A few weekends ago, I ticked my first IRONMAN 70.3 race off the list. Crossing the finish line in Atlantic City, New Jersey was amazing. I am incredibly proud of myself and pleased as to how I performed during the race.

Nestled between the fast, dynamic Olympic-distance races and the revered IRONMAN, the 70.3 occupies a unique place on the distance spectrum. It’s definitely a race worthy of respect and a feet to tackle, but it’s certainly doable.  

RACE RECAP:

The Ironman Village was great. They offered fun entertainment, lots of cool swag to purchase, and great vendors. Packet pickup was easy, and the volunteers were incredible. Race day was the same. Things appeared to be well organized and all the details taken care off. We were slow to start the swim, but the 6 person every 10 seconds into the water seemed to really pace us out well and prevented people from swimming over one another, which I really appreciated, because that scares the sh*t out of me.

I was terrified at first about getting in the water, but one of the volunteers looked at me & said- do it for someone who’s not here today and can’t do it. Well I immediately started to cry because it made me think of my dad- I decided to do it for him. Thank god my husband was standing by the start too as this happened because he gave me one final kiss and hug and reassured me I’d be great. When I got into the water I knew dad was there. It was a great swim. There wasn’t any real current, things were clearly marked, and there was a lot of support in the water if needed. I felt good and truly enjoyed the swim. I got out in 42.33 (2:12 min/100m)

Coming out of the water was easy, the wetsuit peelers were fast and efficient. They certainly helped lessen transition times.

As I got on the bike, we headed out toward the AC Expressway. They closed off one lane. They informed us it was a closed course, so I expected the entire Expressway to be closed. But one lane seemed sufficient enough. It did become a little scarey when large trucks and buses came zooming by and your bike would shake.  Part of the course was also on some back roads. These roads were not well paved and very bumpy. They also had large potholes and broken glass you needed to maneuver around to avoid, so not so easy at times.  The course was 2.5 loops and at least after the first loop, you remembered where the rough parts of the road were. Unfortunately, lots of people got flats and were pulled over along the side of the road. I was very happy that wasn’t me. The highlight was riding towards AC and seeing the skyline. I completed the bike course in 3:13 with an average of about 18 mph.

The run course took place on the boardwalk. It is pretty tough to run on a boardwalk. There were lots of loose boards and nails that stuck up. However, the crowds were fun, there were aid stations every two miles, and the music throughout helped you to keep moving.  I felt ok on the run minus the large blisters that developed on the pads of my feet. The first few miles were fast and great (averaging about 8:30) but then my feet started to hurt so bad that I basically ran with my toes curled to protect the blisters from hitting the ground each time. I stopped and walked through every aid station to give my toes a break and to refuel. Overall, it was uncomfortable and made the run seem longer than it would have been, but I got through it. This has never happened to before, so I’ll have to do some research as how to avoid it for the next one. I completed the run in 2:16. Which is about 10:30 per mile.

Best part of the race was running down the shoot and crossing the finish line. It was pretty exciting and emotional. What a huge accomplishment. I have a lot to be proud of and a lot to be grateful for. For starters, this body who works so hard and does so much for me, my husband who appreciates and encourages my crazy side, my family, and of course my friends who are always there to listen or run/swim/bike countless miles with me… for all that I am extremely grateful.

Total finish time: 6:19:47

WHY RACE IM 70.3?

• The IRONMAN 70.3 is a challenging step up from shorter-distance races (sprints and Olympic/international) to “test” yourself at a longer, more endurance-focused event. Once you complete one, you’ll know whether you’re hooked like I am or whether you prefer shorter events.    
• In about 10 hours a week, you can become fit enough to complete a 70.3.
• Many people’s first IRONMAN goal is simply to finish. For more seasoned triathletes, the IRONMAN 70.3 distance offers the chance to focus more on performance (qualifying, setting PR’s, etc) than just getting across the finish line.
• IRONMAN 70.3 events are spectator-friendly and offer lots of pre race & race-day fun.
• Great volunteers and spectators!! The volunteers help ensure a smooth race and keep you hydrated while spectators cheer you on and offer words of support and encouragement along the way to help keep you motivated and moving forward.
• The race is often completed in about 5-7 hours, leaving the afternoon and evening open for celebration and unwinding.
• As a destination race, it’s a great way to sightsee and explore new cities!
• There are a huge variety of races to choose from and most are easily accessible.

YOU CAN DO ANYTHING, YOU NEED TO JUST BELIEVE:

I had a great race and a lot of fun. I even exceeded my own expectations of myself. Being new at this and not sure how I was going to feel, my goal was to finish around 6:30 and I finished in 6:19. I’m super happy about that. It was great and I got to learn a lot about myself. I had a lot of thinking to do over the course of 6 hours with no music and no one to talk to- Probably the quietest I have ever been lol (well actually 2nd to the time I had laryngitis for weeks). I learned that I really don’t need music to swim/bike/run and I was happy with my own thoughts and really got to live in the moment. I also learned that we should never doubt ourselves because we can truly do anything we put our minds to, I’m proof of that. Imagine, I started training for triathlons a few years ago as a way to force myself to learn how to swim and now almost 3 years later, I not only can swim, but I can swim 1.2 miles, bike 56 miles and run 13.1 miles after. I can’t wait to do it again. Most people think I’m crazy, but I’m a dreamer and a doer and I refuse to let anything get in my way. Never stop goal setting & goal crushing!

Now onto my next 70.3, Eagleman in June and 140.6 Lake Placid in July! Let the training begin 🙂