Race Result

Racer:	Jeff Wolfe
Race:	Black Bear Triathlon
Date:	Sunday, June 3, 2007
Location:	Lehighton, PA
Race Type:	Triathlon - Half Ironman
Age Group:	Male 45 - 49
Time:	6:48:05
Overall Place:	172 / 245
Age Group Place:	19 / 23
Comment:	Toughest 1/2 Ironman so far

Race Report:

Splits:
Swim 0:40:53
T1 0:03:17
Bike 3:32:12
T2 0:02:06
Run 2:29:37

Time for a MOP ½ Ironman report. This was my fourth shot at ½ Ironman Triathlon. Last year I did White Lake which was totally flat. I wanted to do an early ½ Ironman as the focus for this year is Ironman Florida. I didn’t get into Eagleman so my training partner and I picked the Bear, a new race up in Pennsylvania. We probably should have checked out the course a little more carefully!!

My original goal (before seeing the course) was to try and break 6 hours. I finished 10 minutes over 6 hours last year at White Lake but I thought I could go faster on the right course. As we drove the bike course the afternoon before the race, I re-evaluated my time goals and just wanted to finish strong. I haven’t done a lot of hill training on the bike since the real goal for this year is Florida which is flat. The bike course was harder than anything I have ever ridden. It was always up or down and many of the hills were so steep I didn’t think I would be riding much in my aerobars.

Pre-Race:

Drove up the day before. I missed two soccer games and piano recitals so I felt a little guilty but my family is pretty good so far about supporting my Ironman adventure. Off to packet pickup, drove the course, out to eat and to the grocery store. I usually don’t sleep very well the night before a big race and this was no exception. I was up most of the night, tossing and turning.

Up before 5:00, had some breakfast and met another Rat, Susan (?) in the hotel. She was wearing her RAT jersey. I didn’t think I would see many of those. There was no problem parking and I got set up pretty quick at transition. There was both a sprint and the half ironman going on so there were about 500 racers. The Sprint started first and I was in the last heat of the swim so I had to wait a full hour before I started.

Swim:

I had been swimming a good deal but I had a run-in with a dog on a long run about 2 months ago and I hit the ground hard with my shoulder taking the brunt of the fall so my swimming had slowed down. I did do both the 1 and 2 miles Reston swims the week before so I knew I would finish just not sure how fast since I am a slow swimmer to begin with. The swim was uneventful for me which was a good thing. I just followed the crowd most of the way. There were supposed to be 2 yellow buoys at the turnaround but when I was swimming, I only saw one. Everyone else was turning so I followed them. I caught a few swimmers from the wave before me so that was unusual for me. I got of the water in around 38.5 minutes which is the fastest swim I ever had in a ½ ironman. My official swim time is over 40 minutes but that includes the first hill of the day. We had to run about ¼ up hill from the beach to the transition area.

T1:

Nothing special here once I got to the transition area. The wet suit came off no problem and on the bike I went. I was taking my time since I knew I had a long ride in front of me.

Bike:

Last year I biked right at 3 hours at White Lake. In my 2 earlier races this year, I averaged around 21 mph. I was hoping to do around 18 mph until I saw the course. It was one hill after another… and they were long hills. Hunter Station Road is a breeze compared to what we rode. Since I was in the last heat and I am not such a fast swimmer, there weren’t too many people behind me. I did pass people on the bike. Often I would pass going up the hill and be passed going down hill. I am a big chicken and would be riding my breaks. The hills never seemed to stop. I was able to drink but I did struggle finding places to eat. I think this came back to hurt me in the run. I had my watch set to beep at me to remind me to eat but I was either struggling up a hill or screaming down a hill so it didn’t make a difference. The bike was 2 loops with a final 6 mile loop to the finish. This was the first time I ever saw people walking their bikes up a hill during a race. Of course, 2 of the toughest hills were on the final loop when we were mentally already done. The last 2 miles were a nice gentle down hill so I got to relax a little but I could feel my legs were really tired already. I finished right over 3:30 hours.

T2:

I felt ok getting off the bike. I was actually pretty surprised. I had a good spot for T2 so I was out in 2 minutes.

Run:

I made a pit stop at the beginning of the run but I actually felt ok. I made it through the first 3 miles in right over 27 minutes. I thought I could run around 2 hours. The course had some deceiving hills with the first one coming between miles 3 and 4. Then I just lost the will to run. I walked up the long hill but for the next 2 miles it was more a walk then a run. I did meet Tom (another RAT) on the run. I think he was on his second lap while I was on my first lap of the run. I grabbed a gel at the pit stop and then got a second wind between miles 5 and 8. Unfortunately this was a 2 loop course and I hit the up hill again and started walking. This time I couldn’t get out of my funk. It took me right under 2.5 hours to finish the run.

Overall:

I was most disappointed by the run. I knew the bike would be tough but 112 flat miles is going to be longer (but maybe not harder) for Ironman. I think I need to do some longer bricks as my training picks up this summer. My longest run after a ride this year was only 40 minutes. I don’t want to do an Ironman walk so I need to figure out how to keep my legs moving on the run.

I did overhear the race official say that this was the hardest ½ Ironman he had seen on the east coast. I guess that is a challenge for Savageman.

The next 2 weeks are easy and then we start the 20 week Ironman training program.

Good luck at Eagleman. Enjoy the flat terrain.

Jeff

P.S. There was another racer wearing a RAT jersey I saw on the bike and run course but I don’t know who you are. My training partner’s wife got a picture of you finishing the race so email me back channel and I can send you the picture.