I've Done It

First, let me say that there’s a reason that athletes are “offered” the opportunity to sign up for next year’s Ironman THE DAY BEFORE the actual race.

Second, Ironman is CRAZY possibly THE HARDEST thing that I have ever done.

But WHOA.

Ironman was an awesome experience. And yes, I’m crazy. I’ll be back here again next year, competing with a bunch of other crazy people on July 26. That’s right, next year we’ll have an extra week to train.

As for the actual event, the days leading up were pretty relaxing with some nice easy bike rides to check out the run course and an easy swim to see just how far that turnaround buoy was .

I was amazed to see how many people were hammering both the run and the ride in the two days leading up to the race. Not nice easy paces past our hotel, a mile from town, and on both the ride and the run routes. We were on a flat section between town and the turn for the out and back on the run and there was a steady stream of runners and riders for 3 days prior to the race. I even saw a group doing hill repeats. Raise your hand if you even did hill repeats during your training! Talk about making you feel lazy for sitting in the sun by the pool. I got over that pretty quickly.

4 am race day dawned with clear skies and a nearly full moon. I stood on the balcony and listened to other races wake and talk about their preparation. I’d prepped most of my stuff the day before, so I quietly dressed, sun screened, lubricated the important parts and ate. 5:15 a.m. was ride time and we gathered to be driven as closely to town as possible by Tom’s dad. Spirits were light, nerves were likely high, but it didn’t really show. Getting into town really made it all real. The place was ALIVE. Just incredible the amount of energy sizzling from athletes, fans and volunteers. Incredible!

Mike, Tom and I headed for the racks to hang our transition bags and then on to our bikes to make last minute additions. It was good to have busy work to do since it was about 5:20 when we got to the race site and the race started at 7. We had a plan to meet back up and head to the water to put on our wet suits and get warmed up for the swim. On the way to the beach we bumped into the Hensel’s who were on their way into transition. Britta looked far too relaxed. I felt relaxed, but my heart rate monitor was telling me something else.

Now we’re standing at the beach with hundreds and thousands of athletes and volunteers. The music is blaring. The helicopter is soaring overhead. Spirits are high. Tension and energy are palpable.

Blip Blip Blip

Those are sprinkles….that I thought nothing of. The forecast was for partly sunny/cloudy and a chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon . And I’m thinking to myself .. fine, as long as my bike isn’t soaked when I get out of the water since I’d taken great pains and sacrificed several trash bags to keep it dry over night. Pinky was now sitting in transition, uncovered, and waiting for me. Dry.

Sprinkles that turned into rain.

The cannon went off and we dove into the water. Okay. So if you’ve never seen an Ironman start. You’ve gotta. It’s truly spectacular. And you’ll think…there is NO way that I’m ever throwing myself into THAT. But you do, and it’s awesome!

And … at some point during the swim, the rain became a steady heavy rain, which fortunately, I had very little awareness of.

Upon exiting the water, I was stunned to discover that what had been a sprinkle had turned into a steady heavy rain. Water ran over the road, down the gutters and filled the changing tents and transition area. My then dry bike was now drenched. Fortunately I had had the forethought to tie my transition bags tightly and the contents remained dry.

In the changing tent, the volunteers were amazing. I felt like I had a single volunteer assigned to me who made sure that I’d removed all my necessaries from my transition bag replaced by all of my swim gear. Couldn’t have been easier and, still a little dazed from the swim, more helpful.

Volunteers handed me my bike and I was off into that steady heavy rain. I kept thinking, it can’t rain like this all day. I uneventfully ascended the first climb and just as the rather scary wet descent began … PSShhhhhh … FLAT. Now here is where things could have gotten interesting. I don’t have a lot of experience with flats, had never changed a tired on my new bike, and I was not at all sure how this would go. Since I was up against the guardrails, I was able to lay all of my tire changing gear out very carefully , get the tire off of the wheel , and when I’d finally figured out the CO2 inflator I found a bike tech who could pump some pressure back into my tire. I’m just lucky I didn’t flat again. And not again for the rest of the race. Which is more than I can say for Tom, who flatted TWICE on the first loop!

Bike finished in 7:24 with I’m not sure how much time lost to the flat. Feeling good. Feeling strong. Feeling ready to be on the run! Thankful that I’d made it!!!

Indeed, it may have been raining

A small pause in the race details to say that the volunteers for this event are truly amazing. Spectacular. Incredible. They too spent the entire day in the rain and cold, soaking wet and never faltered.

And our cheering squad … our friends and families … were incredible even unbelievable. Out for the entire day, right there beside the road cheering us on every time we came by. It was truly spirit lifting. I think I ran faster every time I passed.

The run. Whoever thought that I’d have enough energy to run 26.2 miles in a driving rain after riding a bike 112 miles in that same driving rain? But the first half of the marathon was faster than the half marathon of my first half ironman! I love that. I slowed on the second half, but let me explain. I had a plan. There are hills leading back into town that are lined with spectators. I was determined to run those hills to the finish. I thought that if I didn’t adopt a run walk plan for the second half of the run, as I was getting pretty tired and my quads were feeling shot, I wouldn’t make the hills. I ran the hills! Oh the glory! Ted and Eli were there, on the final hill, running with me and cheering me on. It was glorious. And it was great to see all of my Team Irontom teammates along the run course, many times. We high fived, shouted each other encouragement and hopefully helped each other to feel just a little bit stronger.

Athlete #2255 you look happy

There is nothing that I can say that can convey what it is like to finish an ironman, your first ironman. The race finish is absolutely lined with cheering spectators. Wall to wall. Everyone is screaming and calling you a hero and and Ironman and then as I rounded the corner and could finally see the finish, there was Eli, hands up, waiting for me. We locked hands and ran through puddles over our shoes through the finishing ribbon. I’m so proud of Eli for braving the crowds and the rain and the wet feet to finish with me, to wear the medal, to have my picture taken with him, both of us tired and wet and smiling. It was and still is an incredible feeling.

13 hours 54 minutes

Finishing the race with the next generation of Ironman

Tom Bircher had an incredible day, setting a PR by 21 minutes despite 2 flat tires on the first loop.

Tomasz had an excellent bike time and a strong finish.

Mikey and I finished very near one another and we spent the moments following the race celebrating in the food tent over chicken broth, pizza and potato chips.

Britta and Joe finished strongly, together, under the lights. Mikey and I cheered them on through town as they headed in.

And our new Team IRONTOM member, Terry Tom, was seen by all team members, high fived and encouraged, sporting the fashionable Team Irontom attire.

A great success at Ironman Lake Placid. We were wet, tired, hungry and sore. But above all, we were safe. And DONE!

What I learned from my Ironman experience:

I am NOT waterproof

My bike is NOT waterproof.

ALWAYS put your arm warmers in your T1 bag … doesn’t matter if you think you won’t need them. What if you did?

Practice changing flat tires BEFORE the race.

And lastly, during a rainy race, keep your mouth open, it helps you stay hydrated.

Thank you to all of my family and my friends who were pulling for me all day long…tracking me on the internet and emailing me messages of encouragement. It was a long long day and I felt every bit of your support 100% of the time.

13:54

Did I mention that it rained ALL day!?