It was the best of times, it was the worst of times - Henault Raleigh 70.3 Report

John Henault

Henault Raleigh 70.3 Race Report

Executive Summary:  The day was disappointing, but I got it done.  Based on my training and race rehearsals, I should have done much better.  I will not make excuses, though.  I simply did not have the mental game to push myself as hard as I needed to push.  

Stats:

Swim   T1        Bike     T2        Run     Overall

47:56   3:02     2:54     3:32     2:53     6:42

Race Morning:  I was on plan race morning.  I got up, had my applesauce, protein powder and banana.  Went to T2, dropped run bag then hopped on the shuttle to T1.  Got to T1, pumped up the tires, made sure bike gear was ready to go, and got out of transition.  Ate a powerbar and sipped on some Gatorade.

I brought a wetsuit and swim skin with me, just in case.  Water was not wetsuit legal, and I was slated to go off in the 5th swim wave, so there was no way I was going to the back of the bus simply to wear a wetsuit, especially since I had a swim skin with me. 

Went to the team picture, then it was time to get in line for the swim start.  Got my swim skin on and asked a teammate to help zip it up.  Zipper broke!  Oh well, time to be flexible.  I guess I’m swimming in my tri kit.

Swim - 47:56:  Got in the water to make sure goggles were good to go, then went back to beach and got in line.  Waded into the water and went to the inside of the buoys, which was my plan.  I basically swam just inside most of the buoys and then went to the outside of the corners.   It was clear water for the most part.

It took a little while to settle into my form, but felt like I had it about half way through the first leg of the triangle.  Shortly after, it felt like both of my calves and hamstrings wanted to cramp every time I lifted my head to sight.  This wasn’t good, but I managed to keep the cramps at bay, although I know it caused me to go slower.  The second leg of the triangle seemed to go on FOREVER. 

Ended up with a 47:56 for the swim.  I had expected to be in the 42-43 minute range.  I talked with a few people after the race (and read some comments on the interwebs) and it seems like many swims were a few minutes longer than expected. 

T1 - 3:02:  Uneventful.  I did what I needed to do and got out of transition.  I should get better in transitions.  I was surprised it took so long. 

Bike - 2:54 / NP 203 / IF .72:  The bike started really well.  I did the admin miles at the beginning and tried not to get into what Coach Rich calls the “stupid zone.”  The first half of the bike felt pretty good.  I was coming close to hitting my numbers, albeit a little low.  The back half did not feel as good.  Although I felt the twinge of cramps, I again managed to keep them at bay.  My nutrition was pretty much spot on, but looking back I probably should have taken a little more fluid given the heat. 

I don’t know why, but I just couldn’t keep on my watts through the back half of the course.  My target was about 226 for the whole ride, and my final number was just 23 watts lower.  I know I left some serious time on the bike course and there is no excuse.  I simply need to push harder (which is the main plot of this story).  During the back half of the bike I was seriously questioning how I can expect to do IM Chattanooga given how crappy I was feeling during a half!

T2 - 3:32:  I do not know how T2 took me so long.  I racked my bike, put on socks and shoes (which was accompanied again by the feeling of impending cramps), grabbed my go bag and headed for the exit. 

Run - 2:53:  This is what really, really hurt me on the day.  Based on my training and race rehearsals, I expected to run no more than about a 2:15.  Needless to say, that did not happen.  I felt ok at the beginning of the run but quickly realized that I did not have the mental fortitude to push through the discomfort and pain.  I found myself alternating between running and walking way too early.  I am sometimes my biggest critic and this run was no exception.  I was not happy with myself and my effort, and was seriously questioning my ability to finish Chattanooga given this effort.  With about 3 miles to go, I finally convinced myself that I needed to HTFU, and ran it to the finish.  Overall, I do not think it was a nutrition or a training thing, I just think my head was not in the right place to force my body to endure the suffering, and my run showed that fact. 

Overall impression:  As unhappy as I am with the day, there is some good.  First, my kids got to do the IronKids race Saturday morning and saw me out there working.  That, for me, is key, and hopefully is a lasting impression for them as they go through life! 

Second, I realize that I still did 70.3 miles more than most people on a difficult, hot day.  I also realize that a bad day on the course is still much, much better than a good day on the couch. 

Third, it was also great to meet teammates before, during and after the race, and cheer them on as the day progressed.  The encouragement I received, and giving encouragement to others, was priceless. 

Raleigh is in the rear view mirror and IM Chattanooga is on the horizon for my first IM (albeit a distant horizon).  Between now and then I definitely need to train the brain to endure the pain! 

Emily Brinkley

@JH - I know we've already had emails going back and forth. I still think you did what you had to in order to see that finish line. Lots of people run a race, but it takes a true athlete to overcome the dark spots. I commend you for fighting the fight to the finish.

Having not read your race plan, I'd say focus in on making sure you were getting enough fluids and salts in. Check in with the Core Diet peeps and get your sweat test confirmed. (all assuming you've not already done this.) For example, I was to take in 4.5 bottles of Gatorade Endurance on the bike, and because it was hot, I had one bottle with a packet of Gatorlytes (salts) mixed in to make sure I had a sane mind by the end of that bike. I also had my fuel belt filled with salts/gatorade. Did you pee once on the bike?

If your RR runs before this were as solid as you said, then I don't think fitness is your problem at all. I have no doubt you'll finish Choo with the type of person you are. You and MB would be out there beating e'rebody up with your mental toughness. Instead of saying "don't know how I'm going to get through a full..." let's turn that junk around and say "what's it gonna take to get through that full..." and I'll be on that course with you to make sure it happens.

Dave Campbell

Don't beat yourself up John, just address the parts your not satisfied with and your good to go. You will finish Choo! Raleigh was no joke with the heat. Choo should be much cooler. I've been where you are and I've found fulls don't necessarily hurt more than halfs. I've done 20 halfs and 3 fulls. I push halfs harder so they hurt more to me. I think the big difference is a mistake in a full nutrition wise, etc can just seem to last FOREVER! I'm sure the swim was long. I haven't heard of anyone who came out faster than they expected. I was 2-3 min slow and had a good trip. Course was a tad long I think. The "rolling terrain on the back half of the bike made it harder to hit target watts. The downs quickly saw us at 30+ mph. A good friend told me once to "Never beat yourself up over crossing a finish line" and I think that's pretty solid advice. Congrats on getting it done, especially the last 3. That's digging deep.

Scott Giljum

Lessons learned are a good thing, just don't take them to a dark place and let them eat you up. The fact is on a hot day you went out and finished a tough race. That does take mental fortitude that will only serve you well come Choo. Congratulations on digging it out on a tough day.

rlh2000

JH, sometimes it just isn't your day, but crossing a finish line is NEVER an accident, so be proud of what you did! Just starting a 70.3 is rockstar status for most people! I'd also wonder about your nutrition, usually when I find myself getting down, if I eat, I feel better mentally and physically, even if I did feel I was on plan for nutrition before that. Going forward, you have a lot of time to work on that mental toughness. You will need to call on it at least weekly, as getting through 5 hr rides isn't always a walk in the park. Do you have a "one thing?". That can help as well. Other things to remember is the faster you finish, the faster the pain/suck stops. I also like to set goals based on things like "I will not walk except for the aid station" instead of time goals. Then you can remind yourself that you can meet your goal, and that is motivation to not walk. Plenty of time til IMCHOO, you will be fine! Learn from it, make sure you see some positives, and move on. Also, this can be a motivator at IMCHOO when you want to walk- remember how upset you were after Raleigh that you let yourself, and don't let yourself feel that way again!

John Henault

Thanks, all, for the comments. Having had another day to reflect on the lead up to the race and the race itself, reading your comments, having an honest conversation with a friend who is in the triathlon business (manager for a couple of the top pros), and looking back at my training, I realize that I was not nearly as consistent with my training as I needed to be. While my report said I did not think it was the lack of nutrition or training, I now realize that it was likely some of both, as well as my head just not being where it needed to be.

With that realization, I understand that to be successful at Chattanooga, I need to (1) become much more consistent with my training and not use getting busy at work as an excuse; (2) really focus on body comp and lose quite a bit more weight; (3) dial in and follow a better nutrition plan through training and race day (Core Diet, here I come); and (4) practice pushing my pace and get back the accepting the suffering that it takes to do these things.

Thanks again, I really appreciate the time everyone spent to offer suggestions!

JFH

Rich Stanbaugh

@JH - it was HOT! No way you can beat yourself up on this race... the run was just unbearable. The longer you were on the course, the worse it got. It is nearly impossible to drink enough or cool yourself enough to keep going in that kind of heat. The online temps said 88-89, but those are in the shade. The temps coming off the unshaded asphalt were much higher.

CHOO will be a hot one too... don't avoid the hot time of the day as you get yourself ready to go down there.

You looked as strong as anyone one the run course and I really appreciated the shout outs as we passed. I was dying and they helped!

drjohnson08

Congratulations on crossing that line John! It was great meeting you. Seeing you on that HOT run course was definitely a pick me up. I agree with a lot of the comments here. Don't beat yourself up too bad. It got really hot out there so I would say you definitely did HTFU just by finishing. On a day like that sometimes there is nothing you can change to make that suck go away except finish the race. Just read all of the IMTX race reports from last month! Each race is an opportunity to learn and improve. Every one of us has or will have a "not my day" race at some point. Use it as motivation to make improvements, dial in nutrition, get more consistent etc. before CHOO gets here. I will tell you that the exact same thoughts you had on the bike and run crossed my mind on the run..."this run hurts. CHOO could be just as warm. how the heck am I going to do that race." You'll have 3+ more months to train for that race and get your head ready for it. Keep working hard and I have no doubt you will finish CHOO. Looking forward to seeing that happen!

jim ebert

 

glad to hear I'm not the only one who has  doubts on poor HIMs and worries about coming IMs. you make me feel better on my coming MDIM. tks. we are all moving each other forward. a good sign.

Nemo Brauch

JH- others have already said it, but I'm going to say it again. The heat at Raleigh can't be ignored as a factor to your race day. And I know everyone talks about how hot it was on the run, but the reality is that it started getting pretty damn toasty while most of us were still on the bike too (perhaps a factor in not being able to hold watts on that back half). And it wasn't just "hot" like it is today (or even this past weekend at Eagleman or Williamsburg), for many of us, it was the first day over 80 we had seen since last summer! So acclimation was another real factor. You'll have all of that sorted out before Choo.

Great job gutting it out to the finish line. I like what Dave Campbell said; "Never beat yourself up over crossing the finish line!"