| date: Aug 5th, 2006 location: Benton Harbor, MI number of finishers: 1431 number of females: 437 number of males: 993 average time: 05:49:06 |  | Michael Pluimer bib number: 1056 age: 33 gender: M location: Raymond, MN |
The Whirlpool Steelhead Triathlon in 2006 was an interesting race. Over 1500 athletes raced it - double it's previous size - since it was the first year in the Ironman 70.3 Series. I just completed Ironman Lake Placid 2 weeks prior, so really didn't know how this would go. I basically took a 2-week hiatus from training, and gave it a "Whirl" (pun intended).
The swim was average - 35:35. Onto T1. Partway through the swim, I remembered I forgot to put my GPS speedometer on my bike. I thought it was in my bag, so I wasted 2 minutes scrambling through the bag while in T1, only to realize the GPS was still in my hotel room. Oh well - I guess I'd go without a speedometer on this race. Bummer. \
It turned out to be a blessing! I had no idea how fast I was going, so I went on feel, and finished with my fastest half IM bike split - 2:25, or 23.1 mph! I was a bit frustrated by all the "pack riding" and drafting on the course, which is illegal, so part of the reason for my good split was out of anger and frustration! I hate it when people cheat!!!
On to the run. I felt great on the run, and managed a 1:31 split, about a 7:00/mile pace.
I finished with my half IM PR: 4:40:49, 89th out of 1431 finishers, 14th in my AG!
Race results online at onlineraceresults.com
| overall place: | 89 out of 1431 |
| division place: | 15 out of 179 |
| gender place: | 88 out of 993 |
| time: | 4:40:49 |
| swim: | 35:35 |
| trans 1: | 6:01 |
| bike: | 2:25:41 |
| trans 2: | 1:52 |
| run: | 1:31:43 |
| penalty: | 0: |
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