Duke Half Ironman Race Report

September 14, 2008

Cary, North Carolina

The Duke Half is the most “feared” Half in the area. The bike terrain has constant rolling hills and the run in just 13.1 miles has as much elevation change as the 56-mile bike (over 4000 feet). Typically the sun is shining in full force and the wind is present on the bike.
This year the race lived up to its past dynamics, delivering pain to all.
The swim is a lake swim in a protected cove in Jordan Lake. In past years the water level has been so low that participants could literally walk in sections of the swim. This year the water level was above normal from all of the recent rain. The swim was just a perfect as anyone could ask for. The water felt great, there was very little chop and everyone was spaced out the entire time, no one was crawling all over each other.
I got out and felt fine after taking my time and enjoying the swim. T2 was easy except for taking too much time to stuff my pockets with all of my food for the ride (Plain GU is just so yummy!). I couldn’t get the calories in my back pockets fast enough!
Once on the bike, I was ready to hit the familiar roads that we train on the weekends. I can leave my driveway on my bike and in less than five miles I am on the course.
The bike course is considered to be one of the toughest in the southeast. The course is constant shifting, with very little rest in-between. The first 20 miles is deceivingly easy. You leave the park and you and traveling away from the lake, which typically means you are going downhill. Approximately, mile 22 the hills start and don’t stop for the next 26. They hit you suddenly and until you hit mile 48 they don’t stop. The elevation graph looks like an EKG. Up down, up more, down, up, up, and then up again. Your quads feel like they are getting stuck with a knife but you brain keeps trying to convince you that they will stop soon. I hit the first water station at mile 24, it couldn’t have been better timing. I was pouring sweat from my forehead (to the point that I had to take off my sunglasses because I couldn’t see out of them anymore). I was out of water and had already consumed 24oz of liquid (eating 3 GU gels, 6 Ecaps and a PowerBar). I took two more bottles and downed one of them within the next two miles. Up to mile 48, I approached each hill with as much purpose as I could muster but on the downhills I forced myself to push as hard as possible. I am always amazed but not surprised watching participants try and grind a ridiculous gear up hills, only to coast and barely recover on the downhill. The last 8 miles are slowly downhill but it is the final road of carnage. The wind picked up and was hitting us in the face on the way in. People are literally hanging over their handbars gasping for air. Your legs have truly discovered that inland North Carolina has quite a few hills. Once back in the park you are ready to get out of the saddle but one of the toughest 13.1 miles are ahead of everyone to get to the finish line.
The run is on mainly a gravel path that borders the lake. The run has almost as much elevation as the bike! A 13.1-mile run that has a much elevation as a 56-mile hilly bike (I had to put that another way for impact). The run is a two-loop run that has two incredibly steep hills with three others that are fairly long as painful as well. Fortunately, the course has quite a bit of shade but at this point the temperature was above 90. As typical for a SetUpEvents races, the aid stations on the run course were well stocked and prepared for the onslaught of zombie runners coming their way. SetUp had trashcans full of ice water and towels for everyone to wrap around their neck to attempt to cool off their core temperature to survive until the finish.
The run hurts, period. It is very hill, hot, and doesn’t give you much time to recover. The only flat section is the road leading in the transition and finish line. Most of the uphills force the majority of the participants to walk up to reach the summit. The biggest highlight of my run was a mile 5 when I look out a small packet of Skittles (that is my run secret weapon) and after eating 15 Skittles, I felt like I had an extra lung. I was ready to run again and not just shuffle.
Once I hit the finish line I was ready to just stop moving. This race is not easy but that is exactly why I do it. The race is beautifully run, in a gorgeous area of North Carolina, and it is a true test of mental and physical endurance. I would easily recommend and travel 600+ miles to participate in this race. I personally have done this race 4 out of the last 5 years and I will sign up as soon as possible for 2009.

Train Hard, Race Harder

Race Statistics:

Swim:39:58(133)
T1:2:26
Bike:2:46:19(71)
T2:1:26
Run:2:12:18(114)
Overall:5:42:25(90)