Mooseman Triathlon Festival - Half Iron Distance - Triathlon1/2 Ironman

Newfound Lake is the most beautiful lake I have ever had the pleasure of swimming. Crystal clear and smooth. I started front and slightly to the right of the buoys because I tend to drift left. I found a great pair of feet and drafted all the way to the first turn buoy. Then I was warmed up and ready to kick it up a notch. I found a new pair of feet and latched onto those until the second turnbuoy. I was feeling absolutely fabulous, so I took off for the beach. Three stroke breathing, powerful pulls and straight as an arrow. This was my best OWS ever!!!

Settle into 3 stroke breathing from the get go. I started out breathing every stroke until I got warmed up.

This was my first time with wetsuit strippers. They kind of looked at me and finally one of the boys (they were all tweens) said "you need to lay down, m'am." Dope. So I laid down and they did the rest. Suit didn't get stuck:) I took the time to pull on my toe socks before grabbing my bike and running out.

Not be a dork in the wetsuit stripping area.

Keep in mind, my coach told me to race the swim and the bike like I didn't have to run. SO I went out aggressivley on the first loop. I felt great. I was passing people right and left. These were the roughest roads I have ever ridden on in my entire life. New Hampshire winters take their toll on the pavement. Mooseman is a cool race because when the going gets tough, the RD has signs and music going so you can try to keep your mind off of suffering. My first trip up the "devil" hill was great. No problems. I stayed seated, put it into an easy gear and spun up. Then, boom, I charged down the decent. Something funny happened towrd the end of the first loop. It started getting really hot. And the sun shone down in all its glory. And a breeze kicked up. Did I mention, it was really hot? Being from SC, this was ok at this time because these were the exact conditions I had been training in for weeks. I had brought four bottles on board and had already downed one and a half at this point. No problems. By the time I started the second loop, I wasn't nearly as enthusiastic about climbing. This course was either up or down, no flats. And it was hot, if I haven't mentioned that;) Did the devil hill again and told myself it was all downhill from here (liar). Next water bottle hand off zone, I sit up and take a gel after cresting yet another hill and as I'm beginning the descent, I see a guy go down hard in the road ahead of me. Two other guys immediately pulled over to assist. The racer was unable to sit up and I fear he broke his clavicle. But every one moves to the side, I finish the descent and reach behind me to pour my third water bottle in my aero bottle. It is not there. After I drained my aero bottle the first time, I started pulling the back bottles to refill. I knew the chances of ejecting a bottle would be pretty high on these rough roads. Unfortunately, the bottle I ejected was the full one. The empty one was snug in my Arundel carbon cage. No worries. I pulled the bottle from my down tube and dumped half into the aero bottle. Next aid station, I took some gatorade endurance and topped off the aerobottle. So my hydration did not suffer from this incident. When I climb, I try to stay aero. Of course, when it gets really steep, I will sit up so my back gets a break. By the last 15 miles of this course, I was sitting up alot. My right IT band had started talking to me. It told me it did not like to climb in the aero position. It also tried to tell me to aim for the potholes so that I could flat and thus DNF the race and not run. I tried to put these notions in the back of my head, but as the bike course finish was quickly approaching, these thoughts came out to play more and more.

I don't think I would do anything differently in this situation. Had I been 100 percent healthy and properly trained on the run, I would have been less aggressive on the bike.

My hubby was cheering me on in T2 and I yelled at him "I wish I didn't have to run" as I left the transition area.

Switch to Aquabike so there would be no T2 and that other part that follows after T2.

Where do I start? I guess I'll start with the Plan. The Plan for this run was to do an easy jog, walking every aid station drinking and eating as needed. I grabbed some ice cold sponges on the way out of transition, stuck them in my shirt and I was off to finish my half ironman. Immediatley, people are passing me. They are not following my Plan. They are not doing the easy jog. I smile and cheer as the smoke around me. Up on the road, I look longingly at Newfound Lake. It is so cool and inviting. I could just throw myself off the road and into the lake. No. Not yet. That can wait. Oh look! Mile 1 is done. Yippee. Still easy jogging and smiling, I see the elite folks coming back in from their run. They are not smiling. They look bad. Pain is on their faces. I cheer them and tell them they look fantastic. I'm such a giver:) Yay. Here is an aid station. I walk, replace my sponges with new ones, drink some gatoreade, enjoy the music and moose horns, throw out my cup, then start the easy jog again. The Plan is working. The Plan gets me through the turnaround point (mile 3). I easy jog even the hills. Did I mention it was hot? And that I was getting passed like crazy? Suddenly, I find myself on the road back toward transition and there is no shade. It's prett hot. I have to go to the bathroom. My right foot is hurting. My armpits are chaffing. ANd suddenly, I am in whine and pity mode. I'm on vacation. Eff this!!! So I walk. And my smile returns. People console me as they pass me. "You are having a rough day" Sort of. But this is my choice. I walk and I walk and I walk. I pretty much walk 2.5 miles. I am limping now. When I got sprayed by the nice spectators and volunteers, my shoes got wet. So did my socks. Blisters are forming on my right toes. And they hurt like he double hockey sticks. Believe it or not, running makes them feel better. So I pick up the easy jog back into transition and make the dreaded turn toward "Second loop" instead of "Finish". I spy a port a potty. Like 6 porta potties. Right there on the race course. So I figure, since I'm on vacation, why be uncomfortable and primitive. I enter and do my business. I was afraid that my hammies would cramp when I sat down, but apparently I had not put forth enough effort for said cramping to occur. So I was on my merry way. I ate a couple of orange slices at the table on the way out of transition got sprayed with sunscreen, and I was easy jogging again. The Plan was still salvageable! Well this did not last long. It didn't even last to the first aid station. I was walking again. I walked and walked and walked. I was not alone. There were many others walking toward me finishing their first loop. We all looked the same. Hot, miserable, wondering what the hell we were thinking doing this race. I ried to easy jog again, but here is a hill. I will walk that. OK easy jog to the turnaround. Walk another aid station. Oh look! Mile 10. Out of curiosity, I look down at my watch. I am at 5:02. Holy crap! If I can maintain 10 minute miles for the last 5 K, I can pull off a 5 and half hour race. A hill is approaching. The theme from Jeopardy starts to play in my head. I decide, it is not worth it. I will do my best, but I will not be crippled for the rest of my vacation for this race. It's gonna be what it's gonna be. I catch up with a guy from Boston. He tells me "It hasn't been this hot this early in June since 1973". Lucky me. We start to run together. He wants to do 10 minute miles so he can make 6:15 for his total time. He is excited to hear that I have a good chance at coming in sub 6. We run to the next aid station. We walk, drink and start to run again. He is determined. It is freaking hot. I tell him good luck and walk some more. My flippin' right foot hurts. The lake looks especially inviting. That will be my reward for finishing. Playing in that beautiful lake. Looky looky! It's mile 12. I run and know that I will not stop running until I cross the finish line. People are cheering me on as they are heading out on their second loop. I thank them and tell them they will be finishing soon. I see go down the dirt hill toward transition. I see the signs. This time, I get to take the "Finish" route. The guy in the dress with the antlers calls out my name and the fact that I'm from SC and I raise my arms in a double fisted salute. Yes, Pamela, you are a Mooseman!!! And in under 6 hours!!

Obviously, run more. I was a real weenie during this half mary. But, I could walk and enjoy my vacation with my family. After my first HIM when I went 5:27 (on a less challenging course), I could barely walk the next day. And I couldn't run for over three months. I am hoping with this week's break and maybe a couple more, I can return to running and salvage the rest of my season. If not, oh well. There is always Aquabike:)

I stretched, and got in the lake. I talked to KathyG from BT. She had done the bike leg for Team Hippo. It was so nice to have a friend to talk to even though I was racing 1100 miles from home.


Heat, IT issues, lack of run training, hills, mental weenieness. I am giving this a high physical effort level for the swim and bike portions. I was on vacation during the run.


This was a blast! It was the largest triathlon I have ever competed in. And it was very well run. I highly recommend doing a travel race. It was so cool to race in a completely different environment and meet new people. I am very proud of my efforts on the swim and bike. Maybe one day I will get to do a half ironman and be completely healthy and trained for the run.