Saturday I went to Louisville to do the Cardinal Harbor Half Ironman Triathlon. The swim was in the Ohio Reiver, and that was themain reason I went - I wanted to know what it was like to swim in the river so I was prepared for IM Lou 2009. The bike also covered some of the IM course, so that was a bonus also, to see some of the course.
Forecast was for a high of 96 - this is not good - I am not a good hot weather runner. But oh well, everyone has the same conditions. I racked my bike, went to check out the water, came back, and Heather Gollnick had racked her bike next ti mine! Heather Gollnick! pro, multiple im winner! She was in town for a clinic and they talked her into doing the race too. Got to talk to her several times, super nice woman, friendly, willing to talk to everyone. The swim was great. I really enjoyed it. Nice comfortable water temperature, water quality was good, little current. I think this was better than some of the awful hot, choppy swims in some midwest lakes. Onto the bike, and I was expecting a mix of hills and flat, like Bloomington, but I was surprised to find just hills, big hills, short hills, long gradual hills. Maybe 1-2 miles of flat out of 56. It was not a rhythm course. I'd rate it as one of the hardest bike courses I've ridden in the midwest. The hills weren't big, long, steep, just relentless. Again, I'm glad to know what to expect at IM Lou. I got off the bike in 3rd (not counting Heather). It was a small race, 100 people, so I was hoping to hold my 3rd place, or even move up. The runstarted up the road out of transition, right turn, first aid station. Manned by kids, they just dispensed tons of water into cups which had been sitting in the heat, and they were all warm (note to RD - tell kids not to pour drinks out so far ahead of time in hot temps). Out of the neighborhood, right turn, few small hills, pass a neighborhood entrance with big fountain, was tempted to dunk my head, but t would have meant an extra 50 yards, so I skipped it. Right turn, half mile and aid station #2 - this must have been near mile 3. Pass the station and half mile later turn around, back to same aid station. The volunteers were great, giving cold drink, and I just kept running straight back to prev turn, this time left, left again, all the way back to aid station number 1, and I'm asking where the turn around is, and the volunteer is like 'what? - you missed it way back by the first turn around!' ANd I'm so pissed! Not sure what to do, my race is already over as I've already run an extra 3 miles now if I run back to the 3 loops. I just keep running just to burn the energy that is seething in my brain. Back to that aid station and now one of the rd's are there, along with the aid station volunteers. Apparently I was supposed to have turned right at that aid station, but neither of the women told me, and I did see a light purple chalked arrow on the road right in front of the aid station indicating a right tunr. Well, light purple is not exactly a standout color on gray pavement, and at the aid station I was looking at the aid station, not the ground. ANd 2 volunteers, they just let me run straight instead of turning. I just don't get it. I told the RD, and she was so sorry. She tried to think of what I could do, but nothing was going to let me run a fair course now, fair to myself or to the others. SO my race was over I ran back to my bike , packed up, and waited for Kim to finish her race. I know its the racers responsibility to know the course, but the course must be marked well, and I ran past 4 volunteer turns where I was directed back toward the start/finish before someone told me I missed the turn! At first I was indifferent, and I had an ok training day. But when I saw/heard that 5 other people (including the lead man had the same mistake!), I was miffed. Then when I saw one of the women ahead of me off the bike come shuffling in , looking very slow, I knew I might have been to move up one more spot, assuming I didn't melt down in the heat. If if if. Its water under the bridge. Too bad. DNF number 1 of 2008.
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