Spirit of Racine Half Ironman Triathlon - Triathlon1/2 Ironman

TIme includes wetsuit de-robing in the water.Bad idea. Big calf cramp. And lately even in training I have been really sucking at getting the damn thing off. Its like I need to be freakin Houdini or something. Overall I really had a good swim. I know my time is nothing special but I am swimming more relaxed and within myself and its taken me two solid years to have any kind of confidence in the water. All I'm thinking is I don't want to tax myself - I just want a good, solid, consistent swim to get me off and running (again the irony in that statement). My favorite part of the swim was for the first time ever I peaked behind me and there were two guys drafting me. And they stayed on for at least 400 meters. Only real trouble i had was rounding the last buoy and was, um, violated. Once by a dude and then really taken advantage of by a chick. Seriously I thought I should sit up and have a smoke or something.

Take the wetsuit off on the run up the beach.

Took more time than needed. Not sure why. I think I was relishing a little bit in my swim.

As I learned later my nutrition was far, far from optimal. I also found that I wasn't in good enough condition to keep that speed over that distance. I was good until 44. I kinda blew up in the last 12 miles. Had a hard time keeping my average and got passed a lot. Other notes: had a bit of brake rubbing and my chain came off - had to attend to both. Oh and what was with all the peletons out there. Lots of trains and drafting going on. And what happened to "on your left." Boy I remember back in the day when riders respected each other and we rode to school up hill both ways.

More miles in the saddle. And a new saddle. Um, ouchy. That's all I'll say to keep this PG.

Really wasn't myself in transition. Found my rack but freaked out about the run out and no one said anything despite my questioning aloud.

Know where the run out is. I'll get to all the other bad later.

Not being able to locate the run out should have been my first clue. I was in trouble from the first step. You know what? I don't want to get into it. It was really long and hard and my nutrition was off and at one point I couldn't even walk another step and just squatted down by the curb. Ran/walked the whole thing and walked straight through from 9-11.5. I did have an oasis moment from 6-7 where I felt really good. Like all the pain went away. I actually ran that mile in 7:30 but crashed even harder soon thereafter. Big, big thanks to jmcelroy who let me latch on for the last little bit of my run. Thanks Josh.

Um, I don't know, not wear black socks.

Refuse help from the medic. Still refuse help from the medic. Again, refuse help from the medic and then get me a cookie or two.


Nutritional ignorance. I will admit here publicly, jschmitchicago you are correct and I need to take pay closer attention to my nutrition and listen when my wife gives me advice. I am not crash proof. I vow to become a student of my nutrition.


Awesome volunteers. I wish there was a better way to thank them other than in passing. Seriously they help us and pick up after us and its just because they want to be out there. Very cool. And props to all the other BTers. Suffering is much more fun in the company of friends.