My Self-Supported Half-Iron Distance Triathlon

Hey, phew it's been a while, sorry for no update. The last few months have been extremely busy and eventful for sure.
I kicked my rear-end into gear and spent 2 months since August building myself up to the half-iron distances. I have a video but I'll go a bit into what went on that day. Oh by the way this was a reverse triathlon, the pool didn't open till noon and I did not want to start that late. The weather...well about 65 degrees but windy beyond all belief 20-30 mph with gusts higher than that. Made it very challenging indeed.

Run- I hadn't run 13 miles since April, my longest run in the summer was 7 or 8 miles. The 3 weeks before my "race" I did 13 miles at least 3 times. I had to build my mileage quickly which isn't always a good idea but I did it anyway. The run was fine and I held an 8:30-9:00 min per mile pace, i faced some serious stomach cramping though but pushed on.

Bike- oh man, extremely windy and quite hilly for being in southern Illinois. It took me a while to finish but I was just happy not to get hit by a car and make it back in one piece. Oh within the last 15 miles I had such a severe leg cramp in my left quad I thought I was tearing the muscle out of my knee, I didn't realize it was a cramp because I don't cramp in my legs ever. That would plague me in the swim. I took my endurolytes, but I had been training in 50 degree weather so that 15-20 degree difference really increased my sweat rate more than I had planned. Plus the weird thing was I had Hammer heed and water, but all I wanted was water for the most part.

Swim-My leg would not help for pushing off the swimming pool wall, it locked up with even the slightest pressure, so you can see in the video I had issues with pushing off the wall because I look like an idiot who can't swim in a pool. :-) Overall I swam what I had in practice months before the race day and it worked out fine except for the intense leg pain.

I was happy to say I did the distance and I was extremely suprised that I recovered in two days. I did it on Sunday and on Wednesday I was at the gym working out. I am planning my off season workouts now and will maintain the fitness I gained the past few months, I feel like my oldself again. :-) You know, these are fun to do and it seems like Ironman brand is making it more difficult to get into their races, I hope to see more non m-dot races coming up so everyone can challenge themselves, the distance is the distance the pain is the same, no matter where you are doing it. I know they are opening up more 70.3's, but registration is just crazy, you need a lottery just to sign up for a regular IM North America. Well, I hope when I am ready to do the distance I can choose the race that is right for me. If you go the 140.6, you're an ironman, hands down.