IRONMAN = 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run = 140.6 miles... 11Hrs 45Min including a pretty bad bike crash early into the race!
I had a fine swim (but people were really physical on both laps, it was non-stop boxing for the full 2.4 miles!!). First lap was quick, second lap, the people I was with slowed down, unbeknownst to me.
I got 0.5 miles into the bike and had a pretty bad crash. It rained before the race and hard during the swim. Roads were wet and quite slipper in sections – I was going about 25mph down a hill in a bunch heading out of town from transition – didn’t see a weird bump coming – and before I knew what happened – BOOM – down I went – HARD! Huge deep bruise on my left hip (impact point I think), then road rash across my back to my right lower leg which got scalped! OUCH! Plus my front wheel was jammed bad and I thought my race was over because my bike was broken! Luckily, I was able to get everything sorted out – and got going again. :(
That crash freaked me out a little for the descent down the mountain into Keene (6 miles of steep road where you can average 50mph if you want to) – so I really rode the brakes.
But, on the rest of the bike course I TORE IT UP!
The wind really, really picked up and the sun came out making it quite warm. The wind was tailwind on the downhill leg (so no help since I’m already riding the brakes) and serious headwind on the big uphill leg from Wilmington to Lake Placid. That destroyed a lot of people – especially on loop #2! I kept going really strong (too hard?) and even with the direct and indirect time lost from the crash, did 5:48, which was about top 15% overall on the bike!
I was very much on top of my nutrition during the bike, but my stomach was bloating badly on the 2nd loop – and my pee was very dark (dehydration for sure). I kept taking fluids in, but it just sat in my belly and didn’t move into my intestines apparently. I looked 4 months pregnant starting the marathon and about 6 months pregnant by mile 3 on the run. I avg. about 8:30/mi the first 2.5 miles, until I knew I would have to do some walking to get the fluids moving – or else my race would be a DNF!
I was really dehydrated (but ironically so full of fluids that weren't leaving my stomache, I couldn’t drink anymore!). Walk/run during miles 3-7 and found a friend who blew up badly (Jonathan Hoag – stellar athlete from Toledo area). We walked about 2-3 miles together and I started feeling better. I was kicking myself for wasting my family’s time before and during the race by blowing up, but knew if I could get nutrition back on track, I could hang on and finish. These were very low times, physically and emotionally (which is what Ironman racing is really about – overcoming these horrible patches and rebounding strong).
Coming back into town – there was no way I would be walking with all the spectators and family to see me. I somehow mustered a run again – and started to feel better. These were still slow miles (about 10:00/mi), but it was better than walking! Though town I saw the family and stopped for a minute to talk – tell them what happened (crash) and that I thought I was toast. When Amy asked when I might finish – I started doing the math and said if I did – it would be like 12:30. I couldn’t believe those words coming out of my mouth! I got really embarrassed and pissed that this could be my slowest of 4 Ironman races. NO WAY! I worked too hard for this, to have a crash ruin it all.
I started with setting goals... Finish... then I set my sights to keep it under 12H18M (my first IM time). Then was running 9:30miles... Then I thought, maybe I can break 12H00M… now I'm running 9:00 miles… maybe I can break my past course record here of 11H50M… now I'm running 8:30 miles now… maybe – just maybe – I can still set a PR! Push! Push! Push!
Came back into town and ran my fastest mile on the big UPHILL into town. Feeling really good now (finally) and the feedback from the spectators to see such a running pace and my big smile this far into the pack got them going, which got me going! PUSH!! PUSH!! 8:10-8:15 miles now… last 2 miles! Hold this pace and you can PR!
So hard to do, but I gritted through it, and finished in 11:45 (was 11:46 in IM Louisville on a hotter, but much easier course). So, with a crash (lost time), rainy wet roads (lost time), serious headwind (pushed hard) and a major gut problem – all overcame to set a PR! I was ecstatic!!! And frankly, quite a bit emotional! I had decided earlier during the marathon – just getting by battered, dehydrated body to the finish would make this race the one I was most proud of already – to overcome such pain and agony. To do all that and set a personal best – ICING ON THE CAKE!
That is what Ironman racing is all about! Hitting the lows, and figuring out how to handle them and get through them. Gives you real strength in sports, as well as in life.
The week before and the week after were just wonderful for me and the family too! Fantastic house right on Mirror Lake… great weather! Did EVERYTHING you can do in the region (except fit in the bobsled run). It was simply a fantastic trip!
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