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Ironman Texas - TriathlonFull Ironman


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The Woodlands, Texas
United States
WTC & Memorial Hermann Hospital
92F / 33C
Sunny
Total Time = 12h 09m 43s
Overall Rank = 522/2006
Age Group = 40-44
Age Group Rank = 96/470
Pre-race routine:

Got up at 4:15. Bags were ready so just put cold/frozen bottles in bags and ate breakfast...PB bagel, coke, and egg taco. Drank some EFS mixed w/ water. Was out the door by 4:50. Walked with Bridgett to transition and setting up in transition took longer than I thought it would but got there before it opened.
Event warmup:

Walking from hotel to transition to swim start. Thought about a short run but nixed that as too little time.
Swim
  • 1h 10m 1s
  • 4224 yards
  • 01m 40s / 100 yards
Comments:

I got in the water within two minutes of the pro start and glad I didn't wait. Several people were left on the banks when the cannon went off at 7am. Wading for 8 minutes or so wasn't too bad and found a kayak that I could hold on to for a few minutes. Was in the water next to Niels and Fred, both strong swimmers. I wasn't sure how the swim was going to go because 8 days earlier I got a cortisone shot for a severely sore shoulder. I get an MRI on May 31 to figure out exactly what is going on but prior to the shot swimming more than 1000m had me in pain. This would be my first swim other than a 500m swim the prior day at the open swim.

I started about five rows back from the front of the start line and in the middle of the start. I went out pretty quick at about 1:20-1:25 pace. While it was a washing machine, I didn't get batted around too much. The occasional arm reaching over my waist or vice versa. After about 500 yards it thinned out a little bit but I was always in a decent size group. My pace probably slowed down to 1:35-1:40 and was around there for the rest of the swim.

My sighting was pretty good I thought and my pacing was pretty good. I was expending the right amount of energy for the swim and was ecstatic that I had swam for 30 minutes without any pain. I kept reminding myself that the swim wasn't over and that my shoulder could begin hurting at anytime.

Swimming down the canal was something else. Having that many people in the canal at one time made for a pretty choppy swim. Lots of good places for spectators to watch the last few hundred yards of the swim. Bridgett was able to sit and watch the end of the swim at the swim exit. Other than that, the swim was pretty uneventful. I really thought I was swimming faster and would finish at about 1:06.
What would you do differently?:

Nothing. I spent the right amount of energy swimming. Swimming 5 minutes faster wouldn't have made much of a difference at the end of the day.
Transition 1
  • 06m 11s
Comments:

I walked out of the water and into the change tent. I wanted to get HR down closer to Z1 or Z2. I was deliberate about making sure I had sunscreen on and everything ready to go. I jogged out of transition to my bike and to the bike start. I could have gotten dressed much faster or jogged a bit quicker in and out of transition and saved maybe two minutes. At the end of the day, I didn't want to regret leaving something behind.
What would you do differently?:

For my first IM, nothing.
Bike
  • 5h 31m 28s
  • 112 miles
  • 20.27 mile/hr
Comments:

HR was a little high coming out of T1 but felt good. My goal was to ride at 170w and HR around 135bpm. Rode comfortably and had the wind for the first 50 miles or so averaging just over 21mph. Drank a speedfil with 400kcal over the first 80 minutes and ate half a Clif Mojo bar. My HR for the first 55 was in the mid-130s and wattage was closer to 165-170 so I was within my goal range. I was through the second bottle by the time I got through to special needs and had mixed it with water to dilute concentration.

At special needs, I picked up a coke, payday bar, PB crackers and 1/2 PB bagel. Also picked up another bottle of EFS. Stuffed them in my shirt and rode off only stopping for about 15 seconds. Drank the coke, ate the PB crackers while riding. After about 30 minutes I ate the payday bar....it was by far the best thing I ate all day. I tried the PB bagel later in the ride but it was too dry.

Last half of the ride wasn't as bad as I was expecting. The wind was the best it had been in all of my training rides and the overcast lasted until about 11 or so making it not nearly as hot as I expected. Took in 1.5 bottles of EFS on the last half of the ride and probably 2 full bottles of water. I also was consistent about taking 2-3 thermotabs every 45 minutes. Put sunscreen on shoulders 2x during the ride and avoided a sunburn.

Volunteers at aid stations were awesome. I got water at every aid station after mile 40 and took sips and dumped it on my head and arms to cool off.

Got stopped at a stoplight while police let traffic through. I was only stopped for about 30 seconds but apparently others were stopped for about 4 minutes or so.

Ended up averaging 164w and HR of 139bpm and speed was faster than I expected.
What would you do differently?:

I was expecting 5:45 or so but my power was lower than expected and my HR was still within the range of what I planned. I thought I nailed this one perfectly but based on my run I'm probably wrong.
Transition 2
  • 08m 55s
Comments:

Got off the bike and my feet were a little numb so I took my shoes off and walked to the change tent. I was deliberate in changing clothes, making sure my feet were dry, putting on sunscreen, and getting something to drink. This was slow, too slow though.
What would you do differently?:

Not sure.
Run
  • 5h 13m 8s
  • 26.2 miles
  • 11m 57s  min/mile
Comments:

Awesome aid stations and volunteers. Can't have a successful IM without a ton of volunteers.

I ran the first 4 miles or so at about a 9 minute pace. Ran with Neese for a mile or so and he was still strong so I told him to keep on going. I started walking a little bit and slowly started walking more and more until every mile it was about 2/3 jogging at 9-10 minute pace and then walking at about 15 minute pace. Walked every aid station. I started walking because HR was rising above where I planned. I also felt just body fatigue and no cramping. Later on during the run...after about 15 miles...I would run until my HR started getting too high or until I started to feel a cramp in my quads.

Ran with a fuel belt and glad I did for the first two laps. gave it up on the third lap. The fuel belt was EFS which helped with salt intake and consistently took 3-4 salt tabs every 45 minutes to an hour.

My HR was pretty much in Z1 for the run with the occasional move into Z2. I never full on cramped in my legs and walking helped avoid that completely.

The heat was rough for the first few hours and got a little better at about 5:45 or so. I had been dumping water on my head since the start of the run and had been putting ice in my de soto skin cooler long sleeve shirt since the beginning (both in the back pockets and down the arms). I think putting the ice down my sleeves was the best, it kept the ice on my skin and put a chill in my body. The shirt worked and kept me cool, plus I didn't get a sunburn. Not a great look but worth not being sunburned for the next week.

I started drinking coke at about mile 13 and kept drinking it for the rest of the run. Coke, ice, water and thermotabs were the key to surviving this run. I also took an FE fuel shot during the first loop. Never felt sloshy.

Ran with John (fattyfatfat) for one loop and he looked pretty good and as always was in good spirits.

I was able to pick up the pace on the last 2.5 miles at 8:15 to 8:30 pace with some walking through aid station and up a hill or two. I finished strong and felt good running through the finish line.
What would you do differently?:

Probably focus on my run endurance a bit more. Possibly take it easier on the bike. Maybe run with an air conditioner on my back. I wonder if I could have pushed a little bit more and dug deeper....did I give up on the run and start walking a little too much? At the end of the day, I'm happy where I finished and that I finished healthy and with my family there. It was a great day and now...I am an IRONMAN!
Post race
Warm down:

Sat around and talked with family and friends. I was tired and just sat for a while before heading back to the hotel, showering, getting the kids to bed and then grabbing dinner before watching the final finishers from 11:15 to midnight. You got be at the finish at midnight...music pumping, Mike Riley getting the crowd hyped up and some inspiring finishers.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Heat....same as everybody. My 200 lb body.




Last updated: 2010-06-26 12:00 AM
Swimming
01:10:01 | 4224 yards | 01m 40s / 100yards
Age Group: 44/470
Overall: 273/2006
Performance: Good
Suit: Tyr Torque Elite
Course:
Start type: Wade Plus: Shot
Water temp: 79F / 26C Current: Low
200M Perf. Good Remainder: Average
Breathing: Good Drafting: Average
Waves: Navigation:
Rounding: Average
T1
Time: 06:11
Performance: Average
Cap removal: Average Helmet on/
Suit off:
Yes
Wetsuit stuck? No Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike: Yes
Getting up to speed: Good
Biking
05:31:28 | 112 miles | 20.27 mile/hr
Age Group: 0/470
Overall: 0/2006
Performance: Average
Wind: Some
Course:
Road: Smooth  Cadence: 89
Turns: Good Cornering: Good
Gear changes: Good Hills: Good
Race pace: Comfortable Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 08:55
Overall: Below average
Riding w/ feet on shoes
Jumping off bike
Running with bike
Racking bike
Shoe and helmet removal
Running
05:13:08 | 26.2 miles | 11m 57s  min/mile
Age Group: 0/470
Overall: 0/2006
Performance: Below average
RUN SPLIT 1: 4.45 mi (43:07) 9:41/mi RUN SPLIT 2: 2.57 mi (27:51) 10:50/mi RUN SPLIT 3: 13.1 mi 6.08 mi (1:21:59) 13:29/mi RUN SPLIT 4: 15.7 mi 2.6 mi (35:49) 13:46/mi RUN SPLIT 5: 21.8 mi 6.1 mi (1:16:44) 12:34/mi RUN SPLIT 6: 24.4 mi 2.6 mi (31:32) 12:07/mi RUN SPLIT 7: 26.2 mi 1.8 mi (16:06) 8:56/mi
Course: 3 loops
Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %3%
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 5
Physical exertion [1-5] 4
Good race?
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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2011-05-30 2:38 PM

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Member
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Houston, Texas
Subject: Ironman Texas


2011-05-30 4:22 PM
in reply to: #3524557

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Veteran
493
100100100100252525
West Palm Beach
Subject: RE: Ironman Texas

AWESOME!!

Congratulations! You are an IronMan ;-)....it is such an incredible feeling to cross that finish line ;-)

Great report...Alicia

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