Half Ironman - Muskoka 70.3

Exhausted and painful but happy and and now almost relaxed. It was great event, in stunning location, great organization and wonderful volunteers. I liked both training and racing there.




Theory and planning

There are three main components of triathlon: swimming, cycling, running; for the longer distance the fourth component is nutrition and the fifth is mental.

I thought that I covered well first three components by a consistent training. I struggled early this year, mainly with biking due to busy work schedule, but had a very nice training summer and overall I was happy with my overall fitness in all three sports.

I had my nutrition plan developed and tested just before the race, During the bike part I did the important pre-load for the run with some gels and infinit from wearable water holder. I used an aerobar bottle for the water - I didn't need to slow down at all on the bike.


I felt confident and ready. It is my first Half Ironman but I had a time goal to finish around 5 hours and 45 minutes under average weather condition. I wasn't sure how fast I will swim - aiming below 40 minutes. I planned my speed for the bike at 30 km/h, run was variable I wasn't sure of - I did 15K at Kingston Long Course at 5:16 min/km and in worse case scenario I didn't expect to go above 5:40 min/km
I had some doubts earlier this week due to cold but by Sunday morning all cold symptoms were gone.

It will came later in this report that there are two important elements of triathlon I wasn't thinking about: emotions and experience.

Race Day
Swim
I roughly estimated below 40 minutes - there was a brutal war, or at least some battles there, but I think it is normal in crowded races - done in 37:04
T1
I had no clue, that adding a camelbak and pee break will add up to 7 minutes


Bike
When I train alone be it swim or bike or run I always try to compete, sometimes against unsuspecting walking pedestrian on my long runs, sometimes with a person in the other pool line...This is my nature and this is why I like to race.
I was planning this race for months, on 15 of August I did a full course ride, I divided the course into four sections (35km, 25km, 25km, 9 km) and did this race simulation at average above 30 km/h (30, 31, 31,29).
On the race I did the first part at 31.6 km/h I felt strong and surprised that people were passing me, I decided to go stronger on the second section averaging 35.7 km/h, far above my plan, but still feeling strong and this time happy passing people. I forgot about my plan and was letting emotions dictate my speed. I slowed down in the last section, heading into the wind, I was still passing people but near the end of this section for the second time in my life on the bike I had strong pain and pre-cramp feeling in my inner thighs on uphills. ( (First time I had a similar experience in my calves, a day after the 25 km Sulphur Spring trail race when I went for a hill training)
I have never had a pain in that muscle - Vastus Medialis (Internus):


Disclaimer - Those are not my legs

My average speed went down to 29 km/h. I knew that it will be tough in the last 9 km section. I was afraid that my legs will give up on uphills and I will have to walk. I somehow survived this section with avg speed 29 km/h, for the total bike average of above 32 km/h. I was happy that it ended. I saved some time. I didn't know at this moment if it will have any impact on my run.




T2
I had some back and thighs pain and trouble sitting down to change shoes and pick up gear. 5 minutes included a pee break.

Run
I haven't done a lot of bricks, but my bricks were strong in training. I was usually averaging 5:00 min/km in the first few km after the long bike rides.
Strong start of the run:


The first two km are uphill I did that part in 5:40 min/km and felt some discomfort in my thighs, but after I hit relatively flat Highway 60, my legs refused to cooperate. I knew at this point that I overdone it on the bike, it was hurting. I new that now it is a race to survive. I walk part of km #3. I started to go above 6:00 min/km and whenever I managed to go below 6:00 min/km my legs refused to cooperate. I struggled to the end of race walking all water stations. Before the turn back I saw Mark (1Ironatatime) going back and looking strong, I did quick calculation and I knew that he will have a strong race - I was happy for him. Shortly after the turn around I saw Joe, a friend from the pool. He competes in different age category (55+), but is a way stronger runner. I beat him at Guelph Olympic by 1 second. He was approximately 10 minutes behind me now, I wanted to finish before him, knowing that he would be gaining probably 1 minute per km. I couldn't change my pace but knowing that Joe is behind I made my walk brakes as short as possible. I arrived to the finish earlier, but Joe beat me by two minutes, because he started in later wave. True is I lost the race with Joe in Transitions - my total time +13 minutes , his only 8min and 11 seconds.
Congrats Joe:


Finished the run in 2 hours and 8 minutes. Total time 05:51:58, not that far from my plans but resulting in a lot of pain. My legs and back are still hurting today.


Finally met Mark - pointing where the pain is:


Emotions and experience
I am an old person but relatively new to triathlons, I let my emotions take over well calculated plan. I made a few mistakes in my previous triathlons I never suffered because of it, until now... I somehow finished this race but it was tough. It would be impossible to finish a full Ironman in such a manner.
If you asked me on Monday after the race if I would register for a full Ironman I would say not, but it would be to late. I have already registered a month ago for Ironman Switzerland in 2010.

If you asked me on Monday I would say I will never run Muskoka again. I have already changed my mind. I want revenge. I will be back...


Overall: 05:51:58 478/1335 M45-49: 72/175
swim: 47/175 400/1335 37:04 1:52
bike: 38/175 254/1335 2:54:32 32.3
run: 111/175 744/1335 2:08:15 6:05
T1, T2: 7:01, 5:08