Me: "Hey Marius, I have a Half Ironman in 3 weeks, how should I ramp up my training?"
Marius: "You shouldn't"
IRONMAN Muskoka 70.3 announced 5 weeks out that they had the go ahead to host a race. It wasn't really on my radar but a bit of peer pressure from some local die-hards got me to sign up. Its ironic that I signed up 3 weeks before the event but was actually in better shape than most races I've signed up months and years before.
TRAINING
My run form was decent as I'd been doing some long runs every weekend with my run chums. My cycling was comprised of all day gravel rides and 30 minute Zwift puke fest races. Swimming - none.
RACE DAY
Derek drove up with me for moral support. As we were approaching Huntsville it started pouring. Derek was making jokes but I started losing my sense of humor. Rain never used to bother me, but after Ireland I can barely take a shower without having a panic attack.
THE RACE
The skies cleared for the start.
THE SWIM was fairly uneventful, had one guy try pull me under with him but other than that it was pretty straight forward. My brand new goggles filled up on the left eye so I just followed everyone else around Fairy Lake. Took a tiny detour towards the end but nothing too bad. 00:35:07. Happy with that. (Between you and me, swim training is highly overrated)
THE BIKE was a little more eventful. I felt surprisingly good through the first few rollers then got a steady pace going on the flatter sections. It wasn't a flat course (roughly 4200 feet of gain) but it felt fast. It started raining a little bit, then it started raining a lot. Luckily I caught the downpour on the way back and only really struggled on one downhill where I couldn't look up at all. I just had to look at the ground and hope I didn't hit anything. It lasted for a fair while, but surprisingly I enjoyed it.
@followmenorth took some great photos in the rain.
I wasn't watching my time but I knew I was pushing it a little. 2:46:20 for 90k. I'm very happy with that.
THE RUN was a catastrophe! I took a gamble on the bike that I'd have the legs to run a 1:40 half marathon after. I knew the run would be hilly but I completely underestimated it. It was like a sick joke. 1180 feet of gain on the lumpiest stretch of asphalt I'd ever run on. I'm not even sure I'd have been able to run 1:50 without the swim and bike warm up . I managed an okay pace for the first 13/14km then I fell apart in a big way. My dream of 5:15 faded, then 5:20, but sub 5:30 was still very possible. at 19k my quads just had nothing left. I looked like a pedestrian pretending to run when a car is waiting for them to cross a road. It looks like a run, but its not even a fast walk. 300m from the line my quads completely cramped and I seized up.
I had to use a spectator to prop myself back up. My Garmin says I was standing there for 4 mins - felt like 20. I gingerly got moving again and walked it in. 2:10 for the 21k. Not great but it could have been worse too.
At the line, local athletes Blair, Doug and Dany kept me from collapsing and gave me a cup of what tasted like sea water to replenish myself. Thanks chaps.
5 Hours 39 minutes and 12 seconds. Not my best but far from my worst. Even with my abysmal run I'm still happy with my race. Friends and fellow runners/cyclists Julien, Rahel, Holly and Christina came to support and cheer which was really special. Their support , along with the support of the volunteers and spectators made for an epic day and a great return to racing.
Thanks for reading.
