Blog » Challenge Atlantic City 2014
Challenge Atlantic City 2014
My alarm went off at 3.52am, but I was already awake. It was time for Iron-Distance race number 3 for the season.
I had done almost everything I could, in the time that I had, to be in as good a shape as possible for Challenge Atlantic City.
The course promised to be flat and fast and, with a run almost entirely on the famous AC Boardwalk hopefully the body wouldn’t be as destroyed as it can be after 8-9 hours of punishment.
I was pretty stoked when it was announced that it would be a non-wetsuit swim, not necessarily because I know that my advantage is solidified without the swim-aid, but because it meant one less thing to worry about across the course of the day… call me lazy.
The swim was a rather unique Y shape and we were told to expect about 1 knot currents. I immediately did some math and worked out that if anyone was swim less than 2 km an hour it was going to be a long, maybe never ending, day for them! Sure enough, but also lucky enough, we fought some good currents, but only at the top end of the course and I managed to complete the swim around my usual 47 minute mark. It felt pretty good and I didn’t really exert that much, which is always good to know. I had about a 5 minute lead on the chasers and I was happy with that.
On to the bike and the 50km drag up the AC expressway begun. It was fast and smooth and I kept things well under control, mindful of the fact that I hadn’t had the usual amount of time to prepare and the fact that the winds would pick up for a headwind drag home. I knew saving some legs for that last 50km would come in handy!
Once off the expressway we entered a 2 lap course through the blueberry fields of New Jersey. It was awesome; great roads, perfect weather and a well organised course. I was caught by Chris at about the half way mark of the bike and opted to keep my own pace. He was riding well and I wasn’t too keen on making any bold moves early in the race. By the time I hit the expressway again he had extended his lead on me to about 4 minutes and I had a group of 4-5 about 2 minutes behind.
The last 50km was brutal, straight in to a headwind that wasn’t all that strong, but just relentlessly consistent. I blew to smithereens and was passed by Thomas half-way along, who had broken away from the Macca and Freddie group. I got off the bike in 3rdand was very happy to do so, about 2 minutes behind Thomas and 7minutes behind Chris. Freddie, Macca and Scott were all within a few minutes behind me and I knew the real race was just about to begin.
Getting off the bike my legs actually felt pretty good and I was straight in to my stride. One thing I changed for AC was that I added some solids in to my nutrition plan. On the advice from Em at Ems Power Cookies I managed to force down a few power bites and I think they helped give me a more solid feel through the legs. Definitely something I will maintain in my future races, alongside of course my usual 20 or so High 5 gels!
I was running well and pulling in the 2 guys in front and not losing too much ground the 2 fleet footed fella’s behind me. At around the 13-14km mark I had cut the gap of the 2 in front in half, and it was here that Freddie caught me. I was happy to have made a 90 second gap last that long and was still feeling pretty good. I decided that there was too far to go to run with him and let him go. 2-3km later the wheels started falling off and there was nothing I could do about it. This was a new experience for me as I usually gradually deteriorate over the course of the run, but this was pretty much an instant piano dropped affair. For the next 2 hours I shuffled through the run, determined to catch 3rd and not stop running. By the time you are hurting this much it hurts to walk, so why stop running!
I got to within 45 seconds of 3rd, but sadly that was it. Scott had passed me at about the 17km mark and had flown through everyone to the front, but also faded a bit and ultimately finished 2nd to an ever consistent Freddie who was fully deserving of his win! Full credit to Chris for hanging on for 3rd and for battling it out after a massive bike ride.
It was 4th for me and I was, as always, just relieved be have made it to the finish line.
Of course I am a little disappointed to have missed the podium, but pretty proud of my effort, which took everything I had.
Congrats to both the Men’s and Women’s podiums and to the organisers for putting on an awesome firsts ever Challenge in the USA.
Thanks of course to all the supporters and volunteers out there!
Thank you also to my awesome sponsors and a special mention to Profile Design for their extra help while in AC!
Next up I will be heading to California for Ironman Lake Tahoe and that will be the end of my season.
Cheers and until next time!
Dylan
