2011 Boulder 70.3 Half Ironman Race Report

Wow what a difference a few weeks can make. Looking at the start list (2010 Ironman Hawaii & half ironman world champion) in the 40-44 AG decided to show up. Then last year's winner of the 70.3 Boulder race showed up, and my lungs & legs decided NOT to show up. I've had nothing but 1st & 2nd place finishes all year pretty much, except when I was sick for Oceanside 70.3 in April. Weeeell it struck again. I got my kid & wife's cold, conveniently yesterday, the day before the race. Shheeesh. What is it about half ironman races & getting sick? Bad enough it is my worst distance, but toss congestion & a runny nose in it & you can spell "subpar race" out easily. Which is too bad really, because I felt even on the 4-5 hours average training per week this year I've been getting (all three sports), I could still "bluff my way" to the line in at least 2nd place. Not today. No way no how, it just wasn't there.

There was a host of top area athletes showing up and somehow I managed to ward them all off but two. Last year's champion and the reigning world champion. Not bad place wise but really was disappointed with the lackluster horsepower from the legs. I suppose it is for the best, makes me realize that you can't always have a good day or have things go your own way.

Here's a recap...yesterday was about an hour of standing in the garage deciding to use the disk wheel or Corima 4-spoke. The 4-spoke has been the A choice all season and for some reason the disk came out the winner of the two. Don't think it really mattered actually--except mentally. Then in transition before the race, I must have moved my bike three time, trying to find the best place to park in order to have the fastest transition spot possible according to my strengths. Lots of indecisiveness for some reason. Then the swim went awful...zig-zagging all over the course, to the point where an old training buddy of mine that has been finishing behind me in swims the last few years by quite a bit, said to me, "You were zig-zagging all over out there!" I knew...and it certainly adds time onto the swim, but it is what it is. What do you say when you are only swimming 1-2 x a week? You get out of practice, so I'm fortunate to not have just swum in a big circle non-stop all day long. The bike...considering when I hit mile 30 and it was quickly approaching my weekly average long ride distance, the legs just cut out. Stopped pumping power to the pedals. Not much you can do but learn to train more I guess. On the run...here's where I had hoped to make up some time because the run had been spot on all season. Well...that didn't happen either. I ended up running with a pro named Brad Seng (who was on his final lap starting :30 min ahead in the pro wave). It was like the run was just a big joke...not only lacking the horsepower to push the pace, but lacking the desire. Methinks the only thing that could drain me like that were the following: 1) Lack of calories the last few days--been too busy around the house so neglected to eat properly or enough...maybe 1800 calories yesterday. 2) Ran out of calories on the bike because I ran out of Infinit & only had Gatorade to use for this race, with a NUUN tablet in it. 3) Lack of sleep averaged in around 6 hours the last 2 days 4) The almighty head cold which seems to be a little better than it was this morning. If if follows suit like the wife & kid, it should be gone tomorrow...like a 2 day cold.

Much could have gone better but so what? It happens, there were faster people showing up while it would have been best to stay home & nurse the cold. The result of 3rd place isn't horrible, especially with the competition involved, but it certainly was a slow time that I'm not really thrilled about Just one short 5K next weekend, a trail race in September, and marathon in December and it's a season!  Then a break and build up to "real" fitness levels for another shot at an Ironman race in 2012. Time to get off the but & start some "real" training. But sheesh, it sure is nice NOT doing all that training, amazing how much you really get done in a week without a 20 mile long run and 120 mile bike rides thrown in. Word of advice for any future half ironman racers out there...at LEAST train more miles & hours per week than the ACTUAL race. It was weird racing more in one day than I train all week long!  Except that 118 mile ride when my friend Sean was in town last month...but that was a one-off. Until the next update...sleep well.