Half-assed Ironman Training

Apparently equals Half-Ironman training. Sunday morning/afternoon I raced in and completed the Amica Texasman Long Course Triathlon up in North Texas. Which consisted of a 1.2 mile swim in Lake Ray Roberts, a 56 mile bike ride through the ranch country of Valley View, TX, and a 13.1 mile run mostly through the trails of Johnson Branch State Park. I finished 33rd overall (5th in my age group) with a time of 5 hours and 34 minutes, way under the 6 hour goal I had set for myself. I was very pleased with the results, but ultimately this was a training race for the Ford Ironman Arizona (Nov. 21, Tempe) and a learning experience. So what did I learn along the way?

• There is a gigantic statute of Sam Houston about 70 miles north of the city on I-45


• Sam Houston had awesome Mutton Chops


• Everybody loves Buc-ee's, everybody.


• When a Texan tells you that a place has the best lasagna they've ever tried, it probably doesn't mean much.


• BBQ Chex mix is not as delicious as it sounds


• A pre-race dinner of Lasagna, a Greek Salad, and BBQ Chex Mix is apparently satisfactory


• Falling asleep at 8 or 9 is difficult for a 25 year old


• Staying asleep when you're worried about showing up late and you're staying in a cheap motel just off the interstate is impossible


• Showing up early is definitely the way to go


• I need a better way to transport my gear


• Doing the swim portion of the race in a Speedo makes you a crazy person


• But doing a half-ironman is a completely rational pursuit


• I weigh 79.4 Kg


• Lake Ray Roberts tastes smoky


• I should avoid drinking the water


• It is easy to get lost in a lake


• It is crazy difficult to change into biking gear wet and tired


• Hills suck


• Bananas are awesome


• Having too much water is impossible


• A mechanical problem during the bike portion would be the worst thing ever


• I need new pedals


• Hills suck


• The bike portion of the race is mentally devastating


• Long-course triathletes are incredibly supportive of one another


• At mile 50 I would have run an extra 6 miles just to get off of my god-forsaken bike


• I need a new saddle


• Changing into running clothes from biking clothes is a snap


• Mentally gearing up for a 13.1 mile run, less so


• Race supporters and volunteers are amazing


• Some people are machines


• I am not a machine


• Long-hair, headband, aviator combo was a hit with the crowd


• kids think you're awesome if you let them spray you with water


• kids that spray me with water are awesome


• Sport gels are not delicious, but they work


• Hills suck


• Seeing an athlete succumb to the heat/exhaustion is distressing


• Being handed water by an overweight volunteer smoking a cigarette is quite possibly the most extreme juxtaposition I've ever been involved with


• At mile 12 I'd have given anything to be back on my godforsaken bike


• That joke killed at mile 12


• Finish line announcers can make anyone smile, even after 70.3 miles

All in all I was incredibly pleased with my performance. My hydration strategy worked to perfection (I didn't lose a single pound during the race), but I need to consume more calories on the bike, and be better prepared for the isolation the bike portion demands. The more reps I get in transition the better, and again the biking portion is the most important for your overall finish. Don't believe me? I had the 11th overall best swim time, the 31st best bike time, and the 40th best run; I finished 33rd overall. Link to results below.

http://results.active.com/pages/displayNonGru.jsp?orgID=216359&rsID=93195

Miles covered so far:

Swim: 52.2

Run: 257.16

Bike: 891.12