I completed my first 70.3 Ironman race in Michigan last weekend. It was incredible. The swim was super cold (60 degrees F). My feet were completely numb but I knew I needed to keep swimming and get out of the water so I kept going. I realized later in the day I had chaffing on my neck from the wetsuit, don't make the same mistake I did.
Speaking of mistakes, when I got to my bike I realized my bike gloves were inside out from my last ride. Oops! I had a great ride once I got going. I took my time figuring out my pace and HR. There were a few big hills and the biggest one was at mile 54 so I knew I needed some energy for that. I was so glad to be done with the bike.
I took my time going through transition to get ready for the run. I started running or jogging very slow. My legs felt pretty good. My plan was to walk a minute every mile and walk 30 seconds every half mile. It worked perfectly! I felt good through the whole run.
My goal for this race was to enjoy the experience and have a good time. That is exactly what I did!