by Glenn S.

What a great feeling to have completed Ironman 70.3 Racine, my first half Ironman.  For such a long time the big race seemed so far away.  Now it’s a memory and a feeling of accomplishment.

While I had some real anxiety before the race, once the race started I was focused and enjoying the experience.  This whole journey was a great lesson in balance, self discipline and flexibility.  Flexibility is the term I can relate to the most over the past five weeks or so.  For over a year, my wife Jenny and I had planned a 4-week vacation in June, travelling south along the East Coast and visiting many beaches and towns.  Jenny was a good sport in supporting the training I planned to do while on vacation.

I had no idea how difficult it would be to complete the last few weeks of training while travelling.  It was not always easy to find reasonably safe bike routes for 3+ hour rides (we are clearly spoiled with all the rural roads in the Midwest) as well as getting in swim training, mainly in the Atlantic and available local pools.  I usually found a way to get in the prescribed training for the day prior to getting in other more leisurely vacation-like activities.

There were many memorable experiences during the training sessions.  I repaired a flat tire surrounded by large iguanas in Key West, was pummeled by large waves while a storm was coming in off the shore in Jacksonville and I swear something bit me while swimming in the Gulf.

Most likely due to the change in training routines and additional vacation activities, I ended up straining a hamstring and having some major back pain for a couple weeks as well.  The key was staying flexible with my training expectations.

As race day approached, I felt good again and ready for the race.  A special thanks to Coach Joe for the swim coaching, injury treatment tips and adapting the training plan to my schedule and challenges.  I couldn’t have exceeded my expectations without your help and words of wisdom.

As for taking long vacations while training, I don’t recommend it.

Click here to see the Racine photo set