I woke up around 4am and ate my pre race meal - oatmeal and gatorade+carbo pro before I made the drive down to Washington, NC. It was a little over 2 hours away. The weather was in the low 50s cloudy and drizzling. I wore my new winter compression tights under my Team Aquaphor race kit and arm warmers to keep me warm for the bike ride. I had hopes that everything would stay dry under the wetsuit during the swim. The water temp was in the mid 60s and felt a lot like swimming in the ocean here in VA Beach. It took place in the Pamlico River and was fairly choppy due to the winds and I couldn't get through the 1.2 miles without swallowing a little water. I easily lost a minute or two from swimming off course the first 1000 meters, but I finished in a respectable 30 minutes. I love my new Synergy Adrenaline wetsuit. I was amazed at how easy it was to run in and tear off compared to my old Xterra wetsuit. Unfortunately everything did not stay dry under the wetsuit though.
I was wet. I was going to freeze my ass off during the 56 mile bike ride. I had to work hard to keep my feet wiggling in my shoes so I didn't lose feeling. My feet get cold very easily on the bike. I had heavy socks on plus winter shoe toe covers and still lost feeling after 90 minutes or so of riding. It didn't help that the roads were a bit wet. Besides being wet and freezing I felt really good the entire ride. I took the lead maybe 4 miles into the ride and had the lead truck guide me the entire time, which was awesome! I didn't have to pay much attention to where I needed to turn, just follow the truck. The wind was blowing 10-20 mph. I rarely had the wind directly at my back or in my face, but it did create a noticeable difference in my speed. I averaged 28 mph the first 30 miles and I was thinking "I have a chance of breaking 2 hours for 56 miles!". Well that didn't happen. The last 26 miles I lost 12 minutes due to the wind. I finished the bike course in 2:12. Oh and even better I played my nutrition right this time! 2 bottles of carbopro+electrolytes + 1 bottle electrolytes + 4 salt tablets. Besides not being able to feel my feet or hands, I felt pretty good coming off the bike.
After fumbling around trying to get my helmet off with numb fingers I put on my Newton shoes and I was off for the half marathon. I literally could not feel my feet the first 6-7 miles of the run. I had to see my feet hitting the ground to know that I was going forward. I took the first couple miles slower just to get under control and take in some calories. The run course was pretty flat except for 2 small bridges. It was a weird run and not a well marked course. I ended up running passed the 6.5 mile turn around point. So I actually ran 13.4 miles not 13.1. I definitely negative splited the run. After my feet finally warmed up after 7 miles I was averaging 6:30s then 6:10s the last 6 miles and I was only getting faster the further I ran. But the run had to end at 13.1 miles and I finished that in 1:27. This was the first time I ran in my new Newton shoes http://www.newtonrunning.com. I am so happy with these shoes and they're well worth the extra money. I can't wait to race in them exclusively.
I crossed the finish line in 4 hours and 11 minutes and won the race by 22 minutes. I was just racing the clock the whole time. The cold temperatures hurt and helped me. My body likes racing in cooler temperatures, but doesn't like going numb. I really wanted to break 2:10 on the bike and/or 4:10 total. Other than that I am super stoked with my performance. This race is exactly what I needed to end my semi frustrating 2011 tri season. It definitely lets me know I am training correctly (remember I am self coached). So it is a confidence booster for the 2012 race season. I can only get faster.
My next race is the Surf & Santa 10 miler in December and perhaps a 5k Turkey Trot.
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