2007 Longhorn Half Ironman

Pre-Race

Roger was volunteering so he left before I did. I left the house around 5:15 and drove down to the parking area a little over a mile from the race site, parked and took the shuttle (we had mandatory bike racking the day before so I just had the rest of my gear with me).

I got body marked by Roger and my friend Amy who also drew a smiley face on the back of my calf. :) I went in and set up my transition and chatted with a couple of the girls nearby. I applied copious amounts of sunscreen, used the port-a-potty, ate a Stinger gel, took two ibuprofen and one Imodium, drank a half a bottle of Ultima, and stared at my transition area. All set so I headed out to go to the swim start.

Swim

I was in the second to last swim wave - women 34 and under. This race had fewer waves than other races I've done so they were a little bigger overall. I still placed myself near the front. It was a wet start and the water was deep enough that we couldn't stand, but not deep enough that there wasn't a TON of water plants. They were thick and tangly and it was really awful trying to tread water in them. I was trying to be horizontal and tread water, but there were too many people and the plants creeping all around.

After waiting in the water for what seemed like forever, we set off. After awhile, I realized I was swimming right next to another girl. In this situation, I've been taught to drop back and draft so that's what I did. But then she slowed down. Grrr. I headed out to pass and just as my feet were passing her head, she sped up and got even with me again. Okay. I dropped back on her feet. Again, she slowed way way down. Annoyed, I did the same thing and again, she sped up just as I was almost past her. Clearly she wasn't going to let me get around and she also wasn't going to let me draft.

Around this time, we started swimming though the wave in front of us. It was a sea of neon green swim caps. They were everywhere and they were slow. I made my way through clusters of endless neon green caps. We made the first turn and I tried to sight the next buoy, but I couldn't see it. I'm still dodging green caps but I've lost the pink cap I was swimming next to. Maybe she finally lost steam and dropped back.

I finally spotted the next buoy, swam past it, then the next and finally reached it. Then finally I was at the turn buoy to make the final turn and head for shore. By this time I was swimming through red caps, blue caps, and a couple of white caps. There were people everywhere and it was hard to make my way through everyone. I was constantly dodging people and things just weren't spread out. Finally I made it to shore. It felt long and I looked at my watch 37 something. Bummer. I wanted to swim it in 35 or less. I didn't dwell on it though because swim courses are hard to measure (and hard to set because the buoys float around a bit) so they're nearly always either long or short. I figured this one was on the long end.

T1

I put on a smile and walked up to transition. I saw Roger, who took a picture, and Coach Jen, who told me to run on up there. I replied to her that I wasn't in a hurry. And I wasn't. Transition was a long way from the swim exit and I wanted to have my heart race nice and low at the start of the bike so I just walked.

My feet were super muddy and I tried to wipe them a bit, gave up, put on my helmet and sunglasses, and grabbed my bike. On the bike, before stuffing my feet into my shoes, I tried to wipe them a little bit with my hands. They were still a little muddy, but it wasn't bad.

Bike

Everyone told me to go easy on the bike, be conservative, save energy for the run, etc. etc. So that's what I did. I kept my heart rate around 150 or so and just kept it nice and steady. I knew my nutrition and hydration plan and so I began drinking immediately once I got on the bike. The first bottle hand-up was around 12.7 miles and I took a water hand-up, having already finished my whole aero bottle.

A lot of people passed me (probably all those green caps I passed on the swim). But I read somewhere that all the people that pass you on the bike are either faster than you anyway or they'll run out of gas and you'll pass them later in the bike or on the run. So I wasn't really worried and just kept with my pace and my plan.

Around mile 20, I realized I had to pee. Now, a lot of people in Half Ironman and Ironman races just pee on the bike. I thought about this, but under my saddle was my saddle bag and a bottle of fluids I was planning to drink later in the bike. I didn't really want to pee on those things. I knew there was an aid station around mile 27 so I decided I would get off and use the port-a-potty there. I finished up my water bottle before the station and I was sticking with my hydration and nutrition plans so I was happy about that.

It wasn't terribly hot out and it was overcast and a little breezy. We even got some drizzle for a couple of minutes. Around mile 24 there was a HUGE downhill and I nearly squealed with excitement as I flew down the hill (my bike computer said that my max speed was 38.8 mph and I imagine it was on that hill).

I reached mile 27 (nearly the halfway point), stopped, used the port-a-potty and refilled my aero bottle, this time with Gatorade. I knew I was losing a few minutes, but I had actually been making really good time so I wasn't terribly worried. Plus, when I got back on my bike, I actually felt refreshed and my legs felt better - like I had been reset in a way.

At mile 28, I rejoiced that I was halfway done and looked at my watch - 1:32. Uh. That's not good - that's far too fast. But I didn't feel like I was going too fast and I knew that section of the course was flat flat flat (plus that huge downhill) and I had the hilliest section yet to come.

Around mile 35 things were getting hillier and a girl rode up next to me and said "Uh! I hate these hills! When will they end! I just want to be off this F-ing bike!" (F-ing was her word, not my edit.) I said "Only around 20 miles to go. That's less than an Olympic bike!" She replied with something equally cranky. After she passed, I passed her back thinking to myself that I wasn't going to let Ms. Crankypants pass me. Eventually, she passed me again without comment.

Right around this time I was also passed by a car who slowed down and rolled down the window and someone said "Y'all need to move over a little bit!" I looked down to see about a foot of asphalt to my right. Move where?! So I screamed back "Y'all need to chill out a little bit!" The road wasn't closed (the busier ones that were four lanes had a lane coned off for us, but this was a two lane, back country road), but there were signs every so often to "expect delays" and a "road race in progress."

I reached mile 40 and took another bottle hand-up. Around mile 46 I celebrated that I only had 10 more miles to go. Sort of. The course was actually around 57 miles because of a change they had to make due to some construction that was supposed to be done but wasn't. Around this time I realized I had to pee again. I was annoyed, but knew I had to continue to hydrate because the sun was starting to come out and it was getting hotter. By this point, I had already used the contents of the bottle below my saddle so I figured I would pee on the bike except that this section of the course was a long gradual uphill (sort of a false flat). I couldn't relax enough to pee. I tried to coast, but I slowed way down. I finally reached the final aid station at mile 49, gave up, got off the bike and used the port-a-potty. All told, stopping cost me around 4 minutes (2 minutes each) in bike time. This time, unlike the last, I didn't feel very refreshed, but I got back on to finish the last bit of the course.

By this point, I'm really ready to be off the bike. My butt hurt, my neck, shoulders, and low back hurt and I just needed to be doing something else. I tried not to get negative and enjoy the day and I was successful until around those last few miles of the bike. The last couple of miles were also, unfortunately, some of the hardest hills on the whole course. One long gradual hill was also part of the run course and I saw people already out on the course and they were all walking up the hill. Ugh. Not one person was running up it. (And I wasn't biking up it much faster than they were walking.) I finally made it to the end, dismounted and ran my bike into transition. I noted that my final time was somewhere around 3:38 and I realized that the second half of the course took me a little over 2 hours (as opposed to the first half which took a little over an hour and a half).

T2

was hot and a little tired and facing a half marathon. A half marathon isn't a walk in the park on it's own, but I was ready. I felt properly hydrated and I had followed my nutrition plan perfectly. In transition, I looked at my ibuprofen and Imodium but I felt okay so I didn't take them. I grabbed a bottle full of water with Ultima that I had frozen the night before from a little cooler and headed out.

Run

The plan was to drink as much from the bottle as possible, then toss it at an aid station. Remarkably, the bottle was still partly slushy and holding the cold bottle felt good in my hand. I drank from the bottle for the first couple of miles before tossing it and relying on aid stations for the remainder of my hydration.

Around mile 1 I saw Roger at the Texas Iron aid station. I was pretty smiley because I felt pretty good about my bike, I had enjoyed myself (up until the very end) and I felt like my race was going well. Nothing was really hurting and I felt strong. I ran back by the Texas Iron aid station (that section was an out and back) around mile 3 and still felt good. I was still running and hadn't stopped to walk yet. I was taking it easy, but still making pretty good time at around an 11:00/mi pace.

The next few miles were off road and wound around inside the park and things got tougher. I walked through an aid station, taking in some Gatorade and began running again. I got to the big hill and began to run up it. Everyone else was walking. I realized my "running" was the same pace that other people were walking. I decided that was stupid and started to walk. It was hard to start running again, but I did until I reached the next hill and walked some more.

Finally I made it to the end of the first loop and had to pass the finishers chute to begin the second loop of the two loop run course. That was mentally, very very hard. I set out on the second loop and I was feeling tired and my feet were hurting (mostly just from being tired than from any other issues). I also began to realize that I was getting some blisters, despite copiously applying body glide in T2 before putting on my shoes. I debated stopping and getting my special needs bag as I passed through on my second lap. I decided I didn't want to take the time - that I just wanted to finish. I was also worried that if I took my shoes off, it would be really hard to put them on again. So I kept running.

By this point, it was really really hot out and it was pretty sunny. Roger later said he thought it was more cloudy than sunny. I felt like it was more sunny than cloudy. Either way it was getting hotter and hotter and more and more people were walking. I took water and ice from each aid station, pouring ice water on myself whenever I could. It seemed that my walking through the aid stations went on longer and longer and it was harder to start running again. My blisters were really starting to hurt and I was feeling physically and mentally exhausted. My stomach was also not doing well around this time and I wasn't following my run nutrition plan at all. I had choked down a Stinger around mile 4 or 5 and I knew that soon I'd need to take another one.

I passed the Texas Iron aid station again and everyone told me how great I looked and how well I was doing. I smiled and tried to look positive and happy but inside I wasn't sure how I was going to make it another 6 miles. But I started running again so they could see how I was trying. I kept running until the next aid station was in sight and ate my other gel and took in more fluids. More running (shuffling? stumbling?) but I knew I was going slower and slower. I just tried to keep going and ignore my blistering feet. My shoulder was hurting (from the bike) and I was frustrated because I'd never felt it on the run before. I ran past the Texas Iron aid station again around mile 10 and Roger told me he was going to head to the finish. I told him I'd see him there in half an hour. Ha!



Survival mode. I trotted, I walked. I thought, to myself that if I could just run a little faster, I could be done sooner. I walked up the big hill, then ran for a little bit. Mile 11. Two more miles. I thought of everyone rooting for me: my coaches, my family, and my friends and began a mantra in my head. "My coaches. My family. My friends. My coaches. My family. My friends." Over and over I repeated it and I ran. I ran past a guy who was walking and he started running. He said "Texas Iron you're going strong! I'm going to draft off of you!" I told him that's great! Then I heard him falter and start walking "No!!" I called to him, "Keep running! You can do it. Just think of your family and your friends and people cheering for you! Come on!" I heard him completely stop and say "I'm cramping. I have to stop! It hurts!" I nearly started to cry and I didn't know what to do. I heard him start walking again and he called out to me to keep going so I did. "My coaches. My family. My friends."

Mile 12. Finally. But, the last mile seemed to go on forever. There was a big hill and I walked. I knew the finish was around the next corner so I started running. Finally. Oh my gosh! There it was. I was exhausted, but I wanted a strong finish so I picked it up as much as I could and raced for that finish (by race I mean I'm probably going about an 11:00/mi or something). I saw Roger and I heard Adam call out (mangle) my name. I crossed the timing matt and was overcome with emotion. I started crying and gave Roger a big hug over the fence.

I came in at 6:55 (with a 2:33 half marathon - 18 minutes longer than my Half Marathon PR from January). My overall goal was under 7 hours. I really had wanted closer to 6:45 but I stopped twice on the bike and had a difficult run and I think for my very first Half Ironman, 6:55 is perfectly fine. Just finishing was great.

Post-Race

I got my finishers medal, an icy cold towel for my neck, and a bottle of water. I headed for the food tent because someone told me to go there. I was in a daze and my stomach was really upset so I didn't really take much food. I saw Emily and gave her a hug. We talked about how horrible the run was.

I went to the Advanced Rehab tent and tried to figure out what hurt the most. Muscularly I was actually in pretty good shape. My feet were tired and blistered but my PF was okay. My quads and calves actually didn't feel bad. I was just tired and drained and my stomach was upset but I was hydrated and had enough salts. I can't say the same for the people in the overcrowded med tent. It was horrible. People were getting IVs of fluids, they were packed in ice. There was a guy unconscious (I guess he collapsed on the run course and was brought in unconscious).

Roger said that a lot of people didn't take in enough salt and were cramping badly. He said people were stumbling through the aid station and others were stuffing ice any where they could put it. Amy told me she heard it was 95 degrees. On the way home, my car said 91, but that was an hour after I finished the race. Either way, it was hot out there. And unfortunately, the day was sort of deceptive in that it was overcast and not too bad on the bike, but then heated up quickly on the run. A lot of people probably didn't hydrate enough on the bike.

I brought a change of clothes with me and changed in a changing tent in transition. It felt good to get out of my running shoes and wet clothes. I realized I had chafed pretty badly under my arms, despite all the body glide I put in various places, there is always someplace new to chafe. I guess it could have been worse (if I hadn't applied any body glide).

I had to get back to my car over a mile away. Walking just wasn't an option, but I couldn't take my bike on the shuttle so in the end, Roger walked all my gear back to his car while I rode my bike back to my car. My butt wasn't happy to be back on my bike but it was definitely better than walking on my poor tired and blistered feet.

I came home and got into an ice bath. I couldn't believe the state of my poor pinky toe. I had never seen a blister look like that before. Yuck. I also had blisters between some of my toes (also a new one for me). The ice bath felt good and I had a hard time getting out. I waited for awhile, then took a shower. It felt so good to get clean (even though the water hurt the areas I had chafed). It also became clear that I was sunburned. Some on my face, arms and neck even though I had applied copious amounts of sunscreen before the race. I guess it washed off.



Today I'm not too sore, surprisingly. My feet still hurt and my stomach is still a little weird. My neck and shoulders are a little sore, but my quads, calves and hamstrings all feel fine. I feel a little drained and tired, even though I slept 9 hours last night.

Final Results
Total time: 6:55:03 28
Swim: 37:12 1:56/M
T1: 2:57
Bike: 3:38:25 15.4 mph
T2: 2:54
Run: 2:33:40 11:44/mi