Ironman St.George 70.3 Race Report

My great idea of a last-minute 70.3 in St. George, went okay. It was a week where Murphy's Law made a grand entrance: car transmission kicked the bucket, credit card fraud left me penniless on the road, and I even booked a hotel in the wrong city. But fear not, for I persevered and made it to one of my favorite cities for one of my most beloved 70.3s.
Expectations? Psh, who needs 'em?
Taper? What's that?!

Race day arrived, and despite getting lost, I arrived with time to spare. Phew!

Swim: With water at a brisk 61 degrees, I braced myself for a chilly swim. To my surprise, it felt great. My new QR Hydrosix wetsuit provided comfort and freedom for my shoulders, and I felt great!  Time? 28:06.

Bike: My legs felt like they were made of lead from the get-go, thanks to last weekend's bike race and my lack of taper. But hey, no stress! Power was a smidge low, and my bike split wasn't my best at 2:46:26. I tested the  Stryker Nutrition with 90g of carbs per bottle. A bit too strong for my taste buds, so 60g might be the sweet spot. Ate 1 pkg of Precision Hydration Chews (30g) for a grand total of 80g/hour. No GI distress, but I wouldn't call it a magical potion based on my run.

Run: You know that feeling when you arrive at T2, and all you can think is, "Oh Fck!"? Yeah, that was me. My game plan: run loop 1 easy, then pick up the pace. I started my watch but refused to look at it, knowing my pace was probably slower than a snail's. My heel started to ache towards the end of loop 1, and I panicked, thinking of the dreaded Plantar Fasciitis. To quit or not to quit? I chose to keep it slow and run it out. It wasn't easy-peasy, and the grass and camber didn't help my foot. Sometimes, it's all about taking it one mile at a time and staying in the moment. I fueled with Precision Hydration 90g gel for the first 90 minutes, then switched to Coke. Final time? 2:02:55. Yikes!

I reminded myself: have fun, don't stress! I wanted to have a blast, not worry, and maybe go faster, but hey, a finish is a finish! 

I'm grateful for the race, overjoyed to see Sheila PR her race, and thrilled to share the course with my coach. Triathlon is all about community; nothing beats hanging out with friends around a race!