The year is winding down and so are the number of races on the calendar with only a handful of triathlon races left. PTC Teammates Aravind Immaneni and Sarah Liney just wrapped up doing North Carolina 70.3 and have generously shared their reflections on the race for those considering doing North Carolina 70.3 in the future.
1 - Why did you choose NC 70.3?
Aravind: I wanted to do a fall 70.3 and needed a little more time to rehab my knee to be ready for the race. This one fit the timing perfectly and the venue is great with an awesome course. It was also drivable from Philly (~ 8 hrs) which was a positive.
Sarah: I heard that this race was good for a first IM 70.3. I also liked that it was in the fall so the weather was going to be nice and cool on race day.
2 - How did training go for this race? What key sessions/memorable moments come to mind?
Aravind: Coming off Chattanooga 70.3 in May (2025), I had to take a few months off to rehab my knee so I had a 10 week training cycle where I built up for this race. Considering this is a flat course, I prioritized biking on SRT with race paced intervals as well as swimming in the Schuylkill river. I did a series of long bricks with race paced intervals immediately after swimming in the river and it was great to share some of these with other PTC members. It was also great to see PTC team mate Sarah before the swim and on the course multiple times.
Sarah: I followed a free training program through triathlete.com and I think that it prepared me well for this race. One of the days I had to run 14 miles and I was really proud of accomplishing that because that was the longest distance I have ever ran. I also worked with my nutritionist, Holly, to help me with my fueling as well and pre and post-workouts. She really made a huge difference in helping me with this race.
3 - What were the race logistics like? (ie places to stay, packet pick-up, transition areas, etc)
Aravind: This is by far the most complicated race from a logistics stand point. With a point to point swim and also a point to point bike meant there were 2 transitions and the swim start was 1.5 miles from T1. You had to turn in both Bike and Run transition bags the day before along with your bike and then plan for morning clothes and the long wait at swim start. It was great hanging out with team mate Sarah at swim start to kill time and get excited for the race.
Sarah: I am fortunate because I have family friend that has a condo for us to stay in near the swim start so I got to save money on accommodations. The race logistics itself is very confusing because race takes place in two different towns (T1 in Wrightsville Beach and T2 in Wilmington). The packet pick-up is in Wilmington and the bike check-in is a 20 minute drive in Wrightsville Beach. Because of these locations, you will need a car to drive to these two different check-in points. On the day before the race, you have to drop off your running gear bag in T2 because you will not have access to it on race morning. In T1 during the race, you need to make sure that all your swim gear goes in a blue bag so it can be transported to T2. I did freak out about the race logistics because I always had so many questions but all the race officials were very knowledgeable and were willing to help.
4 - Tell us about the the swim. How was it?
Aravind: The swim is fast with a down current tidal swim but it was a bit complicated with the 3 turns and how the turn buoys were to be managed. The water was choppy and visibility poor which made it touch to sight but it was a fairly fast and easy swim. I was about 2 mins slower than what I was hoping for which was pretty good considering the conditions.
Sarah: The swim was a current assist and I felt like everyone had a lot of space within the first mile but the water did start to get choppy towards the exit. You have to use a ladder to climb up on a dock and there are people to help you climb out. The swim exit to T1 is about .25 miles away so your transition time is going to be longer than usual. There are people at the exit to help you strip off your wetsuit so you can save some time. You can also leave shoes at the swim exit so you don’t hurt your feet running to T1.
5 - Moving onto the bike, what was the course like?
Aravind: It is a flat and fast bike course but the cross winds for most of the course and wind chill in the low 40s at the start meant you had to plan for this carefully. I placed some hand warmers in my bike shoes and put on toe covers which helped a lot. I also wore gloves and put on a thin insulated sheet cut out under my tri top to help keep my core warm. I was able to stay warm and aero and hit my goal almost spot on with a PR of 2:33 bike split.
Sarah: The bike course was mostly on a highway and was all pretty flat. There is a lot of wind against you the first 30 miles. Once you turn around going back towards Wilmington, you do get a lot more speed with the wind. It is a good bike course for a PR.
6 - Closing it out, how was the run?
Aravind: The run course is rolling but fair. Conditions were ideal with temps in the low 60s. With limited run training I was hoping to still avg 8:15-8:30 pace buy my knee started acting up and the joint seized up making it difficult to push off. My goal was to limit the damage and finish in a respectable time which was a 9:10 pace and 2 hr run. 5:19:42, 23rd in AG and 194 male on the Age adjusted rankings. Considering the limitations with my knee I was pleased with the effort.
Sarah: The run is considered “rolling” with the first and last 5k having inclines. Most of the run is around a lake and it was nice and shaded. I was having issues with my left foot and shin so I was going slower than I had planned but the aid stations every mile saved me. The finish line is great because it is right in the center of town and there are so many people cheering you on.
7 - What memories from the race stood out? Any distinct moments when you said something to yourself mentally?
Aravind: The run was tough and somewhat demoralizing as I usually pass a lot of athletes on the run... I just had to gut this one out and survive to race another day. I had to tell myself it was a privilege to do this sport and do it at a pretty high level at age 55 and savor the moment even though things didn't quite go as I was hoping for.
Sarah: Several people on the bike course said they love the PTC tri suit! I didn’t get to see my family until the run and they all surprised me by wearing custom made t-shirts and signs for me, which helped me take my mind off the pain in my left leg. Even though the leg pain was pretty bad, I had to tell myself to finish strong because I have spent so much time and energy training for this.
8 - Any Thank-You's or Shoutouts?
Aravind: Big thank you to my wife Nina for being the most awesome Sherpa for the weekend. Also to all the PTC, Guys Racing and Conshy Running team members for sharing the 1000s of training miles this year and keeping it fun. French Creek Racing for the open water swim events and races. Finally a special thanks to the yoga teachers at Yoga Home for keeping me flexible and healthy this training cycle despite heavy training volume.
Sarah:
My parents flying down with me and driving me everywhere for the checks-ins and waking up early for race morning.
My mom’s generous friends for letting us stay at their house and offering one of their cars
My nutritionist, Holly, for creating the right nutrition plan for me.
Aravind for being a life-saver and driving my bike down for me, training with me, and giving me so many knowledgeable tips!
PTC for being a great club and supporting me while I was training for this and tracking me during the race! :)
