Ironman 70.3 Florida - Triathlon1/2 Ironman

This was a good swim for me. I don't swim very fast, and have been struggling this year. My last half iron swim was 42:20 at Miami Man so this was over 3 minutes better. I felt confident and strong in the water at all times. I would grab some fast feet, stay on 'em and then when I felt strong enough, pass by. By the time I got to the first turn buoy at about 1000m, I was already passing people from the wave ahead of me. As I swam I had my little virtual Mimi telling me to swim faster, remember your stroke, remember your rotation! It definitely helped. By the time we hit the turn for the shore, I was inamongst swimmers from 4 different waves. I was passing people who had been swimming since 7:06! So for me, this was great. I did get passed a few times, but for the most part, all I did in the swim was pass people. That's a good feeling. It gave me a good confidence boost. I vowed not to look at my watch until the end of the swim. But I looked at it around halfway between the last turn buoy and the shore. I smiled when I did though. Upon putting my feet down on the ground close to the exit I looked at my watch and it said 38:50! I was very happy! And I didn't know that I'd swum an extra 300yds either!

Nothing...this was a good swim. All things being equal, I'd have beaten my best half iron swim time of 37:38...but this swim was long.

The run from the beach to the TA was at least a quarter mile long. People were walking! I ran by them all. We came into transition right by my rack so quickly that I actually ran by it! Only bypassed it by one rack though. Went back, and did all the normal stuff. Swigged Gatorade, helmet and sunglasses on, shoes on, grabbed bike and headed out. The TA was very long too, so it was quite a run to the bike exit and then out to the mount like. If this were a normal transition, it would have only taken me a minute or so. I wasn't out of breath either so that's good. I did forget to put on my Biofreeze though. I'm sure that affected my bike time.

Nothing.

The bike started out great! I was passing everyone in sight. Averaging about 22mph. I figured I'd be able to do this or something similar the whole way, except for the hills. My nutrition plan was being executed well. But as I hammered, my back pain started to creep in. By Mile 20, I was in full-on cramp mode. I had to keep getting out of aero to stretch out. I saw Bridget around Mile 25, she looked good! Around Mile 30, I actually got off the bike so I could twist my back. I had just passed by Wendi but when I was off the bike she passed me by and asked if I was OK. I told her I was having back problems. Got back on teh bike moved forward again. By Mile 35, it was dark and cloudy. Suddenly...RAIN!!! Lots of it. Downpour. I tried to stay in my target speed range, but it was difficult. My back was hurting and I couldn't see.

I still kept up my nutrition plan and felt strong, except for the back pain. Once the rain stopped, the hills came. They were tough, but actually as I climbed, my back hurt less. My legs were strong and I powered up the hill, passing by a bunch of people struggling up them. We climbed three large hills. I felt good about my hill climbing ability. Soon I came up to Mile 40. I was happy. It had stopped raining. My back still hurt but I knew I had less than an hour to go by then. This is when all the automotive traffic kept holding us back. Having to snake by cars at traffic lights and then head onto a sidewalk which forced us all to do about 13mph really slowed me down and killed my average. I'd held onto 20mph until Mile 45. After that, it was pretty flat, but I was relegated to doing the rest of the ride sitting up, resting my hands on my elbow pads cuz I just couldn't get back down in to aero anymore. It hurt too much. I was able to keep up 19 and 20 on the flat parts, but wind gusts would slow me down now and then. About 3 miles from the bike finish I chowed down on a PBJ uncrustable. It was very good.

I started to realize the bike course was long when I passed the 56 mile mark and I wasn't even in the resort yet! Very demoralizing. I was hoping for a 2:45, then a 2:48, then I figured on 2:50, but it wound up being 2:53 by the time we got back. Bike course was long by an entire mile!!

I jumped off, ran my bike into transition and was done with it.

Not have back pain. Nothing else.

Quick and easy. Everything was wet, but I was soaked already so it didn't matter. Just slipped the Newtons on, threw my helmet and sunglasses off, and put on my Newton visor. I was all Newton'd up!!

Nothin.

I shot out of transition on my way to what I thought would be a superb run. I felt strong, my back hurt a bit, but now that I was upright it didn't really affect me. I saw Terri and Brian both cheering for me as I exited transition. I smiled and waved. I got a big rush from seeing them there. I made my way along the path, out around the resort and finally onto the grass. I figured I could keep a decent pace. I was passing everyone in sight. I passed about 10 or 12 guys in my age group in the first couple miles. Only two people passed me on the entire run. One about 2 miles in, he was in my AG, and one about 9 miles in, a 52 year old. That's it. The two miles on grass were crazy hot. The one cool part was that the Newton people were out on the back of the course cheering all the Newton runners. That was cool! Aid station had plenty of supplies but there were so many runners that they just couldn't keep anything in their hands long enough. I came around to the end of the first loop and saw Terri and Brian again. Another round of pictures and smiles and I was on my way to lap 2. I saw Mimi around a half mile into my second loop, she said she wasn't feeling great, but she looked strong. I saw Wendi right after that as well. Back onto the grass. I just tried to lower my head and push forward. I was still just flying by people. Water and Gatorade at aid stations and gel from my pouch when I needed it. I saw Christine out on the grassy berm, we waved and smiled. Around 6 miles in, I saw Rob. He was about a half mile ahead of me. I just pushed along, trying to get thru the heat and crowds. Around Mile 8, I caught up with Rob, he said he wasn't feeling good. But I gave him some encouragement and pushed on ahead. I was still passing guys in my age group. A little less often this time but that told me that there weren't many more to pass. Back to the loop ending, another round of pictures. Flew into and out of the aid station and headed out. Now I was slowing down. I was tired. IT WAS HOT. BURNING HOT. My body was fatiguing, I could feel myself tightening up, my back pain was resurfacing. I was dreading that last grass segment. When I got back out there, the heat was just nothing short of brutal. I just tried not to think about it and just told myself in 20 minutes you'll be back on pavement. Around Mile 12, I saw Bridget...she looked strong. She said she was struggling, but her form and pace looked good. She was passing people too. After I passed her, it was only about 5 minutes before I'd be back on pavement again. I took the opportunity to pass more guys in my AG in the last couple miles but I kept telling myself that I was probably just lapping them and not to work so hard, I'm already in front of them. Who cares though, I just wanted to be done so I ran faster. I just pushed hard. I passed Christine again, but didn't even know it was her until she cheered for me as I ran by. So I waved and went on. I was in a daze already. I got to the Mile 13 marker and I thought, yay, almost there. But then I kept running and running and running...my Garmin said 13.1, 13.2, 13.3...I was still running! When it got to 13.4 I was finally at the turn for the finish chute. There were people in my way...WALKING!! I yelled ON YOUR LEFT ON YOUR LEFT ON YOUR LEFT!!! They weren't budging...so I pushed past them. Sprinted up that chute and under the finish arch. My Garmin said 13.51 when I finished. GRRR...so all three legs of the race were long.

I think I could have pushed harder and ran faster. But given the circumstances, maybe nothing. Not sure.

This is where it gets fuzzy. After getting my medal, shirt, and hat, I walked toward the chute exit and Terri and Brian were waving. Sue came up and grabbed me and kinda focused me and brought me out of my daze. We walked over to the chute exit and joined Terri and Brian. Got some water from Sue (she was my savior...I was so parched) and Brian gave me some Diet Mountain Dew. He rocks. Then I had to sit down cuz I was gonna fall down if I didn't.

After Terri and Brian left, I waited for Bridget to finish and we saw Christine finish too.


My back (on the bike) and HEAT (on the run). Other than that, I think the race went pretty well for me. I think I've got a much faster 70.3 in me though. For sure.


IM brand events are usually top notch. Except for the pain-in-the-ass transportation that being at Disney lends, this is an awesome race. Very well organized and fun. They just need to work on making the course a TRUE 70.3, not a 71.9. I'll do it again though.