Ironman 70.3 FL Race Report (Long Version)
Ironman 70.3 Fl Race Report First Every Half Iron
Stuff before Race Day: Note if you are only interested in the race day stuff skip to Pre-race or Swim
Well starting on Monday my nose began getting stuffy and I felt a little congested. All week I was taking airborne, Zicam, Aleve, Allegra, vit C, amoxicillin, and puffs from an allbuterol inhaler. No workouts after Tuesday just rest. By Thursday I was in serious trouble with nasal congestion, hoarse bordering on laryngitis, and coughing. I became very tired and left work early to head home for some sleep. I thought that there was little change I would be in any condition to race on Sunday. However, when I woke on Friday I felt better not 100% and figure what the heck so I loaded up the van, picked kids up from school and we headed to Orlando which is about a 3 hour drive north. We arrived ~ 1930 and checked into the hotel (Sheraton Safari). Nice place that we have stayed at many times before. It is about a 10 min drive from hotel to Magic Kingdom and home of the world’s largest python water slide. I believe that it is the only python water slide in the world but I have not done any research to confirm this. Went to dinner across the street at the Ale House (Blackened Grouper sandwitch) then went to bed.
Planned on sleeping in till 0900 on Saturday but youngest woke me at 0615 to go out to the water slide. Arrgh!! Had a hard time explaining to a 4 year old that the pool was not opened yet but a little Sponge Bob on TV and he settled down. The pool opened at 0830 and I was in the water with the kids at 0831. Cold was better but still congested both nasal, upper airway and lower. At least the medications seemed to allow me to breath today. Kids played on slide until1030 then we changed and went to the Olive Garden across the street for lunch (Salad, whole wheat spaghiti and meatballs) and headed to the Expo to check in.
Wife and kids dropped me and bike in the Magic Kingdom parking lot and I rode the 2-3 miles over to the EXPO. I made it in time for most of the 1300 athletes brief and I guess I should have paid more attention to the head referees brief. I then checked-in. I must say that the athlete check in was very well organized, quick and efficient. After check in I took my bike to transition and scoped out the swim in/out, bike in/out, and run out as well as my rack location. One thing to note here the run from the swim to the transition is a fairly long one on chipped bark some of the way. Also there is a fair distance from bike out/in to the mount line. Now I was ready to go look around and just like that the rain started. Which was OK with me as I had planned ahead and brought ponchos for the entire family. Unfortunately I left them at the hotel.
The Expo overall was not very impressive. It was mainly a WTC merchandise store. There were a few other vendors there with small tents but for the most part it was the WTC store. I did buy a shirt that has all the competitors’ names on the back in the M dot pattern, very cool, at least I thought so. Found out later that the names on the shirt I got were blurred and unreadable.
Dodging the rain I made my way from the Expo to the bus pick-up and waited for a bus in the rain. Wife and kids picked me up at the Magic Kingdom parking lot and back to the hotel we went. The kids went back to the pool while I got my nutrition and stuff ready for the race. For dinner ate sushi and was in bed by 2100. No surprises from the kids this time.
Pre-Race: 990 cal in between 0200 and 0700 (~ 200/hr)
Up a 0200 to drink Naked Juice Protein zone double berry (440 cal). Was very congested so took an Aleve then back to bed. Surprisingly I had little trouble getting back to sleep. Back-up at 0330 got dressed and took care of the basics (emptied colon and bladder). It was then that I realized that Aleve had ibuprofen and I probably should not have taken it. Well too late now so I packed an extra bottle of water then woke wife and headed to the Magic Kingdom. Ate hammer bar (250 cal) and sipped Heed (200 cal)on the way and watch the beautiful lightning show in the clouds above. The light show was accompanied by loud booms but as of then no rain. I walked right onto a bus and arrived at transition just in time for the rain to start. Decided to hold on transition set-up until later to see if the rain would let up. RD said that it would blow over by 0600. Found a picnic table under shelter and waited. By 0540 rain was still falling but RD said race was a go and transition would close on schedule at 0600 so went and set –up. Rain stopped at 0600 as I was walking out of transition. On my way to the swim start I realized that I forgot my IT compression band. Not a big deal but adds a step during T1 so went back to get it. To my surprise they let me in and it was a good thing as someone had knocked my set-up around and I had to quickly re-set it. Walked down to the swim start and was inform that the start was delayed by 20 min to allow the sun to come up. Finished my Heed and started drinking the water. Took Hammer gel (100 cal) 20 min before start.
Swim: Goal 45:00 Actual 49:23 no calories unknown intake of murky lake water
By 0640 when the pro men started the sky was clear it was cool at 68 degrees with 12 MPH winds out of the SW. I was in wave 10 (green caps) and we went at 0718. The water was warm I believe water temp was ~ 82 degree. Started to swim smooth with focus on form, after ~ 100M started to count stokes and noticed that I forgot to take off my wedding ring. It is just a little big on me since I lost weight and when my fingers are wet it will slip off. So every stoke I used my thumb to hold it on. I counted 1057 strokes which in the pool I get ~25 per 50M so I figure I swam ~ 2100-2200 M in total which would give me ~ 2:18/100 M which is close to my RR laps times of 2:16. Overall swim felt fine got a little arch cramping in left toward end. Sighting was good and felt like I stayed on course for the most part. Urinated twice in the water.
T1: Goal 5:00 Actual 5:33
Long run to transition and to mount line. Was a little unsteady and light headed coming out of the water. No real issues just need to move a little faster. Did drop a glove from the aero bars coming out of transition. Will likely not wear gloves for next race. Long way to mout line with cycling shoes on wet pavment so went slow. Also the chute out to the mount line that was the last 100-150M was very narrow as was the mount area. Ran out past line ~ 30 M to right and got on bike.
Bike: Goal 3 hr Actual 3:05:54
Calories 705 (~ 230/hr) Fluids ~140 oz (~ 45/hr) Na 1980 mg (660 mg/HR)
Target HR Zone 2 first 30 min 121-128 BPM Actual avg 125 BPM no spikes (RR avg 120 BPM)
Target HR low Zone 3 remained 129-135 BPM Actual avg 127 BPM several spikes to Z 4 and one spike to Z5 (RR avg 128 BPM)
Temp ~66 at start and ~77 at finish winds were SSW from 10-14 MPH. Overall nice course with lots of rolling inclines, very different from SoFl where I trained. Course goes from Disney to orange groves and a pine forest area back orange groves and then back to Disney. Legs felt heavy and slow at start. Got a drafting penalty (4 min) was to locked into to EN hill strategy and trying not to burn candles. Went to pass on a downhill then started uphill again and backed off to keep HR down and tucked back in. Ref immediately came and gave me the penalty at crest of hill. She said I had to complete the pass or drop back out of the zone. I was not paying attention and just riding my race. She then said that she had been watching me draft for a long time which was news to me and really ticked me off. Basically she was telling me I was cheating when I was not as far as I know! I did not think I was drafting nor was I trying to. However, I saw several pace lines go by me. Maybe I need to review the drafting rule or speak to an official. But at the time I was very angry and I had to work hard to maintain focus. Hydration seemed to go well as I have to urinate twice, both large volumes and clear. Legs never did feel right seemed tired. Overall enjoyed the ride except for the penalty.
T2: Goal 3:00 Actual 3:05
Very smooth just like practiced. Only hitch was stopped to urinate on way out. Again large volume and clear.
Run: Goal 2:30:00 Actual 2:46:25
Calories 300 (~ 100/hr) Fluids ~90 oz (~ 30/hr) Na 1720 mg (625 mg/HR)
Pace 1-3 Target 11:15 actual 12: 07
Pace 3-10 Target 10:45 actual 12:42
Pace 10-13.1 Target 10:30 actual 14:01
Temp at start 77 and 84 at finish. Run is three laps where course that spends ~ 1.5 miles on a grass trail. I decided to walk the aid station as legs continued to feel heavy during 1st lap. The Perpetuem/Heed mix was not setting well after 2 sips so just drank water from my carry bottle and took Hammer gel and salt stick caps every 30 min. At the start of the run both my quads started to cramp. I slowed pace and took 2 salt stick caps. Cramping cleared. Tim D passed me on run and say him on several loops thanks for the words of wisdom and the encouragement. Second lap seemed to feel better but was not able to pick up the pace. The third lap was tuff. Pace really slowed and I walked a little longer at each aid station. Right hamstring cramped at mile 11 and I was forced to walk ~ ¼ mile to settle it down. I took a salt stick and then chewed a salt stick. Something I had read regarding endurolytes. Man was that salt stick salty but the cramp went away and never came back. Started to run again and finished there was not much of a kick but got a little energy from the crowd at the end. Overall the last 3 miles just hurt. I was pretty much spent at the end to the point that my wife’s first words to me at the finish were “are you alright?”
The grass sections were really tough for me and my pace slowed dramatically on the grass. Never hit target pace during run which was disappointing. Took ice at every aid station some in hat some in tri top ate rest. I was very surprised at the number of people walking on the course.
Totals: Time 6:50:20
Questions and Thoughts:
1. Did bike impact run and inability to come close to pace targets or was it the illness?
2. Should I focus on run in transition or just rest as I have not been hitting pacing targets for last several weeks of HIM training?
3. Keep better focus in set-up forgot 2 key things (ring, IT compression strap) though with the rain I was a little rushed.
4. Gel’s seem like the best option for nutrition on the run for me.
5. Need to drink more water on run but 30 oz/hr is pushing my limit as far as nausea. Notice no urination on run and for ~ 2 hours after the race in which time I drank ~ 60 oz of water. Urine at that time was small volume and dark.
6. Need to lose more weight carrying around 40+ extra pounds is not easy in a HIM, especially for the last 3 miles.
7. Happy with not giving in and walking a larger portion of the run and curing cramping issues but in total walked ~ 0.8 miles per the Garmin.
8. Overall happy with day and performance in first HIM. Still have a lot to work on.
Thanks to all in EN I think everyone here has helped me out either directly or indirectly in the past 8 months. This is a great place to learn and grow. Also I felt like if I walked too much I was letting all of you down.Finally special thanks to RnP thanks for giving me the tools to have a family and do long course tris. It’s time to boost your coffee mojo as all I could hear in my head every time I wanted to walk was your voices from the four keys better to runslow than walk 18 min miles and on the bike after the penalty disciple and patience got my refocused. looking forward to my next race.
Comments
Dewey,
Hope I get to meet you. Are you doing Augusta in September? Sounds like you confronted the issues you were having and just kept moving. Good work!
I can relate to many of the elements of what you had as challenges as I too am a clydesdale, with a family and life, and enjoy long course tris.
Keep it light and take the break in transition to let your body and mind heal. I have been in that mode in the 2.5 weeks since my first A HIM of the season and feel much more mentally fresh and ready to get back at it now.
Later,
Paul
Great reading your report. It was awesome to see you out on the course, my wife got some photos of you which I will send over when I get home. You looked composed on the run man, so if you were hurting it certainly didn't show! Way to get it done!