"Stories from the Course: Musselman 70.3"
Race day at Musselman 70.3 had it all—heat, hills, nerves, triumphs, and more than a few lessons learned along the way. Our coaches & athletes showed up ready to take on the challenge, and every single one of them has a story worth sharing. We’ve gathered their race-day highlights, struggles, and celebrations so you can relive the day right along with us.
70.3 Athlete Coach Michelle Carr
I came into race week feeling ready, confident and fit. It’s been a while since I felt this way and I was excited to showcase all the fitness I gained with training. I knew I was in PR shape for the 70.3 distance and the bike portion. I was nervous for the swim, but with tips from Coach Mike, I knew I could match or potentially PR the swim.
Race day came and the water was extremely choppy, warm and wetsuit optional. Which means if you want to qualify for the World Championships, you can’t wear a wetsuit. The entry into the water was a ramp and made it very easy to start strong. I didn’t realize how bad it actually was until I got into the water and to the first buoy. I was being thrown around and didn’t know how I would get through the swim. I swallowed so much water, then more water. I swam for a few strokes then did the breast stroke for a little bit. I was very surprised when my watch clicked at the first 500 yards. After 600 yards I finally got a rhythm and started making real progress. All my PR expectations and hopes for a World Championship slot was gone.
I was thankful to be out of the water and on my bike; the part I was excited about the most. Transition went smoothly and soon I was in the TT position ready to rock. The course was hot as I could feel the heat of the sun on my back beating through my suit. There were hills and I saw my average speed decrease slightly. On the way back with about 15 miles to go, I was flying. The course was very fast and my average speed climbed its way back up. I finished with exactly what I thought I could do, 2:44, about a 25 minute PR.
Again the transition was smooth getting ready for the run. My legs felt great, but the sun was beating hard and I could feel it on my skin. Around mile 3-4 I saw the big hill and it was game over. There were more hills as there was little reprieve with little shade. At this point, I just wanted to end at 6 hours or under. I poured water on myself at all aid stations and stuffed my trisuit with ice everywhere I could. It was finally time for me to turn left to head to the finishing shoot. What an amazing experience running down the red carpet. Ironman puts on a great show.
At the conclusion of the race, I felt just the way I wanted to feel, tired and spent. And surprised to find out I had a 13 minute PR! Although the stats were pretty solid, I knew I probably didn’t make the cut for worlds. I went to the roll down anyway, because you just never know. After the age group slots were allotted, there were 26 left for the females. Many weren’t there to claim their spot, many took them with pride and slots were winding down. I knew it would be close. Then I heard my name. Oh my gosh. They called my name. Without hesitation, I took the slot. This could be a once in a lifetime accomplishment. Although the swim and the run were brutal, I still walked away with a PR for the 70.3 distance, a huge bike PR and a World Championship slot!
Relay Athlete Drew Babbitts
I stepped way outside my comfort zone and took on something totally new—racing 56 miles on a bike as part of a 3-person relay team at the Musselman 70.3 Ironman.
I had the privilege of joining an amazing relay team with Empire State Endurance. Our swimmer absolutely crushed the 1.2-mile swim through some seriously choppy water, putting us in second place among all relay teams right out of the gate.
Then it was my turn. Let’s just say I almost got run over by some pro triathletes flying by on bikes that probably cost more than my last car. After about 30 minutes of panic and getting passed, I finally settled in, soaked it all in, and ended up beating my own time expectations on the bike leg!
Jaime G, our team captain, brought it home with a strong 13.1 mile run in some brutal heat to finish off the race.
Endless thanks to my biggest supporter Erin - your belief in me and my wild hobbies means everything. Trying new things and pushing my limits continues to be such a rewarding journey. On to the next adventure…
Relay Athlete Coach Jamie Davenport
I’d never really thought about going to an Ironman event before. I mean, I definitely don’t have the time to tackle a 70.3 (yet!)—but when I was asked to join a relay team? Heck yeah, sign me up!
Running a half marathon isn’t exactly new to me (pretty sure this was number twenty-one), but running a half marathon in July… on a hilly course… later in the morning? That’s a whole different story. I knew I had to prep for it. So, I started adding hills to almost every run and training during the hottest part of the day just to get used to the heat. I knew it wouldn’t be a PR kind of day, but I would treat it as a solid “hard effort” long run.
Geneva was gorgeous, and I was seriously impressed by how organized the Ironman event was. Being on a relay team was a new experience, too. Usually, I know exactly when I’m starting, so I can time my fueling perfectly—but this time, I was the third leg. I hung out in transition all morning, cheering on athletes and soaking it all in.
Unfortunately, the heat was brutal. Our cyclist overheated, and the team had to DNF before I even got to run. At that point, I figured, well, I traveled all this way and came to run, so I laced up and turned it into my weekly long run.
Sure, it was a little disappointing watching other runners finish and cross the line, but honestly? On a day that hot, I was kind of glad I wasn’t actually racing. I still got in a solid run by a beautiful lake—and I’ll definitely be back to experience the full relay next time (hopefully with cooler weather!).
