Lake Hefner,Oklahoma

September 17, 2018

This is a complete report with Part 1 integrated into this race report….

After the last race I stated: “Continue to trained harder and longer with more bricks – the long distance is fitness, fitness, fitness.  Full-iron distance is scary from today’s viewpoint.”

As I enter this race, I can say that the work has been done. Coach Ben worked, to make me feel better, by added extra brick workouts since the last race. My fitness is deeper and I’m progressing to the deep Ironman fitness/resiliancy.

This race was a success (for the most part)!  Personal record finish time!

Before the Race Plan: My training continues to progress and I’m certain that my swim, bike and run have improved mainly through deep fitness. This should mean that I can push the swim effort, stay steady on the bike, and manage/push? the run. I’ll repeat my overall race goals from the last race: I want to enjoy the race experience and collect good data for my next phase of training.   I don’t have pace/time goals per say.    BUT….what would make me happy?  

 

 

 

 

I finished the race in 6:02:14. I set a personal record shaving 17 minutes and 5 second off my best 70.3 finish. A sub six hour race is still teasingly close now.  My prerace goal was loafty, but almost got it accomplished.

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13th of 28 in my division with the with 1st and 4th place
overall finishers coming out of my division.

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SWIM

This swim was a washing machine with a 20mph wind that put a serious note to the swim.   Hint:  three marker bouys had already dislodged and pinned to the shore.  This swim (per race officials) was about 300 yard short and I don’t think any of the athletes were complaining.  I came out of the water toward the front of my swim group with a smile on Coach Ben’s face with the effort.
(8th place swim within division)

For my upcoming training:  Continue on the current path.  My swim is coming around and the distance is building.

BIKE

Before the race I noted: “I do NOT want to override this bike course.” I’m not sure that I overrode the bike course, but I rode the Hell out it.  I took every advantage of the course through techical bike skills. This was the the most wind that I’ve experience on any bike ride – seriously!  I was blown around like a small child in the crosswinds and buffeted by challenging headwinds.

What kind of ride was it? In the first 30 miles, I averaged 24.9mph and finished with a 20.2 mph average. Out with the wind for 30 miles and against the wind coming back.
(8th place bike within division)

Major Mistake:  I missed putting my electrolytes on my bike.   This was an oversight that made my pay dearly on the run.    My bike nutrition was on point (UCan liquid nutrition), but I only used water and had severe cramping coming off the bike due to electrolytes and muscle exertion.  I gave it all, but questionable whether it was too much.   70.3s simply hurt.

For my upcoming training:  Continue with the long bike ride and be sure to dial in an IM race pace both during training and during race.

RUN 

Before the race I noted: “Step over the finish line tired.”  YES, I stepped over the finish line tired. I came off the bike and stretched in transition.   I had cramped up taking my shoes off on the bike and knew that my electrolytes were out of wack – I hoped a good stretch would be enough.   I had a bottle of electrolytes waiting in transition – got some in my gut – and took the bottle with me.  

I wanted to push this run.   But, it wasn’t happening on a hot race day  (90 degrees). Every decision/mistake leading up to the run visited me on my run. I’m not sure that I had a muscle in my legs that didn’t cramp/quiver during the run. By mile 3, I knew that I would have to fight just to stay on a run. By mile five, an “easy run” pace was all that was possible without muscles starting to lock up. I poured electrolytes into my body with an effort to overcome 56 mile of inattention.  This inattention took it’s toll: At 9.67 miles, my left leg locked.  I got back on a slow run and found some relief at about mile 11 and I ended my attempt at a sub six hour 1/2 iron 400 yards from the finish line (2 minutes – yes, one length of the track)
(21st of 28th place with division)

For my upcoming training:  Run – nothing magic.  I feel comfortable were I’m at at this point of my training.   Continue to work toward to get faster over distances (long term)

NUTRITION

Before the race I noted: “This may be the biggest variable in the race. 95% of my nutritional plan is new.”

Nutrition was on point: GenerationUCAN.  The KMF team got me straight on this – one scoop every 30 minutes – perfect for what I needed it to do.  I did have some BASE salt added to the mixture.

Electrolytes suffered due to my prerace bottle preparation. Simply forgot to add it. Nuun 

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Mentally

I was ready for a course that fought.  Predicted wind at 20mph plus prepared me for a tough swim and ride.  Unussually, I didn’t study my maps enoug prior to the race to know bike course elevations.    I was 200% prepared mentally for a 70.3.    During the course, there was a lot of  “self-talk” to determine:  tired | injured | painful | in-your head.  For the most part is was painful/can’t due to cramping rather that head problems (i.e, 9.67 lockup on run).

Done Right

Swim sighting was very good.  The bike was technically perfect for where I am now.   I got everything out of the bike that the course would give me.

Improvement

These remain from the last two race: Fitness and daily nutrition.   Need to be at race weight by next race in 60 days – said before – I’m getting there.  Improve my mangement of the race (mainly bike/run) – rather than pouring it all into bike.

My fitness is better since the last race and need to continue to progress during final eight weeks before IM Arizona – but I’m getting to Iron Fit.

Differently

• One stupid electrolyte mistake cost me a lot.
• Muscles need more resiliancy.  The cramping was surely a combination of muscle fatigue in addition to electrolyte imbalances.

I can remedy both problems.  Sometime the race is the race and 70.3 hurts.

Lessons

• Full-iron distance is LESS scary from today’s viewpoint.
• My swim sighting and lines are fine.  I lose time worrying about others.
• Check and double check preparations.
• Stay within the moment of the race and assess fuel gauges.
• Carry salt and emergency electrolyte boosters in case of emergency.
• No nutrition needed on the run.   No water bottle unless hot.

Back to Training

Continue to enjoy the training and race preparation process.

Next race

My “A” race is next.  It’s been a long season of races and preparation.   IRONMAN ARIZONA looms in the future.