Ironman 70.3 Boise - Triathlon1/2 Ironman


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Boise, Idaho
United States
World Triathlon Corporation
67F / 19C
Precipitation
Total Time = 5h 28m 44s
Overall Rank = 322/1246
Age Group = 30-34 Male
Age Group Rank = 48/147
Pre-race routine:

This was a very unusual start time. 2pm! A lot goes on when you normally get up at 4am for races, but this time I was able to sleep until 8:30 or so! That was really nice, but the 2pm start really sucks.

I sucked down a cup of coffee, and 2 pieces of toast and peanut butter, along with a bannana.

We got up to the swim start at 11:45 and was all set up by 12:10... This only gave us 2hrs to kill so we sat under a tree and got a few ZZZ's!

Shoot by 1pm I was starving! I am normally an 11am lunch guy so I was needed a meal (which consisted of a Luna bar my wife had in the bottom of her bag!).


Event warmup:

About 40 minutes before the start Ryan (friend of mine) and I went out for a 10 minute jog just to get the leg's moving again...
Swim
  • 39m 12s
  • 2112 yards
  • 01m 52s / 100 yards
Comments:

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!
What would you do differently?:

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!
Transition 1
  • 02m 28s
Comments:

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.
What would you do differently?:

Nada
Bike
  • 2h 49m 50s
  • 56 miles
  • 19.78 mile/hr
Comments:

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.


What would you do differently?:

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!
Transition 2
  • 01m 58s
Comments:

Volunteers were excellent!!!!
Run
  • 1h 55m 16s
  • 13.1 miles
  • 08m 48s  min/mile
Comments:

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!
What would you do differently?:

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!
Post race
Warm down:

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!)

What limited your ability to perform faster:

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...

Event comments:

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!




Last updated: 2009-01-25 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:39:12 | 2112 yards | 01m 52s / 100yards
Age Group: 40/147
Overall: 299/1246
Performance: Below average
Suit: Blue Seventy
Course: Clock wise swim
Start type: Wade Plus: Waves
Water temp: 64F / 18C Current: High
200M Perf. Below average Remainder: Average
Breathing: Good Drafting: Below average
Waves: Navigation: Good
Rounding: Good
T1
Time: 02:28
Performance: Good
Cap removal: Good Helmet on/
Suit off:
Yes
Wetsuit stuck? Yes Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike: Yes
Getting up to speed: Good
Biking
02:49:50 | 56 miles | 19.78 mile/hr
Age Group: 55/147
Overall: 283/1246
Performance: Good
Kept the HR around 152 which is pretty low for me, but I think that may have been Hypothermia! It was too frickin' cold out there for my HR to get up!
Wind: Headwind with gusts
Course: This course would be an awesome course in Perfect Conditions! Pretty flat (2 major climbs) and some rollers.
Road:  Wet Cadence:
Turns: Average Cornering: Average
Gear changes: Good Hills: Good
Race pace: Comfortable Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 01:58
Overall: Good
Riding w/ feet on shoes
Jumping off bike Good
Running with bike Good
Racking bike Good
Shoe and helmet removal Good
Running
01:55:16 | 13.1 miles | 08m 48s  min/mile
Age Group: 57/147
Overall: 324/1246
Performance:
Course: 2 Loop Course
Keeping cool Drinking
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 4
Physical exertion [1-5] 5
Good race? Yes
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? Yes
Post race activities: Good
Race evaluation [1-5] 5