Patriot Half Iron - Triathlon1/2 Ironman

About 45 in my wave start (last wave == athenas, clydes, aquabikes, relays...basically the kitchen sink crew) swam a rectangular out and back course with moderate chop mid-course and tricky navigating on the return. First race where 1. I started to feel motion sick, which I never do and 2. there were buoys at the end that were NOT to be swum around...huh? "straight to the dock" they called to me, "but what about those two buoys?" I replied. Very confusing course exit, but otherwise OK

Check the course and buoys more carefully, and try to draft on fast feet

Everything felt good. Had one bottle drop, but was easily retrieved. I spent a lot more time in aero in this race than in previous efforts, and felt good. The mantras started coming in handy here as loop 1 seemed to last for ever! My mind wandered a little and I would bring it right back with "Focus on you"..."Focus on you now"...etc.

Right shoulder seized up only a little, and everything felt fine for the most part, even my tingly left pinky. Two loops and the second was definitely faster, easier.

Not much, maybe just 1 mph faster.

Messy, messy dismount -- brakes had been over-tightened and I couldn't get the bike out from under me quickly enough to run past it without running over it first. Nearly tripped, almost fell. Ugh.

Test brakes earlier and get the stopping speed right.

Also try yankz for next race

I am happy to report that I set a new personal record (PR) on this course! It was lovely and I previewed it by bike the day before. I think it really helped knowing what was ahead and what to expect from the terrain. I think the cloud cover and threat of precip also really helped -- I wanted to finish before it opened up, and I kept cool while running.

Aid tables were plentiful on this course, but I also ran with my fuel belt just to be sure I had water and CLIF e-lytes drink whenever, wherever. Some racers stopped at every table; I skipped at least half of them. Food-wise I took some animal crackers at mile 1 and 3, ate an apple-cinn Hammer gel at around mile 6, and that was about it until a banana piece around mile 11. My drinks were only half used and I had just enough water and heed to get through the miles without a sloshing tummy or any bathroom stops. Physically I felt fine. Mentally, too, I guess. My mind wandered a little around miles 5-8 and I would bring it right back with "Focus on you"..."Focus on you now"...etc.

I was briefly distracted by a few handsome, tall clydesdale guys :)
and by a loud, chatty woman calling Ireland with a cell phone mid-race...no I'm not making that up! Blatant and stupid rule breaking, but oh well. :(

So I just kept running, passing people (at least 20 total) and letting only one woman pass me towards the very end. I like races like this very much: it was under control but still very challenging.

May try the yankz laces next time, but may not...after all, with 13.1 miles to run, what's another 30 seconds in T2? Not much really.

I was thrilled to finish in what appeared to be 6:09 by my watch. It was a good race for me, and my legs and knees were pretty spent at the end. I wanted to sit in the ice bath where the finish line water bottles were, but that'd be rude to the other runners. Instead, I took ice soaked washcloths (free to racers, a nice touch) and made cold compresses on my quads as I knelt next to the kiddie pool ice bath. It felt good, and cold! 30 minutes later, the rain would start coming down. I had packed up my T1/T2 stuff and was eating under the tents by then, so the timing was good. The food was good, too -- Italian restaurant catered the salads, pasta, meatballs or chicken cacciatore, and mini-brownies. Yum! Wish I'd found a diet coke, but settled for water and fruit punch.


I need more bike speed. Intervals, hills, all of it! I need to lay the hurt on my training in the 2-months pre-race to get used to a harder, faster pace on the bike. 18-20 mph instead of 17 seems within reach, but just barely. I need to work for it.

I'm happy with the run speed, but also convinced I could go a little faster with a little more mental focus and break 2hrs for the half. We'll see next year, or maybe this fall at the BAA Half Mary in October.


So many good volunteers and a nice race set-up. Only good things to say!