Beach 2 Battleship - TriathlonFull Ironman

Gotta love this swim!!! I had heard/read about the current so I didn't train for this swim (got in the pool the last couple of weeks but sure wasn't putting in IM yardage). I went to the left side of the channel as I had heard it was faster but I was the only one there---other then the Coast Guard boat that went by and left me in a cloud of exhaust---yeah that was nice!!! I was glad/confident for this swim after our little BT swim on Fri am when I saw that you really could float this swim... Ranks aren't right since lots of peoples swim times were lost.

Swim straight...find someone's feet to hang on to...

Wow the strippers were real quick when you got out of the water---I wasn't ready for them!!! A nice big guy grabbed me and had me sit on a bench that was there and I just hung onto the back of the bench while he tugged me and my wetsuit off the bench!! Then it was off for the long jog to the changing tent---glad I knew this was long and that I was wearing the swim socks---just took it as an easy jog. Got in the tent and toweled off my bare arms/legs so that I could get a jersey on (full zip front) and shoes...

Nothing went pretty well and was really in and out of the changing tent quickly.

I think my listed bike split includes T1 since I hit my computer when I unracked my bike and then it kept running when I handed it to the bike catcher yet my computer time was much less then my post split...
I've had my Powertap for less then two months so I wasn't 100% comfortable with the amount of data I had but had a good z2 power range that I wanted to stay within. The start was a little loop through the marine area and over speed bumps but then you hit the road...and soon the interstate!!! How cool was it that we got to fly for 12 miles on one lane of 140 (passing the speed limit 65 signs!!!)??? Then it was a quick trip up 421 and then into the country---saw a bunch of hunters complete with guns on their shoulders!! I definitely don't like being out of the water faster then the super fast bikers because it was tough to keep it in check as they just blew by me on the bike---I just stayed to my wattage goal but I really wanted to drop the hammer but knew it was going to be a long day and just stay with my plan. I did get passed by a few two and threes drafting but the only one that got under my skin was the group of five that were so blantly drafting---this was a wide open course that wasn't crowded...you didn't "have" to draft because it was so crowded---I just shook my head and commented to another rider that we got left off that train!! (and yeah I know the one guy in that group won his age group---oh well!) So I just ate and drank what I wanted/when I wanted because I had tried/worked with everything provided on the course so I just lived off the course---just an aerodrink and one cage on the frame. I was keeping my wattage on the low side of where I wanted to be and yet my mph were high so I was happy knowing that the run was when the race started. Then I made the turn back onto 421---there wasn't much wind BUT there was wind and it was a headwind and the road just seemed to go "up" the whole way in (38 miles...)----no big deal though since I just kept my eye on my wattage and kept pedaling---did I mention you have to pedal this WHOLE course since there's no real downhill to just coast on for any real time?! Say a few good signs on the way back in---"Taint Sore?" and "Smile if you peed on your bike" made me laugh---and I yelled "Of course to the girls with the pee on your bike sign and they started laughing and cheering!! That was a good mental lift with a bit more left on the bike. I was soon going over the bridge and into the Battleship----I was actually suprised because there was never really a time on this ride that I just wanted to get off the bike (there was once or twice where I didn't want to pedal but that's different!). OK I was just able to download my Powertap data---can you say a whooping total of 12.5 mins with a cadence of 0-20 (and you figure most of that was running to the mount line and the bike handler rolling my bike to the rack!!!). So yeah this was a "flat" course without any "breaks." As for the rest of the power data---I'll take it---obviously you target 75% but I wasn't 100% comfortable with that number so I figured I'd go with a range and I did hit that so I'm happy---looking at the power distribution I spent almost the entire ride in that zone---extremely happy with the VI---I didn't burn anything that I shouldn't have!!

Nothing---I feel I really raced my plan on this one---I kept my wattage well in check/easy and knew I could throw down a good run (little did I know).

Handed off bike and tried to find my "land" legs to get over to the bag rack and get my run stuff...then into the changing tent---along with the female reporter covering "The Biggest Loser" guy---she says oh I guess I shouldn't be in here but then she just stays-with her camera! Got my bike shoes off and put on socks and running shoes---changed sunglasses and put the Garmin and race number on.

Dry/powder feet??

Started out feeling great BUT telling myself to slow down--the run doesn't start till the second half...slowed/walked the aid stations so that I could take in fluids...was going pretty well---on my goal pace---my legs started to feel heavy but I just kept pushing through it and kept running hoping to feel stronger and then somewhere around mile 16 or 17 it happened---I felt really strong and my pace picked-up and I was back where I really wanted to be---felt GREAT through mile 20---started thinking 6.2 left and I might have a shot for about a 4:08 run even with a few bad/slow miles in the middle---that would put me at 10:30ish!!! Then out of nowhere my left ITB absolutely tightened up...I tried to run but almost fell! So I walked a little and then tried to run till I couldn't run anymore...then I would walk for a bit just to get it to where I could run again since I knew I wouldn't be able to run any hill---I had actually really been looking to crushing the last bridge coming to the finish but now knew that wsan't going to happen---it was frustrating/disappointing! I just tried to run as much as my leg would let me. Finally made it over the last bridge and tried to run as I made the turn onto the battleship road but the leg just gave out on me so I walked for a bit more then I just said F-it there's no tomorrow if I fall and have to crawl so be it and I managed to run the last bit---past special needs/turn-around and down the finishing chute!! Then just hobbled past the little ditch there. Oh yeah that all made me forget the blister on my right foot that popped and had bleed through the shoe!!

Bring a knife with me so I could just cut my ITB?!?! What does it do for you anyways??? I've never had a problem with my left one and only had a problem with my right back in Jan when I was running a lot of stairs too soon on a different program. Not really sure what caused the problem---no signs/pains until just after the 20 mile mark and then it just went. As for the blister on my right foot/toe---it didn't slow me down because I just didn't care about that little pain. I'm actually pretty pleased with this run from the view that I took what the day/my body gave me---this was a mentally very strong run...I didn't let myself get too down or give up I just pushed it as hard as it could go.

Hobble around and get my stuff until I realized I was getting very cold (sun had set) so I went and changed into my dry/warm clothing---that's when I remembered the blister on my right foot/toe since the sock was soaked/crusted with blood...oh well!! Then went and got food and saw Amy and Andy and talked to them---yeah she crushed it!!! Then I saw Doug and his wife we we talked for a while and saw Carol and introduced ourselves fnally!!! (yeah she crushed it too!!) Grabbed all my stuff and took the water taxi back to my car so I could go to the hotel and get off my legs/feet!


ITB. Everything was going close to perfectly until then---I would have hit or been VERY close to my stretch goal time.


Well this was my first full so I don't have any others to compare it to BUT Set-Up did a great job and the community seems very supportive of all the disruption. I really can't complain at all about anything since this race brought to an end my first full season of tri (last year I did a sprint in Oct). I made up my mind one year ago that I was going to do this race and well it lived up to everything I wanted. It was a great weekend---the weather was great, the race was organized, nice course. And most importantly I got to meet a FANTASTIC group of BTers!!! A bunch of us went for a swim on Fri (and bike) and then dinner that night. It was great to know some faces out there on the course and have friendly, supportive people to talk to after---thanks to ALL of you for being so friendly and encouraging!!!