Joe Motz HIM Muncie

Muncie HIM July 12, 2014 on the way to IM Wis.

 Swim       46:28

T-1          03:48

Bike     2:43:19

T-2          02:22

Run      2:05:27

5:41:21 8^th in AG 60-65

Overall I was happy with my outcome. Goal
was to show improvement on mistakes made at Racine HIM 2013 my first, and use
this race as a teaching opportunity on my way to the Wis. IM. Felt like I
accomplished both of these goals with a 20min improvement over Racine, less
mistakes and several additional take homes.  

Details:

Pre Race: good taper week with regular
schedule maintained through Wed. and then backed off to swim “Thurs. and put in
a ½ hr. swim Fri. morning on the course.

Fri. morning did admin. after the swim. I
liked the setting at the Muncie Prairie Creek Reservoir, out in the country
very park like, with the IM stuff set up in tents under a well shaded picnic
grounds. Everything was low key and well run which made for an efficient
process to get registered and out of there by midday. I tinkered with bike and
hung out at the  hotel  for afternoon, then got an Olive Garden big pasta
meal at 6:00 and to bed by 8:30pm. Good night’s sleep.

Sat race day: Did the CP 3:30am thing 4
cups applesauce, protein, and banana with perform. Arrived 6:00am body marked,
setup bike, wet suit and warm up for 15min, 1 power gel, 1 salt tab, 20min
before swim start.  

Swim 46:xx not much to say here as I’m
obviously meant to be a on land. However as slow as this is I was pretty
pleased with my swim. The water had a little chop but I felt comfortable throughout
this time. The wave start helped, swam much straighter this time due to better
sighting and using others to my side to sight off of. I stayed in my box by
counting strokes, and y avoiding as much kick as possible.  Came out of the water to my first teaching
mishap, The need to FOCUS. From the lake up to the transition coral was all
over a gravel lane. They had laid down remnant carpet pieces to cover this
which I actually noticed on Fri. and thought, wow someone could stub their toe on these big time. Sure
enough someone shouted out my name on the way up and as I turned WAM caught my
big toe and did a near header. Heard the knuckle crack and yelled out in pain.
Gave me something to think about for the bike and a black big toe nail.

T-1 after the toe stub I was back to simple,
and methodical resulting in a much improved time spent transitioning to the
bike.

Bike: felt like I performed to plan,
first 20 min at 75%, sipping water. Then half a protein bar and bumped up to
85% and rode near there from that point on. Ended with a IF of .82 and an HR of
129 avg. Started with 2 bottles on bike 1 perform, 1 water, then used course
fluids 4 bottles total perform, 2 power gels, 1water with gels and 4 salt tabs
1 last water coming in to finish dumped over neck and body- was getting
noticeably hot.

T-2 again pretty simple and smooth with
the exception of distraction mistake no#2. My family was near my row along
fence and were excited to share with me how I was doing etc. My Loss of FOCUS,
meant I left my baggie of salt tabs and power gel on the ground and took off.  

Run: This course is an out and back loop
on rolling country roads around the lake much like the front end of Boston. No
one roller is a big deal but they continue to add up. That and the heat and humid
meant it was going to be tough to hold to pre-race plan. My objective was to go
out at Z2 +30 for the first 3M. But my HR, breathing and lead legs starting out
all came down on me at once in the 1^st M thought my watch was not
reading right (couldn’t be going that fast?)plus I had to PEE really bad. From
good to really bad, wheels coming off, all of a sudden it felt like my day was
over. This is where having the EN mojo on the course is so helpful/critical
potentially mistake #3 Not realizing How Bad You need it when you do! Thankfully
I had CP video playing in my head and last yrs. yell from CR right at the same
point in the run to SLOW down and  GET
Your Head in The Box. Stopped at the first water stop to regroup and reset paces
in my head due to heat/full sun  factor
now at 82and humid, then had to really will myself to stick to it for the first
3M. Stayed this new pace for the next 5, fell off a bit for 2, and then
actually ticked up a bit in the last 3 miles. Walked each water stop to take on
ice, sponges and Gatorade, till mile 11 when I switched to flat coke for
remainder.

Lastly even though I still screwed up at
points I felt this time I was more aware of when and where I goofed and noted each
in my head for next time. Sill much EN stuff to better capitalize on – work in
process.

Lessons:

• Could have gone with just
  one bottle on bike rather than two to get to the first station then just used
  course fluids.

• Don’t let my focus down
  in and around transitions

• Keep it simple in transition:
  slow, smooth, methodical equals fast

• Seems cant go out slow
  enough at run start: felt in retro I could have taken a touch off my bike last quarter
  and definitely better considered the heat starting out on planned run pace vs.
  what the day dishes out.

• Trust my watch and the
  knowledge base from training split times.

• Be aware of course type
  relative to mojo. This one was lower key, good in some ways until I really needed
  it for high fives, (didn’t see any EN’rs or anyone I knew on the course all
  day) or to kick me in the ass. Had to dig elsewhere on the run to compensate.