First things first: Many thanks to the race support team and numerous volunteers that made this event possible for all of us masochists that sign up for it. You make these events run smoothly and keep us safe and healthy throughout. Athletes: please be sure to thank the race support for their time and energy whenever you get a chance. It means a lot.
This was a club race for the Central Florida Tri Club as well, with 30+ athletes particpating or attending the event. This group of people are one of the main motivating forces in my life and I can't thank them enough for being a part of my life. Congrats to all of you that raced and thank you for all of the amazing support you provide for myself and your fellow teammates.
Pre-race:
For some reason, I wasn't as nervy for this 70.3 as I was for Florida back in May. It could have been that I had more training, or trusted it more, or just was moreso just put at ease by the exceedingly simple swim and run courses that Augusta presents.
The day before the race, some of the members of the Central Florida Tri Club and I took a stroll down the Savannah Riverwalk to test out the waters we'd be racing in. As expected, the current was swift, the water was a cool 75ish degrees, and many swimming PRs were ready to happen.
After that confidence boost, a little sampler of the bike course was in store. Five miles out and five back on the bike course told me most of what I could expect here: rollers, false flats, flying downhills. Courses like that are easy to spend extra energy on. It pays to be mindful of your HR and/or power throughout so you have enough in the tank for the run.
The run course is a super-flat two-looper on a serpentine course through downtown Augusta. Nothing terribly technical. Just put your shoes to the pavement until you finish.
Expectations:
I was fully confident that I could get through this course in under five hours. Given the numerous advantages on the swim (downstream AND wetsuit-legal) and on the run (flat), there was no reason not to meet that goal.
The only wild-card here is the weather. The day before the race was cool and foggy, basically perfect. The forecast called for high temps of 88 which would be too bad with some cloud cover.
Race Day:
Up and at 'em bright and early at 4:15am. Bagel eaten. Water bottles filled. Nutrition accounted for. It was time to dominate (as much as a 185 lb. middle-packer can).
The transition set-up at Augusta could be a little tricky as transition is 1.2 miles away from the swim start and there was very limited parking nearby. Athletes had to either 1) park by the host hotel and shuttle to transition or 2) get their early enough to park near transition (my choice, and it worked!). Time mangagement before the race was pretty important.
Taking the shuttle from transition was fun. Huge yellow school buses crammed with anxious faces and their wetsuits; a far cry from the huge charter Disney buses supplied at the Florida 70.3. In a moment of levity, my anxiety was immediately curbed by an urge to nap the second I sat in the bus. Why? That's the only thing I used to do in school buses when I was in high school.
Anyways, back on topic.
The Swim - or - The Float:
Wetsuit on, I jumped into the chilly Savannah River with the rest of my yellow cap-wearing bretheren (the 25-29 I-Z crowd) for our two minute wait period before our start time. In an unexpected twist, this turned into two minutes of swimming backward against the current to avoid jumping over the start line too early. Wishing each other luck and assuring each other of otherworldly swim PRs, the gun sounded and commenced kicking and elbowing each other in the face at a 1:30min/100m pace downstream.
Once those shenanigans ended and we thinned out, the swim was just as effortless as anticipated. I'm not saying this because I'm a good swimmer (I'm not). I'm saying this because apparently a floating styrofoam cup can complete this swim course in 45 minutes.
Anyways, this swim is so much easier once you can get into your groove and just go uninterruped for 20 minutes. Just be sure to sight every once in a while so you know where the bend in the river is and follow it. I definitely did this and definitely did not run into a kayaker in the middle of the river telling me to swim right and "get back on $%*^ing course." (They didn't actually say that, but I would have.)
Sighting gaffes aside, I emerged from the water with a 27:59 swim time and was still feeling fresh.
Transition:
Next time you're around your friends, say this sentence:
"It took two strippers to get my suit off this morning."
Do not say this around your boss.
T1 Time: 3:39.
Cycling in the South:
Heading out of T1 with mounds of energy still, it was time to put those long rides in Clermont to good use. Despite my reservations about the course's elevation profile, I started this ride out very confident and steady. I found myself passing a few riders and getting passed in turn along the South Carolina rollers that were present throughout. It never seemed like there was a truly flat section on these roads; you were either climbing or coasting. All I wanted to do was get through the course and have enough energy left over for a respectable run. I trusted myself to keep my HR at a manageable zone between 145 and 150BPM for a majority of the ride.
The second half of the course was a bit more difficult than the first; the climbs a little steeper and the turns a little more technical. By technical, I mean you best slow the hell down and not try to take a ninety degree turn with a downhill entry at 25mph. I mean that perception could be caused by fatigue as well I guess, but let me pretend it was legitimately harder.
After passing mile 45, I slipped into kind of a braindead state; still maintaining an appropriate speed/cadence/HR but not consciously thinking about it. From then until T2 was more or less a blur.
A 2:36:37 bike split and a 21.45 mph average speed was my reward for the increased training in the hills of Clermont. I couldn't have asked for more.
For those of you considering Augusta 70.3 in the future, this bike course has a couple challenging elements. It has got to be one of the more enjoyable routes I've ridden in recent memory.
Transition:
Nothing to see here. Rack the frame. Slide on the shoes. Go. 2:18.
Flat and Fast - or - Blame it on the Weather:
At first glance, it seemed as if the stars had aligned for this race for me. A strong swim and a strong bike already in the book and now I was cruising out of transition at a 7:30/mi clip for the first six miles. The legs were starting the hurt and the hips were starting to get tight but I was sure that I could hold out for a bit longer. As the sun started beaming down in the middle of the day, I could feel its effects immediately. The sweat rate increased and the accumulated fluid loss thus far was beginning to take its toll. Mile eight hit me like a ton of bricks. An acute loss of energy reduced my 1:45:00 projected run split to a crawl. With every passing moment, the sub-5 hour dream was slipping away.
I saw my coach around this time and he asked me that telling question, "How do you feel?" All I could muster was a thumbs-down and had to accept the fact that my training base didn't allow for sustained speed at this point in the race. All I had at this point were bursts followed by walk breaks. Obviously, this is going to be a point of emphasis for future training.
Always smile. You never know who's taking your picture.
With a couple miles left of the trudgefest, I was having legitimate fears of heat exhaustion as my vision was unfocused and my balance was spotty at best. I had two more encounters with my coach in which he told to get my ass moving but I simply didn't have anything else to give at this point.
So, as it went, I crossed the finish line with a respectable-but-not-preferred 5:10:48. Coming to the finish line, a friend of mine gave me some insta-motivation in the form of "Do NOT Let Me Pass You!!!" We crossed the finish together.
Post-Race:
It seems my fears of exhaustion were realized. Immediately after getting my finisher's medal, my friend and I sat in the race pavilion and exchanged a few words of encouragement. The only position I could get my body into at that point was on my back on the grass, hat over my face, reflecting on the race. For an hour. In the sun. Sitting up made me nauseous. Standing up even more so. I was happy though. Content in my performance but of course striving to find improvements (which there are plenty). I had friends and teammates come up to me giving congratulations, but I'm pretty sure they were wondering if I should be hauled off to the med tent.
Takeaways:
The more I heard of other athletes' experiences, the more they mirrored my own. Everyone had superb swim times due to the water-jet that was the Savannah River that day. Everyone enjoyed the bike leg and found their projections to be on point for it. The run killed everyone. Everyone was slow. The unexpected afternoon heat sapped everyone's energy. I couldn't believe it until I looked at my age group place progression and saw that I had only dropped 4 spots during the run.
As with any race, picking up areas of improvement is a must. I found many and will hopefully be able to address them in the offseason. Another great event in the books and another medal hanging on the wall.
The Swag:
Train well and be fast,
Mike
Great race recap. Inspiring to read.
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