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Race Result

Racer: Steve Smith
Race: 5430 Long Course Triathlon
Date: Sunday, August 12, 2007
Location: Boulder, WY
Race Type: Triathlon - Half Ironman
Age Group: Male 35 - 39
Time: 4:25:32
Overall Place: 42 / 884
Age Group Place: 9 / 145
Comment: s/28:15 b/2:15:19 r/1:39:50 ... first race in 2 years ... hot hot hot!



Race Report:



My first race in nearly two years. I was most nervous that I had lost ability to gauge my fitness and racing abilities. Coming into the race I figured I was in decent swim and bike shape, but that the run would be a bit of a struggle. Some habitual math put my predicted finish time between 4:20 and 4:30. However, anything in the 4-hour range seemed possible.

I swam fairly strong for a 28:15 and, as I predicted, lost some time to sighting (twice finding myself swimming almost perpendicular to the field : )

On the bike I was a bit of Jekyll & Hyde: on the flats and downhills, I felt invincible; on the subtle uphills I felt like I was dragging lead weights behind me. The contrast was unsettling. Still, on balance I felt strong and the mix was good for 2:15.

In the end, the run wasn't much of a struggle, but only because I never pushed it, running a steady training place for the entirety. At the time it seemed the smartest plan for my run, as I had to stop 1.5 miles in when both hammies and calf seized with cramps. A short break and that was the end of that. I was a little shocked that I ended up with 1:39:50 run split: I assumed that a training pace would yield a low 1:30 time. Oh well, it was stinking hot and I may not have this altitude thing quite figured out yet. Unlike some of my uglier half-Ironman runs, I ran the whole run at a steady pace throughout.

Add in some transitions and I finished 4:25:32, nailing my predicted time (with a faster bike and slower run). Racing without a computer or watch, coming across the finish line to see my final time was a treat. I was most pleased that I could reliably gauge my fitness and race to my current fitness's maximum. One of the things I love about this sport is being in tune with my body and know what it is and is not capable of.

I think it's capable of a lot more, I'm not entirely sure I'm going to spend the time that it takes to get back to that kind of fitness. We'll see.