ZenTri Podcast 526 - Ironman Texas 2013!

Download the show or click to play here.

(Getting Kona's helmet fitted the day before the race.)

Listen in to this episode to find out all about one of the hardest races on the Ironman circuit.  I also include lots of tips and tricks to make your own racing a succes!

Alright, let's get rolling with some photos and fun...   Here are the race results and the logs from my Suunto Ambit watch.

Results (I'm bib #503) - http://www.ironman.com/triathlon/events/ironman/texas/results.aspx#axzz2UQg2USpK

http://www.movescount.com/moves/move13818982 Swim

http://www.movescount.com/moves/move13819007 Bike

tpks.ws/wRvG Bike with watts in Training Peaks.

http://www.movescount.com/moves/move13819027 Run

Before the race, I ate with Triboomer at Chipotle's.  I was hoping for food like you can get at Freebirds like below...

(REAL food from Freebirds.)

But it ended up being a bunch of meat and grease and wheat.  I kept telling them to put more veggies on. So much so, they tried to double-charge me for the extra food.  How about this? Quit putting on junk and I'll quit asking for more healthy stuff.

(With Triboomer at bike check in)

We went and checked into the hotel.  We scored a room with a view over the run course! 

(Bucolic now, but this will turn into pure hell for most people in about 24 hours)

I don't have too many photos of before the swim start, but I got some great audio of that in the podcast.  Make sure to check it out.

After the swim was over, Emily snapped a good shot of me heading out of the bike.  Two good ones, actually.

(Happy to be out of that swim.  Total pileup in the water for sure.)

All that white stuff on my leg is sunscreen.  Volunteers wipe it all over you and then I like to rub it in while moving on the bike.  Maybe I should photo shop that out get a good race photo out of it.

(Later!)

Not only is my aero position really good, but check out how the tail of my helmet is flush with my back.  Not getting it close to the back causes a ton of drag.  You can do this by wearing it the tiniest bit loose and rotating it back on your head.  Just a tiny bit loose, though.  You want it to stay in place if you crash!

The heat was absolutely out of control on the run.  I slowed down on purpose and chatted with people to try slow down and cool down.  Here I am with Devin Brown, who volunteered and was hanging out on the course.

(Wassup, people?!)

Even though the bike is pretty flat and the run is super flat, IMTX is ranked about the 5th hardest Ironman because of the heat.  Slowing down on the run was both a choice and pretty much dictated by physics.  I simply could not go any faster without exploding like a fireworks stand.  People all around me were getting sick, passing out, and just trying to move forward.

In the end, I finished in 12:38.  Not a PR, but not bad. 

(At the finish line.  Feeling fine, but definitely toasted.)

Emily took this after I crossed the finish line.  I was fine, but only because I didn't push myself as hard as I wanted to.  My eyes are red from contacts, salty sweat, heat, and who knows what.  I'm usually not quite that offensive in the face.  

The Amrita Bars kit was really, really cool.  I loved standing out in that thing.  It did chafe me a bunch on the swim, but I never wore it before this race.  I think it needed some breaking in to take the edges off.  I am definitely wearing it in as many races as possible from here out.  

Ok, LOTS more in the podcast.  If you enjoyed this, give it a listen.