The Short Version is I qualified, I went, I had a good race, and I am happy. Final time of 10:37 put me just over 40 mins ahead of last year on a much tougher day. This go ’round I was much more involved in the race as opposed to having the race happen to me last year (ask anyone about their first time in Kona, they’ll explain). The focus was on having a really great family vacation with a race in the middle, and I think we were successful. Best part about the IM was that after Sat I had zero guilt and ate/drank my way through the islands supply of candy and smoothies. Now it’s time for some serious downtime/regeneration as I plot / scheme for 2008.
The Full TechniColor Version is, of course, a bit more detailed. So bear with me.
Pre Pre Race / The Flashback
I swore right after qualifying at IM USA that the biggest difference between this year and last year in Kona would be my training. With little Megan popping into our world on 8/18, the last 7 weeks to race really consisted of me doing a series of 20′ workouts. I just couldn’t bring myself to be away from the family. As a result, I was overweight and out of shape.
So this time I took a serious 2 weeks off and then started training again. Figuring I would still suck at the open water swim, I only swam 2x a week, instead putting my energy into biking and running. With my Ergomo, I focused more on 3-4 hour rides where I would really hammer the last 1/3 in the big ring to prep for the end of the bike on race day. Entering the race, I felt pretty good about my fitness…more on that later.
Pre Race
Arrival to the island was 10/9, a Tuesday. Despite a few delayed flights, baby Megan was very well behaved…we just hadn’t factored in the “recovery day” for her to adjust to island time. As a result, we got into our hotel at 11pm (5 am our time), tried to sleep but I was up at 3-ish with Megan. Let’s just say that I got intimately acquainted with our lodging with a full hotel tour courtesy of Megan at 5am.
Even though the day was pretty much a wash, I insisted on putting my bike together and going for a 45′ ride around midday (on only 4 hours of sleep). A higher power pulled the plug on this ride at the 20′ mark when my race wheels (tubulars) got a flat. No CO2 thanks to Osama, so I had to call a taxi for a ride back to the hotel. Upon my return I motivated for a run, where I got to say catch up with Karen Smyers but also manage to hurt my right foot…seems like my anterior tib was tight…dang foot didn’t want to bend. Get back to check out my shoe only to find the orthotic was cracked. So, no sleep, flat tubular, cracked orthotic, all in day one on the island. Check. Only way things could go was up.
So, I got the wheel repaired, bought the rest of my race gear/food, and even got a good night’s sleep. Thursday saw me sneak off to an early AM swim and got a bike/run in later as well. Also managed to get some ART done on my lower leg (thank you!). Then it was lots of pool time with Megan and Maura. Friday was bike check in at 2:30-5:00 for me, so I hung out all day, got in a short ride / run and we went down for dinner. Check in was a breeze, and it was my first sign of butterflies w/ all the athletes there. Saw a few of my buddies, so that was cool. Then it was off for dinner where, as fate would have it, we sat next to Mike Reilly’s table (the voice of Ironman). Megan spent all dinner saying hi to Mike’s wife and making friends…Mike wished me well for the next day, so I felt pretty good about that.
Race Day Morning
Got up early, made my instant oatmeal in the hotel room coffee pot and had some Ensure…BAM, 1500 cals. Got down to race site by about 5:20 with plenty of time to get numbered and get my equipment ready. This year I knew to get in the number line first, do the bike second. Saw Charlie and a few other folks; everyone has their game face on at this point. A once-over on the bike set up: shoes on pedals, helmet on bike, ergomo reset, tires pumped, etc., and I was ready to say goodbye to the fam. After a quick kiss and photo (and hi from Vinu and Ann), it was off to the pier for the kick off ceremonies. I forced my way in the water and swam out to about 10 feet from the starting line, ready for the early start.
The Swim — 1:12+
Last year I did a 1:12 and blamed the current. This year I did a 1:12 again and can only blame myself. I hit the turnaround at 32 mins, and it took me 40 to get back. WTF? No real current to speak of, although I did seem to get pushed inside of each buoy on the return; the resulting aerial view of my swim path would look more like the jagged teeth of a saw instead of the straight line of say, a real swimmer. Dowh.
T1
All business here…no time to get freaked about swim (at least I was rested!), I had to focus on getting speed suit off and race belt / sunscreen on. Mission accomplished I was off to my bike…not too many left…remember your helmet…and then running for the mount line. As I slipped my feet on my shoes, my sunglasses fell off my bike where I stick them…ah well, they were freebies anyway.
The Bike — 5:37+
With my powermeter fully calibrated this year and some good biking under my belt, I was ready to go. After the admin stuff of the out/back in town up Kuakini + Palani, it was time to get to business. I was pleased that my early / easy watts had me passing people, but then I realized it was prob b/c I swam so slowly! I started dialing in my nutrition at the 30 min mark and was surprised to see a pro on the ground at the first aid station (later turned out to be Natascha and she had crashed…ouch). I soon hit my steady watts @ the 45′ mark and was in a good groove. Started to notice my nutrition (w/ extra salt) didn’t taste so yummy. Hmmmm…anyway, focus was on getting fluids in and eating right. Making the the turn out to Hawi, where the work starts, I could feel the wind picking up. It varied from a good headwind (10-15mph) to crazy gusts from the island-side. Good thing I am a big guy and can sit on that front wheel. By now I could see the pros coming back down…all clutching their aerobars…Torbjorn off the front (had best bike split, 3rd OA), Tim DeBoom leading a pack (as he did for most of the bike, ending up 4th OA), Cam Brown way off the pace looking lost (he soon DNFed). All this kept me going as I kept wondering where the heck Hawi was…so much up…so much wind. Finally I hit the town, got my special needs and started back. Halfway time was round 2:45 I think.
Right away I was cruising down the hill at 32, but I was also suffering from the winds. I pretty much didn’t eat/drink for 20′ as I was afraid to move my hands. When I did get started on the nutrition, I was bummed to find my 2nd bottle of fluid tasted no better than the first. It was so bad that I had to ditch it at mile 80 and go to straight gatorade. The way back was a lot quicker. I just broke the course down into up / steady, top / stand + stretch, down / go fast + get aero. I was really biking hard over the last 32 miles; unfortunately the heat affected the ergomo calibration, so I can’t say for sure what my data was. I had to default to using HR as a guage of intensity, keeping it between 140-145 (152 is my threshold). I do know that my best hour was my last hour.
T2
Getting in, I realized that after tons of fluids (and drinking half the ocean), I hadn’t peed, not once. That’s how hot it was. So I hit the portajohn briefly and then into T2. A little slower here as I am struggling to get out of the bike shorts. I forget to put water into my recovery drink, so I run the first 12 mins without fluids…not ideal.
The Run — 3:40+
Starting the run, I figured a 3:30 would get me a 10:30, so I was aiming in that direction. I ran steady for the first few dreadful miles along Alii (give me the lava fields any day!), but soon lost the 8 min mojo. My HR was just too high, so I had to back it off a bit. A later look at my splits later revealed I only held 8 mins for the first few miles. Each aid station was all about the sponges for the face, ice in my hat, water over my back, and then ice in each hand as I ran out. Oh, I ate and drank too. 
The run was pretty straightforward. I walked every aid station and ran relatively well. I was pretty much passing folks for the first 19 miles, until, on my way out of the Natural Energy Lab, I got a bit of a cramp and had to slow down. It was here a bunch of folks got me. After 3 miles / 25 mins I was back on track and started to run well again. Only 4 miles to go, I felt good and had a good stride going. I wasn’t really possessed with the killer instinct…instead I just focused on how cool my day had been.
Down Palani hill I started to get goosebumps as I could hear the finishline. Passing one guy I told him that I was just running to my baby girl, not trying to beat him. He said no worries mate. Cruising down Alii getting high fives from everyone is just the best damn part of the race. I am in the chute before I know it, looking for Maura and Megan. We connect and after a towel exchange, Meg and I are off for the finish line. She is happy all the way down and then starts crying when we cross…all I can think is I feel the same way!
The Lows
- My swim time. man, gotta work on that. Thought these damn lovehandles would help me float.
- Seemingly endless climb to Hawi
- Early run…I have to learn the landmarks better and stay focused here despite the he
at/humidity.
The Highs
- Crushing the last hour of the bike
- Running well most of the day
- Competing in the race instead of being a active spectator like last year
- Taking baby megan over the finish line
The Deltas
- More salt in pill form, less in my drink. I adapted well, but it could have been disastrous.
- Next time I would do a few longer rides (only 1 over 100 miles after placid) to keep up my endurance.
- Maybe arrive on Monday so Tuesday is the swing day? One more day of workouts would have been nice. Could have used this day to drive out and ride climb to Hawi.
Final Thanks
Big thanks to my family and friends who have supported the chasing of this ridiculous Ironman dream for longer than we’d all like to remember. You guys are the solid foundation that lets me reach so high…THANK YOU!
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