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Ironman World Championship 70.3 - Triathlon


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Henderson, Nevada
United States
World Triathlon Corporation
105F / 41C
Sunny
Total Time = 6h 35m 59s
Overall Rank = 1445/2159
Age Group = F35-39
Age Group Rank = 84/119
Pre-race routine:

We arrived in Las Vegas on Thursday night and started to feel the excitement and atmosphere right away. This was my first major international race and only my second Ironman event. It was incredible to see some of the people I have looked up to for years, read about in magazines and watched on TV.

Friday we hit up the registration and expo. It was so well organized and amazing to see. More excitement and nerves kicked in as I started to realize that everyone there seemed to have fancy bike set-ups and 2% body fat. I felt so very out of my league. I think this is the point I started to talk myself out of… It becomes day to forget that you earned your way to this race.

Saturday was the pre-race swim. I went down in the morning and did a little loop. This went well and seemed to help ease some of my fears about swimming without a wetsuit.
Event warmup:

Sunday morning I went and made sure everything was set-up in T1 and just tried to take it all in. Watched the pros start and waited. Not sure I loved being in Wave 13.
Swim
  • 44m 17s
  • 1931 meters
  • 02m 17s / 100 meters
Comments:

This was my first non-wetsuit swim, my first deep water start and I have always been a weak swimmer.
I felt this went well if you take into account all the nerves and lack of neoprene. My sighting was better than usual and my breathing seemed calm.

What would you do differently?:

I am looking forward to seeing my swim improve next year now that I have signed up for some actual coaching.
Transition 1
  • 04m 20s
Comments:

There was a long run after you excited the water to get to the bikes. It seemed slippery and muddy but went ok.
When I got my bike everything went smoothly but as my bike was in one of the back racks there was another longer uphill run to exit T1 and find the mount line.
Bike
  • 3h 18m 49s
  • 90.12 kms
  • 27.27 km/hr
Comments:

This is where to head games came into play.
I am not sure what happened here… this was the slowest I have ever ridden by a good 20mins and the beginning of the total melt down.
My bike stared to make strange noises around the 2 and a half hour point. Turns out my rear tire was loose and rubbing.
Even worse, frustration started to wear me down approaching the 3hr mark. I started to beat myself up as rocket ship after rocket ship passed me.
I am not sure where my legs were… this was crazy slow, and I knew it.
Transition 2
  • 02m 41s
Comments:

First time ever having transition with bike catchers. I like that!
At this point I was ready to just throw the bike on the ground… and kick it.
Run
  • 2h 25m 52s
  • 21.08 kms
  • 06m 54s  min/km
Comments:

I gave up… that's all I can say.
I hit the run course knowing I was already 25mins behind where I expected to be and I gave up.
In order to keep myself cool in the heat I made the mistake of pouring water right onto me. This lead to wet shoes. Wet shoes led to blisters. Blisters led to bleeding feet… and somewhere along the way I thought "Why am I doing this to myself? I'm already so far out of the running it's not even funny…", and I started to walk.
What would you do differently?:

Get my head out of my ass and run.
Post race
Warm down:

When I hit the finish I was relieved that it was done… and within an hour the regret sunk in.
This was the first race I have even done where I know I didn't give it everything I had, and I hate feeling that. It's not me.

I iced a sore knee and changed into dry shoes and contemplated the day.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

I feel there are so many ways I could improve upon this.
I obviously need to continue working on the swim, but it's coming along.
I need to figure out what is wrong with my bike… and hit some hills hard. I would benefit from some strength training and heat training as well.
I need to work on speeding up my run and continue to build endurance.

Most of all I NEED to realize that I love what I am doing and it's okay to have an off day but that I NEED to ALWAYS give it 100% of what I have that day or I will regret it forever… no matter where I place.

Event comments:

This race was spectacular… and after spending some time contemplating if I'm even cut out for this I realized that I need to earn my way back there and give it another shot… faster and stronger.
This course will test you. It is supposed to.




Last updated: 2012-07-29 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:44:17 | 1931 meters | 02m 17s / 100meters
Age Group: 89/119
Overall: 1571/2159
Performance: Average
Suit: 2XU Tri Suit
Course: One loop of Lake Las Vegas. The water was warm and a little dirty but I felt comfortable, which is not something usual for me when it comes to swimming. I found the course to be well marked with lots of buoys.
Start type: Deep Water Plus:
Water temp: 0F / 0C Current:
200M Perf. Remainder:
Breathing: Drafting:
Waves: Navigation:
Rounding:
T1
Time: 04:20
Performance: Average
Cap removal: Helmet on/
Suit off:
Wetsuit stuck? Run with bike:
Jump on bike:
Getting up to speed:
Biking
03:18:49 | 90.12 kms | 27.27 km/hr
Age Group: 79/119
Overall: 1511/2159
Performance: Below average
Wind:
Course: Lake Mead out and back and then continue into Henderson. Lots of rolling hills but nice clean roads. The heat was incredible. There were times when I felt a nice breeze and then times that it felt like I was in a furnace. I am Canadian… I swear I was melting a little.
Road:   Cadence:
Turns: Cornering:
Gear changes: Hills:
Race pace: Drinks:
T2
Time: 02:41
Overall:
Riding w/ feet on shoes
Jumping off bike
Running with bike
Racking bike
Shoe and helmet removal
Running
02:25:52 | 21.08 kms | 06m 54s  min/km
Age Group: 84/119
Overall: 1445/2159
Performance: Bad
Course: A 3-loop course through Henderson… some solid climbs included.
Keeping cool Drinking
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall:
Mental exertion [1-5]
Physical exertion [1-5]
Good race?
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? Yes
Post race activities:
Race evaluation [1-5]

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2012-09-12 8:56 PM

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Subject: Ironman World Championship 70.3


2012-09-13 6:09 PM
in reply to: #4408628

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Subject: RE: Ironman World Championship 70.3

Hilary,

Don't beat yourself up about this.  The course was the most difficult I have ever competed on personally, and the potential to blow up was huge... especially with the added elevation from T1 to T2 and the final few uphill miles on the bike.  Add the rubbing tire to all those hills and it just wasn't your day!

Great job gritting your teeth and finishing the race.

2012-09-16 12:29 PM
in reply to: #4408628

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Regular
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Subject: RE: Ironman World Championship 70.3

Thanks… this was a blow up in such major way for me. It's good to know that other people have been there too.

Being my first REALLY big race I had no idea how much the mental aspect would come into play. It's so easy to come down hard on yourself when you're surrounded by people with so much more experience and so much less body fat… 

All I know is I will do everything I can to get back there. I can't leave it like this.

2012-09-16 9:32 PM
in reply to: #4408628

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Extreme Veteran
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Media, PA
Subject: RE: Ironman World Championship 70.3

Don't beat yourself up, as others have said, this was a challenging course given the hills and temperatures. 

The hot races I did earlier in the summer definitely helped prepare me for this race, and I know next year, if I return, I'll have even more confidence that I can survive the heat.

 

2012-09-16 9:57 PM
in reply to: #4408628

Extreme Veteran
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Subject: RE: Ironman World Championship 70.3
ermahgerd! gerd jerb  hgermsheid !

Edited by ionlylooklazy 2012-09-16 9:57 PM
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