I had a lot of questions going into the race today - my pulled muscle in my side was still slightly aggravated, so I was a bit nervous about that. I was also anxious to see how my gluten-free diet would affect my race, and I was hopeful that I wouldn't have the nausea that has plagged me in recent races. I was really excited to race with Troy Bouma, an up-and-coming triathlete and good friend who is looking very strong and fit this year. I knew he'd have a good performance, as his previous weak link (a Walmart-special bicycle) had now been upgraded to a Cervelo P2C! We did our first race together at the Green Lake triathlon in 2006, where I was fortunate enough to win, and he turned in an impressive first-race performance of his own on his 100-lb mountain bike.
Troy and I left our hotel in Lino Lakes at 4:30 a.m. to get to the race site at Paradise Park in Chisago Lakes by 5:00 a.m. There were over 500 athletes in the Half Iron race, and another 800+ in the sprint. So, we needed to get there on time to get a parking spot. Conditions were great - light winds of 10 mph or so out of the northwest, and projected high temperatures in the upper 70's. About perfect. We got our gear set up in transition and got marked and then waited for the start.
Somehow, I lucked out and got in the first wave, while Troy was in the last wave. That meant I was grouped with the elite athletes (I felt kind of funny racking my bike next to the pros and top age-groupers in the elite wave! A little out of my league!). Troy was in the last wave and started 16 minutes behind me.
As we were getting ready for the swim, I commented that the swim course looked short. When I exited the water in 29 minutes, I realized that it was indeed short! I didn't swim very hard due to my sore side, and came in about 6 minutes faster than I expected. So, I think the swim was a bit short. However, maybe I just had a great day!
I had a pretty good transition and was on my way. The bike was tough for the first 12 miles or so, and I struggled to find a good rhythm. The roads and course were great, but I just felt tired for some reason. Miles 18 - 30 were into a headwind, and I managed to average over 20 mph, so I was pleased with that. I was starting to find a rhythm and my legs were loosening up. I was drinking my prepared carbo-pro mix, and managed to take in 400 calories in the first 1.5 hours. When I turned the corner at mile 30, I was greeted with every triathlete's dream: a tailwind on the way home! I averaged 23 mph for much of the remaining 26 miles of the race, finishing in 2:34 for a 21.6 mph average. I was pleased with the bike split, and it took some pressure off the run. I drank another 200 calories or so on the last hour of the ride, consuming 600 calories while on the bike (all Gatorade and Carbo-Pro).
After a painfully slow 2+ minute transition (I can't figure out why I'm so slow in these transitions! Pathetic.), I was off on the run course. It felt great to start running, and I knew I could coast the run and still beat my goal of finishing under 5 hours. All I needed to do was run a 1:50 half marathon and I was in. I figured that should be easy, but one never knows what's going to happen on the course.
I started clipping off sub-7 minute miles for the first several miles of the race, and was feeling really good. By mile 7 or so, I was starting to feel some slight nausea and fatigue, and started to slow the pace. It was also hot on the unshaded portions of the course. I kept plugging through the miles, dousing myself with water at each aid station, and filling my cap with ice to stay cool. I drank a few sips of water at each aid station, and ate 1 pack of Sharkies during the run (around 150 calories). I felt a bit nauseous, but was able to keep running and keep the food down.
I met Troy when he was on mile 5.5 and I was on mile 7.5. I figured I was probably 14 minutes ahead of him, and I had a 16 minute head start from the beginning. He was looking great, and I was pretty excited for him! I couldn't wait to see him cross the finish, and knew he'd be well under his goal of 5 hours.
I finished the half-marathon in 1:33 at a 7:07 pace, and crossed the finish line with a total time of 4:43:30, my 2nd or 3rd fastest half ironman time. I was pleased with the finish time, and waited for Troy to come across the time. 22 minutes later, I got to watch Troy cross the line, finishing in 4:49, 11 minutes ahead of his goal! What a great race for him!
Our splits were fairly similar - Troy was 3 minutes faster on the swim, and I was a couple minutes faster on the bike and 6 minutes faster on the run. Very comparable races, and we were both pleased. I finished 64th overall out of 514 racers, and Troy was 78th. I was 12th out of 69 in my age group, and Troy was 13th out of 50 in his.
I wore my Multisport Ministries race outfit and received a few comments again. What a great way to spend a Sunday - swimming, biking, and running all over God's great country, praising him in a sanctuary more beautiful than human hands could ever craft. I had so many answered prayers again - my sore side didn't aggravate me much, my nausea was still present but better than past races, and I finished in under 5 hours. We worship a mighty God, and it is such a privilege to serve him in this capacity. To God be the Glory!
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