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Beach 2 Battleship - TriathlonFull Ironman


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Wilmington, North Carolina
United States
Set-Up Events
Sunny
Total Time = 10h 49m 29s
Overall Rank = 46/369
Age Group = 35-39
Age Group Rank = 7/73
Pre-race routine:

Woke up and ate my usual breakfast at the hotel and felt out of it so I took a shower to just help wake-up and feel human since I figured it would be a long day. Drove downtown and took the shuttle bus to T1---put Heed and water on my bike/checked my tires...jumped on one of the first shuttles to the start.
Event warmup:

Walked down to the swim start and then back to the little parking area and put on my wetsuit and dropped off my "warm/post race clothing." Found Doug and Neal we walked down to the beach---got in the water to "warm up" my wetsuit....worked my way to the second or third row of guys on the left of the start arch.
Swim
  • 44m 13s
  • 4224 yards
  • 01m 03s / 100 yards
Comments:

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.
What would you do differently?:

Swim straight...find someone's feet to hang on to...
Transition 1
  • 00m
Comments:

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...
What would you do differently?:

Nothing went pretty well and was really in and out of the changing tent quickly.
Bike
  • 5h 33m 6s
  • 112 miles
  • 20.17 mile/hr
Comments:

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!!
What would you do differently?:

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).
Transition 2
  • 03m 26s
Comments:

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.
What would you do differently?:

Dry/powder feet??
Run
  • 4h 28m 46s
  • 26.2 miles
  • 10m 16s  min/mile
Comments:

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!!
What would you do differently?:

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.
Post race
Warm down:

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!

What limited your ability to perform faster:

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

Event comments:

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!!!




Last updated: 2008-12-27 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:44:13 | 4224 yards | 01m 03s / 100yards
Age Group: 3/73
Overall: 0/369
Performance: Good
Suit: Xterra full
Course: Mass beach start and out to a buoy about 100 yards then a right turn into the channel to the boat with the wiggly man then a left to the dock...
Start type: Run Plus:
Water temp: 0F / 0C Current: High
200M Perf. Good Remainder: Good
Breathing: Good Drafting: Bad
Waves: Navigation: Average
Rounding:
T1
Time: 00:00
Performance: Good
Cap removal: Average Helmet on/
Suit off:
Wetsuit stuck? Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike: No
Getting up to speed:
Biking
05:33:06 | 112 miles | 20.17 mile/hr
Age Group: 4/73
Overall: 0/369
Performance: Good
Normalized power 166 with a VI of 1.03 and IF of .67 (would have liked the NP/IF a bit higher but really don't feel like I left too much out there since it's a IM and I wanted to run the marathon)
Wind: Little
Course: Big 112 mile loop from the Beach to the Battleship through the countryside.
Road: Smooth Dry Cadence:
Turns: Good Cornering: Average
Gear changes: Good Hills: Good
Race pace: Comfortable Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 03:26
Overall: Good
Riding w/ feet on shoes
Jumping off bike
Running with bike
Racking bike
Shoe and helmet removal
Running
04:28:46 | 26.2 miles | 10m 16s  min/mile
Age Group: 24/73
Overall: 0/369
Performance: Bad
Course: 6.55 mile out-and-back done twice.
Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 5
Physical exertion [1-5] 4
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

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2009-11-09 8:50 AM

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Expert
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NoVA
Subject: Beach 2 Battleship


2009-11-09 10:34 AM
in reply to: #2504482

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Master
2479
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Atlanta, Georgia
Gold member
Subject: RE: Beach 2 Battleship
Awesome first full! Congratulations - that's a huge accomplishment!
2009-11-09 12:16 PM
in reply to: #2504482

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Expert
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BFE
Subject: RE: Beach 2 Battleship

Great Race! Awesome splits!

2009-11-09 12:39 PM
in reply to: #2504482

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Champion
34263
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Chicago
Subject: RE: Beach 2 Battleship
Holy crap man that's a BLAZING fast time! Awesome job out there. Teach me to swim like that, please.
2009-11-09 12:52 PM
in reply to: #2504482

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Elite
3658
200010005001002525
Roswell, GA
Subject: RE: Beach 2 Battleship

It was great meeting you and hanging out.  You are sneaky fast and only one year into this tri thing!

2009-11-09 1:05 PM
in reply to: #2504482

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Master
2014
2000
Ohio
Subject: RE: Beach 2 Battleship
Great job skippy! Way to crush that course!


2009-11-09 1:15 PM
in reply to: #2505029

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Master
2638
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Subject: RE: Beach 2 Battleship

Awesome race, Neal.  You looked totally refreshed when we saw you.  : )   Smoking fast time.

Steph

2009-11-09 1:24 PM
in reply to: #2504482

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Expert
749
50010010025
Subject: RE: Beach 2 Battleship

Wow!  Amazing times out there - congratulations on your first IM!!

2009-11-09 8:05 PM
in reply to: #2505087

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Master
1201
1000100100
Woodstock, GA
Subject: RE: Beach 2 Battleship

Wow!  I did not realize I was hanging out with a superstar.  Great times!  It was good to meet you and hang out a bit.  Hopefully we get to do it again some time.

2009-11-09 8:56 PM
in reply to: #2504482

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Master
1741
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Chapel Hill, NC
Subject: RE: Beach 2 Battleship
Great race report and great job out there on the course! Man I wish the motorcycle crew was out by you instead of me. I was not intentionally cheating, I just screwed up! I think it's awesome that you had blood on your sock when you were done - it's like that scene in Jaws where they are all showing off their scars. It was great meeting you!

Hehe, should I watch the Biggest Loser show to see you in the changing tent?
2009-11-09 9:52 PM
in reply to: #2504482

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Veteran
217
100100
Subject: RE: Beach 2 Battleship

awesome race man!



2009-11-10 2:49 PM
in reply to: #2504482

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Expert
1394
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Wilmington, NC
Subject: RE: Beach 2 Battleship
Very nice result for a 1st Ironman. Actually some damn fine times across all 3 legs. Sounds like you not only had a very succesful race, but you actually enjoyed it as well....bonus time. Ok maybe I could of added enjoyed all of it except the ITB thing.
Very Nice.
2009-11-10 9:36 PM
in reply to: #2504482

Veteran
139
10025
Wyndmoor, PA
Subject: RE: Beach 2 Battleship
Great times, and great report...the hunters, the drafters, that taint sign, LOL I remember all of that!
2009-11-11 8:38 AM
in reply to: #2504482

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Master
2202
2000100100
Canton, Michigan
Subject: RE: Beach 2 Battleship

Great finish time you were smoking!

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