NEW JERSEY DEVILMANTM HALF & SPRINT TRIATHLON - Triathlon1/2 Ironman

They really didn't think the start thru very well. One dock to get in an out. 4 waves, 2 for the sprint, 2 for the HIM, supposedly 3 minute between waves. The sprint waves go first, then the first HIM wave and the last wave had all the 40 and under men. The first two waves got off fine, then the thrid wave starts out and the sprint folks start coming in, they got the thrid wave off, but our wave ended up being delayed for about 10 minutes as the first two waves finished up (Or there was a large enough break to get us in the water). Barely had time to float to the line and get over the shock of the cold water and we were off. Started back and outside and it was pretty clean, don't think I got more than one good bump. I stayed to the outsde and diamonded my way through the first lap and did pretty good. Got into a good rhythem and went to town. The second loop I got way outside as I started sighting of the yellow kayak instead of the yellow buoy on the back stretch, so I added a good chunk but made up for tha with a great shortest line possible third lap going dead on the bouys. The end was weird having to sprint to the steps then wait and almost fall in cause the dock was pretty unstable and so was I.

Warm up. First swim with a wetsuit since Eagleman last year, so wasn't used to the extra float but I got the feel pretty quick. Good swim and a swim HIM PR by about 3 minutes.

After a long run from the lake to the transition area, I got my suit half way off, found my bike and then got my butt kicked by my wetsuit. Just couldn't get it off my right heal. Took a while but, I stayed very calm, loaded up with GU, sprayed on some sunscreen, put on my Arm Warmers (first time using them) and trotted off. Not pretty but actually faster than I thought given the strugles with the wetsuit.

Practice taking off the wetsuit and more body glide on the claves and ankles. As I said before I hadn't had a wetsuit on since June of last year.

The bike was a fun ride, being in the last wave, I didn't have too many speedsters starting behind me so only about 5-6 people passed me on the first 2 1/2 legs of the first loop. I got going and found a nice tempo on the first legs. Started drinking my GU20 every 15 minute and having a Gu every 30. Problem with the Team Zoot GU uniforms, the pockets are very small and I barely fit 6 GUs and had to work at stuffing the empties back in. After the start of the 3rd leg, I started to feel my left hamstring which worried me, but once I dropped to an easier gear and spun it let up. Only had 2 people pass me after the start of the 3rd leg of the first loop both of whom I had passed and would then repass. One of those guys was an older dude who really needed a new pair of bike shorts (they were quite see thru in the aero position) which was sufficient motivation to pick up the pace. The 4th eag was the hardest going into the wind and I slowed to 17 mph but tried to keep the effort steady and went with a high tempo and easy gear. Problem was I got down to the gears where the chain was rubbing. But I got thru that pretty well. First lap was about 1:24. Turning out of the wind was nice but the cross wind messsed with me especially as I tried to drink, but I got going and worked the little rollers on this stretch well. Finally, going to the down wind leg, I pushed the temp and averaged about 21-24 mph even going uphill, felt really good and wasn't working too hard, kept with it the 3rd leg and grabed some gatorade (had to toss one of my GU20 water bottles since the jersy doesn't have pocket large enough for a water bottle. Worked hard mentaly to keep the pace up on the final upwind leg maintaining 18 mph. A very good ride 1:27 on the 2nd loop and didn't feel bad. Long run from mount/dismount to the timing mat. Faster Split than Eagleman and about 8 min faster than last year.

Tune up my bike, adjust my position, and get some aerobars. That headwind just pounded home the message that aerobars can help alot or at least ease the mental factor.

Nice smooth transition, took my time grabed my 6th gel from the bike and ate it. Grabed a big slug of gatorade, sprayed on sunscreen, grabbed my hat and lost the arm warmers. While I did empty the used GU packets from my pockets, I forgot to relaod with the 3 new ones. OOPS

Bring the Gu with me for the run since there was nothing but water and gatorade on the course.

Got out of transition, and hit the porta potties and then started off. Watched the traffic of Sprint race folks headed home and commented to the guy next to me how depressing that was, they were headed home and we were just starting the half marathon. I started off with a nice smooth jog and my legs came in pretty quick and I eased up the pace. About a half mile in, I discovered I hadn't stock the GUs, so I thought "OK we'll just take gatorade each stop andget by on the 6 GUs you had on the bike and T2". From there I just cruised along for the first half and felt pretty smooth. Coming back to the end of the first out and back I picked up the tempo a bit and still felt good. Gatorade every mile worked pretty well and I thanked the spectators who encouraged me as well as my fellow runners. A little after mile 8, I had a woman pass me. She was the only person to pass me on the run and since the middle of the first loop of the bike. I tried to keep her in sight and did an OK job until the last 2 miles. They changed the course from last year (and the website) and lengthened the 2nd out and back to add a long exposed section on a flat dusty farm road and this was the one spot where you went an extra half mile between aid stations. Mentally that was tough, but I held it together and once I made the turn I got my mind back to the right pace. Passed a dude in one of the old Orange Team Javelin Jerseys, so I cheered him on. The last 5 K, I started pushing to catch the folks ahead of me and I caught them one by one. I still felt strong and smooth and was really surprised since I had just run a marathon 13 days earlier. The last mile flew by, and i cheered on the last few people I passed, and chatted about the weather (it was supposed to rain instead of being hot and sunny all race) then I headed for home did the last couple turns and eased up to lets the guy in front of me get a good picture. Good 1:53:39 run, only about 45 second slower than last years HIM run PR.

Not much.

Walked out, my leg grabed a ham sanwich and found only Coke to drink. Every water or gatorade would have been better. Sat down ate and stretched then headed to transition gather up my stuff, changed out of my uniform top, loaded up and brought everything to the car. Loaded the car, head back to the porta potties to get change out of my tri shorts and headed home.


Well this became a 'C' race after getting a shot to run Boston. I did a hard bike workout the day before, and trained through this race. I also took it easy and never pushed the envelope just tried to be smooth and steady and have fun. Despite all that I ended up PRing the Swim and Bike, going 1:53:39 on the run. At the end I slowed to pose for a good finisher's picture and the saw clock red 5:45:01. Didn't click that the clock started at wave one and we were -19 minutes so it was actually 5:26:01 a HIM PR by 9:44. Felt nervious that I wasn't ready before hand, I guess I was.


OK First off I have done this race each of the four years it has been in existence and have hit my HIM PR here each year. The volunteers and spectators were great and did a good job. The field always seems really strong 51 people under 5 hours. So those are the positives. On the flip side, I was totally unimpressed by Pirahna's effort. The mess with the start was a poorly thought out plan, regestration closed a day earlier than what was posted on-line (to their credit, Neil did re-open on-line regetration when I sent him an e-mail, and me an about 8 other people signed up), there were significant intersections on the 2nd leg without any traffic control (had a close call there the last two years), no timing mats at the turnarounds, no goody bag, a NJD dogtag for a finisher's medal, nothing but Coke to drink after, and not getting the results on line until the next day. This race has backslid significantly. For a race with 47 sponsors listed on the shirt and a $145 entrance fee, I really expected more. Pirahna is expanding and growing adding a lot of new races, but if they let the quality of existing races slide cause thay are growing they are going to lose me as a customer.