Becca, Mary Ann, Jacob, Matt, Tharanga, and my dad came to Augusta with me for the entire weekend to join in the festivities and watch the race. It was so awesome having them there; thanks guys!! We got to Augusta friday night and had dinner at TGI Fridays for Jacob's birthday, then went back to the hotel and watched some of a movie before going to bed. After a lazy saturday morning of sleeping late, getting Chick-fil-A biscuits, planning the day out a little, and getting in the Word, we all got to worship some in the room with Jacob playing the guitar - so amazing and relaxing!
We then got in the car and headed off to register for the race at the Augusta Marriott Hotel and Convention Center. I attended the pre-race briefings, then got my race packet with my number (1043), and headed off to the expo to browse around a little. After that, we all met up by the river and walked to the swim start. It was pretty cool (and started to feel real at this point) seeing the dock extended out into the river, all the floats set up, and officials on jet skiis flying up and down the channel. Mary Ann asked if I was going to jump in a test it out a little. I really didn't expect to swim, but seeing others taking small warm ups convinced me to at least jump in a swim a few strokes to get my mind acclimated to the initial cold shock.
After dropping my bike off at the transition area, we headed back to the swim start. I dove in and immediately, my goggles came off, I lost my breath and had to tread water for a little while before I could get my head down to swim freestyle. Even then, it was difficult to get warm. I was a little concerned, but knew worrying wasn't going to help. I was going to just grin and bear it. After I got out of the water, my dad met everyone at the dock and they came down to say hello. It was fun seeing them all there as we talked about race strategies.
We returned to the hotel and I started getting all my fuel prepped for the race in the morning. 3 bottles of Cliff Shot Electrolite mix (3.5 scoops per 20 oz) and 1 nalgene bottle full of water would get me through the bike for hydration. I also prepped Cheese and Peanut butter crackers in a packet and a packet of Gu Chomps to take with me on the bike as well. I threw away one bottle on the bike (didn't need that many) though. For the transition area, I took a banana and some oranges (cut up to bite into while changing). For the run, I carried my fuel belt (which I never needed) filled with 1 gatorade, 2 cliff electrolites, 1 water, some gu chomps, a couple shot blocks, and a carb boom. If I knew better, I would have mixed a salt tablet in with the gatorade and made 2 bottles out of those and that's it. The 4 bottles are superfluous for a 70.3.
After prepping everything, we went to watch the UGA/Arkansas game at Wild Wings Cafe nearby. Although I had to leave early, it was great fun doing something completely unrelated the night before the race.
Getting up at 5:00 am wasn't all that hard for some reason. I just woke up, got out of bed, brushed my teeth and started reading and spending some time in the Word like always. Normal morning. I packed everything up and we were all off to the race start by about 10 after 6.
I got to the swim start and started talking with a friend, Chris Fellows, who was racing with me (well, not with me - he would be about an hour ahead of me). As my wave was about to walk down the ramp to the dock, Matt came over to me and happened to ask me if I had a race chip around my ankle... !!!! Totally forgot! I sprinted over to the chip tent, got it in about a second, and sprinted back, dodging a hundred people in the crowd. No prob. Thanks, Matt, you saved the race!
RACE:
Swim: We all got in to tread water for a minute waiting for the wave gun. It wasn't as cold as I thought it would be (for being in a wetsuit and compared to the previous day), so staying in one place before we started was not that bad. Gun goes off and I start swimming. I was a little anxious at first and couldn't get in a rhythm. But after 10 minutes, I was relaxed, not fearful of the black water, the cold, the distance, or the fact that I was swimming in a massive and deep river - open water - with my only point of exit more than a mile away. So, it started to get fun. I was actually smiling in the water while breathing every 3 strokes, then every 2 after 25 yards or so for a few times, then back to 3. Easy going, but steady pace. Before I knew it, I rounded the corner and starting walk-running up the boat ramp.
Transition #1: I ran up to the transition area with a guy that I met while in the swim start area. I felt good at this point because I was actually in the middle of my age group - wahoo! I said good luck and have a fun race and we split off to find our bikes. I ate an orange piece really fast and starting to put on my bike gear. I was relaxed and not rushing to put things on - a great place to be in an endurance race. I jogged my bike out of the transition area and saw Jacob and Matt cheering me on - quite surprised I was coming out of transition so soon (me too!).
Bike: I hopped on my bike and a rush of adrenaline through the screaming fans on my right and left helped me blast out a huge start on the bike. I got to see Mary Ann on the left and let out a huge "Yahoo!" as I couldn't wait to get out in the "wilderness" on the bike. After about 10 minutes of consistent pacing, I looked down at my bike computer to see what I was averaging. I was expecting around 16, but instead it said 19.5 mph!! This was the norm through the first 30 miles - I constantly had to look down and force myself to SLOW DOWN. Yet my muscles felt great the ENTIRE time and I averaged 18.0 mph instead of the 16 I was expecting. A few memories while on the bike: The cheese/peanut butter crackers were crucial on the bike. I think more women passed me even while I was cranking up hills at 19 mph than I thought was possible. I've concluded they aren't human. During mile 35 (on the hills), this one lady and I were leapfrogging each other going back and forth with a similar pace. I joked with her as she passed me, asking "Excuse me," and she slowed down turning her head to hear what I had to say, "Could you tell me when the hills are going to start?" I think she found it really funny because every time she passed again, she was still laughing... They were big hills. As I was nearing the end, I came in to the transition area, hopped off the bike and started jogging to my spot in transition.
Transition #2: I racked my bike and started pulling off my shoes and throwing on my running shoes. As I was doing so, I guy in my age group came in and started doing the same. I offered him an orange slice (I had plenty) and he said no thanks, but he's going to take his "sweet time" in transition. I thought that was pretty funny, because though I still had energy left, we still had a half marathon to run... whew.
Run: It was just hard. All of it. The first part I was able to hold a 9 minute pace walking every mile for 30 seconds to a minute. After the first 3 miles, my pace slowed drastically as I could feel my shins and quads starting to cramp. Mile 5 - 6 = cramps. If Tharanga didn't get me a salt tablet, I don't think I would have finished. After the salt tablet in some gatorade, I was good to go, but the cramps did a wonder on my knees and shins. My legs were so banged up at this point, I was walking more than running. The last 4 miles were grulling, as I pretty much walked / limped them. TONS of people passed me. I could have gone under 6 hours total if I wasn't in so much pain. For next time: salt tablets, no fuel belt, more real food on the bike, and more longer distance training with running on the road instead of trails. Also, I don't plan on taking almost a month off of training right before the race because of life changes and max stress.
A special thanks to Matt, Jacob, Mary Ann, my Dad, Tharanga, and Becka for their amazing friendship and support! Couldn't have done it with you guys!!!! Thank you thank you! To the Lord: Thank you for the desire you put in my heart to do this and the closeness I was able to enjoy with you while training and during the actual race. What a truly beautiful time amidst such darkness. Praise You!
Race Results:
| bib number: | 1043 |
| age: | 26 |
| gender: | M |
| location: | Athens, GA |
| overall place: | 2161 out of 2525 |
| division place: | 175 out of 190 |
| gender place: | 1610 out of 1810 |
| time: | 6:46:55 |
| pace: | 0: |
| swim: | 32:18 |
| t1: | 4:41 |
| bike: | 3:08:01 |
| t2: | 3:11 |
| run: | 2:58:46 |
| penalty: | 0: |
