Ironman Coeur d'Alene - Triathlon

This was a modified wave start. Athletes were to seed themselves into groups of estimated swim time. I was in the 1 hour and 15 minute group. I've had faster times at different venues, but I've always had slower swims here. I was hopeful that I would be 1:15. If my second lap hadn't slowed, I would have hit it right.
This swim was the least nasty in terms of being beat up by other swimmers of the 3 times I've done this swim. There was a bit of bumping, but nothing like the beatings I've previously taken. Whenever someone did bump me (usually a male swimmer), they apologized. I did get a few apologies.
Nevertheless this swim was slower than I had hoped. I was playing it conservative here, and I think I slowed up too much. MInd you, normally I'm breathing so heavy when I have left the water previous that it's a wonder I didn't hyperventilate. I definitely didn't waste as much energy in the swim as I normally do. It might have given me a bit more gas for the bike.


Not swim more, but more quality swims. Learn to increase speed and lift weights as regularly as I used to.

It was quite cool when we got out of the water, and it was worse while I was wet. I took a little too much time getting into tights over my tri shorts and putting on arm warmers. It was a good thing I did because my teeth chattered or my jaw was locked from the cold for the first 10 miles on the bike. It did warm up, fortunately, after that. I was never too warm that the tights caused overheating, though.

Not have to put on tights because of the cool temperature. Race somewhere warm?

Tough ride. Decided to go conservative, so I had something left with which to run. I forced myself not to burn it up on the bike like normal. My cornering/turning was ace. I was in aero position for all turns, didn't have any lag on the corner due to slight shifting down, then slowly up out of turn. The first long hill, I passed about 30-50 people. The bike out to the turn around was good. I had to rein myself in a bit. I didn't realized but there was a wind at my back. When we turned there was a bit of a headwind. You really noticed it when trying to go downhill. I had to pedal more than is usual for that steep a descent. I still flew down the hills and wasn't even passed by the heavier guys.
I had to laugh at myself because I keep thinking that it was 180 miles and not 112 miles, so after we got to special needs, I was prepared to go much further.
On the second loop that long hill was harder, so I didn't pass as many people, but I did pass a few. It was harder because the wind turned around. Now it was facing me on the way out, but this lead to not having to pedal the downhill. I was able to hunker down very low and really scream down the hill. I'm sure I was close to 80kph down it.
I was strong on the hills, but not as strong as I have been previously. My forced conservatism on the bike worked because about 5 women on the bike course that I keep exchanging position with, I passed handily on the run course.
It was definitely not my best time on the bike course, but I was able to run most of the run course.
I think I figured out my perfect hydration strategy although it's really wasteful. I took an aero-bottle of drink and then I would supplement with gulps from bottles handed out. Fortunately, the bottle were small.
Shifted funny once and dropped the chain. Re-enmeshed the chain as quickly as I could.

What would you do differently?:

Live somewhere with better spring weather. Lack of any practice on hills and not enough long rides apparent.

It took a little more time than I liked to get my tights off, and I fiddled too long with my Garmin, which ended up being pointless to take. It bumped itself off after 5 seconds, and I didn't notice it was off until 5K. I used it to look at the time of day.


Not have to take off tights.

Going conservative on the bike allowed me to run most of the course. I walked aid station (except 2) and walked with Zach, Terry and Wade a bit. Ran with Randy as he was heading in for his first lap and me for my second. I followed my own personal Ironman tradition and stuck my tongue out at mile 17 to say to it that: "I'm not going down with hypothermia. I'm going to make it." I've done that for every iron-distance race since the one where I did.
Followed my normal nutrition plan, and it worked like a charm again.

Do a long brick or two, and do way more speed work and hills. Didn't really do much of either. If I had got down to 115...that would have helped as well.

Pizza, lying in the grass waiting for ride back to house.


No speed work on the swim or bike. No bricks. Too few long bike rides and nothing over 140K. No enough speed work on the run and not enough weight lost.


When I signed up for this race, I wanted a sub-12, but with the crappy training due to bad weather and the many stresses and obstacles leading up to it, I began to dread the race. When I got on the bike in the race, I decided firmly that I was going to just have a good time; that having fun would be more important...and I did. I managed to get a 41-second personal best, and I'm fine with that.