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Comments: I did not swim at all this winter and began swimming in early Jan. I was convinced that a short 8 week block with focus on technique and faster swimming in the pool followed by longer swims to promote swim fitness would help get me where I needed as time efficiently as possible. This proved true, but panic attacks can undue you. Like Mike Tyson says, 'everyone has a plan, until they get punched in the mouth'. So, no mass start and I'm thinking this HAS to be better. We start walking into the water. I self seeded at just past 1:10, figuring I could swim 1:15 and possibly would be faster with the current of people. I just needed to relax and not panic. Well, that did not happen, but I am so much better at dealing with it. I went out fast (1:33pace, per Garmin) and had some trouble with the contact and it started to get in my head so I flipped and sculled for a bit. It always seems so long, but my breathing was better pretty quickly in hindsight and I started swimming again. But, I was engulfed almost immediately got hit with an inadvertent right cross and then a group of 3 swimmers swam over me and pushed me under. Felt like forever but it wasn't too long, but I flipped out and starting hyperventilating. Again, got control and knew I'd stay way wide, if I could. As I was getting ready to start again, saw someone who likely resembled me, thrashing a bit and clearly having a panic attack. He was close and I swam over to him and tried to get him to calm down and he quickly dunked me. I thought I was going to drown and realized THAT was a bad idea. Got away and talked him through it. It seemed like it took 10-15 minutes, but according to my Garmin, it was about 5 minutes. (So my swim was actually ~5 minutes faster). We were sculling on our backs getting control, so I was actually moving a bit, per the device. He was then OK and proceeded on his way and in my mind I knew I was very delayed. I scrolled screens, for the first time, and saw I was at ~1 hour at the turn around and figured we were out there for 20+ minutes and I just didn't realize it. I thought my race was f*cked at this point and was completely demoralized. I just went through the swimming motion. I didn't try to go hard. I never did focus on a strong pull or breathing 2:1 as I do when i swim fast. I was just disappointed and knew I was going to try to finish. The main issue was that my Garmin inadvertently started during the swim practice and I didn't know it. so 28 minutes were added to my time. I was only using the swim pace screen and didn't understand why it wasn't giving me a pace and only later figured it out but I was mentally out of it by then. What would you do differently?: Use a different screen to have time as well as pace. I often use the lap time/lap pace and distance screen but I didn't use it on race day. https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1271236804/1  Transition 1
Comments: So, after the ordeal, I went right over to my wife and told her about the issue and was shaking my head about it. Gave her a kiss as I didn't care to make a fast transition at this point. Then went over and got 'stripped' for the first time. The big guy pulled me up and the girl shoved the wetsuit in my gut. I had sand all over me which was annoying. Slowly jogged up towards transition. Got my bag and left the wetsuit by the bags-oops. Dumped the bike stuff out and dried feet with towel, put on socks, put on bike shoes, then helmet and clipped it, put nutrition in back pocket, put bike flat stuff in other back pocket. Jogged out the rear of the tent to go around the oval to get my bike, which was closest to me and I had to run it all the way in the grass to the other side. Impossible to pass anyone, so I stayed in line and waited to get to the mount line. Then I ran past everyone, jumped on, turned quickly180 degrees then clipped in. As we were leaving transition, a guy launched his bottle (and it looked like the only one on his bike, so I gave him my second bottle) and then we were off! What would you do differently?: I'd have pressed more if I knew I still was close to pace for the race. Nothing to do about the sh*tty transition spot, until I do 3 IM branded races and get labelled 'All World', which I would be, if I'd been a 'sponsor' and done IM races.  Bike
Comments: Not too shabby considering there were supposed to be ~3000 athletes. I pushed it and my legs felt like I was tired, but I still felt like I could run the marathon. According the the TP/Friel chart, I 'overcooked' the bike, but sometimes you just gotta roll the dice. I was pushing for a big PR and I was going to get it or not. https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1271236804 What would you do differently?: Zippo Transition 2
Comments: As soon as you dismount, someone takes your bike, so there isn't a lot of thinking, just click-clacking around to get your run bag and change. I picked up my wetsuit and stuffed it into my bike bag so I didn't lose it. Got my run stuff on. Drank a Boost as I was pretty tired and a bit hungry. Knew hydration was going well as I peed on the bike once. I then went out and got sprayed with suntan spray and was off out onto the course. Felt fast but I wasn't pushing it at all and I was actually faster in 2013. What would you do differently?: nothing, so far so good, the blow up was yet to happen...even though I'd written the race off in my mind.  Run
Comments: Oooof. That was hard. I am still processing how hard that was. Maybe I should have had more LR's. Maybe I should have peaked my run training later. Maybe, maybe, maybe...It doesn't matter. I laid it all out there, as I usually do and see what happens. I try to minimize mistakes and know that we are all in the same weather environment, so that doesn't matter. The race is within yourself and I know to try to hit my own goals. There will always be unexpected challenges. You just have to deal with them. The heat was one extra factor. It was 48 degrees at the start and high 70's at the finish. +30 degrees is a challenge. https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1271236860 What would you do differently?: Bigger run training block with more LR's and prepare with salt better. A new IM PW on the run-woohoo! (And to think I have an open 3:15 marathon time...so sad) Post race
Warm down: Couldn't walk straight. Glad to have Bill helping me as a volunteer. Felt nauseous. Legs were twitching and cramping just standing there. I needed to sit and catch my breath...for like 15 minutes. Good to see my wife and son and let me vent a bit. More Cyclonauts' came over to talk but I wasn't into socializing yet. Eventually, got stable enough to limp out with my son Mike getting the bags and me walking the bike. My wife Denise helped carry stuff too so we didn't have to come back to transition. I knew I needed a cold shower on my legs and food-eventually. What limited your ability to perform faster: Weather, Undertrained for the run, Overbiked on race day-in that order. Event comments: This is a great race. I'd highly recommend it to anyone. I was blessed by so many people helping me along this training block. Having the Cyclonauts to swim and ride with was exceptional. Having Bobby (DreamChaser,) go through the Rev 3 full revolution and IMLP was just terrific. He is a good friend, even though we haven't spent nearly enough time to hang out and just talk about life. *edited to add pics This year, my older son Mike drove a million miles from Philly just to see the race. Very special. And my wife is beyond praise with her never ending support and patience listening to me whine about everything triathlon related. I love my family lots. http://www.ironman.com/triathlon/events/americas/ironman/lake-placi... Profile Album Last updated: 2015-11-06 12:00 AM
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United States
World Triathlon Corporation
48F / 9C
Sunny
Overall Rank = 413/3055
Age Group = 55-59M
Age Group Rank = 11/179
Drove up Thursday afternoon. Pretty fast with no events other than some traffic due to construction. I liked being able to check in early to the hotel. I was happy to be back at the Crowne Plaza in downtown LP. It is second best, to the Hampton Inn, which is right across from the swim start. The Crowne Plaza is on a hill though, and walking up and down that hill even the 1/2 mile, can be taxing after a while. But no parking issues and you could get anywhere you needed. Again, it was quiet at night, comfortable beds and we got a rollaway for one of our kids. The food is exceptionally good. And of course, perfect location, location, location! Being right downtown, I could walk to Mirror Lake for a practice swim (~3/4mile), or walk to registration/transition/expo. This was all basically held at the Olympic Oval with the Convention Center/Lake Placid High School directly behind it. It was about 1/2 mile walk-down past several buildings on Main Street. Highly recommended, if you can get in. It sells out fast.
Once again, I was prepared. Eerily calm and no real issues had come up, either physical, mental or mechanical. This, of course, had me worried, as something ALWAYS happens.
Thursday's list included: registration and check in to the hotel. No kids with us initially, so lower stress levels to start.
Slept great in a comfortable bed and knew it was time to test things out. Planned a short swim, bike and run throughout the day. Walked down to swim and the Garmin wouldn't work. (Later figured out it had a dead battery and just needed charging). Felt uncomfortable in the water and only swam 15 minutes. My wife swam with me for a short while and wore a wetsuit for the first time-ever!
Walked back to hotel and went for a nice easy spin out of town for a 15 mile bike. We drove up through the Keene descent on the way up so I saw the road. Looked better with some new pavement but still some less than ideal areas. Went out of town and it was helpful to see that ahead of time. I was surprised to see that holding 185 watts gave me a 6 minute mile on mile 4, so I knew to keep that in the back of my head and not be disappointed. Had some rubbing issues with the wheels and saw my 25 tire was rubbing on the front frame and knew I'd need to change back to a 23.
Did a short 2 mile run and got chastised by the Guertin's for being out in the heat. Then went back to the lake to overcome my water fear with a charged Garmin. Met Bobby and the clan from NY. Swam a PR for 1.2 miles in 37:18 and got a HUGE confidence boost. DC waited for me, as I'd changed my mind and swam the full loop rather than a shorter one and he was worried about me. (He knows my swim history). To the LBS for a tire, dinner at the Boat House and then put the tire on and check it. Still rubbing on the back wheel at race PSI...Hmmmm.
Our son Mike arrived late, ~11:30pm and we set him up in the room and all went to sleep. Slept OK and had another delicious breakfast at the hotel prior to checking in the bike/bags. Brought the bike down to check it. Thought I'd see if I could borrow a screwdriver to loosen the set screws on the rear wheel to eliminate the rubbing on my rear tire with the 25 and the wheel rental guy helped me do it, which took care of all my bike mechanical issues! It was supposed to rain, so I put socks in open plastic bags, covered the stuff on the top with a small towel and additionally put a plastic bag over the top to prevent water from getting in the hole on the top. I saw a lot of people did different things to prevent water leak, like plastic cups inverted with a tiny hole at the top. You have access to the bags on race morning, so you can go and ready everything for the race.
Small pasta dinner, sleep early and set multiple alarms.
Sunday (race day):3:00 awake, Ate my food in the dark-Boost, poptart, Rice Krispies treat, granola bar and bannana. Drank a little G2 and back to sleep. Re-awoke at 4:30 for shower/coffee. My wife went downstairs for coffee for me. (I do so love that woman, for so many reasons that are not even related to this, of course)
Got 'Race Ready' before leaving. Race kit, timing chip, HR monitor, Garmin on wrist, self body marked (more fun and meaningful when family marks you anyway) then put on warm clothes over that. I knew I'd wear sneaks this time and give my bag to my family. They were responsible for dropping off special needs bags too, so I didn't have to do extra walking. A much improved plan from 2012. You must have a specific, predetermined meeting spot planned though, as it is madness with crowds.
5:00am: Walked down to transition and met Bobby (DreamChaser) walking back from transition. He'd already been there and was heading back to the hotel for final arrangements and chill time. Went into transition with plan to meet at specific area prior to swim practice and found my family while I was waiting for the long port-a-potty line. (Which took 15 minutes to get from the back to the front.) Took the wet plastic covers off. Checked my tires, which were low and got the bike to get into line for free air pumping, as I wasn't carrying my pump. But the Cyclonauts have a special system or communication or something, and before you know it, another 'Naut is in my row and offering me his pump to use. How lucky! Left transition after triple checking everything and sipping on a G2 and headed down to the water. made note of transition entrances/exits again in my mind, as I messed this up last time. Sad to know that I had just about the WORST spot ever and had to run my bike through the madness the entire length of the rows of bikes...
Got suit on and warmed up starting at 6:00am. Pro's (only women at this race) would start at 6:10 and AG athlete's would start entering the water at 6:40am. It was a self seed, rolling start. Interesting..
Swam a bit, but quickly realized that there was no supervision and people were swimming every which way. I got kicked, bumped, pulled etc and figured this was good practice prior to the race. HA! (Foreshadowing)