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South Carolina Half - Triathlon1/2 Ironman


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Greenwood, South Carolina
United States
set-up.inc
78F / 26C
Sunny
Total Time = 5h 27m 16s
Overall Rank = 15/107
Age Group = F 35-39
Age Group Rank = 5/23
Pre-race routine:

Got up at 4:15. Ate 1 bagel with cream cheese. Drank two cups of coffee. Ate a Clif bar @5:45 on the way to the race site. Rode with TigerD and Suzanne. That helped a lot with the pre-race jitters.
Event warmup:

None. My wave did not start until 20 minutes after the 1st wave. I figured any benefit would be lost from standing around in the 55 degree air waiting for my wave to start.
Swim
  • 35m 37s
  • 2112 yards
  • 01m 41s / 100 yards
Comments:

I felt sluggish in the water at the start, but I knew it was only my body warming up. This race was wetsuit legal. But I opted not to use one because 1) I don't own a wetsuit 2) The water wasn't cold enough in my book to fuss with a rental. I tried to relax and stay calm. This swim was a lot more physical due to the large number of participants, but it thinned out after the first 200 meters.
What would you do differently?:

Stick to three stroke breathing. I switched to 2 and 2 each side for a bit and all that did was help me swallow more lake water.
Transition 1
  • 01m 56s
Comments:

I took the time to pull on toe socks in T1. I found out in my training that my right foot hurts terribly after 8 miles in regular socks. So I figured seconds here would pay off big time for the race.
What would you do differently?:

Nothing
Bike
  • 2h 41m 21s
  • 56 miles
  • 20.82 mile/hr
Comments:

My coach told me to race the bike. So I did just that. Since I hadn't run in three weeks due to a hip injury, I decided the bike leg would be MY race. I started out passing lots of females, then I started passing Clydesdales and older men and finally younger men. I passed and passed and passed. I stayed aero for the most part staying low and out of the wind. I had a timer on my watch set to beep at me every thirty minutes. That's when I would set up, eat, and stretch. I tried to drink every 15 minutes, but it seemed to be taking a long time to empty my aerobottle. But the ride felt good. I was thankful to be on a carbon bike as the pavement was bumpy. I had Justin Timberlake's "Lovestoned" while I was riding. "She's bad and she knows. I think that she knows..." Oh yeah. I had a total blast on this ride. I was firing on all cylinders. I could see my shadow during one portion of the ride and I knew my form was dead on. Oh to stay on the bike and not have to run!
What would you do differently?:

Nothing.
Transition 2
  • 01m 11s
Comments:

I had to sit down to get my running shoes on. I didn't want to risk messing up my up before the half mary by trying to balance on one leg.
What would you do differently?:

Not ahve a hip injury.
Run
  • 2h 07m 13s
  • 13.1 miles
  • 09m 43s  min/mile
Comments:

I knew I had a good race going. But this run was a complete unknown. Would my hip hold up? Was my endurance still there after 3 weeks off of running? I started to run and felt very awkward and stiff. I told myself it was just natural brick legs and that in a quarter mile, things would feel smooth. I wouldn't say my legs felt smooth after that, but it was manageable. I did the first loop with a smile on my face and just enjoyed the fact that I was out on course doing my first half ironman. My second loop started off fine, but at mile 9 I started feeling fatigue creep over me. At the next aid station the volunteers were yelling "Water! Gatorade! Salt tabs!" I said"Give me some of everything!" I took 4 endurolytes with the water and walked and drank the Gatorade. I told myself I would only walk until the trash can, but I kept on walking past that. By now, My hip was hurting. Bad. My arch rival had come around me at mile 8 and I gave myself a mental "atta girl" for keeping her at bay for that long. More folks were running past me now as I was limping along. They would call out "Are you ok?" and I would say "No." This was the lowest part of my race. I felt like everything I had worked so hard for since July was all just slipping away. But I kept walking. My coach road up to me on her bike. I told her I was bonking but that I was going to finish even if I had to crawl. She gave me some pointers and while she was talking, my determintation returned (and maybe the salt tabs and gatorade kicked in). I said I was going to finish running. I started a shuffly-jog and kept my eye out for the next aid station. I walked again at the station and met up with a 19 year old guy who was moaning with each step. I said,"I feel the same way." He said, "I have never hurt this bad in my entire life". I looked him in the eye and said,"We're not gonna talk about that now. We can talk about that after we cross the finish line". He perked up and said,"Right on!" We shuffled together into the state park, through the parking lot and around the lake for the final time. He said, "Let's do this" and we bumped knuckles. He picked up his feet and charged up the hill with a grceful and strong finishing kick. I tried to follow, but my body would not go. I felt like I was wearing cement shoes. But I crossed the finish line!
What would you do differently?:

Not injure myself and be able to train consistently in the run all the way up to the event.
Post race
Warm down:

Stood in the shower tent for almost 10 minutes guzzling gator aid and water and watched some of my friends finish.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Injured hip flexor and not being able to run for three weeks prior to the event.

Event comments:

This was my first half ironman and I am incredibly pleased with my performance especially given the fact that I was injured. Today, I could hardly get out of bed. That just re-affirms that I gave everything I had yesterday and did indeed leave it all out on the course. A big thanks to TigerD who not only supported his wife, Suzanne, but helped me too by carrying my stuff and wheeling my bike and fetching us with the truck so we wouldn't have to walk as far.


Profile Album


Last updated: 2007-06-15 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:35:37 | 2112 yards | 01m 41s / 100yards
Age Group: 0/23
Overall: 14/107
Performance: Average
Suit: Sugoi trisuit
Course: Out and around a peninsula. The outbound swim was into the sun, after the first turn, sun was not a factor.
Start type: Deep Water Plus:
Water temp: 80F / 27C Current: Low
200M Perf. Below average Remainder: Average
Breathing: Average Drafting: Good
Waves: Navigation: Average
Rounding: Good
T1
Time: 01:56
Performance: Good
Cap removal: Helmet on/
Suit off:
Wetsuit stuck? Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike: No
Getting up to speed:
Biking
02:41:21 | 56 miles | 20.82 mile/hr
Age Group: 0/23
Overall: 2/107
Performance: Good
Wind: Headwind
Course: 56 mile loop over rolling, rough terrain.
Road: Rough Dry Cadence:
Turns: Good Cornering: Good
Gear changes: Good Hills: Good
Race pace: Hard Drinks: Not enough
T2
Time: 01:11
Overall: Below average
Riding w/ feet on shoes
Jumping off bike
Running with bike Average
Racking bike Good
Shoe and helmet removal Below average
Running
02:07:13 | 13.1 miles | 09m 43s  min/mile
Age Group: 0/23
Overall: 56/107
Performance: Below average
Course: Two loops out and back over rolling terrain with the majority of the run in the direct sun.
Keeping cool Average Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Average
Mental exertion [1-5] 5
Physical exertion [1-5] 5
Good race? Yes
Evaluation
Course challenge Too hard
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? No
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? Yes
Post race activities: Average
Race evaluation [1-5] 4

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2007-10-01 1:37 PM

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Pro
4507
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Simpsonville, SC
Subject: South Carolina Half


2007-10-01 2:15 PM
in reply to: #985807

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Regular
85
252525
Greenville, SC
Subject: RE: South Carolina Half
You were awesome yesterday! I couldn't believe how fast you were moving on the run. Congratulations on a great race!
2007-10-01 2:16 PM
in reply to: #985807

Regular
66
2525
SC
Subject: RE: South Carolina Half
You did great! It would have been easy to give up at mile 10, but you kept going. And it's good that your strong swim and bike legs gave you some cushion on the run. Next stop: Off season! Hooray!
2007-10-01 3:48 PM
in reply to: #985807

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Veteran
129
10025
Lugoff, SC
Subject: RE: South Carolina Half
Great race!  Way to gut it out with the hip injury!!
2007-10-01 4:12 PM
in reply to: #985807

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Elite
3488
20001000100100100100252525
Lakewood, CO
Subject: RE: South Carolina Half

So lets see, you were in the top 20% of the swim without a wetsuit, you smoked the bike, and you ran a 1/2 mary - without running for the last 3 weeks, on a bum hip, ready to crawl if you had to on what seems to be a hard course based on times I saw - in just 24 seconds slower than your stand alone 1/2 mary time. 

How awesome is that!!!!

 

You rock and definitely earned some rest!!  Enjoy the off season. 

2007-10-02 6:01 AM
in reply to: #985807

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Extreme Veteran
407
100100100100
Greenwood, SC
Subject: RE: South Carolina Half
Awesome race! Enjoyed seeing you and your daughter at the kids tri the day before. I can't get over how fast you can go on a bike. That is just amazing. Great race and hope you come back next year!


2007-10-02 7:10 AM
in reply to: #985807

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Champion
5874
50005001001001002525
Milton, GA
Subject: RE: South Carolina Half

Great Job, Pam!!!  You are a BIKING MACHINE!!!

Hope your hip gets to feeling better.

2007-10-02 7:36 AM
in reply to: #985807

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Master
2571
20005002525
Tiger's Den
Subject: RE: South Carolina Half
Girl you are just flat out amazing. You are one tough chickie!! You had a great race- I can't believe how competitive our AG was at this race. Where did all these women come from? The olympic training center?
2007-10-02 8:50 AM
in reply to: #985807

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Champion
10471
500050001001001001002525
Dallas, TX
Subject: RE: South Carolina Half
Hey, thanks for that inspire in my log, I appreciate it! I am glad you pointed me to this RR, since you hadn't run for 3 weeks going into your HIM.

Well to start... you are WAY FASTER than I am.. all the way around! I can't even imagine doing a HIM in under 7 hours. !!!!

That is so cool that your bike was so fast. Sounds like you were really rocking it out there!

And... your run was FAST! Even if I had been running, I still would not be able to keep that kind of pace. I would be lucky to keep a 12 minute mile.

But what you wrote about the run leg really spoke to me. I am going into this with the idea to HAVE FUN! See, I expect to walk, so mentally it won't kill me... but other people who expected to run and will be walking, it will get in their head. Those people I hope to cheer up and talk to!

Congratulations on such an amazing race even with not running 3 weeks up until race day! Just imagine how fast you would be if you could run the 1/2 mary! WOAH!
2007-10-08 6:01 AM
in reply to: #985807

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Master
1671
10005001002525
West Bend, WI
Subject: RE: South Carolina Half

HOly smokes- you are that fast without a wesuit??? HOW????

Nice job

2008-01-08 5:34 AM
in reply to: #985807

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Extreme Veteran
459
1001001001002525
Subject: RE: South Carolina Half
Congratulations on the HIM! Great, great job! I can only hope to feel that good on my bike. I really liked your race report - AWESOME JOB!!


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