Muncie 2012 race report

So, I'm 0-2 for Muncie 1/2 Ironman now.  Last year should've been my 1st 1/2 Ironman - Muncie, and I fractured my elbow a week before it & couldn't race.  This year, due to extremely high temperatures & humidity levels, the Muncie 1/2 Ironman was shortened to a 37.2 instead of 70.3 race...1 mile swim, 30 mile bike & a 10k run.  Boy I was not happy when I heard that!  First they had moved up the start time of the race by 30 min due to the heat, which was OK, but now...another failed attempt at having Muncie be my 1st 1/2 Ironman.  Boo!!!  My entire race plan - out the door now.  And honestly, I wasn't prepared to race at Olympic distance-ish pace (translation...in the heat, I didn't want to)

Aside from a few hiccups, Friday was pretty much the typical day before race day.  Went to athlete check-in, checked out the Ironman store, saw a few friendly faces from back home, listened to the course talk (although I'm still wondering why they said 1 mile swim...but also said the swim was 800m out, right turn for 300m & then 800m back...clearly more than a mile).  Met up with Jamie & Andre, who were also racing.  Had dinner at the same Italian place I did last year...ate what I thought I would, including a beer to calm the nerves.  Checked into the hotel & brought up all my stuff, including the bike...man I packed alot of stuff!!  I didn't make it to the race site, but it was so hot that I wasn't going to check in the bike at transition anyways - so it was no biggie.  Now, to bed early because it was a 3:30am wake up!

Race morning!!  I knew I had to eat & really had to force myself, just wasn't hungry.  The drive to Prairie Creek Reservoir, for anyone who hasn't been there, is down alot of back country roads, one lane roads with not much light.  Arrived at the race probably about 5am & proceeded to pump up the air in my tires before heading to transition.  And yep, I get a flat!  I have an issue with filling up air in my tires, somehow the tip of the stem always gets bent & this time it just broke off.  Great...here's hoping they have bike support at transition as changing a tire was the last thing I wanted to do!!  They did...sweet, love those guys, they make it look so easy...LOL

I have to admit, setting up in transition was difficult because it was still so dark & there wasn't much light.  I couldn't see anything in my bag & it was getting hot & humid.  I wasn't happy at this point.  But I set up & squished everything together & gave my friend Dave my bike pump to put in his car as he happened to be going back to it..one less thing to carry back!  I was in the 1st age group row of bikes, next to the pros.  I turned around at my transition spot & who do I see setting up her stuff, basically right next to me, but Mirinda Carfrae!  How cool.  She is much tinier in person than I remembered.  As much as I wanted to say hi or get a pic with her, she was there to race & was setting up like everyone else so I left her alone...just secretly hoped her being near me would make me faster...LOL

The water temp was 88. Great.  I've always said I prefer warmer than colder...was this Karma biting me in the butt?  88?  Really?  And it felt every bit of 88 and once the sun came out, it got worse.  My swim was much slower than I expected.  2 things I dealt with - the strap on my Garmin came loose from the loop than holds it in place & I could feel it dragging in the water - so twice I stopped to fix it.  And the hot water got to me...I was not feeling good in the water & it showed in my time.  I did haul a$$ up the LONG uphill run into T1 after the swim though...T1 was a bit long due to me putting on those white cooling sleeves...couldn't get them on & the jury's still out as to whether they helped or not.  Not sure I'll race with them again.

I initially felt good on the bike.  The course is mostly flat with just a few rollers.  I seemed to be cruising along pretty good, had my nutrition down & somewhere around mile 10 just started running out of gas.  I adjusted my nutrition a bit to take in more calories, but slowly started seeing my average mph drop.  I eventually brought it back up but not to where I feel I could've been.  Due to the shortened course, there were 2 turn arounds - which I didn't like one bit.  Maybe it was the dead skunk I passed 3 times & had to smell :(  I did master my 1st time grabbing bottles on the bike & tossing the old ones though...woo hoo for me!!

Cruising into T2 I felt OK & after a quick potty break was out on the run.  Had Garmin

So overall, not a good race for me. I think part of it was psychological - shortening the race messed me up.  Knowing I now had to do a full Ironman without ever doing a 1/2 (potentially) was bugging me too.  The other part obviously was the heat...it was brutal and as much as I have been training in it these past few weeks, it was bad.  Learned a few things that I hope to take with me to the next race.  And next year?  Do I hope 3rd time's a charm?  Or will it be 3 strikes and I'm out?  Honestly, Schaumburg tri is the same weekend & that was my 1st tri ever & I had taken 3rd in my AG in it...have been wanting to go back & see what I can do...this might just be a sign that I need to move on from Muncie next year!

This was Team Bee Line...a fun time had by all despite everything!!!