The Grand Rapids inaugural Sprint, Olympic and 1/2 Iron triathlon was a huge success. It practically sold out as 900 triathletes gathered at Ada Park on June 5, 2011. The race had some first year teething problems, but it was very well run. I thought it was comparable to a WTC event. I highly recommend the 1/2 Iron.
I'll keep it short:
Swim - A very enjoyable 43 minute 1.2 mile swim. I was expecting a cool 60 degree swim. A week of 90 plus degree weather in Grand Rapids drove the water temperature up into the low 70's.
T1 - 4 1/2 minutes. Lost two minutes in transition because I didn't double check my equipment . My bike bag needed to be adjusted as it was rubbing on my tire.
Bike - 56 miles in 3:02. Nice scenic ride with moderate elevation change. I biked the bike I should not the one I could. Finally tweaked the fluid and calorie intake on the bike and got it right.
T2 - 2 minutes.
Run - NAILED IT ! 13.1 miles in 2:27 minutes. I bonked the run on my previous 1/2 Iron and 2 Full Iron attempts. My race number was 911 and I swore before the race that the only way I would stop running is if I had to call 911. I handled the 90 degree heat and a challenging course. THE BEST PART of the run happened with 40 yard to go. I saw my family. I heard my 4 year old daughter ask my wife if she could run with me. We crossed the finish line holding hands.
Final time of 6:20. Pretty darn happy, even with the screaming quads.
