Race Report

White Lake Half
May 11, 2002

The white lake ½ ironman is an excellent place to do your first ½. The lake is clear so on a normal day you can see all the creatures such as snakes etc. before they sample you for breakfast. A good portion of the bike has just been repave with smooth new blacktop and the rest has the old cracks filled with tar so that you don’t have to worry about falling asleep as you go over the bumpity bump pattern. Traffic on the last 10 miles is generally restricted to log trucks and assorted 18 wheelers that are very concerned about getting ticketed for not exceeding the 75 MPH min speed(at least that is what I clocked them at when I passed them). The run course is a double out and back which means that at the approx 3/6/9 mile points you have the very enjoyable feeling of turning your back on the relaxing sounds of the finish line(and yes there were finishers being welcomed to sit down and relax every time I made those turns). The route is generally along the edge of the blacktop pavement and since the trees are cut way back from the road you don’t have to worry about shade hindering your visions of the rippling heat waves coming off the pavement. The run does cut through a housing area and since you do this four times it gives you the opportunity to become mentally ready for the next stretch of melanoma exposure.

I am generally very lucky when it comes to good weather conditions so-you guessed it. A chop producing wind storm for the swim—a steady rain with gusty winds starting at the 5 mile point to spread that very enjoyable even film of water on that new blacktop—and, the sun came out as I entered the bike/run transition. But this was not all bad since the steam rising off the road ahead of you allowed us to get mentally ready for an enjoyable run leg.

Now for the real reason for writing this—diet, before and during the race. I have run numerous marathons in the past 20 years so I transferred that technology to White Lake. The primary difference being in the ½ IM there was a lot more eating during the event. First, what do I recommend for a breakfast that should be 1-2 hours before the start? Two cold bean burritos leftover from Fri lunch and a diet coke to add fizz.(they would have been better warm—but –we were camping out.) For during the race I pre-open 8 THREE MUSKETEERS (fun size) and stuffed them in my back white jersey pocket. These are just the right size for my mouth (one gulp) and they just dissolve so easily and slide down my throat with no chewing required. I had not thought about the rain and heat having any effect on my lunch. Needless to say, the second half of my lunch was licked of my sticky fingers and the 8th bar just sort of disappeared. But---all was not bad. The food value did what was needed and the lower back of my white jersey (the part that overlaps my tri-pants) developed a massive brown runny stain. I never could figure out why no one made any attempt to draft me on the bike but now that I think about it—at my speed I was not even disturbing the air let alone creating any draft.. Also, no one would run behind me ??

The bottom line on nutrition?? Use what works for your gut butt butt butt don’t forget about the packaging!

-Neil Jacobs

Fun Fact

The original 3 Musketeers Bar of 1932 had three parts - chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry. In the 1940's it became all chocolate.
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