Ironman Texas 70.3 Results & Photos (Lonestar)

With SA Supporter: Heather Carlson

When setting up the Shawn's Anomaly tent for the Ironman 70.3 Texas in Galveston, I kept thinking, "I can't believe this is the last race before the Ironman Texas."  Of course I was remembering that this was the same distance that did last year that I was so worried about, but this was different.  This was also the first race of the season for me, and what was considered, "A Training Race" for Ironman Texas.  All I wanted to worry about was staying in my heart rate zones, not getting injured, having fun, and most of all being a great ambassador for Shawn's Anomaly. 

We were fortunate enough to have the Team Shawn's Anomaly tent out and several local triathletes that helped us spread the word about the mission by wearing the some temporary tattoos with the SA Logo on them.  That was very humbling for me to know that I am not alone on this mission.  Thank you for Sabrina, Shannon, & Heather for your support on the course for Shawn's Anomaly.  I also want to congratulate professional triathlete (and honorary Team Shawn's Anomaly member) Kelly Williamson on her second 70.3 victory this year.

The Swim (42:41)

I was so busy setting up the Shawns' Anomaly tent and my transition spot, I never really went over to look at the swim course at all, so when it was time to head over for the swim, I was a little overwhelmed on how long the swim was.  I guess when you are training you never really consider how long the distance is till you see the buoys all .  This was however a much different swim than the previous 1/2 Ironman that I did in Florida.  The water temperature was 72 degrees, and it was in salt water, which meant both of those factors would help me stay afloat.  The water clarity, however, was horrible, so you can't see the bottom or even your hand in front your face in the water.   All of this contributes to my anxiety at the swim.  I don't know why, but I get very anxious for the swim part of the race.  I am a great swimmer on my own, and I have figured out that it is not the open water, and maybe not even the clarity, when I am swimming alone.  It is only when I am around people that it makes me nervous. I can never find a rhythm until the field starts to break up.  I really need to work on that considering that the Ironman start is all the racers at the same time.  That scares me a little.

Finishing Bike

The Bike (3:06:33)

The Ironman Texas 70.3 is an out and back that follows the beach line of Galveston.  Except for a very small rise from the seawall and a slight incline on the San Luis Pass bridge, the course is VERY flat and sometimes windy.  It was however not as windy and I thought it would be this weekend.  This however is still not a lot of reprieve from how hard this course can be because you have never stop pedaling and constantly in the aero position for a long time; in my case, 3 hours.  It was however still a great average for me, and I felt that I held my own.  Ultimately, I felt very strong and ready for the run.

The Run (2:40:56)

On the Run

When I got off the bike, I stumbled a little, but I did not make anything of it until I started my run.  I started off my run and realized that my legs were not ready to go yet.  It was very hard for me.  My core temperature was really high and my heart rate was really high.  It did not take long for me to get a little encouragement from all of those at the Team Shawn's Anomaly tent as I ran by.  (***disclaimer for those of you that may follow this blog and have never been to an event, it is the greatest support you can show for an athlete.)

 I saw my wife, my mother, a business friend with his family (Paul Swan), Veronica (Shawn's Anomaly Associate Director), and Veronica's friend Todd all by the tent cheering and it immediately gave me a boost to find my running legs along with a little encouragement from a fellow competitor Jared Kirkpatrick on the course.  We both found ourselves encouraging each other to get going.  Eventually my legs did come back and I found a friend for life in Jared, well that is if I can find him on Facebook or he contacts me through here.  He has an amazing story to tell and definitely proving that anything is possible if you put your mind to it.  Lap 2 was much better and as I started the final lap, my heart rate monitor stopped working.  Since I was so focused on staying in my range, I felt completely venerable without it.  I would find myself running hard and having to walk a little to catch breath.  Soon, the final run chute was in sight and I was feeling great.  As a matter of fact, I decided turn a cartwheel at the finish line.

When I started to compare my last 1/2 Ironman, I realized that the results were very similar.  I had a better swim and a very similar bike & run.  You would think I would have been disappointed by not seeing an improvement, but on the contrary, I did see a huge improvement.  Where you may ask?  Today!  Today, I was able to get up and not feel sore at all.  As a matter of fact, I feel great.  Because of the lack of soreness, I have realized that my fitness has improved.  Another bite of the elephant has been swallowed, and it never tasted so good. 

The whole weekend was a lot of fun because I was able to see a lot of great friends, both new and old, I learned a lot about myself; and ultimately, I witnessed the Shawn's Anomaly Mission continue to gain momentum.