Half Ironman After Action Report: A Goal Along the Path

August 29, 2020

Overall: I had a good day. Prior to this, my longest endurance event was a 13-mile Spartan Race in summer 2019 so this was a leap. I was slower than I hoped with my final time of 6:36:43 so I need to train speed in the swim and bike for future races. However, for a self-supported race with transitions out of my truck and a bike route determined a bit on the fly, I can be happy with the learning experience. The weather could not have been more perfect so the heat was not the factor I had anticipated.

Race Day

Swim: 2,129 yd; 54:00; 2:32/100yd

• Reflection: The swim felt good throughout. I paused twice to catch my breath after a bad breathing pattern for a stroke or two but otherwise it was smooth. No shoulder pain that I had been fighting on the right side for a couple weeks leading to it. I wore the Roka Sim Buoyancy short which was great – no wet suit yet.
• Improvement Plan: swim specific training on form and technique. I could feel my legs not working, mostly pulling with my arms at multiple points of the swim. I can also feel my legs sinking as I fatigue. Targeted technique work would increase my pace to match how I felt cardio wise.

Transition 1: 11:46

• Reflection: Easy transition. About 200 yard run to the truck and then changing in the back made it a bit awkward but I had practiced so it wasn’t all bad.
• Improvement Plan: a tri suit will help with the need to change too much gear but I need to research transition tips and learn more

Bike: 56.05 miles; 3:24:24; 16.5 mph

• Reflection: The bike felt great, just slower than I hoped. My aim was to be around 20mph but true to my training, I was between 16-17mph the whole time. Our route was thrown off by a closed road which costs us some time. Great to have Troy there to pace the ride throughout as I’m still learning pacing. We also did most of it on trails which kept a slower pace than when we were on roads. Overall, for getting the bike about 6 weeks ago, I am good with it for today.
• Improvement Plan: Train more at the 20mph threshold to get a feel for it over time and get out to more hills for threshold work. Get the aero bars to give me another position option. Plan the route more meticulously ahead of time.

Transition 2: 10:08

• Easy transition, no issues.

Run: 13.11mi; 1:56:19; 8:52/mi

• Reflection: The run felt good for 11 miles. The last 2 miles required my mind to take over completely and just tell my body to keep going. I had to pause a few times for Gatorade as I was cramping in my right quad. No aid stations so I just took it from the guys when needed. Danny set the pace for the mid miles around 7:30 and it felt good – I think I backed off a little too much from miles 8-11. I was very happy to not experience any kind of blood sugar issue like I did at Spartan and my lower legs felt great. In the middle of the training cycle, I was barely walking with lower leg pain, so the strengthening and mobility really paid off
• Improvement Plan: Train more. Prior to this cycle, I was running a few miles a week, so I just need more time out there. Maintain strength and mobility plan for the lower legs. Training longer mileage with intervals will be helpful (ie. 8 easy miles, 2 threshold, 1 easy) to experience pushing the pace under fatigue. 

Training

Website link: https://www.triathlete.com/training/20-week-training-plan-first-70-3-triathlon/

I followed the plan above from week 12 to the race day. Overall, it was a helpful program. I think I was about 90% to the condition I would have wanted for peak performance. I wasn’t able to follow the swim protocol well without access to a pool and equipment so that will be a training improvement for the Ironman.

I shifted to do both of my brick style workouts on Saturday/Sunday since Friday’s didn’t have that kind of availability.

The taper week was difficult to follow – it felt like I wasn’t doing enough leading to such a big event – but I was sure to do and it paid off. I felt great on race day in much thanks to the taper.

Nutrition

Overall, I was very happy with the nutrition component of the race. The most anxiety I had going in was experiencing a crash because I have in almost anything over 3 hours in the past. I had no issues at all during the race beyond some mild cramping in the run. Very pleased.

Pre race

• Day before, I ate pretty normal but I did get some pasta for dinner out with Katie. I used ot fear carbs so much and it was unhealthy. This time I embraced what I know to be true for myself and took in carbs the night before. Felt great the next morning.

Race day

• 4:30a – I had 2 pieces of Ezekiel toast with butter and Bagel seasoning plus a Oikos Triple Zero Greek yogurt.
• 5:30a – on the drive to the lake, I drank a BodyArmor slowly and ate half a banana.
• Transition 1 – finished the BodyArmor from the drive
• Bike
  • Water bottles:
    • 1 with 2 scoops of G1M Sport (40g of carbs total) that I drank first. I took about 5g carbs every 20 minutes. I think I should have drank this one faster
    • 1 with 1 scoop of G1M Sport (20g carbs) and a scoop of BCAAs that I drank second. I took this one in within about 45 minutes of the transition to the run
  • A banana at mile 20 and a Picky Bar protein bar at mile 40
• Transition 2 – finished second G1M water bottle and ate 2 protein energy balls that Katie makes
• Run
  • Not much taken in at all. Just a few Gummy Bears along the way

Post-Race

• Immediately at the Finish- A BodyArmor and a banana plus a small water bottle
• 30 minutes after – Bottle of water and a breakfast burrito
• 3 hours after- Red Robin cheeseburger
• 6 hours after – Dinner – I was feeling great by this point so everything was just eating normally

Hydration:

I drank a gallon and a half of water plus 2 small Gatorade Zero’s the day before the race. After the race, I drank 2 Gatorade Zero’s and about a gallon of water. Returned to gallon per day after that.

Electrolytes in the G1M Sport were essential to hydration as I’ve struggled with heat in the past.

Recovery:

I felt a little bit off in the immediate hour after finishing but then felt great the rest of the day. We stayed up later that night to celebrate Danny and Tory so I didn’t get to sleep until about 11:30p. Sunday, I took a long nap in the afternoon and felt pretty good. Monday morning was the oddest time – I felt like I had vertigo almost and felt sick but it subsided by that evening. In the future, I need to plan on the 48 hour slump and maybe take work off to recover through that time frame.

Lessons Learned:

• People are the heart of all this – I trained alone but the LIFE Council, Eric, and Katie all showed up for me on race day. Katie supported this whole journey so much that I don’t think she even realizes it. Eric and Dan paddleboarded my swim to guide me, Troy and Dan completed the bike, and then Danny and Dan took on the run course and paced me. Darrie got there to finish the last 2 miles as a LIFE Council all together. The race is fun but having those guys be a part of it was the true magic.
• I can do it – I went in fearful of the blood sugar issues I faced in the past but with planning and being smart throughout (not trusting how I felt so much) I overcame it. The hardest part was pushing to the finish but I never bonked out at all.
• The mind has to win – the last two miles was all mind over body and we got through it

Next stop? Ironman 2021!!