EagleMan Ironman 70.3 Triathlon - Triathlon1/2 Ironman

Started to the outside and front. Large wave about 231 people. Got banged and swum over and ran over someone and got an elbow to the goggles, but I survived that mess over the first 100 yards and settled into an nice relaxed rhythm and keep everyone inside me and navigated off the blue caps. Was right on the buoys on each turn but drifted well outside in between. I'm sure I added some unnessesary distance. The way out, I think I got a jellyfish sting to the face but that was my only encounter. After the turn I almost ran into the sailboat and the dude on the surfboard herding us back to shore. The chop was alot more noticable on the way in but I also noticed a nice push from the current. Only bad thing was the gasoline taste from all the boats on the course. Good relaxed swim for the most part.

Got to try and not drift so far to the right. I diamond each leg and although I end up on the buoy by the turns I am added unnessecary distance. Not a bad swim though.

Peeled down to my waist in route to transition and found my bike ok, but the wetsuit was its usual pain getting off my feet. Of course I wasn't the only one fighting their wetsuits so we had a laugh. Took my time and Body Glided my feet, loaded up my tri suit with gels and electrolytes grabbed my belt and heltmet and got going and then paused to fasten the straps on my bike shoes.

Practice getting out of the wetsuit.

Got going really strong, and my bike computer actually worked the whole time!(Magnet issues) Wanted to start at an easy gear and work up but with a downgrade and the wind at my back I deviated from that strategy. Got going between 21 and 22 mph for a good stretch on the back of the loop and got into a nice rhythm, but it did get annoying having folks passing me like I was standing still while I was doing 22 MPH. I tried to eat a gel every 30 minutes and drink every 15 minutes, but I didn't seem to drink enough each time and only finished off two bottles (usually do 1 an hour). I also didn't take the electrolytes on the bike. The second half we turned back into the wind and the pace slowed. Even then I was doing 20 MPH or so but on an upgrade into the wind I was in a great rhythem slowly creeping up on another rider and thinking about how to pass when the race official pops up, I eased back and decided it was a good time to eat and opened up some space and didn't get a penalty (did get a long look). Glad I didn't get penalized cause this guy was weaving all over the road and I couldn't have drafted if I had tried. Unfortunately, that did break my rhythm and I struggled to regain it the rest of the ride and watched my speed drop to 19 and 18 MPH. I held on and even hit 22 MPH during one stretch but I lost any chance of aveaging over 20 MPH. Of course, I only averaged 20+ MPH once, in an 11 mile sprint, so I was still happy but I did feel like I lost it. I also stopped shifting to compensate for the wind and that probably drained me a bit. Overall I had a great ride, but I did get behind on my nutrition.

Drive the course the day before. I had the map in my head but having landmarks to confirm where you are makes it easier to stay focused and paced properly. Let negative thoughts enter my head, which isn't ever good.

Again slow and smooth, another round of sunscreen, dug out 3 more gels and tried to get a porta pottie visit in transition but had bad timing and had to wait for the first aid stop.

Hit my shoulders better with sunscreen. Apparently I missed that spot and got a nice localized burn.

While this run wasn't what I ripped off at the NJ Devilman in May, it was pretty solid given the conditions. Picked up about 200 spots according to Ironman.com. The sun came out and it got hotter this leg which didn't help the fact that I had gotten behind on my nutrition and slightly dehydrated. But given that, I did a good job of recovering, monitoring my body and finding a happy medium and a decent pace. Took a gel a mile 2, 3 electrolyte pills at mile 3, gel at mile 6, felt my right hammy and calf twinge like they wanted to cramp so took rest of the electrolyes at mile 7. Drank water and gatorade at most stops and dumped ice into my tri suit when I could grab a cup. Was able to find the edge and stay there which was about all I can ask of myself. Tried to increase the effort on the way back (think I did) and saw someone lose their sunglasses with about 5 miles to go, look back and keep going. So I picked them up and tried to use that as motivation to push and either catch up to him or keep him in sight to find him at the finish. Unfortunately, he was cruising and I couldn't find him afterwards (I tried. I can't use the sunglasses cause I wear presription glasses). So if someone in the 45-49 AG in a red Hammer Nutrition jersey lost some sunglasses, I'd be glad to send them back to you. Struggled alot the last two miles but hooked up with a Tri Crab who was in my age group and we did a back and forth over the last couple miles which helped (he won). Another funny thing, we caught a group right at the end and the guy who endes up finishing right in front of me (8 minutes ahead overall since he was in the wave after mine) was from Royersford. The annoucer picked up on that and made a comment about the Royerford contingency being out today. I was very happy with the performance given the dehydration and being on the verge of cramping I made the best of it and broke 2 hours for only the 2nd time. The coolest thing was having Natasha Badman pass by as I was heading out for the run. She had a grin on her face was encourging everyone headed in the other direction. She is awesome. Setting a workd record and still having enough left to cheer us MOPers on.

If I had kept up with the nutrition and electroltyes I may have been able to pick up the pace and attack the second half as I did at the NJ Devilman, but it was a hotter day, a much faster bike, and I messed up by not drinking enough or taking my electroltyes. Still can hold my head up with a good effort.

Got some water, my medal, and strolled over to the food. Had some pasta, salad, and bread, but the watermellon was the best. Went back for 2nds and thirds. Then walked back to transition, packed up, changed and walked my bike to the car and loaded up. Came back and saw that I was 160th in my AG and was a bit deflatted and walked back to the car. 3+ hours to go from Cambridge to rt213 due to Rt 50 being a parkinglot for no good reason made for a very long ride home. Got home took a long shower and had some McDonalds.


Falling behind on my nutrition on the bike which showed up on the run and letting the negative thoughts creep into my head the 2nd half of the bike which made it feel like a lot more of a struggle than it really was. Still only missed my PR by :57. Mayby two HIMs in 5 weeks isn't the best way to max my performance. Very happy overall.


Great race. Didn't hit much of the expo but what I saw was good. Good aid stations and volenteers and the community gets behind this race 1000% from what I could see. Great job managing the # of people (8 min between waves and 12-14 waves) First class race and a great pro field to boot. Chris Legh showed alot of class by finish a race when things were going bad instead of dropping out. Wish I could have recognized him when he passed by me. Natasha Badman is awesome and is so friggin cool. Great race definitely worth the trip.