In placid I had a slow leak in my rear wheel so logically I decided to replace the tube. Since I had a set of new tires(Panaracer – nashbar generic) and my Pro Race 2 had a lot of miles I replaced both tires also.
Logically I did not want to have Rockman be the first ride so I rode on Saturday. 20 miles from home I had a flat. No big deal it gives me practice. I find my spare tube has a short valvestem. Good to know before race day. I patched the existing tube(again good practice) and made it home with no problem.
I went to the LBS in the afternoon and bought 3 new tubes – one for the patched rear and 2 spares.
I went to dinner thinking I had it in the bag. After dinner and grocery shopping(9pm) I went into the garage to replace the patched tube. I pumped it to 100lbs and pop. Must be defective or I installed it goofy. Tube #2 100lbs – pop. I should have caught on but I didn’t. Tube #3 – pop. By this time I am cursing up a storm. I checked all 3 tubes and they had a hole in the same place. Yes I should have learned. I put the patched tube back on the bike and it made it to 100lbs – strange. As a backup I patched one of the new popped tubes.
Race day. I buy a tube from the bike support. Now I have a new tube and a backup with 4 co2s.
As transition was closing I noticed part of the tube peeking out of the tire. Ah. I finally understand why the 3 new tubes burst.
The race starts and I make it to the bike figuring I will have a flat, but I have a new tube and a granola bar wrapper to stick inside the tire.
12 miles in pop on a downhill. No big deal. Bike support is close and I do 60% and they do the rest. I am good to go 8 minutes later.
5 miles later I turn a curve and pop, there goes the front tire. No problem I have a patched spare and 3+ CO2s. I install the patched tube and pop. I must have overinflated. Okay I have one more patch and 2 more CO2s. I patch the tube, inflate it to maybe 60lbs and fear going any further. Back on the road 17 minutes later.
The rest of the bike was uneventful other than some scary farm implements.
3:13:05 17.4mph w/ repairs - 2:48:20 20.0mph while I was moving. Ouch!
I was so glad to make it to the run and I PRed the HIM run by over 5 minutes. I think having people to pass kept me motivated to run consistently.
Unofically 38:37/02:28/3:13:05/1:00/1:47:29 – 5:42:39(HIM PR 5:06:39)
General thoughts
- start was a little chaotic. Some people got a 100yd head start
- run course was the hardest of the half-mary I have encountered. Tons of hills, but plenty of shade.
- bike was windy and a little hilly, but reasonable
- water was murky, but overall a good course
- bike aid stations were good
- run aid stations could have been every mile, but were well stocked, although they were running out of cups as I went by
- no mile markers on the run, but aid stations were supposedly every 2 miles
- Heed aka heave. Enough said.
- I love the race day registrations/checkin
- A lot of negative comments about no t-shirt
Great job Chip!