Success!

I was very pleased with the results of the race on Sunday. My legs still feel a bit sore, but I did venture to the pool this evening for a 45 minute swim (which is a story in and of itself!).

Anyway, we arrived in Racine on Saturday and checked in at the high school - no major issues. We got settled at the Radisson and Jeremy and I headed over to North Beach for a warm-up swim. The water was pretty choppy, but after almost a week without swimming I was PUMPED UP to be in the open water. I even enjoyed the cool temperature, although after 20-25 minutes swimming, my ears began to ache a little. We hopped out and drove back to the hotel, where we changed and rode out on our bikes for about 30 minutes, changed into our running shoes and did a quick 15 minute jog.

5:15 - on our way home we stopped by an Italian Restaurant, Salute, to check about reservations, but they were booked until 7:30 so we got a few take out menus. Jessica, Isaac and I ordered right away and having showered and changed, we picked up some gnocchi and pizza by 6:00. It was a gorgeous evening so we found a picnic table and enjoyed the great outdoors. Around 7:00, Jeremy and I took the bikes over for check-in and it was all starting to become real. We headed home, and by 10:00 pm I was asleep.

I awoke at 4:50 on Sunday morning, before my alarm. I scarfed a muffin with peanut butter and a banana, started sipping gatorade and checked over my gear. By 5:45 I was waiting for Jeremy... and waiting, and waiting (very unlike him). When I saw the shuttle swing by, I ran up to his room and knocked lightly. Again. His wife Nancy came to the door and said he left about 10 minutes ago. He had been waiting somewhere else!

We got over to the transition area with plenty of time to spare, set up, got our timing chips, befriended some fellow competitors and started the 1/2 mile walk to the the swim start. It was an amazing sight: 2000 triathletes making their way along the beach. Part way there, we sprayed up with cooking oil (to help remove the wet suits AFTER the swim) and slid into our bouancy devices. Helicopters overhead and the professionals already in the water, the adrenaline was pounding. Jeremy said something like "6 minutes to our wave starts" and I hurried over in that direction.

When the horn sounded, I was near the front and luckily there wasn't a lot of elbow-throwing. I kept reminding myself to stretch out and stay fluid, but it was difficult to find a rhythm because there were people EVERYWHERE! I had to do a lot of sighting and never really got into the groove. We passed a number of the folks in previous waves and tried to be careful not to run over anyone. Coming out of the water at about 36 minutes (I had no idea at the time how long I'd been out there), I struggled a little to get out of the wetsuit (despite the cooking oil!), jogged up the long sand beach, trotted through the water buckets to clean off my feet and headed for my bike.

I was LUCKY that I had left my gearing in a relatively easy gear because when I mounted the bike, the course was uphill (NOTE TO SELF - check gearing is correct prior to race). First few miles felt terrific and I was averaging about 23 mph. I knew that was fast, but heartrate felt good and I chalked it up to the wind being at my back (which it was). I probably should have stood up and stretched my legs some more in those first 20 minutes, but I was chugging along nicely. At about 50 minutes, I had consumed a number of one inch Powerbar strips that I had smashed on for nutrition and had consumed one bottle of gatorade. Nutrition was going well. At the second fuel stop, I picked up some Infinit sport drink and was averaging about 21.5 mph. Over the next hour or so, I had to force myself to keep eating and had two minor scares. #1 occurred when I went to grab a bottle and the volunteer failed to release in time, leaving my fluid on the ground instead of in my hand - so I had to wait until the next stop (and I was LOW). #2 happened out of the blue, when one of my rubber bands from my aero bottle flew off without warning - about 1/2 way through the ride, leaving me to wonder if/when my bottle would fall of the bike; luckily, it never did.

I remember thinking that my bike was going very strong, about 2 mph faster than last time I competed in a half-ironman event. It wasn't enough to maintain my lead over Jeremy however, who caught me at about mile 50, just as the wind started to get ugly. He had his own demons to fight, as there was a pack that he had to contend with that basically flew by me. The last 6 miles were tough, but at roughly 2 hours, 37 minutes, I had managed to maintain a pace of 21.4 mph and simply had to motivate for a 13 mile run! Transition went ok until I was on my way to the run and realized I didn't have my race number on - so I lost 45+ seconds running back to my station to grab my number - ARGHH!

I really tried to hold back on the run and PACE myself, because I recalled last year having a meltdown and having to walk 4+ miles (and then getting a migraine to boot). Several folks passed me, but I overtook a few people myself. I saw Jeremy at about mile 3.5 and he was about half a mile ahead of me. I felt like I was keeping a consistent pace and doing ok on nutrition. I didn't feel like eating, but I kept sipping my Hammer gel, drinking water and started taking endurolytes (eletcrolyte pills) every 4-5 miles. My darling wife and sleeping infant were there at mile 6.5 to cheer me on - it was extremely helpful.

Given the out and back x2 nature of the course, I saw Jeremy again at mile 9 and he had lengthend his lead to 3/4 of a mile or more. I was starting to break down and had to stop to walk every mile, then every 3/4 of a mile, then every half mile. The cramps were in the thighs this time and with every stride, I wondered if they would totally seize up. I made it in at a 2 hour 3 minute run, or 9:23 pace - no great shakes, but much better than last time!

SWIM - 36:33
T1 - 2:37
BIKE - 2:36:39
T2 - 2:25
RUN - 2:02:58
TOTAL: 5:21:12

Beat my previous time by almost 30 minutes! The professional winner, David Thompson, completed the same course in 3 hours 50 minutes (click here for article).

Thanks to my family, who has been so supportive and to my training buddies, Jeremy and Patrick. I couldn't have done it without you!