White Lake Half - Triathlon1/2 Ironman

not a bad swim, not a great swim. better than last year. thought my navigation was better, though still could use a lot of work. didn't feel I was out there that long.

learn to swim faster (like bostic or tzmitch)

not bad. a little trouble getting off the wet suit. sat down to put the socks on. Overall not bad, a little slower than last year.

nothing really

best ride I have had yet in any of the four 1/2's I have competed in, so that was a good thing. Set the computer for distance and cadence, so I did not know how fast I was going or heart rate. Pushed just past the comfort level. Passed a good number of people and got passed by others. Felt good the whole time. Drank every 2.5miles and some gel every 5 to 7 miles. Only took 2 salt pills.

push harder, bike more in preparation, take more salt pills in preparation for the run. It was just so pleasant that I didn't think I needed them.

good transition. had a red bull to give some energy, but more importantly to try and get some carbonation in me. Between the gels and the Inifit, my stomach usually needs a good few burps, so I thought this might help. I think it did. maybe should have carried it with me further, but I put down a half full can.

carry the red bull with me further.

well, the goal this year was not to walk on the run. I was going to take gels from the gel flask as needed at aid stations with water and salt tabs as needed. That plan worked until mile 10. Actually at mile 9, my stomach felt like the best thing that could happen was to throw up. But I couldn't make myself do it. At mile 10, the legs locked up. I walked approximately 2.5 of the last 3 miles of this race.

get some more solid stuff in me, or figure out how to get enough calories in to keep going. take more salt tabs. maybe take a gas-x pill or two with me to settle my stomach so I could burp. Nutrition issues are still killing me in the run, though they are coming later and later. That's an improvement right?

walked around, sat in the lake with Bostic, Stake and Chippy. walked bike and stuff back to house.


nutrition issues again. Also, not training for the past 4 weeks didn't help the situation.


Despite the disaster on the run, I had a great time. Now, this is of course 48 hours later. At miles 11-12, I was seriously thinking of not doing another 1/2 and limiting myself to olympic distance races. But, really I enjoy this distance. (I'm strange that way) As I told one of the aid station volunteers, we pay good money to feel this bad. Wish I was a better swimmer. The biking and the running I know I can do, but the swimming just isn't clicking.

I ran this race without a watch. I really think that helped. No issues of feeling like I was behind or anything like that. The only negative voices I had to battle were during the swim and the last leg of the run. I think I will do that at Duke as well. Just go race to the extent my body can handle it and see where we end up. I actually had fun not worrying about the actual time and just pushing myself. Without the 2.5 miles of walking, I beat last year's time handily. So, nutrition is still the puzzle I have to solve.
Had a great time with Bostic, Tri-n-NC, Chippy, Stake, Chris Hughes and TZMitch. Jenneunc, Chippy and OnefoottheOther were great cheerleaders. You guys don't know how nice that was to hear my name from the crowd.