Caleb's Texas 70.3 Report
TL;DR
First 70.3 race, goal to finish, did that, didn't set any land speed records.
Leading Up to Race Day
I spent the last three months focused on weight loss, not triathlon training. I started a no-carb/high fat (ketogenic) diet that has been incredibly effective. I've dropped 35 pounds so far (254 to 219) and I have the resolve to keep at it. I'd like to get down to 200 by the end of the year.
I put in enough work to confidently cover the 70.3 distance but rather than shooting for a specific time, I set a goal to finish with a smile. As triathletes go, the EN crowd is pretty hard-core so I hope that doesn't get me shunned 
The days before the race were filled with speculation. First, 168,000 gallons of oil were spilled into the water a few miles away. Second, the weather forecast was 100% chance of rain with storms throughout most of the day. Would the swim be canceled? Would the bike rain out too? I tried to keep my thoughts inside the box.
Race Day
There was a little bit of rain in the early hours and it remained overcast until the early afternoon.
My swim wave didn't go off until 8:10 so I slept in until 4:45. We rented a beach house of the weekend so after breakfast my wife drive me over to Moody Gardens for a quick transition setup. I killed time by waiting inside one of the museum buildings. I managed to find a really nice secret bathroom in the museum that was easily 1000 times better than the porta-johns. I'm selling maps for $10/each next year.
Swim - 00:57:40
I selected to start the swim on the right side of the group, away from the buoy line. I did this to avoid contact.
The first third of the swim course was particularly tough. The water was choppy and I had trouble sighting. On a few occasions I found myself enthusiastically swimming on a line that was only adding to the distance.
About halfway through the swim I noticed that the underside of my bicep and my arm pit were rubbing awkwardly. I felt a skin rash that began to burn. Honestly, I can't understand how its possible. After the rash goes away I'm going to get back into my trisuit and wetsuit to see if I can make sense of it.
The sighting problem caused my confidence to drop and I began to stop frequently to get my bearings. These breaks added to my swim time. I glanced at my watch once in the water. It was disheartening to see that 45 minutes had already passed and I still had to make the final turn. 45 minutes was my silent goal for the swim.
As I exited the water I saw my family. I felt the urge to break into uncontrollable sobbing. WHAT?! First, I don't cry easily. Second, it wasn't like I had been away at war or anything. This was the my first clue that something wasn't right. I was light headed. I slowly made my way to the wet suit peelers and then slowly walked into T1.
T1 - 00:08:08
In T1 I tried to get my head on straight. I took in a gel and some Perform. Looking back I can see that I was so taken aback by how I was feeling that I had no motivation to hurry. Eight minutes is a *long* time for T1.
Bike - 03:35:43
I worried about the bike course for several days leading up to the race. While I had prepped well for the windy conditions, I don't get along with wet roads. I've only been a cyclist for about 18 months now and my only crash to this point is from taking a turn too aggressively on a wet road.
I was thrilled to see that the roads were pretty dry. They were smooth and traffic was kept away nicely. My only complaint was the 50 yards or so before and after the San Luis Pass Bridge. I'm not certain these roads have been maintained since the bridge was built in 1970.
The course was windy as expected. It seemed to shift direction more that I anticipated. I kept my power low throughout the bike with an eye towards making sure I would not collapse on the run.
I ate three packages of GU Chomps and two Honey Stinger waffles that I had prepared in my bento box. In my race rehearsal I found that I wasn't able to handle the bike well in high winds and fight the food wrappers. Chomps made a great alternative to gels since I could unwrap them into my bento box and ditch the packaging. I did the same thing with the waffles. I also took in a sodium tablet every 45 minutes. I skipped the first aid station because I had pre-loaded Perform but picked up a bottle at all of the others.
I was able to pee once on the bike. That was a first.
I saw my family on the course three times. Twice from where they parked on the side of the road and once as they drove back to the run course. Seeing them was really encouraging. They were engaged in my progress all day and I'm terribly thankful for that.
I expect my bike time to drop quite a bit as I improve my fitness over the next year.
T2 - 00:06:56
Nothing too exciting in T2. I reapplied sun screen and dug chap stick out of my bag. I had not anticipated the sun to come out so these items were not laid out. I knew that I was in for a long run so I took my time.
Run - 02:52:41
In my race rehearsal my first mile started out way too fast but it felt like I was just crawling along. Not today. My first run 30 steps of the run were at a 12 minute pace. I had expected to turn in several miles of 10 minute pace. I landed on keeping the 12 minute pace based on the race execution plan of keeping the suck as far away as possible. Since my goal was to finish I opted to stay conservative.
I walked every aid station, taking in Perform every time and gels+sodium tablets per my schedule.
The run course was nice and flat but I found that it had two distinct looks. The first few miles were covered by spectators and athletes (finish line, transition area, team tents) and the second part of the three loop course was barren.
I stuck to the 12 minute pace while running and after I walked the aid station it came out closer to 13 minutes. I was slow but I feel like it was a calculated tradeoff to assure a finish. I pushed hard at the end and finished the last half mile at a 9 minute pace.
Looking Back
I'm satisfied with my execution. I believe that I achieved the results that I earned. I have more 70.3 races in my future and I expect to have a higher level of fitness which will allow for more defined goals and faster time.
I had a blast!
Comments
Nice job. Keep working at it. I like to see " I had a blast" attitude.
Good job!