Ford Ironman World Championship - TriathlonFull Ironman

I picked up my Xterra Velocity M Monday morning from the Xterra folks and it was great to wear overtop of my kit. I started the swim to the left figuring I'd try to stay out of the craziness. It wasn't too bad and I was able to get some clear water after about 500M. When I found good feet I hung on until I lost them in a crowd. This is an amazing swim looking down at the coral and fish. Before I knew it we were at the turnaround and because I started wide I didn't get caught in a lot of traffic.

On the way back in I was able to get some really good feet for more than half the return. I just kept a nice long stroke and enjoyed the swim as much as I could. As far as IM swims go, this was really an uneventful swim and I really don't think it was as rough as St George.

I guess my swim really isn't as bad as I always think it is. This is clearly middle of the pack and I'll take it in Kona.

My helmet, sunglasses, and shoes were all on my bike so it was just a matter of putting on socks and race number and grabbing another bottle of LiquidShots and my salt tablets and I was off. I tried training rides without socks but I just prefer to wear them during IM so it took me a little longer to put them on.

Got out of transition and then stayed on top of my shoes until we got onto Kuakini. I had more room there and slipped into my shoes without a problem and I was off.

The bike is the portion of the race I'm least happiest with. For some reason I just couldn't get my legs going. I'm usually able to push the pace a little more but I found myself holding back after about mile 80 because I just felt like I needed to conserve something for the run.

The first section of the ride along Kuakini is pretty flat, fast, and full of riders. I started easy and just stayed with everyone else. There's really nowhere to go anyhow because there are just so many bikes bunched together early in the bike. Once again there were people lined up on both sides of the road for the early section and it was an awesome site. After about 8 miles you climb Palani and then turn left onto the Queen K. I took the Palani hill pretty easy but did stand a little just to stretch my back.

As we turned onto the Queen K there were still a lot of bikes bunched together. It was at this point at about mile 9 of the bike a referree pulled up and gave me a red card for drafting. I couldn't believe it! I was stuck in a group of 20 bikes with 3 bikes side-by-side and 6 or 7 rows of bikes just trying to get going on the bike. I was actually the only one trying to slow down to get out of the pack and let them go ahead. I have NO idea how she picked me out as the only person supposedly drafting. As hard as I tried to get out of the pack, there was just no way to do it because someone behind me would have run into me. I couldn't pull ahead because there was someone beside me. And I couldn't pull to the side because there were more people on my right side. Out of all this, I was the only one they picked out for drafting. C'mon, do they really think I qualified and came here to draft at mile 9 of the bike! I was pissed but knew I had to control my emotions. The LAST thing I could do was try to hammer it to make up the 4 minutes I would lose at the next penalty tent.

As I came to the aid stations I looked for the penalty tent and finally got to one at about mile 30 of the bike. When I pulled in I started complaining to the officials. After about 30 seconds of complaining I stopped and asked them, "You guys have never heard this argument before have you?" They all kind of laughed and said no I was the first one to complain. I felt bad for them and told them they had a tough job. I realized there was nothing I could do but accept the penalty so I started talking and joking with the officials. One of them joked and said they were serving cheese at the next aid station to which I replied, "ya it would go well with my wine wouldn't it?" After 4 minutes I was off. Still pissed off but still staying within myself.

I was still feeling good at this point and did so until mile 50 just after the start of the climb to Hawi. It was here where the wind started to kick in big time. All of the sudden there was a huge headwind and major cross winds. My pace slowed from 20mph to 10mph as we climbed to Hawi. You couldn't stay in aero position because you had to be prepared for the crosswinds that would blow you across the road. I saw a couple downed riders that were obviously blown across and off the road.

When I got to the turnaround in Hawi I knew I'd have some tailwind, but, now I would be going 30-40mph downhill, downwind with major crosswinds to contend with. I just hung on for dear life hoping I wouldn't get blown off the road. This is where the bike can become extremely demoralizing. You hope to have a tailwind back into town but because of the time of day, and as you make the turn on the island the tailwind becomes a headwind. This just sucks the life out of you as you try to get through the headwinds for the last 30-40 miles back into town. It was here I decided to back off because I had cramp issues on the run at IMSG so I decided I wanted to run strong. Well, even backing off I could start to feel twinges in my hamstring and at this point I thought this could be an incredibly long race if I have to fight cramps again.

Riding back on the Queen K I just tried to keep telling myself to enjoy the moment. I'd constantly look to the right and enjoy the view as I looked out to the Pacific Ocean. Looking at my watch as I made the turn back into Kona I knew I was nowhere near where I wanted to be for my bike pace. Madam Pele and the wind just wouldn't permit it for me on this day and I just had to bow to the conditons of Kona and accept them for what they were.

As I made the final turn into transition I once again just tried to enjoy the moment as I looked at the HUGE crowd.

I guess this ride just wasn't meant to be. I learned a lot about the conditions and will no what to expect next time I race here.

Got off the bike, handed it off, and ran around transition to the bags and the tent. I pulled on my calf sleeves, put on my shoes, put on my hat, grabbed nutrition, went for a quick bio break and I was off.

Only in IronMan can you have someone put sunscreen on your arms as your going pee. :)

As I got out of transition and onto Palani I wasn't feeling great but was able to keep a decent pace. As I turned onto Alii my wife, kids, and coach were there to greet me at about 2.5 miles in. I told them this would probably be a long run as I just didn't feel like I had it today. Then, all of the sudden at about mile 3.5, something started to kick in. My legs came to me and I started to feel really strong. I picked up the pace and started clipping along at a 7:50/mile pace with really little effort. I ended up finishing the first 5 miles with a 7:59 pace and I was running by people like crazy. When I came around the other way to see my family again I told them my legs had FINALLY come to me and that I'd be hauling ass the rest of the way.

I was feeling great running sub-8 miles until I got onto Kuakini at about mile 9 when all of the sudden a cramp in my left hamstring stopped me in my tracks. I stopped and worked it out and my right quad started cramping. This is the 2nd race in a row I've had cramping issues on the run and most would say it's becaue I went to hard on the bike but believe me I dialed it way down on the bike. I took in lots of salt and drank plenty so something just isn't ride with my electrolyte balance.

After working out the cramps for a couple minutes I was able to walk and then run slowly and with short strides. I took in more salt, fluids, and banana at the next aid station and was able to start running better again. Miles 5-10 were at 8:17 pace but if you take the couple minutes out where I had to stop to work out cramps my pace was still strong. I kept the slower pace for a few miles until I felt like I could pick up the pace again without cramping. I was actually feeling better and stronger the run went on.

I was taking in water, Perform, and coke at every aid station and took in nutrition when I felt I needed it. As I got to the Energy Lab I was feeling really good and as I looked at my pace I was once again running at a 7:55 pace and feeling incredibly good. I made the turn around in the Energy Lab and started the slight climb back to the Queen K feeling great and passing a lot of people. Just before the Queen K, out of nowhere, my left hamstring completely cramped up on me again. Same routine, stop, work it out and right quad cramps up. At this point I started doing a lot math in my head. I had about 7 miles to finish and there is no way in hell I'm coming in over 11 hours. It took me longer to work out these cramps than the first set of cramps so I knew I was losing time.

Once I started running again I knew that if I could just run 9 minute miles I'd cut it close but would come in under 11 hours. Oh, how that 4 minute BS penalty could possibly come into play now. I WOULD NOT allow them to take sub-11 from me. I knew that if I came in over 11 hours I would be miserable and all I could think of was I didn't want to do that to my wife because I knew I would be tough to live with if I didn't come in under 11 hours.

I was running 8:30 - 8:45 pace with very little effort but felt that little twinge every now and again in my left hamstring so I knew cramps were always near by. I walked the aid stations to take in sodium and hydration to keep the cramps away as best I could. I knew as long as I stayed away from another cramp I'd have no problem making it. Everything was great until the very end of the Queen K at mile 24 when my left leg completely cramped again. I had to stop and work it out and now the math was realling working in my head. It was going to be real close. I had to work it out and get running or I wouldn't make it. I started running and as I got to Palani I knew I had to be careful on the downhill because that's were another cramp could come. One more cramp issue and sub-11 was gone.

I got down the hill slowly but with no cramping problem and now new I had about 1.25 miles to go. As I turned onto Kuakini the sh-- literally started to fly. A young women in front of me was literally crapping her pants as she ran. It was absolutely disgusting as you watched it run down her legs. I'm sorry, but sub-11 would not be worth crapping in my pants for.

I never really knew exactly how much time I had left because I didn't start my watch when the cannon went off for the swim because my watch was slow so it hit me at this point that I may actually have 1 minute less than I thought to go sub-11. As I made the last turn on Palani my coach was there and told me I had 3 minutes to go and that I had time to enjoy it. And enjoy it I did. There is NOTHING like running down Alii Drive to the home stretch. It simply magical! The streets are packed and everyone is yelling out your name as you go by. The final stretch and I walked across the finish line and the sense of accomplishment really hit me. Literally 2 years preparation for this day, for this moment, and it's one I'll never forget as long as I live.

I have to figure out why I'm cramping on the run. I did not push hard on the bike. The heat was a non-issue. Maybe I'm lucky training all summer in Austin but for me, it is not here at all. I had a lot more in me and really believe I can run a 3:30 without the cramping issues.

Well, this wasn't my greatest performance but it wasn't my worst performance either. This is, after all, Kona, and I'm racing with the best in the world in some unbelievable conditions. I kept hearing about the heat and wind and how tough they are. Let's just say the wind didn't disappoint. It was downright scary and I was just happy to stay on my bike.

I've already been asked by a few people what's next? The next couple years will be focused on my family as I stick to sprints, Olys, and HIM. My oldest son is a Junior and he'll be off to college in a couple years. I plan on enjoying EVERY football and baseball game. My younger son is in 8th grade and I plan on doing the same with him. And, my wife and I will be enjoying Friday nights and some easy rides together on Saturday mornings.

Oh, I'll be racing again in Kona in a few years and when I do my goals will be VERY high. I learned a lot about how to race this course and while the results weren't exactly what I expected I know now what it takes to reach my next goal. My first goal after 5 years of triathlons was simply to qualify and get here. In a few years time when I come back, I'm going to work my butt off to be on the podium.