Saturday, March 2, 2013

Race Report - Ironman 70.3 Steelhead, July 31, 2010

REPOST from Thursday, August 5, 2010 at 8:46pm

Overall, it went really well. I PR'd by over 15 minutes (although its a different (and probably easier) course, so really can't compare).

Swim:
The morning started out pouring rain, so all our gear was soaked through by the time we got it set up. Walked the 1.2 miles down the beach to the start in the rain, saw some lightning, waited around til our waves, and then hopped in! I lined up pretty much dead center this time, instead of the back left like normal. A little bit of contact at the start, but I stuck with the middle pack easily and found clear water after a few hundred yards. I feel like I finally have my sighting down and swam really straight. Caught the stragglers from the wave in front of me about halfway, and was caught by the front guys from the wave behind me soon thereafter. Exit the water, run all-the-freaking-way UP the beach to transition (good 80 yds uphill in the sand. ugh.) to the sound of my cheerleaders!!! Yay Debbie and Andrea!
58th/135 W25-29
1211th/2282 OA
38:56:00
2:01min/100meter or 1:48/100y for 1.2 miles
Avg HR 157

Transition 1.
Everything was soaking wet. I picked out puddles and ran through them on the way to my bike, and my feet were sparkling clean by the time I got there. More cheerleading. :)
3:34

Bike:
Rain had stopped by now, but my helmet was soaking. When you ride your bike a lot, you sweat a lot. If you then don't wash out your helmet pads, and leave them out in the rain, and then jam them onto your forehead, well, they squish. Straight into your eyeballs. Stinging, months old, salty, sweat. Mmmm, de-lish. The roads were a little wet, but about half were freshly paved, and nice and flat and fast. I felt like I never stopped saying "on your left", especially when it came to any "hill". All the IMoo hill training is paying off!!! Lots of people drafting, and a few macho egos I had to bruise. I kept passing one guy, over and over, and he kept passing me right back. I quickly realized this was because as soon as I would pass him, he would hop on the wheel of the next fast guy that came along, and ride him until he passed me. Then drop off and slow waaay down. Apparently, I was his nemesis, or so he told me when I passed him for the 5th time. Towards the end, there was another guy I kept leap-frogging with, and we started joking about it and yelling out the tally each time we'd pass. Finally he pulled up next to me, and said "Do you run?" "Nope!" I replied. "Cuz you are killing this bike! I just can't keep up. I think I'll hop on your wheel for awhile." Um, excuse me? And he actually did too! Luckily, I dropped him pretty quickly at the next hill. Didn't end up eating quite all of my nutrition. Had 2.25 clif bars, 2 bottles of gatorade, and 1 bottle of water. May need to reconsider the bars for IM, as I never seem to want to eat them all. Must recheck calories on that.
18th AG
832nd OA
2:47:24
20.1 mph for 56 miles
Avg HR 168

Transition 2.
Long transition. Saw Doug (well, heard him really was more like it) and Debbie and Andrea again as I buzzed by. Decided to go with the lace up shoes this time instead of the Yankz. The shoes were *sort of* dry by this point.
2:51

Run:
Feeling pretty good here. I wanted to run 9:30s, but wasn't sure if I would be able to. Saw a lot of people walking already by mile 2 or so. Also, saw the first female pro running in just as I was headed out on mile 1. She was FLYING. Of course, all of us headed out are cheering for the ones headed back in already. I saw two guys round the corner, neck and neck, matching tri uniforms, so I started cheering them on. "Come on, guys, let's see it!! Who's gonna win it? Beat him there!" And then I noticed that there was a rope tied between them. It was a blind athlete and his guide. I am officially a jerk. Anyway, the rest of the run went well from there. I had to re-tie my shoes about mile 3 because they were too tight, and stopped for a tinkle in the port-a-potty around mile 6. The course is an out, two hourglass loops, and back, and is nicely broken up mentally. I felt really good the whole time, but didn't really have any energy left for a sprint at the end. Oh! And I only walked about half the aid stations this time! I am truly getting better at this stupid running thing, so I am stoked about that. Took gatorade and water at each aid station, and ice down the tri top. Didn't bother with any Gus, but maybe it would have given me a kick at the end? Finished up with a smile on my face, with my cheering section to high five along the finish shoot, and my big sis to "catch me" and pull my timing chip. :) Good day.
54th AG (no, only about 7 girls actually passed me... I was just that far ahead from the bike)
1035th OA
2:08:51 (my fastest half marathon ever yet! notice I say yet - I WILL be under 1:50 by the half in May next year!)
9:51min/mile for 13.1 miles
(1- 170 HR, 9:20m/mi; 2- 171, 9:36; 3- 168, 10:07 (retied shoes); 4- 170, 9:55; 5- 174, 9:43; 6- 171, 10:53 (stopped to pee); 7- 170, 9:41; 8- 173, 9:45; 9- 174, 9:43; 10- 174, 9:33; 11- 175, 9:44; 12- 175, 9:44; 13.1- 174, 11:07 (10:06 pace)
Avg. HR 172

Final:
33rd/135 W25-29 (top 24.44444% baby!!!)
904th/2282 overall
5:41:36 total time
70.3 miles! :D

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