Ironman 70.3 Florida - Triathlon1/2 Ironman


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Orlando, Florida
United States
Ironman North America Athlete Services
92F / 33C
Precipitation
Total Time = 5h 23m 31s
Overall Rank = 410/2300+
Age Group = 35-39
Age Group Rank = 83/351
Pre-race routine:

Set up my gear in the transition area. Mounted my bike on the saddle instead of horns, but otherwise same set-up as usual.
Event warmup:

Some light stretching for the shoulders and arms pre-swim.
Swim
  • 38h 49m
  • 2112 yards
  • 1h 50m 17s / 100 yards
Comments:

It was a good swim overall. I had to swim breast quite a bit, simply to get around people as the swim was CROWDED! I did feel a little beat as I exited the water, and wonder if this had anything to do with lack of sleep. I am also quite sure the course was a little long.
What would you do differently?:

Just practice, practice and practice to get faster.
Transition 1
  • 03m 27s
Comments:

It was a GIANT transition area (2300+ athletes), and the exit was one lane, so we stood in line waiting to get out, and wasted valuable time doing that. Also super crowded when mounting, and I was unable to get a totally smooth start as usual. Even dropped one of my water bottles because of the craziness.
What would you do differently?:

The events were unfortunately outside my control, so not a lot to do here.
Bike
  • 2h 42m 42s
  • 56 miles
  • 20.65 mile/hr
Comments:

The course was 58 miles long. I was beginning to slow down around 55.5, and then we kept going for another 1.5 miles. The final 1.5 miles were also on small roads, and impossible to go fast. We also got pummeled with rain, which at least was better than sun...
What would you do differently?:

Same as the swim. Practice, practice, practice so I can get faster and stronger.
Transition 2
  • 02m 33s
Comments:

As I arrived into T2, my stuff was completely drenched from the rain. I had to pour out water from my shoes, and it made getting socks on a little hard. I decided not to run with my Fuel Belt as there would be plenty of hydration on the course itself.
What would you do differently?:

Turn my shoes upside down so no rain can get inside. Simple, but logical.
Run
  • 1h 56m
  • 13.1 miles
  • 08m 51s  min/mile
Comments:

This one was the killer for me. I felt great on my first loop, but as I was ending it the insane heat and humidity really got to me and slowed me down like crazy. I decided to change my strategy and walk every aid station and pour ice down my back while drinking water/gatorade. It worked and got me through the race, but slowed me down a lot. The problem was that the rain we got on the rain was substituted with sunshine, which literally made the run in the forest like running in an oven.

I did however refuse to quit even though my body really wanted to, and that was an awesome feeling :)
What would you do differently?:

I really thought I had this part down. The run is my strong suit, but today that wasn't the case as I was 11 min's slower than what I predicted would be a slow run. I simply need to practice more, and next time just start the walks through aid stations from the first loop to preserve energy.
Post race
Warm down:

I had to hit the medical tent upon finishing. My core temparature was really high, and I had some crazy cramps in my quads. They wrapped me in ice cold blankets, and massaged my quads, while I drank two bottles of Gatorade. That really worked. Later on I stretched a a little, which was good. We also rode our bikes to the parking lot, which was 1.5 miles and wonderful.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

The heat and humidity really killed my run. I just need to practice it and get stronger. After all this was my third Triathlon, and I only started doing them 6 months ago with no previous athletic experience. So I would say that experience and training also limited me quite drastically...

Event comments:

This was a race worthy of the Iron Man pedigree. It was super well organized, nothing missing, and given the size really was quite impressive. It's a race that I would love to do again for sure.




Last updated: 2008-02-17 12:00 AM
Swimming
38:49:00 | 2112 yards | 1h 50m 17s / 100yards
Age Group: 122/351
Overall: 662/2300+
Performance: Good
Suit: Blue Seventy Point Zero Swim Skin
Course: Straight out, left and then back in about 500 yards from the starting point.
Start type: Wade Plus: Waves
Water temp: 81F / 27C Current: Low
200M Perf. Good Remainder: Good
Breathing: Good Drafting: Good
Waves: Navigation: Good
Rounding: Good
T1
Time: 03:27
Performance: Average
Cap removal: Good Helmet on/
Suit off:
Yes
Wetsuit stuck? No Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike: No
Getting up to speed: Average
Biking
02:42:42 | 56 miles | 20.65 mile/hr
Age Group: 131/351
Overall: 568/2300+
Performance: Good
Wind: Little with gusts
Course: No loops, just one long ride. Rolling hills and quite a few turns.
Road: Smooth Wet Cadence: 90
Turns: Good Cornering: Good
Gear changes: Good Hills: Good
Race pace: Comfortable Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 02:33
Overall: Average
Riding w/ feet on shoes Good
Jumping off bike Good
Running with bike Good
Racking bike Good
Shoe and helmet removal Average
Running
01:56:00 | 13.1 miles | 08m 51s  min/mile
Age Group: 83/351
Overall: 410/2300+
Performance: Below average
Course: 3 loops. Combination of very uneven grassy trails and bike trails.
Keeping cool Average Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 5
Physical exertion [1-5] 5
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