Ironman USA Lake Placid - TriathlonFull Ironman

Stacey and I stayed at the back in order to try and stay out of the "washing machine". My swim was awesome. I didn't have to much contact, certainly not as much as I thought I would have. I stayed to the outside, maybe 20yds off the buoys and was able to find lots of open water to swim in. Of course this would close up now and again, but I seemed able to find open water again without much trouble. I did swim over a few people when needed and got swam over once or twice.

Not much, I am very happy with my swim.

Got out of water and was happy to see the 1:13 time for the swim. Dropped in front of a wetsuit stripper and got my wetsuit off, w/o much of a glitch.

Long run to T1, but the crowd support was a bit overwhelming. Seemed like I floated there. Grabbed my Bike gear bag and headed into the changing tent. Well it seems everyone else was in the tent also. :) People were yelling and screaming about no room, no chairs, etc. however, if they had just gone t the far side of the tent, there were plenty. Found a seat, dropped my gear and began to change. T1 went smoothly, concentrated on being methodical and not fast, which usually works for me. Stuffed all my wet crap in the bag, hit the "pee trough" (felt like I was at Shea) and headed out for the bike.

Nothing, I stayed calm and collected even with the turmoil going on around me.

Leave T1 and head out on the bike, get to the first climb out of town and it was like a traffic jam. I wish I had a camera so I could have captured the mass of bikes heading up the large climb before the descent into Keene, it was awesome. I began spinning and seemed to be passing everyone, but the HR was around 120 and I felt calm, so I just relaxed and went with it. Started to take in nutrition here. Hit the descent into Keene and was actually having fun (I am a wuss and don't like descending long harrowing hills). Hit 43mph which I am really happy about and felt really good on the descent. Got to Rt 9 and began to settle in and get my nutrition on track. However, my stomach was having none of it. With each feed, my gut was trying to rebel, water was ok, but nutrition was giving me trouble. I began to drink on the 7 or so minute mark about 1/2 of my usual but more frequently, and this seemed to help. Hit Rt 86 and the climbing began. Again i just spun up the hills and felt really good, was passing several people, but again my HR was not getting about 130-140 and i didn't feel like I was exerting myself, so I went with it. Hit Hazelton and just settled in and took it easy, so many were hammering this section, but in my mind it has some of the toughest hills on the course and you can blow up here if not careful. I saw one poor guy walking with his bike slung over his shoulder and carrying his front tire and fork in his other hand, it didn't look pretty and was obvious his day was over. Exited Hazelton and headed up the final climb in LP. I find these hills not to be to tough, though they are long. Again just spun up the hills and stayed comfortable. Finished my 1st loop at 3:00 exactly and thought I may have a great day. My only concern was that I only got through one bottle of nutrition on the bike. Grabbed my special needs, 2 more bottles of nutrition and a 1/2 PBJ sandwich.

Headed out of town on the 2nd loop and ate the PBJ, although I didn't really feel like it. Climbed the hills out of town and began the descent into Keene, knew right away that this downhill would be slower as the winds had picked up and my wuss factor was higher on now. Only hit about 38mph for a top speed this time, but who cares it still helped my avg speed. Hit Rt 9 and the wind was definitely noticeable now. Decided to just get aero and stay there to get out of the wind. My drinking was better as my stomach was able to handle more nutrition at this point. Headed back up Rt 86 and still felt really good, except my knees were getting sore, however, I knew this loop would be slower due to the wind and heat. Hit the Hazelton out and back and again took it easy. Then the last up hill into LP. Total bike time 6:24, which I am psyched about, had 2.5 bottles of nutrtion, 1/2 PBJ sandwich and to many water bottles to count. I peed twice on the bike once on the 1st and 2nd loop both on the Hazelton out and back section.

Not much, I felt great the whole time. HR was good.

Got into T2, volunteer took my bike and I got my shoes off and headed to grab my run gear bag. Got into changing tent and had a whole lot more room this time. Grabbed a chair and dumped my bag. A volunteer came over to help and got my socks out shoes laid out, etc. Then took my bike stuff and stuffed it all back into the bag, this was awesome.

I got my Garmin going to link with its satellites and switched out my HR monitor. Put my new socks on, sock on right foot then sneaker, think to myself that feels a little weird. Then sock on left foot, take a closer look, crap *@#$%^&*(, I have Stacey's socks which are a small and not gonna work on my feet. Okay shoes and socks off, old (bike) socks back on then shoes, ties em up. Put on my race belt w/ gels, visor, and head over to the "Pee Trough" again, beginning to like this things, doesn't smell nearly as bad as a port-o-pop. head over and grab sunscreen lather up my head and shoulders and head out.

Have the correct socks in my gear bag.

Leave transition and I am feeling good, glad to have my Garmin so that I can keep myself in check and not run a 7:30 first mile and completely blow my run. I decide to check my pace, but what is this, my Garmin is blank!!!!! I hit every combination of button possible and nothing, now not only am I running w/o pace but no HR either or TIME!!!!! @#$%^!!!! Okay hit the first mile marker and ask a bystander what time it is, get a very strange look, but i figure that if i can ask at each mile marker, I can get an idea of what my pace is and modify as needed to stay around 10m/m. So somewhere in mile 2 I look a the Garmin again and it is showing pace and HR but the time is stopped at 5:27. I decide not to tempt fate and leave the time off and hope that the pace and HR stays with me. Still feeling good at mile 3 and take a gel and endurolyte. I am walking every aid station to make sure that I get fluids in and alternating water and gatorade and getting new sponges for my jersey. Still feeling good at mile 6 take another gel and endurolyte. I found the course very hot going out, no shade. Mile 9 comes and take another gel and endurolyte and almost loose them, not good. Still walking and drinking at each aid station, but not really sweating much. Hit the turn around and pass up my special needs bag, as anything sweat makes me want to puke. Switch to only gatorade and water at the aid stations. Hit about mile 17 and completely loose it. Quads are trashed, bottoms of my feet hurt, etc., like everyone else I am sure, after all this is an IRONMAN. Walk quite a bit of mile 17-22 trying to get fluids in, which is becoming harder and harder, and stay cool. Every time I run, my breathing gets out of control, but my HR is staying below 140. Hit 22 and power up the hills back in to town and begin to run (or shuffle) again. Hit the turnaround on mirror lake and think I have done it and i have a chance at a personal best. This gets me running for real again. Enter the oval and grab my nephew to cross the finish line. 12:48:58 a PB by about 6 minutes on a much harder course than my previous IM distance event.

Drink More, if possible.

Got my nephew to my sister, walked around a bit taking in the atmosphere. Then grabbed a seat and tried to wait for Stacey to finish as I knew she would be about a 1/2 hour behind me. At this point a person on the med staff came over and asked me "if I felt as bad as I looked". She asked me a bunch of questions and suggested I get some broth or food. i could not handle anything, as I wanted to puke each time I tried to put something in my stomach and ended up going to the med tent. They watched me for a while and then ended up giving me 2 IV's to get my hydration back. I had lost 10 pounds during the race and was quite dehydrated. After about 2 hours I was released and found Stacey, who by this time was quite PO'ed/worried about my whereabouts. (I'm glad I was in the med tent, otherwise I would have had some "splianing" to do. Grabbed my stuff and headed home.


Dehydration.


Not sure about post race activities but they were great in the med tent.