Ironman 70.3 Chattanooga 2017 Race Report
As a Chattanooga local, I'm tickled to have WTC events in my front yard. When Ironman Chattanooga was first announced, it felt like Christmas morning!! Now we have a World Championship race in September! It's an honor to share a race report written by Connie Roberts, a member of Team FX Multisport. Congratulations Connie! You are going to Worlds!!
Connie executes every workout with precision, every day, no excuses. She did the work & now she is rewarded. There is no "easy" button in the process, it takes time, patience & trust. That combination, along with consistency is the magic sauce. We are very proud of you Connie!
Coach Robyn
CHATTANOOGA IM 70.3
Fall of 2016 I met with tri coach Robyn Wilham to discuss 2017. We spoke of me attempting to qualify for Worlds in Chattanooga September 2017. A somewhat farfetched dream but then again nothing to lose and I thrive on having a goal. My desire… to go from completing to competing.
Race weekend was here. Weather forecast not in our favor but we all race in the same conditions. I felt mentally prepared. Close friends were in town for a few days, which kept me loose and relaxed. I had a solid plan for hydration, supplements, and nutrition in place.
Race morning and no rain coming down. Arrived early at transition and got everything set up. Of course I saw friends that were racing which makes the excitement level elevate a little. Met the FX Multisport team at our tent and off we went. At the swim start I gathered with my TRIbe, which is a super fun loving group I have trained with since 2015. Their craziness keeps me relaxed. Announcement was made that swim course would change to a down river swim only. I was fine with that as swimming is my weak link.
SWIM: My breathing was more controlled than at my previous IM 70.3 in FL, but I still feel I fight this somewhat. Sighted more frequently, which helped me swim the course better. I definitely used the tips that Jenny Leigh Smith had given on our practice course swim the week before. Typically, on the swim I just want to get through it. This was really no different but it was not as painful to get through.
SPLIT NAME
|
DISTANCE
|
SPLIT TIME
|
RACE TIME
|
PACE
|
DIVISION RANK
|
GENDER RANK
|
OVERALL RANK
|
Total
|
1.2 mi
|
00:20:17
|
00:20:17
|
01:03/100m
|
34
|
256
|
859
|
T1: Smooth and steady. Had powder in my socks but should have had some there to dust on my feet.
T1: Swim-to-bike
|
00:05:23
|
BIKE: Pre-race I told myself to be careful not to burn out my quads so I would have legs for the run. Accomplished….avg power 166. My cycling felt fantastic. Strong. Fast. Passing many and getting passed by some. Nutrition: UCann around 20 miles and began taking gels after climbing Anderson. Maybe because of the change in swim but the bike course seemed more congested than the previous years in Chatt. I truly do not feel I would change anything on my bike. But always want to get stronger/faster.
SPLIT NAME
|
DISTANCE
|
SPLIT TIME
|
RACE TIME
|
PACE
|
DIVISION RANK
|
GENDER RANK
|
OVERALL RANK
|
Total
|
56 mi
|
02:35:55
|
03:01:35
|
21.55 mph
|
15
|
101
|
508
|
T2: Feel this one I should have been faster on. I did change my socks out in order to have dry socks for the run. Took in 1 gel.
T2: Bike-to-run
|
00:04:23
|
RUN: I felt so strong and dialed in when I started my run. But started out too fast and tried to reign it back in some. First half of run was very solid; however, I was not able to do the negative split. This is an area where I need to work hard. When it became difficult I kept remembering what Robyn said about setting small goals…get over the bridge, get the next mile, get to the next aid station. James gave great advice regarding posture check when I felt my head and shoulders drop. Did get 1 cramp in left calf at end of Veteran’s bridge on lap 2. Feel there is lots of opportunity to improve in my run.
SPLIT NAME
|
DISTANCE
|
SPLIT TIME
|
RACE TIME
|
PACE
|
DIVISION RANK
|
GENDER RANK
|
OVERALL RANK
|
Total
|
13.1 mi
|
01:50:09
|
04:56:07
|
08:24/mi
|
12
|
110
|
427
|
FINISH: I knew I had raced my best race. Are there areas to improve? Certainly. I was super pumped with my time. Although I knew others in my age group were ahead of me I went to Awards/Roll down just in case. And it happened. I’m in!! I’m in Worlds!!
Side note: During the awards the competitor in me was calculating how much time I need to shave to get on the podium ….5 min.
CONNIE ROBERTS
OVERALL RANK: 427
DIV RANK: 12
GENDER RANK: 110
GENERAL INFO
| |
BIB
|
1612
|
Division
|
50-54
|
Age
|
51
|
State
|
TN
|
Country
|
USA
|
Profession
|
---
|
Points
|
3273
|
RACE SUMMARY
| |
Swim
|
00:20:17
|
Bike
|
02:35:55
|
Run
|
01:50:09
|
Overall
|
04:56:07
|
