Gulf Coast Triathlon 2008

For my 60th birthday, I wanted to achieve a new athletic goal:   A half-ironman triathlon.   So, last November, I signed up for the Gulf Coast Triathlon.  The GCT consists of a 1.2 mile swim in the Gulf of Mexico, followed by a 56-mile bike ride and topped off with a half-marathon (13.1 mile) run.

After I signed up, it occurred to me that perhaps I should start training.  I had very little experience swimming in open water (lake swimming, but not much) and no experience at all swimming in the ocean.   I used the pool at the New Richmond YMCA, practicing a mile swim.  When I realized I could easily swim that far in the pool, I was encouraged.  It remained to be seen, though, whether the pool experience would translate to open water swimming in the Gulf of Mexico surrounded by hundreds of thrashing competitors. 

Training for the bike ride was also tough because of the winter weather.  Most of the other competitors were from southern states, and they could ride outdoors twelve months of the year.  Riding indoors on a trainer is not a lot of fun, nor is it really very good practice for the reality of headwinds, balance, getting proper fluids, and all the other factors that come into play in a "real" bike race.  I was beginning to think that I gotten in over my head when I realized that there would be 1800 competitors in this race.  

Training for the run has been part of my life for the past 30 years.  I had plenty of experience, and the confidence that goes with it, for the run.  Besides, running all winter in Wisconsin, though difficult, is something that I was used to doing.

Training was tough, but when race day arrived, I felt as ready as I could be.  It was overcast and warm at the start, but it got a lot hotter as the day progressed.  By the time the run started for me, the temperature was 82 degrees with 72 percent humidity.  When the half-marathon was over, the temperature had climbed to 87 and the humidity hovered near 71 percent.

I was careful, though, to take fluids and not go "all-out" in this, my first half-ironman triathlon.

The swim was not as difficult as I thought it might be.  Actually, I enjoyed the swim once I figured out how to relax.  The bike ride took longer than it should have, but I was trying to be sure to leave enough energy for that half-marathon I faced following the 56 miles on the bike.  The run was very tough, with the heat and humidity, combined with the fact that my energy level was depleted by the preceding events.  I wasn't used to seeing so many young, fit athletes walking in a half-marathon.  I was determined to at least shuffle between water stops until the final stretch, where I had to walk for awhile because I felt I was developing a heat problem.

My conservative approach paid off.  After the race,  I was shocked to learn that I had placed second in my age group.  All things considered, the Gulf Coast Triathlon was a positive experience.  The race was extremely well-organized.  I'm inspired to do more of these races in the future.