Ironman Wisconsin - TriathlonFull Ironman

First thing I did before getting in the water was eat. Previous years I did not consume calories right prior to the event. I think this helped me tremendously. Mike Reilly always says that the only thing you really have control of is your attitude. I took that to heart. No bad attitude, no matter what. The nerves were gone and it was just like any other triathlon. I stayed in the mix and got beat and did my share of beating until the pack thinned out. I don't think I swam too bad but found myself outside a bit a few times. The swim seemed really long but was about average for me. 1:45:42. At one point in the water, I smelled what smelled like the water when you boil hot dogs. Strange, but I kind of liked it and it made me laugh into the water. I know the swim does not make or break your day so get in, get it done and get to the parts that do make or break you.


Nothing. Seems like no matter how much swim training I do, I always hover between 1:35 and 1:45. It gets the job done and allows me to focus training hours on the bike and run. The 2 things that are tougher for me.

My transitions have always been slow. I take the extra time to get myself comfortable and ensure I have not forgotten or missed anything. I ate some more calories as well here when in past years I have waited 30 minutes on the bike (bad advice in my opinion)

Try to go faster. Practice so I have a good order as to what to do. I kind of felt confused a bit and put on my jersey before my heart rate monitor, almost forgot my glasses, etc.

The bike was pretty fun. I saw my cheering section including my Iron Wife who was everywhere a ton of times and every time I beamed with pride knowing they were out there to make this a fun day for me. Saw Matt Prest in Verona twice and seeing everyone picked me up and I always tried to let them know how much I appreciated it. I followed my nutrition plan to the letter. One pouch of GU Chomps every 45 minutes, 2 salt tabs every hour, one bottle of perform or bottle of water per hour as needed. I wound up drinking 5 bottles of water and 5 bottles of perform. I drank another bottle of water at one aid station because some didn't have the caps on them and my aero bar mounted bottle cage had the bottle horizontal so it poured out. I was able to request capped bottles at every aid station so it was all good. I never felt thirsty or hungry and never walked my bike or cramped on the hills. I credit the extra hydration and salt. I even went pee once. That never happens for me on the bike. I did lose my salt tabs over some railroad tracks in Cross Plains but got them back while serving a penalty for drafting. I got too close to 2 girls riding side by side as I was eating and drinking on the second loop and not paying attention and the guy snuck up behind me and nailed me for drafting. Shortly after that as I was passing some guy, he swerved way over and forced me into a big crack in the center of the road. My tire and rim went way into it. I thought I was going to crash but didn't. The guy was sorry but I was angry because he almost ruined my Ironman by not paying attention. The little adrenaline I got from that helped me pass a few people. 10 miles into the bike I saw someone crash over some tracks. Pretty narly too. I hope she was o.k. I saw a ton of flat tires too. Way more than I ever remember. On the second loop I saw people sitting with their bikes under trees taking in some shade and resting. I saw some people obviously done and waiting for medical. They were over heated and unprepared for the hills. I just kept churning the pedals. Putting on the compact crank and 11-28 rear cassette was a HUGE reason I could spin up the hills and save some legs. It made a big difference in my bike. My feet got a little sore on the bottoms from never stopping and putting my feet down. So a couple times on the last 30 miles I stopped for 2 minutes to put some pressure on my feet in different spots by walking around a bit. It helped a ton. I rolled back into Monona Terrace. 7:23:20. 15.16avg. Almost an hour faster than last years suffer fest. I had hoped to be more like 7 hours or less so I started to get nervous. Some fuzzy math told me I was going to be running a lot. There were several people in the change tent that looked horrible and were either just resting to recover or were done. Not sure which. Well I wasn't done. I had people following me and watching me and I wanted this so bad.


There were times I think I could have biked harder. I felt really, really good but the run has always been the worst for me so I got scared and tried to save more gas for the run. But in hidsight, more time can be made up on the bike so I should have cranked harder.

Another crappy transition. Just couldn't get my act together. I had a real tough time getting my Zoot running socks on and up. But I know I needed them. I couldn't risk cramping in my calfs. I was trying to go fast and I think that hurt as well.

I need to practice transitions. I think that might help with the organizational aspect of it.

Run goals were simple. Run the first half in between 2:45 and 3 hours and do whatever was necessary to get the job done on the second half. My stomach started to hurt so I went to a water only mode for a while. I stopped at the aid station by the Kohl center and went pee again. I was trying to hold a 11-12 min mile pace and figured out pretty quickly that I would be faster and more efficient going to a run/walk. I found a pace that was comfortable and it was about 13:30 per mile. So when my avg pace on my garmin said 13:32 I would run until it went to 13:28 or less. Then I would power walk until it went back to 13:32 and I would run. I did this for the entire first half. Ran a 3:01 first half at 13:45 pace. I couldn't get my garmin to aquire a signal right away and it took a good half mile before it started it. I saw my brother and niece at the half way. It was awesome as I had no idea they were coming up. It fired me up to keep pounding. My stomach was much better so I started taking in some calories with coke, bananas, oranges and perform. At this point I saw several people laying in the grass obviously dehydrated and hurting. I felt bad for them. Knowing how bad it feels to get close and not finish. I saw a ton of friends and people on the run. My wife and Alison were everywhere again. It was so awesome for me. Well now I did some fuzzy math at the turn around and somehow figured I might not make it. I started saying to myself "I can do this" over and over and it really helped to hear that from myself. In reality I had about 5 hours to do the second half. So when I ran/walked another 5 miles I finally did the correct math and knew I was going to make it. I was so stoked. I knew at that point I could walk 30 min miles amost and make it. My legs were killing me. I was in pain and wanted to be done. One of the guys I did Carmichael Training Camp with, Dave something, came up behind me and we ran/walked and talked for several miles. It made the time go by really fast. He ran off with about 3 miles to go. I got to the spot where you cross this mat and if people have typed in a message for you it comes up. Well I had one buddy, Mike Wolfgram, who left me the saying Kia Kaha. It means stay strong. It totally pumped me up. I ran the path back to the aid station, but that was about the last of the running. I walked the last 3 miles in. With about 2 miles to go I see Ann Huenink smiling from ear to ear. She is another very cool person who ran some with me this summer and pushed me to run better. Seeing my sons, more family, my brother and friends and getting to the last half mile knowing I was going to make it was awesome. I got a hug from a very inspirational friend and a high five from her husband. Michelle Wilkinson and her husband are just awesome. Truely great people. Phil and Cj (who I saw a ton of times and really motivated me and picked me up) walked with me up to the corner where I started my jog to the end. The pain goes away and I high fived everyone I could. I ran down the chute and TRIPPED and fell on the mat just before the arch. Who does that? I felt sort of like a dufus, but then I heard several people had tripped and the mat wasn't taped down good. I thought I just tripped because I could barely get my feet off the ground to run. I got myself up ran through the arch smiling away. I had done it. I completed Ironman Wisconsin.


I should have made myself run more the first half. I felt like I couldn't but I bet I could have. My goal was to get a pace going that would allow me to finish and not have to walk at a slow pace. Even when I walked I was power walking.

Got my medal and picture and just wanted to sit down. My legs were really sore. No cramping, no dehydration. I actually went pee about 5 times during the day which for me is huge. The past 2 years have been bad. The firt year I never went and on the run I peed blood (and fire) the entire run. Last year I never peed either and both times it took about 12 hours before I did after the race. This year I got back to the hotel and actually peed again. All because I followed a hydration and nutrition strategy and it worked for me. I believe it made all the difference in my finishing or not finishing.


After 2 straight DNF's (finished 15 minutes after 12 the first year and missed a run cutoff at mile 18 last year) I did it. I trained so hard this year compared to past. It was the most satisfying feeling to know that I worked for this. I am not a good athlete, and some people make this look easy. It is never easy for me. No part of it is easy.