"Until you face your fears, you don't move to the other side, where you find the power."

I believe the quote above was from Mark Allen - IM champion.

 

Yesterday I did the first 1/2 Ironman of the year (next one is in July).  The race I did was the Chinook 119.1 (1/2 Ironman). 

 

I would be lying big time if I said the race was easy, but I did PB (personal best) in this race.

 

Swim was 2k and I loved it.  I warmed up 10 minutes before the race, stayed at the back of the pack and finished in 51:56 minutes (last race was 56:34).

 

Bike was 96K (most 1/2 IM bike distances are 90K).  The bike route was very hilly and I had a head wind out to the turnaround point - the first 48K took 2:12.  On the way home I talked with my legs, rather screamed at them out loud and advised them they needed to work harder.  So, the ride home 48K took 1:38 with another head wind.  The ride home was slightly more downhill so that did make it easier.  Total time on the bike 3:49 (last race was 90K and took 4:12).

Run was 21.1 and I hated it.  I started out the run doing a 6:38 pace for about 3K then realized I could not keep this pace up. It was on the run that I fought back and forth with myself about signing up for Ironman next year.  I was so tired on the run, I keep running and stopped once in a while to stretch (my back hurt from the ride) and really just wanted to stop for good.  I was ready to give it all up and get a DNF but I just keep going. 

 

The run was two loops of the same route, through Midapore and then down through Fish Creek with a hill at the end of each 10K up into Midapore to the finish line.  It was really mentally tough to do my first 10K then have to run past the finish line to do another 10K. 

 

Finally after 2:53 I finished the run and crossed the finish line.  (last race was 2:47 so it took my longer this time). 

 

Transitions - T1 & T2 total = 7:16 (in my last race T1 & T2 total = 5:21).

 

 

When I look back on it I don't think I ate enough on the bike and should have eaten more in my transition before the run so I would have more energy on the run.  I might try gels next month in my transitions and will def. eat more on the bike.  As for transitions I am going to try to get my T1 time down to 3 minutes - I took way to long in T1 this go round.

 

My overall time for this race was 7:42 (last race was 8:00) that is a difference of 17 minutes. 

 

How do I feel?

I was tired last night and am tired today, but feel better than I felt after any marathon I ran.  Today I mowed my lawn, weeded my garden and did laundry, but I also had a nap and had trouble getting up and down the stairs.

 

This weekend I'll be going to coeur d' alene to sign up for Ironman 2014 - yup you heard me correctly I AM SIGNING UP FOR IRONMAN 2014.