Leadman (0.65) Race Report

I am little (ok a lot) delayed writing this.  Been slacking off some since the event ended but also enjoying the weather, mountain biking and working on the yard and garden.  I digress, this race was kind of a last minute idea.  I started to see the advertisements in Triathlete magazine.  I had signed up for the full, but somehow managed to injure my hip (I am not one to get injured so this was new).  I spent 6 weeks in physical therapy, dry needling, and acupuncture.  My time on the bike and running was limited to shorter efforts.  I made a decision the week of the race to drop down to what they called the Half Leadman.  This would be a 1.55 mile swim (vs 3.1), a 74 mile bike (vs 140) and the same 14 mile run as the Full Leadman.  Hence my 0.65 in the title.

I convinced my buddy Scott to do this with me.  He would still be doing the full Leadman event.  We decided we would drive to Vegas and save on flight and rental car.  It would be a 12 hour drive.  We took off Thursday at 7am for a long drive of chatting and listening to music.  We arrived at the Paris Hotel and Casino around 7pm that night, where I had a free suite hooked up, keeping the cost of the race quite low.  Friday we checked into the race and went over to the transition area for a short swim, bike and run at Lake Mead National Recreation Area.

Race time would begin at 6:30am so we got to bed early for the 3:45 wakeup call.  I ate a banana, 2 protein bars upon waking along with 2 cups of coffee.  We headed over to the race venue and started to setup.  The race was very well organized with only 44 or so competitors (6 relay teams, 8 people in the half, and 30 for the full).  It was a small field to say the least.  We had changing tents for T1 and T2 with our own seats in each tent.  I placed all my stuff in various bags including the finish bag, as the run was a point to point and would end a shuttle ride away from the start.  Time to head down to the water for a group start, all competitors at once.  This would be quite enjoyable, as 44 people or so would be far less than the 2500+ at an Ironman swim.

Swim 1.55 miles in 1:02 exactly.

Well not entirely pleased with my swim, but I was very relaxed, maybe too relaxed.  The water was calm and clear as was my mind.  I exited the water figuring I still had about another 6 or so hours to work, so stay calm and focused.

T1 1:36 - wow enough said for me, but I do think they must have stripped my wetsuit pre timing chip pad.

Bike 74 miles 5 hours 20 minutes

Argh!  This was supposed to be 69 miles and trust me by the end the additional miles were more than enough.  The race director said based on the logistics they could move the turnaround out 2 miles or in 2 miles, they went longer.  This ride was horrific.  60mph gusts and all hills.  The slight wind at my back turned into a frontal onslaught coming back.  The temperature start pushing up into the 90s, peaking at 97 degrees.  I imagined that I was riding uphill on the way out.  I figured I'd pick up speed on the way back, with the wind no way.  I had almost an exactly even split.  So just to note a 60 mph gust will slow you down to 4mph going friggin downhill.  It will also push you out into the road when it hits you cross ways.  Hard to stay tucked in aero.  3400 feet of climbing in those 74 miles.  So thankful I was only doing the "half."

Anyway about 10 miles from being done, I just start laughing at the ridiculousness of it all.  I really wanted to quit, accept my first DNF and move on.  I decided I didn't have any other plans for the day so I would just chip away at the run and eat and drink at the aid stations.  I arrived at T2 with lots of cheers and encouragement, which made my decision to move on a little easier.

T2 3:37 not bad considering I took my time and had some fuel.

Run 14 miles 3 hours 2 minutes

Holy crap!  I knew I had a slight uphill to get out of the first mile of tranisition.  Yeah, the point to point run had 12 miles uphill and 2 miles slightly flat to down.  1800 feet of climbing with the final 5 miles at 10% grades up a friggin mountain for all intents and purposes.  It was insane and hot and my legs hurt.  I would run, walk, run, walk.  It was more like shuffle, shuffle slower.  Take in aid at the aid stations, laugh with the volunteers about the insanity of it all.  There were more volunteers than racers and they were so friendly.  I figured this was my adventure, be mindful, enjoy the pain.  The finish was set up beautifully after that long ass hill.  I cruised in, pumped my fists and promptly looked for food and water.  9 hours 29 minutes later I was done, a bit off of my 7 hour expectation, but good enough for 3rd place of the 7 men who started (4 finished) the half and my first and probably last mention in a Slowtwitch or any endurance sport news article.  Sometimes persistence beats speed.  Or as my wife said well you just needed to do something crazy enough that nobody else would do it.  Per Chuckie V an apt description.

I talked to the timing folks who said Scott had not started the run.  So I got a shuttle back to the start.  It looked like a war zone.  The Leadman had blown up the field.  Bodies lying around the start covered in ice bags, some stuck with IVs for fluid.  I found Scott who had puked and cramped on the full bike (140 miles of the hell I previously described, actually got hillier in the Valley of Fire).  His arrival to T2 was not the cheering encouragement that I received, but more of the it's OK, call it a day variety.  That seems psychologically unfair, I wonder what happened to the mood.  He was bummed but very happy for me.  He's a great friend!  We loaded up our stuff and headed back to the Paris.  It would be a nice buffet meal and early bed to get up for our 12 hour drive back to CO.  At the end of the day I'll probably remember talking on those long drives as much as any of what happened at the race.

Happy Training!