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Ironman World Championships 70.3
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Ironman World Championships 70.3 - Triathlon1/2 Ironman
View Member's Race Log View other race reports
 Swim
Comments: This was a great swim for me- PR by 3+ minutes, and exactly the pace I knew I was capable of. I started in an aggressive position, and since we were in a wave with the most amount of women, it got really rough out there. I was able to draft occasionally, but I spent more time getting beat up than usual. Those women are rough! There were a few waves at the turn around, but it was my easiest swim so far. I pushed my pace the last half and came out of the water winded, but feeling good with the effort. What would you do differently?: Start more to the outside to avoid the blows.  Transition 1
Comments: Ran out of the water and straight to the strippers- I've had a hard time with my wetsuit all season. Even the wetsuit strippers had a hard time getting it off. Took almost 1 min to wrangle the darn thing off my feet. Time for a new one! The rest of T1 just takes a while- you have to run around the transition zone a bunch of times. What would you do differently?: Get a new wetsuit.  Bike
Comments: Started off on the bike knowing I was in the middle of the pack of women from my wave start. I knew I had a good swim, so that just meant that there were a lot of fast girls in my age group this year. I started out riding hard, and looking for girls to catch up to. My legs felt a little weak, and I soon realized that my seat was too low. I didn't know it at the time, but it was almost 2 inches lower than it was supposed to be. I don't know when that happened- I pre-rode it and everything felt fine, but it was my fault so I am very frustrated. This mistake will always haunt me. I worked really hard to pass some women and started moving up in the ranks. A few super fast riders from the men 45-49 blew by, and most of them were riding in draft-legal pace lines. They were so fast that it didn't even give me any advantage. Soon after that, the giant peletons started catching up. These groups would just soak you up like a sponge, since they were 20-30 riders large. I would sit up, ride defensively, and carefully work my way to the back of the pack. It took a lot of effort to NOT be in the pack, but there was no way I was going to cheat, so I made that effort. It is complete BS to say that it is impossible not to draft, you just have to WANT to not draft. Unfortunately, there were at least 5 girls in these groups that I had worked to pass that were now riding 26+ mph, and when they were solo, they were going 21. I tried sooo hard not to let it bother me, but I still have to publicly complain about it. After looking at the results, there were at least 5-6 girls in my AG ahead of me that most definitely cheated. I kept plugging away, racing legal and adjusting my speed to stay away from the draft packs. Even starting at the back of the race, there were still 7 or 8 peletons of 10+ riders that went by. There were draft marshals, but they saw those peletons ride by from at least 3 different directions from their vantage point and did absolutely nothing. Unreal. The rest of the ride wasn't memorable- I kept trying to keep my average speed above 23 mph, but the headwinds towards the end of the race picked up significantly and my legs just didn't have the power. I still had a good bike split, but I am disappointed that it wasn't faster, though it was all my own effort :) The police on the course did an excellent job keeping cars away, but it is not an ideal racing course. Awesome job and thank you volunteers! What would you do differently?: Check, re-check and triple re-check my seat height. Obviously, that wasn't the only thing, but it may have cost me about 3-4min. Really bummed. Transition 2
Comments: Gave my bike to someone and ran to the changing tent again. Got my shoes on, visor on, and headed out.  Run
Comments: I started off keeping my pace in check, not going too fast and just taking in fluids, assessing the damage from the bike. Things felt OK at first, and the first time up the bridge felt pretty good. I still thought I could PR the run course. At the aid stations I took in water and put sponges on my head. I kept trying to pick up the pace and increased my exertion, and each time I did, my pace was actually slower. I didn't realize it at the time, but it was 88 degrees when I started the run. I really didn't want the temperature to be a factor for me, but it was. Training in Michigan during the fall is beautiful, I love fall colors to be sure, but unfortunately, it hasn't been above 80 since August :) I was mentally checked out at this point- I knew I had no chance of placing in my AG, and my bike split wasn't what I wanted, so I had it in my head that I just didn't care. The thing was, though, I was still constantly passing everyone on the course- both men and women. I caught up to and passed almost 5 girls from my AG, and wasn't passed by a single woman out there. I also thought about how disappointed BT would be in me if I just gave up, so I worked as hard as possible to keep going. I put on my 'stonecold-jazz' face (thanks Matt!), sucked it up, and pushed through the heat, negative thoughts and pain. I didn't end up PR-ing the run course, but I got the 7th fastest run split in my AG, including faster than all of the bike cheaters, and managed to pass one other girl in my AG in the finisher's chute. To be positive, I still overcame the heat and mental demons to run a faster half than 2 out of my other 3 half's this year and that is what I need to take out of this race. To get increasingly competitive, I need to continue to strengthen my mental-race, and not just my physical one, and this was my first race where my head wasn't where I needed it to be. I want to just blame the weather, the cheaters, and my seat-height, but then I wouldn't gain anything from my experience. Overall, it was a 'good' race, but I wanted it to be 'perfect'. I took off 18 min from last year, but I wanted to take off 25. Next year, though, watch out! I will break 4:40! (Just not in Clearwater) What would you do differently?: Not race in Florida in November :) Post race
Warm down: I got my medal and soaked my towel in ice water. I then ate my weight in oreo cookies. Yum! The rest of the post-race events included many celebratory beers, going to the awards ceremony, than the after party where we danced our legs off and I had my picture taken with the speedy winner, Terrenzo Bozzone. Awesome time!! Helloooo off-season! What limited your ability to perform faster: Me. I had an incredible year and improved tremendously due to my coach, Jorge. He had trained me to go faster and I know that I can, it will just have to wait till next year :) I didn't have a horrible meltdown or anything, I just didn't exceed my expectations. Event comments: I had an awesome time down in Florida- both hanging out with my parents and making new friends. However, I will not do this race again. I have now raced 2 years in a row, and nothing improved over last year. People come to this race to cheat and set a ridiculous PR. You can ride clean if you chose, but hardly anyone else does- they just don't want to. The race organization is top-notch, but unless the officials actually crack down, or people show up who don't want to cheat, then it is just not worth my money and my energy to try to be competitive at this race. It was worth doing the first time I went, but this year's race left a bad taste in my mouth. Last updated: 2008-08-07 12:00 AM
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 2008-11-11 2:40 PM |
Master  1920    Ann Arbor, MI |  Subject: Ironman World Championships 70.3 |
| 2008-11-11 3:53 PM in reply to: #1802295 |
Champion 6962  Atlanta, Ga | Subject: RE: Ironman World Championships 70.3 Jazz, I think you did a great job, even though it was tough. Way to race the way you wanted and crush your PR legally. Thanks for sharing the experience with us and it was awesome chilling with you. Again...great work! |
| 2008-11-11 4:41 PM in reply to: #1802295 |
Champion 9600 Fountain Hills, AZ | Subject: RE: Ironman World Championships 70.3 You did awesome, kiddo. You have a tremendous amount of potential, just keep up the great work and the results will take care of themselves. It was terrific meeting you, your as cute as you are fast!  |
| 2008-11-11 5:01 PM in reply to: #1802295 |
Expert 683 Denver | Subject: RE: Ironman World Championships 70.3 Awesome job with the PR! Now if only you had some natural athletic ability to go with that work ethic who knows what you could do....... |
| 2008-11-12 8:25 AM in reply to: #1802295 |
Coach 10487 Boston, MA | Subject: RE: Ironman World Championships 70.3 Alaina, you did a great job not only on this race but all year long and I am very proud of you. You have come a long way on all 3 disciplines and I am happy that even when you still hate swimming at least now you don't give much time away on it Your bike and run continues to improve and I believe we just scratched the surface of what you could do. You have natural ability but that's nothing compare to your motivation, the work you do and your positive attitude. We accomplished great things in only 1 year which in terms of endurance sports is not much time, so I have to agree with you, next year watch out! Finally and as I said to you, on any other day in which the race was clean you would have place on your AG. The splits some of those gals have on your AG were faster than many Pro females when a few months ago they all rode 20-30 min slower. Oh well you earned your finishing time and for that we all are proud of you! Congrats on the PR (a legal one that is) |
| 2008-11-12 8:38 AM in reply to: #1802295 |
Elite 2999 Hattiesburg, Mississippi | Subject: RE: Ironman World Championships 70.3 Not to bad for someone who thinks they have no natural athletic ability. It's ashame that a World Championship would let so much drafting go on, but there nothing you can do about it. You raced your race and came out with an incredible results. Congrats. |
| 2008-11-12 8:46 AM in reply to: #1803499 |
| Champion 6539 South Jersey | Subject: RE: Ironman World Championships 70.3 Great job, Alaina! Nice work! |
| 2008-11-12 10:31 AM in reply to: #1802295 |
Alpharetta, Georgia Bronze member | Subject: RE: Ironman World Championships 70.3 Wow great job, girl! What an inspiration, reading your report about NOT cheating. In my book, that makes you the biggest winner out there. Congrats!!! |
| 2008-11-12 10:37 AM in reply to: #1802295 |
Pro 3906 Libertyville, IL | Subject: RE: Ironman World Championships 70.3 Great race and great report! Those must have been good 4-6 oreos ya had post race! |
| 2008-11-12 11:00 AM in reply to: #1802295 |
| Iron Donkey 38643 , Wisconsin | Subject: RE: Ironman World Championships 70.3 You should have put on your SuperGirl cape and gone ahead of them, since I don't think there's any ruling against flying and such! Congratulations, Alaina!!!! WAIT UNTIL NEXT YEAR, CHEATERS! |
| 2008-11-12 11:14 AM in reply to: #1802295 |
Elite 3518 Madison, Wisconsin | Subject: RE: Ironman World Championships 70.3 Great job Jazz...as always you amaze me!!  |
| 2008-11-12 11:23 AM in reply to: #1802295 |
Bob 2194 Binghamton, NY | Subject: RE: Ironman World Championships 70.3 AS IF "GIVE UP" IS EVEN IN YOUR VOCABULARY!! We know better!! Awesome race and great report. You have a way of motivating people just by writing a race report. Thank you!! (I needed that!!) Congrats on a great race! Can you explain why it is that Oreo Cookies taste soooo good at a race? |
| 2008-11-12 11:38 AM in reply to: #1802295 |
Expert 626 Las Vegas, NV | Subject: RE: Ironman World Championships 70.3 Awesome job, and congratulations on an awesome race you did. Integrity is something hard to see this days, and I can sent my hat off to you, that some people still and honor that code. Like I would tell my wife, don't ever change, and stay true to who you are. What goes around, come around. Again great job on that race and definitively faster than any times I could ever do. Great job girl!! Keep it up. Enjoy your break, and relax and drink plenty till Jan. 09. Cheers!! |
| 2008-11-12 11:40 AM in reply to: #1802295 |
Champion 5495 Whizzzzzlandia Silver member | Subject: RE: Ironman World Championships 70.3 Nice job, Jazzy! |
| 2008-11-12 12:21 PM in reply to: #1802295 |
Member 20 Austin, Tx. | Subject: RE: Ironman World Championships 70.3 |
| 2008-11-12 12:28 PM in reply to: #1802295 |
Pro 4675 Wisconsin near the Twin Cities metro | Subject: RE: Ironman World Championships 70.3 Way to call it as you saw it! Great job! |
| 2008-11-12 12:42 PM in reply to: #1802295 |
Master 1732 Delafield, Wisconsin | Subject: RE: Ironman World Championships 70.3 You are an inspiration Jazzy girl! You have every right to be damn proud of this race and your entire season. |
| 2008-11-12 4:12 PM in reply to: #1802295 |
Elite 2673 Muskego, WI | Subject: RE: Ironman World Championships 70.3 Great report, great job, great season. You've done amazing things in a short period of time. Have fun and keep on rockin'! |
| 2008-11-12 5:38 PM in reply to: #1802295 |
Master 1671 West Bend, WI | Subject: RE: Ironman World Championships 70.3 |
| 2008-11-12 9:21 PM in reply to: #1802295 |
Expert 892 | Subject: RE: Ironman World Championships 70.3 Congratulations! Kudos for doing the right thing, too, and not drafting. You are smoking fast in all disciplines!! |
| 2008-11-13 2:28 PM in reply to: #1802295 |
Extreme Veteran 405 East Aurora, NY | Subject: RE: Ironman World Championships 70.3 Great Job Alaina! It takes a lot mettle to following the rules when everyone else is cheating. It really is too bad that athletes have to resort to drafting when it is easy to avoid it as you showed. |
| 2008-11-13 4:37 PM in reply to: #1802295 |
Extreme Veteran 331 Latonia, Kentucky (near Cincinnati) | Subject: RE: Ironman World Championships 70.3 Once again, and as always.....awesome job. |
| 2008-11-13 4:46 PM in reply to: #1802295 |
Elite 2515 Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea | Subject: RE: Ironman World Championships 70.3 Awesome race, Jazz! You kick a$$ for lots of reasons. Enjoy the well earned off-season. |
| 2008-11-18 7:19 PM in reply to: #1802295 |
Expert 968 Wellington, North Island | Subject: RE: Ironman World Championships 70.3 I'm sorry you had such a bad experience with the bike. Unfortunately I feel like I see that a lot. People were blatantly doing it at IMWI. The awesome part is that despite all that you really worked to keep yourself focused and you PR'd! Great job. |
| 2008-11-19 3:15 PM in reply to: #1802295 |
Veteran 301 Seattle | Subject: RE: Ironman World Championships 70.3 Wow, you are so FAST!!! Some day I'll be as fast as you are today, only by then you'll be a pro :-) It was soooo nice to meet you in person and hang out with you! I hope we race together again soon! Chicago marathon 2009?? Enjoy your offseason |
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United States
World Triathlon Corporation
88F / 31C
Sunny
Overall Rank = /
Age Group = 25-29F
Age Group Rank = 18/52
Woke up early, ate a bagel and a bowl of oatmeal. I tried really hard not to think about the race.
I started 1+ hour after the pro men, so I just stood around waiting. I am not used to having such a late start time, so I didn't know what to do with myself besides go pee about 10 times. I did get to see Andy Potts come out of the water first.