Ironman 70.3 Boise - Triathlon1/2 Ironman

This was by far my worst swim (time wise)ever. All my long races have been sub 36 minutes, but 39!! OH MAN! I was pretty bummed about this, but it was a really really tough swim.

I felt like I positioned myself pretty well and feel pretty good mixing it up in the scrum of the mass start, but this was a tough go! About the 1st 300 yards I had one side of my google leaking, so I could see out of that eye, and it somehow through off my whole rythm. I didn't want to stop in the midst of 150 other dudes mixing it up so I tried to suck it up for a while!

After about 350 yards I just my right goggle a quick yank and sucked it to the eye! Problem solved. After this I was really able to settle down and get into the grove, but it was really crowded the entire swim. The 2 age groups in front of us were the 50+ men, and the 40-44 women, so catching the backs of those backs with the breast strokers, and back strokers made for more navigation. Along with the mass of swimmers, the buoys were getting blown around (due to the winds) and one minute you were right on course.... The next you were 20yrds inside the buoy!

This is where it get's fun... I am 50 yards from the finish and I catch 2 ladies doing the breast stroke so I go to crawl over them to the left, and give a nice big kick so I can get around them in one stroke, and BOOM!!! There goes the left calve muscle! CRAMP! F-ME!!! I am in the finish chute... NOT NOW! I literally have to swim to the side and grab the dock... People are yelling at me that I am finish... GO GO GO!!! I CAN'T CAN'T CAN'T! When I get a cramp.... I am toast. I had to sit there for maybe :45-1min (seemed like 4 minutes) stretching it out just so I can get to shore.

Once I got to going again I was ok to make it to shore, but I thought it was really going to be a long day!

Given the conditions I don't feel too bad about the swim! It wasn't in my control. What was in my control was the goggles and the cramping.

Goggles- Double check when you are wading in the water 5 minutes waiting for your wave to start!

Cramping- When you bring a bannana in the car to eat before the race... Don't leave it in the car. Actually eat it!

This was a huge TT area. I don't think I could have gone much faster. It was pretty big! The wetsuit stripper did an awesome job getting my suit off and handing it back.

Nada

Hail, Thunder, Downpour and wet roads were the story for today! It was just a brutal day weather wise, and would love to take that course on during a nice dry Boise day!

I lost my Xlab (carbon fiber) water bottle cage when I yanked a bottle out so I had to decide to ditch the water or a "nutrition bottle... Riding with 2 bottles in your hand on a tri bike is tricky, but I found a lady on the side of the road that said she would get rid of one for me, so I tossed her the "water" bottle knowing that I could get more water at the next aid station if I needed it!

Coming into the next aid station I was feeling a bit bloated so I tossed the Infinit bottle (kept my Carbo Pro) and grabbed water. I think this was a little less than 40 miles in, so I needed to dial my calories back a little anyway to get ready for the run.



There is so much that you can say about this bike ride, but there were times I couldn't see at all due to the rain being so heavy and glasses fogging up. There were times I was FREEZING! About 35 miles into the bike I was mentally over it. I wanted the bike to be done!

Volunteers were excellent!!!!

I left it all out there! I was so ready to get off the bike and start the run. However 1 small problem. My legs just took a beating of almost 3hrs in the rain. The quads didn't want to work @ ALL!!! I was hoping to go sub 1:50, but I didn't have it in me. It took everything I had to maintain any sort of pace, and I know that I had a slower second lap for sure! I knew that I had a few minutes to spare to go sub 5:30, but I didn't want to do that... I wanted to just make sure I pushed it for as long as I could. Tough tough day!

I only did 2 bricks this year leading up to this race, but I am not sure that was the issue. My quads were just done. It almost felt like they never warmed up!

I stood around and waiting watched out friends, and my wife finish. Lips were blue, hands were clamshell white, and I was shrivering, but a couple of mylar blankets, and a friends fleece kept me going! That and I really was wanting my wife to go sub 6, so I was rooting for her (6:04! DANG, but still a pr for her!)


I think weather played a huge factor... Maybe 5-7 minutes throughout the day, but it is what it is, and I am happy! 21 minute PR...


Boise is REALLY a great city (my 1st time there). The race was well organized, the people in Boise are SUPER FRIENDLY! There were a TON of volunteers!

The downside... 2pm start, and weather!