Memorial Hermann Ironman Texas - Triathlon

The swim start was every bit of a battle as advertised. The first 300-400 yards were completely packed; every stroke was contact with someone else, but I managed to avoid taking any big shots or getting drug under the water. It cleared up a little after that, but at every buoy and (especially) turn, everything got compacted again. I took 3 big whacks to the back of the head around 1400 yards, but nothing to bad. On a few occasions, I had heals coming into my face, but I never received a full kick. So I feel lucky. On the run, I heard some people commenting how this was the worse swim start they've ever seen, with people swimming in all directions. I don't have anything to compare it to, but it might have been worse than normal, considering that over 40% of the field was a first-time Ironman.

I actually felt pretty good on the out and back and into the canal. I also felt like I'd done a pretty good job of sighting and staying relatively in line with the buoys. Definitely better than my last race where I was all over the place. I was quite surprised at how well I felt, and I was thinking that all my worries of surviving 2.4 miles were unfounded.

I'd heard people warn that there was still a long way to go once you hit the canal, so I tried to be ready for that. But I wasn't. I kept thinking the next bend in the canal or the next crowd of spectators must be the finish. But it never was. As advertised, the water in the canal was very choppy. My abs were starting to tire, and I'm fairly sure I slowed dramatically and lost a lot of places in the last 400 yards. But I did eventually finish.

On the way back from the out-and-back, the buoys are on the left, but the turn into the canal is on the right. I tried to stay along the buoys, but I could see a lot of people taking a line far to the right, shortcutting the turn towards the canal (there was no, that I saw, buoy you had to go around before turning into the canal). Next time, I'd try to take the shorter line into the canal.

Not sure how this time compares to others, but I thought I moved fairly quickly, but deliberately.

nothing

I loved the bike; I felt great and was overall happy with my effort and my splits. I filled my aero bottle and one water bottle before the race, and left my second cage empty. At each aid station (except for the last, which I deliberately skipped), I grabbed one bottle of perform and one bottle of water. I squirted the water on my head and back (and on my handlebars when things got too sticky) in transition, and dumped the water by the end of the transition area. I moved more slowly than most of the other bikers I was with, but I like how that all worked out. I also added extra electrolyte tabs to the perform in my aerobottle, and took and ate gu chews throughout the course.

I was very grateful not to have had any mechanical issues. I did have an issue after the second bike station refilling my aero bottle with perform. The peform bottle at the first station was already open; it wasn't at the second, and I didn't know how to work the twist cap. I ended up busting the cap off, then jamming the whole bottle into the opening. Aside from covering my entire bike in sticky, sugary goo, I also ended up losing the cover to the aero bottle that was to keep the liquid from splashing out on the ride.

I had intended to take salt tabs every 45 minutes. I didn't think of it until about 90 minutes in, and I took one, but when I did, I accidentally loosened the dispenser in my aero bars. The next time I went for a tab, it was gone, a sacrifice to the bike-course gods. Fortunately, it was not that hot....

The spraying perform (and again from the water I sprayed on the handlebars to clean off the stickiness and the next aid station) caused my powertap computer to shut down for a few minutes. Fortunately, I was able to get it reset once it dried out, so I could keep an eye on my output.

Around mile 85, I noticed my heartrate was getting a little too high. I dialed way back for the rest of the ride, wanting to save myself for the run. A lot of the final stretch was downhill, so even though I reduced my power, my average split was the fastest in the final section.

Make sure I know how the bottle tops work! Looking at heartate data, I probably pushed a little too hard from about mile 70-80, but overall, I was happy with my effort, and wouldn't change much.

Stopped to take a leak in the portapotty in transition. Extra minute was worth it. Hadn't felt the urge at all to go on the bike, but I thought my pee looked good, and I was sufficiently hydrated.

probably nothing.

Brutal. My thighs were a little sore the first few miles, but I soldiered on at about 11:00/mi pace (which included walking through each aid station, starting at mile 2 or 3). My stomach was a little tight early in the run, and I didn't dare take anything but water, which was NOT my nutritional plan. At about mile 5, I tried the cola, and that gave me a bit of a pick me up. For the next 10 miles or so, I tried to take cola and or perform (along with sponges, ice, and water) at each aid station. My stomach never really felt great, but it got a little better, and never totally shut down.

However, without the carbs and electrolytes I planned to take, I hit the wall hard by about mile 15, and I wondered how I would ever finish. I started walking a little longer at each aid station, and I walked a good portion of the long hill. My legs hurt so bad that I wanted to die, and I wasn't sure how I was going to keep going, much less finish. At that point, I still had a shot to break 12 hours, but only if I kept my pace up. I couldn't do it. It took everything I had--mentally and physically--to just keep going.

At about this same time, I got a "low battery" warning on my garmin watch. It fortunately kept running for quite awhile, but I finally died at mile 23. The lack of data only added to pain of the last few miles.

I mostly "ran" (if 13-14 minute miles is even running), with some walking the last 10+miles. But it hurt more than I can express. My main inspirations at that point were: get the best time I could; finish before dark (I had elected not to put my regular glasses in my special needs bag, so all I had were my rx sunglasses); and to keep running in front of all the spectators along the canal. I also thought of all my friends and family who were supporting me and following the race updates, and I appreciated your support!!

Somehow, eventually, I made it to the finish line.

I knew going in I was undertrained on the run after I missed 6 weeks of training due to bronchitis in January-February. I definitely needed more miles. And I needed to force myself to take more nutrition early in the run.

Got a massage. Did a lot of walking to pick up bike and bags. Stood out at the finish line for 2 hours, then back to the hotel, where I laid in the tub for probably an hour.


nutrition, not enough running.


loved the course. loved the volunteers. could've used some seats/tables after the finish. but otherwise, it was incredibly painful, but overall a great experience. In the last miles of the run, I couldn't imagine ever wanting to do this again; now, a couple of days removed, I can't wait.