Ironman Arizona - TriathlonFull Ironman

Rough start with lots of contact. Kept getting pinched by swimmers on both sides. Started middle-middle, but this ended up being on the buoy line when they pinched us in after the first couple hundred yards. Got kicked twice in the stomach, and dunked once while trying to breath. The dunk made me stop and cough up the lake water that I ended up swallowing/breathing. Ended up getting open water on the return leg, which helped me get into a rhythm.

Start up further, and closer to the shore (right side) to avoid the pinch/buoy line.

Took my time in T1, put on socks for the bike ride and hit the sunscreen line before heading out to the ride.

Probably use the tent just so that someone else could stuff my wetsuit into the bag.

Stomach was growling on the return trip of lap one, so I stopped at special needs and got my uncrustables. Ate one uncrustable then, and 2 more at 1 hour intervals. By the time I finished the third uncrustable my stomach was rebelling. I am not sure if it was the lake water I took in when I was dunked, or the kicks I took to the stomach, but I was unable to eat anything after this point. Tried eating GUs and ShotBloks, but felt like I was going to get sick. Stomach was bloated, which made it uncomfortable to be in Aero.

I really slowed down over the last lap of the ride.
Loop 1 : 2:04:51
Loop 2 : 2:08:09
Loop 3 : 2:13:26

Figure out what caused my stomach issues. Probably pop a gas-x & Imodium in T1.

Changed out of my 400 mile shorts into my club tri shorts. I also changed socks for the run. Time would have been cut in half if I did not spend time getting my Imodium pills opened up at the medical tent (why do they make them so hard to open?).

Hit the sunscreen line on the way out.

Have pills out of packaging.

This was all about survival. I was running on fumes from my inability to eat, so I was almost 50/50 walk/run for the first couple of loops, with the last loop probably more like 60/40 walk/run (shuffle). Took an Imodium and a Gas-X on each loop, which helped some but still did not allow me to run for extended periods.

Solve the stomach issue.

Went straight into the massage tent since there was hardly a line.


Stomach issues.


Immediately following the race I told my wife that I was "One and Done" with Ironman racing. Now that a week has past. I am considering a return to IMAZ in 2014 to actually race the entire day.