06 = 12:33, 07 = 12:35, 08 = 12:36
Swim: I started far right, up front. I had to conquer some demons from last year's race. It was very congested most of the way for me during the way out. People swimming all over the place, etc... never found clear water till the turn. i swung a bit wide to avoid contact and headed back in. i felt like i swam all over the lake on the way in. Regardless, I swam very relaxed.(1:05)
Bike: Never been my strong point, but I had a plan. This was first race with power, so I held it very easy out to the turn and then got that great tailwind to bring me home. I dinked around a bit on the second lap and cost myself some time. bathroom break, stopped at an aid station to mix another bottle of food, stopped at BSN for a RedBull. Just lost my focus for a bit. heading out for the last loop, i was feeling fine. I was completely within myself and decided to ride target watts out and soft pedal back again. I passed alot of aero helmets riding on the basebars(no doubt the same crew who blew by me on the first outbound). I just kept saying almost to the turn around and then it'll be easy all the way home. Third loop was fastest of the day. Also, this was my second best bike split in 7 IMs.(6:16) I know I'm not worthy of ST, but I'm working on it. The only problem that reared it's head a bit later was that I got off a bit on my nutrition.
Run: Again plan here was to build into it. Jogged first loop easy, kept HR around 152. The highlight of the first loop was being told at one of the aid stations that i had gotten my lottery slot for Kona. dropping out at that point would never happen no matter what!!Plan was to move to upper steady for loop 2 but by mile 10. I was reduced to walking a bit. I didn't feel the heat too badly, I just ran out of gas.I carried a ziplock with me out of T2 and filled it with ice at each aid station early in the run and tucked it into my singlet. This is where the lack of fuel late on the bike and early in the run showed up. I had been having some gut problems in training and was a little wary of pushing in too much concentration of carbs, I started in on the coke at about mile 11 and it eventually began to have it's desired effect. It was also at this time that I pulled out of my singlet a quote that my daughter had given me just before I left for the race. I don't where she found it but I kept it in my hand during the whole third loop."Your most valuable asset is your willingness to persist longer than anyone else" The G-rated version of HTFU. I made sure that it was visible in my finishing photo. Ran entire third loop. Although this was my worst IM split ever(5:02)
In additon to Kona, another highlight of the day was to finish the race with my training buddy, who was doing his first IM.
Total time as you can see from above remains remarkably consisitent. I just need to hold steady here, and I'll eventually make that podium. Maybe at M60-65 ??
Swim: I started far right, up front. I had to conquer some demons from last year's race. It was very congested most of the way for me during the way out. People swimming all over the place, etc... never found clear water till the turn. i swung a bit wide to avoid contact and headed back in. i felt like i swam all over the lake on the way in. Regardless, I swam very relaxed.(1:05)
Bike: Never been my strong point, but I had a plan. This was first race with power, so I held it very easy out to the turn and then got that great tailwind to bring me home. I dinked around a bit on the second lap and cost myself some time. bathroom break, stopped at an aid station to mix another bottle of food, stopped at BSN for a RedBull. Just lost my focus for a bit. heading out for the last loop, i was feeling fine. I was completely within myself and decided to ride target watts out and soft pedal back again. I passed alot of aero helmets riding on the basebars(no doubt the same crew who blew by me on the first outbound). I just kept saying almost to the turn around and then it'll be easy all the way home. Third loop was fastest of the day. Also, this was my second best bike split in 7 IMs.(6:16) I know I'm not worthy of ST, but I'm working on it. The only problem that reared it's head a bit later was that I got off a bit on my nutrition.
Run: Again plan here was to build into it. Jogged first loop easy, kept HR around 152. The highlight of the first loop was being told at one of the aid stations that i had gotten my lottery slot for Kona. dropping out at that point would never happen no matter what!!Plan was to move to upper steady for loop 2 but by mile 10. I was reduced to walking a bit. I didn't feel the heat too badly, I just ran out of gas.I carried a ziplock with me out of T2 and filled it with ice at each aid station early in the run and tucked it into my singlet. This is where the lack of fuel late on the bike and early in the run showed up. I had been having some gut problems in training and was a little wary of pushing in too much concentration of carbs, I started in on the coke at about mile 11 and it eventually began to have it's desired effect. It was also at this time that I pulled out of my singlet a quote that my daughter had given me just before I left for the race. I don't where she found it but I kept it in my hand during the whole third loop."Your most valuable asset is your willingness to persist longer than anyone else" The G-rated version of HTFU. I made sure that it was visible in my finishing photo. Ran entire third loop. Although this was my worst IM split ever(5:02)
In additon to Kona, another highlight of the day was to finish the race with my training buddy, who was doing his first IM.
Total time as you can see from above remains remarkably consisitent. I just need to hold steady here, and I'll eventually make that podium. Maybe at M60-65 ??