Grand Columbian Triathlon - Half Iron Distance - Triathlon1/2 Ironman

My goal was to go out and not use up all of my energy....stay mellow, relaxed and just finish with lots of gas in the tank. It worked! I did a few 'power tens' to pass people but otherwise just kept it steady and pretty soon I was done, it went really fast. I loved the buoy line--although on the final stretch it disappeared and I instantly (of course) got off course and had to sight for a while until it came back. I got really used to it and hope that every race director will start using buoy lines!!

As always, swim faster....but I felt really good about this swim today.

It was a bit chaotic and time consuming to do T1--my time is estimated since I don't recall where any of the timing mats were. You had to run up a hill out of the water, find your T1 bag, and take it into the changing tent (which was nice, mellow....). I made sure I had everything in order and headed out to my bike.

Get faster at removing wetsuit.

We had driven the course the night before so we knew what to expect. My race plan was to just spin up the hill and not burn out my legs--I knew they would have plenty of burn out opportunity in the hours ahead. I made it to the top just fine. I didn't wear my Garmin on the bike so I don't have any HR data.

The rest of the ride...oh my. We got weather--rain and wind--some hot sun--more wind. And by wind.....this is a flat land full of wheat farms, it is windy! The hills were 'rolling' which means we rode up up up and a little down, then up up up up and a little down and up up up up up up and a little down.....for the whole ride. Mostly up. I don't know how they found a course like that. There was one downhill just about at mile 20, so that was nice, but it was over soon. I ate my pbj at 28 miles, as planned, kept drinking and having gels. Grabbed a banana as I rode by a rest stop in the little town of Almira. Leaving Almira is a 10-mile slow, steady grind uphill. The wind stopped and the sun came out during this. Oh joy. Drank as much as I could. Sang to myself "100 bottles of beer" to keep my mind off the hills I was going up. Finally about mile 40 there was a downhill, some more rolling hills of the up up up up up down, up up up up down type...then a HUGE hill on fresh pavement, a little rough. Scary. I am sure I was going 35 or more, didn't look at the odometer. It was about 5 miles down, holding on for dear life!! I didn't want to brake and my arms were killing me from holding the bike steady. At this point, the wind picked up and by the time I hit the bottom of the hill it was really windy for the rest of the ride. The last five miles were tough mentally and emotionally but I made it. Happy to see the transition area.

I really need to lose at least 20 more pounds to be better on hills. A faster bike would be great but my weight was a factor today, for sure. I didn't catch a break on most of the course and it was really hard!!!

We had to take our T2 bag and change in the tent again. I liked it. I took the time to dry my feet and change socks after I covered my blister from my run a few weeks ago that bugs me. Got my ipod and also wore a fuel belt thinking I'd save time by bypassing aid stations. I had to use the facilities, as well, as I couldn't pee on the bike!

No fuel belt, no old blisters to contend with, speed laces.....could have gone much faster here!

This was hard. It got hot when I first started out...although my early pace was fast I knew I couldn't keep it up so I slowed down. I was wearing my fuel belt and realized pretty early on that my drinks were not making me happy--gatorade and gatorade with nuun--so I started getting water at the aid stations and eventually was having them fill my fuel bottles for me at a couple. Water was tasting so good, as was ice, and everything else was awful. We had ridden the bike course on the highway portion and knew to expect the steady hills....but the gravel course was a big surprise, as were the hills on it. I walked the hills. I walked through the aid stations. And walked a bit more when I just felt like it. I took a gel and some endurolytes on the second pass through the gravel trail--that was nice. I was disheartened on the first lap for some reason, as I was hot, thirsty, slow and tired and could not for the life of me imagine actually doing it again. However, I managed to do it the second time, and despite walking more than I had wanted, I didn't feel too bad and kicked it into the finish where I saw all my pals waiting and cheering!!! I DID IT!!

I wish I'd kicked it into the finish--the woman ahead of me, in my AG, beat me by 3 seconds, leaving me in 4th place!!! Live and learn. My run time was pretty good compared to everyone in the race, which is surprising! Almost in the top 50%, MOP for sure, whereas in the other areas I was totally BOP! :)

Hot weather run training. No fuel belt on this course--tons of aid stations that are well-stocked. I did wear my ipod and really liked having music to block out the wind. Run faster.

My friends grabbed me about 5 seconds after I finished and we took pix, then went and sat in the lake for a while. Went back to the hotel, showered, went to Mexican food and 2 beers. Then came back to the hot tub with another beer, and then went to the laser light show at the Grand Coulee Dam.


Weight. I think this was a serious factor in this particular venue. It was so hilly and unforgiving!! I still liked it and was not too far off my goal times. I would definitely do this race again, it was fun and everyone was super nice. Except the pizza place the night before, but that's another story.


Fun times at the Grand Coulee Dam! I am so very glad it is over. I have been focusing on and training for this all season, and now I can get back to living my life again....although I do have a 1/2 mary in a few weeks. Aw geez!