Ironman Coeur d'Alene - TriathlonFull Ironman

- I was disappointed by my swim time, as I was aiming for under 1 hr 10 mins
- Reasons for slower swim: 1) first 10-15 minutes was very little consistent freestyle swimming, mostly wadding in water and breast stroke due to mass start, got hit/kicked many times because it was like a blender out there with swimmers all around you, 2) I only drafted 10% of the time, 3) left leg started to cramp on the second loop, and 4) probably lost upper body strength on second loop

- Start on the inside of the race buoys (vs. outside where 98+% of swimmers started) and swim inside buoys until get to first turn buoy to get much more open water
- Then you should be with other swimmers your speed or faster, and then draft, draft, draft!
- Do more longer distance swim practices in the last 2 months before the IM (I stopped doing them to save my bad shoulder)

- Very slow transition, as usual for me since: 1) I do not run in transition, 2) had to find my own swim to bike transition bag, 3) changed to cycling shorts, and 4) had to get my own bike

- Try to reduce time by 3-4 minutes

- Overall, disappointed with my cycling, especially on loop 2 where my stomach felt upset on much of the 42 mile section.
- On loop 2 I was passed much more than on loop 1 and finally determined it was because my sodium levels got too low due to the extreme heat (I used a Camelback which I refilled on the second loop and did not put enough of my Powerbar Endurance powder/CarboPro in it when I refilled it - also it was refilled with room temperature vs. cool water) despite taking many salt tablets. I stopped and got more suntan lotion and downed a full Gatorade Endurance bottle and started to feel better
- My triple chainring was a real plus and helped me be much stronger on the steep hills than 80+% of participants I saw on the hills

- Consider not using the Camelback
- If use Camelback, not stop to refill it, but switch between using it and taking Gatorade drinks on course

- I changed my socks and entire outfit (i.e., running shorts and short sleeve shirt on)

- Not change socks unless cycling socks were bothering me (they were not), since new socks bothered me on run

- Surprisingly, the run was my strongest of the 3 sports today (normally it is the worst!).
- I trained 100% only for race walking (due to my knee/back problems) and this worked out great since on the first loop 60+% of participants near me were walking and 80+% were walking on the second loop. I was the fastest walker I saw on the course and passed dozens and dozens of other walkers.
- I walked with another guy, Todd, who was almost my speed in walking from about mile 9 to 16, and it was a great distraction to talk to him and forget the heat and how my feet hurt (blisters were starting since my feet where sliding around in my shoes and some nails were hurting)
- At about mile 16 Todd told me he could not keep up the pace we were walking at and physically I felt great, so I ran about 50% of the remaining 10 miles, running for a few minutes and then walking a few minutes. I realized if I pushed I could finish in 14 hrs 30 minutes and then later calculated since I was really moving at a great pace that 14 hrs 15 minutes was possible.
- Nutrition on run was great. Walked with a water bottle in a waist holder, which worked out great. Alternated between 1) water and then gel, salt tablet, Clif Bars, mixed nuts (I brought them) and bananas/pretzels (on course), and 2) Gatorade (at rest stops).
- The strong run portion more than made up for the disappointing swim and bike portions.
- In the bike and run portions I was smiling a lot (especially on the run) and thanking volunteers.

- Very little, possibly walked even faster in the first loop.

Walked around at the end


Excellent race, very well organized, lots of fun, amazing volunteers and lots of spectators along the course (great course for spectators)