My time here is surprisingly long, considering I thought I really nailed it. In fact, I don't think it even jibes with my watch, but whatever. It was a bit longer than reality because I chose to get out of my wetsuit in the shallows instead of running the 200m or so across the beach in it. That added to my swim time, but chopped it from my transition as the results show. Really, I was quite happy with my swim, especially because it was my first time swimming in the unprotected waters of Lake Michigan (I've done Chi Tri twice, bu that's inside the breakwater.) Even with the churning water, I though I maintained my form and sighted well.

Really, nothing. I was happy with this swim getting out of the water and I'm happy with it now.

Considering the brutal run across the beach, I was pretty quick getting to my spot and changed for the bike. I also ran with my bike by pushing it by the seat for the first time which worked out well. Again, I saved time by getting out of my wetsuit in the shallows of the swim portion.

Nothing.

Hmm, where to begin? I guess with a title. i would like to call this ride "Prelude to a ClusterF@!*%"
Yes, I think that's appropriate, because as good as this ride was for me, it also set up my ultimate undoing.

First, allow me an indulgence. I know I've whined in my race reports before about this, but I'm going to do it again. Hey, it's my report. So, here goes. I really, really need a tri bike. That was never more evident than in this race. In scanning th racks prior to this race, I have never, NEVER (not in Chicago, not in Memphis) scene such a collection of pimped out, souped up tri cycles as in this transition. I'm not exaggerating when I say I saw two, TWO other bikes the whole day that didn't have aerobars and weren't set up for aero position. I think on shorter Oly's and Sprints, the downside of not having aerobars is limited. but on a long, flat course like this I think it made a HUGE difference. I'm not necessarily saying I would be much faster on a tri-bike, but I think that I would be able to conserve a ton of energy and set myslef up for a better run with one. OK, we now resume our regularly scheduled race report. In two weeks, I'll have my new Guru, and no one will ever have to hear me whine about this again.

So, this bike is both a classic example of the failure to learn from my past mistakes and proof of the saying to "plan your race, race your plan." I didn't and I paid for it. My plan was to remain in z2 through the first 2.5 hours of the bike, then kick it into z3 for the final .5 hour. That would have set me up for a solid run. And I would subsequently be writing a much different report.

Instead... I start out relatively easy, but never quite get my HR down into z2 from the swim. Then I start passing people. It feels so familiar to me. It's just like every other race I've done before. After all. that's what I do in my Sprints and Olys. I pass people on the bike. Lots of them. And, hey, I'm going easy here anyways, right? Yes! Yes, I am. (Now, if I'm honest, I'm also getting passed on this course by some very good cyclists on very fancy tri-bikes a lot more than usual, which isn't exactly helping things.) The thing is, I NEVER get my HR into z2. After all, I FEEL like I'm going easy-- and compared to previous races, I am-- and I know I'm speeding along on this nice flat course.

Next thing you know, I see the 40-mile marker. I quickly calculate I'm averaging almost 20mph, which is great for me over that distance. I also quickly calculate, I am screwed. Not that my legs feel bad, but I can just tell I have been too long in z3 to have much left for the run. I also kind of know I'm beyond the point of recovery, so I keep pumping. I figure, if nothing else I'll get a good bike split out of this race and whatever the run brings, well, I'll deal with that on the run...

Not ride the entire ride in z3 when my plan calls for z2. Not get caught up in trying to race other racers when I should have just stuck with my plan. Generally, not race an HIM like an Oly.

Took a few extra seconds debating if I really wanted to fasten that 3-pound Fuel Belt on me. I did. Really, it wouldn't have mattered either way.

Nothing.

Gather 'round friends to hear my tale of wo
and learn of my death march, hot and slow

It made a six-twelve of a sure five-forty-five
and left me crumpled at the finish, barely alive.

Well, how to summarize the run? It sucked at the beginning, sucked at the end, and inbetween it really, really sucked. It wasn't a run. It wasn't a walk. It was kind of a RALK. Basically, a stammering shuffle puncutuated by a series of short run bursts brought on by sheer disgust with myself. Yes, it was a RALK. I RALK-ed the run.

Even during my long stretches of walking I couldn't really get my HR below 148. It's true what they say, "Once you let your HR out of the bag, there's no getting it back."

On top of burning myself out on the bike, I think I also have to re-examine my nutrition approach for longer races as my mix of gels and Infinit just left me bloated and burping. The only redeeming thing about this run was that I managed to not exceed my total bike time. Just not by much.

The scary thing is, as pathetic as my run time was, it took every ounce of willpower to finish as I did. I'll at least give myself credit for leaving it all out on the course.

I believe I've covered this already.

I went for a little 10k cool down run. Yeah, right.


Being an idiot on the bike and not sticking to my plan.


They say your the goal of your first race at the next longer distance should be just to finish. If that's the case, then mission accomplished.

However, I could have probably given back 7 or 8 minutes on the bike and finished 25 minutes faster overall, if I had just raced ny plan. That's a bitter pill to swallow and one that will stick in my craw until I race this distance again.

On the other hand, I will chalk this up as a very important lesson learned. And at the end of the day, I am very proud of myself for completing an HIM, something I wouldn't have dreamed of being able to do a couple years ago.

Oh, and just as a side note, if I had raced my ideal race and finished at my original goal time of 5:45, I would have finished only about 20 places higher in my age group. That's how competitive this field-- and my age group-- was for this race!