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 Swim
Comments: With the boom of the cannon I slowly walked down to the water and started swimming... the water was cold especially since I did not have the time to get in before the race ... It was a crazy as everyone had ever described and I may not be the best swimmer but people were swimming in all dirction so I got just to the outside of the of the inside bouys and there were not as many people there and just found a rythum and just kept on swimming, swimming, swimming and ya know every time I would get tangled up with people I think the water was going up hill. After the first loop got some water and a gel and was off again far less people now and got a little nervous as there was a lot of what I realized later was eatin up fish.... I saw the dead fish and was reminded of the 844 pound mako they caught about 70 miles from race start a few weeks back. Oh well at that point I did not care I was tired and kept going for the beach Made it back to the beach and headed for the bike.... I was pretty confident at that point since I made the cut off. What would you do differently?: Swim more  Transition 1
Comments: As I walked into the tent all I could hear in my head was Welchy Brinin Sexy Back and sang to myself as I got dressed laughed a little and headed out to find my yellow iron horse... blood sugar at this point was perfect but would not be the whole day What would you do differently?: nothing  Bike
Comments: I had a few stomach issues from the swim but not bad and was able to get through them... At about mile 50 I stopped and my sugar was on the rise not sure why but high 200's which meant I was dehydrating and therefore starting to cramp... I battled to get my sugar down drink as much as possle and keep my legs from locking up...I knew this would not be the day to battle that issue ... As I came in it was so cool to see Wendi (g8rsax) ringin her cowbells I wish I had slowed down sooner to get to talk to her but she was great all day running around cheering and encouraging me...wives are so COOL well at least I know mine is!!!!! by the end of the race my sugar was back down to about 150 which is very managable and I was ready for the run What would you do differently?: keep tighter control of my sugar since it was high I prolly lost a good 30 minutes stopping to check and adjust and sugar and go again...plus I was taking in so many fluids with high sugar I was in the port a let a little too much as well Transition 2
Comments: Felt comfortable in transition Shaun (CFG) was there and talked to me which just made the time go by really fast...thanks Shaun He also helped me by giving Wendi a message that I thought I was going to run out of insulin before I ran out of race...this would be a very bad thing and I was not sure if I would get dq'd if she handed me insulin so I could fill my pump back up while on the run...so the message was to have a bottle for me after the first half of the marathon and I would decide what to do from there...  Run
Comments: Funny how things change on the run my sugar was low so I was not taking insulin just eating at every aid station I guess the insulin plus running /walking kept it low over the whole marathon... As I finished the first lap I knew I was slow and was in jeopardy of not finishing as an Ironman if I did not get my A$$ in gear...At this point I had pleanty of insulin so it was staying down and poor Wendi ran back to the condo for nothing... I also figured I was short on time so not long sleeve shirt or vest...so I had planned a 7:2 run /walk and I tried to stay as close to that as possible and ened up being bout 25 minutes faster the second half marathin than the first.... With about 2 miles to go to the end and with about 45 minutes til midnight I started to realize that I was going to make it and that was a great thing as I was seriously out of gas of any kind and getting very cold due to not taking anything from my special needs bag...about then Jeff(Q), Jessica (tritakemeaway) and Andrew (Adollar) pulled up next to me in their truck...I was very happy to see them but really could not show it so they went and got Wendi who was heading to find me and I walked about a mile and a half with her and she pulled off with about 400 yards to go.... I could see the lights and the finish line and could hear the crowd yelling and Mike Reilly calling out names and a new Ironman every few minutes as I approached... I got emotional for a few minutes then very excited and start trying to do the Gator Chomp which was not to successful and then I started a very slow run into the shoot to the finish line where I shook Mile Reily's hand and crossed the line... Once I did Chris (Cbost) and Sue were there to catch me and I have to say sorry to Sue she was much easier to lean on because Chris is as big as I am....Great to have friends at the finish line even better than just regular catchers I am sure... Got my finisher hat, t-shirt and NO medal cuz they ran out... that kind of sucked but they said they would send one (we will see) What would you do differently?: run more Post race
Warm down: walked around trying to get warm, get what little food was left and then got a pretty long massage that was average but at least I was under a blanket and off my tired feet.. Thanks to everyone who stuck around to see me finish I know you guys are either Ironmen, volunteers or watched the race all day (special thanks to Stan, Jeff, Denise, Sue, Shaun, Lane, Chris and especially my number one Jock strap Wendi)... Also want to thank everyone watching and or following along on line in BT Land you all rock and your presence was most certainly felt.... Headed back to the condo and sat in the jacuzzi tub for a little bit and went to bed after eating some sushi.... Then up early the next morning for pictures, finishers junk and to get Wendi signed up for next year.... See ya'll next year in Panama City Beach to Jock Strap and have a cold beer or two :) ;) Event comments: Unbelievable day nothing like it to compare to.... pushed my physical and meantal ability to the limits...I may not be too fast but at 11:46 pm I still can say I was an Ironman and I told my coach (Freddie) that was the goal way back last year when I signed up for this trec.... Profile Album Last updated: 2007-11-06 12:00 AM
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United States
Ironman North America
75F / 24C
Sunny
Overall Rank = 2172/2300
Age Group = 35-39
Age Group Rank = 389/404
Well the adventure started Wednesday, Halloween night as Wendi and I pulled out of the Booming metropolis of Plant City bout 9:30 pm and drove to Lake City getting there at almost 1 am... not much exitment but laughed our a$$es off listening to the comics on the Sat Readio.
Arrived in Panama City Beach about 9:30 Thursday morning and found Stan (Flyboy) and checked into the condo and went to packet pick up to get all signed in for the little race they were having Saturday morning. By this time I was wound tight but was trying really hard not to let it show. Did a short ride with Stan and Wendi.
Had a late lunch with Stan and Jeff (Bostic) and of coure the FINEST jock strap to ever walk the Earth Wendi (G8RSAX as if you didn't know)
Went to the Pre race dinner which was pretty cool but really crowded and way to many peple crammed into this small room
Friday did a short swim had lunch with Lane, Cbost and the pretty girl again for pizza which was really good. Then Friday night we went to Jessica's house for a little pasta (Thanks Jess) and some good company and crazy Shenanigans from the Wonder Twins (dang they must have been seperated at birth) then off to bed by 9 pm......
Race morning started out great until I got to transition and realizd I forgot my drink bottles and had to trec back to the condo to get them...Thank goodness Wendi and Stan dropped off my special needs bags and put air in my tires. I knew even though the day started off less than stellar God was watching over me cuz when I got back to the condo all the doors were locked and I did not know the codes but a lady let me in who was coming down the elevator. Then when I got back to the start I had to go find my previously dropped special needs bags to put the bottles in them...geeeez what a start...Finaaly made it back to the start line about 15 minutes before the canon got suited up and moved to the starting line. The sun was rising, just breath taking, watched the pros go and then they played that Eminem song Lose yourself... Wendi for the past year kept telling me " Success is my only mothafu%^in option, failure's not" I looked for her but could not find her but it was very comforting knowing she was watching and said that through the song one more time.... about the time I got done day dreaming the cannon was firing....