Ironman 70.3 Racine - Triathlon1/2 Ironman


View Member's Race Log View other race reports
Racine, Wisconsin
United States
HFP Racing
95F / 35C
Sunny
Total Time = 5h 41m 33s
Overall Rank = 539/2150
Age Group = 35-39
Age Group Rank = 22/98
Pre-race routine:

Oatmeal with milk, HEED, drive up to Racine, once set up transition ate 2 bananas and Luna protein bar during the 1 mile walk to the start. More HEED.
Once we got to transition I had over 30 minutes to set-up. Borrowed a pump from Kevin, but couldn't seem to get it to work. Completely deflated my tires. Slowly started to panic. The girl next to me offered to let me use her pump, but I was having the same problem. finally she held the pump onto the tire and it worked. PHEW!
Event warmup:

walk to start + 10 min swim around
Swim
  • 31m 7s
  • 2112 yards
  • 01m 28s / 100 yards
Comments:

Great start. Got in a pretty good grove drafting. Probably should have pushed a little harder once I hit halfway. But felt strong nonetheless. Ended up pushing around the girl I had been drafting pretty easily. Swam until my hands touched the bottom. Not breathing hard.
Transition 1
  • 03m 2s
What would you do differently?:

Remember to get sunscreen!
Bike
  • 2h 53m 24s
  • 56 miles
  • 19.38 mile/hr
Comments:

My intention was to keep my HR in zone 2. Strange for me, but what I felt I needed to do given the extreme heat.
I realized that I forgot to put HEED in one of my rear water bottles, so I had to adjust my liquid gameplan. I focused on finishing the HEED in my aero bottle first so it would be completely empty to refill with Perform. Then I worked on drinking out of one of the rear water bottles.
Managed to remember to eat Perpetuem Solid and 2 Salt tabs right out of transition. Tab was REALLY hard to get down, since I hadn't had much to drink for the last hour during prerace and swimming.
Decided to take another salt tab at about 45 minutes, felt my quads tightening.
Grabbed a Perform bottle at the first water stop and gel. (about 18 miles) got about half the gel down (it was banana flavor and warm). BLAH
Another Perpetuem tab and 2 salt sticks at 1 hour.
Snuck in one more salt tab at 1.5 hrs. Legs feeling good, but I was sweating at a fairly good rate and was afraid of cramping.
About mile 30 I reached back for more water and realized that my rear bottle holder was loose. Reached with my other hand to figure out what was going on and the whole things came off into my hand. Well, I tossed it with the intention of going back to pick it up ($70 worth of gear, it wasn't there when we went back). Grrr!
So now I was down to just my aero bottle (only holding 20oz at a time.)
mile 34 water stop, grabbed a perform. Filled up the aero bottle. Grabbed a water bottle chugged as much as I could and sprayed some over my head. Then had to toss before the end of the aid station.
Last water stop was before the 50 mile mark. I was able to grab another perform and gel.
Somehow I downed 4 perpetuem tabs and about 10 salt tabs throughout the ride. I don't rememeber at what point I ate what. I just knew that my quads were feeling tight and I didn't want to go into a cramp.
The final decend to transition I stood up to stretch and my left quad completely locked.
I feel like I could have pushed harder on the bike, but was afraid of the horrer stories of last year about people not finishing the run. I was pretty comfortable up to mile 20 when Kristan passed me and I tried to keep up with her. Eventually made the pass back around her and felt strong the rest of the way home.
What would you do differently?:

Have a better hydration system and remember to load my water bottles with HEED
Be confident to ride in zone 3. Next time avg 20+mph.
Transition 2
  • 02m
Comments:

Had to stop to massage my left quad, I was afraid I wouldn't be able to shake it.
Run
  • 2h 12m
  • 13.1 miles
  • 10m 05s  min/mile
Comments:

Immediately took 2 salt tabs and downed some water. Filled all 3 of my fuel belt bottles at the first aid station, but quickly realized they were getting warm before I could drink all of them. I stuck with refilling only one with ice water and then drinking Perform out of the cups at each aid station. Cramp dissipated pretty quickly.
The Cliff Shot blocks were a challenge to get down. They were sticky and certainly not refreshing. Eventually I ate another gel around mile 8 for a change in texture/flavor. I only had 8 salt tabs with me and tried to spread them out, but also knew that I needed to take one as soon as I felt tightening in my legs. Took the last salt tab around mile 8. Grabbed some potato chips at mile 9. At that point I wrapped my mind around only 3 miles to go and just focused on one foot in front of the other.
I don't think I could have possibly drank any more, but around mile six I realized that I wasn't sweating any more. I was running through sprinklers and dumping ice water over my head and into my shirt. It was downright HOT!! My shoulders were coated in a layer of salt.
I had so much fun looking for and cheering on my teammates from Ytri on the two loop course. The spectatheletes were awesome as usual.
What would you do differently?:

walk less, faster pace, carry more salt tabs
Post race
Warm down:

short roll out of my quads and recoverite drink, cookout with the team

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Experience, overall I had a great race. It was challenging and fun. I had great support from my family and Ytri team. I was tired but not very sore the next day which leads me to believe that I could pushed harder.

It was a fantastic experience. And to think just last year I was in complete awe of my teammates that completed this race. Now contempating what's next.....


Profile Album


Last updated: 2011-01-22 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:31:07 | 2112 yards | 01m 28s / 100yards
Age Group: 2/98
Overall: 90/2150
Performance: Good
Suit: Blue Seventy Helix
Course: Point to point
Start type: Wade Plus: Waves
Water temp: 65F / 18C Current: Low
200M Perf. Good Remainder: Good
Breathing: Good Drafting: Good
Waves: Navigation: Good
Rounding: Good
T1
Time: 03:02
Performance:
Cap removal: Good Helmet on/
Suit off:
Yes
Wetsuit stuck? No Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike: No
Getting up to speed: Good
Biking
02:53:24 | 56 miles | 19.38 mile/hr
Age Group: 20/98
Overall: 784/2150
Performance: Good
Wind: Little
Course: Pretty flat. VERY bumpy!
Road: Rough Dry Cadence:
Turns: Average Cornering: Average
Gear changes: Average Hills: Average
Race pace: Comfortable Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 02:00
Overall: Average
Riding w/ feet on shoes
Jumping off bike
Running with bike Below average
Racking bike Average
Shoe and helmet removal Average
Running
02:12:00 | 13.1 miles | 10m 05s  min/mile
Age Group: 36/98
Overall: 539/2150
Performance: Average
Course: flat
Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Average
Mental exertion [1-5] 2
Physical exertion [1-5] 3
Good race? Yes
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? Yes
Post race activities: Average
Race evaluation [1-5] 4