I just wanted to write a race report for my first-ever iron-distance tri, last weekend's PPD Beach to Battleship in Wilmington, NC.

Overview:

In my opinion, this event has a fantastic location and was probably the best experience of all my triathlons due to energetic volunteers everywhere and supportive fans. On top of that I loved the small downtown metro, great beach/water, excellent roads, etc.  Perhaps we got super lucky with weather, but it was the most perfect day. in so many respects and I finished 10:26:37.  Broken down, I had a 52:04 swim, 5:27:40 bike, and 3:53:56 run plus approximately 6 minutes each for T1 & T2. That put me in 30th place overall (about 650 total), and 5th M40-44 to cross finish, but technically a SECOND PLACE age group finish because of the roll-down of awards as others in age group placed top-5 overall.  Every aspect of my day was essentially perfect!

Much more details:

1)  The swim started near the ocean inlet/channel that is the Intercoastal Waterway and was timed to coincide with *incoming* tide so that super-fast swim times were expected.  I am certain I cannot swim 2.4 miles in 52mins, so I would have to agree.  With a mass start, I had more bumps and one kick to knock goggles off my eyes than any triathlon I've done, but it was still OK and I found lots of time when I wasn't bumping into others.  It was a straight shot north (2/3rds), then west (1/3rd) to a boat dock, then a somewhat lengthy 300-yard jog out of the marina area to a grass T1 area across the street. Changing tents, gear bags, bike racks, etc. were all done well in my opinion.

2)  The bike started a little tight with turns on various streets but only a short distance before reaching a good roadway and all flat as a pancake.  In relatively short time, we were outside populated areas and onto a section of interstate. This was the only part of the bike that was a little uncomfortable because they routed bikes to the LEFT lane, rather than right lane.  Cones separated left lane riding bikes from fast-moving right-lane cars and the road surface was impecable but the sounds of cars racing by was unnerving.  Now, anyone who exited the water in a reasonable time would have found a pretty wide open road, but I read reports of others having to deal with much larger packs of bikes due to half-iron athletes mingling with the full distance.  I saw one small non-injury bike crash and read of a couple others - but with 1800 total participants, surely some one is going to have an incident.

Once off the interstate stretch of road, the remainder of the bike was rather uneventful, entirely flat terrain, a little industrial to start but eventually entering rural areas with a bit more scenery.  The course was VERY easy to follow with plethora of volunteers the entire time.  Traffic was extremely well behaved, even though I saw a few getting impatient as I came back towards T2 among hundreds of backed-up cars waiting to shoot the gaps between bikes - under good direction of police.  I thought they were quite well behaved.

Essentially I fueled with a 350 calorie bottle of Ensure Plus in T1 and pretty much fueled with 330 calories per hour on the bike using one Macrobar plus one gel over each hour period for 5+ hours.  Also used Amino Vital Endurance in one water bottle each half plus added salts, besides the extra large water bottle on aerobars with water only inside. It seemed like I was fueling non-stop on the bike, but I was determined to take in calories all day long, which I have not been too good about in the past.

I never pushed my legs hard.  I knew the entire bike that I could push harder, go faster, but I was just aiming for about 20.5mph average for the entire ride, knowing that would help me keep consistent on the run rather than tail off miserable on the last 13.1 miles.  Essentially I had to remain patient on the bike, which was hard because I wanted to ride faster.  The first bike half had minimal headwind, then very near the half point, there was a slightly stronger headwind (from the west) before the course turned more east, then mostly south-southeast and we got a light tailwind and I found myself going 22mph without really working hard.

3)  The run started in downtown's T2 inside the convention center, which was many miles from the bike T1.  There was a brief 1/2 mile spur north, quick turn-around back to near T2 behind the building and I glanced at my watch and saw that I had a 7:43 first mile split.  I gasped!  It was too easy.  Must be sea level, I thought.  But, I also knew immediately that this would be a bad idea to keep this pace.  So, I purposefully told myself to be patient and accept what seemed like really easy jogging.  The next 1-2 miles were about getting a running rhythm that felt good, taking in a gel or two, and try enjoying the extremely energetic crowd!  At this point, I was among a whole bunch of half-iron athletes and it was difficult to know who was on which number lap of half or full.  I quit worrying about lap number because I was absorbing energy from the crowd's enthusiasm as they cheered a lot of the half-iron on towards the finish line.

After the initial 1-mile north spur of the run course, the remainder was essentially an out-and-back-twice path.  But, another odd layout of the course was something a lot of people called the "Bermuda Triangle" because there was another diversion in a triangle street neighborhood to get proper distance by running it once on outbound, then return back to a lakeside to finish the full outbound direction, then return to the triangle and repeat it, before heading back in direction of T2.  Thank goodness I went to a "mandatory" event description meeting because it was very clear to me that full-iron athletes would run that triangle 4 times total and half-iron athletes would go around the triangle twice.  It was clear once you heard it.  But the confusion of this triangle was the subject of many problems by some racers.  Regardless, the volunteers were *very* clear in directing people if only athletes asked for help because they missed the pre-race meeting.

Anyway, departing the immediate downtown region, the course was a mixture of roads and asphalt paths and adjacent to a lake with lovely shade trees except that triangle diversion.  It helped take my mind away from tiring legs to have that shade.  I simply tried to take in all the positive comments from volunteers and race watchers and ignore the legs.  It worked.  I just constantly kept willing my legs to churn.  I stopped at aid stations in a very intermittent manner.  I sucked down about 2 gels per hour when in sight of an aid station so I could follow with plain water.  Other times, I'd just grab a cup of cola, then Heed or water.  I dumped a cup of water over my head once in a while.  I never felt over-heated, but the water over my head did seem to boost me.  At the near 7-mile turn-around, I hit the spot-a-pot for #1.  Finally, I listened to coach who implored me to keep hydrated to point of needing to take a potty-break.  I listened so well, that I stopped there on the second lap also!

In each and every case that I slowed to a walk for aid stations, I simply willed my legs to restart the run with a few meters after tossing my drink cup.  I really thought I would have found that specific item harder, but I just told myself that this day was going so super, just start churning the legs and you'll be done sooner.  So, I did.  My leg muscles talked back, but my willpower to run was stronger and I truly started to believe I would run the ENTIRE 26.2 distance with only walking about a third of all possible aid stations.

There was a small moment of doubt as I came back into downtown and saw the finish line only 200 yards ahead, but I knew that I had to do a second lap of 12.2 miles longer before that finish line would be MINE! I reached the run special needs bag and refilled my waist pack with my gels and swapped water bottles and just turned my back on the finish line to start lap#2.  At this point, I saw the timing clock read 8:30 and I was suddenly so euphoric that I could actually finish sub-10:30 for real.  The new goal simply became running a half-marathon in 2 hours. This is easily in my grasp on any given day of training, but I knew it would take much more to finalize the 140.6 distance.

Somehow, deep down, I just knew I had sufficient will and legs to push very nearly the same effort on lap#2 as I did on lap#1.  Perhaps it was just the sugar (gels) speaking.  In nearly every other race I've ever done, I don't seem to keep enough fuel to finish a 2nd portion as strong as the first.  I neg-split in training, but rarely on race day.  I doubt my actual marathon split halves were equal or neg split, but they were darn close and from about mile 22 to the finish line, I never stopped at another aid station and just started pushing harder and harder.  As each road intersection passed, I just kept imagining what the finish line looked like and how good it would feel.  That last 300 yards to the finish will remain in my memory forever as I was just so elated and euphoric to see the chute and the clock was still multiple minutes under 10:30.  A race volunteer was directing various runners, all of them towards their start of 2nd lap.  He rolled his arm/hand in that direction for me too - but I smiled so widely and pointed to the left - towards that final chute into the finish line.  He said: "Great Job!" and saw my huge grin and that is exactly how I finished the race - a MASSIVE GRIN on my face!!!

My first ever long course will be very memorable.  I figured since I have been training all of 2012 for my first ever full iron distance, that perhaps I should do a 1/2 along the way.  And Harvest Moon fit the schedule very well, and, whereas past years would have put its distances into my upper realm of longest training, they didn't this year due to the full training.  Thanks to Jim Hallberg for putting me into the position I was today:  READY!

The swim went terrific, the water was so clear I could not believe it. Instead of a tangle of bodies on the out-and-back route, I hardly had anyone in my proximity.  I got into an excellent rhythm of breathing every 3rd stroke and kept it all the way.  I exited the water, lightly jogged up the beach, then the carpet to T1 and viewed my watch at 34 minutes and change.  My bike was in the far opposite corner, only 3 racks from bike exit.  I didn't rush transition as I would for any shorter tri, but was over the mat on bike exit at 37 and change, already a few minutes ahead of what I had been expecting.

The bike course's first 15 miles of rolling hills was going well and the limp U.S. flag I saw at the park entrance at 6AM was no longer true as a 10mph south wind was blowing as a crosswind on the mostly easterly first leg.  Then, this became a tailwind and afforded speeds into the very high 20s and 30s mph along with the gradual downhill. Then, another east turn straight to Bennet, CO and the crosswind kept my speed lower than the trial ride I had done a week prior.  Then, a south turn and a direct and not-so-weak headwind and everyone's speed plummeted, let alone the gradual uphill climb.  By the time we finally turned westbound again onto Quincy Ave, I was really tired of the wind.  The wind a week prior was more due westerly, whereas today's wind was mostly southerly, maybe a bit of westerly, and I was making much better progress on the somewhat hilly westward trek on Quincy.  I didn't practice the final 3 miles into the park the week prior and my speed was kinda low on the return to T2 because it was both uphill and into the wind.  Regardless, I think I averaged about 21.2mph - almost exactly the same as my practice ride, making the bike split approx 2:38, though I don't have final numbers yet.

My T2 was reasonably swift, just a touch longer than normal because I need petrol jelly on my toes to avoid blisters I exited T2 at a time I hadn't actually considered dreaming: 3:18 and change and my mind was racing about the remote possibility of finishing sub-5 hours if I could pull off an amazing run, with all sub-8 miles.

The run was mostly concrete bike path encircling the entire reservoir and had some minor ups-and-downs that weren't as difficult as the Fox Hill area of Longmont.  I had a fuel belt with 3 different things in it plus I was carrying a single water bottle with Right Stuff salts.  I had fueled pretty much exactly as planned on the bike:  Jim's famous brownies went first, then 2 Bobo oat bars, then a Honey Stinger gu just before T2.  But, as usual on the run, I had no desire to eat at all, but I was frequently drinking small amounts of water as the temperature was rising and the winds wanted to dry me up.  My brain told me to eat, but I wanted my running rhythm first.  My first few miles were about 8:15 and dropping, but I was already wondering if I could pick up the pace to sub-8, which was a *minor* goal in my head.

I really wanted to eat the ever important brownies in my pouch, but knew I'd have to slow down to chew, so I waited until the 6.5-mile turnaround point before my first bite.  My splits we reasonably consistent, almost exactly 8:10 at the halfway point, but I certainly felt worry as I knew I had to turn more towards a headwind (generally) and my legs were beginning to ache.

The return run was growing more and more difficult and I certainly knew my sub-8 goal pace was now out of reach and so was the sub-5 hour.  But, that really never mattered much in the first place I kept telling myself.  I began seeking the mile markers and certainly knew that wasn't a good thing. I kept reminding myself that I was still having a completely amazing day and amazing first 70.3, and tried forcing myself to ignore the time splits.

Ever since the turnaround point, I had focused on another athlete in my age group, who I seemed to be tracking well until the 8 or 9-mile mark when I realized he was keeping a solid pace but I wasn't.  I told myself to forget him and just wanted to finish with minimal walking and hope for 9-min miles for the last two.

The finishing couple miles was on dead legs until I saw my son near the 100-yards to go spot and he jogged backwards chiding me to pick up the pace.  I did!  It felt great!  But mostly because it was the final 100 yards to the slip-and-slide.  Peter dashed down the water chute just ahead of me and I dove at top possible speed head first and savored the fact that I had exceeded my best wish for 5 and 1/4 hours, by finishing in 5:08:15 and also earned a top-10 (9th) finish in age group!!!

My wife shot photos of me splashing into the end-zone pool with a massive smile on my face as I finished a great day!

--Greg Thompson

Hard to believe my last entry prior to this was in Feb 2011. Since that time, I've done the CO Marathon, but missed making Boston Qualifying by 93 seconds.  It was heart-breaking in some ways, because I had trained so hard for it. Only about 4 weeks prior to the race, I suddenly had serious pain in my left heel and the MRI showed I was nearing a stress fracture in the heel bone.  I decided to ignore it and run the race anyway because I was deteremined due to all the training I had done the 5 months prior.

The heel never bothered me during the marathon and I was a few minutes ahead of pace up until about 19 miles, when I started fading.  In retrospect, I believe I wasn't fueling sufficiently to hold the solid pace so I missed my goal. Upon finishing, I truly decided I would never run another marathon, with a major caveat.  I had decided on the spot that I would never run another marathon unless it was part of a full ironman.

The doctor told me to quit running for 10 weeks.  I mostly listened but had to participate in my favorite Longmont Tri, which meant running a tiny 5K in the intervening weeks.  I substituted a lot of biking for the running and it paid off in the Longmont Tri with 3rd place finish in age group and 11th overall.  Then the Loveland Lake-to-Lake tri also went well but no placements as this event has pretty tough competition.

Perhaps the most interesting event of 2011 was the Triple Bypass, a 120-mile ride over 3 mountain passes from Evergreen to Avon, CO.  It was a fun event and another endurance challenge and I felt worlds better afterwards compared to the marathon, yet the time on bike was about 8 hours.

Then, as Dec 2011 and a new year approached, I began entertaining thoughts of a full ironman distance.  By mid-Jan 2012, I had made up my mind and decided.

<more added soon>

First ever blog of any kind for this writer.  Guess I can mention a bucket list item I've been thinking about lately.

I've always been pretty active but never truly athletic. I played recreational basketball from end of college until rather recently.  Never enjoyed running; never owned a really nice bike; I enjoy swimming (more than most triathletes probably) but never anything competitive. For over a decade, I watched the relatively small sprint Tri in my town pass by my house - the bike portion passes immediately behind my back yard and the run passes down an adjacent street only about 100 meters away.  I knew it was a big deal to those participating, but I was always too busy with my own life and didn't pay it much attention.  Then, at age 36, I decided it was about time I participated in this event.  I had been keeping up with swimming a little and had begun to run a few miles once or twice per week, but I was far from triathlon shape.  I had not ridden my crummy mountain bike more than 10 miles in a full year!  But, something kicked in me to decide to enter this silly triathlon in my town.

So, with baggy swim shorts that fellow athletes probably laughed hysterically about, a super heavyweight, 1985-era mountain bike, and only a few weeks training, I entered the event.  I didn't give a hoot about meeting any particular time, I just wanted to finish the 3 events without being injured and cross that finish line.  I wanted to say that I entered and finished a triathlon - sure only short sprint distance, but still something only a relatively small percentage of people could claim.

The swim went fine - I was properly placed with other mediocre swimmers and didn't obstruct any others in the lane nor did I catch anyone else.  I estimated my time properly and was placed with equivalent swimmers.  I took a few minutes in T1 putting on dry shirt, socks, and my running shoes and hopped onto the bike for the 15-mile 2-loop ride.  I watched people with ages approaching double my own pass me on my wonderfully heavy mountain bike.  As I said above, I had not ridden a bike more than 10 miles in a year, except the day before I previewed the course by riding one time around the loop of 7.5 miles.  So my bike experience was quite laughable.  Who cares? I wasn't in this race to compete, only finish!

My legs were burning enough when I came into T2 and I may have had one of the shortest T2 times of the entire race considering I didn't have specific bike shoes that needed changing to running shoes.  I just had to park the bike and exit T2 on the shoes I was wearing.  My run pace on the puny 5K was probably horrid, but I approached the finish line with elation and exhaustion and the feeling that I *DID* finish the event alive and uninjured.  Yippeee.  My first one!

That was 2006.  I should also mention another motivation behind my choice to enter that first tri.  Longmont has a KIDS tri the day before the adult tri.  My daughter was 7 years old, not especially athletic, but reasonably active. Nearly in jest, I asked her if she would want to participate in the kids tri.  I said I would do the adult tri if she would do the kids.  In reply, she didn't hesitate for a second, saying: "Sure!"  I was shocked.  She was already a frequent swimmer, but biking? running?  OMG, she's serious, I thought.  She'll do it.

Since then, I train with more purpose, more months of the year, and own a better (and more importantly, lighter) road bike.  In the years since that first, I finished a XTerra Olympic distance tri in Crested Butte (2008) and Lake-to-Lake Tri in Loveland, CO (2009) and Wild on Windsor (2009).  I've also become more competitive and have finished these tris and other events above the 50th percentile - even above the 25th percentile.

Now it is 2011.  It's time for a few new things.  I definitely plan to enter a half-ironman, but I'm beginning to think that I should test my limit to the full IRONMAN!  Again, the first goal is simple: FINISH!  However, if I do enter one later this year (or next), I'd like to finish in about 12 hours.  That goal remains rather distant.  In the meantime, only about 2 months away, I am hoping to finish the CO Marathon (my first ever) in Boston Qualifying time of 3:20:59 or less (for my age bracket).

One goal at a time!  One day at a time!  One step at a time!

--greg