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Race Result

Racer: Craig Ellis
Race: Vineman Half
Date: Sunday, July 22, 2007
Location: Sanoma County, CA
Race Type: Triathlon - Half Ironman
Age Group: Male 35 - 39
Time: 5:02:36
Overall Place: 250 / 1830
Age Group Place: 48 / 295
Comment: Toughest race to date.......



Race Report:



A bunch of rookie mistakes made on this day.

Reconned the swim and bike course the Friday and was good to go. I did an easy swim in the river and was confident it would not be a problem, except for the low water level there was very little current.

The day started uneventful with me getting up in time for my 08:22am scheduled wave start. I arrived at Johnson's beach at 7:30am with enough time to set up for T1 get my body marked and slip on the wet suit. Between looking for a good spot to set up and navigating athletes that have done their swim leg already time flew by and I forgot to do a time check. I was still busy putting on my wet suit when I heard the gun go off for my wave and then had to scramble through lines of spectators and run through start line and dive all while slipping on swim cap and goggles.

Swim:
I think I started 3 minures or so after my official age group, I was trying to calm myself on the swim and swam as hard as I could to the turn around point. I started to feel a bit more relaxed as I started to pass the stragglers in my wave and at the halfway mark caught up to a friend of mine. The only way I knew he was there is because the river was so shallow that he was walking and diving next to me totally messing up my stroke and causing me to swollow some serious river water.
swim time: 38mins
I had to pee like a race horse, but could not relax enough to go!

Bike:
I knew what to expect on the bike, but it really did not matter as I was so fushed and pissed off that I just attacked the course and rode as hard and fast as I could. My Polar speed sensor was not working and I couldn't tell how far I have gone and that screwed with me as I always like to have thing working perfectly on my bike. I still had to pee really badly but was so caught up in trying to make up time or put in time I basically blew by 2 water stops and only at the 3rd stop did I grab some water. For some reasong I did not want to stop to go and to take a nature break at the water stop (I know, what an idiot!). Everyone was concerned about chalk hill, and by the time I was almost over it did I hear from spectators that we are over the killer hill, maybe it is more difficult if you are doing the full IM.
bike time: 2h22min

Run:
did I say that I had to pee really bad. Well there were only 2 porter johns at the start of the run and they were both occupied, I checked my watch and I waited for 2min 15secs for one to become available. No, I could not run while holding it to the next stop which is a mile away. I finally started the run at a good 7:20min mile pace for the first 3 miles, then the hills started. Damn, I have never ran hills that steep and long. It seemed to go on forever and my pace was getting slower and slower, at one point I think I was debating whether I should walk or run as I was running @ 10min mile pace which seemed to be just a bit faster than those walking. Mile 3 to mile 10 was the most miserable time running. As I was basically drinking too much water as I was constantly thirsty and popping gels to keep going. Neither made a lick of difference. I hate being passed and it seemed like everyone was passing me on the run, but I tried to keep positive and at this point was simply just trying to finish. I got some renewed energy as I passed the 10 mile marker and could finally get some speed back in my legs. Which really did not help as the faster I tried to run the more my calves were on the verge of cramping.
run time: 1h52min

I was a bit dissapointed in my finish time but at the end of the day i could not have raced it any faster. All said it was a great race and I will definately do it again next year. I obviously did the wine tasting thing the next day and was lit by 11am.

Craig