Ironman World Championships 70.3 - Triathlon1/2 Ironman

Started out the swim a bit confused on where to place myself for the start. Normally, I'd be front, closest to the buoy's...but I've never raced at the World Champs. Kinda got a few layers back, but still closer to the front. Swim went ok overall, but I felt like I wasn't moving much of the time. Definitely got caught in the mess of the crowd more than past races. Finally settled in and just swam...could have pushed it more, but I focused on a steady pace. Rounded buoy one..then two and started back in. Sun was now in our faces, so I just focused on the next buoy and tried to stay on track. Got beat up a bit on the way in by the wave of guys behind me. Kinda weird, I've always been the one navigating around the earlier waves. Just tired to not get beat up too bad or get pissed off that someone was knocking me around. Made it back in to the beach and ran toward the strippers and transition.

Not too sure. This is a swim PR for a HIM. But I know I can be closer to 30:00-31:00. I think I'm lazy on the swim and I'm paying for it. Really need to push it more since when it comes down to it, the swim is my strong point. Overall, I'm not too disappointed with this swim...just know I can be significantly faster.

Interesting T1 from the start. Wetsuit strippers were cool- didn't know what to expect there, but everything went like clockwork. Easily grabbed my bike bag and headed into the tent. Within :20 a volunteer was dumping out my bag, sorting my gear, sunscreening me and putting on my race belt while I put on shoes. It was WAY cool. They were awesome!

Who knows. In this case, nothing. This was my first race with changing tents..so it was totally different that what I'm used to.

This was a pretty good ride for me. Felt very solid for about 40 miles. Got passed by lots of people and passed a few(does it matter that they were all over age 65??). Just settled into a good pace and worked my way up to about 20.2...wanted to be above 20, so the extra .2 was just my safety net. Saw the Hoyt's and cheered them on...they didn't respond. Then passed Sister Maddona(she's a rockstar), and told her way to go. She said something back. That made me happy! Overall the bike was pretty non-eventful. Continued at a solid pace until mile 40-ish. Hit a speed bump here...not a full on wall, just a hurdle. The last 16 miles I felt like I was riding into a headwind...or that was my excuse to myself. After the race, Brett said he never really felt it. :( Still not sure if there was any sort of wind or if my lack of long rides as of late was the issue. Just did my best to hold on to my pace and keep it as high as I could manage. Finally came back onto Clearwater Beach totally ready to get off my bike...not very normal for me.

Don't neglect my bike training leading up to the race. Or, I wouldn't do anything different. This bike split was only 2-3:00 slower than my flat HIM in May...that I was fully trained and tapered for. Overall, that makes me feel good that I either retained a lot of training from the season, or that my bike has improved this season. One thing I hated was the way I felt the last 15+ miles. I was just over the bike...I don't want to feel like that again.

Nothing too exciting here. Again, the volunteers were AMAZING. They took my bike as I entered transition(even if they did rack it in the wrong spot and had me hoping it was stolen so I could get a new bike). But really, they were super! Grabbed bag, rant into tent, did my thing...and ran out. Quick stop to pee added about 1:30 to my T2 time. Does it matter, most people were almost done with the race by now!!!

Nada.

Uggg, this run was just no fun. Started out with really dead legs...and some MASSIVE pain on the inside of both knees. If I didn't know better, I'd have thought there were giant dull knives shoved into the side of my kneecaps! Did my best to run past Heather, Kirk and Ken...I could look like a wuss just yet! Stopped to walk for a sec and try to rub out the cramps. Just at the base of the bridge, I came to a guy. You know who you are Mr. Gray shirt foreign man with the video camera. You told me that I was at the IM World Championships. That I can't walk and that I was on video walking. I ran just to make him stop yelling! The whole thing made me laugh...through the knee pain. Tried to focus on the crowd and getting to the first aid station. I figured the cramps might subside once I got some electrolytes...which worked by mile 2-3. Spent most of the run just going- whether it was running or walking. I tried to thank all the volunteer and encourage all of the other slow people around me. I think I almost cried 20 times. I'm not sure why. Finished the first lap and thought 'crap, I've got to do that again'? Passed Mr. Foreign Gray shirt man again. HE yelled at me again. I laughed again...and started running so he'd shut it. Really, it went by pretty fast...well that's not what my watch said, but that's what my head thought. I just did what made me happy...and walking made me happy a lot. Finally made it to the last trip up the bridge...and saw others heading out for their last lap. I could feel their pain...I thought I was pretty much last. Passed my super duper cheering section again, tried not to cry- again, and drug myself over the finish.

Lots of things...but nothing at the same time.

Wandering around aimlessly trying to find everyone. Looking for my missing bike in transition and just enjoying being in a cool atmosphere.


Lots of things. By the time I got to this race, I'd been training for 11+ months solid. I was tired and burnt out. This was my 3rd HIM and I was only about 4 weeks out from finishing my first marathon. To add to it, I started a new job about 3 weeks before this race. Training just wasn't my first priority after Chicago and with the stress of a new job. I do know these are all excuses, but it is what it is. In hindsight, I wouldn't change any of it. I realized the day before this race that I was there to have fun, to experience something I might never do again and as a reward for 3 years of doing tris. With all that said, I'd have loved to PR, but that would have just been icing on the cake.


I thought this was an awesome race. Volunteers were great, the atmosphere was cool and the location was fun. Lots of people have complained about the drafting, and I did think it was annoying, but it didn't affect me as much since I was hanging in the BOP. Also, they were out of small and medium race shirts at packet pickup- annoying, but hey- they let you lots more money on other cool race memorabilia!