This is the third year in a row that I have done this race. It will be my last. I've come to the conclusion that I don't particularly care for the course. I really don't like the swim course, the bike course or the run course. Why have I done it 3 straight years? Timing really. It just seems to always work out well to have an oly distance race in early August when my "A" race is in September. So even next year if my "A" race is in September I will look to another venue.
I got up at 4am, made a bagel with peanut butter and hit the road around 4:20. It took me not quite an hour to get up there and get parked. Probably less if I hadn't missed Stumpy Creek road the first time. I had not picked up my packet early, but there wasn't any waiting to get my packet, my chip, or get marked. That all went pretty quickly. So I spent the next half hour setting up transition and putting on all my numbers. I cut my bike number so I could kinda fit it around my down tube. Please Setup Events: get some bike numbers that aren't a PITA to find a good place to put on. Get some stickers that easily wrap around the seat tube up near the seat. Its not that hard. Every other production company has better bike stickers than this. [/RANT OFF]
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| Race Day Setup |
I visited the port-o-let, and got my swimskin on and headed down for a warmup. The water was noticeable cooler this year (82 deg) compared to last year's 90 degrees. I did a warmup, felt good, and waited for the start.
Swim
34:51, 1500M (long) 22 / 40 Age Group, 114 / 210 Overall
I had high hopes for the swim this year. I had gotten a swim coach and had some good workouts in the last month. I even got a speedsuit for these non wetsuit races. I mostly got the speedsuit for Vegas as there will be no wetsuits there. I started in the second wave which was male 35-44. There wasn't too much jostling. I did swallow a bunch of water in the first 400, but recovered pretty well. I didn't get punched in the face at all. I really don't have too many excuses, but I was slow. I did swim a minute faster than last year, but I was hoping for 2 or 3 minutes faster. My swim workouts all week were slow and it felt hard, so I know I might be in trouble in this race.
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| 200 Yard Splits |
T1
0:59, 8 / 40 Age Group, 48 / 208 Overall
Not too bad, took a little longer to get the swim skin off, but relatively quick.
Bike
1:08:14, 27 miles (23.8 avg) 1 / 39 Age Group 5 / 208 Overall
I was hoping to be able to average 25 mph and come in under 1:05. I just didn't feel it in the beginning. I ended up 55 seconds slower than last year, which really surprised me. Most of that was lost in the first 10 miles. Just couldn't get it going. I made up some time in the last 12 miles but not enough. The road quality was really bad. My lower back was sore and both my buddies said the same thing. I think it was from being bounced around so much. My rankings were pretty good, though.
T2
1:10, 15 / 38 Age Group, 76 / 208 Overall
Not too good. Put my bike in the wrong spot, and had to move it. I couldn't get my socks on quickly. Overall I felt slow in T2 and it showed.
Run
38:40, 6.13 miles (6:18 avg) 1 / 38 Age Group, 6 / 208 Overall
Despite my bike I actually felt pretty good coming out of transition. I hit the first mile in 6:09 and felt ok. The hills are pretty much relentless on this course. Not mention the big climb in miles 3 and 6. The second mile was good at 6:13, then I started to fade. Though I did hold on to 6:26's in miles 5 and 6. I had a good finish as I passed the #2 guy in my age group with about a half mile to go. Drew Brashear was way ahead, so I didn't really have to worry about him.
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| Constant hills affecting pace |
Finish
2:23:51, 2 / 38 Age Group, 15 / 208 Full Results
HERE.
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| Swag Shot |
About 1:15 faster than last year. Roughly 1 min faster swim, 1 min slower bike, 1 min faster run. Hopefully all I really need is rest. Despite taking this past week easy, I felt pretty tired going into this weekend. I've basically had a 6 week training block without a full rest week. The swag was nice, I will say. I got a folding chair for placing in the age group. I do like the socks as well. Now I have a red pair, blue pair, and green pair. I even like the lime green shirt as well.
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| Fort Mill Felt Mafia |
But just 5 weeks to the Ironman 70.3 World Championships in Las Vegas! I'll get in a few good weeks and be sure I take my full 10 day taper to be ready for that one. I hear the pavement is silky smooth. I can't wait.
