Aside from my mother and girlfriend constantly complaining that I’ll drown on the swim, I really am excited to do my first half ironman distance.
It’s a race called “CannonMan Half.” It’s in Penn, so The bike might have a hill or two.
Any pointers from any of you all? You know: hydration, food, enjoyment, fighting insanity, etc.
Aside from my mother and girlfriend constantly complaining that I’ll drown on the swim, I really am excited to do my first half ironman distance.
It’s a race called “CannonMan Half.” It’s in Penn, so The bike might have a hill or two.
Any pointers from any of you all? You know: hydration, food, enjoyment, fighting insanity, etc.
Practice your nutrition in training. It’s a good way to gauge how much food you’ll need come race day. Good luck!
Yep. I was surprised how much I had to eat and drink to keep power on the bike and have a good run.
Just get out there and log the miles. Enjoy the training and don’t be afraid of doing some over-distance on all three so you knw you can finish each leg.
Just put in the miles in training and you’ll be fine. I did my first half at the end of my first season in the sport and was really wondering if I’d be able to pull it off beforehand, but once the race started, I just had to trust my training and everything went better than expected.
Good luck!
I used a heart rate monitor in training and my race. Stuck to a conservative HR zone on the bike. Seems basic, but it kept me from going too hard on the bike so I had some juice left for the run.
I also found out what nutrition was provided on the course and practiced with it. Less complicated than carrying my own stuff on the run.
If it has hills, practice hills. I’d also recommend having a nutrition plan you practice. Probably the most crucial element to finishing at or near your goals assuming you’re well trained.
Don’t be afraid to adjust your nutrition plan based on the weather. I have practiced and tested intake allowances that differ based on heat and course conditions.
Also, just like in shorter races, have a plan for pacing and effort based on the course and finishing goals.
Drive the course, or parts of it, before the race, even if it’s the day before, so you can get a mental image of any challenges on the bike an run as well as the layout of transition.
Here are the keys. Remember, your goal is to come away looking forward to your 2nd HIM.
On the first half of the bike, you ought to be questioning that you are going too easy.
No more than 25 oz/hr liquids (ok, 30 oz/hr if it is hot) and 250 cals/hr on the bike.
Finish with a smile (there will be cameras there).
Don’t crap yourself.