2017 IM Calgary race report Eugene Partridge

I race for RTB eg. Raise the Bar out of Covington Wa state.  However I am a member of EN also by vitue of a club alliance. 
OK! 
IM 70.3 Calgary 23 July 2017.  

My Goal was a sub 6 hour 70.3 My earlier races were not that fast, being St George in 6 hours and change and IM boulder in 14 hours.  In both races I was slow and did suffer from altitude in Boulder.

My plan was a sub 35 minute swim, a bike ride that sustained 19 mph over 56 miles and a 2 hour or sub 2 hour half marathon.

Although my time and miles training leading into this race were less than my IM training, I tried to stick to 12-14 hours per week and stay disciplined with my running.

Race day swim was really fun in Auburn Bay in Calgary Canada, It was a clear cool day to start with little wind.  It took me 600 yards or so to get in tracked and find some open water, I recall the sun rising in my eyes for at least 1/3 of the swim.  Once I caught my breath it seemed I could move in and out of traffic will and negotiate the buoys .  with ease.  I exited the water at 34 minutes and was only 1 minute under my projected time.  My transition was a little slow at 5 minutes with a goal of 3 minutes.

The Bike, We had to negotiate a neighborhood for first 3 miles or so.  This was in my favor since it takes a few minutes to warm up, the twists and turns and controlled chaos seemed to suit me as I caught my breath and developed a steady Heart Rate of 131-138 which is good for me.  This was a fast out and back course to east with wind at back down hill for 1st 25 miles, "sound fun" it was....My average speed was 22-24 mph going out.

coming back with slight up hill into the wind was more of a challenge still able to hold 19-2mph on the return. I am guilty on some rides of loosing focus and loosing some speed.  However at mile 38 I recall having been passes by a least 6-8 fellow competitor's that reminded me that I was in a race and better get with it. I pulled in at 2 hours and 38 minutes or so and that was a PR for med. I was really excited sustained my tempo almost flawlessly one can always hope for more speed. 

T2 was much better just about 3 minutes, remembered my hat, shoes, race number and half filled bottle of gator aid in hand, and fueled my self while tracking out the 1st 10 K.  The first 10 K Is and out and back along the bow river and steady down hill on the first 5 K and flat the next 10 k out and back.  There a challenging up hill at mile 10 and a steady up hill all the way back to finish my time 5:31The half marathon time of 2 hours and 9 minutes a little over goal.  So still having to work on speed. Over all time was a PR and a roll down slot to Worlds and S Africa.  Yea! Can't tell you how happy I was to be on Podium and compete with all my fellow competitors. 
My thanks to Brenda Ross for the "screen cast" and teaching me how to do this.

I must say that although I am racing with RTB I am also a proud EN member. Note the EN cap.