Meltdown: Cutting Edge Half (Effingham) race report
On Sunday I raced the Cutting Edge Half Classic, a local half-iron distance race. A figurative and literal meltdown.
Swim: I had a steady, even-split 2-loop swim with good navigation, no problems dealing with traffic, HR under control. But 82-degree water in June, like swimming in a warm bath, which definitely kept the speed down and body temperature up.
Bike: A new out and back course, mostly very flat with a couple of steep climbs. I think I did my best-executed ride. First half hour was at 70% and the rest aimed at 75%. Kept power under control up the rollers and stayed on the gas on the back side--essentially no freewheeling all day, which is difficult for me and something I've been working on. Managed the hills, including the ones where as a Weak Heavy Male Person (WHMP) I have to go way over goal watts to keep moving. Stopped only at the turnaround to release the back. Headwind on the return took 2mph off the outbound time but I held power steady. Nutrition and hydration were right on plan.
I aimed a little below the .75 IF target and ended up at .73, sensing I'd better be conservative in the growing heat. I was pleased with the ride; without the headwind the time would have been right on my prediction, but I came off the bike very warm. So swim and run were steady and up to training--on pace, in fact, for a PR or at least a good showing for a B race I trained right through.
"Run": Holy cow. This was the meltdown part. Temperature went up to 94 with very high humidity. No shade anywhere on the course, and most was on black asphalt, which was radiating heat. A lot of very fit people were walking. Some were hammerheads who had gone out too fast on the bike, but a lot were just done in by the oppressive heat and humidity. (Heat index, whatever that actually means, was 107.) Cleaning up transition afterwards I unthinkingly dumped a water bottle that had been sitting out all day onto my feet to rinse off. I now have a burn there.
Even holding back, by mile 4 I was reduced to jogging until I felt dizzy or nauseous, then walking until I didn't. This was incredibly frustrating. I found a little life in the second loop but not for long. By that point the asphalt was melting; shoes were sticking to the ground and then picking up fine gravel, getting heavier and heavier. My body reacts terribly to the heat, and it was simply survival at that point, trying to get to the finish line before overheating. Which I did, eventually (finish, I mean).
How bad was it? My pathetic 2:48 "run" was second in my age group. So were my decent swim (by seconds) and so-so bike (by more) which meant I came in second in my new AG--first hardware ever. Just a minor local race, but I'd feel better if I had actually run the damn thing, instead of doing the Ironman shuffle on a flat half-iron course.
Today was spent nursing sunburn and trying to get the tar off perfectly good running shoes. --Dan M
Comments
I recall that Hayes and Dr D did this race last year and it was hot/brutal then too. You did great to survive. Congrats on the hardware!
It's a legit placing in my book. Congratulations on the hardware and for sucking in up all the way to the finish line.
I know where "Effingham" (IL) is, but shouldn't they actually have renamed it "Effinghard" this year? Way to go.
@Dan- ; Hayes and Karin and I suffered through a similar experience last year so I know exactly how you feel. I remamber the unique run experience of hearing footsteps, looking behind me and no one was there. It was the sucking sound my own shoes were making on the melting blacktop! I would have probably DNFed if not for Karin's encouragement.
I also won hardware(3rd in AG) after 2/3rd's of my AG DNFed. On the same day last year 3 close local tri friends were doing High Cliff and had temps 20 degrees warmer. I was there this Saturday instead doing High Cliff with Mancona, Beth and Jim. I'd pick the rough water, 20 mph winds on bike over your experience. 13.1 miles of shaded trail running seemed like a blessing.
Way to tough it out on an extremely bad day.
DrD
PS- WHMP- that had me cracking up, gotta add that one to the Wiki!
Effinghard is right! OMG, what a day. It was hot here, but not that bad! Podium on a day like that? ROCK. STAR. Congrats!
Congratulations on toughing it out to a podium finish!