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Ironman 70.3 Racine - Triathlon


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Racine, Wisconsin
United States
World Triathlon Corporation
57F / 14C
Sunny
Total Time = 3h 09m 15s
Overall Rank = 187/1950
Age Group = M30-34
Age Group Rank = 22/134
Pre-race routine:

This race was very close to being canceled. The water temp was 57 degrees. The announcer came on and said the swim is wetsuit mandatory. If you don't have one, then you can't swim. I'm sure a few people left. A little after that he came on and said race will start 30 minutes later until they know what will happen with weather. Well that time came and they looked at radar and said race is postponed until 10:30 and to come back at 9:30 to get final details and that "all options are on the table". A lot of people just flat out left. We were hanging around during this and it instantly started to rain and everyone ran in to the tents. It was freezing and everyone was putting on their wetsuits just to stay warm from the wind + rain. After we heard announcement of the 10:30 late start, everyone headed to their car to warm up and hope for the best. Well it rained and rained until 9:10 and then it stopped. It was supposed to rain at 2pm and later originally that day but instead it thunder stormed in the morning and just stopped at 9:10. We headed back and they made the announcement that swim is canceled, bike will be 30ish miles with a full run. As he makes the announcement the sun comes out. People clap and then the music comes back on and people's spirits are back up.

Originally I had some ensures at 4am and a banana. I peed like a race horse all morning for no reason. I mean I stopped drinking and was still going to the restroom for 20 seconds nonstop every 30 minute and it was all clear like I’ve been downing water when I haven’t been. Something was up that morning. I don’t understand what my body was doing at all. If I took any small amount of water, I’ve be going to the restroom 15 minutes later with more coming out than in. This caused me to start the race really thirsty. I'll go more into this later. I think I'll take in more salt the day before. Maybe I had something my body was trying to clear out? I don't know.

Event warmup:

None. The triathlon is now a duathlon with a time trail start.
Swim
  • 00m
  • 2112 yards
  • / 100 yards
Transition 1
  • 00m
Comments:

N/A
Bike
  • 1h 17m 58s
  • 31.4 miles
  • 24.16 mile/hr
Comments:

This is now a time trial start. What this means if they take a rack of people to start over the timing mat at a time but it's a constant stream of people, meaning even though it’s one rack at a time there’s always a line ready to go non-stop. Male pros started at 10:20, Females at 10:25, and AG at 10:30 with AG starting non-stop. Going by numbers means that the older people went first, just like the original swim waves. Good and bad I guess. The bike was stupidly crowded. I mean I was in one pack of literally over 100 people trying to get into position. The entire thing was a non-intentional draft fest for people. Having close to 2,000 people start within 25 minutes of each other on a 30 mile course is just asking for trouble vs the original ~90 minute separation of swim waves from starts to finish. I heard some people complaining they got called for drafting and I sort of wonder how they could even call it. At mile 25 or so, it finally broke up enough to where I could maybe see it as I finally found a spot to myself for brief periods. I pretty much just rode in the left lane the entire time passing people but did move over when there was room. I got over when I could but only 1 guy passed me up until mile 20 and then I started to get stuck behind some packs and got passed a lot.

A note of distance: They said the course could be over 31 miles but everyone's GPS said a little over 30. My watch said 30.1 but I started it slightly late since I was trying to get a "triathlon" start going for 30 seconds while still starting up a hill (time trial started at the bottom of a giant hill), so my watch says I did ~23.2 which is what I expect for my power (235 watts). My goal was to be at 250 since I trained at 230-240 for 2-3 hours the past few weeks to try to dial in my pace. I was able to get 250 for the first 10-15 miles or so but then the bad traffic just got much worst. I think the course was really closer 30.4. I did average over 27mph for one of the last 5 mile laps so I was going fast with the wind of the way back but not 24mph fast and I was not drafting off people. I was just constantly passing people and moving over for 3 seconds to let someone else pass.

What would you do differently?:

Hard to say. I tried really hard. I was pretty aggressive out there in that I would fight for my spot and make sure I got ahead of slower people before turns so I could speed along coming out of it.

I REALLY needed to drink more on this. I was already pretty thirsty and I only drank 3/4 of a bottle. This came back in killed me on the run.
Transition 2
  • 01m 37s
Comments:

So before the race I had to pee and do poop. One last time. Well my rack was being walked out to start so I skipped it and said I'd do it later. I tried to do it here but they were all full. I didn't really need to anymore but I just wanted to make sure that didn't surprise attack me on the run. So I wasted time running in the opposite direction of run out for nothing.
What would you do differently?:

I guess just run to run out and skip the port-a-potties.
Run
  • 1h 49m 40s
  • 13.1 miles
  • 08m 22s  min/mile
Comments:

OK. Shin splints this year took 6+ weeks of running at all out of the schedule. Not being able to walk for days at a time without limping in pain will really cause you to instantly cut back on running. I am slowly bringing it back up and am at 26 mpw now. Before I was trying to do 9 min/miles in the 95+ degree heat but after 2 months of starting going from 12 mpw to 25, I somehow got my Z2 speed to (based on HR) at mid 7 min/miles again in cooler 85 weather. So I went into this race with a mid 1:3# goal in mind even with minimal training at that speed since I've been working my butt off on the bike to keep myself fit. Well that didn't work.

As I stated before, I was thirsty. I was way too thirty on this run, even with drinking at every aid station. Mile 1: 7:16 @ 167 HR, mile 2: 7:08 @ 173 HR. After seeing the HR, I told myself to back off, even though I felt fine and breathing wasn't labored at all. I settle back into upper 160's and my pace drops to 8:00. Not horrible but I think I can make up time later. I start to feel really hot and not well at all. I start to get a slight side ache and I start to walk to make sure it doesn't bite me later. Then my left hand cramps painfully shut for about 30 seconds and I'm trying to get it to open to stop the pain. At this point I know I'm too far gone to get the race I want and I just need to finish the stupid thing. I'm creeping up to and past 10 minute miles but I'm drinking water and gatoraid at every aid station. I start to feel better at my times go under 9 min/miles with a lot of walking.

My run time wasn't horrible after I saw the final time but I know I could have done better if I didn’t screw myself over. My shin wasn't even aching during the run, which it will still do if I push myself too hard. So bad planning on drinking on the bike and way too fast at the start really hurt me.

What would you do differently?:

Drink way more on the bike. Not start out at this fast of a pace. I've run HM at a 172ish average HR but I need to respect my current condition at the start of the run.
Post race
Warm down:

I drank 2 bottles of water and 2 cans of Sprite they had. That night I finally went pee for less than 2 seconds and it was pure yellow (didn't go after race). I was still dehydrated. I should have gone to a medical tent. I was talking to GF and her mom and multiple times I told them I couldn't talk anymore because I was getting light headed from talking. I laid on the grass for probably 30 minute total. Writing this I should had gone to the medical tent right away. I felt thinking I'd be ok but I don't think I was. I ate some food and got severe heart burn which seems to be a going theme now. It feels as if I'm having a heart attack to the point where I'm freaking out about it. I know it’s heart burn though since food makes it much worst. I need to bring an antacid to races now. This just started to be a thing since last year and it's not a pleasant experience at all.

After the race I did not massage myself or stretch like I normally do. I just ate and sat on the grass with my head down.


What limited your ability to perform faster:

Being dehydrated.

Event comments:

I don't want to complain about the race being shorter. Call me crazy but I rather not die in an unsafe swim. I also can't complain about the shorter bike. I know the permits don't last forever. Although it wasn't a full 70.3, I'm glad I was able to get in what I did.




Last updated: 2016-07-18 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:00:00 | 2112 yards | / 100yards
Age Group: 0/134
Overall: 0/1950
Performance:
Suit:
Course: N/A - Cancelled!
Start type: Plus:
Water temp: 0F / 0C Current:
200M Perf. Remainder:
Breathing: Drafting:
Waves: Navigation:
Rounding:
T1
Time: 00:00
Performance:
Cap removal: Helmet on/
Suit off:
Wetsuit stuck? Run with bike:
Jump on bike:
Getting up to speed:
Biking
01:17:58 | 31.4 miles | 24.16 mile/hr
Age Group: 20/134
Overall: 134/1950
Performance: Average
HR: 162 average
Wind: Strong
Course: Course was pretty much an out and back. EXTREMELY crowded!
Road: Rough Dry Cadence: 93
Turns: Good Cornering: Good
Gear changes: Good Hills: Good
Race pace: Comfortable Drinks: Not enough
T2
Time: 01:37
Overall: Good
Riding w/ feet on shoes Good
Jumping off bike Average
Running with bike Good
Racking bike Good
Shoe and helmet removal Good
Running
01:49:40 | 13.1 miles | 08m 22s  min/mile
Age Group: 22/134
Overall: 187/1950
Performance: Bad
Pace was 7:15 and then slowly went up to 10:00 miles and then back to 8:30. HR was 168. Way way too high! Stupid planning.
Course: 2 loop course. Again very crowded and I guess the pros were yelling at people at loop two due to the crowded nature. Classy bunch of people they are.
Keeping cool Bad Drinking Not enough
Post race
Weight change: %?
Overall: Bad
Mental exertion [1-5] 2
Physical exertion [1-5] 3
Good race? No
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? No
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? Yes
Post race activities: Good
Race evaluation [1-5] 5

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2016-07-18 11:59 PM

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