Race Coverage

Mom Said, "You Don't Look Too Good"...

Wednesday, 25 June 2014 00:10

By Kortney Haag

REV 3 RACE REPORT - I have always wanted to try out a Rev 3 race but the last couple of years this race didn’t fit into my schedule because it was too close to Ironman Wisconsin with it being in August. This year, however, they moved the race to June so Derek and I decided to give it a go. Derek is racing Ironman Wisconsin this year and so we knew it would be great training for him with the hills…however, he had his appendix removed 4 weeks ago so this was definitely a training race for him. I wanted to do well at this race and use it as a test to see where the fitness is with Kona being 3.5 months out. I knew it was going to be hilly…but WOW I didn’t realize how hilly! Ironman Wisconsin has nothing on this course…I would have cried if I had to do that course one more time!

I didn’t know what to expect that morning as I am not superstitious but during my pre race warm up my bike helmet fell apart and I had to rubber band it together and then I ran over and killed a squirrel when I was warming up on the bike!  ---

The swim was in Lake Delton at the Tommy Barlett Ski Show. It was a time trial start so I wasn’t able to get on anyone’s feet…I was passing a lot of the slower men who started two waves before us so that was frustrating as I really wanted to practice drafting. I am so used to such a cluster at the swim start with a mass start that it was refreshing just jumping in the water and going!

I knew I had a decent swim time – 33:00 not my fastest but not my slowest – I heard after the race that the swim was a little long. The bike was long as well about 57.2 miles when I checked after the race. The hills on the bike just kept coming and coming. There was one hill that was about 1.5 miles long - it was a climb to the ski resort so you can imagine the elevation on that one. There was one time when I thought about getting off and walking! We were warned about a decent on a climb and I made sure to hold my brakes tight – Derek said he went 52 mph down the hill – I think I maxed at about 47… my shoulders hurt from gripping my brakes! I knew I was in a good position on the bike because I was passing men and women and then was just passing men for a long time. I wanted to get a good lead off the bike, as I knew the run course was brutal as well. As I came into T2 I saw Derek and our friend Wade running out. He told me I was number one female and to get going. I decided to wear socks as I am struggling with some pretty bad blisters and bunions. I felt great the first 2 miles of the run clocking about a 6:30 pace…I tried telling myself to slow down but I just rolled with it. There was a huge hill after mile 2 that took my mph down pretty good. The run course was under construction so we had to run on rocky gravel…I just wanted to make sure I didn’t sprain an ankle on it, as some of the rocks were pretty large. The aid stations were about 1.5 miles apart and that felt a little long especially since the run was not shaded at all and it was hot that day (about 77 degrees at the time with high humidity). I was starting to feel the wheels come off at about the turn around point. At the moment I had to start walking some hills…this was my first week of hill training in my periodization plan and so I know what I need to work on…running hills! I told myself 30 sec walk then run....At about mile 10 I started with the coke and kept it up…I got a little wind in me after the coke and the last 3 miles of the run were the worse for hills…it was never flat…EVER! I wanted a sub 5:00 so bad but at that point in the race I just wanted to be done. I knew I had a good lead on second place so I just kept plugging away walking a little and running. The last mile is uphill and then straight into the finish line. I saw my mom, stepdad and kids at that last mile and didn’t want Owen and Keaton seeing me walk so I probably managed a 10 min mile that last mile…My mom said to me “You don’t look too good”…Note to spectators…especially in a half ironman or ironman or any race for that matter – NEVER EVER SAY THAT! Love you Mom!   I finished the race in 5:05 and 16^th overall I think – I am happy with that but know there is still work to be done. On the way home Derek and I talked about never doing that race again but as I sit here writing this race report a part of me feels as though there is unfinished business…. as I am sure a lot of people feel!