Training for Two: Muncie 70.3 and pictures!

Muncie 70.3 race report

This was by far the most fun race I’ve ever done! Probably because of many factors: expectation-free because of 12 weeks post-baby and my first half-iron, Muncie is a great place to race, not far away from home, perfect weather, and MOST of all my sister came and did it with me!

So, I’ll put in too much detail for everyone to read but I want it so feel free to just skim the rest or go to the bottom with pictures and race results.

Scott was on a high-adventure all week and didn’t think he would be home till I had already left for the race on Friday. Well, I got a call Thursday from him saying he would be home Friday morning! I was SO happy! Emi didn’t sleep well for me the last couple days and I was ready for more than 4 hours of sleep in a night. I guess I was so happy that night that I didn’t sleep either (3 hours broken up in 3 segments). Emi on the other hand slept AWESOME! 11 weeks old and she ate at 8, down at 9pm and slept till 8am! AMAZING, just wish I could capitalize on it!

Well, Scott came home and I took a nap and then left so we really didn’t get to see each other for more than a few minutesL. I picked my sister up from the Indianapolis airport and we drove to the race check-in/expo. In the bathroom of the expo I discovered that my battery pack for my pump didn’t work! So, I found a secluded place with a pump and did my business. Oh the trials of a mom! J

Packet pickup was quick and we stayed and talked to some vendors. Shameless plug… there was one vendor that was a new goo-type product. They espouse that their product will not cause stomach problems. I tried both kinds and it was DELICIOUS! I plan on buying some online and trying it on my longer days. I have never been able to take goos. I talked to them for a while since the guys there were the owners. The one who started it was a collegiate runner and then joined the military. He said he used to mix chia seeds and water in Afghanistan and it got him through so he then developed this 100% natural goo when he got home. I also ate a whole bunch of bonk breaker taste tests because they are AMAZING! My sis says that I should write them in the fall to try to get them to give me free product, we’ll see how that goes, better get faster!

We went to the course to do a little shake out bike ride. I had already run a little that morning and just wanted to do 15 minutes on the bike. We both had to go to the bike mechanic people. My bike seriously rides SO much better because of them. It was a huge difference! I guess that’s what happens when you haven’t lubed your bike for a year!

We stayed 25 minutes away since all the hotels were taken when I started to look. I had made some brown rice pasta, sauce, and chicken for us to have for dinner. We went to Wal-Mart and picked up some water bottles to be able to throw on the ride.

I must have pre-race insomnia because I got about 4 hours that night too. I woke up at 12 and just couldn’t go back to sleep till much later. Well, we woke up and ate (pamela’s pancakes, banana, peanut butter) and went to the course. We somehow got to park RIGHT next to transition, SO blessed! I was a little worried about how this whole pumping situation would work out. I posted on the Facebook page to ask if there was a place I would be able to have a plug to pump. Someone with a house across the street said I could pump there.

After setting up transition I went to their house to pump, found the plug on the porch and couldn’t put my plug in because the plug had a plastic cover over that wouldn’t move out of the way enough! I was worried and started walking around their house to find a different plug. Their garage door was open and so I went and pumped in their garage. The wife came out as I had a couple more minutes left and I explained my self. Thankfully her husband had told her about me! She was very kind and let me finish up even though she wanted to go down to the start. I left my bag right out side her house and went over to the start. By this time it was after 7 as I headed to the start. My wave was second to go in the water. Meredith was going to do my hair but we just didn’t feel like we had time.

We were on the outside corner and I was going to try to stick on her feet for a few minutes, after the start I think I saw her hit the water, maybe not even that. I never saw her feet. I got a little rallied in the water the whole way. I kept hitting a good stride and then would get pulled, hit, water in my face, etc. I couldn’t see much because my goggles kept fogging and the sun was in the way too. I stopped something like 5 times to clear my goggles. I didn’t do that last year and was very glad I did this year. I also kicked harder at the end right before getting out, which gets blood to your legs so you don’t feel as unsteady getting out of the water.

I was able to get out at 38:05 which was great for being in the pool a total of 10 times before the race. My transitions are always slow. My sister asked me “what do you DO in transition?” At least the transition was faster than last year (not by much though). I was off on my bike. I was cruising averaging above 22 when I looked at it and thought “uhoh.” I’ve only been training on my trainer and went on one ride outside before the race. That one ride was only 2 hours and was in the POORING rain. So, I couldn’t even tell how fast I would be able to go on that ride. I scared myself and slowed it down a little. In hind site I shouldn’t have, but I guess that’s what race experience is for. My sister and I didn’t go to the athlete meeting so we were both surprised that there was a 3/4mile no pass zone. After that zone I saw Scott and Emi!!! It was just what I needed there and I even teared up a little seeing them. I didn’t have any idea when I would because Scott was planning on being up there for the start but hadn’t gotten much sleep and slept through 4 alarms on his phone. He left the house a little before the race started. Well, a little after I saw them my attitude went down the drain. The road condition was AWEFUL! Last year we didn’t have to go on this part of the road. I couldn’t wait for the turnaround! I also was so excited to be able to see Scott and Emi. It kept me going knowing that I would be able to see them again at the end of the awful road!

Oh I forgot, a little over an hour into the bike I was calculating my nutrition. I was planning on taking around 200cals/hour. I was STARVING after a little over an hour and couldn’t figure out why this nutrition plan wasn’t working for me. I then realized, I’m a nursing mom! Of course I need more nutrition than normal! So, I was craving bars not just goos and chews and liquid. I was a little worried because solid food can make your stomach a little upset. I ended up doing about 400cal/hour! I then did about 150/hour on the run.

My goal for the bike was to not let any women pass me and I had 2 pass me. They weren’t in my age group though! I kept going back and forth with this 20-year-old guy.

I got off the bike for T2 and my legs felt so so weird! I’ve done several bricks (bike then run) and I never have felt that weird coming off the bike. T2 was slow, like always. I changed my jersey into one I made that said 12 weeks postpartum. Also went to the porta-potty. My goal for the run was to not let anyone, guy or girl, pass me. The first mile you always have to tell yourself to go slower because you think that. My first mile was 6:37, 7:05, 6:50, 6:50, 6:52, 6:49, 6:49. 7:05, 7:01, 6:59, 7:11, 7:09, 7:13 (1.1). At about 10 miles to go on the bike I started realizing that I had the possibility to go under 5 hours. I kept calculating out what I was going to have to run to be able to break 5 hours.

I actually felt really, really good the whole run and thought to pick it up, but didn’t want to crash and burn. One guy barely passed me around 4 miles and I went with him, just behind him. I didn’t want to let him go but he slowly drifted from me. I kept him in my eye site the whole race. He probably finished 20-30 seconds in front of me. I felt good until the last two miles. I think I got a little heat exhaustion. I also never feel anything that hurts usually but my foot hurt the last couple miles. With two miles I was sure that I could make it under 5 hours! I got to see Scott and Emi one more time at the finish line! When I saw the race clock I kind of freaked out because I thought I had 5 seconds to cross the finish line to break 5. I sprinted it in the last couple feet and came in when the seconds said 59. I was confused because I thought our wave went off at 7:17 but it went off at 7:19 so I did break 5! 4:58.59! My first half ironman!

Right after, I went to try to find Scott and Emi and got to hang out with them and we went to go pump. We found Meredith as well and we had a little freak-out-hug-party.

I was an awesome, fun, amazing experience! Thanks to all who helped support me and cheer me on! Thanks for the text messages from everyone! I’m so blessed to have people who love me so much! Thanks to my husband for coming and brining our little one to cheer. It helped me so much and I wouldn’t have been able to accomplish my goals if they hadn’t come! I know it took a lot of time and effort on his part to make that happen! Thanks to my sister and BGFF. I hope that someday this will become a more common occurrence and we will be able to live closer together to be able to train, race, cook/bake, and hang out together! I wouldn’t have been able to break 5 hours without her here and seeing her on the course cheering me on! She always knew I could break 5 hours even though I said no way! That’s what family is for right, believing more in the person than they do themselves. The only thing I wish was different this weekend is that it was longer, lots, lots, longer…

Edit: I had to add that my sister did AMAZING too! She didn't taper at all for the race and used the day as an awesome training day. She didn't wear a wet suit and still had the fastest swim time in our division and also had the fastest bike in our division! I can;t wait to see her bust it out in Louisville and do amazing in Kona and Arizona!

And for the photo bomb!