Ironman 70.3 Tempe

Firstly Tempe is a great city that I will definitely be back to and once the road work is finished the race will be one of the best. I’m going to start the race report from the day before the race. I spent it like I always do, trying on wetsuits just to have them tell me the one I have is what they recommend. (I have an unfortunate body shape due to dwarfism and wetsuits are the hardest part.) The swim started with a couple turns until you get out to a very long straight shot, clear past T1. I swam my normal 40-44 minutes (looking for any help to get that quicker.) once out of the water we had to run, what felt like 3 miles back to T1. It took a long time to convince everyone that was the reason for my 9 minute transition. Out of T1 and onto the 3 loop bike course. I personally was going faster than I ever have and I was on pace to finish in roughly 2h30m. However I decided it would be a more interesting race if I crashed my back at the start of lap 3 where all the spectators were watching. After I assessed the road rash and looked for my arm rests for my aero bars I continued the race still pr’ing the bike, just not as dramatically as I would have. T2 was a sight for sore eyes and a sore shoulder and knee (from the crash) slowly I racked my bike and listened for my wife to call my name. I was hoping she would see what happened and convince me that it just wasn’t my day. As luck would have it, she was still in the Uber trying to fight a way to the race. So I ran, not as strong as I know I can, but at a decent pace considering that situation on the bike. The worst part, I tore my new race kit to shreds, but the best part was everyone seeing my bloody and torn race kit and cheering me to the finish line to a new PR by 8 minutes. That about wraps it up, I’m gonna get just about everything operated on now.

Purple Patch

October 23, 2019 16:21

Despite your crash, that PR...awesome!! Hope you are able to rest and recover, and that your wife's uber finally made it. Oh, race day logistics...

Congrats, Zach!

Frederick Noack

March 01, 2020 02:44

Well done. I was there too and even though it was only 85 deg F on the run, locals said it was 95 the year before, it was still very warm with no tree canopy to shield you from the sun. Congrats on your PR.

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