The Things that I enjoy in life: Timberman 70.3 2011 race report

This past weekend I went up to Gilford New Hampshire to participate in Timberman 70.3. This was the free race that the World Triathlon Corporation (WTC) gave after the Miami 70.3 fiasco last year. This was my A race of the year. I was looking to PR or PB how ever you want to call it. I felt in really good shape. As I have been without a job for few months I had to cut my trip short and arrive there the Saturday before the race instead of Thursday or Friday as I normally will do.

Pre Race: I got to Gilford NH Sat around 2:30 PM. This is a really beautiful place. I would say is a most do race in the USA. Packet pick up went fast and head to transition area to do a light workout and rack my bike. I rode the first 3 miles of the bike course ran 10 minutes after it and swam on the beautiful lake for another 10 minutes. When I rode the bike course I knew that it will be hillier than what I expected. On race day I would spin the hills and not hammer it in order to have fresh legs for the run. The swim at the lake is clear and reminds me of the beaches of Culebra PR with the clear water. Raked my bike went to the hotel had dinner and went to bed earlier demolished from the drive

Race Morning I decided to take it easy since my wave was 1 hour and 5 minutes after the pros. I had hear a lot of bad stories about the parking and the traffic on race morning. I drove to transition to see if I was lucky enough to get a parking spot. To my surprise traffic was light and I was able to get a good parking spot around 5:30. I went to transition set up everything, chat with some racers, took look at the pros specially Chrissie Wellington and went to a long line to go to the ports. Since my wave was really late I was able to look at the pros come to transition then wrap up my wetsuit and do a short like 5 minutes but good warm up before the race began.

Swim, goal PR since in SJ 70.3 I swam 36: 25 with out wetsuit I knew that I should be lower since I have been swimming more and trying to focus on technique more.
Swim = 34: 15 (PR)

The swim was nice only a few bumps at the beginning. From there I began to pass a lot of swimmers from my wave and then from the waves ahead of me I was looking to hang of some feet but every time I find some feet to hang somebody from an a earlier wave will appear on the middle I would have to adjust to try to find the feet again. I was feeling strong at the end and plus the small waves were helping a little bit I knew I was in a good pace. To my surprise when I came out of the water I saw 33:55 and then ran to the timing mat for a good swim PR.
T=1 2:45

Ran in to the wetsuit and stripers and already knew that they were 10 to 12 year old kid and 2 older males. They did a decent job but for some reason my wetsuit got stock on my skinny ankles and the older unstuck it. Ran in to my bike put on everything and roll.

The bike goal was to be around 2: 40’s but I knew that it will be hard because of the course.

Bike = 2:53:27

I began spinning the hills and took it extremely easy all the way to mile 11. Base on the profile I knew the biggest hill of the race was there. To my surprise it was bigger than I expected. I saw a lot of people walking their bikes to the top. From the hills I got going but I was cautious no to hammer much because I knew I had to climb back. From mile 13th to 28th it was flat and I was passing a lot of people but being careful because I saw a lot of marshals checking the drafting. Once turn around there was a light head wind that you could feel it was slowing you a little bit. I just went through it with out hammering much. I spin the hills back up. Going down the last 11 at the beginning I saw somebody being carried in to an ambulance and it looks likes the person hit a car. After that cars stuck were anxious and making U turns and not being aware of the cyclist coming down. I just from there decided to play it safely and slow down a little bit and rest for the run.

T2 = 2:19

Nothing uneventful here, knew that my bike had been slower than I expected and the chance of a PR where sipping away. But I was feeling really strong.

The run goal was to pr knew the chance of that was high as the course was hilly but not as hot in comparison to Miami and SJ my last 2 70.3

Run= 1:45:30 (PR)

The run was pack when I began I saw a guy that was running well and I stay on his back as I knew he was in 2nd loop and I was in my 1st . The 1st loop was uneventful I was drinking water Gatorade and the switch the Gatorade to coke. The 2nd loop is when things got more difficult. I was alone in terms in running. Mile 7 to 8 was a gradual hill and I was passing people but I knew that my pace was slowing down. I didn’t had nobody to follow so I can keep my pace. On mile 9 it hit me I was peeing badly and I couldn’t hold it any more I had to stop on 1 of the ports. I lost 1 minute in this stop. Unfortunately I have not been able to develop the peeing on yourself art during the bike and run while moving. Once I came out I was running again and a lady pass me flying and I said to my self this is the chance to push your self she is flying so keep her visible. I focus on that. For mile 9 10 11 I just follow her until we hit the big hill on mile 5 /12 this was a tough incline. I lost sight of the women but was able to keep my form and slowly go through it from there I knew it was downhill from there so I began to push hard all out effort. My calves were almost at the border line of cramping but they hold. I finish really strong cross the finish line. Chrissie Wellington hand me the medal and I ask her if she could sign it. Smiling as usual she did. It was a 32 second PR on ½ marathon of the bike.

Time = 5:18:15 over all 318 AG 39TH

Nutrition
Bike 3 scoop of Infinit on the Aereo drink (27 oz ) (around 400 calories) 1 bottle (24oz) of Infinit around 290 calories. 1 pack of cliff bloks (200 calories)
Note: The Aero drink was really concentrate I did this on purpose to add water in every water station so it would last the whole race. I didn’t finish the 2nd bottle I drank 70 % of it.
Run water and Gatorade in the first 2 water station Then water and coke in all the other 1’s. Calories no idea but they kept me going. I took all the wet sponges and wet cold towels that I could.

Post Race Lessons.
This was my A race of the year I was really satisfy with my swim and run all the hard work paid well. However on the bike I was expecting a little bit more I knew it was a challenging honest course but I know I should have been 5 to 7 minutes faster. I have been training with power this season for the first time and I know I could hold between 190 to 200 watts for the entire race. I decide to go by feeling and use the aero Zipps 404 instead of using the power tap training wheel. I think for this race with the challenging bike course the power is important. From this race I learn the hard way that if you train with power for ½ s and full iron distances you should race by power and not by feeling. When I get a new job I will get new bike fit. Next for me is Nations Triathlon and may be 1 more Olympic tri will depend. Thanks for stopping by.