Race Report - My First Half Ironman - REV 3 MAINE

So this is a long post.  But it took 6 hours and 53 minutes to capture the content :)

Incase you don't know a Half Distance Triathlon consists of a 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike and 13.1 mile run.

Hope you enjoy!

The Only Jersey I Race In :)

REV 3 Maine 70.3 August

Pre-race routine:

This was my first half iron distance, but i wasn’t very nervous the night before as I have been in other races.  I was actually more nervous for the NYC Olympic just a month previous   With a wave 1 start time of 6:20 am and transition opening at 5 am I was in in bed at 8:30 the night before.  The plan ;as has been in previous races; was to sleep 6-7.5 hours then wake up and have a real breakfast.  

3:00 am - My eyes popped open even before the alarm clock and it was time for some Bear Naked Granola (Fruit and Nut of course) with almond milk a banana and a chocolate Muscle Milk.  I did all of this as quiet as a church mouse not to wake up my sleeping beauty.  

3:30 am - Ok this may sound weird but i decided to take a shower.  Making sure to be as quiet as possible i moved in slow motion as I get loser to the shower and then it hit me BAM!!!  literally made that noise as my head slammed into the shower door frame.  Can’t make this stuff up :)  Luckily I was fine and didn’t wake her

4:00 am - I begin to get dressed.  A seasoned triathlete can appreciate the complexities here.  Chamois Buttr, Aquaphor, Body Glide, tri shorts & top, compression sleeves, a hat and flip flops to walk to transition.  I felt like a soldier getting ready to go into war

4:30 am - Tri Tats  It is so important to get those arm numbers perfectly attached.  I hear its more Aero :)

4:45 am - Anne Moreno and I walk over to transition. Back packs are loaded with gear and nutrition.  

4:50 am - Arrive at transition and wait to enter.

5:00 am - The gates open.  Now I am off to find my position in the racks #729.  For the first time ever there is no bike to the left of me.  This was great, I felt like I could sprawl out.  I’m a little territorial and like my space!

5:20 am - Done!  Bike shoes with socks, next to helmet with cycling gloves and sunglasses resting inside, all across from a fuel belt, running hat and running shoes.  I was now locked and loaded.

5:47 am - Back at the hotel to begin the individual event of putting on my wetsuit.  Maybe one day it will get easier, but it always takes a while.  Lots of body glide and 13 minutes later I begin my walk to the beach

Event warmup:

6:01 - I’m at the beach and go in for a 10 minute warm up swim.  The air temperature was abut 69 and water roughly the same.  Before I jump in i talk a look at the first turning buoys and it looks like it is miles away! I kept thinking of Dory from Finding Nemo and kept saying over and over in my heard “Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, swimming, swimming..” I felt great during my practice swim.  First loss of the day, my road ID fell off in the water.  FAIL!

6:11 - I take my first of many delicious triathlete pieces of nutrition.  Espresso Hammer Gel.

6:12 - Heather takes a few pictures of me while listening to the star spangled banner

6:15 - Race official give us a 5 minute warning

6:18 - Wave one crosses over the first timing mat and is at the water waiting for the horn to signal the start.  This was a counter clockwise swim so I made my way to the back of the pack and all the way over to the right.  I’m not fast at all, so I feel more comfortable being outside the pack and away from all the overachievers who are kicking like mad in the water

6:20 - Promptly the horn blew and off we went.  I’ve never been to a race that actually stated on time.  Kudos to the organizers.  

Swim

Comments:

So of I went on my 1.2 mile swim.  My goal for the swim was an hour, we’ll see what happens.  

I remembered that during my warm up swim and practice swim the previous day that I was able to find a nice relaxing pace.  Luckily I was able to find it during the race as well.  I was pushing a little hard out of the gate but quickly noticed and pull back a little.  The first turn buoy was quite a bit always.  Very much like during my training it took me a while to really get my stroke where i was happy.  Long strokes with high elbow pull.  Stayed focused on not diving my arms down to far.  2 beat kick and tried very hard to get on my side and glide! It was going very well.  My sighting was doing good too.  It seemed as If I was headed straight.  We like that:)

During the race meeting the previous day I remembered the director telling us the turn buoys were orange and yellow like candy corn.  I couldn't wait to get to the first candy corn.  The swim out the the first turn was great, some high rolling waves in the Atlantic but nothing breaking or tossing me around.  I was almost to the turn and was thinking to myself “I am so glad I started off to the right, no one has come over to kick or hit me at all”  That changed about a minute later.  I took an elbow to the right eye.  Luckily it wasn’t very hard at all.  

Now I make the turn and I am trying to sight the buoys and look beyond them to find  larger to make it easier to sight.  I could see a large white building in the distance. That was now my target.  They told us that after the first turn we needed to swim 1/2 mile to the next turn.  That was great for me mentally. I have done 10 sprint triathlons and now have no issue with 1/2 miles swims. 

So just like Dory said I just keep swimming. One buoy at a time until i get to the next candy corn turn buoy. I’m feeling great, no fatigue and heart rate feels like it is right where it needs to be.  I wasn't out of breathe or anything.  I knew I was keeping the right pace for me.  

Now I’ve made the turn and need to find something new to sight.  Luckily there was a huge Ferris wheel to the left and 500 foot pier to the right, and in between.... the swim finish.  So with my sights set to the finish I thought it would be easier on the way in than on the way out.  After all it was yesterday for the practice swim.  But the tide must have started going out.  It seems like no matter how much I focused on form and technique I wasn’t making it very far.  Eventually, I am close enough to shore that I can see the bottom of the ocean.  This water was amazing, I could see clear to the bottom from at least 12 feet.  As I continue to sight I notice some athletes ahead who are starting to get up on two feet.  That’s when i know I’m that close and I turn it on and start to kick my legs a lot to wake them up.  

Coach Pascale always told me to keep swimming until your stroke touches the sand. So I followed orders like the good soldier that I am.  Now I’m on 2 feet and looking for my zipper cord.  I pull it down and before I take my arms out I remove my goggles and swim cap in my right hand.  Then i yank my right arm out of the wetsuit and let go of the goggles and swim cap in the sleeve so i don’t have to carry them.  Starting to run off the beach and beginning to remove my left sleeve I hear cheers from Heather “Go Johnny Go”.  I offer a wave and a smile and start running towards transition.

T1

The run to transition was over 1/3 of a mile.  We crossed over 2 streets and a pair of train tracks.  The Police, Volunteers and spectators where great.  Cow bells, whistles and cheers all make for great adrenaline fuel.   

I’m feeling strong as I run but don’t want to over do it. Trying to keep the hear rate moderate. I run down the shoot and enter transition.  I look over at the race clock to see if I can catch my swim time but no luck.  There are not many bikes left on the racks next to me, but that only makes for less congestion when I’m getting ready to ride.  

As quickly as possible i step out of my wetsuit, dry my legs with a towel, put on a pair of socks, cycling shoes, helmet and glasses and I'm off. I took my time, I figured I might as well get well situation before I head out for a 56 mile ride. 

Now all ready to go I grab my bike and start to head of of transition.  It was about a 200 foot run to exit transition.  I’m thinking about what nutrition I need once I'm on the saddle.  I pass the mounting line and clip in.  Off I go!

One day I’d like to learn how to fly mount my bike.

Bike

Comments:

During my training rides of this distance I would have 2 water bottles filled with Carbo Pro and Nuun tablets.  Then I would eat one honey Stinger Waffle  per hour and take 3 Salt Sticks (salt pills)

Course was very scenic.  Lots of farms, horses and barns.  Was feeling great and steady for the first 20+ miles.  Trip computer had me over 18 MPH headed for the first split. During that first 20 i took my nutrition as I did in training.  I spent most of that time in Aero position.  

Elevation chart showed the highest point at mile 26.  Pretty much the half way point.  I kept looking at my trip computer for the magic mark so that I could start to push a little harder for the slow downward slope to the finish.  

Something happened at mile 38 or so.  I began to feel nauseated and started to get stomach cramps.  Around the same time i was supposed to take a waffle, gel shots and salt pills. I notices the waffle did not dissolve in my mouth as it has every time before.  I didn't have much saliva!  Signs of dehydration?  I took a swig of Carbo Pro to help.  I pushed to the next aid station at mile 42.  I grab a bottle of Poland Springs water and with a giant gulp I instantly began to feel better.  Mentally I started to feel defeated however.  My back hurt, stomach was queasy, my right foot started to hurt and I couldn't wait to be done with the bike.

During the last 12 miles I kept telling my self that I only had a sprint triathlon ride to go.  I wanted to get in under 3 hours on the bike but missed by about 10 minutes.

What would I do differently?:

Learn my nutrition much better!!!!!!

T2

Comments:

As I came towards transition I was considering not running and taking a DNF. I mentally was done!  Then I got closer and heard the crowd, the cow bells and saw Heather.  Got off the bike racked it in slow motion, threw on my running shoes and turned to Heather and said “This is gonna take a while!”

Off I went!

Run

Comments:

My goal pace was 10:30 Min/Mile which was slower than my half marathon time and my training time.  Right out of the gate I could feel that it was going to be tough.  A half mile in I hit a patch of direct sun.  I was super thirst, exhausted and hot. I still had 13 miles to go!  I made my way to the first aid station at mile 1 and took some ice water.  Fell rejuvenated again i kept on keepin’ on.  Each mile seemed like 10.  I knew there was a aid station every mile or so.  That was my new finish line “Just make it to the next aid station”  

The course was mostly on a old railroad tracks that was now gravel dust.  Very easy on the body.  For the first time every I did a walk/run.  It was tough mentally to do so but I could feel my body needed it.  It needed a moment to rest.  At each aid station I took water to fill my fuel belt and a full cup of ice.  The further into the race i got the more I realized that I must have been either over heating or dehydrating on the tail end of the bike, the Ice and the water helped tremendously.  Problem was I already had fell way behind and I was a little nervous to push harder. Each mile i would look at my GPS and with what seemed like my pace kept slipping even though I felt the same effort was being used.  

As each mile passed i started to focus on mile 10.  That was when I knew I had a 5k to go.  I’ve done my fair share of 5k’s and knew I could make it at that point and maybe even pick up the pace.  That didn’t come true.  I passed 10 mile mark and it got harder.  I had now run off of the old rail trail and hit the road.  Mile 11 was a decent hill that i do not remember running down in the beginning.  My mental game was now my biggest obstacle.  I tried to focus on form and make sure to at least keep that! The last 2 miles seemed like it was as far as the previous 11.  At mile 12 course turned dead flat again and I can hear the announcer in the distance. It kept getting louder and louder, which of course meant I was getting closer and closer.  

I am now starting to see spectators again.  People are beginning to cheer me on.  Tons of “Great Jobs”  “Keep Going, you’re doing great”  I am starting to realize that I am less than 1/2 mile from the finish.  I pass the 13 mile mark and the crowd is cheering me on.  Just before the finishing shoot I am handed a water from a volunteer who screams “HALF IRONMAN BABY!” So I took a swig of water, through my cup to the ground and pushed all out to the finish.  With my hands in the air I crossed the finish line.  What an amazing sense of accomplishment.  I DID IT!!  Hugs and Kisses from Heather were certainly in order!  

6 hours and 53 minutes later I now had the biggest race of my life behind me.  I became a little emotional.  To think that in 2000 I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis and have met so many with MS that cannot even walk.  I have had some tough times where I could not feel my legs and lost vision in my left eye.  I quickly thought of all of the great people who have entered my life and always supported me and believed in me.  This all came to mind and I started to cry.  I wiped the tears away, drank some water and muscle milk and it was off to the showers!!

What’s next?????  There has been talks of 140.6!  We’ll see

So blessed for my health, my family and my friends.  I love you all

Crossing the Finish Line in 6:53! Yeah baby!!

Finishing Shoot

My Good Luck Cake 

#729 Ready To Roll

Bring it!

SWAG and Finisher Medal

Part of My Post Race Meal. Seriously!