Muncie 70.3 Half Ironman

Yesterday was the Muncie 70.3 Half Ironman. A full day of fun in the sun… and wind.
A great day for a little swim, bike and run… with about 2,000 other participants.

The day starts out very early arriving at transition before sunrise. It’s your time to park the car, pull out your bike, take it into the Transition Area, and set-up all of your gear for the rest of the day. Set out your shoes, your helmet, your food, sunscreen, sunglasses, etc. All set-up in some sensible order so you’re not freaking out when it comes time to switch from one segment to the next.

The first part of the triathlon is the SWIM. Not my favorite. Let me just say that I don’t really know how to swim. I might be the only one who does the entire race with the side-stroke?!!! And to add insult to injury, they determined that the water in the Prairie Creek Reservoir was too warm for people to wear their wetsuits. Luckily… they would allow those racers who “want” to wear them to wait until the newly added Wave 19. The proclaimed “Party Wave.” So I ended up waiting almost another hour to start my race so that I could wear my wetsuit. Me and well over a hundred others who rely on their wetsuits for added buoyancy. So we finally get into the water and start the swim… and by “swim” I mean pushing, shoving, kicking, splashing and trying to get past everyone else who is trying to get past you. Luckily, I’m pretty slow… so eventually everyone passes me and the water calms down so I can get my stroke on. After a long & grueling 1.2 miles, it’s finally time to climb out of the water and make it back to the Transition Area.

Next up is the BIKE portion… my favorite!!! So you peel off the wetsuit, throw on your biking shoes & helmet and head off down the road. The route starts out weaving its way through some rough roads and small neighborhoods to get to Highway 35. Luckily, the highway has been recently paved so it was nice and smooth. It’s a double loop ride, so you ride out & back, then out & back again… before weaving back to the Transition Area again. The first leg gout “out” was great. A beautiful day with a bit of a cross breeze and gently rolling hills. At the first turn-around we quickly realized that it wasn’t in fact a cross-breeze… but now we were faced with a strong headwind!!! So now it’s rolling hills and a HEADWIND!!! Not so fun. So it’s twice around the loops and then back. The bike portion was great. I love hills, and I’m okay with wind… so I was pretty happy with the bike. After a quick 56 miles, it’s back again to the Transition Area.

Off with the helmet. Off with the biking shoes. Switch to running shoes, dry socks…
smear on some sunscreen, grab some food, down some Gatorade… and you’re off again!!!

So now it’s the RUN portion of the race… and by “run” I mean a slow rambling stumble at the beginning, which eventually turns into a slow & steady jog. Le me just say that the first mile is not so much fun. Your legs aren’t quite there for running. They’re still in bike mode… and getting the muscles to change over takes a bit of time. Eventually you get your groove back and then the jogging begins. It’s an out-and-back route, so those people finishing their run are coming in on one side of the road, as you’re still heading out on the other. A little disheartening to see everyone form the earlier Waves finishing already as you’re just starting out. The other “surprise” was how the winds that hindered us on the Bike were nowhere to be found on the run. I was looking forward to the cooling breezes. Nope. Instead we had thirteen miles of sun!!! Having pushed a little too hard last week, I decided to pace myself a little better this time. I slowed it down and took it carefully up & over the hills. Yes, I said hills!!! Let’s just say that we don’t have hills in Chicago, so I have VERY little experience running hills. And the treadmill doesn’t help you run DOWN hills?!

Eventually you make it back… after thirteen miles of jogging up & down hills… you make it to the final stretch. You can hear the crowd and the announcer at the Finish Line. But as every good race seems to have…. there’s one last hill to climb up before you can call it done. But the adrenaline sets-in and it’s a quick sprint through the Finish Line!!! And you’re done!!! WHOO-HOO!!!

As you cross the line they announce your name as an official Ironman finisher!!! You get your medal, and souvenir hat, a bottle of water and they take off your timing chip. A bit of awkward walking. A little sore stumbling. And you’ve got to keep moving before the soreness sets in. But SO EXCITING!!! I’ve done it again!!!

My friend Tracy was also there – doing her first Muncie 70.3 Ironman!!! She did a Half Ironman last summer, but today was her first time in Muncie. She did a great job… but wasn’t so happy with the hills & wind and the bike, and the heat, sun and HILLS on the run! She said the Muncie route was a lot harder than the Steelhead 70.3 Ironman she did last summer in Wisconsin. Needless to say… she FINISHED too!!! Way to go Tracy!!!

After a wonderful massage in the Massage Tent, we had some food, photos and fun before I hopped in my car to drive home. It’s a long drive home sitting in the car for several hours as you feel the muscles tightening up. Not looking forward to getting out of the car at the end of the road trip. Let alone, carry all of my bags & bike up the three flights of stairs to my place! Ouch!!!

But now it’s done… Another Half Ironman done!!!
A great kick-off to this summer’s triathlon season. I’ve got two more scheduled…
with the BIG ONE just three months from yesterday!!! Uh oh… might need to learn how to swim?!!!

 

 

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