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 Swim
Comments: LIned up just before the 1h15 group and entered water a tad fast as my HR spiked and got a little anxiety. Turned briefly on back, adusted my goggles and off I went again. Felt pretty good and stayed a tad outside of the mayhem where the guide line was. Good move. Didn't know time as I didn't start watch, fellow racer told me as we exited. (PR by a minute or so-heck yeah). Porta potty lines ridiculous, I was worried although did take care of some business in hotel prior. What would you do differently?: Not much, had the worst swim training year entering due to work, etc, but all okay.  Transition 1
Comments: Decided to use porta potty to empty bladder as I exited. Sometimes I don't empty all the way on the bike and can be uncomfortable. So decided to stop and go on bike through race. What would you do differently?: Not sure if I would skip it porta potty or not  Bike
Comments: My goal was a 5:45 bike split and felt my training was there to support it. SO HERE IT GOES>>> I ride w power and felt I could ride around 170w (265ftp) and get where I need to be, with good down hill management and proper nutrition and hydration. Had infinit on bike (not concentrated) as I also use gels and waffles and salt tabs (heavy sweater). Had two bike bottles of Infinit in Special needs as well. I split the ride up into 14 mile laps, which is 4 segments each course loop. I was hitting my numbers and was feeling good. I was passing people and a few people passed me. Seen a few huge packs, which wasn't cool, but the ref rolled up at the right time and took action. SO, mile 50 or so, I down shift and begin a slight climb, when all of a sudden MY CHAIN SNAPPED OFF, I dismounted and sat in disgust on the side of the road for a few minutes. Felt like throwing the bike over into the water. So many thoughts and emotions were flooding my mind, like this is par for the course, considering how things have went so far just getting here. I had a great training cycle and was devastated to say the least. I started walking hope race support would stop (no such luck-they need more, but that is another rant). I was thinking of my two boys when I was deciding to call it a day, but I couldn't do that just now. I walked with broke chain and bike along the side of the road and many racers were very sympathetic and said they were sorry they couldn't help. I did hop on the bike for about 100 yards on a slight down hill and coasted. I figured I could get something done at the turnaround, since race support is useless. A rider did roll by and said last year that happened to him and said race support fixed him up, well not so much at this point for me. About a mile and a half into the walk a racer rolls by and as others did, asked if he could help. I showed him the broke chain and immediately he stopped. He whipped out a chain repair tool and said if I was okay with it he could take a link out and try to fix it. OH MY, heck yeah I said, even though he said no guarantees. I apologized profusely that he was stopping his race to help. He said, that's what we do (English accent). It made me think for sure and couldn't agree more. I got his name and race number, well thought I did, but forgot it by race end. I know he lived in Indiana via England. Seen GBR sticker on frame. He said no guarantees and put the thing back on, we did some shifting and agreed it was the best that could be done. We shook hands and I never seen him again. A true Ironman and gentleman. I hit the 3 Bears and am nervous about shifting, but what the heck. First 2 hills go good, but on the third my chain seized up and got stuck and jammed between shift cycles. I had to dismount. It wouldn't budge, no matter what. A spectator stops and is amazed at what he sees. I start shifting and yanking on the chain and derailler and all of a sudden it completed shift cycle. A few minutes delay and off I went. Near the turn around see fiance and my two boys and told them what had happened as I rolled by. I could see the looks on their face and they could see mine. I was disappointed, but in a way proud I was still in the race. Hands and shorts were greasy, but I was going to get this. I elected to try to make up time, but my bike chain seized up about 4 other times, forcing me to dismount and forcefully fix. Couldn't quit. Decided to use porta potty to completely empty bladder as race was a tad different now. I come in and and get cheered by my family again, which brought some energy and a smile. I constantly preach to my boys, about not giving up and overcoming obstacles, just like we did this entire trip so far. I was happy and blessed that a fellow racer was so kind. What would you do differently?: Obviously not break chain and other chain related issues forcing major time stoppage. This forced me to hammer at times on second loop, but I finally decided a tad too late this was not wise. Transition 2
Comments: got gels, race belt and off I went.  Run
Comments: I trained for pretty much a 3:30 goal marathon, but knew the heat and hills would make it harder and wanted a sub 4 run. In setting my time goals a few days before race I would've been content with a 3:45 run. I was a tad dehydrated and calorie deficient as was evidenced by full bike bottles I left behind. I cramped up a tad, but took in regular salt tabs to combat that. Was feeling okay. Ate 5 gels I brought with and drank regular intervals of Gatorade and water. I walked the aid stations when I did this, but ran through a few of them if I skipped fluids. What would you do differently?: Not much, mentally I was spent due to everything that got me to this point. But in the last mile seeing my family and "dad's" determination I was in a very good place. I crossed the line and gave a few fist pumps. Number 5 Post race
Warm down: Massage in tent (great call on my part) Event comments: I want to go back next year, but not sure if my calendar will support it. I want redemption, but also really enjoyed the venue. Love Emma's Ice Cream. Prefer to cook meals, but the restaraunts were good, although a tad pricey when feeding 4. We departed Lake Placid on Wed. morning with everyone's luggage in tow and had a great rest of vacation. Last updated: 2015-11-28 12:00 AM
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United States
World Triathlon Corporation
80F / 27C
Sunny
Overall Rank = 280/
Age Group = M45-49
Age Group Rank = 44/
***THIS REPORT MAY BE LENGTHY- esp pre race comments**
The planning for this race has been the hardest, logistically speaking due to me taking my 2 sons (10&15) w me as well as my fiancé. I always prefer to stay in cabins due to kitchens, privacy, kids experience, etc. So several months ago I book a cabin through VRBO and it looks nice and a lake is across the street. My boys love to hang out in water as we did in Couer D'Alene so I booked it (arriving Thur through Tues.) Had to prepay, which always makes me hesitate, but oh well. We booked a flight on SW with an arrival of just past midnight on Wed and planned to stay in Boston area before driving up to Lake Placid. Booked a rental car in Boston through work for the 10 days I planned on being up in the N.E. I finally solidified my "vacation" post race with family and decided to spend an extra day in LP, then head to NYC for 2 days to site see and then head to Six Flags Massachusets (kids love theme park and I didn't tell them we were going until the day before, then finally spend the last day in Boston before leaving. Dropped off the bike in Jacksonville a week earlier for Tri Bike Transport to pickup (2 hr ride, but worth it). I also figured since I'm flying back there about 6 days later it'll work out great to pick up my bike. I mention this, because a lot of pre planning and bookings were done. Felt good about the plans until the day before departure when I told my fiancé I wish we went up a day early to get a feel for things, but her work and other things couldn't work out. OKAY, Wed afternoon we head a couple hours to the Jacksonville Airport so we can catch an 815pm flight on Southwest Air (SW). My airport does not have SW and with bags, etc and better fares decided to drive. Got at airport in plenty of time. Started learning of a massive "system" outage that SW was experiencing and tons of flights were getting delayed or cancelled. My flight to ATL then onto BOST got delayed an hour, then another hour and another. So about 1245am, they announced no connecting flights into Boston from Atlanta and the earliest they can get me to Boston is possibly Friday night, wth. They tried all other nearby airports, such as NYC, Philly, Newark, pretty much the whole N.E. but the only one they could get me to would be Rochester, NY at about 7am. The flight to Atlanta was still on at 1am departure and I had to make a decision to fly to ATL with no real plans now or take the chance to Rochester, NY. I couldn't go to Rochester as way too much has been planned and after understanding the severity of this system error I was trusting them to get me there. So off to ATL we go and arrive close to 2am. We wait in line for a ticketing agent and on the phone, but mayhem is abound for SW. The only confirmation we got is our flight and pretty much itinerary is cancelled, but could wait to Fri or Sat. My heart is sinking and frustrations present. I look online and see there is 4 more seats on a flight to Boston from ATL at 630 a.m. on American Airlines. I had to do it and booked 4 one ways to Boston (not cheap-this hurt $), but I put way too much into training and planning for me not to give it a whirl. So go to SW baggage office and in line for over an hour and finally learned SW was holding over 1000 pieces of luggage in ATL due to the shutdown and they couldn't get mine or family and pretty much said, it may show up on original itinerary city (Boston), but who knows. WTH, I had a separate bag of all race gear and another suitcase of stuff, fiancé's was gone and my boys bag also. There were a few fights in the ATL airport with staff, customers, etc as the tensions were high. So about 630a.m. completely exhausted and up for over 24 hours now we head to Boston via American Airlines. I look at the board and flights from ATL into Boston on SW have been cancelled or delayed. Basically I sit at baggage carousel at SW and no bags first incoming flight, second flight at 1 p.m. my 2 bags come in, but unfortunately no kids or fiance. I'm extastic, but completely exhausted as I have not slept yet. File a claim with SW for lost bags and pick up rental car in mid afternoon. Head to LP, but had to stop at a Target in Saratoga Springs to get some clothes for kids and g/f to tide them over. Get to cabin a tad after 10p.m and were wiped out, cabin looks nice, but the bedding and things are not adequate. A 1/4 roll of toilet paper, no soap, pillows are worst I seen. Inside was very nice and I get the cabin feel, but never imagined this. Owner later writes me and said he told me to pick up necessities on the way in, well I was too wiped out for that and things weren't open. I thought toilet paper, soap and more than 3 beach towels were included, but he said no. Off to bed, sleep okay and Friday morning head to packet pickup about a 30 minute drive. At this point, I've had way too much frustration and problems so I decide to try a hotel in downtown LP to surprise my family. Fiance got a call the day before and they found her luggage in JAX, so they planned on Fed xing it on Fri. I know it will hurt again ($$), but found an opening at the Summit Peak resort/hotel off Main St. and Saranac Dr. Decent place and price was as expected, but felt not gouging. Went home to family and learned fiancé's bag came in. Told them all to pack up and were heading to town, they were all very, very happy. Told owner I would be vacating property early and asked for refund to issues. He said their was no refunds, but would sit on it and get back to me. He wrote back on Sunday and said would refund 1.5 days and I guess that had to be sufficient. I got a call Saturday at bike drop off they found my boys luggage, however, they couldn't get it to me until Tuesday. Oh well, decided to go to hotel front desk and extend trip for 2 days to enjoy the area (good call-family loved it)
Practice swim and mini brick on Sat and my legs were feeling the travel fatigue. But with that said, still had some "zip". On Fri. eve me and fiance discussed goals and times and pretty much I've been shooting for a sub 11 hour IM, with a PR of 11:30 at Couer d Alene. I have run into crazy weather in prior IM's. Now that we were settled in, I was feeling great and ready to roll.