Ironman USA Lake Placid - TriathlonFull Ironman

Swam to the far right of the lake and stood on the "mush" a couple of rows back from the front. I know there were around 3000 athletes but they were all hugging the sides so the front wasn't crowded. As the time ticked down I started swimming toward the start line and got a good swimming start as the gun went off. A little scrum at the beginning and I saw the dude next to me take a sweet elbow to the face, he took it in stride and kept swimming so he seemed okay. I stayed wide on the way out and barely saw anyone. Good for contact, terrible for drafting, hit the turn around and meandered toward the crowd, not deep in but close enough to start picking up feet. Jumped from feet to feet on the way back in to end the first loop. Up onto the sand and I see I was around 34 minutes for the first half, freakin' sweet. Dive back in and start going on lap #2. Stay closer to the buoys this time but still couldn't find a good set of draft feet so I went from feet to feet as best as I could but I could tell I wasn't doing a good job drafting today. As I hit the turn I peeked at the lake house we rented to see if they were out on the dock but as I found out later they were all waiting down at T1. Tucked back in and swam back to shore crossing the mat at 1:10:44. I have no idea what happened on the second lap that slowed me down, I'm usually faster the second lap because I can smell the exit. No worries, I was right on track and I felt good. A little cramping in my calf just like last year but I knew it would go away during the bike.

draft better don't lolly gag on the second loop. can't really complain about this swim.

Long, long, run to the T1, grabbed the bag and headed to the tent. Here is where being MOP kind of sucks. T1 is a mad house. Put my shoes on, helmet on, glasses on, sunscreen on, then decided against the arm warmers. It was a beautiful day like yesterday, why would I need arm warmers??? Ran to my bike turned on the computer and headed to the mount line.



Put my arm warmers on! Better to have and not need than to need and not have.

Hopped on the bike and within a few pedal strokes I see my family. They're cheering like crazy and Row is already running numbers through her head and knew that I had a good swim and I was on the right track. Not 10 minutes later I know that I should have worn the arm warmers. It's not cold, but compared to Okinawa weather it is freezing. No worries, take it easy. Still have a little calf cramp but just like IM Japan it would work itself out on the bike with some minor stretching. Cruise towards the famous Keene decent and the ice cold rain hits, I have to smile but I'm fine. People are pushing and pushing and I'm sticking to the plan. Nice and easy stick to Z1 low Z2 for the first loop. Flying down Keene decent over 40 mph but had to take it real easy because of all the traffic and the rain. Take the turn onto 9N headed to Jay and I feel great, people are flying by me but I don't care. I feel like I'm out for a Sunday ride and my speed is just fine. Chat with a guy when a giant pelaton passes us. He gets all excited and say's "oooh, I'm in" and hops in with the cheaters. Fast forward and the race is going just as planned, staying in my low HR zone and having fun. Nutrition is right on track. Headed toward the big hills I see my pelaton loving friend on the side of the road at a church changing his tire, instant karma, cool. Hit the new out and back and start heading back to LP and towards the infamous hills and Papa Bear. I start my ascent and I feel great, I'm sitting back and cruising enjoying the ride and I'm right on track. Okinawa hills might not be as long as LP but they're much, much steeper. I could tell my training was spot on as I kept my HR low and was climbing well. Coming back to town I pass right by the rental house and my entire family who are jumping out of their minds yelling and smiling, while wearing "Go Chris" shirts. Awesome! Not 2 seconds after passing them I feel something funny and for some reason I keep riding knowing deep down I must have a slow leak in my front tire. Sure enough right after I pass the SN pick up my front goes floppy. I hop off just around the corner from LP Pub and start changing my tire in front of the walls lined with spectators. No pressure there huh? Pull the tube and check the tire, pull the tiny shard of glass out and a spectator takes a picture of me and promptly asks for my email address so he can mail it to me. I was as calm as a cucumber, still not worried, smiling, and talking to the crowd while changing my tire. Bike support shows, he tells me to pack and he'll finish the rest. Sweet! I pack up and he finishes putting the tire on and pumps me up. I thank the crowd and get rolling towards the half way point. First lap in just ovr 3 hours which is about where I wanted it to be, all is going well.

Start the second lap and I feel great. Plan was to push it a bit more late second lap so I just did the same as the first lap early. Nice and easy. Nutrition is spot on. Up the hills and begin my super fast Keene decent. I'm flying then the race turns for me. As I hit a bump the wind catches my front wheel and I have a super wobble handle bar moment at 45 mph. I don't know how I kept control of the bike, I thought for sure that I was going down, and going down hard. I yelled at my bike “NO!” and got control. Still unsure about what happened as I've descended steeper more technical hills at faster speeds, I guess, the perfect crap storm of a big bump and wind was the cause. None the less, I slowed it down to the upper 30's for the rest of the hill so I could regain composure and push on.

Turning back onto the fast section going towards Jay I reach down for my infinite and it's gone! EFFF! I double check then triple check as if my mind was playing tricks on me but it was gone. Somewhere in the madness coming down Keene it must have popped out. The only time that's ever happened is when my cage was broken but this was a new cage and the bottle fit snug. I spent the next bit trying to figure out a new nutrition plan for the rest of the bike, as I had more Infinit waiting for me in my run bag. I knew my I could manage using Powerade Perform but I also knew that there was not enough sodium in anything I could get to keep me from getting dehydrated and crampy, because that's how I roll. Sure enough, maybe an hour later I could feel tightness in my legs and I was peeing like a stuck pig. As soon as I rolled fluids in, they were rolling out. I knew I was going to be in trouble so I backed off even further than lap one and began drinking and drinking trying to stay hydrated. Climbed all the hills fighting tight crampy legs but I was able to maintain an okay pace. It wasn't where I wanted to be but I could tell that I am evolving in this sport as I wasn't getting down I was strategizing. Climbed the hills with little difficulty and made me way toward town. Wondering what my legs were going to feel like and if I had a good marathon left in them. I wasn't happy but I wasn't out of this race yet.



Strap down my nutrition? I'll be working on a solution.

Happy to get off the bike as you could imagine and happy to get some Infinit in my body. I don't get tired of the flavor, ever! It's was like bumping into an old friend as I took a drink and put my shoes, hat, fuel belt,glasses, and sunscreen on and headed out.

Faster

Saw Row and Virg right out of the gate and quickly yelled about the flat and lost bottle. Row would know what it meant and could explain to the others of its importance. Felt okay and wondered if I had that elusive 4hr marathon in my legs. As I headed down the hill I knew immediately that it was not there so instead of getting down I strategized again and reset my goals. I knew sub 12 was out, and since I felt and still feel that was a modest goal for this course I was pissed, but being pissed off could wait as I had a marathon to go and I wasn't going to let this turn into a super suck fest. I decided my new goal would to force myself not to walk unless I was getting aid at an aid station. My legs were still crampy but I was fighting it with fluids, fluids, and more fluids. Saw Cusetri, Marvarnette, AdCo, and Coredump on the run, it was nice to see familiar faces. It was even nicer to be able to talk to people on the run, unlike last year where English speakers where hard to find. I wasn't moving fast but I kept moving sticking to my new goal. As people walked the hills I plodded on past them. Up and around the lake house and past my family who were still out there cheering their hearts out. What a beautiful place to hold a race.

Hit the half way point and start lap two. The cramps are still there but I'm maintaining and fighting the good fight. I see Ryan (The Bachelor) for the third time and yell out to him, for the third time. I can't believe I got my butt kicked by the Bachelor! See some of the BT crowd again, cusetri was pushing it hard and crushed it, Marvarnette had finished and gotten back in support mode. Saw Adam (AdCo) before the long out and back and began and he told me to tell Monica he'd be in around 14:30, didn't see her but he did just that coming in right around that mark. I began to think about how fast this race seemed to be going by and who in their right minds would ski jump off of those insanely high ramps, freakin' crazy monkies! Sticking to the plan and staying hydrated while dumping ice in my pants. Hilarious moment when a young good looking volunteer asked me if I needed her help while I was dumping ice in my pants. Then she noticed what I was doing and she and I had a good laugh as did some other volunteers. Good times. Ran into the Iron Friar again, he's a 12 time LP finisher and gave the Welcome Dinner Prayer and we had stood in line for packet pick up together, chatted and wished each other luck and I plodded along. What a great atmosphere. Ran up the steep hill into the center of town and hit the final out and back when I saw Row and Uncle Jerry yelling their heads off, I almost cried, really. Hell, I almost cried right now just typing it. It was a special moment. I'm extremely lucky to have such a supportive wife and family. Uncle Jerry and Aunt Cathy came up here to see us and watch me race and race day was their 40th wedding anniversary. How awesome is that? Hit the turn around and saw my Dad and Mother-in-Law cheering like crazy and headed down the road for the last mile. Hit the Oval, tucked my sunglasses behind my back, tugged my hat down tight and checked around so I could ensure a solo finish line picture. Hell, I've been out here way too long I might as well get this done right. Slowed down so the guy in front of me could have his moment alone, no one was behind me so I smiled and plodded on to the finish line. Coming down the chute I hear Mike Reilly call my name and hear those sweet words, "You are an Ironman!" Sweet, sweet words. I was stiffed at IMFL and they don't do that at IM Japan so I was hoping I'd get it this time and it was just as sweet as I thought it would be, and well worth the wait. I see the rest of my family going completely crazy and cross the line feeling just fine. Get the blanket, medal, t-shirt, and hat. Couple of pics by the IMLP backdrop and I'm out of there. Holy crap, did that really take almost 13 hours?



I did what I could do with what I had left after the bike fiasco. Proud of battling any demons and trying to stay positive.

I feel a spark right then, right there. A spark in my belly because I know I just got my ass handed to me but this time it wasn't because I wasn't ready for the hills, or the run, or the distance. I spent the most of the time after my lost bottle disaster to control what I could control and I did just that. I finished my 3rd Ironman since November 2008 in a respectable time but when you train that long and that hard for one day, one event, a respectable time is not going to cut it as a result. Luckily I had more important things to do. I had a giant gathering of people who love me waiting right outside the gate. I grabbed my bags and my bike and headed out to the ones that I love. AWESOME! They were so proud, they were so jacked up and excited and overjoyed. Put the medal on Gracie and waited as the kids got their ice cream. It seems that they all had a fabulous time throughout the day. Gave Rowena a huge hug and as she told me how proud she was I could see that she knew I that I knew that she knew  deep down I was pissed. I am a lucky man. We walked back up to the house and we all hugged it out. My belly was sloshing around like crazy so I just showered then soaked up the family fun for the rest of the evening.

I mentioned it before but this race seemed to fly by. I could feel the day just sliding away all day long. There was not one time out there, even the painful times where I felt like I shouldn't be out there or I've bitten off more than I can chew. Today wasn't my day and that's okay. I'm going to enjoy the next couple of weeks we have in the States with my family and friends before we head back out to Okinawa. I'll start off easy but I'm not going to let this fitness disappear like I had in the past. There's a fire that's been little and I've never felt this fire before. I've got something to prove, to myself. Ironman Australia May 2011, I'll be ready.



Not having my nutrition for the second loop crushed my race but I battled on and had a good day anyway.

Great place and I will be back with my family in tow.


Now I know why LP sells out so fast, this place is awesome!