Wow, what a day we all had in Cambridge, Maryland. In the days leading up to the race, there had been heavy rain, wind and cooler temperatures. Luckily, race day was different. There was ankle-deep water as we entered into transition at 5 am to set up.
The swim course was relatively flat for a river known as "The Choptank". The water temperature was 74.5F, and the course was designed to work with the incoming tide, so we swam a double loop counterclockwise. I quickly found my groove in the pack and settled in for a relatively easy swim. There was definitely a current on the exit that was pushing us out however, kayaks and jet skis lined the exit to make sure we stayed on course. And for the win, there were no jellyfish! We did have wetsuit strippers helping!
Transition tents had the absolute best women helping organize you and your swim gear and get you into your biking gear as fast as possible. I loaded up all my gear and ate my nutrition as I was running out to get my bike.
Heading out of transition we had to walk through ankle-deep water to the mount line carrying our bikes over the water. I had a few little glitches with my computer when I started it up which slowed me down as I pulled over to make sure I
could at least see my cadence and watts (remember to always start your GPS before to locate satellites - it took 7km to locate them). Once I got going it was just settling in for the road ahead. The course is really flat, but not to be underestimated as there is wind from all angles. The course is very open and surrounded by water and you are continuously pedalling with little respite from the heat in the open (it was 26C). I had another small problem on the bike which caused a slowdown.
I thought I had an issue with my front brakes, I pulled over when I saw a mechanic at the side of the road assisting someone with a flat. On initial look, the mechanic couldn't find any issues, she told me to keep going as she was headed the same way and if I ran into trouble she'd be along to help. I continued for a while (not as fast as I would have liked as I couldn't figure out where the noise was) until a wonderful man pulled up and said I had a piece of plastic stuck in between my tire and frame. I quickly jumped off my bike and found what appeared to be heavy-duty packing tape stuck in my frame rubbing against my wheel, LOL!!! The problem was solved, and off I went. Setting the nutrition timer on my computer was a lifesaver. I stuck to my dining plan every 20 minutes and felt great!
After handing off our bikes to the catchers, it was off to the change room tents at transition. Again, not enough can be said about how helpful the ladies are in there! Quickly changed into run gear, brushed my teeth (wisp cologate toothbrush was amazing at that moment -thanks to some great advice from a friend who is a seasoned IM), applied sunscreen, and headed out for the run.
The run (aka second swim) will be something we all talk about for a while! The run course is absolutely fabulous! It's a triple-loop course passing back through transition six times so your family and friends get to see you many times!
The course has many aide stations very close together so no need to carry anything with you.
Loop one started with just a little bit of flooding as high tide was approaching. As the second loop started it was the peak of high tide and the course along the main waterfront quickly became a second swim course! Due to the heavy rains before the race, a storm off in the Atlantic ocean, the full moon and saturated grounds with no runoff, when high tide hit it completely flooded the main run sections leaving us walking through knee-deep water. Because it was a 3 time loop course, we had to go through all of it 6 times.
The joke was it was a wetsuit legal run with just as much chance of a jellyfish sting on the run as in the swim! After three loops it was time for the finishers chute!
The smile on my face couldn't have been any bigger crossing that finish line, I did it!! Despite the flooding, this is definitely a race I would recommend. The community comes out in full to support the athletes and not just on race day, but the days leading up to the race! I had such a fantastic experience for my first Ironman. Can't wait to get training for the next, but first, we rest!
Congratulations on an incredible triathlon journey Deborah! From the Olympic Distance to the 70.3 Group Program to the Tremblant 70.3 this year and your grand finale at the Ironman in Maryland. You have shown us that anything is possible when you have a dream!
On behalf of all of the Team Triumph staff, we couldn't be prouder of you! Your consistency in training, enthusiasm, smile and great attitude to always have fun with your teammates have shown us all what is most important for long-course success. You are a JOY to coach! Enjoy your well-earned off-season.
Julia Aimers
CSEP Clinical Exercise Physiologist
CSEP High-Performance Specialist
Certified Triathlon, Cycling, Yoga and Swimming Coach
USA Cycling Level 2 Coach
Training Peaks Accredited Coach
A year ago I could only tread water and had not run since childhood. With the amazing Virtual Olympic course, support, guidance, and tips from of all the folks at Team Triumph I've ended the season with my first Olympic distance triathlon under my belt and am hooked! Really looking forward to the 2025 season and even to the hard work over the winter to prepare. Karen Houle
I wanted to let you know that the Perth triathlon was a great experience, I somehow placed third in my age group! What a supportive group of participants (including Team Triumph athletes), cheering bystanders and volunteers.
Thanks to your swim lessons, I learned the technical basics and gained confidence to get back in the pool after decades. And it was really special doing this with Ann Laidlaw, my bestie for many years. We did a couple of additional swims with Kevin and Team Triumph people, also a great way to continue learning and practicing good technical form.
I will continue with lane swimming and who knows, maybe there's another triathlon in my future!
I love the accountability and the structure of the Virtual 70.3 Half Ironman training program. I don't think I would have gotten this far without the program. The accountability is huge for me!
Deborah Jackman