Yes.  I just finished my 1st HIM. It was barely completed due to injury,  but this was toughed out. This race was supposed to be my deciding factor if I wanted to plan for the full iron distance this November. Now since I had such a shotty run, I’m confused on how I should proceed.

I felt fine for the entire HIM race. I think I had a good gauge on my nutrition. Perhaps I needed a little more on the bike as I gassed a little bit near the end, but I was pretty much fine.

My race report.

Pre-race routine:
Woke up at 2:30AM and completed the car packing and was on the road a little after 3AM with coffee in hand. Made it to While Lake waaay too quick and the FFA center was still blocked my cops. Luckily they let me in.

Walked around a bit, visited the lake and hopped in for a feel. Felt good.

Swim Comments:

The swim started great. I was bi-lateral breathing and steadily would 3 stoke breathe. All was fine and dandy, I was MOP to BOP until about the 1st sight buoy when out of no where I caught an upkick out of no where in my face- I thought I split a lip but I was good. So I kept going and BAM! another kick to the goggles knocking one off and it filled with water..fun I emptied and was DFL. I began 2-stroke breathing to the left to try and make ground. no luck. I stayed DFL.

To add to the confusion, I dunno what it is about my stroke but I ALWAYS end up way left. I felt jipped too as the sighting buoys were curved and not a straight shot to the turn buoy. While I was busy heading to the buoys, the pack was heading to the turn buoy. I developed a cramp on the last turn buoy and just sucked it up. It really was a fun swim–I just suck that bad.

What would you do differently?:

Try to be aware of nearby AGers. Swim to the turn buoy directly and not depend on the sighting buoys.

T1 Comments:

I was winded from the swim, I could be faster in getting my gear on.

What would you do differently?:

be quicker
Bike Comments:

The wind sucked! I was extremely fast in the 1st half but lost energy in the last stretch. I went from a 21-23mph pace to a 17mph.

I forced myself to stay in aero. I did pop up occasionally and would immediately lose 2mph.

Nutrition on the bike was good- one perpetuem bottle, one gatoraid bottle and areo bottle w H2o. I had great energy until the end.

What would you do differently?:

plan solid consumables for energy replacement. I got sick of liquids real quick.

T2 Comments:

All went smoothly.

Run Comments:

The worst experience of my life. Honestly. I had some back pain on the bike near the end and thought nothing of it. I began running out of T2 and  about 10 steps into my run i had this deathening cramp flare up right at the point where my ribs split up front. I walked a bit an tried to stretch and loosen up a bit. I began running again and was fine until my heartrate got up and the cramp returned. At this point I was unable to take a full breath without that cramp making a sharp pain. So I began run-walking. This worked fine for about a mile then the pain went from my chest to my back muscles. This immediately gave pain with any torquing of the back. At this point I was about mile 3ish and I had had it. My knees felt fine…my heel felt fine, I was hot but not overly. I was so frustrated that I couldnt run bc I couldnt breathe!!! So I walked. Janelle soon caught up to me and passed. At about mile 4 I saw Jon…mile 5, I saw Doug, I gave a go get em. Jennifer caught up to me bout mile 5- yes I was still walking. I was fed up and couldn’t do anything about it. I took salt tabs, ate a banana, drank water and Heed. Nothing would fix this.
Just before the mile 6 turn around I told Jennifer that I had enough and was going to turn my chip in and call it quits. I hurt. She told me “No!”- and to finish…so I walked the rest of the course. Carol soon caught up to me  and we chatted a bit and I shouted some encouraging words (she looked a bit fatigued) and sent her on her way. I wanted to run so bad but it hurt so bad after 4 steps. My back was funked. I saw Alexandra cruise by, I gave smile. So I sped walk the whole way back. It SUCKED. I will never do that again. I used muscles in my leg I never felt before and I know I’ll be sore!

I basically pushed myself as fast as I could without creating a breathing technique that needed more than a half breath. Deep breaths = PAIN.

This must have been a pretty tough run race for all. At one point I strolled to the middle of the hwy and just looked down the length of it and saw MANY athletes walking the course- the sun had taken it’s toll on everyone.

I peaked the last uphill near the finish and told myself I will NOT walk the finish chute. I mustered up all I could and gave a marathon shuffle, trying to trot without tightening my back muscles. I make the turn in the chute and saw Jon and Janelle giving cheers. I trotted through the chip mats. Jennifer was at the finish waiting.

I think I was so frustrated that I couldnt run that it was that fact that had me more worked up than the 13.1 miles! I think that my back had tightened up so much from being in aero that when I began to run I must have strained it. But the best part of this run experience was that I got to see all my training buds out in the field and cheer them on even in my injury…

What would you do differently?:

Not get hurt

Post race

Warm down:

I wasnt really too bent out of shape at race finish. I sipped some water and walked around.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

injury and ability

Event comments:

I thought the run course sucked. The surface was a slanted road shoulder which eventually began to tweak my knee on the way back. No shade sucked too.At least there was an aid station every mile. The whole recycling used towels in the chill coolers is just gross. I recommend keep your 1st towel and use it the whole race. Food selection out on the course was great!

Overall this course was a tough one. Being my 1st Half I’m not surprised.

SPLITS

SWIM 00:47:29 | 2112 yards | 02m 15s / 100yards
T1 02:15
BIKE 02:55:19 | 56 miles | 19.17 mile/hr
T2 02:36
RUN 03:19:22 | 13.1 miles | 15m 13s  min/mile

Total Time = 1h 24m 26s
Overall Rank = 83/152
Age Group = 30-34
Age Group Rank = 18/23

Pre-race routine:

Was late for the race. Was supposed to be there at 6:45, I think I arrived at 7:10ish…whoops! Didn’t eat my normal breakfast, or put down any fluids/gel pre start.

Swim Comments:

I did a partial dive into the water to start…apparently i dove too fast and pushed m left eye goggle off and it filled with murky water. Instead of draining it i decided to just swim with one eye closed. I was going good and strong…then I looked up and focused. I was WAY off course..I corrected and then couldn’t stand the aquarium-goggle and stopped to empty. I continued on and then thrashed a chick that I caught up to…whoops!.

This zig zag method continued for most of the leg…I started with a 3 stroke breathe method, but I slowly was tiring too much and needed a breath more often so i switched to a 2 stroke breathe method which worked out well.

On the return, we were faced with a BRIGHT sunrise. I couldnt see swimmers and the land mark inflatable waving thingy was hardly visible thru the rays of light.

I exited with a walk pace as to not fall over and took a few good resting breaths and unzipped and began my trek up the huge incline which was a trot at most.

What would you do differently?:

Sight regularly

T1 Comments:

i feel the uphill trek killed my T-time…otherwise i was in and out quickly.

What would you do differently?:

combine actions: stepping out of suit while putting on glasses/helmet etc.

Bike Comments:

Kinda disappointed that i had run the course prior and did better.

I didn’t push too hard as I didnt want to gas out on the run- I think I reserved too much!

What would you do differently?:

Sprint….sprint HARD

T2 Comments:

I forgot to slip out of my shoes and didnt realize til i was at the mount line. So i decided to just run with shoes on. Which turned into a pretty slow run.

What would you do differently?:

slip off shoes prior to dismount! NO socks for run.

Run Comments:

I chugged fluids too quick and got kinda sick. I had cramps for the 1st mile. My hill work is lagging!

What would you do differently?:

down a gel or 2 during. I was out of energy from not eating.

Post race Warm down:

I felt fine crossing the line. Maybe too fine. When I crossed I was a bit disappointed that I didn’t go harder.

I immediately went with a “Harold Hotdog” as I was STARVING!!!

What limited your ability to perform faster:

I think the hills got in my head. Also I feel I was reserved bc I didn’t want to injure myself for WhiteLake

Event comments:

i think the road conditions could be improved, but that is hard to do on Avent Ferry Rd.

Also there was some lack in direction for the “sidewalk” run uphils- there was also other prior race directions posted in chalk on the course which could have deterred some.

Vid Coverage: