Virginia Triathlon Series - Race #3 Kinetic Half - Triathlon1/2 Ironman

I don't remember the first 30 seconds of this swim. I was trying to think back about how cold the water was but I don't even remember being in the water. Hmmm. I do remember rounding the first buoy and how my face hurt so bad. I did not get in any comfortable rhythm during the entire swim. I just felt so uncomfortable. The neoprene cap was bothering my neck, I dont really like long sleeve wetsuits (I prefer my sleeveless SO MUCH MORE), and my goggles were not working very well. I didn't draft I just swam over people because I couldn't see where I was going. Luckily I can fix all of these things :)

Good points: I actually sighted really well or I was really lucky. Until I swam into the last buoy and wrapped my arm around the buoy tether. That sorta hurt :)

1. Buy new googles. I love my swedes for training, but the field of vision stinks and they fog. I can still train half the time in my swedes but a good pair of OWS goggles are needed. People always tell me that they saw me during the swim. All I see is arms legs and bodies, nothing specific.
2. Practice more with the long sleeve wetsuit and wear it only when it is really cold. I love my cheap sleeveless suit. I am so much more comfortable and my stroke is much more fluid.
3. Put my face in the water before the start.

Suprisingly fast transition considering my hands and feet were frozen. I did forget that it is easier to get the wetsuit top off first and then the cap in goggles because they got stuck in my arm. 15/68 and 2/12 in my AG (and the first girl did the duathlon).

Not sure - I was pretty fast comparatively. Some were in T1 for 7 minutes and up to 11 minutes.

Well I did a good job clipping into my bike and thought about a quick drink from my aero bottle when it quickly hit that I had forgotten to fill it with water. Oh no. Well I can't really turn around at this point - and I know I just have to go 20 miles to the first water stop. Luckily I hit the last water stop before the end of the park (a run aid station that just happened to be manned) and I poured 3 tiny cups of water into my bottle. Then I kept going.
I felt really good and strong for the first half of the first loop. I was moving along at a nice clip - my avg speed was around 19 for the first 20 miles (but it is net downhill). On one road we had lots of trouble with traffic. I had to slow down several times because cars were blocking the riders. I did get passed my Mayor Fenty at around mile 12 and we chatted a bit. Really nice guy. Though he had a problem riding in the middle of the road.

I was really glad to get to mile 20. Because this meant I got water! And I could start my nutrition. My only liquid on my bike was my ~800 calorie IM cocktail of Sustained Energy and hammer gels. But I need water to drink the mix so I couldn't start until now. This would probably come to haunt me later. I had only had one PBJ sandwich and a quick swig of gel before the race and then went 90+ minutes without any calories.

I didn't really like the rest of the first loop. It was more uphill and the road was really bumpy. I was glad to finish the first loop but now the negative thoughts started. I didn't want to be riding. I was tired of riding my bike. I wanted to go home. I never wanted to do another triathlon. I was thinking of quitting at the end of the bike. I was thinking of ways to get out of LP without looking like a quitter. WHAT THE HELL????? This is so outside of my personality. I wonder if its possible to have a mental bonk? Then right as the thoughts started my friend Jean came SPEEDING by with the biggest smile on her face cheering me on. This made me feel worse. I was hating life. I kept going with less than motivating thoughts in my head but I was determined to at least finish the bike.

My HR was WAY to high for the first loop (160s-170s hills) but settled a bit for the second un-motivated loop (140s-150s). I probably should have kept the second loop avg hr for a better paced ride.

With about 5 miles to go I dropped my chain. This is the first time ever I had to get off my bike and fix my bike. It took me a few minutes to get it back on because I kept getting my fingers caught in between the chain and the ring. I just wasn't thinking.

When I finished the ride I was so glad to be off the bike. My legs felt great - my mind was all messed up.

Bring water. Start nutrition earlier. I have NO CLUE why my head was so screwed up. Probably something to do with trying to hard and putting too high of an expectation on this ride.

I have ridden so much more than last year before my first half (An A race on a much flatter course). I know I have a better bike split in me, I just need to execute better!

Took my time again in T2. I had a bottle with accelerade in it ready to carry on the run but I wanted nothing of it, but a quick sip so I left it in transition. I also chugged a big amount of water. Already had socks on from T1 so I just threw the shoes on and off I went. I wore the same shoes that I had 7 blisters on 2 weeks ago (I forgot my socks and ran 9 miles without) so I was a little worried about having some problems later on. Nikki was in YELLING at me which was awesome. I needed a friend then.

Hmm Nothing. 20/68. 5/12.

The run started uphill out of transtion and away from the lake. I walked most of this hill. Nikki and I chatted for awhile.
Miles 1-2: I was in "Just finish" mode. I had to go to the bathroom BAD. They didnt have portapotties next to transition. I shuffled along and walked the first two aid stations. I decided early that I was going to at least walk the aid stations and the hills. Around mile 1.5 I got to an empty portapotty and took a break there. Then I started running again. I am guessing that I was holding around 10:30 pace for these two miles.

Miles 3-4: I started getting stomach cramps at this point. I was doing ok with nutrition. Water at every aid station and cytomax at every other aid station where I would grab a hammer gel. I put the hammer gel in my pocket so that I would eat it right before the next aid station so I could wash it down with water. I still had stomach cramps and tried to twist my stomach to get rid of them. Probably around 10:15 pace.

Miles 4-10: Something weird happened because I started feeling better and running faster! I think I started holding around 9 min pace for these 6 miles or so. I started passing people that had already passed me. My legs felt really fresh and I felt great! I was so hoping I would feel this way through the end of the race! I was still run/walking. But the running was alot faster. Mile 9 was downhill and then uphill and it started to end.
Miles 11-12 These were SLOW. Probably around 12+ min pace. I really bonked. The overexertion in the bike caught up to me. I only had 3 miles to go!! If I could have held the 9 min pace a little longer - oh well. I kept thinking - 2 miles is SO short you can do this.
Mile 13: I still hurt but I picked it up for the finish. I was so glad to be done!

Probably not much. I think I had a strong run. If I didn't bonk I am pretty sure I could have at least run sub 2:10. And I have it in me to run ~ 2:00. I need to run some open-half marathons to get used to the distance. This was my second half IM and my second half marathon.

No blisters- no hot spots just a little sunburn.

Ice bath in 53 degree water with Jason.


Execution, pacing, and execution. The training is in me (well except maybe for the swim), but I need to get my mental game together.

Its good to have a sub-par performance every once in awhile because you learn alot from it!


I left out in my report how great it was to see people I knew on the course. Seeing Jason, probably my number 1 training partner because we have been riding together since last summer, was great. And having Nikki as a spectator was awesome as well. Other friends Bill, Ernie and Jean were great as well! And I got to meet Brad and Kristin on the course!

It was a good course but the post race food stinks. Chex mix fruit and oreos are not what I wanted. And Red beans and rice made me want to puke. And the one aid station that I asked for endurolytes said they didn't know what they were even though they were posted as on the site. It was a well run event and I enjoyed the course.