Two years ago I completed the White Lake Half triathlon in 5:49:52. It was my first ever triathlon and most painful, that is until yesterday. Previously, the pain was largely in part to being unprepared for the half-iron distance. Since 2007 I've learned a great deal about training and racing but nothing that prepared me for the heat I experienced this time around.1.2 Mile Swim - 34:45 (1:49/100m)
It was a beautiful morning on the lake. The water was flat and a degree under wetsuit legal so everything was set for a quick time. This time around my wave was much smaller than a few weekends ago at Rumpass In Bumpass. When the horn sounded I went hard and focused on stretching out. I had not swam in the past three weeks due to an ear infection so I wanted to take it easy and get into a comfortable groove.
T1 - 2:10
Nothing to mention here. I do however want to work on getting my shoes connected to my bike so I can shave some time.
56 Mile Bike - 2:45:44 (20.3mph)
I had some minor concerns about the bike leg because I didn't put in the long rides I had wanted prior to the race. Nevertheless I wanted to focus on a 22mph pace. By the twentieth mile I had 50-51 minutes on my watch and felt great. I started doing the math and figured out I was way out of my range and backed off. After slowing for the first water station I stood up to pedal back to speed and felt a slight pull in my hamstring. To make matters worse, the wind picked up thirty miles in and was relentless the second half of the race. I decided I'd be content with a 18-20mph and not disturbing the pulled muscle.
T2 - 2:24
Once off the bike I began to notice just how hot the day had become. The weather was in the low 90s but that must have only been in the shade. I spent extra time to apply sunscreen and drink electrolites.
13.1 Mile Run - 2:07:32 (9:45/mile)
I had battled back and forth with a few guys on the bike but saved it for the run. I figured this was going to be my ace in the hole. I have been running 7:20/mile with ease in training so I figured I could rock a 1:37:00 without a problem. What I didn't count on was the heat destroying me completely. My run splits tell the story: 7:16, 7:23, 8:35, 8:38, 11:11, 9:10, 12:17, 9:11, 12:00, 13:10, 9:03, 9:28, 9:05, 1:05. The race became a war of attrition as I ran/jogged/walked my way past other age groupers. The heat was probably pushing over 100 degrees in the sun and there was zero shade for the entire run. No matter how much ice water I poured over me I could not cool off. It was brutal. I felt blisters developing in my shoes and when I looked down at my feet I noticed blood seeping out.
Total Time - 5:32:34Going into the race I thought I had a shot at breaking 5:00:00. Even after the bike leg I thought my goal was possible. Sadly it was not my day. If you look at the results you'll see 9.6% of the men DNF'd. It was tough mentally and physically. Finishing 14/42 in my age group and setting a new PR in a half isn't bad I guess with all things considered. Good news is, my muscles aren't too sore today, however my feet are another story. It will probably be a week before I lace up the running shoes again.
