RACE REPORT: White Lake Half 5/2

Submitted by: Brent Brondyke

I have never been as apprehensive or nervous as I was going into White Lake. It seems that nothing had gone really well in my training, and I was feeling very under-trained, as well. Add that to the fact that it was my first Half Ironman. I thought of dropping out several times (many actually). The $120 I had paid was probably the only thing that saved me.

I traveled down on Friday after school- took about 2:15 to get there. I made it in time for the pre-race meeting, which for a newbie like me was helpful. The lake looked beautiful, but intimidating. All lakes look intimidating to me when I think about swimming across them. It probably is the least intimidating lake on the tri circuit!

The course is a counter-clockwise triangle loop from the "left" dock at the FFA Center out 700 yards. Across 700, and back in to the "right" dock. I could easily imagine it, even thought there were no buoys in the water Friday.

I have friends in the general area who were in Wilmington to run a 5 k. so I ran (figuratively) over to Wilmington for dinner with them. Then it was back to Lake Wacamaw and the anchorage Christian camp for the night. My friends work at the camp. This is the camp I do a spring fund-raiser for, "March mania" (I ran, biked, swam, 500 miles in March this year- White Lake was a big motivator!) I slept well and woke at 4:30, hoping for a 5:00 departure. It was about 45 minutes to White Lake. I enjoyed the dark drive on the back roads of eastern NC and arrived shortly before 6:00.

The race starts at 7:00. We were already parking on the road by this time and walking our bikes about a half mile to the transition area.

Now I was nervous. I racked my bike. There were announcements that some bikes were racked improperly. So I felt a little less dorky, since I at least had racked my bike properly (good idea, that pre- race meeting). I made my way to the lake at about 6:45 to warm up.

The water temp was about 76 (wet-suit legal). It was comfortable for a guy who grew up 4 miles from Lake Michigan (76 would be very warm for July in the big lake). Swimming is my weakest link by far, so I began to warm up, hoping to raise my comfort level. I was ready.

Problem: I do not have a wet suit or any fancy tri body suit- just me and my shorts. I started in wave 9 (I knew this). The starts were staggered by 5 minutes (I did NOT know this) I'm starting at 7:40! 55 minutes in the water- BEFORE I start!

Oh well, newbie nonsense. I couldn't get out. It was 65 and breezy. I would have frozen. So I floated around in my shorts with all the real triathletes. I hope there are no pictures of this anywhere! When my swim time finally arrived I was shivering, but excited.

I just can't get a good rhythm in open water, and I can't steer straight. Added to my naturally slow pace, it makes for having the trailing boat follow you for the last leg. I was probably third from the last out of the water. Oh well, I felt BETTER than I expected and wasn't bummed at all.

At the start of the bike I established a good rhythm. a couple people passed me (I may have been last on the course at that point), but I settled in for a 56 mile ride where I was determined to maintain a doable pace and not crash and burn for the run. I was averaging about the top of my hoped for pace (17 mph) and it felt good. This was in spite of rather windy conditions. I kept thinking that the final 25 was a stretch that would be into a headwind, but it wasn't too bad. About half way through I started picking people off. I probably passed 25 or so by the end of the bike.

Now, let's run! HOLD IT! I can barely walk. Pain is searing my right foot. I didn't feel it at all on the bike, but my new clipless pedals must need to be adjusted. I literally can hardly put weight on it. I sat down and started to rub it and stretch it for about a minute hoping it might help. I am truly thankful to god that it did. I limped out of the transition area hoping it would continue to loosen.

My first mile was right at 9:45 (what I was expecting). My plan was to take it slow for the first half and then lower the pace if I felt good. I figured I would be passing a lot of people and that that might energize me. The aid stations were well stocked and I took food or drink or both at nearly all 12. The heat was brutal at this point (85 and sunny). I did start passing people right away, and my foot felt okay now.

There was no second-half surge, but I probably passed nearly 100 people on the run. My 2:13 run time is slow for me, but I was happy with it because of the heat and because I had a plan and stuck with it. All through the run I was thinking about the lake. It had intimidated me earlier, but now it was the object of my desire.
After the finish I headed straight for the water. With a real sense of satisfaction, I soaked my aching limbs in the water for about 20 minutes. Best post-race cool down EVER!

Do white lake- its great. Mary, I need a swim lesson