So we had a beautiful day on Amelia Island for the Atlantic Coast Triathlon. It was a little breezy and warmed up to about 85, but overall, the conditions were pleasant. I finished the race and set my personal best bar pretty low for my next race at this distance. My total time was 6:58. It broke down like this - approximately...
Swim 1.2 miles = 40 minutes
Bike 56 miles = 3:07 (18 mph average)
Run 13 miles = 2:51 (13 min/mile average)
Transition time = 18 minutes (I took my time there with stretching to try and keep my back limber)
My race was going pretty close to my targeted time goals until I hit the ten mile point on the run. This was around 6 hours into the race and I was averaging about 10:30 per mile. Though I had cramping quads throughout the first ten miles, at that point my calves and hamstrings started cramping and I almost fell a couple of times. If I walked, they would not cramp, so I would walk a ways and then try to start running again. No luck. The cramps were just waiting for me to try and run some more and every time I tried, they came back with a vengeance. So I resigned myself to walking the last 3 miles. It was frustrating, but I got to the end and then did a limpy wooden soldier jog the last 50 yards to the timing mat just under 7 hours. So my race that started at 7:20 am, finished around 2:20 pm. What a day.
At no time did I worry that I wouldn't finish. But, at times, I did remind myself that I was doing this for fun and on the few occasions that I was feeling beat, I thought about Team Winter and the fundraising for prostate cancer research through Athletes For a Cure. It was easy to stay motivated.
I was happy to be done and looking forward to a cold beer. The whole family went to grab an early dinner at Beef O'Brady's so I could get a burger and beer and watch Navy beat Air Force again!
My goal for my next half-iron distance race is to finish under 6 hours. I will need to train with more mileage on the run and bike, but I am confident I can make it happen. But, before I do another one of these, I will do my first official half-marathon and I am now considering doing a full marathon which is something I thought I would never do. But after racing for seven hours, I feel like a 4:30 marathon would be not so bad. I guess it is all relative.
Tri it, you might like it. It is addicting.
Porch Pickin: Saturday Night Slap Down by the 'Cocks
12 years ago
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4 comments:
My calves are cramping just reading that!Congratulations - that's amazing. Just finishing in less that 10 hours should garner a medal on top of the fact that you did it for a great cause. Kudos to you, friend.
Oh, and tell Hampton & Annie I'm envious of their pick 'em skills - they beat me this weekend too!
Go Dawgs!
Thanks Ally. It was a fun day, believe it or not. I am really looking forward to my next one and being better prepared. Butthat will be in May so I have lots of time.
Annie and Hampton had fun picking and then they got competetive with each other about who did better. Well, Annie was one better so then Hampton tried to convince me that he didn't pick Duke or Maryland. I swear he acts like a lawyer at times! I will let them pick again this week. You know... never f___ with a winning streak.
Congratulations on the race. The run on a half Ironman is tuff. To me it seems that I always start the run during the hottest part of the day.
If you are looking for a Full Marathon you might want to think about the Jacksonville Breast Cancer Marathon in February. It’s a good one to do.
Congrats again and Go Dawgs!
Tri Runner,
I am planning to run in the Donna Hicken this February. Not sure yet if I will do 13 or the whole enchilada. My wife and I will both participate in this race.
Go Dawgs
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