Ironman Coeur d'Alene - TriathlonFull Ironman

Lined up towards the right and in the back with OldAg and JamesReeves. The gun went off and I strolled down to the water. The swim went about how I expected. Got bumped around a little but nothing major. Very happy with my swim time, right around where I wanted to be.

Not a lot, very little.

Out of the water, ran to the strippers, grabbed my bag, in and out of the tent, grab the bike, and out

Nothing.

Got on the bike and headed out of town. I did a real good job of controlling the urge to hammer. My goal was to keep my heart rate at 130 for the first loop. With the exception of the three hills my HR stayed under 130 until mile 34. The next 22 miles were into the wind and my HR crept up a little. Ended the first loop in 2:53 (19.4 mph), average HR 137. This was 1 minute faster and 3 beats lower than the previous year. I was very happy with the first loop, on pace for my PR.

Mile 57 and BAM! Squeak, squeak, squeak… WTF! I broke a spoke on my front wheel. Opened up the breaks and started to ride. I was hoping that there was a mechanic at the next aid station. Squeak, squeak, squeak the wheel was off balance and rubbing on the break pads. Made it to the aid station at the top of the first hill and no mechanic. They said that there was a mechanic at the bike special needs bags. Back on the bike and down the hill to SN. Not only was the wheel rubbing the breaks but it was wobbling like crazy, downhill’s got real spooky over 20mph. No mechanic at SN, the head SN guy said he could call the sag wagon but it my take 2 hours to get there. Told him thank you but I did not want to wait 2 hours so I started riding again. Figured I would ride until I found the sag wagon, the wheel completely broke, or I finish the bike. I was ok with the idea of riding a broken bike for the second loop, I do not expect the race organization to provide a mechanic on every corner. Besides what are the chances that they can fix a broken spoke in the field and re-true the wheel.

Wobble, wobble, squeak, squeak. Wobble, wobble, squeak, squeak. Wobble, wobble, squeak, squeak. If you think that this is getting old now, try dealing with it for 33 miles. Wobble, wobble, squeak, squeak. Wobble, wobble, squeak, squeak. The hills were a bitch with a rubbing wheel. The downhill death wobbles were crazy. These were the longest 33 miles of my life.

Just before the Liberty Lake turn around I found the sag wagon. I stopped and asked if there was any way he could fix my wheel. He said he could not fix it but he could give me a new one. Broken wheel off and new wheel on in under 1 minute. First 33 miles of the second loop done in 2:08 (15.5 mph), average HR 140.

As I rode away from the sag wagon I come feel that my legs were trashed. Fighting the rubbing breaks and wobbles on the uphill real beat me up. The new wheel was riding smooth and I was starting to feel happy again. There was no magnet on the new wheel so my bike computer was useless. My pace back into town was based solely on my HR. My pre-race goal was to ride the second loop at 135 bpm. I tried not to push to make up for lost time, concentrated on keeping my HR at 135. Coming into town I stood up on my peddles to stretch my legs and my quads started to cramp up a little. Did not stand up again. Finished the last part of the loop in 1:11 (19.4 mph), average HR 135.


I’m not sure. I knew waiting for the sag wagon at SN for up to 2 hours did not sound like a good idea at the time, it still does not. I believe riding the bike with the wheel rubbing set me up for a horrible run. With all of the technical descents on the bike I’m not sure if taking the front break completely apart would have been a better move.

Drink more on the bike.

Off the bike, grab my bag, into the tent, running socks and shoes on. While changing my shoes I noticed my quads were feeling funny/tight. Out of the tent and on the run. I wanted to do T2 in under 1:50, a 2:08 was not a new PR but I’m happy with it.

If I want to set a new T2 PR I may wait until after I’m out of T2 to put on my socks and shoes.

First 5 miles were great. Heart rate started high (150ish) but by mile 2 it was settled in between 138 and 142 (right where I wanted it to be). Hit mile 5 at around 43 minutes, started to think that maybe I could pull a good run off to make up for the slow bike. Then things turned ugly. At the next aid station both quads locked up. Moving was very painful. Took a Succeed (salt) pill and walked thru the aid station drinking everything I could grab. At the end of the aid station I started running again, legs felt sluggish and on the verge of cramping. At the next aid station my quads locked up again. Walked the station again drinking everything in sight, at the end of the station started running with quads on the edge of cramping. And so the first loop went, run to the aid station, feel the quads locking up, pop a Succeed, walk/drink the station, start running again. By the end of the first loop the running part was becoming slower and slower.

I never wanted to quit during the run but there were several times that I thought I might not be able to continue. (WARNING: Skip to the next paragraph if you don’t want body function details.) Early on in the run I knew I was dehydrated and down on salt, because of the leg cramps. At the aid stations I would drink 2 cups of Gatorade, 1 cup of water, and 1 cup of soup. On top of this I was popping a salt pill every 45 minutes, until I ran out. On the second loop I was also packing a water bottle with me that I picked up at SN. Needless to say a full stomach, a hot day, and running is a bad combination. At mile 15 I was ready to explode, in the bad way. Made it to the port-o-potty just in time, sat down and ARRRRRRR. Both quads cramped up. I tried to straighten my legs but there was not enough room, could not stand up to stretch because I was occupied with something else. The pain was incredible. A bathroom that has been baking in the sun all day is not a pleasant place to be. The pain in my legs, the smell, the heat, it was all too much to take. I started to pass out. I wanted to yell for help but I also really did not want to be the guy that had to be rescued from the shitter. With my legs still cramping I finish my business and bail out, my legs were so knotted up that I could not stand straight. Waddled about 20 feet to the Gatorade table and downed about 6 cups. Moved down the line to the water, soup, and coke tables. I probable spent 8 to 10 minutes at this aid station, when I left my legs were not cramped anymore but the still hurt. Repeated the bathroom near death experience at mile 20.

Second loop of the run was similar to the first except for two bathroom stops and a lot more walking.

Finally made it to the finish line run in. About 200 yard from the line I’m running down the funnel of people and I can feel my legs tiring to cramp up again. All of the sudden BAM, I get blind-sided with a body check that any hockey player would be proud of. This could only be caused by one thing, my son. I somehow managed not to fall down. Ran across the line with my wife and kids.


Pack more salt tabs. I started the run with 4, picked up another 4 at SN. With as hot as it was this was not enough. A better number would have been 6 and 6.

Drink more on the bike. I did not realize it at the time but I started the run dehydrated. I was drinking a bottle of water at every aid station. I should have drank and extra bottle at every other station.

The finish line catchers tried to put me in the med tent for an IV. Managed to convince the Doctor that all I needed was to drink some fluids and walk the cramps out of my legs. Skipped the massage this year, scared that my legs would cramp up and they would send me to the med tent.

Waded into the lake to ice my legs, felt good. Shower, a few beers, and then back to the finish line. Saw hjmiii, madcow, and OldAg finish. This is the first year that I managed to be at the finish at midnight to see the last racer come in. Way cool, she made it with under 10 seconds to spare.


Bike problems, heat, 20 extra pounds. Should have gone as a Clyde, would have been in the top 10.


IMNA puts on a great event. I really enjoyed meeting some very cool BT'ers.

Althouhg I did not have the race I wanted I would have not problem doing this race again. In fact, I'm already signed up for 2007.