Race Results...

Sorry for the delay in getting this out, but we were gone for the weekend, then went out to watch the penguin parade yesterday (more on this in my next post).

So... the swim went well on Saturday, and due to a relatively small field of participants, I was able to place first in my age category. I didn't get a gold, as they had run out of gold medals by the time that they got to me, but they assure me that it will be in the mail shortly :) Anyways - summary there was 1.2km swim in 16:45 according to my watch. Average HR was 147, which is sufficiently high for a swim - roughly 89% of my estimated maximum HR in the swim. Worth noting - the high point for heart rate in the swim is always when I stand up to run into the finish line (hit 171 when I glanced down at the finish). Otherwise in the swim, my max HR was 157, near my estimated maximum of 164 BPM. Too many numbers, I know, but it's worth saying for those that might be interested :) Swimming does not get your HR up like running - basically the more vertical your body, and the larger the muscles used (i.e. legs) the higher your heart rate goes. My max heart rates for the three disciplines (estimated) are as follows:

184 - run
174 - bike
164 - swim

Heart rate is not a precise science, but I have found it to be a relatively decent show of effort in my case during racing. The only times that I ever hit my max HR (or near max) is at the finish line of a running race. Never part-way through (this would be detrimental).

What I could spot from the swim was a "lax bit" in the middle, where I wasn't giving it my all. This is pretty consistent with my running races as well - hard effort to start and finish, with a middle bit that's a bit slower than it should be. Will work that kink out eventually :)

So... the following day we did a half Ironman distance race (well, as I said before, ALMOST half an Ironman - actual distances were 2km swim, 80km bike and a 20km run. Finished the race upright in 4:34:50 according to my watch. This was roughly where I expected to finish, though my run was a bit of a dud - should have been a bit faster. I expected to do the run in about 1:30 but instead finished it in about 1:44 - this was due largely to my inability to eat properly (yet again) on the bike.

For some reason, I decided it would be a good idea to cut my powerbars up and place them in my bento box for ease of eating. What I failed to realize is that the many pieces would become one overnight.

Rule number one for everyone out there considering racing in ANY sort of event is to only do in the race that which you have done in training. Training is just that - practice for raceday, so deviation from training on raceday is a BAD idea. How funny it is when I do not follow my own advice.

Either way, the result was respectable, though there is sufficient room for improvement. I feel good, and am looking forward to what training I have left before Ironman Australia... where I will eat properly throughout the race, so that I can run that marathon like I can!!

The truly interesting part about the race was the sheer competitiveness of it - I placed well into the middle of the pack on Sunday, with what I would consider a respectable result. I would expect that a similar result would have netted me a much more respectable placing back home, but time will tell (Great White North in July will be the true test).

You can catch Alli's race commentary in her blog, but I thought I would throw this in - she placed second in her age category, so a medal will be on its way to her shortly. Be sure to send her your congratulations!

I will leave with that... more to come on the penguins.

If you are interested in further analysing the results, look here.