Mountain Man ½ Ironman
70.3 Miles : 1.2 Swim 56 Mile Bike 13.1 Run
Today was my first Half Ironman in Flagstaff AZ. Woke this morning at 3 AM to get ready. Breakfast, load up Escape, review Transition bag one more time. And headed off to the race site by 4:30 AM.
The moon was full and it was an amazing view off of Lake Mary at 5 AM.
As we parked and I was getting my stuff out of the vehicle, a gentlemen was walking up and down the road saying the swim was cancelled, there was to be a 10K in it’s place, and not to bring your wetsuits, the PH was too high in the lake. He repeated that several times. Which caused a stir among the group, only to find out later that the guy was messing with everyone. And was a bit unnerving as I was not prepared to run 19 miles today.
So I got setup in transition at Number 9 pole. My two fellow tri buddies Walt and Becky were at 10 next to me (suiting up). The sun came up as I got my timing chip and my body marking done, and finished setting up my area. I then got my wetsuit on and headed down to the water.
Swim 1.2 Miles: Start time 6:17 am. In our group, all women ½, men over 50, under 19 and relays. And then it was time. They began calling out time: 5 min to start, 4,3, 2, 90 seconds. Then as we got close to about 30 seconds, Walt, my tri buddy..quietly but loud enough for us all to hear says….”Gee, I hope I win”. Which set all of us off in a fit of laugh to ease the quiet tension just before the start. The horn blows and we are off.
I made it to the first buoy with good time for me, I was still in the back of the pack but I didn’t care. Then as I rounded the buoy, I began to get some of my panic mode going, but I was able to keep it in check and kept going. I did flip over a few times to my back , but for the most part of the race, I was able to meet my goal of keeping my head in the water, I followed my Mantra (see previous post for week to race). When I finally rounded the last buoy I was at the point that I wanted to be done. I was ready to get out of the water, so I became even more focused and was really able to get into my freestyle rhythm in the water. I finished in 53:33. I was happy with this result! I had a tough time at Deuces Wild Olympic of only 1500 yds taking about 49 min. Here I did 1800 yds ( 1.2 Miles) and was only 4 min difference. It’s the best I have swam yet in a lake. I had a transition time to bike of 3:13 seconds, super fast for me!
Next up…Bike 56 miles. I was off on the bike. I had a goal. I needed to complete the swim and bike in 4:45 min to continue with the race. If not, the I was done, and couldn’t finish. So I was on a mission. Now with my swim time being that it was, I was one of the last 5 people out of the water. I completed the first nine miles with the Olympic race that was going, and then took my first right on to Mormon Lake rd and I was completely ALONE! Talk about having one long conversation with yourself. “ speed up , your to slow, no race your race, you’ll make the cut off. Dude your not gonna make it, yes you will, shut up and race your race, ride strong! ” That went through my head for the next 8 miles til I finally saw a jersey in front of me. After turning off the road and back on to Lake Mary, I started to pass some people who were fading. I cont to have my conversation with myself, attempting to figure out what time I needed to get back to T2 in the 4:45 window. When I got back to the second loop on Mormon Lake Rd, I was at 2:00 hrs. so I knew that I had a 1:45 min window, but that meant I was close, I needed to ride 45 min on the loop, 20 min back to the start of the loop, and then at least 30 for the 9 miles back to T2. It would be pretty close but, if I held strong and to my plan, I’d do it! So, off I went, I finished the loop in 35 min. Then it took 25 min back to the beginning of the loop, and my ride back to the T2, around 35. I did it! With 10 min to spare. Whew, that was a close call. I was very happy with this time as well.. Overall,my average speed was 16.3 mph for the 56 miles. My best ever for average speed! My nutrition was good this time, I was taking in food and drink every 15 to 30 minutes, and felt good. I’d given it all I had, I was very happy with my 3:26 hr/min time.
stacy attempting a pic, but had it in video mode. The Run: 13.1 Miles. Here’s where things started to fall apart, I was so focused on meeting the cutoff time, I really didn’t worry about my run. I knew if I got the cutoff, I could walk the entire 13.1 if I needed to. My transition time was 2:27 min/seconds as I was determined to get out and going. I managed to clock a good 10:30 min mile for my first mile. Then I hit the hill, I anticipated walking up the 385 foot hill in ~ one mile.
I turned around and ran back down doing a 11:22 pace. Here is where I had issues. The sun, which was supposed to be gone, was beating down. I was HOT! I was over heating and feeling it, again dumping water on me with a great burn line to prove on my bike shorts and shirt. I finally hit the porta potty, as I had to pee since mile 10 of the bike, and let me tell you, Mormon Lake road? Bumpy as HELL!! So, I got started running my 5th mile, and by 6 I was walking. I got a major pain on my left side. Like a
“stitch”. LOL! So the tedious conversation began again…..”dude, really? Is it that
bad? Is it worse then your gallbladder from last year. Ahhh yeah, cause you just
biked 56 miles and swam a mile, dagger under your rib cage, sharp painful, can’t
take a breath PAIN! Besides…you can walk the run and still get your medal!” So I
attempted to run thru it, that and I was beginning to wheeze. So I gave in to my
weakness and ended up having to walk almost 5 miles before I could get rid of it.
In this time, it went from raging hot with the sun, to freezing cold with a
thunderstorm that finally made its appearance and unleashed downpour after
downpour.
Conversation? Well, you could have the hot sun back, or freeze. What’s it going to be? Yeah I think I’ll freeze I hate that dam heat, it’s worse. Then quit complaining, and walk”.
I finally hit the turn around on the run and had 5 miles to go. My stitch was finally
gone, so I started to run, and basically said “shut up, and run dam it, I’m tired, I want
an Ice cold drink from the cooler and some dry clothes.” So I ran the next 5 miles
and stopped at the aid stations, and kept drinking the best I could with the hopes I
didn’t bring back my stitch. So…as I was run/walking. I was very near the back of the
pack, and the clean up crew was
actually hop scotching with me to take down the aid stations while I was
running home. I became friends with the crew…as they saw me at every mile just
about. When I was 1 mile from the finish, I was starting to get emotional, it was an
overwhelming feeling to be able to finish the race. I would go thru stages where I
knew I would finish and want to cry but then hold it back, but then cause it was hard
to breath at that time…I felt like I had exercise induced asthma. Pretty surreal. Then
the finish was ½ a mile away, ¼ a mile away, then finally, I was running down the
road toward the finishers shoot. Everyone still "around" was clapping and cheering
me on.
I finished in 3:02 hr/min. I got my well earned medal and hugs from Stacy, Walt and
Becky and a few crew members. Becky took second in her age group, and Walt third in his age group and I took ninth!
I was so happy to have finally finished! I then watched as the last finisher
crossed the line a few minutes after me. Yep I was second to last in the ENTIRE race.
But, I’m not upset about that. I stuck to my game plan for Ironman. I was where I
wanted to be in the swim, and the bike, and only bonked on the run. I expected that I
would be near the bottom 25% of the competitors.
Lessons Learned from this race. 1. Cont to train harder on the bike and increase speed. 2. Cont to get more swim time in the open water. 3. Do another ½ Iron before full if I can afford it. 4. Nutrition….I did much better on the bike, but still poor on the run. Keep working at it. 5. Re assess your goal for Ironman- 13 hours maybe be to tough with your current training plan.
So I set three goals for myself last week.
1. Beat the cut off…which I did by 10 minutes J
2. Finish for a sweet finishers medal. I LOVE IT!!
3. To not be last in my age group. I was 9/11. Two didn’t finish. J and overall I was 130/140. Even though I ran in second to last. others didn't finish as well.
Overall: Swim 53:33 min/sec
T1 3:13 min/sec
Bike 3:26 hours/min Bike pace = 3:41 per mile,Speed 16.3mph
T2 2:27 min /sec
Run 3:02 hours/min Avg. 13:23 per mile
7:28 hours/min.
Calories burned for bike and run: 4,109, estimate 600 for swim = Total 4,709cal.
I’m hobbling around right now like a zombie, so I’m going to really enjoy my week off for recovery, may not enjoy the 4 hour flight to MI tomorrow. Then I start back up on the 22nd for my 13 week plan for my Full Ironman in November.
I’m sure I have more to say, but this is what I can do tonight.
No comments:
Post a Comment