So I finally found some positive energy and motivation and got into shape. It helped that the weather turned nice and my knee- and other aches went away.The first two weeks of training I did about 15,5 hours per week of pure exercise, then the following 3 weeks 20-21 hours per week. While there of course were many hard workouts, it was perhaps more important to have enough hours and miles.
I wanted to race the half ironman in Austin because this year it would be the only finished half distance race for me. I did the race in 2010 and also back then I was very much out of shape in August but trained very hard for about 6-7 weeks and then had a really good race. I still have the same cycling shoes and even same racing flats.
This was also our son Austin's first trip out of town so it was funny that the destination was the city of Austin. Luckily I was able to sleep enough. The day before the race was very traditional for me because it was highly stressful and full of things to do and no rest. Totally the opposite of what it should be.
I have no idea how it happened and why, but in the morning the last 2 miles to the race site took about 50 minutes. In a car! So basically nobody was moving for close to an hour. I couldn't believe that it was happening at an Ironman brand race that's been there for years. There were 2200 racers but they should know how to manage crowds like that. There were two transition areas and I had to run to get mostly set, and I got to the swim start 3 minutes before the start time and that's when finally the announcer said that everything would be pushed up 15 minutes.
Good swim warm up. I let almost all the other pro men go in the start and got into my own rhythm. Quite good swimming but I felt that I couldn't get everything out. Bunch of swim workouts had failed lately because I was biking enough but I took it as a good sign.
I was happy when I saw my time 28.30. I'm not a transition specialist but this time I was very slow getting on the bike. About the first hour I took quite easy on the bike and then picked it up. Bike time 2.23 was quite slow. I ate two gels and drank one bottle of water and less than a full bottle of sports drink. Then on the run I took some water and that's it. A couple of days ago I was shocked to find out that a recent full Ironman winner ate 36 gels during a race! And I only took 2 during a half distance??
I think it was enough though.
Well then the run. It was three laps. First one felt pretty good and then I thought hmm I think I could try a little harder. I was able to pretty much keep the pace through the run. I didn't have a watch or anything and just raced by feel. I was very surprised to be able to run 1.20 half marathon. 6 weeks ago I ran a fresh 10k race at 5.54 per mile pace, and now 13.1 miles at 6.07 per mile after a 1.2 mile swim and 56 mile bike.
The weather was absolutely awesome. about 70 degrees, cloudy and no wind.
I got the same finish time 4.16 than three years ago. That's good. I think later I could improve a little bit.
in 2010 I lost my wetsuit in Austin, and now my air pump never got back from the t1...
Driving back I stayed off the freeway and it was nice to have so little traffic. Life is just easier on the smaller highways. A nice surprise was a little homemade chocolate shop in the very small town of Hico in Texas.
