Ochsner Ironman 70.3 New Orleans - Triathlon1/2 Ironman

I WAS PUMPED at swim exit!!!!

I ran down the chute of the exit hollering and slapping high 5’s with everyone! I d not recommend this. Save your energy!!!! It was not smart. When I got to transition I was a little winded, but I was pumped. I exited the 1.2 mile swim in 42 minutes, about 3 minutes better than my goal.



At transition 1 I talked to Paul a little and headed out on the bike.

I ran through transition barefoot and my right foot was throbbing and I realized I didn’t take any Aleve out on the bike. I popped 2 in transition along with some Enduraliytes (s/p) and headed out on the run. My bike average was 19.7mph.



My foot was struggling, but I was still feeling pretty good mentally and pushed the pain to the back of my mind.

I saw so many www.batonrougetri.com club members out there. I slapped hands with all of them and cheered them on. I also cheered on everyone who passed me – until I couldn’t anymore!!! Don’t worry, I’ll get to that later!



My goal was – run the entire course. No walking except water stations. I was feeling great the first 6 miles. I stopped and took off my socks and donated them to a very nice group of people who were cheering on a family member.



The sun became too much for me and I was POURING sweat out of my body faster than I could get fluids back in. I had taken another 2 Aleve at about mile 6 but their effect was not working anymore.



At mile 7 I was mentally destroyed.



I had already died a little inside twice to this point and at mile 7 I had a moment. I decided to quit. I was at a water station and I leaned on the table and decided to quit. I was in so much pain and not just my foot, my body was in so much pain and my mind was wavering.



Somehow my legs just started going. I cursed at myself a little and got pissed off and this took me the next 2 miles and then I hit the mutha of all walls.



I assume I was favoring my right leg because of my foot because my left leg decided it had enough and the hamstring and calve muscle decided to begin a rotating cramp system. Nice . . . I would get the hammy un-cramped and then the calve would lock up and this repeated itself for the next mile until I had to just walk and be happy I was doing that.



I was miserable the last 3 miles but, I was thankful it was only three miles. If it had been 3.4 miles, I may have quit, but I KNEW I could survive the leg problem for three miles.



As I entered the edge of the quarter I began to trot. I could go about 20 feet and BOOM the left leg would lock up.



When I hit Decatur I was NOT going to walk. I know I looked like a real piece of work since my left leg was literally straight as a board and I was kinda dragging it along in some sort of hunch back from notre dame spin off, but I was NOT going to walk into the finish.



That last ¼ mile was agony and pure bliss all folded into one. There were SO MANY EPOPLE at the finish and in the last ¼ mile! I had to stop a couple times and rub out my calve but as I got closer I said screw it and pushed into the finish.





I was so happy.

After a long day we cleaned up and loaded all the finish party stuff and I went to pick up my transition stuff and bike.



I found out the my buddy Sean Schnur and Brian Lejune and Debbie Ellington qualified for Clearwater. Geaux BRtri!!!!!!



I am sure my friend John Fell did too, I haven’t checked yet.



Today was a nice wake up call to my first IM in November. I have a lot of work to do, but I am committed and I will do what it takes to cross that finish line at Ironman Florida.



Thank you to everyone who has supported me in this fight. Thanks to all of my friends who came out to cheer. Thanks to my Momma who spent the whole day out there waiting for me and a SPECIAL thanks to my wife and father in law for everything they do to support me and the club, I love you guys.



I finished in 7:37. My goal was sub 7. Oh well – I finished.

I saw my wife and then I saw my buds Brian, Neal, and Sean waiting at the finish. I was so freaking happy. I am not sure what I was saying to them and I am sure it was stupid and incoherent but, I was on cloud 9 (if cloud 9 means so happy the fact that your right foot and left leg are about to explode and I didn’t even know it!)



I made my way back to the club finish party tents and went directly to the ice bath and it felt SO SO SO SO GOOD!!!!!! I stayed in there for 20 minutes, then had an awesome massage.



I got to see my friend Elizabeth who is amazing. She finished her first half IM. She is battling the weight issue and kicking ass at it.






me!


The racecourse was completely closed. BIKE AND RUN. This was one of the safest most organized courses I’ve EVER raced on and I was a little worried about that. EVERY road had an officer at it blocking traffic. PEM deserves a A+++ for their logistics in planning this race and supporting it with cops at EVERY road crossing. THANK YOU Premier Event management.