Lone Star Triathlon Festival - Half Iron - Triathlon1/2 Ironman

This swim was well below what I feel I could have done, but I am happy with it. I did not even think about "sighting" on the swim until someone mentioned it to me the day before. I have only donw 2 open water swims...ever. One at a sprint and one at an olympic distance Tri (also the only 2 tri's I have ever done...about a year and a half ago). So needless to say my sighting sucked. I went off coarse a few times, swallowed some bay water....NASTY...and got dragged under a few times with people drafting too close to me. Also, right near the end, maybe 100 to 200 meters left until off to T1 I got a serious cramp in my right calf and had to tread water for a moment. Everytime I tried to swim it would cramp. Then I remembered pull buoy practice and fnished with the arms. The cramp went away, but my calf hurt the remainder of the race.

Practice open water swimming more. Swim faster. Start my damn watch at the beginning of the race...sort of forgot to do that!

Ran out of the water, passed up lots of people puliing their wetsuts off and ran into T1. I felt I got in and out real quick for being new at this. Tossed the goggles and swim cap, sunglasses and helmet on, grabbed my gu;s and cliff bars and I had my shoes clipped in and rubber banded to the frams so I ran out with the bike and jumped on and was off. Passed a few people in the process of this too.

Do it faster.

Good ride. Gu 20 minutes it. One at the first hour, cliff bar at the second hour, gu 30 minutes before T2. Alernated between water and cytomax about every 10 to 15 minutes and then gatorade when I ran out of cytomax.

I should have eaten a half a cliff bar 30 minutes bofore the run segment rather than a gu. I got hungry real early and dont like to eat solids on the run segement. Live and learn!

I F'd this up for sure. I was so focused on the bike and passing everyone I could that I dod not realize how close the dismount line was and totally forgot to take my feet out of my shoes ahead of time to dismount quickly. S I improvised, I unclipped and then took off my shoes at the dismount line and ran with shoes in one hand, bike in the other to my transition area. Grabbed sport beans and gu and then had to take a porta potty break to get rid of some fluids...no way I could run when I had to pee that badly. Off on the run, felt good out of transistion.

Remember to get my feet out of the shoes as I come into T2.

This run was interesting. I have never run after exerting myself like that before. My legs felt like lead and it felt like I was barely moving. My firsts two miles were right under 14 minutes though, and I held that pace for about 30-35 minutes. This is where the hurting began. I had to take walk breaks, not long...a minute or two tops here and there. I think the frequency of the here and there increased as the race went on too. I must have walked about 20 minutes total. It happens...no big deal.

Train harder, walk less. Overall I am satisfied with my pace considering how much I walked in the last few miles.

Crossed the finish line....put my hands on my knees and just kind of hung out for a second collecting myself. Talk to some BT'ers, met up with my parents and headed for the food. Pizza after a HIM....amazing, even if it was not warm! After that, I drove to Houston for a shower and more food, then drove to Fortworth to pass out so I could go to work at 6am the next day.


Lack of experience. Not training hard enough.


This race kicked ass. I think I am still on a buzz from doing this and a week has already passed. I am hooked.