The athlete tracker at Ironman 70.3 Buffalo Springs Lake is giving me progress on my peeps at BSLT. This is a tough race! I've done the Tri-Raider sprint twice that goes on at the same time, and I've twice done the Buffman and Squeaky Olympic that uses part of the same course, but haven't yet brought myself to do this 70.3. I'm planning on doing it next year for their 20th anniversary. Anyway.
The race starts in a cold, spring-fed lake. The bike begins uphill, with an 8% or 9% climb out the canyon, then has several descents and climbs into and out of a other canyons. The run includes a climb out of Buffalo Springs Canyon and a long out-and-back on a hot, unshaded stretch of asphalt nick-named, "the energy lab". BSLT also offers and an aquabike and a relay on the 70.3 course. ( I wish they had a splash 'n' dash. I'd do that in a heartbeat.)
The atmosphere is fantastic, like a giant party. Everyone calls you "girl" (if you're a woman) and Mike and Marty keep the finish line open for everyone making progress. After you cross the finish line you walk about 50 yards to sit down on a boat ramp in cold lake water and have cold beer and pizza. (In Texas, you always start a race with a prayer and finish with cold beer.)
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Update: 1.2 mile Swim times!
Cindy 44:07
Mo 39:54
Wiz 37:23
Pirate 44:24
Michi 42:53
MuffinMan: 35:17
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Update: 31 mile bike splits!
Cindy: 2:29:24 (All that training is paying off!)
Mo: 2:35:28 (Great job, Mo!)
Wiz: 2:16:58 (Wiz is having a good day so far!)
Pirate: 2:28:02 (the bike is Pirate's forte)
Michi: 2:30:45 (Michi is having a good day so far!)
MuffinMan: 2:07:07 (Smokin'!)
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Update: Thunderstorm! It's raining on the course with Winds E @13mph!!
70°F Humidity: 87% YIKES!
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Update, 11:21 am Texas time
Muffinman has finished the bike. His time was 3:07:21, averaging 17.93 mph! I was worried that everyone had been pulled of the course because of the Thunderstorm. GAWD that would SUCK! But now that MuffinMan is showing a final bike time, I have hope that Cindy will get to finish her first half iron.
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Update: Final Bike Times:
Cindy: 4:07:19 (13.59 mph)
Mo: 3:52:51 (14.43 mph)
Wiz: 3:19:55 (16.81 mph)
Pirate: 4:01:24 (13.92 mph)
Michi: 3:42:48 (15.09 mph)
MuffinMan: 3:07:21 (17.93 mph)
Let's have a virtual round of applause for these athletes who rode their bikes on a demanding, hilly course through a thunderstorm!
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Update: 1:01, Texas Time. Run split1, most websites say that it's no longer raining there, just really humid (but overcast, thank goodness.)
approximately 6.55 miles into the run course, these are their paces for the first half, to be updated as they come in:
Cindy: 11:37 min/mile
Mo: 10:55 min/mile
Wiz: 10:06 min/mile
Pirate: 10:59 min/mile
Michi: 9:45 min/mile
MuffinMan: 8:48 min/mile
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Update: MuffinMan is done, with a total time of 5:44:26. His run pace stayed the same throughout the half marathon portion.
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Update: 1:54 pm, Texas Standard Time (TST) Wiz is done, with a total time of 6:26:15. Interesting story, that "Wiz" nickname. ( I'll let him tell it, if he ever puts his blog back up.)
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Update at 2:28, TST. Michi and Mo are both done. Michi's time was 6:45:09, and Mo's time was 7:03:43. Good job, ladies! Make sure you go over to Mo's website and congratulate her!
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Update, 2:47, TST. I'm pretty sure Cindy and Pirate are done, but stupid Athlete Tracker isn't updating. Twiddle, twiddle, twiddle. ...wonder what's over at LOLCATS today...
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Update: 2:57, TST: Cindy and Pirate are both done. Cindy's time was 7:31:15, and Pirate's time was 7:20:12. Now go on over to their website and congratulate them on this very difficult half-iron!
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This has been your 70.3 announcer, Iron Misty Geekgirl. OUT!
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- Will they be able to finish the race???
- Will the race be canceled?
- AGGGGHHHHH!
Update, 11:21 am Texas time
Muffinman has finished the bike. His time was 3:07:21, averaging 17.93 mph! I was worried that everyone had been pulled of the course because of the Thunderstorm. GAWD that would SUCK! But now that MuffinMan is showing a final bike time, I have hope that Cindy will get to finish her first half iron.
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Update: Final Bike Times:
Cindy: 4:07:19 (13.59 mph)
Mo: 3:52:51 (14.43 mph)
Wiz: 3:19:55 (16.81 mph)
Pirate: 4:01:24 (13.92 mph)
Michi: 3:42:48 (15.09 mph)
MuffinMan: 3:07:21 (17.93 mph)
Let's have a virtual round of applause for these athletes who rode their bikes on a demanding, hilly course through a thunderstorm!
========================
Update: 1:01, Texas Time. Run split1, most websites say that it's no longer raining there, just really humid (but overcast, thank goodness.)
approximately 6.55 miles into the run course, these are their paces for the first half, to be updated as they come in:
Cindy: 11:37 min/mile
Mo: 10:55 min/mile
Wiz: 10:06 min/mile
Pirate: 10:59 min/mile
Michi: 9:45 min/mile
MuffinMan: 8:48 min/mile
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Update: MuffinMan is done, with a total time of 5:44:26. His run pace stayed the same throughout the half marathon portion.
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Update: 1:54 pm, Texas Standard Time (TST) Wiz is done, with a total time of 6:26:15. Interesting story, that "Wiz" nickname. ( I'll let him tell it, if he ever puts his blog back up.)
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Update at 2:28, TST. Michi and Mo are both done. Michi's time was 6:45:09, and Mo's time was 7:03:43. Good job, ladies! Make sure you go over to Mo's website and congratulate her!
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Update, 2:47, TST. I'm pretty sure Cindy and Pirate are done, but stupid Athlete Tracker isn't updating. Twiddle, twiddle, twiddle. ...wonder what's over at LOLCATS today...
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Update: 2:57, TST: Cindy and Pirate are both done. Cindy's time was 7:31:15, and Pirate's time was 7:20:12. Now go on over to their website and congratulate them on this very difficult half-iron!
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This has been your 70.3 announcer, Iron Misty Geekgirl. OUT!
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...
