Race Report: IRONMAN 70.3 Chattanooga 2017
This is my retirement race. I decided to do this after last year when a friend of mine and I did Florida together and had a blast. We wanted to do our annual race together. Lauren is always a step ahead of me and I've never beat her in a race. But we have fun racing together. We picked Chattanooga because of timing and because of the word of mouth reviews. For me, this would be near the end of the season (before summer surface-of-the-sun heat arrives). For Lauren, this is an early season race (Massachusetts is so far north). It's kind of a middle point, albeit closer to me in the South.
During training for the race, I decided this would be it for long course. Hence, this is my retirement. I just don't have the mental strength to train for long course events. I enjoy shorter distances much better. I struggled with the Be Iron Fit training programs this cycle, especially during peak phase when the runs were long and the rides were even longer. Pep-talking myself became a routine thing. "Fun" just was not something I found frequently during training.
Race Week
I spent most of race week fretting over the weather. First, it was highs in the 90s all day on Sunday. Then, it was a chance of thunderstorms all day. As the week went along, the forecast increased to 90% chance of thunderstorms Saturday night and all day Sunday. Great! Since we rack bikes the day before, I was also worried about strong storms blowing over racks in transition and having mechanicals. I probably worried too much but that is what I do.
We arrived in Chattanooga on Friday later in the day and walked around the downtown area. Our hotel was about a quarter-mile off of the main section of town but still everything was within a mile walk.
Saturday we picked up our packets and did a practice swim from a park on the river. Well, Lauren swam. I just stood around. Can you say endless pool? The Chickamunga dam is about 5 miles or so upstream from downtown and it was moving about 47,000 cfs out of the dam at that time. Swimmers could not move against the current and simply stopping got you swept away downstream. This would be an interesting swim. Everyone was confident they would shut off the dam but with rain in the forecast, you never know.
Race Day
We got up early and noticed the rain had stopped. Hopefully our bikes would be ok.
We drove down to transition and parked downtown. Chattanooga is a great town and there was plenty of parking. It also was walkable and inexpensive to find downtown parking. We set up transition and headed to the shuttles to the swim start. My awesome Sherpa for the race, my wife Kim, handled all of our gear and made sure I didn't lose anything. I forgot flip flop throw-aways and I did not realize that morning clothes would be at swim start. So I had to walk barefoot to the start. It wasn't bad but I probably should have read the athlete guide so I would have been more comfortable.
Swim (21:38)
The swim course is a mostly down river swim starting from the opposite bank of the river. Athletes would head upriver for about 300 yards, turn across the river and then turn down toward downtown. The current has varied from year to year, based on race reports. Overall, swim times were expected to be faster. Swimmers self-seed by anticipated swim time and then start by jumping off of a dock into the river in a rolling fashion. It would take about an hour for all swimmers to get into the water. The water was wetsuit legal for amateurs at 73 degrees, officially.
Lauren and I lined up around the 45 minute group. This was a bit conservative, in my opinion, given we typically swim around 40 minutes. After the pro wave went off at 6:50a, the officials announced they were shortening the swim course to a little over 0.8 miles. They were cutting off 500yds of upriver swim. There must have been concern over the current for the amateur athletes. I'm not sure if the pros were struggling or if the support craft had issues. We did notice that the boats were floating down river if they weren't paddling but I didn't think it was an overly strong current, as we saw the day before. Either way, we have no control over that so just focus on swimming. Some athletes were happy and others disappointed at not covering exactly the full 70.3.
As we watched the swim start, we noticed it was difficult for many to swim across the current without drifting downstream. I decided to swim wide left so that I had a margin of error in case I started drifting. I had no problems with this or the rest of the race. I set into a nice easy pace and tried to avoid people. Keeping my heart rate down and in check was the key. Since this was a down river swim, I had planned to take it easy (even if I was slow) and let the current assist me in whatever form. It was highly crowded in the swim and the swim exit was extremely slow. The water was surprisingly clear for about three feet in front, so you could see feet and people in the water around you. No taste of gasoline or other typical "river" smells as others have reported.
My only regret in the swim was using my full-sleeve wetsuit. I overheated about halfway through as water temps were in the 74 degree range. My sleeveless would have been much better for this race but I was concerned with the amount of rain the night before making the water cooler. It wasn't a major factor but I definitely felt hot coming out of the swim.
T1 (5:19)
Transition had a long run from the water to the area. It was a pretty slow transition due to this uphill run. I had trouble putting on my bike gloves. Typically, I don't wear them but I had them because of the rain chance. I did not want to risk slipping on the handlebars so I decided to wear the gloves.
Bike (2:56:42)
The bike course is a one-loop course with rolling hills. There are two "climbs" on the course: a steep but short hill on Andrews Rd and a more gradual uphill toward the town of Chickamunga. Of course, there are two descents that follow. Other than that the rolling hills are very gradual but relentless. There are very few sections of "flat" racing. Wind can be a factor in this race, since it is mostly in a valley pass. I prepared for this race by watching YouTube videos of people driving the course. Even though they were hours long, it did provide a grounding since I would not be able to ride or drive the course. It proved to be useful in identifying key trouble spots or areas where I could get back time.
We started with an uphill right out of transition, so the first half mile to mile of the course was uphill. I tried to get ahead of some people right out of the gate but realized that would be difficult. Before leaving the city area, there are several rail road crossings, which caused some stress about flatting and losing gear from the bike. Luckily, I did not have any issues with the crossings. I settled in to my plan. Riding by heart rate was going to make sure I did not burn out on the bike. Previous experience will note that I tend to blow up on the bike and realize it too late.
The course was very crowded. Giant packs of cyclists all along the road. There were very few breaks to get ahead of a pack. Otherwise, it was impossible not to draft as there were cyclists as far as could be seen. Just the undulating nature of the course made slowing on uphills and bunching up a fact of life. I spent more energy trying not to draft (sprinting past packs and checking up on the back of groups) than anyone would save drafting. It was a mess. The shortened swim most likely did not spread out the field and the narrow nature of the course did not give people ample room to really stretch out once the bike started. It was not anyone's fault but just circumstance. Nothing to be done. I figured if I got a penalty, then so be it. There was nothing I could do.
I really enjoyed the short climbs and especially the descents. Climbing and descending are my two favorite parts of cycling. I don't have the power to be a sprinter or time-trialist. I was able to get ahead of most of the packs on the climbs and then had some pretty open road to descend. No technical descents meant that it was straight and wide coming down the hills at 40+ mph.
T2 (2:57)
No real issues in T2. Another long run-out onto the course but overall I just did what I could.
Run (2:01:24)
The run is two loops around the downtown area and across the river bridges. It is a highly technical run course with several sharp turns and steep ascent/descents. There are sections of road and sections of wooden slatted bridges that could be tricky. The course is also narrow in most parts. I had studied the course maps but did not run the course beforehand nor did I see a video. I had no idea what to expect. There would be bridges. That was about all I knew ahead of time. Aid stations were placed about every mile on the course.
The first lap I held a pretty average pace and walked through each water stop. I wanted to get the lay of the course and make sure I was hydrated/fueled. I had to stop and pee about mile one, which was planned. If I kept going, I'd have to stop somewhere around mile 10, completely blowing any momentum. I am always happiest when I get on the run. This is my sport and I am so happy not to be on the bike.
On the second lap, I let it go. I started to add ice/sponges to my water stops and did not walk them. I increased my pace, especially on the downhills and passed many people. It was very satisfying to have nobody pass me as I ran by people who were now walking or slowing down on the second lap. I did try to negative split this run, which is something I rarely do. I felt really good moving through the second lap. Keeping an even but progressing effort was tough but necessary to ensure meeting my goals.
I had to walk one hill on the second lap. This was anticipated after doing the first lap. Right before the Veteran's Bridge there is a very steep lead-up. I thought it would be on the actual bridge but it was on a side street before the bridge. Overall, the bridges were not nearly as steep as the causeways I run normally in Clearwater. I had braced for much steeper and longer climbs. That being said, the run was a little tougher than I expected. It was relentless with consistent up and down motion. It was also highly technical. I was happy for the shade and the very well run aid stations.
Overall (5:28:00)
Yes, my overall time is officially 5:28:00 flat according Ironman; another feat that I have never accomplished. Thankfully, the weather held out all day. It did not rain nor did it lightning. In fact, the weather was nearly perfect. There was cloud-cover for a majority of the day and it was dreary but dry. The sun did come out for a little on the run but was in and out. It never got hot. The humidity felt high given the moisture in the air but the temperature was low. We were very lucky for the good racing weather.
If you could call something a perfectly executed race, this is it. I had a written race plan, as I usually do for long-course triathlons. I executed it perfectly. I was able to stick to my heart rate zones, nutrition plans, and logistic plans. With swim course help, I achieved my goal of a sub 6-hour event (add in 15 or 20 minutes for the swim and I still would be under 6). I also achieved my goal of a sub 3-hour bike. I did not hit my goal for a sub-2 hour run, however I had a negative split and was only over by one minute. I consider this race one of my most successful races. Could I have been faster? Yes. Were my transitions slower than usual? Yes. Did I leave it all out on the course? No. But I still consider this one of my best races. I did EXACTLY what I planned and resisted efforts to stray from my plan. I also had a negative split on the run by three minutes. That in itself is a win. And now...long course retirement.
Chattanooga is a great race and a great race venue. I thoroughly enjoyed the course and the venue. If I were not retired, I would definitely consider this venue for a return trip. The city is hosting the full Ironman race in the fall and also the 70.3 World Championships later this year. Whatever you feel about the downriver swims, this race is well done. I see why it is consistently voted one of the best races for both half and full distance events.
During training for the race, I decided this would be it for long course. Hence, this is my retirement. I just don't have the mental strength to train for long course events. I enjoy shorter distances much better. I struggled with the Be Iron Fit training programs this cycle, especially during peak phase when the runs were long and the rides were even longer. Pep-talking myself became a routine thing. "Fun" just was not something I found frequently during training.
Race Week
I spent most of race week fretting over the weather. First, it was highs in the 90s all day on Sunday. Then, it was a chance of thunderstorms all day. As the week went along, the forecast increased to 90% chance of thunderstorms Saturday night and all day Sunday. Great! Since we rack bikes the day before, I was also worried about strong storms blowing over racks in transition and having mechanicals. I probably worried too much but that is what I do.
We arrived in Chattanooga on Friday later in the day and walked around the downtown area. Our hotel was about a quarter-mile off of the main section of town but still everything was within a mile walk.
Welcome to Choo Choo!
Saturday we picked up our packets and did a practice swim from a park on the river. Well, Lauren swam. I just stood around. Can you say endless pool? The Chickamunga dam is about 5 miles or so upstream from downtown and it was moving about 47,000 cfs out of the dam at that time. Swimmers could not move against the current and simply stopping got you swept away downstream. This would be an interesting swim. Everyone was confident they would shut off the dam but with rain in the forecast, you never know.
We also saw the Chattanooga Choo Choo.
Race Day
We got up early and noticed the rain had stopped. Hopefully our bikes would be ok.
"Flat" Me. Really just my stuff on the bed. Ready for my infamous checklists
We drove down to transition and parked downtown. Chattanooga is a great town and there was plenty of parking. It also was walkable and inexpensive to find downtown parking. We set up transition and headed to the shuttles to the swim start. My awesome Sherpa for the race, my wife Kim, handled all of our gear and made sure I didn't lose anything. I forgot flip flop throw-aways and I did not realize that morning clothes would be at swim start. So I had to walk barefoot to the start. It wasn't bad but I probably should have read the athlete guide so I would have been more comfortable.
Swim (21:38)
The swim course is a mostly down river swim starting from the opposite bank of the river. Athletes would head upriver for about 300 yards, turn across the river and then turn down toward downtown. The current has varied from year to year, based on race reports. Overall, swim times were expected to be faster. Swimmers self-seed by anticipated swim time and then start by jumping off of a dock into the river in a rolling fashion. It would take about an hour for all swimmers to get into the water. The water was wetsuit legal for amateurs at 73 degrees, officially.
Lauren and I lined up around the 45 minute group. This was a bit conservative, in my opinion, given we typically swim around 40 minutes. After the pro wave went off at 6:50a, the officials announced they were shortening the swim course to a little over 0.8 miles. They were cutting off 500yds of upriver swim. There must have been concern over the current for the amateur athletes. I'm not sure if the pros were struggling or if the support craft had issues. We did notice that the boats were floating down river if they weren't paddling but I didn't think it was an overly strong current, as we saw the day before. Either way, we have no control over that so just focus on swimming. Some athletes were happy and others disappointed at not covering exactly the full 70.3.
As we watched the swim start, we noticed it was difficult for many to swim across the current without drifting downstream. I decided to swim wide left so that I had a margin of error in case I started drifting. I had no problems with this or the rest of the race. I set into a nice easy pace and tried to avoid people. Keeping my heart rate down and in check was the key. Since this was a down river swim, I had planned to take it easy (even if I was slow) and let the current assist me in whatever form. It was highly crowded in the swim and the swim exit was extremely slow. The water was surprisingly clear for about three feet in front, so you could see feet and people in the water around you. No taste of gasoline or other typical "river" smells as others have reported.
My only regret in the swim was using my full-sleeve wetsuit. I overheated about halfway through as water temps were in the 74 degree range. My sleeveless would have been much better for this race but I was concerned with the amount of rain the night before making the water cooler. It wasn't a major factor but I definitely felt hot coming out of the swim.
Nice photo with bridges in the background.
T1 (5:19)
Transition had a long run from the water to the area. It was a pretty slow transition due to this uphill run. I had trouble putting on my bike gloves. Typically, I don't wear them but I had them because of the rain chance. I did not want to risk slipping on the handlebars so I decided to wear the gloves.
Bike (2:56:42)
The bike course is a one-loop course with rolling hills. There are two "climbs" on the course: a steep but short hill on Andrews Rd and a more gradual uphill toward the town of Chickamunga. Of course, there are two descents that follow. Other than that the rolling hills are very gradual but relentless. There are very few sections of "flat" racing. Wind can be a factor in this race, since it is mostly in a valley pass. I prepared for this race by watching YouTube videos of people driving the course. Even though they were hours long, it did provide a grounding since I would not be able to ride or drive the course. It proved to be useful in identifying key trouble spots or areas where I could get back time.
We started with an uphill right out of transition, so the first half mile to mile of the course was uphill. I tried to get ahead of some people right out of the gate but realized that would be difficult. Before leaving the city area, there are several rail road crossings, which caused some stress about flatting and losing gear from the bike. Luckily, I did not have any issues with the crossings. I settled in to my plan. Riding by heart rate was going to make sure I did not burn out on the bike. Previous experience will note that I tend to blow up on the bike and realize it too late.
The course was very crowded. Giant packs of cyclists all along the road. There were very few breaks to get ahead of a pack. Otherwise, it was impossible not to draft as there were cyclists as far as could be seen. Just the undulating nature of the course made slowing on uphills and bunching up a fact of life. I spent more energy trying not to draft (sprinting past packs and checking up on the back of groups) than anyone would save drafting. It was a mess. The shortened swim most likely did not spread out the field and the narrow nature of the course did not give people ample room to really stretch out once the bike started. It was not anyone's fault but just circumstance. Nothing to be done. I figured if I got a penalty, then so be it. There was nothing I could do.
I really enjoyed the short climbs and especially the descents. Climbing and descending are my two favorite parts of cycling. I don't have the power to be a sprinter or time-trialist. I was able to get ahead of most of the packs on the climbs and then had some pretty open road to descend. No technical descents meant that it was straight and wide coming down the hills at 40+ mph.
T2 (2:57)
No real issues in T2. Another long run-out onto the course but overall I just did what I could.
Run (2:01:24)
The run is two loops around the downtown area and across the river bridges. It is a highly technical run course with several sharp turns and steep ascent/descents. There are sections of road and sections of wooden slatted bridges that could be tricky. The course is also narrow in most parts. I had studied the course maps but did not run the course beforehand nor did I see a video. I had no idea what to expect. There would be bridges. That was about all I knew ahead of time. Aid stations were placed about every mile on the course.
The first lap I held a pretty average pace and walked through each water stop. I wanted to get the lay of the course and make sure I was hydrated/fueled. I had to stop and pee about mile one, which was planned. If I kept going, I'd have to stop somewhere around mile 10, completely blowing any momentum. I am always happiest when I get on the run. This is my sport and I am so happy not to be on the bike.
Look how happy I am to be running. So glad to be off of the bike.
On the second lap, I let it go. I started to add ice/sponges to my water stops and did not walk them. I increased my pace, especially on the downhills and passed many people. It was very satisfying to have nobody pass me as I ran by people who were now walking or slowing down on the second lap. I did try to negative split this run, which is something I rarely do. I felt really good moving through the second lap. Keeping an even but progressing effort was tough but necessary to ensure meeting my goals.
About to cross the magic timer for lap two!
I had to walk one hill on the second lap. This was anticipated after doing the first lap. Right before the Veteran's Bridge there is a very steep lead-up. I thought it would be on the actual bridge but it was on a side street before the bridge. Overall, the bridges were not nearly as steep as the causeways I run normally in Clearwater. I had braced for much steeper and longer climbs. That being said, the run was a little tougher than I expected. It was relentless with consistent up and down motion. It was also highly technical. I was happy for the shade and the very well run aid stations.
Overall (5:28:00)
Yes, my overall time is officially 5:28:00 flat according Ironman; another feat that I have never accomplished. Thankfully, the weather held out all day. It did not rain nor did it lightning. In fact, the weather was nearly perfect. There was cloud-cover for a majority of the day and it was dreary but dry. The sun did come out for a little on the run but was in and out. It never got hot. The humidity felt high given the moisture in the air but the temperature was low. We were very lucky for the good racing weather.
If you could call something a perfectly executed race, this is it. I had a written race plan, as I usually do for long-course triathlons. I executed it perfectly. I was able to stick to my heart rate zones, nutrition plans, and logistic plans. With swim course help, I achieved my goal of a sub 6-hour event (add in 15 or 20 minutes for the swim and I still would be under 6). I also achieved my goal of a sub 3-hour bike. I did not hit my goal for a sub-2 hour run, however I had a negative split and was only over by one minute. I consider this race one of my most successful races. Could I have been faster? Yes. Were my transitions slower than usual? Yes. Did I leave it all out on the course? No. But I still consider this one of my best races. I did EXACTLY what I planned and resisted efforts to stray from my plan. I also had a negative split on the run by three minutes. That in itself is a win. And now...long course retirement.
Chattanooga is a great race and a great race venue. I thoroughly enjoyed the course and the venue. If I were not retired, I would definitely consider this venue for a return trip. The city is hosting the full Ironman race in the fall and also the 70.3 World Championships later this year. Whatever you feel about the downriver swims, this race is well done. I see why it is consistently voted one of the best races for both half and full distance events.
Hey, congrats. I just run into your blog searching for IM 70.3 florida. I liked your reports. I had heard the run on this one was very tough and I was convinced to sign up to a different one. But now I may reconsider this race for a future 70.3 or maybe full.
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