Great Illini Half-Iron Distance Triathlon - Triathlon1/2 Ironman

I was hoping for a better time. This was only my 4th swim in open water and my first swim this year and my first swim ever in a wet suit. Have I made enough excuses? My sighting was pretty bad and my goggles kept clouding up. I stopeed several times to let water in my goggles to clear them so I could see. In the first 100 yards I got swipped in the face and lost the goggles. I finally got a little comfortable about halfway though the swim and after rounding the third turn I remembered how to swim.

Just about everything. Mostly I would get more OWS in and practice sighting.

Not a bad T1 but I had problems getting on my cycling jersey and I took some time to clean my sunglasses because they were fogged up.

Get a tri top.

Wow, I need work. This 56 miles about did me in. About 10 miles in I realized I needed to pee really bad. I considered trying to go for the first time on my bike but I didn't want to get my only pair of socks wet and I honestly just didn't really want to pee on myself! Around mile 25 we came back thru town and I saw a playground with a bathroom a little in the distance. I rode over to the bathroom, got of the bike and the damn thing was locked. I started to say the hell with it a go right there but somebody saw me and shouted, wait! we've got the key! I yelled back, don't bother and jumped back on my bike because I didn't want to wait. At mile 30 they finally had a porta-poty so I stopped, layed down my bike and got in line. Waited about 3 minutes, got my turn junmped back on the bike and off I went. Another 8 miles went by and I realized someting was wrong, I looked down at my front tire and realized my front brakes were rubbing my rims. I tried adjusting them while riding but with no luck. I decided to wait until the next turnaround wich was another couple of miles out and adjust the there. Got to the turnaround, hopped of the bike and adjusted my brakes, chatted with a volunteer who was pretty helpful and was off again a few minutes later. The last 14 miles were pretty uneventful other than a few pretty serious s-turns so rough roads and a few more rollers. My ass was getting tired, sore and ready to get in an upright position.

Check out my bike the night before. Pee during the last part of the swim or on the side of the road or on the bike. Log a lot more miles on my bike.

No major problems other than being slow. I walked in with my bike, took off my helmet and jersey, switched shoes and was off, very slowly.

Run to rack my bike and unclip my helmet while running.

For me it wasn't a bad run. I started off pretty slow but by mile 2 I finally started getting into a groove. I was a little full from the bike ride even though I had started to lay off the fluids for the last 30 minutes of the ride. I didn't feel like I could stomach any more gatoraide or gels so I just tried to take in water. At the halfway point in the run I realized I would have to run the 2nd half in 29 minutes to break the 6 hour mark and I realized I just didn't have it in me. From then on I just tried to follow a 9 min run and a 1 min walk for the rest of the race.

Start taking electrolites at the start of the run and log more miles prior.

I grabbed a water and a piece of pizza and sat for a while. A few minuted later I took a shower with a water hose which felt really good.


Not enough time in open water and not enough time in the saddle.


This was my first race of the year and my first half ever. I thought this was a great race for my first half. I didn't have a lot of expectations going into this race because It was a warm up for IMFL. I liked the course for a 1/2 but would not want to do it for a full. I thought the could have used more bike racks and need more than one porta-potties on the bike route. I think I'll do this one again next year. It's a good race for the money and pretty well organized.