IronMan Cozumel - TriathlonFull Ironman

This was my first mass start swim and it through me off at first. I was up front and thought I could get some clear water but that didn't happen. People were grabbing my legs, pushing, pulling, you name it. It really messed me up at first and took me a little bit to get recomposed. After that I found some clear water for a while but then realized I was swimming out further from shore than most other people. I think that cost me some time because I wasn't drafting and the current might have been less. I made my way closer to the shore and the brutal swimmers started up again. The grabbing and pulling just would not stop. I had to kick one person because they kept grabbing my leg.

The swim it's self was absolutely beautiful. Crystal clear water, able to see fish, waving to scuba divers, just beautiful. Near the swim exit I saw an underwater statue of either Jesus or Mary, not sure which one.

I would be more mean to others like there were to me. I tried not to grab people but game on next time.

I'm happy with this transition. I was planning on 15 mintues per transition so no issues here. I had everything in a big ziplock bag inside my transition bag just in case it got dropped and I didn't want everything to spill out.

Nothing.

I'm happy with this ride. My plan was to keep my heart rate around 130 and it averaged 134. The first lap went very well. My heart rate was up a bit and I couldn't get it to settle down. I think it was just race excitement. The winds were not too bad and the heat wasn't an issue. I sipped Infinit and drank water every 15 minutes just like I planned on doing. On the south side of the island there wasn't many spectators but coming back into town I felt like a pro rider with the people cheering me on. "Vamos, Vamos, vamos" was all I was hearing.

The second loop I backed off a little bit to get my heart rate down. The heat and wind started to pickup as well. I wore an aero helmet and I think that was a mistake. I could tell I was getting hot because of the lack of ventilation. I still stuck to my Infinit/water every 15 minutes and that really worked well so far. I started drinking more water due to the heat. I could tell I was starting to get too hot so I started squirting water on myself at every other aid station. I stopped to grab my SN bag and that took about 5 minutes all together. I mixed another 3 hour bottle of Infinit, had a melted snickers bar, and used the bathroom.

Lap 3 was uneventful. Nutrition and lots of hydration. Started slowing a bit the last 10 miles but I was deteremined to stick to the plan of keeping my heartrate low.

I wouldn't change anything. I had a plan and stuck to it and came off the bike feeling great.

Not a bad transition. I made sure to remember to put on body gluid and sunscreen, used the bathroom, and off I went.

Nothing.

Oh the run. The furthest I ran in training was 17 miles. This was also the first year I've really done any considerable amount of running. The first run segment I was on track with a 10:30/mile pace. I felt pretty good but started getting really hot. I only walked a couple of aid stations and made sure to drink fluids.

The next 8.7 miles I started to slow a bit to a 11:50/mile pace. Still ok but slower than I was hoping for. The heat really started to get to me. I started grabbing ice bags and putting them under my arm pits, on top of my head, neck, etc. to keep cool. I was drinking plenty of fluids but could tell I was too hot. I stopped at SN bags to change socks and stretch just a bit and tried to cool down. I was there for around 5 minutes and got back at it. At this point I went from only walking the aid stations to run 5 minutes, walk 2 minutes.

The last half of the run I really slowed down due to trying not to overheat. I was countless ambulances taking people off the course. Lots of people were walking with me. My legs just did not want to run. I think this was in part due to the heat/humidity but lack of good run fitness as well. I started feeling a little sick to my stomach a few times but knew I had to keep eating and drinking. I saw my small hope of a sub 13 hour first Ironman go away but I knew I would finish under the 14 hour goal I had set for myself. I'm proud of myself for being smart and backing off when I knew I needed to. It is far better to finish at a slower pace than to passout and have to be taken to medical and not finish.

I will make sure I have more run fitness next time. I had problems with my hamstring, then my knee, and then my achilles so trying to keep those injuries under control forced me to miss some key runs. Being my first Ironman I didn't know what to expect. Next time I will push through the run a little more on race day.

Ate some pizza and stretched. The line for massage was too long and I didn't want to wait for that.


Lack of run fitness and not knowing what to expect on my first Ironman.


I would do this race again for sure. The spectator support was unreal. I felt like a pro they way the crowd supported me. Even after the race I was called "a local celebrity" on a sail boat cruise we went on. The island is beautiful and it is great to relax and have a vacation to celebrate an awesome accomplishment.