It is great to be an official member of the Ironman Club! Putting all three distances together in the same day was certainly an experience to remember. It was an added bonus to be surrounded by our IronTom teammates and support crew during our entire stay in LP and to catch sight of one another throughout the race. Thanks and congrats to Cheryl, Mike, Tom and of course, my favorite racer – Chuck!
Executive Summary - Sunday evening after the race it seemed like the half-iron distance would be long enough for all future races. By the next day, I was making a list of lessons learned and where to shave time for my next Ironman.
Stats - I was happy to finish, as that was my #1 goal. I had hoped to be closer to 13 hours, but I was happy to finish in 14H16M, all things considered. S=1H35M, T1=9:17, B=7H1M, T2=5:07, R=5H25M
I have to take a moment to brag for Chuck, as he refrains from comment. He did fantastic, pulling off an 11:42! His focus on more time and technique work in swimming really paid off, as he improved his swim by over 12 minutes (now if only that can rub off on me). S=1H8M, T1=7:09, B=6H3M, T2=5:29, R=4H17M
Overall Lessons Learned (LL):
1. As is the case with marathoning or any other endurance event, it’s important to have #1 goals, mid-range goals and stretch goals, as many factors necessitate adjustment in execution of the “master plan.”
2. If I treat race day like a long training day, then I can stay calm.
Weather - The weather was good overall compared to the cold and torrential rain last year. A brief but steady rain at the swim start did not bother us competitors at all, but made for a wet start to the day for the spectators. We would have paid money for rain during the run.
Swim - I met my #1 goal for the swim in that I was comfortable the whole time. I thought I would break 1:30, but that didn't happen and I quickly let that go as I moved onto the bike. I managed the crowd just fine in the swim, as I started off to the right shore and waited 1-2 minutes after the gun went off to start. Lots and lots of people around me, but no serious whacks given or received. On the second loop I managed to get on the inside line of the cable, which meant I rarely had to sight. Believe it or not, even at my pace (read, “slow”), I fought off lots of less-than-practiced drafters who had the annoying habit of grabbing my feet. Some furious kicking usually shed that baggage. Lessons Learned (LL):
1. I can avoid breathing problems on the swim if I skip races with water less than 65-degrees.
2. When I get back inside for Masters swimming, return to focus on technique to improve speed.
Bike - I had hoped to be faster, but had to be happy with my results, as I gave it all I had on that day. It was hot and humid, but not as bad as it was on the run. There was a fierce headwind on the hardest uphill climb from Wilmington back into LP. My feet were screaming with pain at various points from mile 60 on, telling me I still have some work to do on positioning and form.
Lessons Learned (LL):
1. If I continue to amp up my time and intensity on the bike, I will achieve my biking goals.
2. Force more food, beverage and salt on the bike, especially in the heat (when I feel like it the least).
3. Get a tri shirt with deeper pockets in case I must have my “security blanket items” (jacket, arm warmers and gloves).
4. Address my foot discomfort – adjust pedals, positioning or form.
5. I can’t make myself pee on my bike unless it’s raining.
6. Because of the above lesson, I need to figure out some pee stops in advance to avoid long stops at busy aid stations.
Run - I was so elated to be off the bike that I blasted into the run feeling great. I ran the first three miles at an 8:20 pace, though it felt like I was shuffling. By mile seven, I had settled into 9min/mile – still too fast for the heat and for me to sustain for the long haul at the end of an I-man.
Around mile eight, my “smoking gun event” began to fizzle. It was very hot and the sun exposure on River Road took its toll. I realized I hadn't taken in enough salt on the bike to account for the humidity and, due to the heat, my stomach was rejecting my nutrition plan for the run. I spent much of the middle eight miles walking more than running and experimenting with options at the aid stations to find something that my stomach would tolerate to bring back my energy. Finally Coke, ice and water worked! I was able to jog (slowly) the last eight miles. Not the run I had planned…
Those middle miles of the marathon were a death march; there were times during that period that I thought I might be walking the entire rest of the marathon. I saw my time goals slip away and - as I did my fuzzy math - I knew it was going to be a long night. When I was able to start jogging again around mile 18, I was quite happy. How things can turn during this epic event!
Lessons Learned (LL):
1. Be prepared to alter nutrition/hydration plan on the run based on the weather.
2. Skip the fuel belt on the run, or dump it in the early miles if I’m not using it (don’t wait ‘til mile 23 to ditch the extra weight).
Upon reflection, it was all fun. Thanks to all for your support! (Pictures are forthcoming).
