EugenePartridge
IM AZ
IM ARIZONA RACE REPORT
2018 RACE
CLUB AFFILIATIONS: Endurance Nation
Eugene Partridge
Overall Rank: 1705
Div Rank: 12
Gender Rank: 1278
General Info
BIB
956
Division
65-69
Age
67
State
WA
Country
USA
Profession
---
Points
2767
Race Summary
Swim
01:30:12
Bike
07:03:58
Run
05:55:51
Overall
14:53:11
SWIM DETAILS | Division Rank: 10
Total
2.4 mi
01:30:12
01:30:12
02:20/100m
10
984
1273
BIKE DETAILS | Division Rank: 15
Split Name
Total
112 mi
07:03:58
08:49:26
15.85 mph
15
1334
1754
RUN DETAILS | Division Rank: 12
Split Name
Total
26.2 mi
05:55:51
14:53:11
13:34/mi
12
1278
1705
Transition Details
T1: Swim-to-bike
00:15:16
T2: Bike-to-run
00:07:54
I came into IM AZ well trained and well prepared for ll 3 venues. Retrospectively I should have utilized my rest days as this part of training is equally important.IM AZ is known to be warm weather event, this year was cool, and the water was down right cold. This was my slowest race at this distance. I had to uncontrollable to overcome, but, there were many things I could have done to improve my place and position.
.
I have come to believe that any successful finish at an Iron Man event is something to be proud about. This was my 6th full IM event.
LESSONS LEARNED:
A. If the water is cold, as it was in AZ, wear a neoprene cap with swim cap to help stay warm. I suffered from hypothermia and it set the tone for a long day.
B. I could not find my Garmin Edge for my Cervelo P 5. I had misplaced it night before, and despite turning my hotel room inside out, I could not come up with it the morning of the race. This turned out to be a major tactical error. I’m a watts guy and could not effectively use my Garmin wrist watch. A little mental focus may have been helpful. My bike time was 30 minutes off my goal. Not having this tool affected me in a negative way.
C. Cool weather: a light weight cycling coat over my tri suit would have helped me overcome my hypothermia. I was well into my ride before I was no longer cold.
D. Morning and evening cold: Once the sunset I became cold. Some runners had put on light weight jackets, gloves, and wool caps in their run gear bags. They were able to overcome the 46-degree temp at night.
E. Out Season could have been better, with a better run base and more early season rides on Zwift with emphasis on power, which was a weakness in my event.
F. 9 of the last 11 weeks were completed after traveling to S Africa and 11 hours of time change. I was disciplined to train, but I realize now I came into AZ a bit tired, and could not lay down the kind of run in the marathon I knew I could do.
BIKE CRASH: About 2 weeks prior to IM AZ I was run off Kent/Black Diamond road while heading west. A car failed to stop at a left-hand turn. That car entered my shoulder and forced me off the road. I held the bike up right until I ran into a garbage can and recycle bin. I was slammed into the gravel, bike was damaged on the shifter. In retrospect I sustained a chest contusion which has led to a cough and ongoing pleurisy that made it difficult to obtain a cleansing breath on the swim, bike and run. Despite these issues I made it to the finish.
Wake up 3:30 am
Quick breakfast included 1 cup of coffee, one protein power bar and 1 GU power gel. Frantic search for Garmin Edge, to no avail. I could have eaten more had I not been so preoccupied with my lost Garmin Edge.
SWIM: Tempe Town Lake was cold. I have not swam in 60 degree water before. 2.4miles in cold water did slow my cadence and caused a pretty good case of hypothermia which affected me the entire day. Despite the cool waters I felt I was doing a reasonably good job until about the 1mile marker. I was surprised at how cold I was. I knew this was serious and I had to really dig in and swim hard to try to generate heat. At this point the sun was coming up on the horizon right into the eyes of the swimmers making each buoy hard to see. Turning the corners and heading for home over the last .5 miles was a great thrill. For a few moments I forgot how cold I was. Climbing out of the water and running several hundred yards on concrete to T-1 was very difficult on frozen feet. At this point I was shivering and could not find my zipper. Thank God for the wet suit peelers, who helped me a great deal and were very kind.
T- 1: slow for me, 15 minutes plus. I needed help with shoes, socks, gloves, helmets and arm sleeves. My socks were full of grass and detritus. No worries, I was off shivering on the bike for the next 10 miles.
Bike: 112 miles on perfect day with temps of 74 F, little wind and small hills. Yet my cycle was slow for me, despite excellent training. I didn’t have my Garmin Edge. This was a critical error on my part. My Garmin 110 XT was a poor substitute and could not read my watts, speed, and distance unless the sun was right. I was literally cycling the old-fashioned way without technology.
3 x 37mile loops, my 112 mile bike odyssey was over. Onto T-2 and the run.
T-2 Time of 7 minutes still slow but better- fresh socks, remove gloves, helmet and add visor, change time on Garmin.
The RUN:
In AZ it’s two full loops on the north and south side of Tempe Town Lake, really a dammed section of the local river. And for some reason it can be very cold. That being said, this was a very cool day and evening. Which is rare for Tempe.
Mile 1-3, just getting my feet under me. No problems, no issues, just getting on track. A little slow running 11 min pace, I can do better. Maintained same time mile 3-6, so felt I could go faster if I just pushed my cadence. My mind was willing, and my body was not responding. Miles 6-13 were about the same and maybe even a little slower. I was not having too much pain yet, just too slow.
Miles 13-18 lost track of miles 15-16-17, not certain why as I continued appropriate fueling plan.
Sometimes in this section my walks through the water stops was undisciplined and I walked too far. I recognized this and started drinking Red Bull which seemed to wake me a bit. I was running mostly but it was more like shuffling, truth be told.
Miles 20-26, I knew I would be an Iron Man, although I could not read my Garmin by now except for the dark areas. I was shocked how slow I was going.
“Eugene Partridge, you are an Iron Man!”
I am sorry to say I was disappointed.
I do not feel that way today. I retrospectively suffered a cold injury and also made tactical errors.
I am proud of my finish, my time, because I overcame much to complete. I learned much. About myself, tactics and training.
My finish should say Eugene is an Iron Man. I am proud to have completed a tough race and overcome some obstacle. I will do better next time.
Thank you, Endurance Nation and Coach Patrick, and all my friends in EN Run Group. IM ARIZONA RACE REPORT
2018 RACE
CLUB AFFILIATIONS: Endurance Nation
Eugene Partridge
run. Despite these issues I made it to the finish.
Wake up 3:30 am
Quick breakfast included 1 cup of coffee, one protein power bar and 1 GU power gel. Frantic search for Garmin Edge, to no avail. I could have eaten more had I not been so preoccupied with my lost Garmin Edge.
SWIM: Tempe Town Lake was cold. I have not swam in 60 degree water before. 2.4miles in cold water did slow my cadence and caused a pretty good case of hypothermia which affected me the entire day. Despite the cool waters I felt I was doing a reasonably good job until about the 1mile marker. I was surprised at how cold I was. I knew this was serious and I had to really dig in and swim hard to try to generate heat. At this point the sun was coming up on the horizon right into the eyes of the swimmers making each buoy hard to see. Turning the corners and heading for home over the last .5 miles was a great thrill. For a few moments I forgot how cold I was. Climbing out of the water and running several hundred yards on concrete to T-1 was very difficult on frozen feet. At this point I was shivering and could not find my zipper. Thank God for the wet suit peelers, who helped me a great deal and were very kind.
T- 1: slow for me, 15 minutes plus. I needed help with shoes, socks, gloves, helmets and arm sleeves. My socks were full of grass and detritus. No worries, I was off shivering on the bike for the next 10 miles.
Bike: 112 miles on perfect day with temps of 74 F, little wind and small hills. Yet my cycle was slow for me, despite excellent training. I didn’t have my Garmin Edge. This was a critical error on my part. My Garmin 110 XT was a poor substitute and could not read my watts, speed, and distance unless the sun was right. I was literally cycling the old-fashioned way without technology.
3 x 37mile loops, my 112 mile bike odyssey was over. Onto T-2 and the run.
T-2 Time of 7 minutes still slow but better- fresh socks, remove gloves, helmet and add visor, change time on Garmin.
The RUN:
In AZ it’s two full loops on the north and south side of Tempe Town Lake, really a dammed section of the local river. And for some reason it can be very cold. That being said, this was a very cool day and evening. Which is rare for Tempe.
Mile 1-3, just getting my feet under me. No problems, no issues, just getting on track. A little slow running 11 min pace, I can do better. Maintained same time mile 3-6, so felt I could go faster if I just pushed my cadence. My mind was willing, and my body was not responding. Miles 6-13 were about the same and maybe even a little slower. I was not having too much pain yet, just too slow.
Miles 13-18 lost track of miles 15-16-17, not certain why as I continued appropriate fueling plan.
Sometimes in this section my walks through the water stops was undisciplined and I walked too far. I recognized this and started drinking Red Bull which seemed to wake me a bit. I was running mostly but it was more like shuffling, truth be told.
Miles 20-26, I knew I would be an Iron Man, although I could not read my Garmin by now except for the dark areas. I was shocked how slow I was going.
“Eugene Partridge, you are an Iron Man!”
I am sorry to say I was disappointed.
I do not feel that way today. I retrospectively suffered a cold injury and also made tactical errors.
I am proud of my finish, my time, because I overcame much to complete. I learned much. About myself, tactics and training.
My finish should say Eugene is an Iron Man. I am proud to have completed a tough race and overcome some obstacle. I will do better next time.
Thank you, Endurance Nation and Coach Patrick, and all my friends in EN Run Group.
Comments
@EugenePartridge Truly, "A Series of Unfortunate Events". You have been such a strong performer @ the 70.3 distance. Your experience on this day shows that Ironman is not simply 2x 70.3. And that it is as important to get all the little things right as it is to get all the training in.
But, in the end, despite all the snafus and chills, you persevered to the end, and felt duly proud after the finish. Strong work.