MightyMan Montauk - Triathlon1/2 Ironman

This was my first race in the QR full suit and I liked it. Started out nice and easy and kept a steady pace, never did get a god draft going and ran into some people in the first 200 yards or so. Water was nice temp and I could see people in front of me at all times so sighting was easy. Each wave was 2 minutes apart so quickly caught some slower swimmers from early waves. Turned left and into the sun...hard to see & had to stop 2 or 3 times to make sure wasn't going off course. Next thing I knew could see the highrise near swim start and just kept that to my left.

nothing.

Being my first 1/2 I took my time. didn't wear shirt in water as wanted a dry shirt for 56 miles and cool at race start. I took in a gu, struggled with shirt, put on socks, helmet, sunglasses and gloves (decided to wear these as have in all my long bike rides).

Wear my shirt in the water. No gloves and take the gu when on the bike.

Being dark in transition I forgot to reset my bike computer & when I started off it wasn't working. I didn't want to ride for 56 miles blind so I dismounted...found the sensor had twisted, spun it back reset the computer and off I went. Hill at mile 1 and I climbed it fairly easy. Ate 100 calories every 20 minutes and tried to drink every 12 minutes. Got confused a couple of times but was feeling pretty good.

Out to the lighthouse at mile 10 and there was Karen, Vanessa, Hot Tamale, SIL & MIL to cheer me on. Made it back to 28 miles in about 1:36 Had a good second loop and almost the same pace, back out to the lighthouse and see Karen, SIL & MIL and then see Hot Tamale & Vanessa a few hundred yards down the road and they aren't seeing me. I yell to them and they cheer me on. I head down the road and am actually passing some riders...woohoo. Feeling strong.....there goes the Range Rover blowing the horn and yells out the window...great for motivation and Vanessa is playing tank commander and standing out of the sunroof & I notice she has painted her face with a blue TC on oneside and Mdot in red on the other side. SO COOL!

They go ahead every few miles, park hoot and holler for me and then move ahead again. Hard to slow down with such great support so I press on. Run out of water with about 4 miles to go...That kinda sucked, Vanessa was holding out a bottle with about 1 mile to go, but I didn't want to stop so close to the end and grab it. Second loop around 1:38.



Hit the water exchange and get new bottle after loop 1.

this is where I gave time away. I was going to change shirts, but then realised no pockets in the shirt I was going to wear. Stayed in the red Zoot shirt. Drank water to catch up from bike, dug through bag to find endurolites, grabbed 2 Gu's race belt and put on my yellow Mizuno's.

SEt out transition better, I was so worried about setting out the bike stuff i forgot about endurolites & Gu's for the run.

the tales of Two loops:

1st loop: Kept a steady pace and ran the entire loop. Noticed how disheartning it is at times when Relay runners go screaming passed. then I realized I beat their swimmer & biker, HA! I left t2 at 4:00 and some seconds and wanted 2:30 on the run for a 6:30 total finish time.
Hit 5 miles at 56:40 which was ahead of my 1 hour pace I wanted. First loop completed in 1:15:48 but knew I was starting to slow and those hills would be tough. Rookie mistake, I wore my new Mizzuno's and feet starting to blister at about mile 7. Was hoping Karen would drive by as I had my asics in the back & would swap them out. (Found out later they were having lunch as they were beat from cheerleading). Continued on & walked the hills. I figured I could walk them almost as fast as running them. did this with each and then ran when hit the tops. stopped at water stops and then Quads were dead, feet were killing me, but I only had about 2 miles to go. Ran 3 minutes walked 1 for a few times and then saw the White Rover heading towards me. It was just Karen and she said I looked great (she was lying cause I felt like shit) and I told her my feet were killing me. she asked if I wanted the other kicks but with 1 mile left I said no. continuted down the road at about 13 minute pace (felt like 20 minute pace) and saw the crowd with about 10th of mile to go. Was so glad to be done and get out of those shoes.

Woo-Hoo I had just completed my first 1/2 Ironman.

Body glide my feet. Wear the shoes I had done several long runs in without a problem.

Going into the race I really thought I would be around 6:40 total time. After a good swim and faster than I expected bike I really thought i could get 6:30. After the first 6.5 loop I was on target time, but knew I couldn't keep the pace to get 6:30. Happy with my performance, will learn for the next one and continue to improve.

I had fun, appreciated all the support and thanked many volunteers & police out on the roads.

Oh & I had Snowgirl and Luv2ride on the bike and they kept me going. If I started to slow...I'd say "Come on Pansy" you can do this. (Hee,Hee).

On the run I had Waterdog, RNC & Enginerd but after the halfway point I had to tell them to go ahead without me...as I was havig problems...they would never leave me if they were pacing me for real, but today I insisted they go on.

Thanks to all! You BTers were all in my thoughts throughout the day.