Rockman Half Ironman - Triathlon1/2 Ironman

Was planning on being in the first third of the group at the start. In hind sight was glad I wasn’t as I’m still not comfortable in the chop that is a mass of arms flailing around. There were plenty of people who were on the wrong side of the specified bouy line at the start that I think the RD, in the effort to get a 7am start, let it be. No big deal.

About 50 feet from the first turn, I was about 30 feet left of the bouy and I need to be to the right to go around it. So change course to get around it when I probably could have swam straight to it and did a touch turn. After that I felt good with sighting. Was able to take in some vegetable nutrition on the swim as I was catching weeds on the arms, shoulders and once across the mouth as I turned to breathe. Had some issues with water in the goggles that frustrated me as I don’t have issues when I pool swim. On the back stretch I stopped to empty the goggles and found it was shallow enough to stand up, so I did. Got the goggles emptied and off I went (only about 3 second stop).

On the second lap and coming into the second bouy I felt the bladder (Oh please pee in the water so I don’t have to stop at the bathroom, or while on the bike). Rounded the bouy and still nothing. Just before the last turn….ahhhhhhhhhhhhh….thank you.

Exited that water and looked at the watch. Approx 40min 30 sec. (time logged for this and all segments are based on my watch, bike computer, estimating transition, and subtracting from total race time to find run time.) Was happy with the swim time and saw my dad as I run up to transition.


I learned that I could have picked up that pace a bit, especially on the second lap.

Think I need to train like this guy to get more comfortable and confident in swimming with people right next to me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3S0wu4Zbfk

Once I got to the bike, a quick rinse of the feet (have a water bottle just for that) and a pat dry then socks on. After standing up from putting socks on took about a 5 second pause as my head was still a bit swimmy. Sun glasses on, eye glasses (in a case) in the back pouch of the tri top, helmet on and off I go. Shoes already clipped in. Got on the bike fine, feet on top of the shoes and started to pedal. Did manage to get both feet in the shoes before the immediate downhill/uphill out of transition but had to take a few attempts with each foot.

Note: Brought the eye glasses as a backup as I lost a contact once on a training ride and had to finish with one contact and if that happened and had to have along ride with one contact that would have brought on a huge headache.


Not much. I do the mount with shoes on the bike when I do training rides and seem to catch my foot in the shoes on the first attempt. For races I seem to miss a few times. Keep practicing.

Started with one bottle of water and Heed each. Waited until 15 minutes into the ride to start taking in any fluids. Started with water and at 30 minutes took a Hammer Gel and kept with water intake. At the first aid station, I dropped the water bottle and shouted for water. About 5 feet from the first person she shouts, “Water up front!” Now my brain isn’t processing that. “Water HERE!” or “I’ve got water!” I would have understood immediately. Wasn’t till I was even with her that she waved a bottle feverishly while shouting “WATER!” Me, CRAP!! So I grabbed the next bottle I saw and it was Heed. DANG IT!!! I had a Fluid/Nutrition plan I was following…until that point…and I had to adjust on the fly as I did not want to over sugar my stomach with Heed and Gel.

So for the next 15 miles or so till turnaround, I moved my fluid intake to about 20 minutes, and ate ¼ of a Clif Bar instead of a gel.

On this stretch, saw the first riders heading back at the 1 hr 12 min mark of my ride and saw COREDUMP a few minutes later and we each got out a quick, “HEY!!” to each other.

At the turnaround I made sure I got a water bottle and upon putting it in the cage…DROPPED IT!!! CRAP!!! I stopped that time as I was not going 15 miles again without water. Off bike, walk back to get it, and saddle back up. About a minute later saw SPEEDRACER heading for the turnaround. Had a woman passing me asking if I was on the BT site (as I was wearing a BT tri top). Ummm….Yes. Told each other our screen names and she asked me to keep up so we could ride together. No Thank You. I have a plan and if I deviate and go beyond it there will be nothing left for the run and told her to have a good ride as she pedaled on.

More water, half a gel, and an endurolyte.

Hit the aid station at Free Church Road, got another water bottle, turned the corner and was ready for the hills. Or so I thought. Half way up the first hill the legs gave out, could not pedal and I unclipped, stood up and thought my thighs were going to lock up. Managed to walk to the top, saddle up and finish the rest of the hills without walking. I came into Free Church Road averageing 18mph. Arrived at transition at 17.2 avg (per bike computer). Over the last 13 miles the thighs revolted and decided to file their resignation. That left the hamstrings (and the upstroke of the pedaling) to get me over the remaining rollers. I was in 2nd gear and doing 13-16mph over that last stretch.

Arrived at transition with the time I expected, just not the condition I expected.

Coming in saw HANGLOOSE and WHIZZZZ...later found out SCHMIZE was there also, and heard the COWBELL, gave Hangloose a high five as I rode by and for a moment forget all about the leg and back pain. THANK YOU ALL FOR THAT!!!!!

Note: Still, and thankfully, no constition while on the bike and no need to pee while riding, or having to stop to do so.


In hind sight, learned that I blew it on taking in sodium and potassium on the bike. Work on taking those early and at regular intervals, and learn how much my body needs. For water and food/gel intake I was happy and felt I did a good job in adjusting on the course after the first aid station considering that was the first time I had to make it up on the fly.

Was good at getting out of the shoes and coming to the dismount line with my feet on top of the shoes. Turned my left foot to much at the dismount line and popped the shoe off as I started to run. A nice volunteer told me to keep going and picked up for me. I was only 3 racks in from there. Thank you Mr. Volunteer. Rack, off with the helmet, take the glasses case out of the back pouch (thankfully they were not needed). Bent over the slip the shoes on and the back reminded me how sore it was from the ride and the thighs were quivering again. Collected my flask of gel and race belt and off I went. Actually, off I walked. I walked through transition in the hopes that small break would give the thighs time to consider coming back to work.

Expect not pop my shoe out of the cleat...Nothing.

Out of T2 and hoping the legs returned to work…they didn’t. Heard someone shout “I’m on BT also.” So said my screen name and asked hers. It was Miami-something (Looked it up later and it’s Miami9296). I was walking immediately and KNEW my goal of 6:30-6:45 was SHOT and it was ALL about finishing at that point. Got over the interstate and saw a local (very serious) triathlete and told him the legs were cramping and he gave me a handful of Endurolytes. I of course forgot to ask for a recommendation of how many and how often. So the 2 miles to the first aid I was a lot of walking, little running, and meeting people in similar situations (like Carlos, Dave, Angel, and Becky…who wanted to puke). Got the aid station at 2 miles and the same local triathlete was there (Thank you God!) so I shouted to him for help, “I’m cramping, help me get back on track so I can finish!! Please.” Since I was so behind on electrolyte replacement I told him to make a best guess. His guess was to take 4-5 endurolytes every 15 minutes, so they poured a bunch in a paper cup, I put that in my pocket and off I started to walk. Problem was that at the next time I was to take endurolytes, the only thing I had to choke them down with was a Hammer Gel. That caused some stomach issues. Hit the turnaround point (and the next aid station) and they had water bottles, so got one and had it refilled at every aid station after that. I kept with the walking and would run will the thighs started to cramp again. Stuck with the 4-5 every 15 minutes recommendation. The aid stations where I was hoping for bananas or oranges were out of both and I was trying to stay off the gel. Ended up taking another half a gel out of necessity. Hit the out and back into the camp ground and over that last 1/3 of a mile to the turnaround I jogged down the hills and nearly to the top of the next, would walk the crest of the hill and repeat. On the way out, coming up the last hill, felt like I wanted to puke and was bonking (never bonked so was guessing that is what it felt like). Mustered the determination to keep walking. Given my experience of passing out Friday morning while trying to puke, I was not about to force myself to try again. Made up my mind that the last 2-3 miles would be mostly a ‘victory walk.’ Hit the last aid station…they had banana’s….had half…and it was downhill from there to the interstate crossing so I mustered up a jog. Walked the hill and bridge over the interstate and all the way to the start of the parking lot. Along the way, athletes were leaving and I was HIGH FIVING everyone I could and saying something like, “Nice job Finisher!” Got to the parking lot and was determined to run it in from there…and did. SPEEDRACER was waiting for me with his sister and brother-in-law (and their kids) and was nice enough to get a picture crossing the finish line.

I raised my hands in personal VICTORY!!!!

Note: Still no constition while on the run and only one stop to pee and used the bathroom at the picnic area I was passing.


At that point I have no idea what I could have done differently. Was thankful I knew the volunteer was is a triathlete and was able to ask for an educated guess or I would have ended up sitting down and being carted off the course.

Overall, I’ll learn what my body needs for long term electrolyte replacement so I don’t ‘crash’ in that respect.

COLD WATER on the head and in the stomach, half an apple, and hit the tent for a few minutes to get out of the son. Got notied for the BT top again by BURNSIDE (Michael) and talked with him a bit.

After packing up in transitions was thankful that Speedracers’ family was there and two of his nephews helped us carry bags out. Did not feel like lugging that thing.

Got home and took a 10 minute ice bath. That was a first for me, but after all the reading on here about how much they help it was worth a shot.

The massage therapist I use makes house calls so at 5:30p she came over and I had an hour massage on the back and legs.



In case you missed it above, I completely screwed up on electrolyte replacement and didn't have the ability to really run the course.


This race was such a learning experience that can and will be applied to further race, to life, family and business goals.

A small part of what kept me going on the run course was that I had a co-worker who said I would not finish. I called him “Half a Dirt bag.” Another co-worker asked, “Why only Half a dirt bag?” “Because I’ll upgrade him to FULL dirt bag after I finish.”

The day before the race I wrote on my forearm the total swim yards, bike and run time I had put in for this race. By the run course it was nearly gone but I knew the numbers that were there. I would look was barely readable when I was having moments of doubt…and keep doing.

Although my wife was home with the kids and not feeling well, they WERE there at the finish line with me. I know she thought I was nuts while training for this AND at the same time she understood and supported me…even kicking me out of the house a few times to get in training. Jenn, you WERE there with me.

I don’t know when I’ll shoot for another Half Ironman again. It takes a lot of training and we just had our second child. Told Jenn that I would back down to Sprints and Olympic distances as that training I can fit in with our family. As I write this, the days removed from the race, part of me wants one more shot this season, while I’m able to build from here, as I KNOW I can do better. Don’t know if I’ll do that this year though. That will take some talking as it would eat into some family weekend time to get in long rides (3+ hours) and runs (2+ hours) to better prepare for each.

For all those who sent INSPIRES and ENCOURAGEMENT along the way, THANK YOU. You’ll never really know how much it is appreciated.

Note: At about 8:30pm I finally took my constitional exam. YEAH!!!!! (okay, all that mentioning was meant to be funny, since we know how important that is to take care of BEFORE a long event). Hope you got a laugh from it.

Pictures in the Album and looking forward to those Whizzzzz is sending.