(Year 2, Day 490) - RACE REVIEW - Black Bear Half Ironman

Year 2?  Day 476?  

Its been a YEAR since I posted my IT band recovery?

I doubt I'll find the time (or more importantly the desire) to recap the recovery...or the past 9 months of training for my first half ironman event.  But in short:

swim, bike, run, repeat...hours and hours...day after day

...after day.

on with the race review.

Why Black Bear?

It may sound strange, but I went looking for the toughest half course I could possibly find in the late-May to early-June timeframe.  And this was it baby!

The plan that was put into place about a year ago:  two half ironmans during the 2013 season (late spring & early fall).  Full ironman during the 2014 season.  

I knew my first half would be more of a learning experience (how to pace, take in nutrition, etc).  Finishing time/place would be last on the priority list.  But knowing me, no matter how I lined up my priorities, I'd be disappointed with a less-than-stellar time.  So why not find a super challenging course;  that way I do not EXPECT a great time and I can concentrate on what's really important for my first race:

1. in-race nutrition
2. simply conquering the distance

Pre-Race

Typically I would mark the start of "Pre-Race" as the morning we leave home for the race city.  It was essential to be on the road at the crack of dawn Saturday morning.  

What does that mean?  It means early to bed Friday night.

Wrong.  It means spend Friday evening at the big screen out front of Consol Energy Center because of the extreme playoff superstition that has engulfed our home.  It payed off...

You're welcome.

We were on the road bright and early Saturday morning.  Mandy and I rotated behind the wheel for the 5 hour drive to Lehighton, PA.  We arrived to a cold and misty race site.  My initial impressions:

• Weather kinda sucks.  Hope the rain stops before tomorrow.
• The swim looks awesome. One direction, with the current, spectator friendly
• Mandy and I drove the bike course.  Jesus.
• Don't EVER expect a good expo at a triathlon event

Mandy could tell I was feeling nervous about the next day's swim, and convinced me to get in the water while we were on site.  I threw on the wetsuit, swam 50 meters, got hypothermia, and lost my left ear to frost bite.  

But seriously, I wish I could describe in words the air/water temperature combination.  Its that 'cold' that leaves you gasping for breath.  Yikes.

It sucked, but I'm SOO glad I got the initial shock of the water temperature on Saturday (as compared to race morning).  Thanks Babe:)

So now that I had picked up my race packet, driven the bike course, and tested the swim waters, there was only one more goal for Saturday evening...

convince Mandy that our hotel room was not a piece of shit.

...it was :-p 

But to our pleasant surprise, the hotel was located right beside a Performance Bicycles & Panera Bread.  The Knights Inn is scoring points with me!!!  

Still no points with mandy...  

So we went for a walk.  Picked up a pair of arm warmers @ PB (I had no idea how vital of a move this was) and downed Panera's new Strawberry Poppyseed Salad (chicken, strawberries, pineapple, blueberries, oranges, pecans...ahhh!!!!).  Thanks again babe:)

We finished off the night with some ice cream, leg shaving, and seinfeld. 

<wait did he say leg shaving?>

Rise & Shine

3:30a.m. came around too quickly after struggling to fall asleep all night.  I am not sure what kept me up (the bed was surprisingly comfortable).  Maybe nerves? 

As Mandy caught an extra half hour of sleep, I ate breakfast (breakdown with calorie intake later in this post) and prepped my bike.  We were out the door by 5:00 and at the race site by 5:45.

Still cold.  Still raining.  Still miserable.

In reality, I did a great job of not allowing the sub-ideal weather to bother me.  I kept a positive attitude about it all morning.  I just kept thinking, "at least I won't be dehydrated."

Hit the first potty break, set up my transition, went for a short warm-up followed by my shoulder/back mobility routine, put on the wetsuit, and headed for the beach.  

The Swim (48:07)

For those of you who are weak swimmers (like myself) and tend to be a bit apprehensive in the water, this is not a bad swim course.  Although the map below looks about half-and-half...in reality I would say the first 75% of the swim was down stream followed by 25% against-the-current after the turn.

If not for the cold, I would have loved the swim.  I got in the water during the second of three Olympic Distance Wave Starts.  I knew how frigid the water was, and I wanted to get acclimated before my wave.  However, I did not want to get in too early and risk possible hypothermia (not a joke...it was that cold). 

I felt like I timed this warm-up PERFECTLY...  that is until I walked to the race start (teeth unable to stop chattering) and the race official announces, "we will be waiting 15 minutes to allow distance between the olympic and half ironman competitors." 

Seriously?

Fortunately, Mandy was near the start line and offered to exchange body heat for a few minutes!  What a gal :)  

The half ironman competitors were finally called to the start, and we were soon under way.  It was the start to a long day for me ... and my race day helper :)  (thanks for all the pictures!)

The Bike (4:00:25)

Have you ever stubbed your toe on the leg of the coffee table, and it hurt so bad it almost makes you laugh?  

I giggle every time I think of the Black Bear bike course.  

My GPS tallied 4,269 feet of climbing...

giggle.

This guy is NOT laughing.

haha priceless

My goal for this ride:  steady pace, concentrate on nutrition, attempt my first on-bike pee break.

I accomplished all three with varying levels of success.

My bike split was pretty terrible, but I'm over it.  Gonna PR big in the next race. 

Oh yes, and I ran the heavy cross bike set up, disc breaks, no aero bars lol.  Here's my promise to myself:  I WILL have the Cervelo ready for race #2.

The Run (2:02:22)

It hurts to type that number beside "the run."  

Hopped off the bike.  Feeling fresh.  Set off for my strongest of the three disciplines.  

I planned on taking the first 2-3 miles to get my legs under me, but MAN did I feel great right away.  And what an AWESOME run course.  Seriously.  Mostly a trail run.  Not a flat rails-to-trails style run, but a badass rocky trail run.  

Feeling great, lovin life, and planning some killer splits. 

Then goes the IT band!!??!

That's right.  The ol' IT band.  The same IT band that has been so tame over the past 9 months.  

My right leg got so bad I had to seriously consider the option of dropping out at the turnaround.

I decided against dropping out, and ran like a 90 year old crippled man for about seven miles (3-10 mile markers).  

With 2.5-3 miles remaining, I tried opening my stride a little (which took some pressure off of my leg) and got a pretty solid pace going for the final miles.  But it was too little.  Too late.

If it were not for the unfortunate event of my IT band going to shit, this is definitely the 'coolest' tri run course I have ever competed on.  Thumbs up here.

Nutrition Breakdown

Breakfast

3 hard-boiled eggs:  230cal

1 banana:  121cal

1/2 cup black coffee:  115cal

1 Power Bar (in car):  240cal

Total Breakfast:  706 calories

1:00 before Swim:  1 Gu - 100cal

On Bike (plan was 300cal per hour)
0:20 - 1 Gu - 100cal
0:40 - 1 Gu - 100cal
1:00 - 1 Gu - 100cal
1:20 - nothing
1:40 - 3/4 PowerBar - 180cal
2:00 - nothing
2:20 - 1 Gu - 100cal
2:40 - 1 Gu - 100cal
3:00 - nothing - stomach does not want it
3:20 - nothing - stomach does not want it
3:40 - 1 Gu - 100 cal
20oz Gatorade (watered down) - 130cal
Total On Bike:  910 calories

Run
Nothing!!! Never moving fast enough to need anything.
Total Run:  0 calories