White Lake Half Ironman - Triathlon1/2 Ironman

My official swim split was 34:13 but my actual swim time from dock to dock was 33:33. I was in the first wave after the "elites". I positioned myself up front but off to the right side. I immediately settled into a comfortable rythm and just focused on my own thing. This is the first tri swim I can remember where I didn't have to reign myself in after the first 100m. I ws also happy that I had my own patch of clean water almost from the start. There was a little bumping initially but overall it was very minimal and everyone else seemed to disappear. I honestly had no idea if I was dropping off the back, swinging wide on the course or somehow up on the front but there wasn't anyone around me after the first turn. Still, I just kept doing my thing and maintaining my steady comfortable pace. My navigation was decent and I only got off track a couple times but it was a quick correction so no big deal. Turns out I was up near the front of the pack because I ended up with the 7th fastest swim of my AG. I'm pretty happy with that considering the swim is by far my weakest discipline.

One of these days I need to start pushing myself a little on the swim. I just don't have a good feel for that tempo/threshold pace that I can maintain on the swim so I tend to be more conservative.

Reasonably smooth transition. Got the wetsuit off quickly, helmet and sunglasses on, shoes on, grabbed the bike and headed for the exit.

Good bike. My HR was up over 170 coming out of transition but I managed to settle in quickly and had things under control within 10min. I went to 80-85% FT right out of the gate but it felt comfortably hard so I stuck with it. The PM definitely makes pacing easier as long as you stick with the plan and ignore your speed. Chasing a certain average speed of bike split will burn you every time. With a power meter and some good testing leading into the race you can set your intensity and let everything else just happen. I only passed a handful of people on the bike and got passed by a few. Considering I was the 7th person from my wave to get out on the bike and only "elites" were out ahead (with a 5min head start) I wasn't expecting to see too many other riders until I hit the out/back section when the roads turned really shitty. Although I only had a cup of coffee and some Gator in the morning and 2 bottles on the bike I had to pee twice during the ride...and not just little squirts either. At one of the bottle exchanges i grabbed a water so i could piss and rinse off. Only problem was that by the time I got done I was 1/2 mile down the road and wasn't in legal place to drop the empty and both my cages had bottles I needed to keep. So I ended up riding about 8 miles with a plastic water bottle crunched up in my right hand and holding the aerobar as best I could. I don't suppose it slower me down much but it was a bit annoying. I eventually passed some dumpsters and pitched it in that general direction. Even though the road surface for the last 20 miles of the bike was rougher and slower I was still holding a decent pace and it looked like I was going to ride well under 2:30 which I'm generally satisfied with at this early point in the season considering I haven't done any consistent structured bike training yet.

It's all about building that functional threshold power.

Everything went smooth except that I had to pee AGAIN. So rather than waste time in the port-o-pot I just grabbed my towel, wadded it up on my crotch and pissed myself in transition :) I figure it took at least 20sec just standing there. I looked around to see if anyone else was watching but there wasn't anyone around.

Solid run but I didn't have the mental motivation in the final miles to give my usual kick to the finish. I set out of T2 with a quick turnover just trying to get my running legs. The pace felt smooth but until I hit that first mile marker I never really know. I logged 6:20 for the first mile and started to relax and settle in knowing that I was on a decent pace...if I could just maintain in for 12 more miles. The next 4 miles were all in the 6:05-6:20 range and I was picking people off left and right. After mile 5 I didn't see another mile marker until 11. that was getting a bit frustrating because I like to check my splits against my effort level. As the race goes on the miles start to get harder but I can typically hold a very consistent pace. All I could do was keep hauling along and give what I had to give. With 2 miles to go I got on the tail of another guy in my AG and decided to hang there and take him close to the finish. After 2-3min I just didn't have the focus and determination to hold the pace and let him go. I was satisfied with my day overall and this wasn't a goal race for me so I decided to just hold steady. giving that last little bit probably would have cost me a few extra days of recovery and this race just wasn't important enough. I did what I came to do (have a solid race and benchmark my recent training) so i was content to just hold steady. Turns out that guy finished 11sec ahead of me and took 1st in the AG and 3rd OA. Maybe that will give me the kick in the ass I need next time.

Would have been nice to give that last 1% and take that guy in the last 2 miles but I just didn't have the motivation.

The usual...stumble through the finish chute trying not to fall down. Sucked down a Powerade and stumbled some more. Made my way down to the water and just sat in the lake for 10min waiting for my head and body to start cooperating again.


Inconsistent bike/swim training. My run was in good shape but I haven't been particularly focused on my training the last 4 weeks since figuring out that I have to drop from Eagleman. That along with a trip to Spain for work last week and my preparation just wasn't up to my usual standards.


Good race overall. The most important factors to me are that it's safe, organized, and fun. I think the aid stations were understaffed though...both bike and run. They also could have put on a better spread of eats for the athletes after but that's a very minor issue and definitely wouldn't stop me from recommending this race to someone or doing it again myself. Overall SetUp Events puts on a great race.