Ironman Coeur D’Alene Race Report 2009

I apologize for a long post but,, it is hard to cram 13 hours into less space. Trying to capture the events of the Ironman can be can be difficult and trying to capture the emotions of the day are damn near impossible. I enjoy doing race reports because it gives me a chance to reflect on what worked and what needs to be honed for the next race. In addition, I feel like I owe this to everyone who supported me and has followed my progress throughout this year. Well, here is my best shot at capturing the Ironman Coeur D'Alene 2009.

 

I spent the first few days at IM-CDA getting registered; packing transition bags, doing some practice swims and bikes. The registration process is a bit like old-school college registration where you move from station to station. Very much a manual process. The one thing they did over and over was check your ID to make sure you are who you say you are. Luckily, I was me, so I passed. It was interesting to hear people say, "Another Texan" or "Who is left in Austin, I think the whole city is here at Ironman." True enough, Coeur D'Alene had turned into a mini-Austin. We had 60 people from our team there plus all the families and friends that followed us up. I signed all the waivers, got all the IM stuff done in less than an hour. Interesting thing about IM is that all you get at registration is all you get if you do not finish. So basically, if you don't finish, you get your number, some stickers and a bunch of plastic bags and a swim cap.

The rest of the week was spent getting used to the city, the routes, the hills and the weather. Practice swims proved that the water was not as cold as we were expecting. Water temps were not an issue. Race day weather on the other hand was the big variable. Rain and cool temperatures were being predicted.

 

Sure enough, race day arrived and there was supposed to be rain in the late afternoon. I was keeping my fingers crossed that I would be off the bike before the rains hit. Race day morning was cold and windy. The water in Lake CDA was choppy and we would be swimming into current on the way out. 2000 plus athletes stood one the beach waiting to start.

 

Swim:

Prediction: 1:15:00

Actual: 1:15:19

Standing on the beach waiting for the race to start was odd. I was not nervous in fact I was pretty calm. What I was wondering about was "How the hell did I get here and why am I here. " For some odd reason, I completely forgot about all my training and was curious why I was in an Ironman". Before I could even dwell on that silly thought, the cannon went off and we were into the water. Physically I felt great. I started out really hard the first couple of hundred yards and then settled in at a good pace that was comfortable but pushing it a bit. No sooner had settled in when the wave of swimmers overtook me and I was butt punched, kicked, whacked in the head and possibly groped more than I would like. These little skirmishes would happen every once in awhile as the swim progressed. I learned a few things from past triathlons about crowded swims. Number one, if there is a crowd around you, then there is most likely an empty spot near by. So whenever I felt claustrophobic, I would rise up and try to find a vacant spot in the water. Nine times out of ten, there was one nearby that I could swim to. Once I started getting packed in, I would start searching again. I think I know what salmon feel like when they are all swimming upstream. The second thing I learned is that going around buoys does not have to be within arms reach of the buoy. I would try and swim around the buoy about 20 yards out from the marker and I avoided the mad rush of people climbing all over each other. We had two looks of the swim so we had to get out, run across the beach and then get back in the water and start all over again. At the end of the swim, was a bit like walking drunk (I have heard). My mind wanted me to go straight but my body kept moving left. I think it would be funny to see a video of people as they try to get their equilibrium. I staggered across the timing mat and head up to transition.

 

Transition Swim to Bike:

Prediction: 00:10:00

Actual: 00:06:23

Wetsuit strippers are the best. They have it down to a science on how to get you out of a wetsuit in less than 4 seconds. Key to getting out of the wetsuit was listening to the directions they were yelling at you. I saw several people trying to do their own thing and not listening, they looked like they were having a seizure. There is usually not much to say about T1 but I did have a funny moment while changing. The changing tent was packed and I did not need to change clothes, I just needed to put on shoes, socks and helmet. I chose the area outside the tent to change. One of the things that makes sitting on the bike tolerable is chamois butter, which is basically lanolin cream. So, I squeezed out a big glob of chamois butter into my hand and deposited it where it belongs, in my shorts. I overheard one of the spectators exclaim "Did you see what that guy did with his hand in his pants!"

 

Bike:

Prediction: 6:30:00

Actual: 6:50:01

The bike was tough. My brother and I drove the course to see what it was like and it did not look overwhelming. Of course that appraisal was done while in a Ford Taurus. Sitting on a Felt bike, it is a different story. The hills were a bit longer and steeper than I expected. In my mind, I was doing terrible. For some reason, I was pessimistic about my performance. In actuality, I was doing well because on some portions of the ride, I would see my teammates and I was staying pretty consistent with the amount of time between us. Nutrition worked well. I crammed in the calories as much as possible. Every 15 minutes I was taking in nutrition. My plan for the ride was to divide the day up into three timeframes. With each timeframe, I would increase my heart rate but would stay below 85% HR. On the hills I naturally went a bit higher but for the most part, I stayed within my heart rate and kept cranking. As I came into town, I was actually quite happy with my bike time. Slower than I wanted but I was not hammered. I felt great, legs were good, and I was ready to run. I was really feeling pretty excited about starting the run.

 

Bike to run transition:

Prediction: 00:10:00

Actual: 00:05:29

Nothing to report on in T2, I kept my hand out of my pants so it was pretty boring for everyone.

Run:

Prediction: 4:20:00

Actual: 4:46:52

The run was my big worry. I tend to fade in the last 26 miles of the marathon. The first .2 miles though are all mine. Mentally and physically I have been preparing myself for the run. Since training started, I tried to run after every spin class or bike ride. I wanted my legs and my mind to know what it would feel like to run after riding. Mentally, I have been visualizing myself running the first 18 miles. I did not plan on walking water stops until post 18 miles. I planned to eat every 30 minutes. All I can say about the run is that it felt great. It was hard but it never felt like it would overwhelm me. I stayed with my plan and it worked out well. Seeing all my teammates throughout the run was a great motivator. The occasional high five, head nod, "Way to go" or any acknowledgement helped me so much. Every timing mat that I went over, I visualized friends and family getting an internet notice of where I was. I used that to imagine good thoughts coming back at me. I went out a little too fast at the start at it came back to haunt me a bit on the last few miles. So, the lesson learned is to take it a bit slower if you feel like you are doing okay. One thing that started playing a role in everyone's performance was the weather. It started raining and getting colder. Runners were wearing Mylar blankets or garbage bags to stay dry and warm. Race officials were walking through the course checking on people for fatigue and hypothermia. As I was coming in towards the finish, I felt really bad for those that were headed back out for another loop. I knew that they had another 2-3 hours out on the course. These would be hard hours. I shouted out encouragement to a few people who looked like hell and were struggling. Depending on a person's frame of mind at this point they either appreciate you or detest you for the support. They really looked like survivors were coming out of a disaster zone.

The finish, this is it, the goal that I and many others have worked hard for. It is pretty easy to describe getting to the finish line. For the past 6 months, 280 hours of training, 320 miles of running, 1400 miles on the bike and countless laps of swimming. Rainy days, windy days, hot days, days you wanted to sleep in, special occasions missed so you could train, all the sacrifices that we made and that our families made so that we could cross a line on a street in Coeur D'Alene Idaho. When it comes to describing the last 300 yards, those last few minutes all I can say is that you want the distance to end but not the time. I wanted those last few moments to last forever. Tired, cold, wet, exhausted I was ready to cross the line and be done with the day. Rose Mary and my brother both ran out into the street to run with me for a bit. That will be a moment I remember forever. Seeing the streets lined with family, friends and hundreds of strangers all cheering for me. With their enthusiasm and zeal, they were pulling me to cross that line, urging me to be the Ironman I worked for. Noah, a teammate, reminded all of us to take it all in as we came down the finish chute. He urged us to slow down and enjoy the moment. Thanks to him, I did that. I high fived anyone I could reach, I looked people in the eyes and just soaked in their excitement. Suddenly the finish line is too close and it all ends when a volunteer hands you a hat, a medal and a t-shirt. They make sure you are okay, that you can stand for a bit longer, they get you some water and then they are gone, off to help someone else. 13 hours and 04 minutes after I started, I became an Ironman.

In our lives there are occasions that stand out. Births, deaths, graduations, marriage, these are moments that you can think back upon and all the emotions from that time can come flooding back. None of them equal but all of them are memorable. I want as many of these life moments as possible. I can honestly say that I have a new life moment. This was an amazing day for me and I did not get to have this without the help of a lot of people. So, I have to give some thanks to Rose Mary for putting up with this craziness called Ironman. It was a lot of time apart and I could not have done this without her support. I also have to thank friends and family for the continued support. Their words of encouragement and best wishes were amazing. On the run, I carried a baggie with printed copies of emails from everyone. I never wanted to quit but there were times when I wanted to slow down. When those moments came along, I remembered how much support I had with me. Too many names to mention but you know who you are and I appreciate you. The wonder of technology like Facebook, putting me in touch with long distance relatives, and long lost friends was pleasure. Having them on board and staying in touch was a great motivator. Huge shout out to "the team". I trained with the T3 team here in Austin. I owe a special thanks to all the Angels, the coaches and fellow athletes for teaching me, inspiring me and motivating me to be better than I was the previous week.

 

Although Triathlon is an individual sport, it takes a lot of people to get you across the finish line.