Ironman 70.3 Florida Race Report! I Did It!

So the day started out rather ominously.. it was thunder and lightning at 4am as we headed to the Fort Wilderness Campground.  It was pouring rain as I finalized the transition, so I couldn’t really lay everything out like I wanted and had planned.  I could see on the radar though that the storms were going to pass.  I was hoping maybe some cloud cover and sprinkles would stay.. but we would not be so lucky.   It was pretty cold in the rain and we had some time as they pushed back the start time 30 minutes, so I decided I was going to leave my tri top on for the swim.. this might not have been the best plan since I hadn’t trained at all with a shirt on, but anyway I was chilly. 

It was still pretty dark when the pro’s went off, (Andy Potts was there, and by no surprise, won) my wave was number 11 out of 22, the purple hats J  It was a land start and you run through this weedy shore and get going in a fairly narrow area.  The water was over 80 degrees, like bath water.  The gun went off and I waded in and finally dove in and started to swim, so many folk****ting the legs and arms, it was nuts.  My glasses started fogging up, you couldn’t see a hand in front of your face the water was so green, and it was still dark from the storms overhead.  Well.. I had never done a swim in dirty open water like this before.  I was soooo freaked out, my heart was racing, took some big gulps of water, couldn’t breathe right, was way off to the right of the course, and had a full blown panic attack 100 meters from shore.  My Gosh, had I forgotten how to swim????  Now?   I kept trying to get going and couldn’t get breathing, couldn’t calm down.  Finally I just decided I’d breast stroke and tread for a bit and calm down.  The life guards were coming over to try and help me, asking if I was ok, getting ready to throw a buoy in, I thought to myself, there is no freaking way this is happening like this, not 100 feet from shore, not like this.  I thought back to what a friend told me “RFP:  Relentless forward Progress"   (thanks Dan!).  I calmed down, and thought, ok, one stroke at a time, you know how to swim… breathe out under water.. you don’t need to see…  I repeated Phil 4:13, gave the legs a kick and it was as if I heard the Hollywood awesome kick butt montage music go off.. away I went.  From then on, I had no problems and I was rocking, except I had already lost probably 15 minutes…  Of course I kept drifting right, around the counter clockwise 3 sided rectangle course, so in the end I probably swam closer to 1.5 miles.  But I got the hang of sighting.

 It was so EPIC to be ½ mile out from shore and realize I was actually DOING this!  I got kicked and punched and manhandled in general throughout the swim .. nothing like getting the great rhythm going only to have someone nail your legs down from behind.. but I kept going.  When I made the final turn and could see the finish beach I turned it on.  By that time I had my form down, my sighting down, I wasn’t afraid to throw a kick or punch myself J  I even passed a couple of age groupers that had been in my wave, that made me feel a little better.  When I came up and saw the raw time, and did the math, I realized I was in right at 1:10, which is usually the “official" cutoff on HIM’s, although in this one it was 1:10 from the last wave, so I had lots more time, but it felt good to know I was in under anyway.

So I came into transition, and it was like a ghost town in my area… they had all come and gone.. My poor lonely Kuota was sitting there, only a few others were around (although, per the standings my swim was 305^th out of 546 in AG, which seems odd  given how slow I was).  Anyway, I rushed as fast as I could to get ready, probably didn’t get enough sunblock on, and didn’t let it get me down.. in fact, I thought, these guys passed me in the swim, I’m gonna take em in the bike and run.  And off I went on the bike.

I felt awesome on the bike.  Normally I am pretty slow, averaging around 16MPH or so with the hills of NY.  With no hills, for me anyway, I was flying.  I guess I averaged 18.34 MPH.  I was passing people the whole time, which felt awesome.  I had a riding partner, Hector from Mexico, that I stayed with pretty much the whole bike.  We kept pushing each other taking the leads back and forth, which was a lot of fun.  It was so neat to bike under the big “welcome to Disney world" sign.  I used perpetuem chewables and perpetuem in my speedfill, and then added the ironman perform at the stations.  The Speedfill worked awesome, as I could drink while in aero, which I stayed in probably 90% of the race.  I was also in the big gear the whole race, never shifted to the small wheel.  My upside goal was to crack 3 hours on the bike, and I came in at 3:03.. that was pretty awesome.

So then the deathmarch…  Got to transition, lubed up all the movable parts, threw on some more sunscreen, took a big swig of perpetuem, and off I went.  OMG, the heat was amazing the moment I started the run.  The humidity and the sun with no cloud cover was seriously oppressive.  I felt great coming off the bike, in my head I figured I’d run some 10 minute miles and see how I felt.. NO CHANCE, I could barely hold 11’s, and it quickly dropped further.  Everytime I tried to pick it up, the heat just hit harder and harder.  I realized I was in “survival" mode from mile 1.  I walked each water stop, took in ice in the shirt and ha****er and ironman perform.  It’s a 3 loop course, and part of it is on this grass through a swamp.  And the heat there was just terrible.  Everyone was cursing that grass.  In the end I was averaging 12 minute  miles with walking through the water stops, but I wasn’t walking outside of those (Lord knows I wanted to).  I tried to pick it up as best I could on the last lap, but by then the heat of the day was in full force.  Had a runner with a verse, phil 4:13 run by me, and that really picked me up, as well as a couple others around me. 

The finish line was great, came in, the announcer called my name, got my medal, hugged my daughter and felt like a new man.  Found Hector, and gave him a hug too J   I did a 2:40 half marathon.  Actually, that’s my worst half performance ever, but given it’s a HIM, and in that heat, I’ll take it.

Total time was 7:03.  Little bummed, if I had known it was that close I am sure I could have shaved some time off to come in under 7 officially.  I have it on good authority the rule of thumb for the full is double the half and add an hour.  So I’ll take a 15 hour full in Louisville.  I know I could easily have cut 15-20 off on the swim, and my run could take 15 or 20 off.  I may do another half in early summer. 

For my first triathlon ever, let alone my first 70.3, I am pretty proud of myself.   It was truly a glorious moment in my journey, and I am very happy to have had all your support and encouragement! 

Never, ever, ever, let someone tell you something is impossible that you know in your heart is not!  

Not much more to say but congrats. You really pulled off a great race, and on your first tri, this is one tough way to break into it! And I feel your pain, that run still ranks as the number 1 most brutal run I've done to date. Great job, great report and rest up and celebrate!

Way to go! Sounds like it was a very tough race and you finished!
Great Job!

Julie

Andrew,

You are the guy that people will want to become when they grow up! I remember over a year ago, chatting with you, trying to give you the encouragement you needed to enter your first 5k, which you thought you couldn't do... Now look at you buddy! A half Ironman and something that nobody can EVER take from you! The run at Orlando is shear he'll, no mixing words about that! So proud to call you my friend and I never had a doubt you would party like a rockstar at Orlando! Enjoy the fruits of your labors!

Some dream of worthy accomplishments while others stay awake and do them! YOU my friend are a doer!!!

Recover well, and recover smart... Give your body a week to recover. Massage, ART, and swimming would be great along with a couple easy spins.

 Thanks Dan.. not sure about the rockstar part!  Thanks so much for being you, you have inspired so many folks.  Def remember you pushing me to run my first 5k.   Feeling pretty good this morning - not sure its an overstatement to say crossing that finish line has impacted my life :) 

Wow Andrew, that was an Epic race! Way to go out there, especially with the humidity down here you are not accustom to. Congrats on the great race! If you are looking for another half, I am doing ironman Muncie 70.3 on July 9th, its not sold out and registration fee is a little less than the others at $225.

7:03 on a 70.3 just sounds perfect!!  Congrats on such an awe inspiring accomplishment!  Proud of you, proud to "know" you!!

 Thanks Sue, its a great compliment when someone is proud to know you :)  right back at you!  

ANdrew, you are THE MAN!  Wow!  What a wonderful race report and CONGRATULATIONS on an incredible finish.  I am so proud of you for working through the water demons and conquering your fears.  You really are an inspiration to us all!!!!!!

Jan 

 Its mutual Jan!  I think we all inspire eachother, that's what makes this board so special!