5430 Long Course - Half IM Distance - 70.3 (Boulder)

5430 Long Course - Half Ironman Distance - 70.3 Date: August 9, 2009

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On January 1st, at the stroke of midnight, the beginning of the New Year, the 5430 Triathlon Series opened for 2009. My credit card was ready! And as I logged on to the website to pay my entry fee, I knew that completing this series would fulfil my New Year's resolution.


I could barely contain myself! I was excited about having a year long goal! I was excited about the incentive it gave me to train through the wintery months. I was filled with purpose and direction, knowing that I would close my triathlon season in August with my "A" Race at the Boulder Reservoir!

The series consisted of the following:

* Sprint Triathlon (June )
* Olympic Triathlon (July)
* Half Ironman Distance Triathlon (August)

Each successive race doubling in distance from the one prior.

Time flies when you're having fun, and the Sprint and Olympic distance races have come and gone. It was now what I call, "Show Time"... the time when I have to "Go with what I've got!" I had imagined this day being a little different than it was. I wanted to be lighter in weight and stronger in endurance.

I deliberated about what to do, should I attempt this race or should I wait until next year, improve my fitness and try then.

A friend and fellow triathlete said, "Keep your eye on the prize!"... and I knew in that moment that I would go for it!

Based on my current fitness level and the challenge before me, I knew that I would NOT have a personal record (PR), but my goal was to finish, and that is what I set out to do!

Race Day:

I packed my bags according to my check list, a carefully crafted list of my nutrition and equipment for the day. I spent the entire summer building this list... correcting and perfecting it. There were many alterations, additions and subtractions as I learned what my body needed from the summer's many races and rehearsals. My nutrition was now dialed in to support the long journey ahead.

I decided to fuel with Endurolyte capsuels by Hammer and pre-mixed bottles of Cytomax Cool Citrus on the bike. I also carried a peanut butter and honey sandwich which I planned to eat during the second half of the bike before heading out on the run.

On the run I carried more Endurolyte capsules, Perpetum Powder, another Hammer Product, as well as baggies of Cytomax powder. The powder is light and easy to mix with the water at the aids stations. I had two 10 oz flasks on my Nathan's Fuel Belt that I wore around my waist.

My transition area was laid out for my maximum efficiency. The bags of powder and capsules tucked into the shoes of their respective sports. Each baggie containing the correct serving for that sport and distance. I felt as ready for the day... as ready as I could be. The hardest part behind me, and the day yet to unfold.

The air was cool and the sun had not yet luminated the sky. Other athletes buzzing around the transition area. I caught a quick glance at two time Ironman World Champion Chrissy Wellington. She was amazingly bright spirited and friendly. I watched her graciously greet and interact with the crowd. How wonderful it was to be in the presence of such athletic talent.

The competitors wondered down toward the swim start stopping only to wiggle into our wetsuits! Almost everyone covered in Black Neoprene. USAT Wetsuit Rule states that competitors may wear wetsuits if the water temperature is 78 degrees or lower. The pros lucked out with the water temperature being 73 degrees so they were allowed to wear wetsuits and enjoy the extra buoyancy offered by the thickness of their Neoprene!

The Swim: 45:07 Garmin Swim Stats

The swim start is always preceeded by the National Anthem. You could almost hear a pin drop on the sandy beach of the Boulder Reservoir. We all stood facing the American Flag that waved on the dock just past the shore line. A swarm of beautiful white birds marked the end of the song and complimented the cheers that burst through the crowd!!

The Professionals went off at 6:30am! I enjoyed watching the splash from the rapid arms and strong kicks! The sun was not as blinding as it has been in the past as they headed out on the single counter-clockwise loop of 1.2 miles.

I was in Wave 6, which was scheduled to start at 6:55am. Waves were sent off five minutes apart, so the twenty-five minutes went quickly and before I knew it, the air horn went off and I was headed out for a very very long day!

The water was chruning with arms and legs. I usually do not think of swimming as a "Contact Sport" but there was plenty of contact today. Just as I began to settle in to a long and strong stroke, my chin caught the heal of a spastic breast-stroker who had switched from freestyle to get his bearings. I was not hurt, just stunned... so I continued my swim in spite of feeling a little more rattled than I was at first.

Swimmers were everywhere. I tried to make my way through those I could pass. Others seemed to occupy the path and direction that I wanted to travel in. Before I got to the first turn around, the wave behind me had caught up and were proceeding to pass.

I consider myself a strong swimmer, however, I was swum over quite a bit today! There was no break... just stroke for stroke body contact! I had to kick and pull hard just to mark my own space. It felt like a fight for more than three quarters of the way. Finally, just a few meters from shore it thinned out. The swimming frinzey was almost over! I reached the shore in 43 minutes and after running up through the sand, I managed to "mat" my swim time at 45:07.

T1: 6:29

As I ran into the transition area, I was not sure if I should run toward my bike or toward the "Port-a-potty". All of the pre-race hydration efforts were taking their toll. I was trying to access whether I could bike for four hours "under these conditions" or if I should take a few minutes to "go".

I went to my bike, took off my wetsuit, then made a mad dash to the port a potty!!! I know it cost a few extra minutes, but it was time well spent!

I had my bike and ran to the "Mount" line to board the E9!

The Bike: 4:19:24 Garmin Bike Stats

Loop 1:

I have practiced the ride up Hwy I-36 many times, and I rode it as I had rehearsed it. I paced myself to ride strong and steady on the climb, taking nutrition at pre-determined points. I had purchased a "Bento Box" the night before, so I was excited to have my Endurolyte capsuels directly in front of me instead of in the back pocket of my tri shirt.


I was careful opening the zip locked pouch to retrieve two capsuels... after I had them in hand I carefully reached for my water bottle. The E9 is very nimble and it responds to my every move. As a result, taking pills and drinking is much easier when one is stationary. I managed to maintain my balance and cadence while taking the Endurolytes and drinking Cytomax.

The weather was beautiful! The heavens graced us with light cloud coverage and a gentle breeze! "Thank you clouds!! Thank you breeze!!" I thought to myself as I made my way toward St. vrain. I enjoyed the mountainous view and country roads in spite of having ridden these roads so many times before. Today the ride was just as amazing as it has ever been.

I kept pace fairly well... working the down hills and pacing the up hills. My first loop was completed in 1:55:00 about five minutes slower than I estimated, but still not bad over all.

Loop 2:

I was on my second loop and reached St. Vrain a little early! I was excited because I had made up the five minutes I lost on my first loop. So down St. Vrain I went... pedaling at maximum cadance... "Stay aero" I thought to myself! Pedal, Pedal, Pedal!!! -- Round and round my legs went! "Weeeeeeeee!!" I always say this, either aloud or in my mind. I had a huge smile on my face and wind in my hair! It was a great day!



Then something happened... something was wrong... my wheels were not rolling correctly... I reluctantly slowed to inspect my tires and I found that my back tire was soft.

"No problem, just change it!" I tried to stay calm and positive about the obvious delay. I had never had a tire go flat during a race before. It was just a bummer to have lost the height of my momentum to a flat tire.

I shifted into my smaller front ring and I was already in the small rear sprocket. I gently moved the cogs away from the chain and the rear derailleur. "Take the Tire off," I had to talk my way through this step by step. It had been years since I changed a tire, especially a rear tire, but I knew how to do it.

I put the plastic tire leavers under the rim trying to break the seal and instead the tire leaver snapped in half. No problem, I had a second leaver. I tried it and had the same result. -- The leavers have been in my bag for years... and I have been so fortunate to have NEVER used them. They were old and brittle and under force they just snapped.

I continued to try to work the tire from the rim. The new tire held strong against my attempt to force it off. Several racers, including a few from CWW, rode past asking if we had everything we needed and I waved them to continue on. It was taking longer than I had hoped, but I thought with a little patience I could get the tire off.

An older man was riding by on his daily bike ride and he stopped to see if I needed any help. I asked if I could use his tire levers, and he abliged. So the "arguement" continued with my rear tire... and after much effort, finally, it was off!

I felt inside the rim to find nothing, then blew a little air into the spare tube to give it a little body before placing it on the rim. Another "arguement" proceeded when I tried to get the tire back on the rim without pinching the tube against the side wall.

Eventually I got the tire back on the rim and I prayed that the tube was not pinched. I proudly assempled my CO2 Cartridge and broke the seal, however I was tenative about putting the air into the tire in fear of the tube exploading due to too much air pressure. My awkward attempt at inflating the tire caused me to waste some of the CO2 in my cartridge, and as a result, I did not get enough air into the tube from the single cartridge. I asked the kind gentleman if he could also spare a C02 cartridge, and with that, I completed the inflation process.

I was nervous about riding on my recently repaired tire. The anxiety about the tire kept me from worrying about my bike split. I was more concerned about having a second flat with no spare tube and only half a C02 Cartridge. In that moment I was seventeen miles from the transition area and I had a Half Marathon waiting for me once I arrived.

The rest of my bike trip was uneventful. I tried not to think of the time it took to change the tire. I remember the sage advice I received from my friend and fellow triathlete, "Don't stop until you finish!" And that would be my moto for the day.

So I made my way back into the reservoir and rode to the dismount line "matting" a total bike time of 4:19:24.

T2: 4:57

So I ran my bike over to my transition area... removed my bike shoes and laced my running shoes.

I could hear the announcer congradulating those who were finishing. His booming voice seemed to pierce my heart. "They're finishing," I thought... tears filled my eyes... I tried not to allow myself to dwell on this for tooo long!

"Don't stop until you finish!"

... so many internal dialogs...

I came here to finish this race and that is what I was going to do! I knew it would take a minimum of three hours and thirty minutes to complete the remaining 13.1 miles that were left... so I grabbed my Fuel Belt and took my first step toward the 13.1 mile run finish.

The Run: 04:19:03 Garmin Run Stats

Loop 1:

By this time the sun was HOT! While it was not 103 degrees like it was the first time I ran this race in 2003, it was still respectfully hot.

The run leg in Boulder takes you around the back side of the Reservoir and offers the runner pure, exposed heat! There are no trees and no buildings to provide shade. The sun seemed to beamed relentlously against my back!

I trotted a little, then I was reduced to a walk. "Just finish!" I thought to myself... just finish.

On the dirt road that circles the Boulder Reservoir there were a stream of vehicles leaving the park. Many were racers that had already finished. "Keep it Going!" "Way to Go!" They rolled down their windows to share their support and encouragement! Some just held up their fists in solidarity... they all know what it takes to finish a race of that distance.

I trotted with a little more vigor, standing as poudly as I could in the face of the heat and the distance that lied before me. I carried in my heart what it meant to me to finish... and had resolved myself to finish the course, stopping only if I had to have medical attention.

The first water station was abandoned. But there was both water and ice! I filled my bottles and drank as much as I could before leaving the station. More cars and more words of encouragement! I felt stong now and was clear about "pressing onward".

"You're gonna make it, you're almost there!" Other runners offered their support thinking that this was my second loop. "Thanks, you too!" I said back omitting the explaination that I would have yet another 6 miles after they crossed the finish line.

To pass the time on the run course, I had planned to think of a special person in my life and pick someone different for each mile. So my thoughts were decided to somone who had touched my life and I thought about the many ways in which this came to be during the distance of that mile.

It was amazing how quickly the miles seemed to pass... as I crested into the next mile and left my thoughts of one person to embrace those of another... I noticed that I wanted to "linger in the thoughts of the previous mile... yet, I was grateful to know that I was somehow managing to progress through the very hot, very long race course.

Loop 2:

I had somehow managed to cover a little over six miles and was heading out on my second loop. At that point I was sure that I would make it, and I had accepted the fact that it would just take quite a bit longer than I had expected.

The heat was relentless! I did what I could to stay ahead of my hydration and nutrition needs. But when I hit mile nine, I wasn't sure how I would get to mile ten.

The guy working the aids station had brought cold sponges and water. I drank from the cup as if I had never tasted water before. My mile pace was slowing even further. "Just keep moving..." I thought to myself.

My mind was strong, but my body was weak... the sun was hot and I was tiring... I knew, from experience, to just keep moving. While it seems like forever, with each effort of "forward motion", I new that the finish line was that much closer.

I pressed onward... barely making it to mile ten. "A 5K... just a little over three miles to go," I bargined with myself. I had a bag of ice that I drapped around my neck to shield me from the sun.

The miles and the ice slowly melted away... I was now on the part of the Boulder course that I knew so well. I ran part of this course for the Olympic Distance Triathlon just a month ago. And I know the final 1.5 mile markers like the back of my hand. While I was wearing a borrowed Garmin 310 Wrist GPS, I knew exactly how far it was to to the finish line.

When I got to mile twelve, I knew I could make it. I was walking at this point, just grateful to still be moving on my own accord.

The side lines that were once lined with spectators was now empty... the remainders of the fishers shoot still standing... and a few very loyal friends were there to recieve me at the finish line!

I don't know who was happier, me or them! I managed to trot the last half mile. My legs heavy with fatigue. The announcer long gone yet I could hear someone announcing my name! "Carla Thompson, here she comes!" What a delightful sound! I picked up my pace as best I could and trotted toward the finish line. Barry and Jody Siff there to present me with my medal! I was the final finisher for the 5430 Long Course 2009!



Post Race Comments:

There are many reasons to choose endurance multi-sports... ...some come to display their Speed, Form and execution... ...others come to face their Precieved Limitations and Break Through them!

For me, this race is about "Perseverence" and "Clarity of Purpose! "Racing this way brings me face to face with my inner core... that very substance that I am made of! ... sometimes it's "Perfect" and sometimes "It ain't Pretty!" ...in either case, it's me... and this sport has taught me a lot about myself!

Big Fun in the Sun...

Swim, Bike, Run!!!

See you all next year for Ironman 70.3 Boulder 2010!!