Hi Tribe! Thought I’d post a slightly shortened version of my Race Report for Eagleman 70.3 which I participated in on June 8, 2008. To sum things up in two words – FLAT and HOT! Temperatures climbed into the low 90s late in the morning and went into the mid 90s during the early afternoon in time for most folks to be out on the 1/2 marathon run course.
For those not familiar with this event, it takes place on the Maryland Eastern Shore out of the town of Cambridge, which sits along the Choptank River that empties into the Cheasapeake Bay. Basically a bay town that has grown up a bit along with the rest of the Eastern Shore communities. The event has a pretty rich history in its first years and was eventually renamed in honor of the Bald Eagle, an inhabitant of Dorchester County and the vast Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, through which much of the bike course goes. And the entire course itself is challenging. The Choptank has interesting currents and can make the swim tougher than you’d expect. While the bike and run parts are flat, promising quick times, there are often strong winds that blow in several directions and there is very little shade along the run.
Anyway, this is an official Ironman 70.3 event and has qualifying slots for Kona. Our very own Herb Spicer races the course as a potential qualifying race for his age slot. The event is put on by the Columbian Triathlon Association and I found from racing in the Columbia Triathlon that they put together a class act for the participants. This event turned out to be no exception either.
PRE-RACE DAY
Fellow Tribe member Mike Matney also signed up and we rode down the day prior for packet pickup and event check-in, bike inspection/check-in, course preview, and take in whatever the Expo offered. In our goodie bag were the T-shirt (nice!), water bottle, socks (good IM ones from Wigwam), and usual other literature. The Expo was small but there were interesting things to see and perhaps buy. We met Tribe members Vicki Bate, Bernie Sellers, and Herb Spicer there and discussed a bit about the weather for the race the next day. It was already hot outside and it still morning.
Mike and I then drove the bike course which proved as expected – flat, flat, flat. Many long stretches where one could just cruise all out! Winds did not look as if they would be a factor this year. On the backside of the course, I looked up and saw a Bald Eagle flying overhead straight in front of us! We took that as a good sign. It didn’t help with the weather though.
Due to last week’s severe weather, no one could park close to transition and it was still very soggy. This would also be true on race day. But, no worries. Found our racks and I reminded myself to not make the mistake I made at Kinetic and counted the rows from the swim-in and bike-in parts of the transition area. BTW, as with Columbia, the bike rack rows are numbered and there’s a sticker with your name. I actually like doing this the day before a bit better as it’s less stuff to haul.
After that, Mike and I decided to try the Choptank on for size and swim a bit. Geez, the water was warm. But, didn’t seem like the Choptank would give any problems and we could feel a bit of a current swimming back a forth. Then got dinner, check in at the hotel (which was 30 min away in Salisbury), and put together stuff for race day.
RACE DAY:
Transition opened at 5:00 AM. Found parking about 3 blocks away from transition pretty easily, but that does make a difference if you forget something (and I did). After helmet inspection and body marking, got to our respective areas and did the ritual of laying out your space just right. Pumped tires. In transition, saw Tamara, Julian, Luca, and Greg Irwin. Greg said he got lucky as was now racing the whole thing rather than just AquaVelo. At the time I said that was great. Thinking back on it, I wonder considering the run which I’ll get to.
Okay, final preparations and I think I’m as ready as I’ll ever be. The pros have already started before the Transition area closed for the rest of us and I start getting my wetsuit on as I was a couple swim waves go. I meet up with Mike Orsini while in the swim wave corral and we wish each other lots of luck. Okay, our turn now. Into the water, just before the start buoys and I’m thinking “Geez, that looks far.” So, I tell myself to take one buoy at a time. The horn goes off and my first Half IM is underway!
I try to grab onto some feet to draft off of and this worked well for a while. But, the person breaststroked to sight a few times and I thought this isn’t working. So, I go on and try to find someone else. Only two buoys into it and my arms are starting to feel it a bit. This time I was more relaxed than at the Kinetic Sprint and I’m trying to concentrate more on my bilateral breathing. Sighting is going okay but I seem to be going right a bit. Not sure if that’s current or what. At the pros meeting, one of them recommended watching to see which way folks get pulled to in the earlier waves but I had not done that and so that’s a lesson learned for next year. I plodded along at my pace and still saw a good number of my wave around so I didn’t think I was doing too bad. But, rounding a buoy I got bumped a few times and feet hit my cheek and nearly my jaw. I was okay but had to get my bearings. Tried to latch onto the folks but couldn’t. Rounding the next turn buoy on the way back, everything seemed to be going left. So I went right and a race guy on jet ski said to go back left. This didn’t make sense but I attempted to do so. Two buoys left and I can see the finish. The wave behind me is catching up but I’m also passing a few people from the waves ahead. That felt kinda okay but I knew most of my wave had already made it in. Getting tired but tried to push a bit to the end and finally was able to walk onto the beach. Whew! Longest continuous swim I had done in a while.
Now into T1. Goggles off, cap off, peel wetsuit halfway. Found my area right away thanks to the practice I had done. I took my time in T1 since the goal was just to finish. Dried my arms a bit and put my arm coolers on. Realize that I should’ve put these on under my wetsuit and will have to train that way if I have another hot race. Took too much time to do so. But since I didn’t, just did it in T1. I had to sit to put on socks as this is what I had on cycling. Didn’t want a blister going into the run. That took a little while too. Used a shoe horn to get into my shoes and this actually worked well. Helmet on and onto the bike course!
Since Mike and I drove course, I knew what to expect, especially rough spots, gravel areas, and sharp turns. So no surprises. As I had done in training, I had my watch set to beep every 20 minutes to remind me to take in something. Usually I took an electrolyte pill at least every hour, food every 40 min, and something to drink every 20. This worked well for me but I also planned to replace my aerobottle drink on the course with Gatorade as I had done during training as well. So, did that around 45 miles out. A fair number of women from the swim wave behind me passed by with some nice looking bikes. I guess a few of my age group did too. But, I did the same to people as well and some with Zipp wheels. Always feels good to do that. My strategy for the bike was to set a reasonable pace and save something for the run as I knew that was going to be the most difficult part to the race. So, I decided to spin more than grind even if it meant going slower. This became more important as the bike went on as at mile 40, my inner thighs started to give me a bit of problems. I was afraid of cramping but ensured my electorlyte and hydration was on course every 20 min. Spun above 80 rpm or better for the rest of the way. I was glad to see the transition area come back into view.
T2. I had not practiced getting out of my shoes on the bike though I thought about trying it when I saw others. I resisted this temptation as the last thing I needed was a crash going into the run. So, got into transition getting my cycling shoes off and moved over to running. The shoehorn didn’t work quite as well this time but I moved through T2 at an okay pace. Still didn’t want to rush. Two things I put on were my hydration belt and my cooling bandanna. Though this probably took time, I was grateful for both. I need to take things and put them on as I’m joggin out of T2 though.
Onto the run. By now, somewhere around 11 AM I think. And as I start the run course, the temperature continues to climb. I’m sure it’s near 90 by this time and just getting hotter as we go along. Figure a 9 min pace is just under a 2-hour half marathon, which means running until early afternoon when the heat is starting to peak. And even in the first couple of miles, we are all running to any shade we can find. During this time, my inner thighs are starting to cramp so I slow down and relax and see if I can switch to a different set of muscles. This seems to work though my hamstrings start to complain a bit. Everything eases into the run and I pick it back up. At the second aid station, I wrongfully decide to grab some of their Gatorade. MISTAKE, MISTAKE! I don’t know why I did this as I have my own stuff. Well, it was mixed WAY too strong and I spit it back out. Unfortunately, I swallowed a bit and this got me a little nauseous. So much so, I had to stop to make sure I wasn’t going to have more problems. After a bit, felt like I could continue and started jogging again. From that point on, worked out a strategy that I followed: run/jog to each aid station as they were every mile, walk through the aid station, take water to drink, water to pour on me, and ice for my hat. No more of the race-provided Gatorade. My watch was also going every 20 min. So, no matter I would take a drink from my stuff and also take an electrolyte pill at least every 40. This worked extremely well for the rest of the run.
Between miles 3 and 4, there was this bypass road under construction. Let me tell you – that was the longest mile I faced except for the last one. The shade was now gone, there was new asphalt under our feet, and the temperature continued to rise. After mile 4, I actually started to feel fairly good running. So much so, that between miles 6 and 8, I’m seem to actually be setting a decent pace between the aid stations. BTW, you come back along this and I saw Mike Matney and Julian. I saw Vicki when I was heading back.
Again, there is VERY LITTLE SHADE on this course. What little there is is fleeting and you have to stop for to get any relief. But on this day, many people were walking through the aid stations. One gal remarked that she had never seen so many people walking in a Half IM. Fortunately, the aid station folks as well as many of the folks who live along the route came out to hose you down. Gosh even that little bit just felt great!
After mile 9, we come back again onto the bypass. This time, though there’s actually a breeze and my arm coolers and jersey are making use of it, cooling me down just a tad. It felt good. And I must’ve been setting a good pace as I hear those words from behind me. Sure enough, this one gal had decided to run with me using my pace to keep her going. I fell back a bit but she encouraged me to set the pace. So, I continue on and she falls in step behind me for the next mile.
At mile 10, though, I lose my shadow as she walks through the aid station a bit longer. I did look back and slow to wait but she didn’t appear to be catching back up. I press on.
As I round a corner pressing to mile 11, I see the bay. What a sight! It motivates me more. I take any shade and water sprinkling from the local folks. Someone yells that I’m looking good and I yell back that I wish I felt that way. A few laughs. But, in some ways I actually am as I’m smiling knowing I’m near to completing this event. I pass by folks watching the event and ask where’s the Corona I ordered a while back. They quickly come back that it’s waiting at the finish. I pass a photographer, raise my arms in triumph, and smile. More laughs. Keeps me going.
Mile 12 passes by and I feel the end is near. I can hear other folks names being called at the finish and know that I’m almost there. I can see the tents at the park as we come onto the road by the bay. Round another turn, quarter mile to go. Last turn and the finish is in site. I hear the names of the folks just in front of me. I’m listening for mine and slow just a bit in anticipation. Then my name is read over the loudspeaker and my arms go up triumphantly with a big smile on my face as I cross the finish line completing my first Half Ironman!! Volunteers come to take care of me, look me over to see if I’m okay, put my medal on, and give me some water which I’m very grateful for. I also look for a bit of Gatorade too. I actually got very emotional a few times walking over to the food area.
Again, a good spread of eats afterwords- pasta, rice and chili, cookies, soda, water, carrot cake, delicious watermelon (nothing ever tasted so good!), bagels, bananas. Free massages again, but I didn’t do that this time. Felt good but didn’t seem to really be effective the next few days.
After recomposing myself and hooking back up with Mike, it was now time to head back home and close the book on this chapter in my triathlon career.
My official times:
SWIM: 41:43
SWIM TO BIKE TRANSITION: 6:36
BIKE: 2:52:42 (19.6mph)
BIKE TO RUN TRANSITION: 4:10
RUN: 2:16:04 (10:24 pace)
FINISH 6:01:13
I was 60 out of 121 in my AG (M45-49), 504 out of 907 males, 649 out of 1356 total finishers in the full Half IM. Interestingly enough, it was the run that I did the best in compared to the other folks, the area I trained the least in.
Despite the heat, overall this was a great first Half IM! A class act by the race organizers and also a terrific job of ensuring folks had enough ice, water, and other aid on the run. Enough good food to eat as well. I think I’ll sign up for next year (if gas prices will allow me too).
And as always, the volunteers were just SUPER! I thanked as many as I could. Always thank them for being out helping you, because the event really couldn’t go on without them.
