Rock & Roll 1/2 Ironman..."IV" been better...

I've learned something about Macon, Georgia...it's hilly and very hot! This past weekend Danny "Double D" Domingo and myself trudged up to Macon to do a 1/2 Ironman race. We knew there would be hills and heat, so it didn't come as a shock...but you always hope it won't be that bad. You have a mental plan in place "...hydrate, hydrate, hydrate, salt tab, hydrate, etc.", and hope that your body will respond accordingly...but, sometimes you just have a bad day. This happened to Danny at Gulf Coast, and I experienced it in Macon.

We stood in line for about 1 1/2 hours the day before...taking in the rays of the blazing sun. This confirmed that race day was going to be tough, especially when compounded by fresh black asphalt on the run portion.

On race morning word came that it was wetsuit legal, 77.5 degrees (78 is the cutoff)..so that was good news...at least for me. We put our stuff in the transition and made our way DOWN to the lake...like DOWN a pretty length steep hill that would help serve as the run up into transition...ouch! Getting my wetsuit on, I was already starting to sweat. I got in the water and it felt like a bathtub...jeesh, they must have taken the temperature from the very bottom of the lake! Anyhow, wave 1 containing the pro/elite's went off 3 minutes before our wave. The swim course was nice and pretty uneventful from my standpoint. Danny on the other hand tore off the front of our wave and caught all the pro/elite guys! He had the fastest swim time of the day, and was first out of T1! I got out of the water, ran down the beach to the hill...heart racing out of control...so, I walked up the hill until it leveled off before setting off again. It was a pretty good shock to the system.

Danny let the eventual winner go on the bike, but paced with two other riders for the rest and went into the run second or third overall. I knew 20 miles into the bike that I was having an off day. I couldn't get the gear rolling over, and it felt difficult even though I was keeping my heart rate pretty low. I battled back and forth with a couple guys, then ended up with totally clear road after mile 30...all the way to the end. About 15 miles to go I felt pretty fatigued and knew the run was going to be really hot. I thought about just dropping out after the bike, grabbing two beers (I always buy in pairs), and cheering Danny on to the end...but, I hate DNF'ing...so I HTFU and kept going.

I was 6th overall coming off the bike, and decided to run really slow and maybe pick it up around mile 9 or 10...it was a great plan. Two guys ran by me after a couple miles, and then the placings stabilized until around mile 9...then my stomach went south. I started feeling sick and had really bad cramps in my stomach. I chewed up some Tums and then finally got off the hot asphalt and bent over on the side of the road. Another guy ran past me and shouted encouragement...unlike in cycling where you try to break the guy next to you, fellow competitors cheer each other on...nice change of pace. Anyhow, I started running again...although at a slow pace, and kept going until the finish. I was passed by several guys, but did at least pass one guy inside the final mile. In the end I was 15th overall and 4th in my age group...I guess everyone was having a tough day. Danny was 3rd amateur and 6th overall. He had major issues on the run also, but HTFU'd and finished.

As I crossed the finish line, they asked me how I felt...I gave them the standard "...like shit" response...then made a left turn to the medical tent to get an IV, and there was Danny along with everyone else who finished in front of me getting one also...it was a tough day! The medical staff was awesome...they took off my shoes and socks, covered my body in ice cold towels, gave me a drink, and started my IV drip! Really, the medical folks there were incredible.

I'll post pictures as soon as I have them sorted out, and here are the results.

13/100's of a second... BFAST #1

This past weekend I did the first Beaches Fine Arts Series Triathlon, stop number one of three. This is a sprint triathlon and consisted of a 1/4 mile swim, 10-11 mile bike, and about a 3.25 mile run. Danny Domingo has won this so many times I've lost count. Other speedsters have also won over the years, like Will Pearce, Greg Carr, Steve Pettit, Brian Fleischmann and a host of others. I decided to give it a go this year, but knew that my legs would still be pretty burnt from the last two weekends of racing...especially Gulf Coast the week before.

This race is held using Wave starts, which means that different ages and categories are sent off at different time intervals. I started in Wave 1, which was 39 and under (yep, my last year in this wave). The water temperature was 74 degrees, so you could use a wetsuit if you wanted...but I didn't think I could get it off fast enough to make it worth while.

The horn blasted signaling the start of our Wave...I started my watch and ran for the water...BIG mistake. I SHOULD have started my watch early, and been ultra aggressive getting to the first buoy...instead I was locked in a water based wrestling match that made the Ironman swim start feel like I was alone in the lake! This reminded me of a criterium start...110% aggression trying to get to the first buoy and turn left. I was scratched, hit, and one guy even grabbed my head on the downstroke and pushed me under and back...ouch! I think I drank 1/2 a gallon of Atlantic Ocean water...would this negate my need for salt tablets...hmmm, probably not. As I fought around the first buoy, I was stuck behind a bunch of guys going slower than I wanted...but I couldn't get around since there were people behind, in front, at each side...and sometimes on top of my back...so I just kept going. The swim was fairly short, but when I got out I was a little nauseated.

We ran up the beach to the parking lot in some pretty thick sand...and then made our way to the bikes. Heading out of transition 1 I was dodging guys trying to get into their shoes...and even had to go into the other lane to avoid a possible pileup. Once on the open road I could see the lead motorcycle way up ahead...so I started reeling people in and making up time. I caught the leader about a 1/2 mile before the first turn. I had to pass some cars that were at a stop sign in my lane...that was fun. I kept going fairly hard to try and get a lead for the run. I came up on the transition area so quick I didn't have time to get my feet out of my shoes, so had to run through transition with my bike shoes on...clop, clop, clop...for some reason I always think about horses trotting on the road when I hear that sound. Anyhow, I changed into my running shoes and was misdirected...then I had to turn around and go out the correct way...more time lost.

I ran out of transition hearing the beeping sound of the timing mats...which meant riders were starting to pour into the transition area to begin chasing me down. I followed Double D's advise, and went out hard...but holding back slightly, my first mile was about 6:10-6:12. It's amazing how far the turn-around point seemed! I started the return trip and the guy in second was about 40 seconds behind me, so I started pouring it on with what I had left. Near the end I kept turning around to make sure I was not getting run down...AGAIN, and let up slightly. I crossed the line first in my Wave. One funny note, on the run I had several people yelling, "Go Lyndon"...I guess all us bald guys look alike!

At this point I was pretty happy with my effort...until the final results were posted. In the Men's division I got second...by 13/100's of a second, yes, that would look like this: 00:00:00.13 ... ouch! Steve Pettit, who is an excellent triathlete...especially at the sprints, beat me. I don't mind being beat, but come on... 13/100's of a second! Also, we were both beat by Sara McLarty, who decided to stop here on her way to the World Championships and the Olympic Trials!

Well, I've learned a lesson...and hopefully won't make the same mistake again. I'm still in the hunt for the overall series, so will try to do better next time.

Here are the full results.


My bike hangs out in transition...


Former UF swimmer...current national triathlon team member...and slayer of the BFAST's Jaxavillian males...Sara McLarty...


Me losing the race by 13/100's of a second because I raised my arm!


Collecting my award, while Sara McLarty consoles me by saying, "It's ok Sween, everybody's a winner..."

Gulf Coast Triathlon...pictures...

Everyone into the water! A couple pictures of the Pro's and an age group wave heading to the surf...


Double D after crushing the swim starts to hurt on the bike and run...



Greg "Gills" Carr has a great swim, rips the bike...and hits some trouble on the run...


Me on the swim, bike and run...ouch!

Fleischmann getting ready for Des Moines

Brian sent an email saying he's traded in a swim day for another run day. He's concentrating on a strong running leg for the last stop of the Olympic Trials at the Hy-Vee Triathlon on June 22nd.

Also, catch Fleischmann in action on May 18th when they air the Alabama Olympic Trials race.

Here's an interview with Chris Lieto...he mentions beating Fleischmann down in Miami...Brian has Lieto running scared and hoping he doesn't move up to long course triathlons after the trials :-)

Here's a link to a video of Fleischmann making a move on the bike in South Africa (select the men's race).

Gulf Coast Triathlon - Part 2

The Gulf Coast Triathlon gives out awards to the top 10 in each category, so I would squeak onto the stage. This was good, and would continue my streak of getting an award since I was 3rd back in 1985. The awards party was at Spinnaker on the beach, so it was pretty nice. They also had free beer (although in a can)...and I may have drank a few...

Danny and I drank what was free, while the girls drank bottle beer and fruity drinks. There were a LOT of people there, and it got pretty crowded for the awards. We had fun and hung out with other Jacksonville folks. Below are some pictures of me picking up my acrylic memorabilia...


Maybe Danny and Greg dropped out so I could make the podium?


Me with Sister Madonna Buder who uses her famous line, "I train religiously". If you think your too old, too tired, too out of shape to exercise or train...try taking that "wine" to Sister Buder. You may recognize her from one of the many Ironman Hawaii specials. Here's a long video about her.



Here are the results from the Gulf Coast Triathlon. Oh, and by the way...the two guys who finished in front of me in 1985 were in the race (Richard Wilson and Justin Phillpott)...and I beat them :-)

And one sad note...during the swim portion of the race Patrick Kane, a 38 year old competitor from Roswell, Georgia died. Life is pretty fragile, even in what would be thought of as a safe environment...with thousands of people around. You never know when it is your time, so make sure what your doing in the present is something you enjoy.