Date: August 5th, 2017
Distance: Olympic (1 mile swim, 22 mile bike, 10k run)
That's One Way to Start - A decision that you could probably call a mix of ambitious and moronic, my first ever triathlon was a warm-up for the IronMan 70.3 Atlantic City in the same location. I wanted a challenge just six weeks before IMAC to test my progress and learn by tossing myself into the fire. Everything from nutrition to transition to multi-sport longevity would be challenged, so I entered the weekend with a humble attitude and an open mind.
From April through July, I had learned how to bike and swim while maintaining my running mileage from years of training. I had maintained a strict lifting program detailed here and upped my calorie consumption from anywhere between 3,000 and 4,500. Moving through the summer injury-free, I spent my nights and weekends researching everything I could imagine to be best prepared for the first time through a triathlon course. Special thanks in this area to r/Triathlon, Performance Bicycle, the folks from Philly Triathlon Club, and good friends Danny and Tori.
Armed with knowledge, I packed for a rainy morning in my Speedo Tri-Clops bag and secured my road kit onto by Fuji bike for the first time. I decided staying with family closer to the venue would ease my concerns about making the 40 mile trip in time, but barely slept at all. At 4am, my ride came and I shuttled off down the AC expressway in the pouring rain.
Arriving to a well-organized venue was not enough to keep my head from swirling. It took me about 30 mins to get checked-in and find my transition spot, leaving about 20 minutes before close to get set for the first time. Sunrise came and I finished up with a moment to spare, said goodbye to family and headed to the swim start.
The Swim (1 mile) - 36:25 - Slated for a 6:30am start, the rain and looming lightning delayed the start and prompted officials to re-open transition. Admittedly, this took some wind out of my sails and allowed some nerves to creep back in, but it's all part of the old adage that anything can happen on race day. By 6:45am, athletes were crossing the line on the dock and diving in. It was time for my first open water swim.
The first leg is a single loop in the back bay of Atlantic City where the water quality is decent at best. There's absolutely no visibility, but the water is closer to a lake than the open ocean. After jumping in and adjusting my goggles, I found a pocket on the outside of the loop and tried to settle my heartbeat. I ended up shortening my breathing to every other stroke and found my groove.
The loop was not crowded but my sighting was poor and I ended up swimming more than I needed to. Shortening my stroke forced me to drift right and added extra distance. I had yet to purchase a watch to know the exact amount, but I could have been more efficient. I made my final push in the last 50m and charged up the dock onto T1.
The Bike (22 miles) - 1:13:15 - My first transition was slow at 4:27, but not awful for my first ever shift onto the bike. The ride was something I admitted to being apprehensive about before the race, but my nerves melted away as I got onto the AC Expressway. The course is a double loop on the side of a highway with plenty of space to ride and pass. I was a little over-careful during most of the ride because of a bad crash two weeks prior.
The lesson here was to find a cruising speed that I could move at consistently. Again, no watch or tracking data made this tough to evaluate, so I tried to go by feel. With that said, I still could not settle into somewhere between feeling like I could go forever and my legs being on fire. The 22 miles couldn't end soon enough and I welcomed the ride back into Bader Field for T2. I would find my groove over the last leg.
The Run (6.2 miles) - 48:33 - I don't know if it was the brick training or just the will to get off the bike, but from the second I exited T2 (3:23), I felt like I was running downhill. I promised myself I'd ease in and not run out of gas, but I felt fresh and credit my weightlifting regimen for it. I cruised the first mile and a half from Bader Field to the AC boardwalk with a smile on my face, thanking volunteers and cops along the way.
Thankfully, it didn't change. I played the commonly-used game of 'chase the person on the horizon' for 45 minutes and passed more than 50 competitors, expressing encouragement to each one. After a tough go on the bike, this finish gave me the same hope of future improvement that one good golf shot keeps a struggling amateur coming back. I passed my parents (you guys were great!) on the final stretch and crossed the line with more euphoria than relief.
Goal Time - 3:00:00
Total Time: 2:46:05
Overall Place: 251 of 608
Division Place: 23 of 39
Gender Place: 190 of 362
Let's Wrap It Up: What a great experience! Special thank you to Delmo Sports for fantastic race organization and dealing with delays in the best manner possible. This was the test I needed before the half-Iron distance. Finding my bike groove, shaving time off my transitions, and staying in line on my swim are all key takeaways for my next outing. In September, I'll be taking a little more time to focus on my taper to feel recharged at the starting line and getting there a little earlier to setup transition before a warm-up.
Atlantic City, I'll see you soon...
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