Rev 3 1/2 Ironman - June 7th, 2009

Background

Last year (2008) was a year away from triathlon. My two year old daughter wasn't sleeping much and life was just plain crazy. I couldn't muster up the motivation to train and race. I did some mountain bike racing and a two small local triathlons but results were sub par.

This year I have been re energized to train and race. I have been very consistent with my training over the winter. I'm still not training like I was before I had two kids, but my total hours are way up. My biggest challenge is to get that second workout in which is often the stretching, core work, etc.

So, good training but not perfect. Not sure it will ever be again if I hope to keep my life in balance.

So, this year my goals are to race the Rev3 in June and the Rhode Island 70.3 in July with the objective of qualifying for the World Championship in Clearwater. If I don't qualify, I will add a September or October 1/2 Ironman to the schedule. My original plan was to qualify at Timberman in August but my family vacation had to be moved and so, Rhode Island is it!!

Rev 3 is a new local race held at Quassy Amusement Park in Middlebury, CT. The venue is perfect for a race and the line up of Pros was unlike any race I have ever competed in before including Escape from Alcatraz.

My goal for Rev3 was to train through it and finish strong. That was the goal...


Pre Race

I have to say Race Morning went as well as possible. I got to the race at 5AM to give myself time for the unexpected and everything, for once, went perfectly. This race was extremely well run and organized. I had no trouble with bike set up or my tires (which always seem to be a problem). I warmed up well with a 15 min run with some strides and swam a little to loosen up.

It was a ton of fun to see all the Pros in transition and around the race site. The race went off at 6.55 and my wave was 7.11.


Swim

If you've read my posts before you know I am a BIG fan of the VASA ergometer. I have been in the pool once since last season and in the open water twice which includes my 20 min swim the day before the race. All my training has been on the VASA.

I was a little frustrated at the start. I had 99 people in my Age Group Wave and the starting area was tight. I usually like to be in the front but today I was boxed in three deep. The gun went off, I dove in and made one jog left and......I was alone?? Yep, everyone else was like 30 yds to my right. I looked up and the buoy was still on my left. I swam very much within myself. I put a good effort but definitely in control. I wasn't pushing. I never saw another orange cap. After a few minutes, I started passing slower swimmers from earlier waves.

I got out of the water in 30.42 min for 7th in my AG and 98 overall. Feeling good.


T1

A little bit of a train wreck. Just out of practice. It was also a long run from water to transition. Lost maybe a minute on leaders. 3.11 min, 12 in AG, 140 overall.


Bike

I did a Race Sim last week and felt very confident in my pacing. I started off very much in control. Passing people but not working hard. At the 5 mile mark, adversity. My only bottle of nutrition (Perpetum) launched off my bike going downhill about 35 mph. I take a deep breath, come to a stop and turn around. I thought about pressing on but I didn't want to get into trouble experimenting with my nutrition. It was a very tough spot. I had to dismount and bushwack in the weeds on the side of the road to get my bottle.

I start off again and try to regain my rhythm. About 5 minutes later, I pick up my bottle and it was 1/2 empty. It has a hole in the bottom and my entire bike, chain, crankset, etc is covered in Perpetum. In hind site I should have turned the bottle upside down. But I didn't think of it and by mile 8, I was out of food.

I had some Hammer Gel with me and I tried to get GU at the aid stations. Once, I dropped the GU and once I was successfully. I was so focused on food that I didn't restock my fluids and I was behind because I usually get some fluid from the Perpetum. I went by the last aid station and a mile later, I'm out of water. Something like 8-10 miles to go. I know I'm in trouble.

I still felt pretty strong on the bike. I was off the bike in 2.47.46 for 9th fastest in my AG and 82 overall.


T2

More train wreck but I had to take the time to find my second Gel flask etc. 1.48 min for 14th in AG, 147 overall


Run

I'm feeling the effects of not enough food and water but I tell myself to finish, catch up on things and recover. The first three miles I was slower than my plan but I was still around 8 min per mile and I kept telling myself, shoot for 1.45 and the day won't be that bad. I hit the first hill at the 3.5 mile mark and that was all she wrote. I had to walk this hill and every hill after and there was PLENTY of hills. The hardest 1/2 marathon I have ever done, triathlon or straight 1/2 marathon. The downhills were brutal. My stomach was doing flips from the GU and CERA they had on the course. I'm just not used to racing with sugar. I was being passed by everyone. I made it home in 2.01.37 for 31 in my AG and 237 overall and I was feeling terrible.


Overall

I finished in 5.24.41 (second slowest 1/2 IM ever - slowest was St Croix in 2002 in extreme heat) - 15th in my AG and 121 overall.

I came off the bike 5 min in front of the eventual 4th place finisher and he ran a speedy 1.40 1/2 marathon, so 4th was there for the taking and on a good day 3rd was in my sights.

This is a great race and I hope it stays on the calender. The course is challenging and beautiful. The race is very well organized. Its clearly put on by people who understand what its like to compete on race day.

Recovery wasn't ideal. After resting for about 30 minutes and realizing I wasn't going to pass out. I spent the next three hours carting my 4 and 2 year old around the amusement park. Yep, carrying them up the water slide stairs and even taking them out in a paddle boat....just what I needed, more peddling!! But they had fun and it was great to be with them and it was great to see them cheer me on. Mom kept telling them they could go on the rides when Dad finished. So, the very first words from my son as I crossed the finish line were "Can we go on the water slide now?" - Yep