LongHorn Triathlon Festival - Half Iron - Triathlon1/2 Ironman


View Member's Race Log View other race reports
Austin, Texas
United States
EndorFUN SPORTS
92F / 33C
Sunny
Total Time = 5h 58m 51s
Overall Rank = 216/728
Age Group = M 30-34
Age Group Rank = 41/83
Pre-race routine:

Rolled out of bed at 4:40 to allow enough time to get dressed and eat something before leaving the house and heading out to Decker lake. I have been having problems with my pre-race meal, in that I simply can't choke down a bagel anymore. This time I decided to try one glass of Accelerade, a banana, and two pieces of buttered white bread. The bread still sucked and was hard to choke down. I need to find something else to eat without too much fiber. I don't need to spend too much time in the pre-race port-o-cans.

I got to the park in plenty of time. The last two races I've done were a bit rushed to get into ad out of transition before the gun went off so I made sure I had plenty of time. I rolled into the park a few mintues before 6 and the race started at 7:30. I listened to my ipod and just relaxed before the big day. This was my first half-iron so I didn't need anything to mess my mind up before the race. I drank water and had a HoneyStinger just before leaving transition to start the race to make sure I replaced the calories that had already digested and to ensure I had enough to get me through the long swim.
Event warmup:

Not much - just some stretching and a little jog. I walked down the hill to look at the swim course so I knew where I'd be going.
Swim
  • 54m 8s
  • 1931 meters
  • 02m 48s / 100 meters
Comments:

I really thought the swim was good. It was long and not having a wetsuit really slowed me down. But I am a really weak swimmer so my expectations were not much. I was able to sight well and swim free the whole way without any breast or back recovery so that was good. I never got off course like I have in the past so I didn't have to deal with that mental aspect of knowign I'm swimming futher than I have too.
What would you do differently?:

swim faster
Transition 1
  • 02m 48s
Comments:

I planned on taking three enduralytes and some water in T1 which I did. I think I planned on having a Stinger as well, but I have no recollection whether that happened or not. I loaded up my pockets with pills and Stingers, got into my shoes and helmet and heading out.
What would you do differently?:

Not sure yet. My time was good.
Bike
  • 2h 53m 13s
  • 56 miles
  • 19.40 mile/hr
Comments:

I felt great on the bike. I knew the course and I felt I could go fast without burning out because there were fewer and smaller hills than those I usually ride out west of town. I'm not sure if my HR was too high and I wasn't absorbing fluids well or I just drank too much, but I had to pull off for a pit stop around mile 45. Didn't take too long, but I hate stopping and losing time.

I had planned on taking one stinger and 3 Endurolytes every hour, but staggering them in 30 minute segments. I did this and thought it went well (until the run). I also made sure to drink and replace both bottles at the each of the four aid stations. At the last station I had not finished both bottles so I only grabbed a water as I had plenty of gatorade. Seeing as I had to stop to pee, I really wasn't concerned with not having enough fluids. At least I knew my kidneys were in good working order.
What would you do differently?:

I think next time I will take 3 Endurotyes every half hour as the heat was pretty intense and i found out on the run i needed more salt.
Transition 2
  • 01m 32s
Comments:

did this one fast and took my 3 pills.
What would you do differently?:

nothing
Run
  • 2h 07m 6s
  • 13.1 miles
  • 09m 42s  min/mile
Comments:

My quads were cramping pretty much from the atart and that lasted all day. I ran through it as best I could but I certainly walked more that I wanted to (which would have been none at all). I knew I was in trouble when I was climbing the last hill on the bike and saw that we had to run up that hill as well. I knew I was really in trouble when I saw a hard-core mutherfucker who was already on that hill and was walking up it.

I don't know where it happened, but I reached for my last 3 pills and the bag had fallen out of my pocket. Luckily they had them at the aid stations and I took them i at 3 stations. 3, 2, and 2.

Wearing a hat was a good idea because I put ice in there to keep me cool. Sticking with a visor would have been a mistake. I never overheated.
I went really slow, but in relation to what the rest of the competitors were doing, I surpised myself and ranked higher on the run than the bike. Usually, my bike rank is a few places higher than the run.

I had some more bladder issues and had to stop at a port-o-can. That was the hottest thing I have ever experienced. I got in and out and didn't cost myself too much time.

Nothing looked better all day than the 12 Mile sign.
What would you do differently?:

More enduralytes. I may have overhydrated becuase of the heat. I guess I would rather do that than underhydrate, but I think that led me to need more salt than I had.
Post race
Warm down:

Got the bottle, a towel and a burrito. I held the racks and let the volunteer take my chip off because I thought I would lose my balance trying to do it myself. I really felt fine, except that I was exhausted. The cramping slowly went away as I walked around, but I definitely knew I gave it everything I had.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

cramps

Event comments:

Great race. 1st HIM and loved it. Need to do more to improve. I gotta find some that allow wetsuits.




Last updated: 2007-10-11 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:54:08 | 1931 meters | 02m 48s / 100meters
Age Group: 79/83
Overall: 578/728
Performance: Average
Suit: shorts & top...no wetsuits allowed
Course: triangle - clockwise
Start type: Wade Plus:
Water temp: 85F / 29C Current: Low
200M Perf. Average Remainder: Average
Breathing: Good Drafting: Bad
Waves: Navigation: Good
Rounding: Good
T1
Time: 02:48
Performance: Good
Cap removal: Good Helmet on/
Suit off:
Wetsuit stuck? Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike: No
Getting up to speed: Average
Biking
02:53:13 | 56 miles | 19.40 mile/hr
Age Group: 45/83
Overall: 210/728
Performance: Good
Wind: Little
Course: Great course. Rolling hills, good roads.
Road: Smooth Dry Cadence: 90+
Turns: Good Cornering: Good
Gear changes: Good Hills: Average
Race pace: Comfortable Drinks: Too much
T2
Time: 01:32
Overall: Good
Riding w/ feet on shoes Average
Jumping off bike Below average
Running with bike Good
Racking bike Average
Shoe and helmet removal Good
Running
02:07:06 | 13.1 miles | 09m 42s  min/mile
Age Group: 31/83
Overall: 159/728
Performance: Below average
Course: Hilly. Did I mention it was HILLY? Brutal course. No shade and lots of hills.
Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall:
Mental exertion [1-5] 3
Physical exertion [1-5] 4
Good race? Yes
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? Yes
Post race activities: Good
Race evaluation [1-5] 5