Post by Angie on Jul 8, 2009 9:55:09 GMT -5
Eagleman 70.3 Triathlon Race Report- June 14, 2009
In August 2008, Joanne Collins and I decided to sign for a race in June 2009. Early, but this race sells out within 2-3 weeks of opening. It is popular because it is a qualifying race for the Hawaii Ironman in October and the 70.3 Championship in Florida. Although we had little chance of getting one of these spots, we decided to race because it was such a well-respected event. The race was in Cambridge, Maryland- a charming town on the eastern shore.
We started our adventure by driving to West Virginia for a stop-over at the in-law’s house. This stop nicely broke up our 10 hour drive. As we reached Maryland, the temperature and humidity started to climb—this would be a preview for our race. I decided to take advantage of the camping option because it was cheap and seemed like a fun thing to do. Little did I know that the camping area was a high school yard close to a road where the local teenagers liked to cruise late into the night. Furthermore, just after we settled in for the night a lightning storm pelted us with wind and rain. My hour or two of sleep would not leave me rested when the alarm rang at 4AM.
On race morning, the sky was dry but the humidity was high. Luckily the race started with overcast skies. The swim was 1.2 miles on a single loop course with right hand turns. The water temperature was a perfect 74 degrees and the salty water was refr eshing. While waiting for the in-water start I noticed some plastic in the water--- no --- it was a jellyfish. Luckily, I had a full wetsuit to protect my arms and legs. However, my neck was not so lucky. While swimming I felt a sharp sting on the back of my neck. The sting did not bother me much until the end of the race but I had some nice welts for a week. Time: 37:00
T1: 2:20
The 56 mile bike winded though the Blackwater Wildlife Refuge and local farms. It was very scenic until the wind started to pick up around mile 30. My speed ranged between 22 mph to 16 mph due to the wind. I tried to maintain a steady pace but it was difficult. Nevertheless, I was happy with my time and I was able to maintain my average goal speed. An important strategy in this distance is to save some energy for t he run. Towards the end of the bike, the sun started to come out and the humidity stared to rise. Time: 3:01
T2: 2:51
The 13.1 mile run was a single loop along asphalt roads in the country. Not the most scenic course but to tell the truth I was suffering so I would not have joined the scenery anyway. It was fun to see the professional triathletes coming back on the road- Natascha Badmann, Desiree Ficker and Terenzo Bozzone. I tried to draw inspiration from their speed and poise. After the first 2 miles, there were aid stations with water and ice at every mile-- luckily. I quickly realized that the heat was going to be a major factor in the run since we had not had many days of temperatures about 70 degrees in Cleveland. I decided to jog/walk though the aid stations so that I could put ice in my singlet. It was so hot and humid that the ice melted between each mile. My run time was not what I hoped but I have been doing this sport long enough to know that heat can change race goals quickly. Time: 2:00
Total Time: 5:44
All in all it was a fun experience but training and racing this distance takes a tremendous amount of time and energy. I was happy that my nutrition plan worked and I did not experience any sickness during the entire race. I would recommend this race for anyone who wants to try the 70.3 distance. Just be ready for the heat and humidity and save your pennies for a hotel room
.
In August 2008, Joanne Collins and I decided to sign for a race in June 2009. Early, but this race sells out within 2-3 weeks of opening. It is popular because it is a qualifying race for the Hawaii Ironman in October and the 70.3 Championship in Florida. Although we had little chance of getting one of these spots, we decided to race because it was such a well-respected event. The race was in Cambridge, Maryland- a charming town on the eastern shore.
We started our adventure by driving to West Virginia for a stop-over at the in-law’s house. This stop nicely broke up our 10 hour drive. As we reached Maryland, the temperature and humidity started to climb—this would be a preview for our race. I decided to take advantage of the camping option because it was cheap and seemed like a fun thing to do. Little did I know that the camping area was a high school yard close to a road where the local teenagers liked to cruise late into the night. Furthermore, just after we settled in for the night a lightning storm pelted us with wind and rain. My hour or two of sleep would not leave me rested when the alarm rang at 4AM.
On race morning, the sky was dry but the humidity was high. Luckily the race started with overcast skies. The swim was 1.2 miles on a single loop course with right hand turns. The water temperature was a perfect 74 degrees and the salty water was refr eshing. While waiting for the in-water start I noticed some plastic in the water--- no --- it was a jellyfish. Luckily, I had a full wetsuit to protect my arms and legs. However, my neck was not so lucky. While swimming I felt a sharp sting on the back of my neck. The sting did not bother me much until the end of the race but I had some nice welts for a week. Time: 37:00
T1: 2:20
The 56 mile bike winded though the Blackwater Wildlife Refuge and local farms. It was very scenic until the wind started to pick up around mile 30. My speed ranged between 22 mph to 16 mph due to the wind. I tried to maintain a steady pace but it was difficult. Nevertheless, I was happy with my time and I was able to maintain my average goal speed. An important strategy in this distance is to save some energy for t he run. Towards the end of the bike, the sun started to come out and the humidity stared to rise. Time: 3:01
T2: 2:51
The 13.1 mile run was a single loop along asphalt roads in the country. Not the most scenic course but to tell the truth I was suffering so I would not have joined the scenery anyway. It was fun to see the professional triathletes coming back on the road- Natascha Badmann, Desiree Ficker and Terenzo Bozzone. I tried to draw inspiration from their speed and poise. After the first 2 miles, there were aid stations with water and ice at every mile-- luckily. I quickly realized that the heat was going to be a major factor in the run since we had not had many days of temperatures about 70 degrees in Cleveland. I decided to jog/walk though the aid stations so that I could put ice in my singlet. It was so hot and humid that the ice melted between each mile. My run time was not what I hoped but I have been doing this sport long enough to know that heat can change race goals quickly. Time: 2:00
Total Time: 5:44
All in all it was a fun experience but training and racing this distance takes a tremendous amount of time and energy. I was happy that my nutrition plan worked and I did not experience any sickness during the entire race. I would recommend this race for anyone who wants to try the 70.3 distance. Just be ready for the heat and humidity and save your pennies for a hotel room
. 