Muskoka Ironman 70.3 - Triathlon1/2 Ironman

Swim start was a few yards out in the water so you could start from the beach or wade in a bit. I got into the water, got my face wet and just floated for the few minutes until my wave started (the waves were 6 minutes apart). After the horn blew I waited a few seconds to let any faster people get in there first. Then I just started swimming. The water was just a bit choppy but I had no problem with it. ( No panic or freakout like at ktown). I'm not good at drafting... every time I would get behind someone they would slow down and I'd have to go around. I think drafting works better if you are a faster swimmer as you are more likely to find someone who maintains a constant speed so you can stay behind them). After the second turn there was a long straight swim. I was just in the zone and it felt easy. I started passing people with yellow caps, and then some with white caps. Got to the finish and they had wetsuit strippers so the suit was off in seconds.

Nothing. I was worried about completing this swim. I'm happy with my time.

This was slow. After the swim we went up a big hill to get to transition. I walked up some of it. Once I got to my bike I grab my race number belt. They gave us two race numbers, one with our first name and one with our last name. For some reason I now thought I should wear the one with my first name so I pull it out of my run bag (not even sure why I brought both numbers with me to the race) and fumble with my race belt to change to the one with my first name. I'm sure that took at least a minute, probably more. I also had forgotten to remove the plastic bag off my seat that I'd TAPED on for overnight (like it would matter if my seat got wet ??????????) so I struggled with that to rip off the wet masking tape.
Finally got my shoes on and walk/runned my bike out to the start line.

Double check things before the race to make sure I don't waste time in transtion.

It was hilly. I tried to keep my cadence in the 90s on the flats but there wasn't much flat. I spent almost the whole time on my small ring and often in my lowest 2 gears to get up these hills.... there was no spinning up these hills for me. For miles and miles I kept seeing the same people... I'd pass them going up the hills, they'd pass me on the flats. I did fine with most of the hills. There were a couple long steep ones that I did stand for a few pedal strokes but I tried to stay seated.
Oh yes, there was also the rain. It rained pretty much the whole time I was on the bike. At times it rained so hard that it stung my face.. I'd try to get right down low on the downhills in the pouring rain.
Our ride was 58 miles long. For about the last 8 miles I was starting to struggle. On the uphills my quads above my knees were cramping. I was talking to myself, out loud, saying things like "you can do this, just 3 more (2 more, 1 more) hills, just pedal, don't cramp". The other riders must have thought I was crazy if they were listening. On the last really big hill about halfway up the cramps started and I could barely push down on the pedals.... about 20 feet from the top I had to stop and walk to the top. I felt really bad for doing that but I just couldn't pedal. At the top I leaned my bike against a mailbox and stretched my quads for a minute. I had no more cramps this day. The last 5 minutes of my ride it rained hard. I was glad to get off the bike.

I think the cramping was just a lack of bike fitness. I don't think I could have done anything different this day. I don't think I started too fast or pushed too hard. I just need to do more bike miles for better endurance and more long hilly rides.

It poured rain while I was in T2. I was trying to figure out how to put my socks on my wet feet and keep the socks dry... whatever, they were wet within minutes of running in pouring rain anyway. Then removing the Garmin from the bike and putting in on my arm and pushing the buttons...not sure why I even had it on the bike.

Don't try to think about things.. just do it without thinking about it.
Leave the Garmin with my running shoes and just put it on for the run.

I started my run in the pouring rain but feeling pretty good. My legs felt fine. I grabbed some Gatorade at the first aid station. About a mile into the run I got a stitch under my ribcage on the right. I tried the forced exhale, pushing on the spot, the exhale with the right footstep. I walked up a big hill. I ran slower, I ran faster. Nothing was helping. Just before mile 5 at an aid station I took pepsi... then I stopped to use the portapotty..when I pulled my shorts down I pulled on my race number and ripped it off on one side. Ever try pulling up soaked shorts when your legs are soaked too... not easy. But I got them up. I come out of the porta potty and there are some volunteers at a corner just ahead. I stopped and one of them had a small jackknife so I made a new hole in my race number, reattached it to the belt and then off I ran. And the stitch was gone. I was feeling good now... running slow but running. We're now on a flat stretch along the highway. We cross the highway and get on the fairy trail which is, theme of the day, hilly. But nice, as it goes through a woods and is away from traffic. Then we cross over the highway again and run along another hilly sideroad. At about 15km we pass in front of the transition area and then run the last 5km on the golf course. And not only is this hilly but we now have to run on these golf trails that are slanted and some of it is gravel, some paved, and some brick. I have pretty much had enough of these hills and I started walking more of them. My pace slowed to 13:xx in the last 5m. But I finished the last km running and saw my hubby as I ran down the finish chute.
On this last 5 km on the golf course I heard a lot of comments from people. A few of my favorites:
"This is the hardest thing I've ever done in my life"
"I'm never doing this race again"
"I'm coming back next year"
"This is a f---ing nightmare"

I really slacked off on my running over the summer.
More miles, and train more on hills next year.

My hubby met me at the finish. Got my medal, my hat and my ugly race tshirt. Walked up to the resort and got a bag of food. The shuttles to the parking lot were taking forever so I got on my bike and biked to the parking lot to get the car, then came back and picked him up.


The HILLS.


Despite my slow time I loved the challenge of this race. The venue was beautiful. There were hundreds of volunteers out in the rain all day and the whole area catered to the athletes all weekend.
I'm planning to do this race again next year.