Race: Welland Half Iron Swim/Bike
Date: Sunday June 26, 2011
Description: 2 km swim, 90 km bike
Website: www.msctriathlon.com
This was my first Swim/Bike race and it sure is a great alternative for those heading into an Iron distance race, or for those with injuries or other issues that are unable to complete the run or just don’t feel like running.
I wanted to do the whole shebang (thanks to my flat tire experience last year) but with an iron distance race coming up, I am in full taper mode and I didn’t want some fresh legs on race day.
2 km Swim – 41:17 (2:04/100m pace)
My shoulder was messed most of the week, so I had zero pace goals for the swim. I just wanted to swim easy to not mess it up further. Other than the first few minutes of chaos, for the most part, I swam alone and things felt fine in the water.
I got to the grass, found my slippers, took of my wetsuit there, and off I ran to T1.
Tips: The swim start has a rocky bottom so beware. And the run up to T1 is a bit long so bring slippers or shoes and leave them near the swim exit.
90 km bike – 2:33:46 (35.1km/hr) – 5th best
My toughest task on the day was deciding what pace to ride. Should I go all out, or try to simulate my ideal Ironman pace? I ended up doing both. I rode 75 km aerobically, and then picked up the effort for the last 15 km to battle the wind and maintain the average speed.
The stats: average heart rate – 161 (top end of my aerobic zone), average power – 182 watts. And for the power geeks: CP 90 – 184, CP 60 – 187, CP 30 – 194. I’ll stop there.
Yes, the course is flat and fast, but with that you get wind. We got a nice dose of that and really not too much tailwinds (maybe a 5-10km stretch). I can’t figure out how that is possible but that is how it was. At least the headwinds were not super crazy.
Total time – 3:19:43. 7th overall.
I was happy with the bike, and didn’t take in too much calories since I didn’t have to worry about the run afterwards. It felt both weird and a relief not to have to head out for the run. If I do this again, I think I’ll be hammering the whole way. Although it is tough to get your mind around the fact that you will not be running and don’t need to hold back.
I chilled out in T2 for a while to cheer some friends (Jason, Lindsay, John) as they headed off on their runs. It was also cool to watch the pro race as it unfolded. As usual, another great race pulled off by the MultiSport Canada crew, and of course the chocolate milk and Hero burger made it all the better. Congrats to all that raced and finished.
