Ironman Florida - TriathlonFull Ironman

Drafting was much better as I was able to find a couple sets of legs to get behind. For part of the end of the first loop got behind two guys swimming side by side (and just sucking me along). Overall I feel like I conserved a bit of energy on this swim and didn't have to exhurst myself as much as usual.

My goal time was 1:00, so I am pleased with my swim.

Nothing

Wetsuit strippers are AWESOME. I ran to the end of the suit strippers (thanks BT'ers for that advise). I ran up to a guy and pointed at him and plopped my but down, he pulled and bingo 5 seconds tops. I called out my number but they couldn't find my transition bag, so I ran down the between the bags and grabbed it, cost me maybe 15 seconds. I decided the day before the race when I got the final weather forecast (low 48 degrees) that I was wearing arm warmers. I had never practiced putting them on with wet arms. Took maybe 20 seconds, but seemed like forever. Grabed my two gel flasks, put them in my rear pockets of my tri top, put on my race belt, grabbed my helmet and took off. Yelled out my number for my bike and actually got to my bike before the guy who was going to grab it for me. I was 3 racks from the back of transition so long run to the mount line. Tranition placement works a little different for IM. Normally, wherever you are in transition, you may have an advantage for the bike (close to the mount line), but have a long run out for the run. Well for IM they take your bike from you at the end of the bike and everyone MUST go into the changing tent (can't just put your shoe on by the transition bags). So in this case, having a rack in the back of the transition area is a slight disadvantage. But hey, what is 15 seconds over 10 hours. Overall I was in the tent maybe 1.5 minutes, so transition time was ok.

roll arm warmers so they go on easier.

Lesson learned for next time.

Overall I road too hard after the 73 mile mark. I was 12 minutes off my time at the 72 mile mark and worked my tail off to make it up, which I almost did (not my tail, but the time haha). There was a slight tail wind in sections between miles 72 and 105, crosswind from 105-112.

During Gulf Coast HIM here this Spring, my salt tabs (in a small bag) blew out of my bento box, which trashed the rest of my race, especially the run. Lessons learned...so I opted to use a fuel belt pill dispenser in my bento box, wich worked great for the first 2 salt tabs, then it was gone. It blew out and the guy behind me ran it over. Luckily, I had a back up plan (small bag with salt tabs). I only had 6 tabs in the "back up bag". with the 2 I had already taken from the pill dispenser and the 6, that would put me 4 down from what I had planned to take on the bike. I ended up getting a couple more bananas from the aid stations to get the potassium I wasn't going to get from the missing salt tabs. Had too much gel left at the end. I think my portions from the flasked were too small. Lesson learn, issue not avoided...back to the drawing board.

Aside from 5:17 being completely weird...I must have had at least 20 dreams my bike time would be 5:17, I would have not worked so hard on the last 40 miles to save some for the run. I think I could have went 5 minutes slower on the bike and ran 10 minutes faster on the marathon.

gotta figure something else out for salt tabs. I'm going to look into a salt stick dispenser.

Had to wait 10 -15 seconds for my bag as they didn't hear them call out my number off of the bike. These folks are getting numbers yelled at them...very confussing. Wish it didn't happen, but they were doing their best. I think I was in the tent 45 - 60 seconds. Dumped my bag, dropped bike race belt (bought a new fuel race belt with gel loops to put salt pill dispensor in), rolled on socks, slipped on shoes, grabbed new race belt, fuel belt, and visor, and was gone. Put my arm through my fuel belt while running so I could put on visor, race belt, then put on fuel belt I was 100 yds out of transition before I got everything on, so I saved a bunch of time by remaining mobile while I got everything situated.

Nothing.

Never ran into GI issues this bad before.

Put too much into the last 40 miles on the bike.

Wheeled right into the medical tent where they gave me 2 IV bags where I started feeling better (lost 9 lbs). Had a couple peices of pizza and a bagel after medical and a message. Sat in hot tub back at condo and did some stretching. Went back to finish line for times 14:30-16:10, very cool.


Not enough salt on the bike.


Awesome and extremely well run even. Logistically then have it down.