EagleMan Ironman 70.3 Triathlon - Triathlon1/2 Ironman

There is some chop (it is the Choptank River) but nothing like last year. I keep drifting to the right, which I know I do cause I do it in the pool. I get so far right at one point that I almost swim into a girl in a kayak (one of the safety people). She's waving and yelling at me to go the other way. Um...ok. Any way that was the theme of the swim, drift right. Make the turn and start the leg home. Chop is a little worse out here in the main part of the river but the current is with us I think (still seems hard to me). The Choptank is a salt-water tidal river but we are between tides so that's cool! Take in plenty of salt-water during the swim! So I probably didn't need that salt pills. Finally see the boat ramp where we exited and climb out of the water.
Look at my watch as I cross the timing mat and it says 37:12. Holy cow I was hoping for 42-44 minutes. In 2005 I did the swim in 50:XX and last year in 46:XX.

practice swimming in the OW

decent trans...felt good leaving T1

not much

Mount the bike, wave to the kids and head out. My left butt-cheek, and both hips are killing me, think of Michele and 'suck it up princess' and start cranking up the speed. After about 5 miles the sore hips and rear-end are non-issues. Still not sure why they hurt from the swim...must be getting old. There is a light wind on the course but nothing bad at all. Get into the aerobars and just go. The course is basically a big 56 mile loop of country roads and also goes through the Blackwater Wildlife Refuge home to 100 or so bald eagles (didn't see any). Around mile 20 I catch my friend John who is a much better swimmer than I am but I've been biking 5-6 days a week since January and it pays off. I keep my HR in the 150-155 range. That is my 'I can bike for a long time and still have a chance at running range'. I realize my speed is faster than in the past and wonder if I should back off a little and save something for the run. Decide I'm in a good HR range, my body feels good and I'm not working too hard and just decide to ride and have fun. Also I was taking in plenty of liquid nutrition and my cadence was right around 95 where I like it. Get passed by a decent number of younger swim groups on their fancy bikes drafting big time (that's a no-no). Anyway get about a mile from the end and shift to an easier gear and spin more to get the legs ready for running. See the fam hanging out and cheering and waving signs. Finish up the bike in 2:37:13 (21.5 mph - last year was 19 mph) and realize my goal of breaking 5:30 is pretty much in the bag unless I totally blow-up on the run. Start thinking maybe I can get 5:15.

nothing

get speed laces

Head out for the run which takes me through all the bikes and around the back of the transition area. See Sam and all the kids again. Head out on the run. It's now in the low 70's but still partly cloudy and pretty comfortable out. I just run by feel and try and take it easy. Check my splits at mile two and it's a 8:15 pace which is a little fast. I'd like to run around an 8:30 pace. Back it down a bit. It's an out and back run. So since I started early I get to see the male and female winners running back in which is cool. Make the turn around in good shape. Get to the 7 mile mark and realize I have around 52 minutes to run just under 10k and I can break 5:15:00. I just focus on running easy and not doing anything stupid. (I know - hard for me) Get to the 10 mile mark and I have 27 minutes to run a 5k and get my new goal. I must have slacked off a bit the last few miles. I increase my effort a little bit. Get to mile 12 in good shape. At around a ½ mile to go I pick up the pace to finish strong. I see Sam and the kids near the finish line and give them high-fives. Finish the run in 1:52:37 for an 8:36 pace. Finish in 5:14:04 for a 37 minute pr. I have a mild regret that I didn't push it a little bit more on the run. I think I could have run a few minutes faster; of course today (Monday) I'm only a little sore unlike years past when I could barley walk.

push the run pace more

walked around and drank some recovery fluid


my fear of blowing up


Love this race. Well run!