the hills. Mile 7 was 400 meters long, and I worried that I took a wrong turn. Then there were two mile 10s. Somewhere around mile 10 or mile11 I was running for 2 minutes/ walking for 2 minutes. I stopped running at 3:30 past the mile marker, then fell down, when I got up my watch said 4:00 minutes past the mile marker, so I must have blacked out or something for half a minute. I walked slowly for the rest of the distance.

I need to see if taking salt pills, or drinking more gatorade would help. I need to do something to be able to run rather than crawl after a the bike.

Sat in shade with wife, waiting for Friend (Snookdude on this board) to Finish, while drinking water


I can't figure out how to run after a hot bike.


The bike and run course had problems with traffic. I am very hesitant to race on this course again because we (my wife and I) did not feel too safe on the bike course. There was alot of traffic on the roads, and I almost got clipped a few times. My wife (and I) got caught behind alot of cars, and other triathletes and did not have anyway to get out avoid drafting. She got a penalty. I was in a different part of the ride and could not pass very many cars, or other triathletes, and had to slow down and ride at a crawl.

The second half of the run was on a crappy road with no shoulder and a very cambered road side, and again I felt like a target for cars. There was no food at the finish, and they ran out of water at the finish when I came across. Then the championchip time did not register, and It did not pick up my time at the finish. Fred still has not responded to my e-mail about my run time. And I am still listed at DNF on the results. I think I finished around 7:15:00, but hopefully I can find my time on the official results.