EagleMan Ironman 70.3 Triathlon - Triathlon1/2 Ironman

The swim went really well, at least by my standards. I started out to the right. I let the main group go off at the start, then purposely started off easy. In my previous races, I would start off quickly, then be out of breath by the first buoy.

I didn't panic, kept my heart rate relatively low, and swam at a faster pace than I had in training. I was really, really pumped coming out of the water. I could not have asked for more from the swim!


This was a big deal for me. I've had a lot of trouble learning to swim, and have had particular trouble in OWS tri swims.

I need to work on sighting, as I spend a lot of time going left-right, left-right. I also need to continue to work on improving my overall swim technique. Overall though, this was a successful swim for me, given my current ability.

Good. I wanted to make sure I applied sunscreen, and had everything I needed.

Need to work on getting out of wetsuit a little easier. Also, I ride with no socks which is fine, but I have trouble getting my cycling shoes on. The sock liner seems to slip. It took me several tries to get one of my shoes on, so I need to work on that.

I guess I could also work on speed, but it was fine for this race.

For the first 30 minutes or so I had trouble getting into aero position. I would immediately get numbness down below, as well as tightness in my hamstrings and groin. (I have an Adamo saddle, which had previously taken care of the numbness.) As I loosened up, everything was fine.

I tried to stay at or above 20mph, without letting HR climb beynd 160bpm, and was successful most of the time. When the wind kicked up I would drop in speed. I stayed pretty focused throughout.

I made the decision to wear a camelbak (72oz), which was the right move for me. I sweat a lot and drink a ton of water in training. I also started with two bottles of regular Gatorade. I finished off the camelbak by mile 40, as well as one bottle of gatorade, and an additional two 24oz sports bottles of water - a lot of those went over my head and down my back to keep cool.

For nutrition I consumed about 250 calories each of the first two hours, consisting of GU, strawberry Newtons, and pretzels. I also took Endurolyte per hour. However, after two hours, my stomach started to get upset, so I had to stop eating and stop drinking Gatorade.

Overall, the bike went pretty well, and about as good as I could have hoped for.

Need to work on my overall cycling fitness, as well as my flexibility and core strength.

Overall, this went well. Again, I wanted to make sure I applied sufficient sunscreen, and had everything I wanted. I ran in with the bike, and was able to run out.

Not much. It seemed like it took longer than it should. I wasn't really winded or anything, but I remember thinking I've been standing here in transition for awhile.

I had high expectations for the run. I am a lifelong runner, and have run a 3:01 marathon. I expected to be able to run 1:45-1:50 coming into the race. Given the heat, I thought I would still be able to run 2hrs at the worst. I also really wanted to break 6hrs for the HIM, though I know it is foolish to set time goals your first time out. After the swim and bike though, I thought it was pretty realistic.

I started out at a good pace, and worked to keep my HR under control coming out of T2. No problem, except for a little tightness just to the inside of my right knee. Settled in around 158bpm, and went through the first water stop (and past our Homestay accomodations) feeling good, but nervous about the heat. Many people seemed to start walking right out of T2 with no intention of even trying to run. That freaked me out. I am a good hot weather runner, but this was my first HIM, and I was cautious.

Pretty soon after the first water stop, I realized this would be a tough run. I usually pass a lot of people on the run, and am only passed by a handful of others. I was passing many people who were walking or running very slowly, but I was being passed quite frequently. What this tells me is that since so many people could run faster than me in those conditions, I probably wasn't trained well enough. I also adopted the method of walking through the water stops from the beginning.

I was able to run pretty much the whole way, with the exception of the water stops. At each stop, I sucked down 1-2 cups of water, an occasional sip of Gatorade, then poured more water over my head, and 1-2 cups of ice into my tri suit. I followed this routine at every water stop, and was able to keep my core relatively cool. My HR did not go above 164 during the run.

I was unable to take any nutrition besides a little Gatorade throughout the run, as my stomach was still a little upset. I probably hit my lowest point just before mile 11, where I walked about a block. I was able to regroup and get back to running, and was able to even pick up the pace a little over the last mile. I purposelly did not keep track of my splits because I wanted to focus on how I was feeling without regard to the time.

I was initially very disappointed in my run split. For me, this is the slowest I've ever run any significant distance. I think I may have been a little cautious,because of the heat. I saw a lot of people sort of melt down almost out of nowhere, and I wanted to make sure I could run all the way. It was really hot and humid, and there was no shade. I was also a little worried the rest stops might run out of water, given what I had heard about the Chicago Marathon in temps like these.

After some reflection, I am fine with it. Maybe I could've pushed a little harder, but I did not know what to expect, and did not want to risk cramps, additional stomach problems, etc. I also had no point of comparison, haivn never done a tri longer than a sprint.

Not too much once I hit race day. Improved overall tri training would help me be better prepared and conditioned.

Nothing. I finished, was hosed off, and had some problems standing up and walking. Forced myself to walk some with my fiancée, found some food, and a shady spot to rest. Got a massage, some fluid and a little food, before gathering up gear and walking my bike 1.25 miles back to accommodations.


In hindsight, I trained enough to complete the race, but not to race it. Basically, I was good enough to do it, but not to handle any weather difficulty. I had a good bike ride for me, but had nothing left for the run.

I need to work on flexibility and core strength, as well as overall swimming and cycling fitness This type of race really exposes any weaknesses - you can gut through one of the disciplines, maybe even two, but you cannot put them all together if you have a significant weakness in any of the three. At least that's my take on it.


Eagleman is great. Well organized, and a good, though challenging course. It's flat, but the winds kick up on the bike, and the lack of shade is tough, especially on days like this. The volunteers were terrific, too. Finally, the Homestay program is great. It was convenient and comfortable, and we made new friends.

Overall, I am pleased with my race. There are things I can work on, and I would have liked to broken 6 hours, but I finished, and am still excited about triathlon. For me, that's not a bad day in such extreme weather.