Ironman USA Lake Placid - TriathlonFull Ironman

Lined up somewhere in the middle of the lake and maybe 3-4 rows back from the front. Just tried to find a little space to tread water until the cannon went off. Only had to wait a few seconds to start swimming. There was certainly plenty of jostling going on, but tried to stay relaxed and would just drift left or right depending on what the bodies around me were doing.

After maybe 10min, sighted for the first time and realized I was on the buoy line. Used it as reference a few times, but most navigation was done by simply following people around me. Once in awhile there would seem to be a log-jam and the banging would pick up. Just tried to remember to "stay in my box" and focus on smooth, relaxed stokes. Worked for the most part.

Was out from lap 1 in @31min. Wow! Headed back in and stayed along the buoys again. Lap 2 was pretty much the same as the first except there was more jostling at the end of the loop than the beginning--I'm sure we were hitting slower swimmers at that stage.

Not much. I felt pretty good getting out of the water and had a faster than expected swim (1:06-1:10 was my guess).

Took my wetsuit off my torso and sat down for a stripper to take over. Took them 2 pulls, but it was done quickly. Saw Team Kichula on the long run to T1 and gave a smile & a wave. Entering the oval, the guy in front of me tripped and I almost went down. Instead I just jammed my big toe into a board on the ground. Ouch!

Grab my bag, into tent, empty bag, get what I need, re-stuff bag, drop it and go grab my bike. Get to the mount line without falling in my bike shoes and get going.

I didn't rush at all through T1, but didn't dilly-dally either.

Not jam my toe. Remember to get sunscreen applied (though I had given myself a good coating before the race start).

It began right away. Bikers would pass me up the hills and I would pass them right back on flats and descents. Some may say this is to be expected since I'm a bigger rider, but there were plenty of people who were clearly working much harder to get past me. It was just what I wanted to see.

There was little/no wind to start and the ride down into Keene was a blast. Hit a high speed of 51mph and was just blowing by people.

I took a gel hit about every 25min and would get a couple other hits of GE in between feedings. Felt like I was right on plan and the loop continued as expected.

Saw Team Kichula again just after special needs (decided not to stop for anything). They were great out there all day! Finished off lap 1 in 2:54:48.

At some point the wind picked up and it was in our face on the way out to Keene. Some of the slight declines still felt like hills and I only hit 43mph on the descent this time (and had to brake a bit for people riding wide). The heat was also increasing, though I admit I didn't really notice it. Turns out the temps would go a little over 80F on the day while I had been expecting maybe 5deg cooler. And the skies were bright blue so the sun was baking us.

Loop 2 went pretty much the same as the first, with people still sprinting by me up the hills but then nearly stalling out as we crested. It was frustrating a few times as I'd get passed just at the top of a hill and have to coast to drop out of the draft zone before getting back up to my goal watts. I did pee once on the bike and kept up the same eating and hydration plan. Loop 2 was slower due to the wind and I finished it in 3:05:20.

Probably drink more. But this is hindsight from the run. Off the bike, I felt pretty good.

Got off at the dismount line, jogged to the bike drop-off and a volunteer immediately grabbed my bike for me. Took off my shoes and helmet and jogged around to the bags & tent again. Dumped the bag and grabbed what I needed. this time a volunteer helped re-stuff the bag and put some sunscreen on my shoulders and neck.

Out the tent and onto Main Street for a nice relaxing marathon.

Get more sunscreen on my arms and hands too.

I felt good as I started. Wanted to jog until the first turn-around and see nothing faster than 8:00/mi (mostly 8:20-8:30, but leeway for the first downhill mile). Ran 7:45, 8:07, 8:11, 8:53, 8:13, 8:22. Crap! So much for my jog. I rationalized that I felt good, but believe this and the heat were my undoing.

Back towards town, the run got harder as the climbing kicked in. I ran up the first big hill but then walked the steepest portion of the hill right into town. Right then I knew it was going to be a long second half. Started running up the hill again as the road turned and the grade dropped some. Saw Team Kichula yet again and that picked me up (as did all the people through downtown).

Thought about taking a brief walk break at the turn, but decided I had some downhill to work with so kept going. That was a good decision because I used the downhills to keep me moving pretty steady (even though slower now) until I hit the next turn-around at about mile 18. Mile 18 was where I had told myself the race began. Unfortunately for me, that's where it ended.

I had already started walking entire aid stations (goal had been to run to the end while grabbing what I needed and eat/drink afterwards so as not to walk too long). Now I started taking walk breaks bewteen stations that grew longer and longer. I did find the juice to do an 8:40 for mile 19, but that was it. Last 5 miles were @12min/mi pace.

Still, had enough energy to start running as I approached the oval again. Put on my best face for the crowd (and I was genuinely happy even if I was also torturing myself with every stride). Saw Team Kichula along the finishing straightaway and went over to high five them all. Then crossed the finish line as I heard Mike Reilly announce me as an IronMan!

Run slower at the start and drink more.

Got my medal, shirt & hat. My catcher asked if I was OK and I said I was a bit light-headed. He asked if I was OK to get my finisher's photo. HELL YEAH! Got that done and my catcher walked with me towards medical but I told him I would be OK. Walked for a bit until I found a place to sit down. Realized I felt pretty bad. Found my Dad & wife and decided to check myself into medical. After an hour or so of lying down and getting some fluids & food into me started to feel much better.


Heat & dehydration seemed to be my undoing in the marathon.


Some of the stuff around the race could be done better (or at least communicated better). But NA Sports puts on a fabulous race-day production. And the volunteers were as amazing as I had heard in stories. The crowd support is also great at LP, especially for large chunks of the run.

I would most certainly come back here again if I decide to do another IM one day.