Vineman Ironman 70.3 - Triathlon1/2 Ironman

The first 400m was chaos. Apparently my wave was one of the largest and it felt like they were all climbing and swimming over me. I did begin getting a relapse of my old anxiety/panic attacks but once I got out of the muck, around 500m, I was able to swim and breathe normally.

Get to T1 earlier and get a good spot for my bike. Trying to find a spot for your bike and set up your transition with 20 mins til start is nerve racking.

Wasn't really expecting to have a fast transition because I just suck at getting my wetsuit off. Combine that with the fact that ur standing on gravel and have a tiny space between bikes (see above-getting late to T1).

GET TO T1 EARLY AND SET UP. GET TO T1 EARLY AND SET UP. GET TO T1 EARLY AND SET UP.

This was a really fast ride for me. The ride was nice and there was a lot to look at. This is the first big race where no drafting was really emphasized. We had to maintain a 7m distance unless we were challenging and passing. Maybe this encouraged me to pass more 7

Monitor my hydration intake better.

No quick laces for this race (couldn't find a set of quick laces that didn't feel too tight). Tied my shoes and debated whether or not to take my waterbottle belt (20oz). I decided not to carry it and go with less weight.

Take the water bottle belt next time and use quick laces, although tieing my shoes did allow me to stretch my back...

Was running pretty solidly right from the start. I was averaging a 10:15-10:30 pace, then I came to a hill at 2.5miles. I decided to walk up it and then run, but there was another hill waiting for me, so I walked up that too. At the 3mile water station I took in too much fluids. I started to run but immediately felt water logged and could hear the fluids slushing in my stomach. After a little bit more I could tell I was going to toss everything up, so I started walking again. From this point on, my run segment was broken into series of walking for 100m and then running for 100-200m and then over-hydrating at each aid station. I did finish the final mile strong and ran about 11:00. It was pretty awesome coming down the chute and hearing my name being called out. Made all the pain worth it.

Carry my waterbottle. I would have been able to monitor my intake much better. I think I drank too much because it was available, but normally would have just taken 3 sips from my bottle at each mile marker.

I had a bad month of bike training prior to the race. Multiple flats and mechanical problems made me a more timid rider.

Also, drinking too much in the final miles of the bike and during the run.


Great race. Its a beautiful yet challenging course. Lots of volunteers and very well organized. Only negatives would be that they ran out dixie cups on the final water stations and they ran out of burgers at the finishers eating tent. But if I had carried my water bottle and finished faster neither of those would have been a problem.