Andrew Sinclair's IMC 2011 Race Report

Pre Race
1. How did your pre race ritual turn out?

Pre race was great, except for having to wait in an unbelievably long line up for the porta potty, which basically meant I had to throw on my wet suit once I got out and head straight for the start line. I could have done without being so rushed, but it was fine.

2. How did you feel pre race?
I felt good pre race. Felt I had put in as much of the work as I could have and was ready to get on with the show.

3. Anything you feel may have helped your pre race?
No line up.

4. Did you feel ready for the race?
I felt as ready as I could have expected to be.

Swim
1. Where did you start?
Almost right up front, well a couple of rows back, more or less in the centre.

2. Did this work for you?

I think it worked out okay. I underestimated how much energy I would use swimming in the pack. I used a ton of energy fighting off everyone (trying not to get swam over, elbowed, basically creating room to swim).

3. How did you feel?
I felt great at the start, then started to get pretty tired about half way and lost the pack I was with. About half to 2/3 through the swim I was ready for it to be over, which I didn’t expect (thought I would have a lot more energy in the water).

4. Any problems?
Everyone always says to get in a pack and draft. I don’t know how it always happens to me, but I never stay in a pack. I always end up swimming on my own, which happened to me about halfway through the swim. The weirdest thing is that I’m always convinced I’m sighting well.

5. Positives
Overall, I thought I would be a bit quicker in the water, but was happy enough with it considering I have never swam that far.

6. How was your sighting ie. were you all over the place?
Per above, I ended up on my own, which may mean I was all over the place, but I thought I was headed exactly where I needed to be….

7. Did you get smacked?
Knocked around quite a bit, but felt fine.

8. Were you drafting efficiently?
No.

9. What was your time?
1:08. I thought I would have been closer to the 1hr mark, say 1:04.

Bike
1. How was your transition from swim to bike?
Good. Took as much time as I needed.

2. How was your nutrition strategy?
My nutrition plan was 300 calories an hour from carbo pro, and an additional 90 calories an hour from shot blocks. Had an orange at special needs and some wafers to shake it up a bit. Also had 3 hammer gels with caffeine throughout the ride, which I liked. Cut back on the carbo pro a bit when I was eating over my calories. I felt my nutrition was bang on on the bike. I felt really good, much better than I had expected.

3. How was your hydration?
Drank water with 3 Thermolytes an hour. Drank at least 1.5 to 2 bottles an hour.

4. Any mechanicals or flat tires?
Front tire acted up coming down the hill into OK falls, but went away. Aside from that nope.

5. How were the climbs?
Felt good.

6. Any problems?
Nope.

7. Positives
Felt super consistent.

8. Any highs and lows in terms of energy?
Not really.

9. Did you know where you were on the course?
Yes.

Run

1. How was your transition from bike to run?
Transition was great. I felt like a million bucks when I came off the bike, and was convinced I was going to hammer through the run.

2. How was your nutrition?
Something became real wrong real quick. Within 10 mins on the run my left leg completely cramped up. I stopped, stretched it out, drank a bottle of water, and ate a few thermolytes. Kept running. Then I started to feel super queasy shortly after, noticed my heart rate was low and started having a really hard time holding any kind of decent pace.

3. How was your hydration?
Drank as much water as I could. Dropped my thermolytes, so started drinking powerbar perform and eating pretzels and a bit of fruit. I didn`t intend to drink the perform or eat the pretzels, but assumed I needed the salt and electrolytes.

4. Any problems?
Within 45 minutes I noticed I stopped sweating. Got sick in a porta potty. Was pretty delirious as well.

5. Positives
I guess pushing through to get to the finish line and consistently running (if you can call it that) with how shitty I felt. Thought I would be done the run in around 4 hrs, but finished in 4hrs, 55mins.

6. Any lows and highs during the run?
The only high was getting off the bike and starting the run. It was pretty much all lows after that, aside from the finish line.

7. How did you feel finishing?
Felt super sick, but obviously happy. It was all I could do to keep control of my body for the last 4 km or so.
Overall how did you feel about your race? Did it reach your expectations? Will you do another one? Any problems with the race at all in terms of organization and execution done by the race organizers?
Overall I am happy with the race. My goal was 12.5 hrs, with a stretch goal of 11.5hrs. I knew I wasn`t going to know whether or not the stretch was achievable until the race. Until the run, I was certain I would get there, then it all kind of unraveled.
My strategy was to just get to the run, because I was confident that once I got to the run I could put it in auto pilot and get to the finish line. I thought my weakest part would be the bike, with the strongest being the run. Not the case. Felt great on the bike and body shut down sick on the run. I gained 10 lbs during the race, which must be water retention as I stopped sweating. Very odd.
I was sick and delirious crossing the line. I spent about 2 hrs in the medical tent. I didn`t have an IV, or get physically sick, but felt horrible. My brain function seemed to be at 50%.
Over the four or five days after the race, I felt better each day. Lots of hydration. It took at least a week to start feeling like myself, but I still feel like I`m recovering. Not a whole lot of energy.
Would definitely do the race again, but don`t know when I`m going to be able to swing it with the time commitment.
Going to do a couple of Olympics and a half next season.
Medals seemed tiny.