Race Review: Heatwave Half Marathon - Indianapolis, IN 5/12/26
This past weekend I competed in the Heatwave Half Marathon put on by Bodies Race Company. This race served as one of my final workouts at the end of a very grueling week of training. With Ironman Canada just three weeks away, I knew I needed to put together a few high volume weeks to prepare for the 140.6 mile trek through Ottawa. In the 6 days leading up to this race I had run 20 miles, cycled 120, swam 8,000 yards, and had 2 strength sessions in the gym in addition to my 40 hour work week. This made for some real adversity which was reflected in the later miles of the race.
For this race I was able to stay at my house in Avon since it was only about a 30 minute drive to downtown Indianapolis. The day before the race I swam 4,000 yards and ran a few easy miles to loosen up my legs. I woke up around 4:30 a.m., showered, and started getting ready for the 13.1 miles ahead.
I knew it was going to be a hot one, so I wanted to keep things as light as possible. I wore my Bandit Running half tights, Bandit Steady State T-shirt, and my Bandit running belt that I picked up during my most recent trip to Chicago. On my feet I went with the ASICS Gel Nimbus 25s and Experias, my favorite socks. To top it off, I threw on my Oakley Sutros and ROKA World Championship hat from last season. It ended up being the perfect setup for the conditions.
My morning nutrition was pretty simple. I had a packet of Belvita breakfast crackers, an energy drink, and an electrolyte drink because I knew the humidity was going to play a huge role in the race.
Packet pickup was quick and straightforward. White River State Park had parking less than a quarter mile from the start, making race morning stress free. I grabbed my bib, a really cool color changing tank top, and a sweat shammy before heading out for my warm up.
I started with an easy one mile jog before going through my normal stretching routine, focusing on my hamstrings, hip flexors, and lower back. After that I had about 30 minutes to relax before making my way to the starting line.
While lining up, I met two guys who were training for their first Ironman 70.3 later this year. They noticed my calf tattoo and asked how many races I'd done. They seemed surprised when I told them I'd completed four full Ironmans and eight 70.3s at only 21 years old. Looking back, I thought, man, I wish I would've told them about this website and my beginner triathlon course. I did end up giving it to them later. Conversations like that remind me how welcoming this community is and how much we can learn from each other.
Just before the gun went off, I took my first Precision Fuel gel with 30 grams of carbs and 100 milligrams of caffeine. And at 7:00 a.m. we were off.
The start was pretty congested because of all the different race distances, but I worked my way through the crowd and settled into roughly a seven-minute pace. Unfortunately, the nearly 90 percent humidity caught up to me quickly. By mile four I was absolutely drenched but still running well and sitting third overall behind two younger runners who were flying.
Around mile five I took another gel because I could feel my energy beginning to fade. By mile seven, the pace started slipping into the eight-minute range. The heat was rising, the humidity wasn't letting up, and the race quickly became more about surviving than chasing a fast time.
One of the best parts of the course was running along the Indianapolis Canal. Most of it was shaded, which made a huge difference early on. Once the sun started breaking through around mile nine, though, the race changed completely. My heart rate climbed into the mid 180s, and I knew I had to back off if I wanted to make it through the final miles.
Even though I was disappointed to see the pace falling, I was proud of how strong the first eight miles had been after such a demanding week of training. The aid stations were spread out enough that staying hydrated became difficult. I grabbed as much fluid as I could at each one, but with the amount I was sweating it never felt like enough.
At that point I made the decision to shift gears. Instead of forcing the pace and digging myself into a deeper hole, I focused on finishing the run while leaving enough in the tank to continue training hard the following week. With Ironman Canada only a few weeks away, protecting the bigger goal was more important than chasing a few extra minutes.
I crossed the finish line in 1:54, which is definitely slower than my previous half marathon performances. Considering the heat, humidity, and the amount of training I'd accumulated throughout the week, though, I wasn't disappointed. At the finish I grabbed a few bottles of water, stretched out, collected my medal, and enjoyed the complimentary ice cream provided to all the finishers. It was the perfect way to wrap up an exhausting but productive week.
This coming week is my peak week before tapering for Ironman Canada, so there's still plenty of work to do. Even so, I'm feeling confident heading into August 2nd.
I'd definitely recommend this race to anyone looking for a fun, low stakes event in the middle of the summer. If I raced it again, the only thing I'd do differently would be bringing a soft flask so I could carry extra water between aid stations. That probably would've delayed the inevitable slowdown over the final few miles.
More than anything, though, this race reminded me that context matters. On paper, a 1:54 half marathon isn't a personal best. But this wasn't a race I trained specifically for. It came at the end of one of my biggest training weeks of the year in brutal heat and humidity, with Ironman Canada still being the main objective.
Sometimes endurance sports have a funny way of teaching you that success isn't always measured by the clock. Sometimes the smartest thing you can do is set your ego aside, adjust to the conditions, and protect the bigger goal. Three weeks from now, nobody will remember this half marathon. But if the decisions I made here help me have a stronger day in Canada, then it did exactly what it was supposed to do.
