Ironman 70.3 Atlantic City - Triathlon


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Atlantic City, New Jersey
United States
DelMo Sports
27C / 81F
Sunny
Total Time = 6h 17m 14s
Overall Rank = 946/1,862
Age Group = M 40-44
Age Group Rank = 133/246
Pre-race routine:

Flew to Philadelphia on Thursday, took in a baseball game and drove to Atlantic City on Friday. Did the registration on Friday which was great because there were less crowds and no line-ups.
Woke Sunday morning with the idea of eating breakfast at the hotel, but the counter staff slept in. This put us behind schedule. During the drive to Badder Field, traffic was CRAZY. ended up parking the van at a drugstore and walking across the bridge. The shuttles couldn't get through the traffic either.
Event warmup:

No real warm-up to speak of... jumped into the water and paddled around a bit. We were the first group to start (no Pros) and they announced that due to the high current, they were gong to cut the swim to 1.1 miles (1,770 meters).
Swim
  • 36m 59s
  • 1770 meters
  • 02m 05s / 100 meters
Comments:

Lots of contact at the gun... I started middle of pack and passed/swam over a lot of people who should have seeded themselves better. After the the turn, the current really kicked in and started to pull you out into the channel, I looked at one point and was about 30 yards away from the buoy. I think they should have started the race closer to the bridge. The race organizers realized the increased current during the race and began trimming the distance as the morning progressed. It was a benefit to those that followed, but didn't help us at all :)
What would you do differently?:

not much really...First time ever swimming in salt water... that was an experience. Too cold to swim in the ocean at home.
Transition 1
  • 02m 55s
Comments:

There were plenty of volunteers at the dock which was nice… climbing the ladder after swimming for over half an hour was a little tricky. I ran through the shower to get some of the salt water off. The announcer made a big deal that I was from Newfoundland which was kinda cool. I didn’t use the strippers because I usually don’t have a problem with taking off my wetsuit. The run to T1 was short and I was able to put on my helmet quickly and run to the mount line with my cleats clipped in.
What would you do differently?:

Mouthwash station out of the water would have been nice... just to refresh.
Bike
  • 2h 45m 6s
  • 90 kms
  • 32.71 km/hr
Comments:

The bike was FLAT. I started off really good not realizing there was a slight wind at my back. Most of the course was in tree lined so the sun wasn’t much of a factor, but it was HOT! I wasn’t used to riding in this heat so I went through my hydration faster than I thought and ran low for the final 15-20 miles which I paid for on the run. I had 3 bottles of Infinit pre-mixed and took water bottles at the aid stations. I usually have to urinate during the first 30-40 kms and I didn't have that sensation... that should have been my first clue that I was getting dehydrated.
After the loop, the final 15 miles back to T2 was in a slight head wind.

What would you do differently?:

Should have taken a Gatorade at the last aid station and kept it.
Transition 2
  • 04m 51s
Comments:

The dismount was great. I ran to my bike rack through Badder Field which was more or less grassy patches in sand. By the time I reached my spot, my feet were covered! I had to take my time to clean off my feet before putting on my socks & shoes. In the panic due to extra time, I forgot to take the gel I had in T2 and ran out on the course with nothing.
What would you do differently?:

Relax and get the heart rate down... maybe get a better race belt which has a pouch for nutrition?
Run
  • 2h 47m 23s
  • 21.1 kms
  • 07m 56s  min/km
Comments:

The Death March… By the time I reached the first aid station about 2 kms (1.2 mi) in, my legs were cramping like crazy. I couldn’t believe I only ran 10 minutes and I was already in serious pain. The sun was high and there was little wind and the heat coming off the tarmac was BRUTAL. I made it to the board walk by walking the aid stations thinking it would be better being closer to the ocean. Boy was I wrong! There was no wind at all on the boardwalk and not a cloud in the sky! I have never in my life jogged in this heat. It was 36 deg with the humidex (97 F) and I was already dehydrated from the bike. My plan was to jog between aid stations. This went out the window pretty fast. I was praying the skies would open up and it would rain… no such luck.
There was no way I was going to DNF so I just kept walking/jogging until I saw the finish.

What would you do differently?:

Drink more on the bike. Lose weight! maybe work on increasing my VO2?
Post race
Warm down:

Crossed the finish, grabbed some water and headed for the shade! I sat there for about 45 minutes with my friends who raced as well, then got some free French fries loaded with salt and drank about 4 bottles of water. Disappointed they didn’t have the finisher hats but rather water bottles. I enjoy the hats better.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

I really didn't hydrate enough on the bike to carry over for the run. I'm unable to train in the heat because of where I live so I just have to suck it up and run.

Event comments:

This is the first time Ironman ran this race. They put on a great race. The city was inviting and the course was good. The swim course will have to be re-evaluated… I think if they start closer to the bridge it would take the current out of the course. The bike was totally flat and the run was flat as well. The heat was a factor for me.
Late summer is tricky to plan on the weather… On Monday, it poured with thunder and lightning and driving winds. It would have probably cancelled the race.





Last updated: 2016-09-26 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:36:59 | 1770 meters | 02m 05s / 100meters
Age Group: 72/246
Overall: 1370/1,862
Performance: Good
Suit: Zoot Ultra TT 5.0
Course: Single loop, sighting buoys on the left.
Start type: Wade Plus: Waves
Water temp: 73F / 23C Current: High
200M Perf. Below average Remainder: Good
Breathing: Good Drafting: Good
Waves: Good Navigation: Average
Rounding: Below average
T1
Time: 02:55
Performance: Good
Cap removal: Good Helmet on/
Suit off:
Yes
Wetsuit stuck? No Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike: Yes
Getting up to speed: Good
Biking
02:45:06 | 90 kms | 32.71 km/hr
Age Group: 69/246
Overall: 574/1,862
Performance: Average
(20.35 mph)
Wind: Some
Course: single loop with mostly closed course
Road: Smooth Dry Cadence:
Turns: Average Cornering: Average
Gear changes: Good Hills: Good
Race pace: Comfortable Drinks: Not enough
T2
Time: 04:51
Overall: Average
Riding w/ feet on shoes Good
Jumping off bike Good
Running with bike Good
Racking bike Good
Shoe and helmet removal Good
Running
02:47:23 | 21.1 kms | 07m 56s  min/km
Age Group: 133/246
Overall: 946/1,862
Performance: Bad
(12:46/mi)
Course: first 5 km on abandoned airstrip (tarmac) then final 16km along boardwalk. FLAT
Keeping cool Bad Drinking Not enough
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Below average
Mental exertion [1-5] 3
Physical exertion [1-5] 3
Good race? Ok
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] 3