Ironman Arizona - Triathlon

This was my first IRONMAN mass start, but I have done lots of group swim starts from sprint to 70.3. I thought I was ready for the contact. I was wrong. I expected to have lots of contact at the beginning and even for a few minutes while everyone got into their rhythm, but it was like a battle ground out there. I rarely got clean water or even a good draft as there was always someone swimming up on me or no place to get between the slower swimmers ahead of me.

I understand contact on the swim, but come on people, if you are sticking your hand up my butt that many times, maybe you ought to put your hand someplace else on the next stroke. (like in the water) I am pretty sure i was swimming with a few proctologists! Yikes...

I checked my watch after rounding the second of 3 turn buoys and was at 38 minutes. Pretty good on pace for what I hoped for the day. rounded the final buoy and headed for the stairs to exit. I had volunteered at the swim exit the year before, so I knew what to expect getting out. I swam the last 100 yards or so with my head up looking for the best lane to get up without other swimmers in the way. I saw my spot 2 lanes in from the right and got there just as the woman in front of me stood up. Yes! Clear steps for me! I easily got on my butt on the bottom step, grabbed the rail and stood up. I was careful on the slippery steps and as I turned the corner to the wetsuit strippers, I hear Mike Reilly say "One-Sixteen - this is when it's going to get really busy!"

I was right on my target time of 1:15-1:20! Loved it!

Nothing really, I am comfortable where my swim is now.

Wetsuit strippers, WOW! never used them before, but wow, were they fast! I got my sleeves off and shoulders free, while running down the line till somebody pointed to ground and yelled, "Lay Down Here!" They each grabbed a side of my suit and pulled. The suit was off in about half a second. One volunteer grabbed my hand and helped me up. The other threw the suit in my hands and sent me on my way. It was so fast I don't even know if they were men or women helping me with the suit!

Ran through the T1 bag area and got my gear bag and Into the changing tent I went. I was taking my time, but not doing a full clothes change. First, I put on my helmet and sunglasses. Then, as It had been pretty chilly (for the desert) the last week or so and the forecast showed the same if not even a bit cooler, so I pulled a snug fitting bike jersey over my tri-top and put my arm warmers on. I loaded my jersey pockets with nutrition, smeared a bunch of chamois butter in my shorts, put my shoes on and headed out of the tent to get on the bike!

I grabbed my bike from the prime parking right on the aisle spot I was assigned and jogged towards the mount line. I dodged around a couple of others trying to get on their bikes and took off for what would be my longest bike ride ever!

I could probably have calmed down a little bit and gotten through faster, but I was happy with my time. I was just planning to finish this day, not set any speed records. I also may start loading the jersey pockets before it goes in the transition bag, - one less thing to think about in transition would be good.

I was ready for this bike ride. I wasn't planning for a super fast ride. I knew I needed to keep lots in the tank for the marathon after and not being fast at either the bike or the run. My plan was just to make this ride comfortable. Cheryl and I rode about 10 miles of the course on Friday, 5 miles out on the Beeline and then turned around and came back. That day had a nice mild breeze and I was able to barely work and average almost 19 MPH for the short ride. That didn't turn out to be what happened on race day.

I had a plan to ride no more than 7 hours but was hoping for 6:30. that would be just about 2:10 per loop. The wind was much stronger today than on our practice ride and I struggled to go up hill into the wind. However, coming back down the wind was at my back and I was screaming down the hill. As i started loop 2, I checked my watch and it had barely been 2 hours! Awesome, I was feeling great and was ahead of schedule. I was going to be able to make 6:30 no problem, maybe even closer to 6 hours!

Well, then came lap 2...

Rode through town and to the start of the Beeline. Started into the nasty wind again. It was stronger this time. Around mile 50, I was struggling so hard to turn the pedals even in one of my easiest gear. Cripes, this wind was tough. A mile or so later, a saint rode up behind me and mentioned I had a flat rear tire. Ummmm, no wonder it was tough to pedal. I stopped and checked it. It was soft, but not empty. I put about half a CO2 into it and it was solid again. Whew, a slow leak. There was an aid station just 4 more miles away up the hill. I thought there would be bike tech there. Got to the turnaround and aid station, no bike tech. They were only at the aid station I had passed just before flatting. So, I put the rest of the CO2 in the tire and headed back down the hill. Rode about 4-5 more miles put another half CO2 in and was just 2 miles from the bike tech/aid station. It was on the other side of the street, though. So I stopped, got off the bike and waited for a break in the bikes ran across and had the tech change my tube while I filled up my fluids and had a snack! I was back on the road in about 2-3 minutes! Remember how great I felt about my pace and time after lap 1... Well as I started lap 3, I checked my watch again and my brain said that 6:15 bike is gone, So far, my bike time was 4:35. That was a long lap! Stronger winds and a flat tire did not help anything...

Well lap 3 was very similar to lap 2 except no flat tire. The headwind really sucked the energy out of my legs and body, but I could still look forward to the downhill tailwind on the return. the last lap was about 10 mins. faster than lap 2. Whew!

I finished in under 7 hours like I wanted to, but it sure wasn't the bike leg I hoped for going into the race.

My nutrition plan worked fine. I was able to eat plenty and drink lots on the bike as well. I drank 5 full bottles of PowerBar Perform and 2 bottles of water and ate all the food I brought on the course with me. I got in about 1500 calories in the 7 hours. It felt good! No stomach issues! Since there were 4 aid stations on the bike course, I was able to pick up plenty of fluids as I needed them and not have to carry too much extra weight.

Even with the second jersey and arm warmers on, I never got really warm on the bike. I spent most of the first lap even a bit cold. I guess the wet shorts didn't help much.

I would train harder on the bike, put in more hard work on hills and just get stronger in general. I did some good training for the race, but was just training for completing, not competing. :)

Came across the dismount line and handed off my bike to a volunteer. I love Ironman volunteers!!! Then ran through the T2 bags and grabbed my run gear. I sat down in a chair and dumped out the bag. Put on my socks and shoes, traded the helmet for a hat, remembered to take off my bike gloves and arm warmers. Finally, I grabbed my chapstick and race belt with my number put my bike gear back in the bag and headed for the run course!

I could be more organized in my transitions, but my brain was all over the place trying to remember what to do even though I like to keep transition simple. I think I'll do better if i do another IM in the future.

As soon as I ran through the run out arch, I knew I had forgotten something in transition. I was still wearing my bike jersey over my tri-top. Oh well, I had been cold most of the bike. But I also had my jersey pockets full of CO2 cartridges. the 2 empty ones used on the bike (one still in the chuck) and the 2 full ones i stopped and picked up at bike special needs. I knew this because they bounced and clanged together with every step I took. I just pulled them all out of the jersey pockets and put them in my tri-shorts pockets. Nice and quiet now. In hind-sight, I should have just dumped them all in the nearest trash can, but I wasn't thinking super straight.

I knew I couldn't run the entire marathon and would do some walking. My race plan was to go out at about 11 minute miles and follow a 4 min run/1 min walk as long as I could. This got me through the first 5K pretty well. Then, my brain just started telling my body that it was not going to go very fast the rest of today. I struggled with running a bit, then walking a bit. I tried something a running buddy does for speed days, but I did just to keep going. There were lots of light poles along the park path, so I would jog 3 lights then walk 3 lights, repeat till running out of lights. That was good for a little bit, however I wasn't doing too well. As the miles built up, so did the walking. I was able to keep just about a 12 minute mile for the first loop.

From my last loop of the bike, I knew Cheryl was about an hour behind me, so I was keeping an eye out for her. by the time I was through the first out and back segment, I hadn't seen her, so I started to get worried that she didn't make it off the bike. I knew I probably shouldn't have because it had been less than an hour and there was still about an hour before the bike cutoff. But, iron-brain wasn't really working well at this point. When I got to the mile 8 aid station, I asked a volunteer with her phone out to track Cheryl for me and found out she was on the run and past at least the first timing mat! That really cheered me up! Thanks, random volunteer! As I crossed back over the bridge at about mile 11, Cheryl was coming up the other way just past mile 5! I got a quick hug and a smooch and was super relieved to see her. I knew we would both be done long before the cutoff! (whew!)

The next 2 miles really breezed by because I knew I didn't need to worry about the iron wife anymore! I got to the second loop and the special needs bags. I had been pretty chilly for the last hour or so and was happy to get my long sleeve shirt out of the SN bag. I also dumped off the CO2 cartridges I had carried the last 13 miles. Now I had 3 layers on my torso and was starting to warm up a bit. (left the bike jersey on, too)

Continuing on the second loop, I was still struggling to run much. Run 30 seconds, walk 2 -3 minutes. I walked and talked with a few guys on the course, but didn't see them again after I did my 30 second jog. This kept up for a while. About 18 maybe 19 miles into the run, a woman jogged up behind me as I was walking and asked how I was doing. I told her I was OK, but tired. She was keeping a nice, even pace, so I jogged with her for a minute or so. We started talking about nothing and jogging between aid stations. So it turned into about 8-10 minute jog, 1-2 minute walk to get fluids and food. Hmmmm, I gave my brain something to think about besides what I was doing with my legs and I was able to run for quite a while longer! Thanks again, Lucy!!! From mile 11 until meeting Lucy, I was struggling to stay faster than 15 minute miles, but for the last about 8 miles it was easy to keep up a 12:30 or faster pace!! I think have a new mantra now. Cyclist Jens Voigt is famous for his saying, "Shut Up, Legs!" I will now use the phrase, "Shut Up, Brain!" Wonder if it will work???

Now, I'm getting close to the end. As I passed mile 23, I checked my watch and see it's just before 8:30PM. That makes 13:30 on the race clock. If I can do a 5K in just 30 minutes I can finish in less than 14 hours!! (is what my brain said) Somewhere in the back of that grey matter, I knew i didn't have sub 10 minute miles in my legs, but I sure did keep up the pace for the rest of the race. I walked less at the last 2 aid stations, I jogged faster between them. I was ready to cross that line.

As I was getting to the 25.5 mile area where the course splits -Finish to the right - Second loop to the left - There was a group of spectators cheering us all on with the usual cheers and I got to them right as I was passing an older "gentleman" who said to them under his breath, "Fu** Off!" I guess he was only finishing his first lap... It made me smile though. The spectators at an IronMan race really mean well with all of their cheers!

I took the lane to the right - to the finish line- and there was one person between me and Mike Reilly's announcement! She was walking very slowly along the right side of the chute and still about 100 yards away from the finish. So, I passed her and started high-fiving all the spectators. It was great! Bright lights, loud cheering, It felt like everyone was there for me! I heard Mike Reilly Say, "You are and Ironman!" then crossed the line! It felt great!

Ironman events sure don't stop the experience as you finish. A volunteer put my finisher medal around my neck, another put a space blanket over my shoulders, and a third put his arm around my shoulder and led me through the finish area to get my finisher shirt and hat, my finisher photos, and let me to the athlete food area. He stayed with me long enough to be sure I was OK and didn't need to get medical attention. These events do have a pretty big price tag, but they really make you feel important during the entire race!

In the food area, I got a bottle of water and a couple pieces of pizza and sat to rest for a little bit. I wondered why they were giving out blankets to everyone and thought it was a bit silly...until I had been sitting down for a few minutes. I'm not sure of the reason, but I got really cold, shivering cold and couldn't stop. So, I made my way back to transition to pick up my morning clothes bag filled with a sweat shirt and pants. Put those on and soon after warmed up. I grabbed my T1&2 bags and took them back to the truck. I got my phone out and checked the athlete tracker to find out Cheryl was past mile 21. I also found a text message from my parents (on the east coast) they had been watching the tracker and finish line camera all day and got to see me cross the line! Found lots and lots of messages on Facebook from friends and family who I didn't even know were tracking. THANKS!!!

I went back to transition and got Cheryl's bags out and back to the truck. I found another friend who was there racing with her sister and dad. I got to catch up with them and compare the day's stories for a few minutes. I kept up on the tracker and went back to the finish line in time to watch Cheryl cross. The volunteers even let me giver her the finisher's medal! :-) I navigated her through athlete food and gave her some warm clothes. once she was rested and ready to move again, we got our bikes out of transition, put them in the truck and drove back to the hotel for our well deserved IronSleep!


I went into this race with the plan to just finish. I ended up getting close to my everything went great goal! However, I know I have a faster race in me. I just need to be better prepared for the bike and run. I said before start time that I would probably never do another 140.6 race. I wasn't done for more than an hour before I decided I probably will. It won't be in 2015, and I don't know which race it will be, but, it's going to happen!


IMAZ was very well organized and executed by the staff and volunteers! I couldn't have asked for more from any of them.