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Timberman - Half Iron - Triathlon1/2 Ironman


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Gilford, New Hampshire
United States
EndorFun
70F / 21C
Sunny
Total Time = 5h 08m 31s
Overall Rank = 223/1491
Age Group = M35-39
Age Group Rank = 36/205
Pre-race routine:

Tried to warm up - it was in the high forties as the sun was coming up - I've never been so quick to put on my wetsuit.
Event warmup:

Standing in the sun (once it came up) trying to get a bit warmer.
Swim
  • 40m 16s
  • 2112 yards
  • 01m 55s / 100 yards
Comments:

Meh. I felt like I was swimming pretty well most of this swim, but the time was way slow - I was five minutes faster at Mooseman this year. There were a lot of suspicions about the measurement of the course today - the race start was delayed for almost thirty minutes while they were trying to figure out where to put the buoys. I was pretty disappointed when I hit the beach and saw my time, but tried not to freak out about it (I had planned for 40 minutes for the swim PLUS both transition) even though this was not a great start to the day.

I did get to have a good "putting life in perspective" kind of moment during the swim when I passed Dick Hoyt pulling his son in that raft they use. Wow.
Transition 1
  • 02m 45s
Comments:

Decent T1, considering how huge the transition area was.
Bike
  • 2h 46m 45s
  • 56 miles
  • 20.15 mile/hr
Comments:

Good, but not great, ride. I beat my goal (20 mph), so that's good. The first part of the bike leg is quite hilly, so I knew that my average speed would be pretty low when we hit the flatter section (Rte. 106). At the turn onto 106 my average was 18 mph, but I think I did pretty well in staying focused. Started really cruising on the flatter sections, and by the turn around my average was up to 20.6, which I thought was great because it felt like the wind had been more of a headwind to that point (other riders thought so too). We were wrong - very, very wrong. We made the turn and immediately realized that we would have to fight an increasingly strong, gusty headwind all the way back. I had a few moments on the hilly parts late in the bike course when I started getting demoralized, especially when I saw my average drop back to 19.7, but I managed to pull it together and ride pretty well the rest of the way and end up with a decent average. Unfortunately I knew that if I wanted a real shot at breaking five hours, I would have to pick up some more time than I did on the bike.

Great moment during the bike - I passed by this old man standing in front of his house, who, with a great irish accent, yelled at several of us "move it you bastards, you ain't got all day!"
What would you do differently?:

Maybe drink a bit more, given the cramping I started to feel on the run. This was my first race using carbo-pro, which worked well, but I don't think I drank enough water with it.
Transition 2
  • 01m 45s
Comments:

Another good transition, considering the size of the area.
Run
  • 1h 37m 19s
  • 13.1 miles
  • 07m 26s  min/mile
Comments:

Came out of T2 showing a time of 3:31:11. Thought to myself, "if I can have one of the best runs of my life, I still have a shot at sub-5 hours". So I took off pushing pretty hard, wanting to see if I could click off a few 6:30 miles early on. Umm, nope. Hit mile 1 around 7:15 and started feeling crampy in my quads. Took lava salts at the next aid station, which helped, but I still couldn't seem to get any mile splits under 7 minutes. By mile 4 or 5 I knew that the sub-5 goal was not going to happen, but I still kept pushing trying to make up some time on Jeff (Jackemy), which I did, although not enough time (he ended up beating me by just under two minutes). By mile 10 I was pushing hard just to try to beat my Mooseman time (5:07), but I couldn't hold the miles fast enough to do that, hitting several miles closer to 8 minutes.

Post race
Warm down:

Pizza, oreos, pretzels, chocolate chip cookies, Jordan's black raspberry ice cream.

Event comments:

Timberman is a great race. Things did get off to a late start today, but other than that things went very well. They seem to have thousands of volunteers, and you lack for nothing on this course.

Even though I didn't beat my goal, I feel like this was a really good effort and probably my best half IM yet. The time was slower than this year's Mooseman, but given the swim time discrepancies I really wonder if this wasn't longer. I felt like I raced well and kept well focused today. I'm happy with my placings as well - top 15% overall, top 20% in my AG, and top 10% for the run. Plus I finished 50 minutes faster than when I did Timberman in 2005. I also apparently could have had a slot to the 70.3 Championship based on my time today (I had already decided against doing this anyway).




Last updated: 2006-12-28 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:40:16 | 2112 yards | 01m 55s / 100yards
Age Group: 119/205
Overall: 762/1491
Performance: Average
Suit:
Course: Big rectangle.
Start type: Wade Plus: Waves
Water temp: 73F / 23C Current: Medium
200M Perf. Good Remainder: Good
Breathing: Good Drafting: Good
Waves: Navigation: Average
Rounding: Good
T1
Time: 02:45
Performance: Good
Cap removal: Good Helmet on/
Suit off:
Yes
Wetsuit stuck? No Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike: No
Getting up to speed: Good
Biking
02:46:45 | 56 miles | 20.15 mile/hr
Age Group: 54/205
Overall: 304/1491
Performance: Good
Wind: Some with gusts
Course: Single loop, out and back. Bigger hills in the first ten and last ten miles.
Road: Smooth  Cadence:
Turns: Good Cornering: Good
Gear changes: Good Hills: Average
Race pace: Comfortable Drinks: Not enough
T2
Time: 01:45
Overall: Good
Riding w/ feet on shoes
Jumping off bike
Running with bike
Racking bike
Shoe and helmet removal
Running
01:37:19 | 13.1 miles | 07m 26s  min/mile
Age Group: 22/205
Overall: 135/1491
Performance: Average
Course: Two out-and-back loops.
Keeping cool Good Drinking Not enough
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 4
Physical exertion [1-5] 4
Good race? Yes
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? No
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? Yes
Post race activities: Good
Race evaluation [1-5] 5

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2007-08-19 6:48 PM

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Master
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Maine
Subject: Timberman - Half Iron


2007-08-20 8:14 AM
in reply to: #931225

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Expert
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Haddam, CT
Subject: RE: Timberman - Half Iron

GREAT job!  That's awesome that you felt that you raced well and were focused!  Enjoy a job well done!

p.s. That swim was never-ending, wasn't it?



Edited by lobstergirl 2007-08-20 8:14 AM
2007-08-20 9:20 AM
in reply to: #931225

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Extreme Veteran
586
500252525
Waterboro, Maine
Subject: RE: Timberman - Half Iron
Great race! I hate it when there are headwinds no matter which way you ride...
2007-08-20 9:52 AM
in reply to: #931225

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Master
2006
2000
Portland, ME
Subject: RE: Timberman - Half Iron
Great race Rob. To have about the same time at Mooseman yesterday is a solid perfomance as this was much tougher. I really thought you were going to catch me on the last loop of the run. It is a blast to compete out there with a friend that is so close in time to you. It really helps to get through the pain. But apparently our race didn't have the same star power as Ficker/Major.  
2007-08-20 10:09 AM
in reply to: #931225

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Not a Coach
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Media, PA
Subject: RE: Timberman - Half Iron

Great race!  Can't control the course or the conditions, but sounds like you controlled pretty much everything else.  Nice job!

And I love random race moments like that old Irish guy. 

2007-08-20 11:40 AM
in reply to: #931225

Pro
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Andover
Subject: RE: Timberman - Half Iron
AWESOME job out there, Rob!

I too heard several comments about the swim being long--glad I didn't have to do it.

And I hear ya' about the wind feeling it was like a headwind on the way out on 106. WTF was the deal with that???

BTW:
Sorry I missed you. Had hoped we'd get a chance to B.S. a bit.

Oh, and I'm LOL over: "Move it you bastards, you ain't got all day!"


2007-08-20 12:55 PM
in reply to: #931225

Extreme Veteran
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100100100100
Subject: RE: Timberman - Half Iron

Congratulations Rob and to all you guys who did it too!! Great race!

I am sorry I didn't manage to see anyone. The wind on the bike was tough. That got to me a bit. I was just glad the lake mellowed out after the way it looked on SAturday afternoon!!  It was an amazing experience for me. Lots of fun.

Hard to walk today....

2007-08-20 1:21 PM
in reply to: #931225

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Pro
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MA
Subject: RE: Timberman - Half Iron

Great job, Rob!  Sounds like a tough race.  Thought Mooseman was bad enough. 

Love that old Irish guy. 

You passed the Hoyts on the swim?  That's so cool.

2007-08-20 3:58 PM
in reply to: #931225

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Expert
702
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Manchester, NH
Subject: RE: Timberman - Half Iron

Congratulations, Rob! Great job!

I really wanted to come up and cheer for you guys this weekend, but I had a family thing come up.

Great race, you Bastard!!

2007-08-20 4:31 PM
in reply to: #931225

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Master
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Cambridge, MA
Subject: RE: Timberman - Half Iron

Oh, is that (buoy issue) why the starts were delayed?!  I thought it might've been the porta potty lines, which were longer this year than last year in my estimation. 

I'm totally impressed with your time on all three legs of the course, and can relate all too well to the 'just not feelin' it' way that the run can go.  Timberman is not a easy course.  It's all push push push and you really pushed it yesterday.

Way to GO!  -Sunny

2007-08-20 6:14 PM
in reply to: #931225

Champion
8903
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Subject: RE: Timberman - Half Iron

Yup, another vote for a long swim course!  Great job, I think maybe with the right swim distance and a less windy day you would have been under 5 hrs easy!  Too bad you didn't get to hook up with us, its so darn hard to find anyone there with 2,000 people milling around!

 



2007-08-20 10:16 PM
in reply to: #931225

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Champion
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MA
Subject: RE: Timberman - Half Iron

Super race Rob...top 10% on the run, plus excellent AG and OA finish.

50 minutes faster than 2 years ago..man you have improved a lot and started off fast.

Enjoy the glow of a well executed race...

Love the comment that guy gave you...always nice to get a chuckle out on the course. 

2007-08-20 11:43 PM
in reply to: #931225

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Expert
657
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Portland
Subject: RE: Timberman - Half Iron

Great job Rob.  I agree with your assessments and as we talked about after the race, I think I fell to the same stumbling blocks as you.  It was still a great race and I know that the elusive sub-5 is in the near future for both of us!  I wish I has seen that Irish guy when I went by his house, that might have inspired me to get my speed up a little

2007-08-21 11:53 AM
in reply to: #931225

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Regular
65
2525
Good ole' Central Maine
Subject: RE: Timberman - Half Iron
Nice race, Rob!
2007-08-22 12:57 PM
in reply to: #931225

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Expert
690
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Rocky Hill, Connecticut
Subject: RE: Timberman - Half Iron
Congrats, great race and great time!!!
2007-08-22 2:25 PM
in reply to: #931988

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Expert
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Subject: RE: Timberman - Half Iron

What a great race you had. I can't believe how fast some of you guys are. The old Irish guy sounds pretty cool. I would have loved to see the Hoyts on the swim; I did see them on the run and the bike, and it was pretty inspirational. Congratulations on a remarkable job.

 

Jackemy - 2007-08-20 10:52 AM  But apparently our race didn't have the same star power as Ficker/Major.  

I 'd have to say that I'm more impressed by you really fast "regular" guys.

Anthony



2007-08-22 6:21 PM
in reply to: #931225

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Veteran
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MA
Subject: RE: Timberman - Half Iron
Wowwwww, smoking race!  Your run was absolutely amazing, especially given the hills.  I love the comments of the old guy with the irish accent- hilarious!  Congrats!
2007-08-22 9:18 PM
in reply to: #931225

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Coach
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Boston, MA
Subject: RE: Timberman - Half Iron

it was nice chatting with ya after the race

CONGRATS!

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