Galveston Half-IM Race report

Race planning

Carrying on from the previous post, race day prep actually started about two weeks out. After going through training and knowing my capabilities, I began visualizing the entire race from start to finish. I pictured every part of the race, down to the lowest level possible. Let me just say that visualizing a race was hard work for me. I would no sooner imagine myself getting in the water and I would get distracted by a butterfly or something of importance like a shiny object. Then I would start all over, getting further into my imaginary race day, and then be distracted again. I would repeat this over and over until I could put together a complete race. I tried to foresee every possible condition and how I would react. I knew I would get butt punched and jostled in the swim so I imagined it and how I would react to that. I visualized how I would exit the water, unzip and get out of my wetsuit. Luckily the race organizers had wetsuit strippers. I had high hopes that they did not visualize stripping off my wetsuit and dragging me across the ground. I was blessed that they and I had both planned the perfect wetsuit strip. I visualized the wind because I knew it would be a factor and I imagined how I would mentally deal with it for 3 plus hours. So long story short, visualization was a key part of race day prep.

I used a clean slate for figuring out my race day nutrition. In the past, I had a routine for nutrition, one cup of Carbo-PRO, one scoop of Pure Workout into a water bottle and that would last about 6 hours. This time, I started from scratch and figured out my estimated number of hours out on the course and calculated the caloric needs and grams of carbohydrates that I could consume. I went with a less concentrated mix as well. What I ended up with was two bottles that would each last me about 90 minutes. I also planned on one water bottle per hour and four electrolytes per hour. Two other items that I picked up from the pros, water only for the first 10-15 minutes of the bike. This would allow blood to be focused on my leg muscles and not so much on my digestive system. After all the capillaries are open and blood is moving, then I can start on my nutrition. At the other end of the bike, I stopped consuming nutrition and only took in water for the last 20 minutes of the bike. This would settle my stomach and allow me to get ready for the stress of the run.

Primary goal – to finish, secondary goal was to come in under 6:00:00. It would be tight but I knew I could do it. Everything had to work.

"Da Race"

I will skip some of the race day minutia and stick with what I feel is important for me (and or you). As the day started, I had the usual nervousness and jitters but it is all good stuff. I hope I never go into a race without that. If it ever gets like that, I may have to move on to something else. The pre-race nerves are good, I need that because once the race starts, the nerves turn into focus. The old fart group (50+ age group) went last of all the men so that meant we would be chased down and passed by the first wave of women. Even with our 5 minute head start, these ladies chased us down and passed us. Of course I was able to do the same for a couple of waves that went before me. Before we started, as we were bobbing in the water waiting for the start, one of the old guys said "Okay guy's, let's chase the young ones down and be sure to show them the age on your calf!" With that, the gun (actually a guy on a bull horn yelling GO!) went off, we headed out into the water. I had visualized the rough water so it did not bother me, I just tried to get into a rhythm and swim. A couple of things I did not visualize we getting elbowed in the nose and getting my heel cut by a swimmer. The blow to my nose was stressful. I heard my nose crack when I got hit and I lost focus for a few minutes as I tried to get back in the moment. Actually I was in the moment, the "That hurt like hell" moment. During the later part of the swim as we headed into shore, I got hit on my heel really hard. I did not think too much of it but when I got into transition, I had a two inch slice on my heel. I do not even want to think how that happened. The swim was good. I was about 6 minutes slower than I expected. The current and rough water took its toll.

Swim time: 41:25 (10th out of 32 in age group)

Transition: 2:51

Bike was uneventful, strong wind going out and a strong one coming back. Trouble was, it was never either at your back or in your face, it always came at you from the side. It was always at an angle. It was also flat so this meant aero position and constant pedaling for 56 miles. Visualization helped here also. I knew that wind would be a factor so I never let it get me down; I just kept pedaling and focused on my heart rate and pedal stroke. If my mind started drifting off task, I would verbally shout "NO" and get back in the right mindset. I did one bad move during a water bottle hand up; I mistakenly threw out one of my nutrition bottles rather than an empty water bottle. For a fraction of a second I thought about leaving it behind. In that same split second, I also imagined the consequences of running on no fuel for the last half of the ride. So I took the time to stop and retrieve my water bottle. When I started drinking from that water bottle, it was then that I realized I tossed it so that it came straight down into a mud pile and the mouthpiece was covered in dirt. The bike ride was great. It was hard but I stayed focused.

Ride time: 3:03:17 (8^th in age group) Average - 18.3 MPH

Transition: 2:25

The run was also uneventful. My bike nutrition plan worked great so I was well hydrated and had enough energy to head out onto the run feeling great. It took me a while to get my legs but, I had prepared myself for that freaky feeling. After using your legs to make a pedal go around for about 3 hours and then all of a sudden directing them to run, you feel like a spaz for the first 10 minutes. It was a four lap route so I got to see lots of teammates out on the course and I knew right where family and friends were camped out. There is not much I can say about the run, other than I ran the whole thing except for and occasional water stop where I stocked up on water and gel. It was hot so I poured water on myself as much as I could to cool down my core and head.

Run Time: 2:04:26 (5^th in age group) Average 9:30 minute miles

Final Time: 5:54.24 (7^th in age group)

 

There is not much I can say but that I am very happy with these results. There is actually a lot more to say, because I learned so much this time around. I will save my reflections for another post. Let me emphasize, I am happy with this race.