Here is my Endurathon race report in a nutshell, written Jesse Temple for the Star Press of Muncie.
Click on pictures to enlarge
All I can add is I had a great time there, I was very impressed with the race venue in how well organized it was and how great all the volunteers were, as well as the organizers! I highly recommend this as a to do race. I will definitely be going back!
As for my race itself? I was very pleased with my results, with taking 40min off my times from both Disney 70.3 and Welland half.
My swim was 40:56 ( long transition up a hill to the timing mats into T1) Rank 196 overall. The water was warm not the clearest of lakes but not to bad. The swim race was not wetsuit legal, which I like, making for a fairer race. I had to laugh though, during the bike I had several riders say to me, "did you think the swim was long?" I then said I think so. lol (saying to myself and snickering, " It wasn't long, my time was comparable to my last 2 half Ironmans, both of which were not wetsuit legal. Maybe you should learn to swim!" lol )
My bike was awesome with a 2:38:24 rank 239 with an average of 21.2mph or 33.92kph over 90km Woot! When I got into T1 after the long climb up the hill after my swim, I changed into my bike gear, grabbed some stroopwaffles to chow down and walked my bike out to the mount line. I had no idea where the bike route was going? or what I was in for? all I knew was the bike route was fast and flat. Well the first Km or so were a few rollers and I'm thinking,? man I hope this isn't what they call flat around here?
Then once out of the park area everything started to level out. the roads were closed and the pavement was smooth, I'm saying to myself,"this is awesome" I started peddling and get into a comfortable cadence riding around 39-40kph Looking ahead it almost looked like I was climbing on a slight uphill but that was just an optical allusion. the route took us though beautiful smooth paved pathway's out, enclosed with trees and brush that went on for miles until getting to the turn around where went back on the hwy. I was only passed by a few peeps and was chicked twice, but the second girl that passed me I decided to ride her pace, riding behind her legally of course! As I said I didn't know what to expect and I didn't want to go to fast burning myself out or going to slow having people pass me, so hooking up with this elite triathlete ( I knew she was an Elite as she had her name across her butt on her tri shorts) was my ticket to a good ride and pace. I didn't let her out of my sights the whole way staying on her pace, even when she slowed down I slowed down. I figured she knows what she is doing and I was good riding her pace without over exerting myself trying to keep up.
I finally get to the last 10km of the bike route feeling the excitement of getting in to T2 to start my run, but low and behold the last 10km were rolling hills that my friend Brian told me about and after riding a steady fast pace averaging what I thought was around 35-36kph for 75k I was feeling the pain of the hills, not being able to get up the strength to pull myself up what seemed to be like mountains. The girl I was riding behind was moving further ahead of me as my pace slowed going up the hills, but I managed to push through and get in to T2 alive and not to beaten up to much. By the time I racked my bike the girl I was pacing behind was long gone. i later checked her results and she did great, finishing 2 in her AG.
Once in T2 and racking my bike and I see my friend Brian walk towards me holding a bag of ice over his shoulder. I said to him, " gimmy the ice so I can ice myself before the run" lol but I didn't. I talk a min with him while I changed and off I went grabbing for some fluids that some volunteer was offering me in T2. I took my time walking and drinking to get my legs together, but again the heat of the day along with my hard ride it took me a while to get my legs going.
My run was still slow but better then my last two half races with a 3:19:18 Rank 605 out of 663 participants total.
The run course starts out with the rollers out of the park just like on the bike, then out along some closed roads with more small rollers for the duration out and back. I was hoping for a 3 hour half mary which would give me a time of 6:30 for my half Ironman, but I lost some of my time because my legs wouldn't go and it was hot out.
For the first 4 miles I had to lay down at each of the first four aid stations I came to, to relax my legs and Iced them to get some energy back. After the 4th aid station I was finally getting my energy back as I was drinking up some of the G-aid and coke I was offered, and when I got up from my short rest I started to do some more running. I made it out to the half way turnaround in about 1:45 -1:50 and felt relief I only had 6 more miles left. I was also pleased to see that every mile at every aid station there was a port-a-potty, but this day I had no issues with having to use one, but I was glad to see there were there if I needed one.
After the turn around I started to stretch my run a little more and running a little harder in short bursts rather then shuffling along as a snails pace and was able to run back in 1:30hrs for the negative split.
The hi-light of my run was the last 300m where I sucked it up, running full out up a huge hill to the finish line and passing 2 guys in my AG, as well as some young twenty something guy I was playing cat and mouse with along the last half of the run, and then looked up at the time clock as I was getting nearer to the finish line to see I came in under 7 hours Sweeet!
Then I collapsed in the shade of the tent they had beyond the finish line to catch my breath and after collect my rewards, my finishers plague and food which was great and included pita pit sandwiches fruit, drinks, and Ice cream which I shared with Joanne and Melissa as I wasn't hungry.
Some pictures .......
We arrived in Muncie
No, not a ghost town? although it may have seemed that way? Downtown convention center where I picked up my race kit
Downtown Muncie
Getting my bike racked and gear set up race morning
Race morning Transition area
Down by the swim start
Getting ready for my swim wave
My wave group at the swim start
Me leading the way in my wave coming in. ;)
See! I'm ahead! ;)
I'm thinking, what to do now?
Oh ya! run up to T1.
T1... going out.
T2..coming in from bike Brian hold ice bag while I rack.
The quick change...Bawahaha
Quickly putting tape on my toes for the run so I don't blister..Bawahaha. I said it again! "Quickly"
Don't know what I'm doing but it must be important? Oh putting on my shoes
Ahh, some light refreshments from the friendly vollunteers.
No rush, lots of time to finish.
Like I said? lots of time. lol
See! I'm back aready! I'm coming in to the finish, and I'm running!!
Arms raised, I'm here!!
under 7hours. whew!
Nappy time...
Back at Brians home after the race.
I would aslo like to thank my friend Brian Fitzwater and his family for putting Joanne, Melissa and I up in there home for the weekend. There hospitality was up and above all expectation!! Thank you so much for a great time.
Joanne and I with Brian, Joyce and kids out for dinner
Brian, Joyce and kids.
Brian and I watching the Tour Du France actually!
:)
