Jamie Fields IM Augusta 70.3 RR
Ironman Augusta 70.3 2015
Race Report
9-27-2015
Weeks and days leading up the race
I have to call IM Augusta 70.3 my home race. I live approximately 45 min from the course so I took advantage of this several times. I was able to complete both my race rehearsal rides on the bike course and I was able to get 2 swims in on the river. I had a pretty good idea of where I would be on those 2 and the run was virtually flat so I just needed good execution on race day to have a great race and hopefully, a PR. I had a somewhat worst case scenario for staying hydrated a few days before the race though. As a poultry farmer, I was slated to receive my new baby chicks on Tuesday and Thursday of race week. Baby chicks need very warm brooding temperatures, 89.6* F to be exact, and my help and I are required to unload them…..all 117,900. Needless to say, it is a very hot job. I did the best I could to stay ahead of my hydration.
Pre-Race
I’ve been using the core diet now as my race nutrition for 3 years now. However, I still have difficulty getting down all the applesauce. I deviated from so much applesauce this time though since I haven’t been able to get it all down. (yes, I practiced this a number of times, including both RR rides) I went with 1 serving of oatmeal, 2 small packs of apple sauce, ½ of waffle with a small amount of peanut butter, 12 oz of protein drink, 1 bottle of GE. I ate this 3 hours before the race start. We had to drive over to race from home and arrived in plenty of time to setup my transition area and pump tires. Then to head over to the swim start via the shuttle.
Swim Goal 25:xx Actual: 28:18
I swam this course twice in the weeks before the race. I swam it once in 23:xx. The current was moving well that day but I also felt very comfortable the swim. The second practice swim was 25:xx. The current was lower that day but I still felt very comfortable and confident with my swim here. The swim was of course wet suit legal with the water temp being around 72. We had significant rain in the days prior to the race and the flow was up considerably but Ironman can pull strings and the flow was down for race morning.
I was in the 2nd swim wave at 7:34am. I lined up to the right like I had for the previous swims to avoid the hydrilla grass in the river, horn sounded and off we went. I tried to focus on form and technique but that just goes out the window with me for some reason. I could not get comfortable and struggled for the first half of swim. I finally found my rhythm and settled in to finish up the swim.
T1 2:46
T1 here has a fairly long run from the water, nearly .2 mile! I use a Desoto 2 piece wetsuit so I don’t use the wetsuit strippers. I can get my top off as I exit the water and can remove the bottom very quickly with no assistance. Shoes were on my bike, held in place by the rubber band trick, helmet on and out to the mount line. Very clean and efficient T1.
Bike Goal 2:45 Actual: 2:42:33
I felt ok initially on the bike. I have a tendency to swallow water on the swim which has caused some bloating for me in the past. It was a cool day, misting rain at times during the entire bike. I had plans to ride a .82 IF based off my last race rehearsal ride. I knew this would get me in right around my targeted time of 2:45. Everything was good for the first hour. I was slightly behind on hydration but not all that much, maybe 4oz. I had eaten the 2 halves of my powerbars and 4 clif bloks as planned. From there, I started to not feel great. I was keeping my IF right at .78-.79 but I was having trouble getting the GE down consistently. I took 2 more gels over the remainder of the bike. I was in a little bit of gastric distress at this point but it wasn’t severe enough to cause me to slow down. Most of the bike felt like a head wind to me but the next to the last section I could tell was a tail wind and I made sure to take advantage of this. I stayed on the gas all the way back to T2.
Bike Stats:
.79 IF
NP: 179 W
20.5 MPH Avg
Avg HR: 151 bpm
T2 2:55
As soon as I got off the bike, I knew I was going to have an issue. Racked my bike, put on socks and shoes, grabbed my visor and belt to make my way out. I threw up before I could get out of T2. (Hindsight tells me I should have finished throwing up right then and there)
Run Goal 1:50 Actual 2:09:57
As I started the run, I was extreme pain in the lower half of my abdomen on the right side. A severe cramp is the best way I could describe it. I struggled through the first mile or so and then the pain was enough to make me walk. When I ran, it hurt and hurt bad. I seriously contemplated mailing it in and quitting. Russell, one of my race sherpa’s, gave some words of encouragement to just take it one 1 mile at a time. (He also talked enough about throwing up that I finally did throw up, which I think helped some lol) I walked/ran (mostly walked) the first 7 miles. I took base salt and drank a coke/GE mixture at each aid station. Finally, after mile 7 and was able to begin running more than walking. By mile 9, the pain had lessened enough to run a pace close to what I had intended to run. My run goal was shot but I would still finish.
Stats:
9:57 Avg Pace
144 Avg HR
Summary
I stated on social media that Ironman has a unique way of unraveling the most well laid plan. Even though I had practiced that breakfast rountine on both RR rides, it just did not translate to race day. I suspect the breakfast did not process well and when under the stress from the bike, my stomach was shutting down. This something I need to master before my next iron distance race. Overall, I can’t complain. I still ended up with a 14 minute PR, just not the PR I had hoped for. Not to mention, I missed out on a new bike. My wife told me if I could crack 5 hrs or less. I could buy a new bike! Came up short on that one unfortunately! I am so thankful to be a part of this team not just because of our awesome coaches, but because of the people that make up this team. Endurance Nation is truly an awesome group of people.
Overall: 5:26: 29
Comments
[Not to mention, I missed out on a new bike. My wife told me if I could crack 5 hrs or less. I could buy a new bike! Came up short on that one unfortunately! ]
Recover well and let's get to work on getting that new bike!
Augusta is fun. Congrats on the PR!
Sorry to hear about the cramps in the run. Did you pee on the bike? Any chance it could have been a bit of dehydration especially seeing you already felt you were down GE a few oz? I would think that breakfast wouldn't be the issues. Just my 2c.
Enjoy the doughnuts! EB
You will get that bike sooner or later!