2012 Superfrog Triathlon Race Report
(with Lance Armstrong!)
What an INCREDIBLE day! Here’s my 2012 Superfrog Triathlon Race Report—complete with some Lance Armstrong highlights.
Superfrog is a half Ironman distance triathlon (1.4 mi swim, 56 mile bike, and 13.1 mile run)—and it is a MONSTER. I did the whole race in 2010, and felt like I was going to die. This year, two of my friends and I decided to do the relay. I took the bike, which is what I really enjoy.
This is a special race for me because it is in my home town of Coronado, California, and it benefits the Navy SEAL Foundation. It is the oldest—and and one of the hardest half Ironman distance races around. It was EXTRA special this year, because Lance Armstrong was invited to race. (SPOILER ALERT: As you’ll see below, he won in spectacular fashion.)
The ocean swim is terrifying. You do two loops, so you have to go through the surf twice. I was really glad not to have to do that again. The bike portion was good. It was a nice day…pretty hot, but the wind wasn’t bad.
I really didn’t train much for this race. About a month ago, I hurt my ribs surfing and the time trial position really bugged them, as did breathing really hard. I did the bike in 2:47:50 (this is an average speed of 20 mph), which I was okay with given the little training I did for the event. My goal was to really settle in, get comfortable, and push myself harder every lap – slowly ramping up so I didn’t bonk. The only lap I really struggled on was the last one. It got hot and I was out of fluid. In addition, the wind picked up just enough to push it out to 45:02, compared to the 40 to 42 minute times I posted on the first three laps.
I did get in a pretty good workout, burning 2,601 calories with an average heart rate of 169 and a max of 180. When I got off the bike, I realized just how hot it was. It hit me like a ton of bricks. Nothing made me happier than handing the timing chip to my buddy who was doing the run. I thought he might die out there but, thankfully, he brought it home with a total time of 5:21:55 (our goal was to beat 5:30!).
Lance’s participation in the race was really awesome. As a result, there was a larger than normal turnout and quite a few spectators. After the race, there was a small reception that Lance and the Navy SEAL Foundation put together as a joint fundraiser for LiveSTRONG and the Foundation. Lance is very funny and told some great stories. The fact that he raced in a Speedo was all the more drama to an already dramatic appearance.
Here are a few highlights from my day:
Lance Armstrong on the
Superfrog Triathlon Course Setup
Lance Armstrong on Why he Wore a Speedo
at the Superfrog Triathlon
Lance Armstrong on What He’ll Do With His Trophy
(A Paddle)
Lance Armstrong Sets The Course Record
at the Superfrog Triathlon
In short, Lance smoked me on the bike and didn’t even go hard…pretty much on par with what I expected.
I hope my 2012 Superfrog Triathlon Race Report has been helpful [and fun]. If you are thinking about this race, make sure your swim and run fitness are in check! If you’d like some personal tips, shoot me a message and let’s chat. And, definitely head over to my Triathlon Training Resources for some free training plans.
