Ford Ironman St. George - TriathlonFull Ironman

I was caught completely off guard when the cannon blasted. I was as far out in the lake as I could get along the bouy line and couldnt hear anything from shore so I when the cannon went off I was unprepared. Once I got moving it didnt take long to settle in and find my rhythym and a good line. Things didnt stay rosy for too long though, as I made the turn around the first bouy my goggles were ripped off my head. I was able to grab them and put them back on but they never re-sealed. From that point on I was swimming with eyes full of water and had to stop every 300 to 400 yards to drain them. As if this wasn't enough of a hassle, about half way through the swim I started to develop cramps in my calfs. This happens from time to time when I swim in a wetsuit so it wasn't a complete surprise but made the seoond half of the swim even more uncomfortable. Through all the drama I managed to maintain my composure and finish the swim 2 minutes ahead of my goal time (01:20)

Pay more attention to the clock so the cannon is not a surprise.

Decided to take my time a little in T1 to make sure I would be comfortable when I started the ride. This included a stop in the port-a-john. Since I didn't swim in my tri top I had to put it on in T1 which wasn't a big deal since I'm slim enough to step into it rather than pulling it over my head. Unfortunately the "take my time" method didn't pay off since I forgot to apply chamois butter. I'll get to this later.

Put on chamois butter!!!

From the start I knew this was going to be a challenge when it took me 5 attempts to get my left foot clipped in. The first segment of the ride from Sand Hollow to St. George was fun. The climbs were long but not too steep and the descents were really fast. I took this time to spin at a higher cadence and get my legs warmed up for what was coming ahead. I had a pre-determined nutrition strategy which required modification when at mile 16 my first "lunch" went flying out of my tri top pocket. For split second I cursed my luck but I remembered the talk I had with my coach, Hector Torres, before leaving. He said that a lot of things are going to go wrong out there, but I need stay to positive at all costs. With this in mind I shrugged off the misfortune and carried on. Around mile 30 I started to feel a bit warm in my shorts and realized that as mentioned earlier, I forgot the chamois butter. At first it was just moderate discomfort but after about 15 minutes it was all I could think about. I knew I couldnt carry on for 112 under the current circumstances so as I approached the aid station in Gunlock I stopped to try to come up with a plan. The only thing I had that I though might help was a stick of chapstick. I was a little apprehensive at first because I wasnt sure if it would lubricate or make the situation worse but with little option I gave my lips one last lining and then used the rest of stick to fix the problem. It stung a little at first but ultimately it worked and I was able to continue riding without the fear of blistering. I feel I handled my pacing very well on the first loop and took the big climbs like a pro. The descent into town was awesome. The computer on my bike said I was hitting 48 mph, which I believe. The second loop was a bit tougher as the temperature was reaching the 90's and the wind had picked up significantly. I used the last pass through the neighborhoods before the ride back out through the Shivwits Reservation to munch on the Clif Bar and take the 5 Hour Energy I snagged from my special needs bag. Again I feel my pacing was appropriate and I took the climbs well. Coming out of Veyo however, I changed gears a little too fast and my chain came off. It got lodged between the frame and the small ring on the front. Again, I reminded myself to stay calm and after 2 or 3 minutes of tugging I was able to get it unjammed and back on the gears. As I began the descent into St. George I felt my hamstrings begin to cramp so I had to back off my pace a little and concentrate on taking in more sodium and water. I worked through it and enjoyed the last few miles into town knowing that the monster of a bike course was done.

Put on chamois butter!!!

Other than that, I feel I handled the course as well as I could have.

As with T1 I decided to take my time in T2 to make sure I did everything I planned. I used the port-a-john again, put on my calf sleeves, put some body glide on my feet, and put on my shoes. The volunteer that was trying to help me was a little bit on the pushy side. He kept trying to take my bag away before I was done with it. Finally I just had to grab it from him and tell him to go help someone else. When I was sure I had everything, I put on my hat and race belt and hit the road. Last stop was stop was through the sunblock station to get a good rub down.

Perhaps get my butt in gear faster but really, this was my first Ironman and I didn't want a repeat of T1 (forgetting the chamois butter) so taking my time was probably the best choice.

This run course was the perfect storm for a meltdown. There were nasty climbs, a strong wind, and brutal heat. I personally witnessed a half dozen people layed out on the shoulder...on the first lap. My plan from the start was to run the course but walk the aid stations and use it as a time to eat and drink. This worked for the first lap. I felt pretty good heading up into cliffs and felt great heading back down into town. I picked up a Clif Bar from my special needs bag and decided to walk for about 5 minutes while I ate it to make sure my heartrate stayed low. This was the second really good decision of the day. The recovery from that walk helped tremendously as I headed back out of town on Diaganol St. It became apparent at mile 16 however, that I would no longer be running the uphills when my calves both started straining and cramping. At that point the strategy was modified to walking aid stations and climbs but running everything else. It was about this same time that I realized that I could not take any more gels. I wasn't surprised, I knew that this point would come, it was just a matter of when. From previous 70.3 experience i knew that cookies tend to sit well with me so I fed on delicious chocolate chip cookies the rest of the day. I enjoyed a great pick up on Redhills Pkwy when my parents and girlfriend had decided to make the climb and meet me at the top. The high fives were very uplifting. About this same time the aid stations started bringing out the chicken broth. Yum. Im pretty sure the cookie/chicken broth combo was the key ingredient in my finishing the race.

Before the race, my goal had been to finish before the sun went down (about 13.5 hours). As a passed the 5k to go mark, the sun was starting to get pretty low in the sky and I feared I wouldn't make my goal. I'm not sure if it was the drive to meet my goal or the adrenaline from knowing I was about to be an Ironman but I took the last 3 miles at an 8:30 pace. Coming into town I saw my support team again. I gave them high fives and handed off my hat and glasses so that my finishing picture would look better.

I'll never forget the feeling of coming through the chute and hearing the roar of the crowd and the voice of Mike Reilly, "Joshua Davis from Orlando, Florida...You are an IRONMAN!"

Not a thing. I modified my strategy and nutrition appropriately. Most importantly I remember to have fun and enjoy the experience. There is nothing like your first Ironman.

I was in pretty good shape crossing the finish line. No catcher was required. I got my medal, took my picture, and started walking around to make sure my legs were okay. I then had two slices of pepperoni pizza and for the first time in nearly 2 years I ate a basket of french fries.


Lack of training on mountainous terrain.

Holding back a little since I didnt really know how I would handle the distance.


St. George is a beautiful little town and great supporter for this race. If anyone wants to find out what they are really made of, they should register for Ford Ironman St. George 2012 and hope for another day like 5/7/11.